Of Thrones

One year since The Mother of Dragons had passed, The King of The North had managed to moved his numbers 100 miles north of the ice-wall. Snow had established a kingdom. The people were finding a way to prosper. The majority of which were human. The rest consisted of a mixture of northern creatures. There was an abundance of trolls, giants, fairies & more. A kind of harmony was established under Snow's rule.

Sure, there was the occasional act of cannibalism and sometimes someone lost a foot or an arm or both. It came with the territory. Snow was just and understanding. He implemented a makeshift council. On the council served Lauf, Kyera, Magaul, Linus and himself. Lauf was thin and tall; half human and half walker. He was taken in by wildlings as a boy after his mother died of the frost. Lauf claims he wasn't eaten because of his cold skin and dark blue eyes. They put him to work until about 12 years when he chose to leave and survive on his own. Snow appointed him for his knowledge of the lands and its resources. Kyera was a young dark haired witch, clad in a deep purple. She spoke many tongues and possessed useful powers. She would coordinate, designate, and communicate. The witch was swift, blunt, and powerful. She once beheaded a giant by waving at him. When Snow asked her why she had done this her reasoning was simply: "Trouble" Snow felt it in his gut that she was a good judge of charcter. Magaul was a small man of around 60 years. He was a warg and came to spend plenty of time with Snow when he was available for a cup of tea and a piece of bread. Magaul told the king stories of times to come and times to pass and stories of no time at all. Snow often questioned the the ability of the mans own capability to percieve what was described to him. Magual admitted that sometimes he had no idea what he was talking about. He often Made Snow laugh with his stories, and for this the king grew fond of him trusted Magaul. There wasn't anything particularly special about Linus. He was a man around the same age as Snow who decided to join the watch. Snow recalls Linus as having always shown the willingness to do hard work. Linus was big and brawn. He wasn't much for conversation. When he did speak it was always with the firmness of a soldier and the honor of an honest man. He could count, read & write. Snow saw him a good fit for maintaining peace as well as having the aptitude to oversee the dispersion of resources for the kingdom.

Together, he and the council would develope systems in place for order and fairness. The kingdom was made into sections, housing each kind within a faction of their own species. This gave everyone their own space and instilled a sense of community. Giants, as you can imagine, needed the most room. The council succeeded in making everyone as comfortable as possible while everyone contributed to the work that was needed in order to continue development.

The sections also served to monitor growth and rations, while making sure no one was accidentally trampled, killed, murdered etc. It would take a while before all could adjust from the cold brutality of the north and accept Snow's vision for a home. The king was a man of morals and often had to rely on the councils vote in serious situations. Initially there were hundreds. Now, there were thousands. Everyday more and more Northern inhabitants came seeking warmth. They were welcomed.

For once in his life Snow had all that a bastard could never have. He missed his family of course. Although, he was coming to terms with his new reality and was proud of what was being accomplished. However, Snow had to live with nightmares. He would sleep on the floor some nights or not at all. The only person that seems to remember is him. No one asks, and he doesn't tell. The man was dead.

Among the living, there are few who can express through words a clear visual representation of hell. Among the dead, there can be no words. Those who have been there have no chance of returning. The man that has been there would rather speak nothing of the experience. Yet, as the time grows nearer, Snow recalls more and more. In hell the concept of a positive experience runs from you as your consciousness exerts itself after it. The more you persist, the worse your death gets. You see only the opposite of what you wish to. You hear the echoes of the pain in your mind worsen through eternity all in one moment that lasts and loops endlessly as you rythe in the conception of never ending everlasting suffering. Anything you smell reaks of styfling suffocation. All that is felt is the maddening desire to make your current circumstance change...and the stark realization that it never will. Snow doesn't know how long he was in this realm. Snow doesnt care, because he's content being alive. He has visions of this existence every night. However, like this hell, he does wake up from these nightmares.

The darkness stops and Snow hears the voice of a woman directed at him "The pure must be tested." Snow looked up and saw a cave covered in orange flames. The woman who spoke wore deep blood red and sat on a dragon purched on a stone in the middle of a massive cave. The woman's eyes were ablaze brighter than any flame surrounding them. As snow looked to the woman he saw a symbol on her forehead and instantly heard a name whispered and screamed at the same time. Anïraa. He would never forget this symbol which was both read and said.

