Chapter Twenty-Seven
**Missandei's POV**
Missandei was starting to get worried, and she wasn't the only one.
Dany and Hermione had not left the tent in two days; Ser Barristan had informed everyone that the Queen wished to remain and talk with Lady Hermione. Hermione was exhausted, that had been very apparent, from transporting all those Giants and their beasts, creating the enlarged outfitting and whatever else she had to do while on the other side of the world for three days. So, for the following two days everyone waited. Before entering the tent, she issued a few last-minute commands not knowing how long she might be. Dany had asked Lord Rob to assist in securing the city and the Great Pyramid, then she had Ser Jorah who had some previous interactions with the Golden Company as a former Mercenary himself, handle their integration. The Queens personal Guard as well as Ser Jorah and Ser Barristan who traded off shifts along with the Giants had created a bulwark of sorts to defend the single tent left standing in the middle of the open field. For the entire two days not one of the Giants had moved, there discipline only matched by the Unsullied themselves who refused to move until the two emerged.
Until the very large one... who Lady Stark had informed her was the King of the Giants, whose name was still proving difficult in pronouncing properly, simply cocked his head to the side for a moment and then shouted, or more accurately roared, a single grunt like command in a language that even she was having trouble trying to learn. Then the one called Wun Wun moved from the entrance way, finally allowing her entrance. She walked by giving him a dip of the head, and to her surprise he reciprocated the action and smiled a large toothy smile. Missandei couldn't help but *giggle*, she was sure the smile was meant to be friendly and disarming, and not like he wanted to eat her.
Inside, the tent had been rearranged a bit, some of the furniture had been moved off to the sides, pillows were stacked near the fireplace, the Pensieve which was normally in the vault sat in the middle of the room with Hermione's organized footlocker of memories locked up tight right next to it. Missandei remembered the first time Hermione had shared a memory with both Dany and herself of some Grand Ball in a magical Castle with very strange but entertaining music, the memory bringing a smile to her lips. Laying on the bed were both girls, both asleep, both looking far more peaceful today than they had in months. Both facing each other and holding hands with their foreheads resting against the other, both smiling softly, as they began to stir from the warm air invading the cool tent, which Missandei still marveled at.
Missandei with a small grin just shook her head then quickly started the bath for both girls, still amazed that water appeared from thin air just by turning the tap. She adjusted it to the perfect temperature and started picking out clothes for both of them. She just shook her head at the thought of Hermione's outfit choices before Missandei had to correct that behavior. For a being of her status, she couldn't be seen by the masses in men's trousers of all things. She found it mildly entertaining just how Hermione absolutely refused everyone seeing her as a young Goddess sent to show the people a better way of life with her chosen champion the Queen, as all Gods before her had done or the stories of the Dothraki go. "How else would the stories of their likeness be known across the ages? These things are known." the older Dothraki healers had been saying to any who would listen, to Hermione's ever-growing frustration. She just shook her head at the absurdity of her life at the moment.
For the first time in forever, perhaps even since she was a child, she felt true happiness, not just for herself but for everyone around her. She was almost afraid of it being taken away, afraid she would wake to find this had all be a fever dream, that none of it had been real. That was why she clung so hard to Dany and Hermione's dream and wanted to be a part of it, even if only just a small part, just to make a difference.
Her life with Grey Rat was going well, but he was nervous about something. He kept trying to say something to her but never got the words out before walking away grumbling to himself. Then he would often go and train with Hermione, helping her learn to use that scary sword of hers that gave off an almost ominous feeling now, probably to give whatever was bothering him a way to vent, even if he had new bruises the next morning from pushing himself to hard.
Finally, after an hour long effort to wake these two, she got them dressed and ready to face the city, they really were alike in many ways.
