THE VICTORY
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304 AC, The Wall
The moment Alyssa watched thousands of wights drop dead to the ground without any cause was the moment she knew that they had won. Hundreds of emotions flooded her thoughts as she vaguely could hear cheers of victory from others who realised that the battle was over.
But whilst a sigh of relief escaped her, she could not celebrate. Not truly at least. Because first she needed to know that her children were safe. It felt like centuries since she had seen any of them and now all she wanted was to hold them close and never let go.
So instead of relishing in their victory, Alyssa used the last strength she had to run through forest, towards Bran's hiding spot. She had no idea where the rest of her family were, but she knew where to find Jon, Theon and Bran.
And in a small clearing she could see Bran, sitting calmly in his wheeled chair. The storm had eased when the Night King fell and now snowflakes fell calmly down from the sky, through the treetops, creating an air of calmness around the young man. For a moment one could almost think he was simply praying by a Weirwood tree on a regular day. But reality set in when she noticed the bodies scattered on the ground, one of them being the limp form of Summer.
"Bran," Alyssa ran towards her nephew and pulled him into a quick embrace, kissing the side of his head. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, I am unharmed," Bran confirmed, although she noticed tears in his eyes that made her heart drop. "But - The - Theon," he looked at something behind her.
Kissing his forehead quickly, Alyssa jogged in the direction Bran had been looking until she came upon a body sitting leaned against a tree, blood pooling out of an open wound in his stomach.
"No, no, no," Alyssa ran over and kneeled down next to the young man, brushing a piece of hair away from his face. "Theon," she gently called, placing a hand under his chin to force her to look at him.
His eyes fluttered a little and it gave her hope. "Look at me, love," Alyssa begged the young man that she had known since he was but ten. That she loved like one of her own children.
She used her free hand to press against his wound to stop the bleeding. That gained a response from Theon who winced and he slowly opened his eyes to look at her. "Don't worry, dear, we will get you help," Alyssa promised him, looking at the wound to see if there was anything she could do.
She tried to not grow nauseous when she motives the large pool of blood beside him. It was a lot. So much blood that she doubted he had much time left.
"It's okay," Theon told her and she felt him weakly raise his hand to place it on her wrist. "It's too late for me-"
"No, it's not," Alyssa said firmly. Or at least as firmly as she could muster since she herself barely believed her own words.
One did not need to be a Maester to now that losing this much blood was fatal. She also suspected there was some internal damage which meant that there was no hope for him.
"Than-thank you, for taking me in," Theon said weakly and Alyssa could practically see the life escape from his eyes. It was heartbreaking. "For making me - a - apart of the family."
"You needn't thank me, Theon," Alyssa said, a few tears rolling down her cheeks. "You may not have my blood, but you are just as much Stark as you are Greyjoy. You are my son."
"I - I love you, mother," Theon weakly told her. The hand he had placed on Alyssa's wrist was starting to loosen.
"I love you too, son," she brought him into a hug and at first she felt him raise his arms slightly to weakly return the embrace. All she could do was listen as his breathes became more and more delicate until they simply stopped and Theon became completely limp in her arms.
Carefully she leaned him back against the tree. The pained expression that had been on Theon's face less than a minute ago was now replaced by one of peace.
A whine and something brushing up against her side made Alyssa jump out of her thoughts. Her stormy grey eyes clashed with a pair of big red ones, "Ghost," she sighed in relief of seeing the slightly battered direwolf.
But her relief quickly turned to worry when Ghost nudged her again like he wanted to tell her something. "Is it Jon?" Alyssa asked worriedly. "Show me," she told the wolf before standing up.
She casted one last glance of Theon. While she didn't wish to leave him there, Jon needed her more at the moment. She'd tell one of their men to fetch him later so he could have a proper burial.
"Your Grace!"
Alyssa turned to see a few northern guards, all looking about as exhausted as she felt. "Search for any survivors. And fetch me a horse," she ordered, not even waiting for a response before following her son's direwolf.
While running after Ghost, Alyssa was forced to jump over several corpses belonging to both friends and foes. Every time she noticed that a corpse didn't have her son's curly black hair she felt a sigh of relief.
But then, after the bodies became less and less, Ghost quickened his pace and ran over to a figure that was lying on the ground. Dread filled her when Alyssa noticed that this one had curly black hair and that Longclaw was lying beside the body.
