“That looks like it was drawn by a child.” Sansa said.

“It was.” Tyrion said. “By me.”

“What? How did you...”

“I spent an inordinate amount of time in the catacombs underneath the Red Keep. I grew up surrounded by the bones of dragons and I drew everything I saw down there.” Tyrion said and took several of the other papers from underneath the stack. Daenerys pick up the sheets and looked through them. Her eyes teared up a little as she saw the skulls of all of the dragons that had been killed.

“The drawings are crude compared to my normal standard; however, they are accurate and the measurements are all exact.”

“After arming all of our fighting forces, we don't have the metal to make more than a dozen of those six foot long metal bolts, assuming we divert some of our blacksmiths from working on dragon glass.” The Maester said.

“We can't do that.” Jon said. “We need as many of our people armed with it as soon as possible.”

“There's no need to make the bolts out of metal. The reason it's metal is so the weight can pierce a dragon's hide.” Tyrion said. “Make the bolts out of wood and attach the scraps of dragon glass from the forging of other weapons to the ends. It doesn't need piercing power because it's just a delivery system.”

“Won't the dragon glass shatter?” The Maester of Winterfell asked.

“It doesn't matter if it shatters after it hits, as long as the dead are hit with it.” Tyrion said and looked at the Maester as he held out the plans for the scorpion. “I doubt you can have your people make more than two of these by the time we need them.”

“Definitely one at least, and if we use wood for the ammunition...”

“The weapons are ridiculously easy to aim.” Tyrion said and used his stick to point at the model of Winterfell and pointed to a central point on the wall. “If you only manage one, place it here. If you manage two, place them here and here.” He said and tapped two points at the corners of the walls. “The first position with a single scorpion will hit the main force of the dead army, if there are two, the entire battlefield, including the flanks, can be covered.”

“Will having them be that decisive to the battle?” Brienne of Tarth asked.

“Even if every shot misses the giants, it should still cut swaths through the dead around them.” Tyrion said. “The wooden bolts are cheap, quick to make, and easy to reload. Since they use the scraps from the forges that can't be used anyway...”

“...having them can only be an advantage and not a drawback.” Sansa said and looked at the Maester. “Have one constructed as soon as possible and have ammunition made for it.” She said. “Mount it in the central position. Once it is completed, start another.” She glanced at Tyrion. “Would reducing it's size make the construction faster?”

“Unlike me, making it smaller would reduce its effectiveness.” Tyrion said and Sansa let the hint of a smile touch her lips and a few people chuckled. “I have commanded forces in several battles, so I...”

“...will be safely behind the walls of Winterfell.” Daenerys said. “There isn't a real way for you to coordinate everyone once the battle starts.”

“We will all be fighting for our lives.” Tyrion said. “Once the main force of the enemy enters the battlefield, the unsullied will have the worst fight they've ever had.” He said. “Even with a well timed pincer attack when they break through the funnels, the battle will be fierce and frenzied.”

“They are prepared to give their lives for me.” Daenerys said. “They are unwavering in their loyalty.”

“As am I.” Tyrion said. “I will stay behind the walls.”

Daenerys nodded to him.

“Without your army, we would be easily overrun.” Jon said to Daenerys. “We didn't stand a chance against them on our own.”

Daenerys nodded to him as well.

“So, is that it?” Davos asked. “Is that everything covered?”

“No.” Bran said from across the room. “We need to deal with the Night King.”

“We can't do anything against him until he reveals himself.” Jon said. “We can hope that when the Dothraki swarm the white walkers controlling the army of the dead, he will have to make an appearance. When he does...”

“We attack with everything we have.” Daenerys said.

Jon nodded. “He cannot be left alive, or whatever he is. He can raise more dead and increase his numbers with our own men.” He shivered mentally at the remembered sight of Hardhome and all of the wildlings the army of the dead had killed and the Night King had raised to join them.

“The unsullied have been ordered to decapitate or crush the heads of anyone that dies.” Daenerys said. “They are to be treated the same as any other member of the dead army.”

The people around the table exchanged glances.

“It's only prudent.” Daenerys said. “The worst thing to happen would be for our people to rise and attack us. It would be demoralizing and could cause a panic.”

And smashing their skulls before they rise isn't? Sansa asked herself. “According to Bran, we have less than four days before the dead arrive.”

“At dusk, I believe he said.” Arya said. “The perfect time for a nightmare to arrive, isn't it?”

No one said anything and Bran raised a hand and pointed to Daenerys. “Mother of Dragons, I'd like a word.”

