the songs of winter // j.snow 3.

8.11 The Crypt

When Arabella entered the crypts she saw Tyrion pacing from one side to another as Sansa sat besides him with a frown. "Bella!" Tyrion noticed that his niece was here.

Her face didn't held any positive expression as she approached her handmaiden that held Ellyn in her hands.

Arabella took Ellyn into her hands and kissed her head as she shook her head at Tyrion with a big frown.

A baby started to cry as Arabella sat down next to Sansa before sitting Ellyn on her lap. "My heart is beating out of my chest," Arabella told Sansa then who only stared at the people with a dull look on her face. "It's not good."

"It's not," Sansa agreed as Arabella teared up and kissed Ellyn's head before looking around.

"I saw that snowstorm get to Jon," she then whispered so Sansa glanced at her and placed her hand on top of Arabella's. "And I let Caine out to fight. I'm an awful person."

Sansa only put her arm around Arabella's frame and brought the woman closer to herself before kissing Arabella's head. The crying of some baby didn't stop.

Arabella noticed Tyrion standing in front of the stairs leading out of the crypt as Varys spoke. "At least we're already in the crypt."

Everyone were losing hope as Tyrion kept his back turned on them. "If we were up there we might see something everyone else is missing," he then spoke as Arabella stared at him. Ellyn was incredibly calm. "Something that makes a difference."

Varys could only scoff so an angered Tyrion turned to look at him. "What?" he questioned curiously. "Remember the battle of the Blackwater? I brought us through the mud gate."

"And got your face cut in half," Varys argued with a sigh.

"And made a difference," Tyrion's eyes rested on Sansa and Arabella who stared at him with the same expression of lost hope. He then turned back to the stairs. "If I was out there right now-"

"You'd die," Arabella cut him off abruptly as Tyrion snapped his head back at her. She could only say the truth. "There's nothing you can do, uncle."

Tyrion paused before approaching his once wife and niece as he threw his wine pouch away. "You might be surprised that the main side goal is to avoid joining the army of the dead," he commented while pulling a chair in front of Sansa and Arabella. "I could think of no organization less suited to my talents."

Sansa stared at him before speaking. "Witty remarks won't make a difference," she told him as Tyrion glanced back at her. "That's why we're down here... None of us can do anything. It's the truth. It's a most heroic thing we can do now... Look the truth in the face."

Tyrion glanced at Arabella to see her soothing Ellyn to sleep. "Maybe we should have stayed married?" he asked as Sansa held a somewhat of a smile.

"You were the best of them," she confessed as Arabella continued to gaze at Ellyn's closing eyes with a small smile.

Tyrion seemed to be moved as he quipped. "What a terrifying thought!" he exclaimed as Arabella let out a breath as Ellyn finally fell asleep in her arms.

Sansa smiled but then shook her head. "It wouldn't work between us."

Arabella let out a soft chuckle as she raised her eyes up at her uncle who stared back in amusement. "Why not?" Tyrion then asked Sansa.

Arabella knew the answer. "The Dragon Queen," she said but Tyrion waited for Sansa to confirm it. When the redhead didn't say anything bad Tyrion looked away.

"Your divided loyalties would become a problem," Sansa commented as Arabella looked down at Ellyn once again.

"Yes..." Daenerys' friend Missandei then spoke sarcastically, having been listening. "Without the Dragon Queen there would be no problem at all. We'd all be dead already."

Missandei then rose to her feet and walked away past Arabella as she looked at Tyrion.

~~~

The Dead had beaten the fire and gotten near the walls. Despite having lost so many men out in the field, the castle's walls were a major force multiplier for the defenders, and they killed many more hundreds of wights.

The snowstorm reduced the castle to a whiteout amidst the flames. Jaime was nearly overwhelmed by dozens of wights as it looked like the end to him but Brienne carved her way to him using her Valyrian steel sword.

Jorah, similarly, managed to save Samwell Tarly while using the Valyrian steel sword that Sam himself gave.

Jaime felt someone approach him as he turned around to see bright blue eyes near him but then it got cut in half. The Lannister saw Caine as Jaime stared at him with wide eyes. "Duck," Caine sneered so Jaime did as Caine sliced another wight in half.

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