Snow is chained down on his knees and unable to stand. The flames dance and hiss as they converge and dissipate. The echoes of whispers surround him. He hears the belching of the flames and the flaps of wings and scrapes of the iron talons of this Mighty fiery flaring dragon. Anïraa speaks through the echoes of the caves while forcing a burning glare into Snow's own eyes.

He is shown a vision of a woman. She stands on a murky lake enshrowded with smog and the many dead beneath her as her eyes burn flames like blue lightning and hair blowing like white light. The woman in the vision speaks and obliterates mountains. Snow understands this woman to be the most powerful sorceress in existence. The vision ends but the gaise remains. "You will take her heart, lest you see her dead! Speak not of what you hear. Take a word from this realm and you will be taken back to suffering. The balance demands the pure be tested and the impure be burned!"

The dragon rises and roars above the flames about fifty feet in the cave and inhales a deep inhale. Snow sees the orange energy swell within the belly of the beast and the dragon releases the hottest flames Snow has ever experienced right in his direction. He feels the flesh tear from his bones just from the sheer force of the Beast opening his mouth. Before the flames can even get halfway, he awakens.

It's morning, before sunset and the king decides he's going on a hunt. His visions usually scare him to life with enough energy to last two days. He brings one of his Wolf pups with him for training and practice. Today Snow decides he'll search for game west of the kingdom wall. As he walks he realizes that the kingdom doesnt have an offical name. "It's the only one so far up north, does it really need a name?" As he walks the young wolf howls at something floating just ahead. Snow proceeds with caution then realizes what it is. It's Kyera.

Snow isn't used to northern magic just yet. He's surprised by Kyera floating. Although, he's a bit more taken back by the symbol he sees on her back. "What's that on your back?" he askes Kyera. She gets down from her meditative pose and turns to face Snow. "A true king of north. No king would be complete without proper wildling manners." It was early, and a bit unusual for them to be seeing eachother outside of the kingdom. Humor was in order. "I apologize. Morning. I wasn't aware you had any tattoos." Snow had never seen Kyera outside of her Purple cowl. "What? Am I to be removed from council because of it." She smiles and walks away. "I'll see you at the council meeting." Snow is more than curious at this point and needs to find out why exactly she has the same symbol as the red claoked lady from hell. He shouts "Anïraa"

Kyera stops and lunges straight to snow creating a blade from the sweat of her body and pointing it directly at his left eyeball. Snow is surprised she is capable of sweating this much in the north. Then his focus is turned to her demeanor. She really is going to kill him. "How do you know that name?" "I had a vision of a woman in red and the symbol told me her name" Kyera knew when people were lying, and that was all she needed to hear. "My ancestor and predecessor was one of the first witches to exist in this world. I come from a the first line of witches dating back to the beginning of time. The name you called, Anïraa. She was the first witch. Her role as the first witch was being able to provide the energy to the land that granted all other witches their power. Every six hundred years a new witch bares the mark. Her mark, our mark. These times are my responsibility. Many times over the centuries hunters have succeeded in killing the source and harnessing their powers. This upsets the balance." "That explains why you nearly took my eye out of my face a second ago." "Exactly."

A few days pass and the king is throughly distraught. Linus brings this to his attention and inquires after the king's state of mind. Snow thanks Linus for his concern and returns to his duties. Although, it has become apparent to Snow that the situation is not resolving itself. Snow finds Magaul later that evening and speaks to him about his past experiences. He is careful not to mention anything specific that happened to him while he was dead. Snow is hoping that he may gain some insight due to Magaul being a warg Magaul listens to Snow. Magual decides to tell the king what he has seen. "I once saw a great beast turn still ice into a body of water. There was a woman in it's clutches. The beast placed the woman in the water and watched as it returned into a lake of ice." Snow's eyes grew wide. "When did this happen? Where!" Magaul responded "When is a question even to me. Where is not." Snow was ready to search. "Tell me Magaul, where is this lake?" Magual then extended his arm and pointed out of the window and said "Around thirty miles in this direction. I can lead you there my king." Snow nearly bursts into tears. "thankyou. I dont know how I'll repay you for this."

The king starts immediately gathering, men, supplies & weapons for the journey. The council holds a meeting and Snow thought it best to leave Lauf and Linus in charge and have Kyera accompany him and Magaul. They're venturing further into uncharted territory. Two hundred men along with Kyera's immense skill should be enough for a few days voyage.

