Ursa Major | Tormund Giantsbane

Chapter 21

More people were arriving.

The horn blew, guards shouting, "Riders coming in!"

Thyrsa and Tormund rushed into the courtyard as the gates were open, allowing in the wildlings who had been at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, followed by the men of the Night's Watch.

Tormund immediately ran to embrace his friends while Thyrsa sprinted up to Edd, hugging him tight. "You're here!" she said as the Brotherhood Without Banners dismounted from their horses not far behind. "I've missed you."

"Aye," said Edd. "As I've missed you. Not a ton of people who'll joke about death with me, eh? Speaking of..." he put a hand on her shoulder, smiling grimly. "The Army of the Dead has reached Last Hearth. Good thing there wasn't anyone there. But we did have to travel around them to get here."

"I see," said Thyrsa, looking at Jon, who was hearing the same thing from one of the wildlings. "It won't be long before they're here. I imagine that tomorrow... we will fight."

They held a War Council, joined by their new arrivals including Theon Greyjoy, who had successfully rescued his sister, Yara, from Euron. Yara had gone to retake the Iron Islands, intending to hold them in Daenerys's name. Why the Greyjoys were so loyal to Daenerys, Thyrsa didn't understand. At least Theon had pledged himself to Sansa, wishing to fight for Winterfell.

"We have dragonglass and Valyrian steel," said Jon as they looked over the table with a map of Winterfell and where each branch of the army would be positioned. "But there are too many of them. Far too many. Our enemy doesn't tire. Doesn't stop. Doesn't feel. We can't beat them in a straight fight."

"So, what can we do?" asked Jamie.

"The Night King made them all," said Jon. "They follow his command. If he falls... getting to him may be our best chance."

"If that's true, he'll never expose himself."

"Yes, he will," said Bran. "He'll come for me. He's tried before, many times, with many Three-Eyed Ravens.'

"Why?" asked Samwell. "What does he want?"

Bran sighed. "An Endless Night. He wants to erase this world, and I am its memory."

Samwell gulped nervously. "Well, that's what death is, isn't it? Forgetting. Being forgotten. If we forget where we've been and what we've done, we're not men anymore. Just animals. Your memories don't come from books. Your stories aren't just stories. If I wanted to erase the world of men, I'd start with you."

"How will he find you?" asked Tyrion.

Bran rolled up his sleeve, "His mark is on me." Burn marks in the shape of fingers were permanently printed on his inner arm. "He always knows where I am."

"We'll put you in the crypt," said Jon. "Where it's safest."

"No," said Bran. "We need to lure him into the open before his army destroys us all. I'll wait for him in the godswood."

"You want us to use you as bait?" said Sansa.

"We're not leaving you alone out there," said Arya. Even Rickon, who was unarmed and would not be participating in the fight, agreed. No way in hell were they about to offer up Bran like a pig for slaughter.

"He won't be," said Theon. "I'll stay with him, with the Ironborn." He looked at Bran, "I took this castle from you. Let me defend you now."

Bran accepted with a slow nod. They all knew what this might mean, most of all Theon. But he had no fear.

"We'll hold off the rest of them for as long as we can," said Ser Davos.

"When the time comes," said Tyrion, "Ser Davos and I will be on the walls, to give you the signal to light the trench."