After the War Meeting was over, Trystan had chosen to stay a little bit back; especially when he caught the eye of Sansa. His family noticed, but it was Visenya that helped him the most. She wrapped her hand around Tywin's and looked him in the eyes.
"Can we talk in private?" she asked, not giving away what they wished to talk about.
He glanced at his son one last time, but in the end, the Old Lion gave a head nod, and the two of them walked out of the Great Hall. Visenya did not look behind her, but she was certain Trystan was smiling, his silent way of thanking her for her interference.
"Well, at least we know she is on your side," Tyrion commented as more and more Lords and Free Folk left the room, while Sansa remained sitting.
Trystan watched them all go, but his eyes occasionally would fall on Sansa.
"Yeah. I just hope she manages to trick Father."
"After what you just pulled, I do not think there is much to worry about," the dwarf said. "But honestly, when the fuck did you learn about the underground tunnels?"
The Half-Lion smirked as he slowly stood up.
"I read about it," he answered him. "Well, I read about the history of Winterfell and eventually connected the dots," he explained better and took notice that Sansa had finally stood up.
Jaime placed his hand on his shoulder.
"We will leave. You two can talk," he told his brother and motioned for Tyrion to follow him.
The dwarf glanced at the two lovebirds and offered a small sad smile. At least one of his siblings might have a chance to be happy, for now. Considering their positions, he doubted their Father would allow him to continue it; but for now, he could at least try.
Once everyone had left the Great Hall and it was the two heirs that stayed behind, only then did they seem to release a breath they were holding. Trystan started to walk towards her, shoulders pulled back and hands by his sides.
"Lady Sansa," he greeted her, even though both had somehow mentally agreed to stay back and talk. "I would like to thank you, for hearing my idea and agreeing with it."
The young Direwolf smiled, looking up at the taller Half-Lion. Due to the time they passed together, the two of them once again started to come a little closer and be even more comfortable around one another; even more than they were in King's Landing.
"I should thank you for pointing out the grave mistake we were about to make," she said, once again not allowing him to be so humble. "Your idea was a really smart one."
Hearing her praise made him puff his chest faintly in pride and offer her a charming but sweet smile.
"Well," he cleared his throat, hands moving to be behind his back. "I wouldn't have gotten all that information if you had not shown and escorted me to the Library."
"I am glad, then, that our trips there helped you. You definitely shocked most of the Lords with your knowledge," she joked, chuckling faintly at her joke.
"I am pretty sure I managed to shock even my family, which is an achievement of its own," he joked back, making her chuckle and try to hide it behind her hand.
"It is a good achievement. I will be one of those that need to stay away from the battle, and I do feel safer now, after hearing your idea," she confessed, a very faint pink hue appearing on her cheeks.
He offered her a sweet smile.
"I do not like to lie, Lady Sansa," he started, licking his dry lips as he gathered his thoughts. "I was intentionally reading about the tunnels and other safe passages because I was thinking about your safety, during the Great War," he confessed, glancing at his feet momentarily but then reminding himself to look at her. "I am aware that I will fight better if I know that you will be safe and away from any danger."
His confession made Sansa look at him with parted lips, her smile long gone as the hue on her cheeks became brighter. She looked deep into his golden-flecked green eyes that had so much depth and light within them, that she could easily stare at them for hours on end and even forget to blink.
She heard the honesty behind his voice, and hearing how he prioritized her in such a manner made her feel butterflies in her stomach. It was her turn to look at her feet, trying to hide her embarrassment and the loss of words.
"I... I am honoured... Ser Trystan," she said, finding no courage to look at him while she spoke, for she feared that she would lose her ability to speak.
Trystan watched her lower her head, and he got a glimpse of the pink hue on her cheeks, which he found rather adorable on her face.
However, he also felt bad, for he most likely put her into a rather awkward place, and that was never his intention.
He closed his hands into fists behind his back to help him keep a grip on himself and then cleared his throat.
"I apologise, I did not mean to make you feel awkward... I just wished to come clean and did not wish you to think I was studying the structure of Winterfell for any other... more sinister reasons."
This made her look up upon hearing his words because she would never think of him that way. His father, sure, she would not hesitate to think there was something more selfish behind his actions, but Trystan... he could never be like that... she could never imagine him going down the same path as his Father went.
"I would never believe that," she corrected him. "I know you are not this kind of man, and I know the others will see it as well."
Her words made him smile faintly, truly believing them. He was not a big fan of making enemies, especially when they could be better as allies. In addition, he did not wish to be judged because of his family; not now at least.
All of his life, he had been judged over and over again because he was a Lannister, because he was a Targaryen, because of his father... and so on.
He wished, for once, people to judge him after they got to know him better; and that was something he had confessed to Sansa during one of their secret walks in Winterfell.
"Thank you again, for your trust in me, My Lady," he said and kissed the back of her hand with the utmost care, his smile still on his lips as their eyes connected once again.
Courtyard - Winterfell, The North - A few days before the Big Battle - Afternoon
According to Jon's calculations, the Undead Army was almost upon them, but our heroes had also finished with their preparations.