Alyssa fell down to her knees beside him, rolling Jon over to his back. "Jon? Jon?" she brushed a piece of hair away from his face. He looked so peaceful and for once she absolutely hated it. "Please wake up," she begged, as she undid the first buttons on the collar of his tunic to search for a pulse.
For a moment she was ready to simply lay down and scream because she did not succeed in finding any evidence of life. Alyssa did not know if she could bear to lose him again. Not when the last time nearly had crushed her.
Then she felt something. It was so weak that Alyssa for a moment thought she had imagined it. But then she felt it again. And again.
He was still alive. There was still hope.
.•° ✿ °•.
304 AC, Castle Black
When Alyssa reached Castle Black with Jon's limp body hanging over the horse she had received from one of the guards, she quickly dismounted and seconds later Robb appeared beside her with Ashton and Bash in tow.
In any other situation, she would have jumped to embrace them. Now Alyssa was too preoccupied in getting Jon to a Maester. "Is he-" Robb asked, looking between his unconscious brother and his aunt's red eyes.
"Not yet," Alyssa said and together the four carried the limp prince.
"Samwell is tending to Daeryn's shoulder in the King's Tower," Bash told them. "He should be done by now."
Alyssa couldn't even bring herself to ask what had happened to Daeryn's shoulder, she'd get her answer shortly anyways, instead she focused on getting her unconscious son into the tower and up the stairs.
When they burst through the door all attention turned to them and Alyssa did a quick head count: Daeryn, Lyrella, Rhaegar, Arthur and Oberyn. At the sight of Rhaegar her heart leaped with joy at seeing him alive and well.
"Lay him down here," Sam stepped aside and without a word they walked over and laid Jon down on the bed. "What happened?"
"I do not know," Alyssa said, her voice cracking a little from all the screaming she had done in the beginning of the battle. "He defeated the Night King and I found him like this."
Then she felt herself being crushed in hug from Daeryn and Lyrella, one that she gladly returned. Realising the coast was clear, Ashton, Robb and Bash took over when the Targaryens stepped back.
"By the Gods," Lyrella muttered, bringing them all back to reality. Everyone's attention was on Jon because when Sam and another healer had started to take off his armour and tunic, the scars displayed all over his chest and stomach showed.
Alyssa was thrown back to the last time she had seen them. All she could do was remember all the emotions she had felt the last time she had looked upon those scars.
But she was the only person in the room that didn't see them for the first time. Everyone else could do nothing other than stare at them with horror in their eyes.
Jon hadn't wanted anyone else to know.
Alyssa cleared her throat, "We should give Sam some space." With that she gently ushered Robb, Ashton and Bash out of the room, and the rest took their cue and followed.
The moment she got outside the door, a pair of arms wrapped around her tightly and she didn't even need to look to know who it was. Alyssa was certain that she would be able to feel his presence even if she had lost all her senses. Every muscle in her body that had been tensed for hours relaxed. She felt safe.
"No words can express how glad I am to see you," Rhaegar whispered and squeezed him tighter for a moment, not able to find any words herself.
As they pulled apart, Rhaegar discreetly gave her a quick kiss. Both wanted so much more, but now was not the time. Next Oberyn and Arthur both offered her a quick hug.
"What happened to Jon?" Robb then asked.
"I told you, when I found him in the woods he was unconscious," Alyssa told him.
"Those wounds were old enough to have scarred," Ashton pointed out. "And they were stab wounds."
"I-" Alyssa had no idea to say and that was when she noticed a glaring absence. She had been so focused on Jon since she found him that she didn't register anything else. "Where is Ed? And Arya?"
"Arya is alive," Robb assured her. "Just a little battered."
"And Ed?" Alyssa looked between the other occupants of the room. The only thing that stopped her from completely breaking down was that no one looked mournful, only worried.
"I - I haven't seen him since we got separated," Ashton admitted, looking guilty. His eyes were downcast and while all Alyssa wanted was to comfort him - reassure him that everything would be fine. That Ed was okay. But how could she when she didn't know herself?
Instead Alyssa squeezed his shoulder in comfort and before anyone could react she was running out of the King's Tower in search of her youngest son. While Lucelia and Joanna were the youngest of her children, Alyssa would always see Edmund as her baby.
