Northern Conqueror

Chapter 47: Nightbane

Chapter 47: Nightbane

Never in her life would Sansa have imagined she would be in the middle of the woods at night during a battle trying to figure out how she could tend to an injured dragon. Viserion licked at the small hole in his wing. Though it had let out a lot of blood it wasn't a lot for the dragon and was already slowing to a trickle. Relative to his size it was small enough that it shouldn't have hindered his ability to fly, but the pain was surely too much so he'd landed to make sure Sansa was safe.

She was gently stroking the scaled edge of his wing when Viserion stiffed a moment before his head wiped around and he suddenly unleashed a torrent of flames. His body rose slightly, carefully turning, making sure he didn't hurt Sansa as he moved in a circle, igniting the trees and land around them until they were entirely enclosed within a ring of flame.

Sansa's confusion faded as she felt a chill pass through her even with flames burning around them. Lady's Tear rang as she drew it, watching the flames before her part moments before watching the Night King step into view. The gap grew as seven more White Walkers joined him.

Watching them all draw iced blades from their backs and waist, all of them ignoring her, she turned to Viserion, ready to mount him until the Night King took a spear from one of the other walkers. Seeing that Viserion leapt into the air, speeding away as the spear flew past his tail.

He started to turn back and blew flames on them, making sure they wouldn't touch Sansa in the small clearing he'd created. Yet Sansa watched the White Walkers stand in place, brushing off the stray flame that clung to their armor and clothes but didn't even burn those. Instead they all seemed to turn their attention to her.

The White Walkers seemed to examine her, their eyes settling on the rippled steel sword she held. It was the Night King who stepped forward, passing into the ring of flame which instantly died.

Though she took a step back, Sansa raised the sword toward the crowned White Walker and met his eyes. "Jon will kill you," she told him with a glare. "Whatever you do you'll never stop him. He'll kill you and every other White Walker, destroy your entire army. Your life, them making you into this, it will all be for nothing. You are nothing. You always have been and when you're dead that's all you'll be. A part of the song of our victory!"

The Night King came to a stop, his lips quirking into a slight, amused smile. That didn't stop the other White Walkers from walking toward her.

It was the flaming thurible flail that made them come to a halt. Slipping off his horse, a man cloaked in black walked between the White Walkers and Sansa. They seemed to recognize him, a few of them glaring while the Night King tilted his head curiously.

"Your father was right about you," said the man spinning the flail by the chain in his right hand.

"My father?" Sansa blinked at the man. "You knew him?"

His left hand raised as he stepped back beside her, pulling his hood and scarf to reveal her uncle Benjen. "You're a beauty, but there's no doubt you've a wolf's heart."

"Benjen!" She gasped.

"Never thought I'd see you wielding a sword," he chuckled, "but these are strange times."

"How are you here-"

"The Wall's down," he answered as one of the walkers charged toward them.

Benjen pulled a small dragonglass dagger from his belt, throwing the flail at the walker and hitting him in the face to little effect. Pulling the chain back, Benjen moved forward, dodging one of the walker's strikes to stick the dagger in his throat. It gasped and screeched as it's body broke down and crumbled.