Before the nightfall

Before the nightfall

Jon POV

It was my first full meal in weeks if not months. I didn't need to rush to finish or look over my shoulder for danger. I was in the presence of my brothers. They wouldn't harm me. Yet thinking of Lord Commander's demise made me reconsider it. The new men who came with Yoren or alone were mainly criminals. What would stop them from deserting when they see the forces of the Wildlings?

The traitors at Craster's are probably dead by now. Mance Ryder killed them, or at least I think he did. The King of the wildlings wouldn't leave them alone. And Craster had some supplies Mance Ryder would want to take himself. So, his men would find the traitors, and then they would know that Lord Commander was dead.

"How are you, Jon?" Grenn sat next to me.

"I am fine," I replied but hissed in pain as he touched my shoulder.

"Doesn't look like you are," Pyp said.

"I am fine enough to help," I told them. "There is no time to rest."

"Maybe the wildling got scared and went into hiding," Gendry, a new recruit, said. "King Robb wouldn't let them be, right?"

"He wouldn't," I agreed. "But he wouldn't know of them, not now, anyway. Word travels slowly in the North, and armies even slower. Our best hope is that Lord Umber still has his men prepared since he returned from the south and will be able to come fast enough."

It was comforting to hear that Robb and my other siblings were fine. Robb was a king now, not a lord. I heard of the war in the south and of my father dying before I left for the ranging. I still remember wanting to desert the Night's Watch and join him. It was a good thing that Sam and others stopped me. Robb didn't need me. He had Theon by his side.

"Hey, Gendry, you were with Theon the Undying when he fought the Kingslayer, weren't you?" Dolorous Edd asked, taking a seat nearby.

"I was, but the fight was chaotic, and I barely survived," Gendry answered. "But I didn't see much."

"But you saw Theon dead?" Edd asked. "I heard some who came with you of how Theon rose from dead."

"Aye," Gendry replied. "I saw his bloodied body as the youngest girl, Arya Stark, cried over his body. To this day, I can't believe what I saw. The Red Priest of Theon chanted some prayer and gave what they called the last kiss to Theon. Then he opened his eyes and rose, the hole in his chest becoming nothing but a scar."

"If you have time to spread tales, you should eat up," Noye came to us. "You have much work to do, boy, and little time. Arrows won't fletch on their own, will they now?"

"I sorry, my lord," Gendry quickly apologized as he finished his meal and ran to finish his work.

I still couldn't believe that those rumors of Theon were true. I waited for Yoren to deny them, to tell me how it was just a tall tale, but he said nothing. I can barely remember Theon. In the last few months, when we were still in Winterfell. He mainly kept to himself. I remember when he changed one day. Instead of hearing his japes and smirk, I saw him training madly.

Now thinking about it, did Theon know of the coming war? But how could he? But the change was too sudden for nothing to happen to Theon. But how would I know? He wasn't close to me, and I wouldn't even call him a friend. Yet if I saw him again, I would kiss him for saving my siblings.

He died for them. Who knows what the Lannister would have done to them if it wasn't for Theon. Would the Lannister have them killed? No, probably they would have been used to force Robb to kneel and make him swear his loyalty to our father's killers. I didn't even want to imagine it.

"So, what it was growing up with now two kings, Jon?" Pyp asked. "If you haven't left for the Wall, you might be a king too."

"They do seem to sprout like mushrooms," Grenn agreed.

"King of what?" I asked. "Bastards and whores? If so, I would rather serve as a man of Night's Watch."

"Who knows," Edd replied. "Maybe one day you will be the next king of the wildlings, Jon."

"Enough of this nonsense," I had to end this before they got in trouble for going too far with their joking. "We have much work to do."

I stood up from the table, but pain flashed through my thigh, and I almost fell. Pyp held me by my shoulders, not letting me fall. He looked at me concerned and was about to say something, but I ignored him. It was only pain. I could handle it. We had something more important to worry about than my well-being.

The blast of a horn stopped Grenn and others from questioning me. We waited for the second blast, but it never came. With the help of a crutch, Noye made me limp my way to the courtyard. I looked at the gates leading north of the Wall, but they were closed. Then I heard of people coming from the south gates.

"You fool," I heard Yoren yell from one of the towers in Castle Black overlooking the fields from outside. "The horn is meant for returning rangers. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"What's going on?" Noye came and asked.

"The smallfolk from Mole's town have come to seek refuge," Yoren came down the tower and informed us. "We better receive them."

With the other men of Night's Watch, I looked as hundreds of villagers from Mole's Town arrived. From old folk to young men and women and then children walked in. By the end, Jon could imagine that Castle Black would be full. I was relieved momentarily that I managed to warn them, and they managed to leave before Magnar's men killed them.