Maybe it was because he still acted like a child most of the time. Ashton had always been so very mature for his age, having had to live up to the role as heir to Casterly Rock. But Edmund had always been less mature. Just as intelligent as his brother, if not even more in some aspects, but definitely immature.
As a child Edmund had spent most of his free time with Alyssa. During his first years he would always be with her. He'd sit in her lap whenever she went over documents in her solar, or play on the floor while she trained.
Alyssa didn't really know what she was hoping to find as she ran through Castle Black and out of the gates to the now abandoned battlefield. The clean up had yet to start, everyone needed a moment of rest after all, so the bodies of the deceased still laid scattered on the ground.
It was weird really. She was searching through the bodies for someone she truly didn't want to find there. At the moment Alyssa could not imagine a more heartbreaking sight than finding her sweet boy lying trampled in the mud.
Suddenly she had troubles breathing. She stood in the middle of the battlefield, surrounded by corpses, and her vision turned blurry. Closing her eyes, she tried to regain control of her senses by calmly breathing in and out.
The fact that she was slowly losing her grip on reality made her doubt her own ears when she heard a familiar voice call for her. It must simply be her own mind playing a cruel trick on her.
Then she heard it again.
"Mama?"
Alyssa slowly turned around let out a cry of relief when her grey eyes met an identical pair belonging to her youngest son. He was limping towards her, clothes and face dirty and he looked possibly exhausted. But he was okay.
"Ed," she breathed out and then she sprinted towards him and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug.
"I - can't - breathe," Edmund complained.
Alyssa stepped back slightly to get a look at him, to make sure he was alive. "Don't scare me like that again."
"It's not my fault," Edmund exclaimed. "I think my ankle is badly sprained, maybe even broken. I'm sorry it took a while to walk back to Castle Black."
"Don't be witty with me," Alyssa half-scolded him before letting out a happy laugh. "Let's walk back to the castle."
.•° ✿ °•.
There was still no words about Jon's condition and Alyssa had yet to return.
When she ran out of the King's Tower he made a move to follow her, but at the same time the door to Jon's chambers had opened. Thinking that there was news he had stayed and when he realised there weren't it was too late. He wouldn't do anyone any good by blindly running around Castle Black.
By now they had been joined by Arya Stark as well as Jaime and Tyrion Lannister, both of whom appeared okay other than a few cuts and scrapes. While he never had liked Jaime and didn't really know Tyrion, Rhaegar was happy that they were alive - they mattered to Alyssa after all.
Some other men might have thought it weird that he was relieved that a man that his wife clearly loved in one way survived. But he loved Alyssa enough to value her happiness over his own pettiness and jealousy.
That being said, it wasn't like he ran over to embrace Jaime Lannister when he saw him. A simple nod was enough to show the Lion Knight that while he wasn't Rhaegar's priority, he preferred him living over dying.
However, he did not spare much time thinking about the golden haired man's presence. Instead his thoughts flickered between Alyssa's whereabouts to Jon's condition. He had just started to get to know his son and he definitely wasn't ready to let him go yet.
Rhaegar also couldn't get the image of Jon's scars out of his head. It wasn't just small scratches or cuts, those were clearly stab wounds that were scattered over his chest, abdomen and even heart. But they couldn't be because no one would be able to survive that.
Judging by everyone else's reactions, even Robb Stark, Bash and Ashton who were like brothers to Jon, no one else had seen them before either. No one else but Alyssa who looked pained when they were revealed, but not surprised.
His pacing back and forth continued for god knows how long until they heard footsteps. When the door opened and Alyssa entered again with Edmund, Rhaegar felt one stone leave his stomach.
Before anyone could react, Ashton was crushing Edmund in a hug, showing him that despite the two fighting all the time, they loved each other. Meanwhile Alyssa first greeted Arya happily, picking the young, and much shorter girl, off her feet as she embraced her before muttering something about what happened to her head that was bandaged. Then she moved over and hugged Tyrion Lannister first and then Jaime.
When Rhaegar noticed Jaime kiss Alyssa's cheek and whisper something to her which made her smile, he couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy, reminding him of the early days of their marriage when he had hated seeing other men flirt with her. However, he squashed it down.