Daenerys gave Jon a look and he shrugged. She walked over to Bran and he whispered to her.

“Whatever happens, keep you dragons away from the white walkers.” Bran said so that only she could hear. “Whatever happens.”

Daenerys wasn't sure what to make of that statement, so she nodded. I'll ask Jon about it later.

The meeting ended and they all left the war room to finish the preparations they still needed to do.

*

Author's note: The personal scenes between the characters that happen... like Tyrion and Bran sharing their life stories... Tyrion magically being alone and Jaime Lannister showing up for brotherly time... then later the gathering with Davos, Brienne, Pod, and Tormond the wildling and Brienne getting knighted by Jaime... they all happen as they did in the show, except that they occur over the space of four days and not all within a few hours. I won't rewrite some of the best personal scenes in the episode, even if some of the dialogue was a little cheesy.

Although, what I want to change is Arya sleeping with the Barantheon blacksmith. That was totally out of character for her and had absolutely no impact to the story at all. Neither of them benefited from the experience and it didn't enhance their relationships or developed their characters.

Also, Jon and Daenerys continue to sleep together. He's not conflicted about love over duty or some such garbage. His love is his duty. He knows she needs his support now, more than ever. They love each other and they are potentially about to die. He's not going to piss her off by telling her his secret just before a battle to the death. The knowledge doesn't benefit either of them in this situation. I can't remember if Jon told Sam that he wished he never told him the truth.

*

Daenerys and Sansa have their little talk and when Sansa asks her about the North, Daenerys answers.

“The North has always been a part of Westeros. Whether it was ruled by what people believed was an independent king or by the ruler of all seven kingdoms, it is still a part of the land. The lands themselves are still ruled by kings and queens in their own right, except that we call them wardens. They still exercise their powers as rulers and no one in the capital has ever challenged their rights to do that.” Daenerys gave Sansa's hand a squeeze and let it go as she stood. “Just like the other lands, the North needs others. Trade. Food. People. No one can survive on their own. The totality of Westeros was united under a single ruling authority for a reason. Survival.”

“The North has survived on its own before.” Sansa said.

Daenerys smiled. “Ask your Maester about the history of the North and see if you can still come to the same conclusion.” She said and left the room.

*

Work continued in Winterfell at a breakneck pace as they desperately tried to arm the soldiers with dragon glass. Only one of the modified scorpion catapults were finished by the third day and the hopes to have a second done by the night of the next day, when the army of the dead would arrive, were dashed. Instead, they made as many wooden bolts with dragon glass shards as they could.

The next day passed and as dusk fell over the countryside, a low thrumming could be heard as light snow fell. Everyone was in position and were as ready as they could be for the coming battle. Only a few of them had experienced a fight with the dead before and they had shared the experience as much as possible to prepare everyone for it.

It wasn't enough for some of them, especially the Northmen.

When the dead started to come into sight, the sheer number alone sent a few of the troops into a panic. They were quickly subdued to stop the panic from spreading and the leaders of each section shouted orders and encouragement. They needed to do this. They needed to win here, now, or all of the world would be lost, not just the North. A dragon's roar pierced the growing darkness and that brought everyone to their senses. That was the signal they had all been waiting for.

The battle had begun.

The dead walked at a steady pace and never faltered. Tyrion's field traps captured dozens of them at a time. The hidden pits were revealed and thirty of the dead fell in, then a dozen more, and then the pit was full and the dead walked over it as if the pit never existed. All of the traps were handled in the same way. The dead didn't care if they lost a few of their number. Or scores of their number. There were millions of them and they were not going to be stopped so easily.

They reached the first trench and fell in, then it quickly filled up and the unsullied in the hidden trench behind it started to fight back with their long pole arms with dragon glass on the ends. Thousands of the dead fell and were no more. When those unsullied were tired, they changed places with the men behind them and the tired ones retreated to the next trench to rest.

Catapults started to launch their flaming payloads over the trenches and smashed into the unrelenting tide of dead that continued to move forwards. Another dragon's roar cut through the sounds of battle and all three dragons flew over the battlefield and unleashed their flame attacks on the enemy. The two smaller dragons didn't seem to have as much power as their brother Drogon, whom Daenerys rode. They cut three swaths through the sea of the dead that were quickly filled by the dead not hit by the attack. The dragons turned and made another pass over the army.

*

“Who could have guessed that even the power of dragons seem to pale in the face of the dead?” Tyrion asked of no one in particular. He stood on the wall of Winterfell next to Sansa and she looked down at him.

“Do you doubt your queen?” Sansa asked.

