"They're coming."

A knot twisted inside of Tara's stomach as Jon said it. She squeezed Theon's hand a little tighter to make sure he was still next to her. They were all surrounding a table planning for the battle to come.

"We have Dragonglass and Valyrian steel. But there are too many of them. Far too many. Our enemy doesn't tire. Doesn't stop. Doesn't feel."

"We can't beat them in a straight fight." Jon finished.

"So, what can we do?" Jaime Lannister asked. Tara could feel everyone turn to look at the outsider.

"The Night King made them all they follow under his command. If he falls..." Jon paused, "Getting to him may be our best chance."

"That's true. He'll never expose himself." Jaime replied.

"Yes he will." Everyone turned to see Bran. "He'll come for me. He's tried before many times with many three-eyed ravens."

"Why? What does he want?" Sam asked.

"An endless night. He wants to erase this world and I am it's memory."

"That's what death is isn't it." Sam said, "Forgetting. Being forgotten."

"If we forget where we've been, where we've gone. We're not men anymore. Just animals." Sam continued, "Your memories don't come from books. Your stories aren't just stories. If I wanted to erase the world, I'd start with you."

"How will he find you?" Tyrion asked Bran.

Bran pulled up his sleeve to reveal a scar, "His mark is on me. He always knows where I am."

"We'll put you in the crypt. Where it's safest."

"No." Bran cut off Jon, "We need to lure him into the open before his army destroys us all. I'll wait for him in the godswood."

Theon's eyes traced down to the map of Winterfell. The intricate drawing of the godswood. Something began to stir inside of him.

"You want us to use you as bait?" Sansa was frustrated.

"We're not leaving you alone out there." Arya added.

"He won't be." Theon started to say, "I'll stay with him."

Tara's heart dropped as she turned to look at his face. She felt shellshocked.

"With the Ironborn." He looked at the fear in Tara's eyes. He knew she wouldn't want him to, but this is how he would make up for all his past mistakes. He had to do this.

"I once took this castle from you." Theon began to speak to Bran, "Let me defend you now."

Bran gave him a slight nod and Theon returned the favor. Tara immediately found the floor. Her thoughts were beginning to become overpowering. She couldn't think straight. She couldn't even listen to anyone else talk.

"We'll hold off the rest of them for as long as we can." Davos broke the silence.

"When the time comes, Ser Davos and I will be on the walls to give you the signal to light the trench." Tyrion began.

"Ser Davos is perfectly capable of waving a torch on his own. You'll be in the crypt." Dany interrupted him.

Theon couldn't stop looking over at Tara. Her eyes wouldn't move from a spot on the floor. He felt horrible. He tried to give her hand a squeeze to bring her back but nothing was working.

"Your grace, I have fought before. I can do it again. Alongside the men and women risking their lives." Tyrion tried to convince her.

"There are thousands of them and only one of you. You can't fight as well as they can but you can think better than any of them. You're here because of your mind." Dany was confident in her words, "If we survive, I'll need it."

Tyrion nodded his head to Dany. He agreed, but reluctantly.

"The dragons should give us an edge in the field." Ser Davos said.

"If they're in the field, they aren't protecting Bran." Jon argued, "We need to be near him. Not too near or the Night King won't come. But close enough to pursue him when he does."

"Dragonfire will stop him?" Arya turned to ask Bran.

"I don't know. No ones ever tried." Bran replied.

Solemn faces fell over the entire table. Theon turned again to look at Tara. She still hadn't brought herself to look up. He wanted to say something to her but he didn't want to here.

"We are all going to die." Tormund said what they were all thinking. "But at least we all die together."

Jon broke the tension, "Let's get some rest." No one said anything. They all just filed out of the room.

Tara immediately let go of Theon's hand and rushed out of the room. Theon tried to catch her but she slid between two others.

Tara started to feel the tears stream down her face. She knew she wasn't thinking straight but she didn't want to be in that room one second longer. She finally broke past all the people and into the courtyard. She stopped in her tracks as she fully took in her situation. Farmers turned soldiers were all around her as they prepared for the battle. Tears fell off her cheeks as she look at her feet pushed into the mud.

Tormund was right. They were all going to die. Theon was going to die.

"Tara..." She felt a warm hand placed on her shoulder. She knew it was Theon's voice.

She turned into and held him close to her. She couldn't help but cry as she was so near him. Theon didn't know what to do at first. He could hear her sniffles into his chest. 

He pulled her even closer and surrounded her with his body. Tara felt safer with his warmth around her. She hoped that she would be able to touch him and hug him and be with him for many years longer. She prayed that tomorrow wouldn't be the last. 

"I don't know what I'd do without you Theon." She sniffled softly, "I'm scared."

Theon placed his head on her shoulder, "I'm scared too."

Theon didn't know it was possible to love someone this much and that's what made him scared. He didn't want to break her heart but he was sick of being a coward. 

"Come," Theon took her hand. She was confused at first but he continued to led her through the groups of men. She knew he knew exactly where he was going. 

Before long, they reached an opening in the castle. Inside was the godswood Tara had heard so much about. For some reason, she still had never seen it before. 

"This is where I'll be." Theon began, "I'll be protecting you." 

He paused for a moment before he reached out and touched the life growing inside of her, "And our child."

Tara felt a wave of relief wash over her. She loved to hear him say it was his. However, the truth returned to her. Theon noticed and pulled her chin to look back at him. 

"It won't be anything else but ours. I promise." Theon said. Tara smiled back at him. He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. Tara loved when he did that. 

As the godswood surrounded them, Theon held Tara's hands in his. "One day, we'll be far away from all of this. I'll get us a place to live on the Iron Islands with our family."

Tara leaned into him and they held each other. "Can it be next to the ocean?" 

Theon smiled, "Of course. And we'll have three little children."

"I'm happy as long as we have one girl and one boy." Tara said. 

"One of each. I like that idea." Theon added. 

Tara smiled widely as she snuggled more into him. She could imagine perfectly their home and children. The cool ocean breeze would blow over their home as their children played in the sand and waves. They would be happy. 

"Do you remember the first night we met?" Theon asked. 

Tara nodded. She remembered well even though it felt like such a long time ago. Everything was so different then. 

"I thought about you the whole time." Theon said, "Maybe it's odd because I didn't even know you, but you gave me hope. I can remember exactly what it felt like when you touched my face for the first time."

Butterflies rose in Tara's stomach. He had never told her this before. Instead of saying anything, Tara reached up and touched his face once again. She wiped her thumb across his cheek. Without saying anything, he knew she remembered too. 

"I wish you didn't have to do this." Tara said. 

"Me too." 

Theon pulled her back into him and held her for a long time. He wanted to remember everything about her and this moment. The way she felt, her warmth against him, the way she smelled, the way she looked. He closed his eyes and made sure all of it would stay in his mind. 

There was one more thing he had to do. Theon pulled away slightly from her. "There's something I need to give you." He pulled out a dragon glass knife and handed it to her. She examined it carefully. It didn't look like all the other ones she had seen being given out to random soldiers. This one had more time put into it. 

"Use it to protect yourself." He added. 

"I will."