"Has there been any news?" Alyssa asked the room, sinking down to sit on the floor. All she received in response was several people shaking their heads.
A silence fell over them. No one really knew what to speak about because everything was just so overwhelming. It might have been the longest time ever a room had been silent with Alyssa, Oberyn, Edmund and Tyrion in it - let alone all of them.
Eventually, Ashton, who had moved over to sit beside his mother on the floor, was the one to break the silence, "Grandfather is dead," he admitted lowly.
Rhaegar had not ever been especially fond of the Old Lion, but it was clear that his grandchildren had seen a different side of him. Alyssa wrapped an arm around his shoulders while Edmund rested his head against his mother's shoulder from the other side on the floor.
Meanwhile Jaime and Tyrion looked down. One would not have guessed that they were mourning if they looked upon them, but at least there was some sadness in their eyes, even though they tried to hide it.
"Theon is too," Alyssa told the group. "He held on for as long as he could - but there was nothing anyone could do to save him."
Those news hit all the Stark and Lannister children hard. From what Rhaegar had seen the Greyjoy boy was a part of their family. Meaning that they had lost one brother while another laid unconscious in the next room.
Both Robb Stark and Bash joined Alyssa and her son's on the floor as they silently mourned their fallen family member. The room fell back into silence and Rhaegar started to pace again.
Back and forth. Back and forth.
"Rhae," Alyssa said gently. He had not even noticed her moving and now she stood in front of him, holding his arms to prevent any further pacing, "you pacing a hole in the floor won't do any good."
Rhaegar gave her a small nod and a smile. Then he selfishly pulled her to his chest. They had not been publicly affectionate in a very long time but he did not care. He didn't care if it looked like he was marking his territory - something that was the last thing on his mind at the moment - he just needed Alyssa close.
Her mere presence was enough to bring him some piece but when holding her in his arms it was like all his burdens momentarily were lifted off his shoulders. Despite that every limb in his body seemed to ache with exhaustion all the pain seemed to momentarily disappear when she was with him.
He quickly calmed down and was about to release her to get a better look on her face when he realised that the roles had shifted. Alyssa's shoulders were shaking slightly - had it not been for the fact that his wife's calm composure rarely broke he might not have noticed it.
Instinctively, he tightened his embrace around her and cursed that they were both still wearing armour since it created a barrier between them. The room was silent and Rhaegar couldn't care less about how everyone else in the room either tried to look everywhere else other than them, or was staring.
When Alyssa finally calmed down slightly he pulled back enough to get a clear look on his face and it broke his heart to see her red trimmed eyes that were glazed over as tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Don't worry, Lizzy, Jon is strong - he is your son after all," Rhaegar took of his glove and wiped the tears away from her face. "He will pull through-"
"I can't lose him again," Alyssa whispered, her tone so broken and tired. She truly needed peace even more than the Seven Kingdoms together. "I just can't."
Those words confused him for a few moments. He had this feeling that there was something she was not telling him. While she had gone through a lot and definitely had the right to be emotional, he knew Alyssa well enough to know that it took a lot to push her into breaking her mask of indifference.
"You won't," Rhaegar assured her, kissing her forehead. It was better to not push her at the moment - just be there to comfort her.
Alyssa gave him a small but grateful smile before stepping back. Only then his arm grazed her side by mistake and Alyssa winced visibly. Worried, Rhaegar lifted her armour and his hand became stained with blood.
"It's just a small wound, Alyssa assured him. It doesn't hurt that much," she reassured him.
"You need a Maester to look at it-"
"Soon," Alyssa told him and then she probably felt the need to change the subject because afterwards she immediately blurted out, "Connington is dead too. I'm sorry."
Rhaegar was definitely saddened by those news. Not only had he as a King lost his Hand, but he had lost one of his best and oldest friends too. Rhaegar had known Jon since they were both young men and while they had had their differences over the years, Jon had never made him doubt his loyalty to him.
Sure, Rhaegar had been angered, not to mention annoyed, by Jon Connington's ability to always pick a fight with Alyssa. But that did not make it easier to lose his dear friend. Despite having denied it to his wife and many others when they brought it up, Rhaegar was well-aware of Jon's feelings towards him.
He truly wished that Jon only had seen him as a friend because Rhaegar could never love him as more than that and he wished for the former Lord of Griffin's Roost to be happy. And to be honest, Rhaegar was not sure if Jon Connington ever had been truly happy - something that made his death even sadder.