With Bran keeping an eye out through his warging abilities, they knew they would not get caught off guard.
All the traps had been made and almost every soldier had been equipped with a Dragonglass weapon, whether it be spearhead, arrowhead, sword, axe, or dagger. The days were becoming colder, the nights longer, and everyone deep down knew that darkness was coming their way.
Visenya had trouble sleeping, once again dreaming of the Long Night, but this time; she dreamt of the battle that would take place. Each night, she saw fragments of the battle, with some nights seeing more and some others seeing less.
However, it had been used wisely, for she used those dream flashes as suggestions during War meetings and no one seemed to question her ideas. Only Tywin had been the most sceptical, but he did not ask her, although by the looks he was giving her, it was evident that he was suspecting something.
Usually, her dreams were nothing like that, but lately... something had changed.
Ever since she rode Rhaegal, she felt she had a little more control over her dreams or at least more open possibilities on what she could see.
She did not have the hot flushes, but she could feel the warmth coming from her skin, making it hard for her to wear the heavier and warmer clothes everyone else wore.
Yet, she felt stronger than ever before.
Her body even felt younger and she had more energy to spar, to ride a horse or a dragon, and even to mess around with Tywin at night. She was almost... like a full other person, and many had noticed, at least those that knew her.
It was during one evening that Visenya was in the Courtyard with her sons, Tormund, and Oberyn, checking some of the dragonglass weapons they had been given. The two lions had gotten dragonglass swords, Oberyn had a new spearhead, and Tormund was given a shorthand axe made of the same material.
"I am telling you, axes are a man's best friend," Tormund said, spinning the axe in his hand while inspecting the fine work.
While it looked odd in terms of design and did not fully resemble a hand axe made of Iron or any other metal, it was tough and could do its work just fine. It was much lighter and had this dark glossy surface that made it look fake or not from this world.
"An axe is short. You need to have your enemy close to hit them. A spear though," Oberyn argued, flipping the spear and even doing a few stabs at an invisible enemy. "Makes sure you keep them away from you."
Yet, the Free Folk Leader did not seem to agree with him.
"When you fight one enemy, sure, but try to fight 10. Who are you going to stab first?" he asked and tried to mimic Oberyn but failed dramatically, although that was part of his plan.
"If you know how to be fast on your feet, you have nothing to worry about."
"You can stick with your stick and I will stick with my axe," Tormund said, surprising many with how easily he used the word 'stick' three times in a single sentence.
"What do you think, Princess?" Oberyn asked, realizing that Visenya had her mind rather elsewhere, evident by the distant look in her eyes.
That was something she seemed to do a little too often lately, and he had started to take notice.
"Hmm?" she exclaimed, taking a few seconds to process his question. "A hand axe is good and if you want to keep an incoming enemy from approaching you, you can always throw it."
Tormund started to laugh.
"I knew I would like you," he commented, about to slap her back in a friendly manner, but he didn't.
Before he could even do the full movement, the two lions and the viper had already expected him to try and touch her and had acted on their own. They did not say anything, but the warning look they gave him was enough to make him understand he could only be that friendly with her.
"How do you even throw a hand axe? Where do you even aim?" Jaime asked, surprised by her suggestion.
Hand axes and axes in general were not that much used between soldiers or knights, mostly by villagers and some northern mountain tribes. Yet, all those just used it from close range, but none threw it because then you would remain without a weapon; unless you had more on you, that is.
"Easy. If you know how to throw anything sharp, you can throw an axe," she said and turned to Tormund. "Mind if I borrow that?" she asked, extending her one hand towards him.
The Free Folk seemed to understand what she wished to do, and now he was more intrigued than ever.
"Not at all. I am curious to see what you Westerosi women are made of." He handed her the weapon.
Somehow the comment made Trystan scoff faintly, surprising his companions since he seldom did that. Yet again, he had started to become a little bolder with his words and his actions ever since they came to Winterfell, something that Visenya was glad of and suspected had to do with the company he kept around.
"Mother is nothing like any other Westerosi woman..." he said, but then remembered Brienne. "Well, most Westerosi women, that is," he corrected himself.
The Dragoness took the hand axe and felt its unique weight in her hand.
Her red-flecked amber eyes looked around until she spotted the round shooting target not so far away from them.
It was rather close, but not too close, but neither too far away either. No other weapon was on it and no one was close to it either.
She took two steps towards it and moved her body so her side was mostly facing her target as she aimed. She locked her gaze on the target and narrowed it faintly before she brought her hand back and then moved it forward, letting the axe flow.
It spun endlessly while travelling mid-air before it eventually pinned itself right in the middle of the target with a rather loud 'Thud'. The movement and sound caught the attention of some passerby soldiers, who were impressed by the throw.
Visenya straightened her back and smirked, proud of herself while her companions stared at her for a few seconds.
"Mother, that was incredible," Trystan commented, a smile on his lips as once again he felt proud to know that this unique woman was his mother.
"Where did you learn to throw a hand axe?" Jaime asked, blinking a few times and looking at the axe and then at her and back at the axe a few times.
She shrugged her shoulders faintly.
