Chapter 281 - 281

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Sleep

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Slowly the people trickled back into the hall, each with varying degrees of tiredness. Sleep had not come easy to any of them, every last one of them plagued by the nightmares of what they'd last seen.

Breakfast was a silent affair, with occasional yawns and grumblings breaking the silence. And after they all went to continue their watch, monotonous and a few feared what they might see next.

The exposure to the army of the dead had not settled well with them...

[STANNIS' CAMP; NIGHT]

[MELISANDRE stares into the fire for a while, before she exits the tent. In the distance, a tent catches on fire. Men start screaming and rushing out of their tents. A burning horse runs by MELISANDRE]

"A vision?" Stannis wondered.

[STANNIS' CAMP; MORNING]

"A band of 20 men, maybe less. They were in and out before anyone spotted them, burnt our food stores to the ground, all our siege weapons were destroyed, dozens of tents were-"

"And your men just let it happen?" Robert asked with a raised brow. "You lost four hundred men or something. Surely you have more men than that."

He should, by all accounts he should not have been marching with four hundred or a little over that number. What the fuck were the rest doing? Twenty fucking men!

Stannis' eyes hardened and his jaws set stubbornly.

"Horses?"

"We're still getting a count, but hundreds are dead."

"20 men rode into our camp without a single guard sounding the alarm?"

"The northerners know more about their land than we ever will."

"Doesn't mean they can just sneak in like that and set fire to everything" Robert grunted. Sneaking in because of the terrain wasn't a surprise, it was expected even. So how did they still manage to cut through the expected?

"You're losing your grip on your commanding skills" Renly clicked his tongue, almost teasing. "Someone of your brain should have seen this coming a mile away."

He should have... yet he hadn't. How had this happened? How was he so negligent... or did his men betray him?

"Put last night's guards in chains, either they fell asleep or they were conspiring with the enemy. Find out the truth and then hang them."

So it could be a betrayal...

"Unless there's a thaw, we can't press forward to Winterfell, and we don't have enough food to get us back to Castle Black."

"We're not returning to Castle Black."

"With how things are, turning back may be the only choice you have" Robert muttered.

Stannis nodded stiffly. Turning back was the smarter thing to do... yet he understood why his future self was adamant about moving forward...

"Forgive me, Your Grace, I never claimed to be an expert in military matters. But if we can't march forward, and we won't march back..."

[STANNIS looks to MELISANDRE and SELYSE. DAVOS follows his gaze then looks back.]

"Don't do anything stupid" Robert growled dangerously low.

Stannis prayed he didn't do anything stupid... because if that gaze meant what he thought it meant... How will he live with himself?

[THE WALL]

[The Hardhome survivors, led by JON, TORMUND, EDD, and WUN-WUN, approach the wall. ALLISER looks down at the group. JON steps forward, ALLISER stares for a moment]

"Don't be a dick right now" Lyanna muttered under her breath.

[The lower gate is lifted.]

"Good" the young woman muttered.

[The Hardhome Wildlings are being escorted through Castle Black.]

"It was a failure."

"You saved so many!" Arya exclaimed. "How is that a failure?"

"I couldn't save them all" Jon shrugged. "That is what my future self means by that."

"But you were able to save them. Those people who followed you here. You saved them! How can it be a failure even then?"

Jon smiled, reaching across Robb to ruffle Arya's hair.

"My future self needed you at his side," he said kindly.

Arya grinned.

[Many men of the Night's Watch glaring at JON, then OLLY who exchanges a long look with JON from the top of the stairs.]

Jon shifted uneasily. He had a terrible feeling.

[ALLISER walks down the steps to JON.]

"You have a good heart, Jon Snow. It will get us all killed."

Lyanna glared at the man for his threat. If he so much as touched a hair on Jon's head-

Ned shifted uncomfortably in his seat... Because he agreed with Ser Alliser. Things were not looking for Jon right now.

[STANNIS' TENT]

[STANNIS is studying his chessboard. There are 2 Baratheon pieces next to a sword, opposing 2 Bolton pieces. DAVIOS enters the tent.]

"Find you some healthy horses and a few good men to guard you, I'm sending you back to Castle Black."

"Stannis..."

"I don't know what I'm planning" the second Baratheon brother ground out, internally praying it was not what he was thinking it was.

"Tell the Lord Commander to send food, supplies, and fresh horses, in return when I take the throne I'll make sure the Night's Watch has all the men it requires. He can guard all 19 castles if he so wishes.

"Hollow wishes and promises. You're no King yet, and the Night's Watch does not take part in he was of the realm" Rickard said with a grunt. "You may have helped them, but you knew well enough when doing so that the Night's Watch will take no part in your war."

"Unless they're desperate" Renly cut in smoothly. "And judging by the shit that's happening, they are very desperate. They might just help him."

The late Lord of Winterfell clicked his tongue in distaste.

"Your Grace, you've named me your Hand. The King's Hand should never abandon the King, especially in a time of war. A boy with a scroll could deliver this message."

"And if Jon Snow refuses a boy with a scroll, what does the boy say? I didn't name you hand for your expertise in military matters, ride for Castle Black, and don't come back empty-handed."

"Your Grace, perhaps Queen and Princess Shireen could accompany me."

Yes, let them go with him, Stannis thought to himself, practically praying.

"My family stays with me."

"At least let me take Shireen. A siege is no place for a little girl."

"My family stays with me."

"Father?" Shireen looked up when he felt her father's arm tighten around her.

The man's face looked haunted, and he looked older than he was.