Game of Thrones: Frozen Fire

Brother

"Would it be a problem?" Jon wondered aloud and Sam just looked at him, those round and dull eyes wide as he tried to understand the dilemma. "Two of the men who want the throne will be here, fighting."

"Not against each other," Sam pointed out.

"Who says they won't?" Jon clenched his fists and groaned under his breath. He should have thought better than to just send those ravens to all the lords in the Seven Kingdoms. But this was a problem that involved Westeros as a whole and since the Night's Watch was as weak as it ever had been, he had been desperate.

"There's a truce. You know your brother, and Stannis Baratheon has the reputation as rule abinding-"

"What about the red priestess? Do you think she'll respect this truce?" Jon scowled at the quill on his desk. He had never been the kind of man skilled with words, perhaps something most Starks had in common. If he had, perhaps he would not have been in such predicament. "I do not trust her, or what they say about her."

"She's not the one fighting the war."

"Please tell me Robb hasn't brought his wife with him." It was the only thing that would surely end up badly. Battle was no place for women, much less queens, but according to one of Arya's messages, Daenerys Targaryen was not like other queens or ladies.

"No. Well, according to the scouts it's only him and his troops."

"So we just have to wait now?"

"I believe so," Samwell muttered, shrugging his shoulders and making that small piece of neck he had disappear completely under the jowls.

"It might be the worst of all."

-o-

The battle started without warning in the early morning. Stannis was supposedly just a few hours away, while Robb still had at least half a day to go. Time was not on their side, but hopefully their luck was.

Jon grabbed Longclaw and called Ghost to his side. They had to be ready to face the enemy, no matter how unexpected Mance Rayder's attack was.

Running through the throng of men fighting, shouting, Jon had little time to overthink his steps. He just needed to repel the attack and do what the Night's Watch had been doing since forver, protect the Seven Kingdoms from those who lived beyond The Wall.

Wildlings had started to rain on them, just like the scarce arrows they could shoot. It seemed so little, they were much less than the ones attacking and wildlings had no fear because there was something else out there that they feared more than to the Night's Watch. Even if they were more prepared for battle, by formal training for a short time, seemed like they would not hold it for much longer.

Stannis arrived soon and his forces attacked immediately. It was a relief and for a while it felt like it was enough to defeat Mance Rayder, but Jon knew the wildlings were resourceful; hard life had forced them into a life style used to deal with hardships. They would not surrender. It was a battle that would last till the end.

It was not until he saw a blur of grey run past him that Jon realized Robb had arrived. Grey Wind had joined Ghost in battle as long lost brothers.

"Rhaegal!" Robb's voice boomed from behind him as he drew out his sword. "Dracarys!" Jon watched with wide eyes as a large shadow fell upon the fighters from both sides. All men seemed to freeze from a fraction of a moment as they saw a dragon for the first time in their lives.

From the top of the wall, the green dragon breathed out fire, burning the men who kept on trying to climb it. The smell of burnt flesh filled the air, and the screams became sharper but soon extinguished as the wind carried away the ashes and smoke.