"I didn't, but I know how to throw daggers. As I said, master the technique and then you can throw almost anything sharp that is not too heavy."
Tormund started to laugh again as he went to retrieve the hand axe.
"If I survive this fucking battle, I will start practising that. I will fuck people like that more times than I would fuck a woman during a long winter night," he said, not caring about his inappropriate jokes with Visenya present.
After all, she had proven that she did not seem to mind such talk or at least she did not react to it. She had raised four different boys and had a brother, a cousin, and two uncles while growing up. Even as an adult, thanks to Tywin, she ended up having three different good-brothers; some less mannered than others.
One could say that she was rather used to it from a young age or at least had been exposed to such circumstances and talk enough times to stop reacting to them.
Around the same time as this was happening, Bran was observing them from the other side of the courtyard. He had been watching Visenya from afar all those days but never approached her, although there was something that he would eventually have to give her when it was time.
He had seen her past when he was exploring the past of humanity and had gotten glimpses and images of things she was not aware of, of what made her who she was and her role in all of that.
Leaf was by his side, observing as well. She was always a little awkward being around so many humans and would often stick with Bran since he would isolate himself. Sometimes they would warg together or she would keep guard while he used his abilities to check on the position of the Night King and his army.
Some of her companions had also moved and chosen to reside by the weirwood existing inside Winterfell, the only place that felt more like their home. They saved their strength and connected with their roots while they were waiting for the days to pass until their big enemy would arrive and yet another battle between the living and the undead would take place.
Suddenly, Leaf started to feel a little light-headed; which was odd because she never did. She blinked again and again and even rubbed her eyes with her hand a few times as her vision started to blur, but it did not seem to help.
"Bran—" she tried to call out the human next to her, only to feel her mind going blank and her vision darkening.
She fell to the side against the snow, but she was not the only one.
Bran's head fell to the side, his eyes closed and he seemed to have lost his senses and had blacked out.
"Bran!" Jon shouted as he rushed towards him, seeing him about to fall from his wheelchair.
"Mother!" one could hear Jaime and Trystan shout at the same time as Visenya had also collapsed out of nowhere and they had barely managed to catch her.
Visenya was not sure what happened. One moment she was in the middle of the courtyard at Winterfell and had just thrown that hand axe.
Then, she felt a faint ringing noise in her ears and a sudden chill going down her spine as if the temperature fell rather quickly.
She exhaled and took notice of her frozen breath being visible in front of her as her body started to shiver faintly beneath her clothing. She never truly shivered or felt such coldness before... except when she first saw the Winter Dream.
Before she knew it, she lost all control of her body and could no longer remain standing. Her eyes turned to the back of her head, her eyelids closed, and she felt her mind slipping away.
Yet, when she opened her eyes again, barely a single second after; she was not at Winterfell.
She was in the snowy plains, similar to one of her dreams. Dead trees covered in snow were seen faintly at her left and right, but the majority of her surroundings were plain. There was nothing alive for miles on end and the snow fell rather heavily on her.
"Bran," a female voice called with slight fear.
She turned her body fast, only to see Bran Stark and the Child of the Forest known as Leaf, standing just a step behind her; which was shocking since Bran was a cripple.
"What is going on?" Visenya asked, trying to understand what was happening.
This felt a lot like the vision she had of Brynden Rivers when she had submerged herself into the waters, back at King's Landing. However, when she had that vision, she had not felt anything but only seen.
In this one, she was certain that she could feel the cold around her, the frozen wind against her cheeks and the snow bending beneath her boots.
She had heard faint words here and there of what Bran could do, the so-called Warging as the old had named it. There were words of him knowing the past and history of mankind or being able to see it.
Some did not believe it, but Visenya was rather open-minded, especially when she saw him one day with the Children of the Forest. She was not sure what this Three-Eyed Raven he called himself was supposed to be, but she felt he knew more about their situation at that moment.
"Why are you here?" Leaf asked, looking equally surprised by seeing her present but also slightly worried by how they found themselves there in the first place.
Bran seemed to be the least concerned.
"Because he wants her to be present," he said, looking at something behind her.
Visenya turned fast and gasped faintly, her unique eyes opening wide in shock and slight terror as she saw the famous Night King standing a few feet away from them. He seemed to be standing alone, with no army or ice dragon anywhere in sight.
"Stand behind me," she said to the duo as she moved to stand in front of them, acting as an obstacle between the Night King and them.
Her hand subconsciously went to her sword, only not to find it there.
She made the mistake of glancing at her belt to check if indeed the weapon was there or not when she heard Leaf gasp and grab the back of her jacket.
She looked forward again as Leaf pulled her with enough force for her to take a step back. It was right on time because the Night King had moved to stand in front of her and had extended his hand.
Whether he had intended to grab her or something, she was not sure, but because of the sudden step; he missed... almost. She felt his sharp nails barely touching her left cheek and she swore she felt the sudden cold feeling spreading across her body, as if she had just been thrown into icy cold waters in a matter of seconds.
She locked her gaze with the bright supernatural blue of her opponent and that was the last thing she saw because then she blinked and he was gone...