The Last Stag • Game of Thrones

40.

Chapter Forty.
Stay Alive

"Keep the formation tight." Renfri pushed the stag chess piece forward, signifying the first battalion. "The men of the first battalion are our largest, so they're holding the ground in front with the Wildling army and behind the Dothraki. Our men stay on our side of the trenches. Start with shields and spears in the front. The eighth and fourteenth battalions will be behind them. Those are our quick ones, strong with swords."

"What about the third and twelfth?" Lord Estermont asked, pointing to the highlighted gap on the map. "They cant defend this spot on their own."

"Right." Renfri furrowed her brow. "We can move the fifteenth there to support them. Double the second and eleventh on the catapults. You'll take the fourth and sixth defending the gate, Lord Estermont. Lord Wylde, you will take the seventh, tenth, and ninth up to the left flank to support Brienne of Tarth on tightening the wall."

"Where will you be?" Lord Milligan asked. The Stormlander Lords turned to her. "And the bear?"

"With the eighth." She explained. Her eyes flickered to Goji, sitting diligently beside her. "Behind the first battalion. When the wights start straggling over the shield wall, Goji is as strong a fighter as twenty men. At the front we can supply the most support."

"And if you should fall?" Chimed in the young Lord Swann. "Who takes over command?"

"In that event, Lord Estermont takes the Stormlanders." She nodded, looking to the man in question. "He's my second. But I urge you to heed the advice and command of Chieftain Tormund during the battle. If they should reach the gates, Lord Musgood has the thirteenth battalion atop the wall with the other archers. Burning arrows only, no bare." 

The Lords were quiet, contemplating this.

"Am I understood?" Renfri asked, looking amongst the men. "I've given each of you command. Lead your men wisely. Listen to your commanders. Follow the plan. If we can keep the forward flank tight, we can win this. We just need to hold our ground."

The flaps to the tent fluttered open. It was one of the Unsullied men, the one Queen Daenerys kept close.

"Queen Daenerys requests the arrival of Lady Renfri." He was far too formal, his body tensed, his hands behind his back. "In the war room at once."

Renfri looked to back to her man.

"Ours is the fury, gentlemen." She nodded.

They repeated the phrase back to her. Renfri took off following the Unsullied, Goji trotting at her side, motioning for Estermont to follow.

They hurried to the war room, the sun hanging low in the sky, the world turning a dark blue. They trotted up to the war room, bursting in.

"Good." Daenerys's eyes flickered up as the Stormlanders joined them. "Let's begin."

"The Night King created every one of the dead in the army." Jon's eyes scanned around the table, all the lead commanders and their seconds present. Edd, Tormund, Karsi, Sansa, Daenerys, Theon, Jorah, Grey Worm, Renfri, Brienne. "If we can get to him, the entire army falls."

"If that's true, he'll never reveal himself." Jaime shook his head from beside Brienne.

"But he will." Bran monotoned from next to Sansa. "He'll come for me."

All eyes flickered to him.

"He's tried before." Bran murmured. "Many times with many Three-Eyed Ravens."