Snow was off to retrieve something only he knew he was searching for. Was it hope, peace, Love? Only he could say what it was exactly. However, he too was unsure. He was afraid and confused, but more than anything he was determind. Snow had been waiting for this moment ever since he first awoke from the dead.

The journey ahead was long and harsh. The men had grown accustomed to the comforts of the warm fires & indoors of the kingdom's cabins. The paths were barely trod if at all. The many years of snow compiled made it impossible to touch the soil of the natural earth. Kyera tried her best to level some parts of the mountainous terrain, but even she grew tired. The winds only seemed to grow stronger. Halfway there Snow thought it was to let three quarters of the men leave. He said it was wiser to conserve material, but in reality he felt for them. He saw this voyage as a selfish one that didnt serve the kingdom. Snow felt better to let the men go home. Shortly after, light snow started to fall and the winds grew calm. Magaul said they were close. An hour passed and they could see it. The lake. Snow rode eagerly down to the frozen mystery. Magaul showed Snow exactly where he had saw the body placed. They each left their horse on the land and walked on the ice. Kyera drew a square in the ice big enough for two bodies to fit through, and then effortlessly cut through about two feet of ice.

Snows anticipation was growing more and more. Kyera managed to locate The queen's body about thirty feet beneath. Kyera lifted her rite out of the water. She was completely frozen. untouched by neither death nor time. "We have to bring her to the cave" Snow is not surpised by Magauls words. It's as if he is seeing things more clearly than before.

Snow secures the body and him & Kyera, along with the remainder of the men follow Magaul's directions. The path they take to the cave is another twenty four miles. As the journey ensues the weather worsens. They have to stop and rest.

Suddenly there's a shaking and a loudness. The men come out of their tents and see that there's now and avalanche coming from rite above. They need to move, fast. Kyera tries to divert the force elsewhere, but she is too weak to do so. The majority of the men cant get out of the trench fast enough. Horses, men, tents, crushed by the force of ice and snow. The king lookes and manages to find the queen's body. Only twenty men remain by the time everyone is accounted for. They push on, and finally they see the cave two hundred meters away. Magaul can barely walk. He was pierced by the ice in his stomach. Through the blizzard they persist.

Finally. The few that remain make it to the inside of the cave and start lighting fires. "Let me try and heal you" "No, save your energy Kyera. You'll need it for what comes next." "What do you mean?" asks Snow. Magaul tells them. "The only reason I've lived this long is because i didn't want to fail true love again... I saw my wife die before i got to meet her. I didn't know if I could save her. I didn't bother to try. I couldn't let the opportunity to save one pass." "But what does that have to do with healing you?" Kyera asked. Snow's discontent was now showing on his face. "You need a soul worth two. My stars are five hundred thousand. I have lived long enough. I have seen more than I've needed to I've seen it already. Kyera, the queen's dragon is deeper in the cave waiting for you. You need to harness it's power so you can bring them back."

Snow, Kyera, and Magaul make their way into the deeper parts of the cave. Snow recognizes it from his visions. The one difference is that now there is a glowing body of water instead of fire just below where the queen's dragon is purched. Snow lowers the queen into the water and watches the ice dissapear from her skin. The room is silent. "Are you ready?" Asks snow as he hold Magaul's hand. "Yes"

Kyera Slices the queens dragon through the heart and and sends lightning straight into the warg's mind. A single bolt of light connects from Magaul to both the dragon's soul and the water where the queen lay. The room is now covered in blue lightning as the energy surges from the dragon into Kyera. Snow clutches Magaul's hands as the warmth leaves his body. The cave is black and Snow can hear echoes and whispers all around him.

Then loud screetching from the cave started to shake it. The walls came alive with orange flames and and sparks. The beast lay dead with it's heat still profound and intense. Where Kyera was now stands Anïraa. The symbol was now on her forehead and her cloak was a blood red color. " You have been tested Snow. You are pure!" The woman delivers a final blast energy so vast it evaporated all of the water in the cave.

The cave went dark. Snow awoke disoriented. A few embers lay lit on the ground nearby. He could make out the purple on Kyera's cowl. The glowing pool of water was no more. As far as he could tell he was still holding on to Magaul, although he was warm. Suddenly there was fire out from the dragon. He was alive and well.

As the fire illuminated the room Snow saw bright blue eyes looking up at him as he held the warm body in his arms. A shocked gaise turned into the warmest of smiles. "Daenerys, my queen. Welcome back." They kissed eachother so deeply that sparks illuminated the entire cave.