"Ser Jorah died as well," Daeryn admitted quietly, looking down at the floor. Seeing as Alyssa appeared to be okay, Rhaegar moved over to his son and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and meanwhile Lyrella leaned against him.
"Oswell too," Lyrella said quietly and it was another loss that hit Rhaegar hard. Another dear friend whose presence truly would be missed. Not only by him but by his children, Alyssa and friends as well.
"Lyanna is also dead," Alyssa said monotonously.
Despite having spent many years in exile with her, and their history that he honestly tried to forget, Rhaegar could not bring himself to mourn over her death. At least not more than he would mourn the death of another person that he had little connections to. While the death of someone you knew never was a happy affair, this would not be something he would lose sleep over and he truly hoped that Alyssa wouldn't either. She had enough to deal with already.
Then everyone's attention turned to the door that opened. Sam exited and said, "He will live." Everyone in the room visibly relaxed. "And he is awake - but tired-"
Sam did not even have the time to finish before Alyssa was entering the room, closely followed by her children and nephew. Rhaegar also followed and upon his entrance he found them all circling Jon's bed with Alyssa seated by their son's bedside.
"Imagine, how all the ladies will flock around him now," Edmund joked. "The saviour of Westeros! A hero if there ever was one."
Jon just rolled his eyes tiredly. He was pale, even paler than his northern skin usually made him appear, and scratched up like the rest of them. But other than that he was alright.
"Does it matter?" Robb teased. "He will never meet a girl he likes more than his own hair."
"You are just jealous of his curls," Daeryn smirked, since he had the same curls only his were silver-gold and not dark brown.
"Now be nice to each other," Alyssa playfully scolded them.
"I'm always nice," Edmund scoffed.
"Aye, just like I'm a master of embroidery," Arya snorted, earning a few laughs from the group.
Then Robb Stark asked, "Jon, those scars - what happened to you?" The mood in the room dropped significantly. It did not go past anyone how Jon immediately looked up at his mother, like he was asking for her help. The two seemed to have a short silent conversation.
"Perhaps this is not the best time to discuss it," Alyssa said softly, but the iron tone in her voice showed that it was more of an order than a suggestion. "Jon just woke up and should probably rest - much like the rest of us. It's been a long night."
"No, it's okay, mother," Jon weakly placed his hand on hers, brining Alyssa's attention back to him. "But could you tell them? I - I don't really want to speak of it-"
"Of course," Alyssa smiled warmly at their son. She bent down to kiss his forehead and then brushed a few dark curls away from his forehead, "Rest now, my love."
"You were just overjoyed that I woke up-"
"And now when I know you are alive I'd be overjoyed to see you rest," Alyssa told him. "And that goes for the rest of you as well."
Rhaegar guessed more people would have protested if they hadn't been so exhausted themselves. One by one said their farewells to Jon and left the small chamber.
When there was enough room by Jon's bedside, Rhaegar stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. He couldn't help but notice that it was a bit colder than usual; a side effect from having been left unconscious in the snow for a while.
"I'm glad to see that you are well, Jon. And I'm very proud of you," Rhaegar told him, a small smile on his face.
"Thank you," Jon said, also smiling slightly.
Rhaegar squeezed his shoulder one more time before exiting the room and Alyssa was just behind him. He waited for her to pass, allowing her to step out first so he could close the door behind them.
That's when he noticed how everyone else stood patiently outside, looking at Alyssa expectantly. She seemed to understand what they wanted immediately and sighed, "The story will be the same tomorrow when you have all gotten your well needed rest."
"Mama, you know us well enough," Ashton reasoned. "Neither of us will be able to fall asleep."
Alyssa sighed and ran a hand through her hair. Rhaegar placed a hand on her back for support, although he doubted she felt it through her armour. "I will tell you, but you will have to promise not to pester Jon with questions about it. There is a reason that I agreed to keep this a secret for him."
After she had received confirmation that no one would bother Jon she said, "When I left the camp for the Wall, it was because I feared Jon was in danger. I rode day and night to get to him but - I was too late," she looked down.
