The Fierce Falcon.

Part 52

Artys's Pov, 

Some Days Later, 

The air was thick with tension, a urgency driving every soul within Winterfell's ancient walls. With the Night King's army but a day's march away, the once quiet corridors now echoed with the clamor of preparation. Men, dressed in leather and steel, moved with a purpose that bordered on frenzy, their faces set in grim determination as they accepted the Dragon Glass weapons that were their only hope against the coming darkness.

Above, the archers took their positions on the battlements, their quivers brimming with arrows, eyes scanning the horizon for the first sign of the enemy. The scouts' report had been dire; hundreds of thousands marched under the Night King's banner, an army of the dead against which Winterfell's defenses might prove futile.

Yet amidst the fear and anticipation, there was a fire that burned in the hearts of the living. They would stand against the night, they would hold their ground, and if they were to fall, they would fall where they stood, defending their home against the cold grasp of death. Winterfell was ready, as ready as she could ever be.

Quickly making my way into the war room I see the others have arrived and I look at the pieces on the map before Jon speaks what my mind thinks. "We can't beat them in a straight fight." 

"Then what can we do?" Jace asks and Jon is quick to speak again. "The Night King made them all. They follow his command. If he falls they all fall,  Getting to him may be our best chance." He says. 

"If that's true, he'll never expose himself." Ser Barristan speaks and he does have a point. "Yes he will." The voice of Bran says and we all turn to look at him. 

"He'll come for me. He's tried before, many times, with many Three-Eyed Ravens." He adds still with no emotion, and oke? The Tree-Eyed Raven? 

"Why? What does he want?" Sam asks and indeed good question, what does he want from Bran or well this Tree-eyed Raven.  "An endless night. He wants to erase this world, and I am its memory." Bran says still just as monotone as ever. 

"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." Sam speaks before Tommen asks. 

"But how will he find you?" 

"His mark is on me." He begins as he lifts his right sleeve up and we see a mark of a hand come into view. "He always knows where I am." 

"We'll put you in the Great Hall, where it's safest." Jon says and well yeah but if he knows where Bran is wouldn't he go there? "No. We need to lure him into the open before his army destroys us all. I'll wait for him in the Godswood." Bran says and I let a frown settle on my face. 

"You want us to use you as bait?" Sansa says before she now is followed up by Arya. "We're not leaving you alone out there" 

"Your our brother, we need to protect you." Rickon now adds as they look at Bran but he just seems always in his own thoughts as if he's I don't know not even in his own body anymore? 

" He won't be. I'll stay with him. With the Ironborn. I took this Castle from you, let me defend you now." Theon says as he looks at his sister Yara before looking at Bran. 

"We'll hold off the rest of them for as long as we can." Ser Bravos says  before Tyrion speaks. "When the time comes, Ser Davos and I will be on the walls, to give you the signal to light the trench."