Hermione shook off the last of the lingering sleep clinging to herself then tapped her wand on the tent and it folded in on itself before jumping into the little bag at her hip. Missandei then watched as the Giant King picked up both the Queen and the Star and placed one on each shoulder both *giggling* to each other as the Giants started the march into the city proper. What Missandei was not expecting though was for Wun Wun to reach down and pick her up as well. She *YIPPED* in surprise and was placed on a shoulder of her own before she could say a single word about it, clinging on to the side of his head for dear life.
The one hundred personal guard of the Queen and the forty Giants started an impromptu parade through the city as people young and old came out to watch. Missandei knew the cheering crowd was absolutely genuine. How could it not be. These two had brought wonder back into the world, and that wonder had turned into hope, and that hope was spreading. Children ran up to the Giants with no fear eyes wide curious, and the Giants very gentle and patient with them, even played a bit, lifting a few into the air who held on to their great arms laughing. Of course, some people were worried at first, but with the Star here laughing along with everyone she was sure nothing would go wrong.
The trip to the Great Pyramid took over an hour as most of the city it seemed had come out to take part. The Unsullied and Volunteer army doing their best for crowd control, while the Golden Company kept guard of the great pyramid waiting. Both girls smiled and waved, and Hermione shot magic fireworks into the air in the shapes of different creatures that the children were shouting to see. A city-wide celebration began as everyone celebrated what was to be later known as the beginning of a new age of Esso's.
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**Jon Snow's POV**
**Castle Black — The Wall**
The Wildlings were days early; Jon was sure of it unless Mance had lied or something had changed since he left. Mance did not strike Jon as a Man to give false words, even if he had broken his vow.
The sight could be seen from everywhere along the top of the Wall on that clear morning, a hundred thousand Wildlings arrayed just out of arrow range, stretching as far as the eye could see in either direction. The top of the Wall was busy as the Black Brothers ran back and forth doing their best to get everything ready for the siege to come, the smell and feeling of fear in the very air felt by all those who looked out at the sea of warm bodies. Ready to throw themselves at the wall in a desperate bid to escape the fridge cold, and what dwelled in the very storm itself.
Jon Snow made his way to Ser Alliser Thorne to report on what was ready. He found the man staring out at the sea of Wildlings with a troubled look on his face. The brisk chill air of the morning had settled to a slow breeze as Jon approached and began his report.
"That's the last of the oil, Ser Alliser," Jon said, looking around to make sure the men were finishing up their tasks.
"I see you were not lying about the numbers at least, Lord Snow," Ser Alliser said with no malice in his voice. Just a man giving facts to another.
Jon stepped up beside him. "Yes, Ser I don't know why they are early, it doesn't make any sense."
Ser Alliser just snorted, "what surprised your wildling whore lied to you, Lord Snow. What you think your prick was magic that she would not betray you at a moment's notice"
Ser Alliser stood with his hands on his hips and looked out at the great sea of bodies lined up below, then sighed. "You can say it if you like." He paused as Jon looked at him, confused. "We should have sealed the tunnel while we still had the chance, like you suggested." He finished sounding more tired than Jon had ever seen him before.
"It was a difficult choice either way, Ser," Jon replied, trying to be at least somewhat diplomatic so as not to further the rift between the two.
Ser Alliser recognized the words for what they were and continued his lesson to this upstart from the family that had ruined his life.
"Do you know what leadership means, Lord Snow?" He paused for just a moment. "It means that the person in charge gets second guessed by every clever little twat with a mouth. What if he starts second guessing himself? That's the end. For him, for the clever little twats, for everyone. This is not the end, not for us, not if you lot do your duty for however long it takes to beat them back. And then you get to go on hating me and I get to go on wishing your Wildling whore had finished the job."
Ser Alliser was unable to continue as a horn was blown.
A small group had broken away from the Wildling mass and was walking slowly but steadily toward the gate. The rest of the Wildling army did not so much as move another single person forward. Then a strange golden light hit the large imposing gate, and it started to rise.