"There were a few members of the Night's Watch that didn't like his initiative to allow the wildlings a passage south. And they lured him out, stabbed him five times - and one of those in the heart - which killed him. He was already dead when I got here," Alyssa swallowed like the words hurt as much to say as they did to hear.
"But how can he be alive now if he was killed?" Tyrion Lannister asked.
"The Red Woman, Melisandre, she brought him back in some way - I honestly do not understand how she did it - and I do not care. It brought him back."
Everyone seemed to be processing the news, and Rhaegar was definitely one of them, but it was clear that Alyssa didn't want to speak of it anymore because she started to usher everyone out of the room, "It is time we all find a bed or a place that hasn't been destroyed by the battle and get ourselves some sleep."
Edmund opened his mouth to protest by Alyssa was quicker, "Those who protest will be disowned." He quickly closed his mouth again and allowed his mother to lead him outside.
"That trick would have been useful to know was a possibility over eight-and-ten years," Ashton said loudly. "Could have saved all of us from a lot of Edmund."
"Everyone loves a lot of Edmund," the brown haired Lannister said confidently, although his voice was fading into distance.
Arthur stepped closer to Rhaegar and muttered, "The prophecy. The Prince that was Promised was supposed to be reborn admits salt and smoke-"
"The prophecy does not matter," Rhaegar told his friend. "It's all over now and that prophecy have brought me nothing other than pain. Right now I'm just happy my family is alive and well - And now I have to make sure my stubborn wife sees a Maester before she collapse."
.•° ✿ °•.
Tywin Lannister
Theon Greyjoy
Jon Connington
Jorah Mormont
Obara Sand
Greatjon Umber
Garlan Tyrell
Brynden 'The Blackfish' Tully
Beric Dondarrion
Eddison Tollett
Summer
Kēlio
Those were only some of the brave warriors that had fallen in the battle against the Army of the Dead. The total number was too many to count, too many names to remember.
But there were quiet a few that Alyssa would mourn for. In this battle she had lost a father, a son, a few friends, a close companion for years and many more.
Everyone sombrely watched the many bodies that had been placed on funeral pyres. Some would be transported down south for a proper burial, Tywin's among them, but there were too many dead for them to bury everyone properly - especially since some were burned or beaten beyond recognition.
Both the King and Queen were dressed in the armours they had worn during the battle that had been polished clean. They had decided not to wear any crowns, since this wasn't a ceremonial occasion attended by nobles but a funeral for all those that bravely had fallen during the battle.
Over their armour they, much like the other nobles, wore black cloaks, making them all look like members of the Night's Watch. Especially Alyssa who in a northern fashion had fur line the hood of her cloak.
Everyone stood in silence and watched the unlit funeral pyres. Then Alyssa stepped forward to give a speech, "We are here to say goodbye to our brothers and sisters. To our fathers and mothers. To our friends. Our fellow men and women who set aside their many differences to fight together and eventually die together - so that others might live."
Her eyes sadly scanned the crowds. A few people were crying, others were just staring blankly into distance while a few looked completely indifferent - masking their emotions.
"Everyone in this world owes them a debt that can never be repaid - just like everyone in this world owes their lives to every single one of you that were willing to stand by us and fight for the living. And now it is our duty and honour as survivors to keep the ones that has left us alive in memory. For those who come after us and those who come after them for as long as men draw breath. They were the shields that guarded the realms of men and we should never see their like again. It does not matter if you are from the North or Dorne, the Riverlands, the Stormlands, the Reach, the Crownlands, the Vale or the Westerlands, the Iron Islands or even from the lands Beyond the Wall - these brave men and women saved our home - they sacrificed to keep the darkness away from the Seven Kingdoms and now it us our turn to repay them by keeping the flame of their memory alive."
She looked over at Rhaegar and a small smile graced her beautiful face, "While we will all mourn our fallen family members and friends - King Rhaegar and myself hope that this will mark a new beginning for Westeros. That we will mourn for our loved ones as we move into a new era of peace. The people of the Seven Kingdoms, nobles and smallfolk alike, have all suffered far too much during the past two decades. But this war against our common enemy has shown us all that we can stand together as one. And I think we owe it to those who have fallen in this war to honour their memory by continuing to work for peace and harmony."
After Alyssa's speech it was time for the funeral to start. Torches were handed out to herself, Rhaegar, their children, Jaime and their children, Robb, Arya and Oberyn. They all walked out between the different pyres.
