The final pretenses of sunlight were exterminated by the overcast sky. Candlelights and lanterns fought feeble battles against overwhelming, darkening silence. Lords Wyman Manderly, Cley Cerwyn, Robett Glover… all under one roof, eating their supper, lost in thought after news circulated of Daenerys’ impending arrival. A few cast their eyes towards him, hoping for words of encouragement. Jon Snow looked at his men. I must be the light.
He stood up and at once, all eyes were on him. “It has taken a long time for the North to be united again,” he said, voice ringing across the hall. “We have come together suffering, ravaged yet by the deaths of our lords, our uncles, our fathers, whose shoes we still struggle to fill. But even after losing that war and the death of King Robb, we have endured.
“When Robb called his banners to fight against House Lannister, I must confess that for a moment, I forgot my loyalties laid north of Winterfell. If it were not for my friends in black, I would have discarded my vows to fight alongside my brother. In hindsight, I know how that would have ended. Robb Stark was honorable, a man who only called the fury of Winterfell to avenge his father. He would have done his duty and executed me as a deserter of the Night’s Watch.
“And so, I did my duty. I froze on the edge of the world, hearing my family perish through ravens. And when Sansa came, telling me about the ruin of Winterfell, we fought to overthrow the Bastard of Bolton, to take the justice we could.
“The north is more than the size of its armies. In fact, it’s nothing without the people they rule. If Daenerys fails to understand this, and wishes to wage war where innocents may die, we must do our duty. We will meet her, but only with sword, steel and victory!”
By the time Jon had finished, the chants were loud enough to scare away the darkness. The people in the hall seemed ready to charge on White Walkers were they right outside. Manderly and Cerwyn thumped their flasks on the table yelling Jon’s name. Lord Glover and Lady Dustin looked at him in screaming silence, and when Jon made eye contact, gave the briefest of nods in nonverbal assent.
Amidst jubilant chaos, Jon saw Davos approach him. He was the only one not cheering. “There is someone you must meet,” he said hurriedly.
*
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