The relief didn't last long, as soon I saw a pillar of smoke rise from the south. It came from Mole's Town direction. I wasn't the only one who noticed it and put together what happened as everyone turned to look at it. The new arrivals looked at it with a mixture of dread and relief that they managed to escape.

"Listen up, everyone," Donal Noye shouted. "Children and old men will be given shelter, but everyone else is to join temporary defenses of Castle Black. Those who know how to use a spear, a sword, or a bow come to the armory and receive your weapons. Others follow the stewards of the Night's Watch and help them fortify the gates and the walls. We don't have time, folks. We might be attacked by the nightfall."

Yoren helped the folks to settle and started ordering what must be done. I could only watch with my leg. I couldn't carry a plank to help. I felt useless but still refused to return to Maester Aemon and rest. I didn't think I would be able to do so. At least I could help the new arrivals to know where they should go.

"Jon," I heard a familiar voice and turned toward the south gates as smallfolk entered.

"Sam?" I asked, looking at a portly young man. "You alive."

"I could say the same to you, Jon," Sam stated.

"How are you here?" I asked. "Shouldn't you have been in the north?"

"Ghost, your direwolf, found me and then let me into the tunnels of Nightfort," Sam said. "But then Ghost ran off to the South. I walked to Castle Black before meeting with the smallfolk from Mole's Town."

So that is how Ghost came through the Wall. But how did he know of the Nighfort tunnels? I never was there before, and neither was Ghost. Still, I was happy to see Sam alive and well, but soon I looked at a girl with a baby in her hands behind Sam. Seeing that, I recognized the girl. Sam was about to say something, but I interrupted him.

"She is one of Mole's Town refugees. Lead her to the shelter and then report to Donal Noye. Do you understand me, Sam?"

"Yes, I understand," Sam said. "Thank you, Jon."

"Go," I pushed Sam forward.

Not knowing what else to do, I found myself at a shooting range where some green boys were practicing alone with their bows. Seeing that nobody was instructing them, I walked to them and started lecturing them on how to use the bow. If even one can handle a bow by the end of the day, it would be an excellent boost for defenses.

…

Nobody was optimistic about the incoming battle. Even if men from Mole's Town, we had only sixty fighting men. The rest haven't even touched a sword in their lives. The night was coming, and dread followed it. I bandaged my wounds as best as I could. They still hurt, but wine helped with it.

"What do you think you are doing?" Yoren was the first to find me armored and armed. "With your wounds, you can't possibly think you can fight."

"I must," I said, leaving no argument. "Every man will count in this battle."

"And what can you hope to do with your injuries?" Yoren asked. "Go with the other refugees and noncombatants."

"I will not," I replied.

"Damn, you Starks, why are you all so stubborn?" Yoren didn't seem pleased. "Take a bow and go King's Tower. I have a green boy, Satin, in there with passable skills and a crossbow, but he is no fighter. Not like you, at least."

I nodded. I agreed that I wouldn't be much of a fighter with my sword right now. But bow, I could use it even if my left shoulder still hurt. Taking a bow from the armory, I saw Gendry getting a big hammer and putting horned helmet. He looked like a bull. I could only hope that the wildlings would try to avoid him. It would be a shame to lose such a brave boy; it looked like Noye liked him.

Getting a few quivers of arrows, I climbed to the long stairs of King's Tower. A boy with curly black hair and dark eyes was there already. He was skinny but had soft skin. He didn't look afraid but still was nervous. Sam had wondered if the recruits would try to escape with first contact with the wildlings.

I could see some of the Mole's Town were scared shitless. Undoubtedly, they would flee if the wildlings managed to storm the castle. But I didn't see the fear in Gendry's or this boy's eyes yet. It could change at any moment, and they were visibly anxious, but they had a determination I had seen in a few men before.

"Hot oil?" I asked, seeing a couple of kettles next to the boy.

"It is when the wildlings start climbing the tower," Satin replied softly.

"Smart," I said. "Don't worry, we have enough arrows, and if they manage to come here, I will protect you."

"No offense, my lord, but I saw your injuries. I don't think you will be able to do so."

"Then let's hope I don't need to."

I smiled and stood next to him. I looked at the gates of the castle and the trap set by Sam above it and below it. We have heard how Theon has lured hundreds of the Mountain's men into Harrenhal and trapped them by digging spikes into the ground to pierce their feet and then shot them dead with arrows.

Sam planned to set the gates on fire to cut off our foe's escape and make them rush into the spikes dug in the ground and covered in animal oil. It was brutal, but I could see it to be effective. It might not take hundreds of the Wildlings out, but a dozen should fall for it. As I was thinking about the coming night, the first blast of the horn made me focused, and the second made me ready for the battle.