The Alliance of Middle-Earth and Westeros

The Ruler of the Seven Kingdoms

By mid afternoon the next day, Jon Snow walked around Winterfell and watched the peoples of Middle-Earth and Westeros working hard and well together. Even the Dothraki and the Unsullied were helping Faramir, Ewoyn and some Gondor soldiers to train new recruits. He saw the hobbits being useful as ever helping Gendry and Samwell. He also saw Legolas and Gimli helping Davos and Shireen tending to those who could not fight, such as making sure they were fed, warm enough and able to be enter the crypts where they would hide during the battle when the White Walkers would arrive. He also saw King Eomer and his Rohirrim were supervising the dead bodies being burnt on pyres so the Night King couldn't recruit any more to join his army. It was Gandalf's suggestion. They even had the dead people lying in the crypts removed in case they could join the Army of the Dead. Finally, Jon saw Brienne of Tarth and Podrick Payne helping King Aragorn and his Gondor army preparing the last defences including the catapults ready for battle.

Despite all the good things happening and everyone getting on so well under his rule, Jon still felt uncomfortable and wondered if he was being a good king. Not even the assuring comments from the toughest people such as the Hound and Bronn and how they said he was a better ruler than Joffrey, Tommen, Robert, Stannis, Renly, Cersei, Mance, Dany and Aerys II among the other rulers combined together could make him feel good.

"You should be proud of yourself, Your Majesty."

Jon turned to see Aragorn approaching him.

"How can I feel proud of all the bad things I had to do?" Jon asked. "I killed many people who didn't deserve to die. I've been King of the whole of Westeros for not two days. I know it's my right, but I keep thinking someone out there might be a better ruler than me. I keep fearing I might be even worse than Joffrey."

"I know how you are feeling." Then Aragorn told Jon about his whole life from where he was raised in Rivendell to becoming a ranger in the north to becoming King of Gondor and how he kept feeling he might do more harm than Sauron and his ancestor Isdulr did. "And even to this day I still wonder whether I do the right thing, though I feel that I always give my very best."

Jon started to feel a bit more relaxed.

"If any of the other rulers before you asked me and Gondor for assistance," Aragorn continued, "I would not be able to help them because I would not believe in them as I do in you and the Starks. And I doubt Rohan, Gandalf and the rest of our friends from Middle-Earth would either."

Jon started to feel more confident in himself. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Always keep on doing your best," Aragorn told him. "That's all a king ever can do. And do not forget, Your Grace, there is always hope."

Then Merry arrived. He turned to Jon. "Your Grace, Gendry has finished making the weapons from the Valyrian steel. He needs your inspection of them."

"Lead on, Merry," Jon said as he and Aragorn followed Merry.


Merry took Aragorn and Jon to Gendry's workshop. Arya and Pippin were with him. Gendry showed both kings and Arya the weapons he and the hobbits made. Jon inspected them he was really impressed with how well they were made, especially the small dagger that he had made for Arya alone. He asked for Gandalf, Legolas, Gimli, Bronn, Davos, the Hound and Grey Worm among the many brave warriors to inspect the weapons and give their opinions to help him feel more assured. All of them were impressed.

"These are all really fucking good," the Hound said.

"We'll have a bigger chance to kill those ice bastards," Bronn said.

Gimli had seen plenty of axes well-crafted in Middle-Earth, but he had never seen axes like the ones Gendry made before. "Oh, yes! These will do. Are you sure no dwarves from Erebor or Moria taught you to make these?"

Gendry had to chuckle a bit. "I'm afraid not, Master Gimli, but thank you for the compliment."

"What compliment?" Gimli had to laugh. He couldn't stop laughing, even as Aragorn took him out of the workshop.

Legolas was impressed with the arrows made by Gendry. He took one and put it on his bow. It fitted just fine. Then he turned and fired it at the shooting range. He hit the perfect bullseye. "It's more powerful than it feels."

Then Podrick approached them and bowed before Jon. "Your Grace, my lady has requested for your presence for inspecting the defenses."

Jon followed Pod to Brienne outside of Winterfell. She showed him all of the defences were ready for battle. Jon was still worried about whether they would be enough, but he was impressed with how well they were positioned and how hard everyone worked on them. And he was impressed that the training all of those that could fight was going very well.

Then Jon saw a Gondor soldier on a riding horse galloping back towards to Winterfell. Though they were at a far distance, Jon could see the soldier on the horse was in some sort of pain. Jon, Aragorn, Gandalf, Samwell, Samwise and Frodo ran to him. Just before he reached them, he fell off the horse.

Samwell grabbed the horse to calm it down. The hobbits took the helmet. Everyone was shocked to see the poor soldier's face all scratched and bloody.

Frodo felt his pulse while Samwise checked for breathing. Both of them found nothing.

"He's dead," Frodo said.

"And we know who did it," Gandalf said. Then he turned to Jon. "The time is now, Your Grace."

Jon nodded. "Brienne. Podrick." Gather everyone – soldiers, advisors, the people – to the town."

Brienne bowed. "At once, Your Grace. Come, Podrick." She and her squire left to do their job.

"Put that soldier on the burning pyre," Gandalf told the hobbits.

"Did you know him, Aragorn?" Samwise asked, as he helped Frodo and the Gondor King lifted the dead soldier up.

"I didn't know his name," Aragorn confessed. "But I know that he was a very brave and loyal soldier." He gave the soldier a quick but appreciated send off before he and the hobbits joined everyone in the town.

It took Brienne and Podrick no more than ten minutes to gather everyone. Everyone was nervous and panicking. No one, not even the kings could quiet them down. Then a loud tap and a bright light from a wizard's staff made them be quiet and pay attention.

"Thank you, Gandalf." Then Jon turned to the crowd. "A Gondor scout has been killed by the White Walkers. That means they are getting closer to Winterfell. The battle starts now. King Eomer, you will take your Rohirrim and the Dothraki to keep an eye out for the White Walkers and let them know when they get closer to Winterfell. All those people that can't fight head to the crypts now. And the rest of you, join me on the battlefield. Best of luck to you all."

Eomer led the Rohirrim and the Dothraki ahead. Aragorn and Jon led all the remaining warriors to the battlefield while Sansa, Tyrion, Varys and the hobbits lead all those who could not fight into the crypts for safety. Before he left for the battlefield, Davos turned to the hobbits and asked them to look after Shireen and made sure no harm would ever come to her. They all promised, especially Pippin.