Archive of Our Own ^beta

• Fic Timeline: 
  • Chapters 1-6 = approximately 2-3 days
  • Chapters 7-15 = approximately 3-4 days
  • Chapters 16-21= approximately 4-5 days
  • Chapters 22-26 = approximately 2 days

ACT ONE: ARRIVAL

• Chapters 1-6:
  • Dany & co. show up at Winterfell to a polite but cool welcome. The other Starks learn about R+L=J from Bran. Jon angsts and Dany feels increasingly isolated. Tyrion, Davos, and Varys all eavesdrop on Jon and Sansa at various points, picking up different clues about Jon's resurrection, R+L=J, and latent Jon/Sansa vibes. Neither Sansa nor Arya are pleased that Jon bent the knee to Dany, but Jon feels that he picked the best of several unideal options.
• Chapters 7-9:
  • Jon publicly announces his intention to pledge to Dany after the war; this doesn't go over well with any of his subjects, but everyone seems to reluctantly accept his decision... at least for the moment. Tyrion attempts to run damage control re: rumors about Dany with Sansa, and the two of them discuss a potential Jon/Dany marriage alliance. Meanwhile, Jaime, who was injured while riding north, is rescued and nursed back to health by the Reeds.
• Chapters 10-12:
  • Select Winterfell residents learn about Dany having killed Sam's father and brother. Dany and Sansa begin to discuss politics but are interrupted because Drogon destroyed a peasant woman's house and livestock. Dany and Jon argue about chaining up the dragons. Then Sansa and Jon talk about Dany + Drogon and argue about what to do re: Robin Arryn, who is close to coming of age. Sansa worries about how they are going to feed everyone, especially since Team Targaryen didn't bring a lot of rations. Jon worries about dragonglass weapons and training everyone. 
• Chapters 13-14:
  • Missandei joins a sewing circle and reports back to Dany with her observations. Arya’s informants throughout the castle and winter town report rumblings from the Vale knights. One of Arya's informants also reports that "he" has been trying to use her as his informant. Arya and Sansa convince Jon not to tell Dany or the North about his parentage yet.
• Chapters 15-16:
  • Jaime and the Reeds appear at Winterfell. Jaime tells the Starks and Dany about Cersei's lies; after Brienne and Bran vouch for him, they ultimately decide to let him fight with them. Jaime tells Dany the truth about her father. Later, he overhears Tyrion telling Dany that Cersei is pregnant. Bran has creepy dreams/visions and gives Pod advice re: Varys.
• Chapter 17:
  • Gendry arrives at Winterfell from the Wall, reunites with both Arya and Jon, and meets Sansa for the first time. Sansa gets letters from somewhere that make her anxious. Jon and Gendry discuss the dragon problem, Jon meets Howland Reed, and the Dothraki arrive.
• Chapter 18:
  • Sansa meets with Yohn Royce and agrees he should send some of his men to help the Vale against invading hill tribesmen. Jon & Yohn turn down Dany’s offer to fly to the Vale and take care of the tribesmen. The Dothraki arrive and receive bread and salt, as do Jorah Mormont and Sandor Clegane. While Jon, Sansa, and Sandor talk with Qhono and Raggho, Raggho crudely expresses sexual interest in Sansa; Ghost's reaction leads to a fight breaking out in the courtyard. The fight is eventually quelled, but 5 men are severely injured or killed. Sansa has a panic attack and Jon comforts her. Finally, Jon and Sansa debate how best to pacify Dany, the Dothraki, their own people, and everyone else in the wake of the fight.
• Chapter 19:
  • Jon and Dany argue about the dangers and benefits of dragons vs. direwolves. Sansa visits men wounded from courtyard fight and Jon talks to families of those killed. Jon and Sansa discuss burning their dead in the WF crypts, and Jon drinks wine before briefly napping in her solar. Jaime, Brienne, and Sansa discuss ways to keep knights and soldiers occupied and their morale high, and Sansa reveals that hill tribesmen have made it to the Vale’s Bloody Gate. Jaime drinks wine and collapses from poison hidden in it.
• Chapter 20:
  • Wolkan examines Jaime and Jon for poison and concludes both will live. (Jon only had a few sips, so he didn’t pass out.) Arya realizes Sansa was the target of the poisoning, and Jon and Brienne freak out. Arya insists that her siblings get taste testers. Wolkan discovers 2 separate poisons were used in the wine—wolfsbane and sweetsleep—leading to speculation. Tyrion & Varys visit Brienne, Sansa, and a still-unconscious Jaime after learning of the poisoning.
• Chapter 21:
  • Dany is upset to learn people might suspect her of poisoning Jaime. Varys goes to counteract these rumors with rumors of his own, while Dany and Jorah argue about how best to deal with the Dothraki. Sam, Jon, and Gilly—and then Grey Worm and Missandei—speculate over the poisoner’s identity. Grey Worm assigns an Unsullied captain to investigate the poisoning, and he and Missandei begin to think about their future.
• Chapters 22-23:
  • Arya and Dany talk alone for the first time. Dany and Sansa discuss politics again, but are interrupted by a fire in the winter town. Jon and Arya fight fires in the winter town alongside townspeople, Free Folk, and Unsullied, while Sansa sets up food and shelter for people whose homes were burnt. A Jon/Sansa moment leads to Arya side-eyeing them. Despite Arya and everyone else handling buckets getting burnt (except for Dany), Jon somehow doesn’t burn his hands. To avoid scrutiny, Jon covers his hands with bandages.
• Chapter 24:
  • Tensions between different Free Folk clans continue, as do tensions between the Northerners and Essosi. Davos attends a war council where topics addressed included Winterfell’s defenses, the Army of the Dead’s strengths, WW symbols, the Free Folk history of the Horn of Winter, and the story of the 13th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. The council realizes WW are capable of communication with the living, as well as independent thought and maybe emotions. Bran reveals that the Night King has strong greenseer powers (which he has been using to try to block Bran from learning useful info and to try to spy on Bran & co.), then has a vision of the Night King raising Viserion from the dead.
• Chapter 25:
  • Bran proves his ability to see through time and space to Team Dany by mentioning Tysha and quoting Mirri Maz Duur's prophecy, much to their disquiet. Howland Reed explains the (potential) meaning of the White Walkers' symbols to Sam. Arya spies in the kitchen and learns information that might relate to the poisoning attempt. Not long afterward, the wight dragon brings down the Wall.
• Chapter 26:
  • Gendry updates Arya on his attempts to blend dragonglass and steel. At a meeting in the Great Hall, Jon informs the populace that the NK has brought down the Wall with a dragon. When people figure out that the dragon used to be one of Dany’s, they become belligerent. Dany is angry about being blamed for her dragon’s death and the Wall’s decimation; Drogon terrifies the crowd by flying over Winterfell, screeching. Gendry and Brienne meet for the first time, and she notices his resemblance to Renly.