"Who ordered the gates opened?" Ser Alliser roared in anger, racing toward the lift so he could get to the gate controls. He took as many men as could fit with him down without a word of command to those left behind in his panic.
Jon ran to the edge and looked out, the gates were opening, the one thing keeping the wildling army from slaughtering them was opening moment by moment and not one still a single inch forward, no one was attacking... Why?
Sam and the others were now looking at him for answers, and he had none to give. By all accounts the Wildling army had them dead to rights and yet did nothing. Thinking it over for a moment Jon made a decision.
"Archers, nock only, do not draw!" Jon shouted the command and everyone along the Wall passed it down, arrows nocked and waiting, no one daring to escalate and already stressful situation. There was no sense wasting arrows when the enemy was not taking advantage of whatever chaos was happening down below. They needed to be ready to fire if the Wildlings charged, not that it would make any difference at all with the front door wide open.
Tens of minutes passed with nothing happening, Jon passing down orders to be ready to evacuate if necessary and to fight if they must and head towards one of the other Castles along the wall in hopes of escape.
Then the lift from below started moving once again Jon, and a few others with weapons raised ready for whoever came out. When the basket arrived, Janos Slynt came stumbling out smelling of piss, shit and fear. He mumbled on how the wall as well as the ground itself attacked them down below how Ser Alliser was just killed instantly, a young girl snapping her fingers and everyone just falling to the ground lifeless, and how he had been sent by the evil witch to bring the rest of the men to the Great Hall to discuss the Night's Watch surrender, that if they ran she would be angry for having to chase them.
Looks ranging from disgust to terror crossed every man's face, as the cowardly man was rocking back and forth begging for someone to protect him and how he didn't belong there.
Jon turned from the man, thinking. *If everyone down below has already been defeated, and with the gate wide open, them being on top of the Wall once the Wildlings took the Castle would leave them stranded up here for over a hundred miles, or until they could get to East watch by the Sea. So being on the Wall would be of no help in the end. * and with an army this size the Nights watch was as good as defeated without a fight really even taking place. Jon sighed to himself accepting his fate, *maybe he could at least bargain for the lives of the rest of the men*, he might be a bastard, but he was still a son of Ned Stark and could potentially be used as a hostage.
He ordered Ed and a few others to stay and blow the horn if there was to be an attack, then ordered the rest of the men to take the lift down below, and Jon would try to negotiate for the lives of the men, if that failed, he could at least try to take out Mance.
Jon and those able to fit in the lift drew their weapons as they headed to the Great Hall, Sam running to free Ghost who refused to leave Jon's side even after ordering him to run free, Jon feeling touched by the Dire Wolfs loyalty.
It was hard not to notice that not a single body was found. No weapons, no blood, no evidence a fight had even taken place. It was as if everyone was simply still asleep and the courtyard was empty of everyone. The silence of it sat heavy and strange as Jon led the way to the entrance of the hall, where he had planned to come up with some sort of plan before going in.
That was before the doors swung open on their own.
Sitting at the high table was a strange array of people, but all Jon saw at that moment were two. Rob, his half-brother he had thought dead, and Lady Stark, his Lord father's wife. His sword slipped from his grasp as he ran forward, no hesitation and both men embraced as Rob had gone to meet Jon halfway in a heavy bear hug, neither saying a word that needed saying, as Ghost sat with his tail wagging slowly happy for his Partner.
It took him a moment to notice that the rest of the room was filled with the Black Brothers from below, Ser Alliser's eyes wide looking around in frantically. All of them sitting statue still, not moving, waiting, absolutely still and silent as stone.
Jon looked up as the pretty white haired woman wearing a white furred cloak at the head of the table spoke, and everyone who had joined Jon in the room froze for a moment.
"So, this is the famous Jon Snow and his friends no doubt." She looked at him with calm and steady eyes. "Come sit, let's wait for the rest of your friends to arrive, and until then let us talk, Jon Snow, about just who you really are."