***Jon Snow***
In the freezing white North that the free folk call The "True North", past the hole in the colossal ice wall that was meant to keep the army of the dead away from the land of the living, Jon Snow and his band of wildling brethren lived, worked and thrived as one large family. They settled on lands not far from the wall now that there were a few officially sanctioned entrances on what remained of the colossal wall. These entrances allow for the entry, exit, and re-entry of wildings and official crown business agents including emissaries from Queen Sansa and her ruling Northern house.
The hole that The Night King made while he was on a reanimated Viserion during his invasion of Westeros remained, though efforts were already underway to patch it up for cautionary measures and cultural purposes. The old and abandoned castles were dismantled and the ones that remained during the invasion of Westeros by The Night King and the white walkers, had funds routed to them to strengthen them and repair them.
Six months since The Night King was vanquished since the death of the ruling Lannisters save for Tyrion Lannister. Not since before the start of the war of The Five Kings, did Jon Snow know peace and silence like this. And it was very peaceful and silent in the lands he settled down in. In that time Jon occasionally received messages from Sansa on the state of affairs in Winterfell, the development of Bran's rule in King's Landing, and the politics throughout the other southern kingdoms. In this time he also became a father to two daughters who were already five years of age.
"My two daughters, the stars illuminating my night sky, so small yet growing stronger. I promise to protect you both with my life." Jon said thinking about them. He traveled from his settlement with a band of other wildlings to gather fish to cook up later.
"The mother of my children and wife was a mysterious woman with red hair like fire, skin as white as the snow, and eyes like shimmering emeralds. Her name is Sona, a mysterious woman from lands so up north, it bordered the lands of always winter. Maybe she was one of the others, maybe she was one of a kind, whatever she was or wherever she truly came from, I care not now. She bore me two beautiful daughters. She kept my emotions in check and brought me calm like no other person had ever had before. When she spoke, she spoke with the sharpness of Valyrian steel. Her gaze was as icy as the element itself. A woman of few words, but when she fought with her two axes, she became a whirlwind of blades. I do not know where she came from nor does anyone else, the only explanation was that she came from one of the many unknown tribes that survived the march of the undead and the white walkers."
With summer coming to an end soon, wood is sent from the more naturally abundant and rich south to the free lands up north by order of Queen Sansa, with it the free folk can build homes, essential farming equipment, and carts to move items around and use for firewood.
King Bran sends iron and other metals for the fashioning of weapons for self-defense and hunting. Anything else Jon needed or Sansa asked for, he sent without hesitation. Horses, goats, chickens, masons, etc.
With these weapons, they used them to hunt surviving mammoths, wooly rhinos that returned to the south. They were kept back by the eternal winter at the top of the world, but with the death of the white walkers and The Night King, the eternal winter ended and these long-thought-dead animals made a comeback. The furs covered the homes and the bodies of the free folk. Their bones were made into spears, arrowheads, and pillars to create the foundation of homes and important huts. There were so many free folks and so many homes that this settlement became a small city with fish markets, vegetables, fruits, and meats brought up from the south. Walrus and seals were hunted for oils to keep lamps lit.
"I finally have peace and I pray hope that it remains like this."
Later in the day Jon was with Thormund, and both men decided to do some river fishing. It was snowing lightly. The other men spread out and took their spots and started to fish in their unique ways.
Thormund looked curiously at what Jon was doing. "Why do you use a stick with string to hunt the fish? Spearfishing or bow hunting is much better."
"Its not about hunting, fishing like this is also a...a way to relax and think about one's life, like the water in this stream. The worm is me, watching and being part of the stream of life, trying to fight back against the tide of everything"
"Mmmm, I can't fight back against this tide either, Lord Snow," Thormund said, pissing into the stream."
Jon pulled dropped his reel and stood up as fast as his feet would get him up. Laughter and revulsion mixed as one. "You're as piggish as the first day I met you, you know that."
"And you love me for it, heh heh heh." Thormund laughed.
Jon laughed and brushed his hair back, it was then when he noticed it and so did Thormund. First one single dead fish came floating downstream, then two, and then in the dozen. Both men stared ominously at each other, both taking it as a dark omen whilst looking towards the direction where the stream originated from, from dark mist-covered mountains in the distance.
***BRAN***
For breakfast, The King had sausages, eggs, soft steamed potatoes, and diluted wine. Sausages were quickly becoming his favorite. Sam joined him in seeing who could finish the food off of their plates first.
"That's not fair, how on earth are you able to chew in three bites and swallow, is it also one of your powers?" Sam asked.
"No, just the right amount of mouth skills." King Bran smiled and laughed. "Come, I finished my breakfast and wish to return to my chambers to get dressed."
"But, you don't need me anymore to push you around," Sam whispered.
"Yes I do, to keep up appearances. All will soon know of the miracle that came to pass."
Once inside his chambers, Bran was left alone and rose out of his seat of wheels and looked in his wardrobe. He placed his hands on his thighs and rubbed the muscles. They felt stiff but the muscles felt alive, soft, and warm just like before. Bran slowly removed his garments, starting with his boots, pants, and shirt underneath his cloak which was the last piece to come off him.
He walked with some rigidity in his legs, his movements still somewhat stiff, but with daily practice, it would be as if it was like before losing the use of his legs.
"You look quite handsome your grace," A sweet feminine voice said from his chamber entrance. He turned, already knowing who the voice belonged to.
"I may not have my... brother's physiques or dashing good looks, but I appreciate your words Rhaenyra. Please close the doors. There's something I need to share with you."
Rhaenyra did. With the doors closed behind her and Maester Sam keeping watch outside, She approached him. He lowered his lips instinctively to meet her lips. It was a short press of their lips but with so much warmth from his young grace. Her hand instinctively went down his waist and,
"NOT....Nowwww" both of them heard The Stranger's voice echo inside of their heads. Cold, sharp, and without any empathy. It was like a snake, if snakes could talk.
"I had a dream, Rhaenyra. It wasn't a vision like before, but in this dream, I saw with more crystal clarity than at any time in my life, the entire world plunged into darkness. But from different points in the world, six different colored lights that at first turned out to be dragons changed into men and women who came together to battle the darkness with a level of magic I had never conceived possible. The Magic I saw in my dream is something only Gods could perform. The final and seventh light came from your womb, and the child from inside fired colossal bolts of lightning at the suffocating darkness. Lighting bolts the size of the entire sky Rhaenyra. As if the millions of arms and hands of the Gods flashed across the sky.