“No, and she's your queen, too.” Tyrion said. “All she wants is to liberate the people from their oppressors.”

“The North does not oppress their people.” Sansa said, slightly angry.

“I didn't say you did... even though you have.” Tyrion said and she glared at him. “The Carstarks. Riverrun. The Eyrie.”

Sansa opened her mouth to respond and then closed it.

“I'm not judging you, my dear wife.” Tyrion said and she widened her eyes at him. “I see that you're surprised we are still married.”

“I... I thought...”

“What? That absence makes the contract null and void?” Tyrion asked, then his eyes softened at Sansa's confused face. “Your marriage to the Bolton bastard isn't binding, even though he did what he did.”

“He... he...”

“I know.” Tyrion took her hand and when she didn't pull it away, he kissed it. “I am so very glad that you dealt with him before I could.”

“You?” Sansa asked, surprised.

“Well, a squad of unsullied.” Tyrion corrected. “Then again, he might not have even seen me coming.”

Sansa smiled at his self-depreciating joke.

“Oho! Over there! There's a giant!” Someone shouted.

“This should be good.” Tyrion said as the large modified catapult turned to the right direction, then they released the wooden bolt. It shot across the battlefield in only a few seconds and slammed into the mass of dead beside the giant and killed a bunch of them.

“Sorry! There's ice built up on the sights.” Someone said and used a knife and hot breath to melt it. The next shot took the giant in the head and the wooden bolt splintered from the impact. It took a few seconds for the giant to stumble. It fell forward and crushed ten to twenty dead and trapped twice as many under its bulk. A cheer rang out and another giant sighting was called out.

At the same moment, the first trench in their defense was lit on fire, which meant it was full and the unsullied needed to retreat. The dead army quickly reached the trench the unsullied had been in and found the same problem. It was filled with spikes and the unsullied attacked them from the next trench with their long weapons. Thousands more of the dead army were removed every minute, thanks to the coordinated efforts of the defending army, the three dragons, and the catapults. Even the scorpion helped, because they had run out of giants to shoot and started to shoot into the mass of the dead.

After half an hour, the dragons needed to eat and rest to regain their strength, then they resumed their onslaught on the army of the dead. The battle continued on for six more hours before the scouts returned and said that the entire dead army was on the battlefield and the white walkers were revealed. A small fire was lit on the wall where Daenerys could see it, and she nodded. She mounted Drogon and flew back around Winterfell and disappeared from sight and the other two dragons followed her. A few minutes later, if anyone had been able to hear them over the other sounds of battle, the clatter of hooves resounded well outside the battlefield.

The Dothraki rode their fast mounts through the open part of a nearby field and circled around the army of the dead. Even if the dead were inclined to turn around to face the new threat, there was no way for them to catch the fast horses as they passed by. However, they believed that the white walkers were alone, and they couldn't have been farther from the truth. A second mass of dead surrounded them, nearly a hundred thousand dead if anyone cared to count, and the Dothraki discovered that they had a real battle on their hands and not the quick raid and cull that they had expected.

The thing about fast horses is that they are only useful when on the move. When the Dothraki hit the mass of dead to try and get through to the white walkers, the dead didn't have to try and catch them. Just their own bodies acted like stoppers and a lot of the Dothraki were brought to a standstill after getting thirty or so feet into the mass. Dead and skeletal hands tore at the horses and dug at them to bring them down. The Dothraki swung their custom curved swords with dragon glass smelted onto them and killed droves of the dead as they severed their heads from their necks.

It didn't take long for them to be overwhelmed by the numbers around them.

“NO!” Daenerys yelled as she watched from on high as a good portion of her blood devoted men were killed. “Drogon!” She said and they flew down to try and help her people. Her other two dragons followed her and they blasted a swath of flames through the mass of dead surrounding the white walkers. She couldn't attack directly, because her Dothraki were still there trying to cull them, and that was a mistake.

A piercing cry rang out from behind her and she turned to see Viserion take three long spears of ice through its wings. The poor dragon fell to the ground as it lost altitude and it plowed into the dead, flipped over several times, then came to a stop between the white walkers and the main mass of the army of the dead.

“NOOO!” Daenerys yelled and tried to get Drogon to fly back, then several more ice shards flew by her. They just missed Drogon and Rhaegal and could have taken them down in the same fashion by removing parts of their wings, so she steered Drogon away from her hurt dragon and Rhaegal followed closely behind. Her tears were bitter as they froze to her face, because she had to abandon both her people and one of her children.

It wasn't until a few minutes later that Bran's words of warning came back to her.