Theon's body would be buried on another occasion and his ashes would find its rest in Winterfell where his siblings one day could join him. Therefore, the body she stopped to get a final glance at was Greatjon Umber.
A man she had known for her entire life and that always had shown his unwavering loyalty to her and to House Stark. He would truly be missed, both as an advisor to her and as a dear friend.
And nearby him laid Kēlio, her dear lion that she had saved as a cub. He had been a faithful companion to her for so many years and meant more to her than any previous pet she had. It was weird to say, but Kēlio had been there for her, to bring her comfort, even though he wasn't human.
One last time she ran a hand through his mane, allowing a single tear to fall down her cheek, it wouldn't look well for the Queen to completely break down after all. Then she set fire to the twigs and branches that built up the pyre before stepping back.
They all returned to their original positions and watched as the bodies burned. All Alyssa wanted to do when the scent of burnt flesh entered her nostrils was to walk away - it brought back too many bad memories and nightmares that had yet to leave her. But she couldn't. It wouldn't look good.
She felt an arm wrap around her waist and then Rhaegar's familiar scent replaced that of the burnt flesh as he embraced her. Then he waited just enough time to seem respectful to the deceased before he grabbed her hand and walked away from the funeral.
They would all meet in the Great Hall of Castle Black to discuss a few matters but as they walked there, Rhaegar pulled her into an empty room, telling Arthur they would be there shortly.
"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly, gently placing his hand on her cheek.
"Aye, just - I don't think the smell of burnt flesh is ever going to be something I get used to," Alyssa smiled reassuringly. "Hopefully I won't have to either."
"No, you won't," he promised. "And I loved your speech. I would have offered to do it myself - but when it comes to uniting our people we all know that you are the only reason they agreed to fight for us."
"It was no problem," Alyssa assured him. "I meant every word I say - I truly hope this is a new beginning for all of us. I don't think I can bear to fight another war."
"Then we will simply have to do everything in our power to bring peace to the realm," Rhaegar told her, a small grin on his handsome face. "That doesn't sound too hard, does it?"
"For me? No. But for the man who ones fell of his horse when it was standing still, it might prove more of a challenge," Alyssa joked.
Rhaegar groaned, "I honestly thought everyone had forgotten about that."
"Forgotten? No, I will make sure it's written down in the history books," Alyssa scoffed before standing on her toes to kiss him. "Now let's not keep the others waiting any longer."
She held into his arm as they exited the room and walked to the Great Hall. "Finally, you are here," Edmund exclaimed. "Now Bran can tell us how the Night King got an ice dragon and why he didn't tell us sooner. It would have been nice to know such creature existed before it almost killed me."
"You are both the best and worse of both your parents, you know that right?" Tyrion told his nephew fondly.
"We take that as a compliment," Alyssa and Jaime both said.
"It is a wonder I turned out so normal," Ashton rubbed his forehead.
"Can we circle back to the ice dragon?" Alyssa then asked, turning towards Bran. "Did you know the Night King had him in his possession?"
"No, I did not. Not until it was too late," Bran admitted. "My visions of the future can be confusing at times and - well, I am rather new to this. I don't think I've quite mastered to completely control my visions just yet."
"But to you know how the dragon came into the Night King's possession now?" Robb asked his younger brother.
"Thousands of years ago ice dragons roamed the Shivering Sea and the White Waste," Bran explained. "But they became extinct years ago. Only the Night King found a dead one a while back and he used his powers to bring it back to life just before the battle began. Probably so we would not have enough time to prepare for it."
"And what happened to the Horn of Winter?" Jon wondered.
"It was destroyed during the battle," Bran told them. "I saw it myself."
"Good," Alyssa nodded. "And thank the Gods that the ice dragon disappeared just like the Night King. Imagining having to find a way to move that corpse."
"What do we do know?" Daeryn wondered.
"Now we all can go home, rest and mourn those we have lost - and after that we make sure to live in the present, not the past."
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The title is both in reference to the livings victory over the dead, but also the fact that I survived prom without breaking foot or tripping over my dress:)
Only one chapter left and an epilogue😭😭
That also means that I will start my new Rhaegar story soon and the first chapter will be published at the same time as the epilogue for Wolf Queen. Please check it out!