1The dead walked in the North.
If she were to conquer the Kingdom in the South, they would have to be slain.
The figure cloaked in red made her way across the sea of snow, her weapon Aymr strapped to her back. She stood hunched over, to conserve her body heat as she made the dangerous trek north.
Bodies of the fallen Northman could be found all over. They were near.
She came to a stop in front of a massive horde of undead. They stood, thousands strong and growing by the day, lumbering forward towards the southern wall.
"Hold." She commanded, as she stepped forward.
The creatures stopped to look at her. The looks may have been comical to a less serious mind. No mortal had ever approached the horde this way, in likely their entire existence.
"You will cease your assault." The woman said. "Or die."
A single chuckle erupted from the back of the Horde.
The woman stood as a single figure stepped forward, staring at her with intense eyes.
"You challenge me, warrior?"
"No." Edelgard said, as she gripped Aymr. "I'm here to kill you."
…
It wasn't long that that Edelgard walked back south, the dismembered head of the Night King clutched firmly in her grasp. Upon the defeat of their leader, the remainder of the Horde had crumbled into dust. Whatever dark magic this creature had had over his followers, following its demise it seemed to have vanished.
Edelgard kept the head close at hand as she approached the southern wall. The Night's Watch stared down at her as she held up the head.
"The White Walkers are no more!" She declared.
There was a stunned silence, and then chuckles.
"The White Walkers are mere fairy tales, girl." One of the men said to.
She was unperturbed. "Fairy tales made all of your men go missing, did they?"
The man who had spoken leaned forward. "It was you, wasn't it?"
Edelgard stood firm as a number of arrows were show down. Many missed, but a handful slammed into her armor plated chest. She stared firmly up at the wall.
"Allow me passage." She said. "As payment for what I have done."
She tossed the head up to the men on top of the wall. He let out a yelp as he fumbled with it and held it aloft. He stared at it quizzically, and then ducked behind the wall.
It wasn't long after that that a group of men came out to meet her.
"Please excuse the pre-caution." The man said. "Our role is to protect the seven Kingdoms from wildlings… most coming from this direction are of there kind. Whoever you may be, you certainly are not one of them. I can tell simply by looking at you."
Edelgard glowered at him.
"Your features resemble those of Volantis." The man remarked. "Where do you hail, stranger?"
"Far, far away." Edelgard said. "Must we talk out in the cold? I have had a long journey."
"Of course not. Please, come inside."
Edelgard followed the men inside, and she was quick to note that most of them had her surrounded. She was, in their mind, effectively their prisoner. She kept her hands at her sides and walked, her expression neutral.
The Keep seemed to have seen better days. The rooms were cold and frigid, and the equipment of the Night's Watch seemed ill cared for. Not for lack of attention on their part, but simply due to regular use and age. It seemed Hubert's report had been correct. These people were too underfunded for their work.
She was led into a room where a number of elderly men sat waiting. Sitting in front of them was the head of the Night King, which Edelgard surmised had been handed straight to them.
"You are the woman who vanquished this creature?"
She bent her head. "I am."
"White hair." One of them mused. "You are of Volantis?"
"No." Edelgard said. "I hail from the Adrestian Empire… on the continent beyond Almyra."
The old men looked taken aback. No one from that direction had ventured into Westoros in over a thousand years.
"Why have you come here?" One of the men asked. "What did you hope to accomplish?"
Edelgard's lip curled.
"I wish to restore the throne of the Empire to its rightful ruler. To do that, I require the aid of the King of the Seven Kingdoms. Robert Barratheon. I thought to appeal to him through you."
"We do not have the direct ear of the King-"
"You will be the first of many to speak my name." Edelgard said. "I have quashed a great evil lurking in your midst before it could do more than kill more than a handful of your men. The legendary white walkers that lurked beyond this wall are no more, due to my actions."
"The White Walkers are believed by most to be no more than a fairytale."
Edelgard smiled.
"After I was done with them, they are."
The men stared at her, and then they chuckled.
"I see that you are very confident in yourself." The leader said, as he got to his feet. "I must confess that whisperings of the White Walkers had reached us here. We were beginning to plan an expedition to investigate beyond the wall, in truth… but if you speak truly, there will not be a need."
"There is always a need for a strong border." Edelgard said. "Send your men. Learn more about what I have done. And understand for yourself what that means for you."
…
Edelgard Von Hresvelg sat in the small room that had been granted to her, alone. She dipped her pen in ink and began to scrawl out her observations. The Night's Watch had been cautious, but had in the end listened to reason. She had taken her first step into conquering the Seven Kingdoms.
Two years ago, Edelgard had been the Emperor of the mots powerful nation in Fodlan, the Adrestian Empire. With her trusted officers, the Black Eagles, and her most trusted advisor the Professor on her side, none even came close to scratching them.
But then, everything changed when Byleth betrayed them.
"Your majesty."
"Hubert." Edelgard greeted, as Hubert stepped out of the shadows. Pale skinned and scowling, Hubert likely terrified more children in Westeros than the Night King ever would. "Report."
"Ferdinand has continued his reign of his house in the Empire. He is working diligently with the Church to ensure a smooth transition of power."
"May he be swayed?"
"He has no faith in your leadership."
"Hm." Edelgard said. "A pity. And the others?"
"Dorothea has married, and is well on the way to having her first child. Petra has returned to her homeland. Caspar has been discharged from active military service, and is focusing on training new and upcoming recruits at Garreg Mach. Byleth-"
She tried to hide her emotional expression behind her hair.
"Has replaced Rhea as the head of the Church."
She nodded, registering this information into her mind. Byleth, one of her most loyal and stalwart allies. Byleth, who had already betrayed the Church once for her. Byleth, who she had respected. Even, she liked to imagine, even fell in love with. In the end, Byleth had betrayed them. And had become the very symbol of power and control that she had sought to destroy.
The Professor she loved was now her greatest enemy.
"You will be interested in hearing that Rhea's primary focus is hunting you down." Hubert said. "It seems the primary reason she stepped down was to focus her attention on it."
"For all we know she has stepped down in this fashion before." Edelgard mused. "And then re-asserted her power again decades later."
Hubert grimaced. 'What are your orders?"
"We need to assemble a new army." Edelgard said. "Once we do, those in the Black Eagles who are still loyal to me will come back. The quickest way to do so is through conquest."
"You mean to conquer the Seven Kingdoms?"
"I do."
"With no resources?" Hubert pressed. "With no finances, with no army?"
"Yes." Edelgard said. "With my own blood and body, I will tear topple this country and use it as a stepping stone to reclaim Fodlan for the people."
Hubert lowered his head.
"In Fodlan, they say that even in defeat, you are extremely dangerous." He said.
"They are not wrong." Edelgard replied. "Please, Hubert. I am counting on you to find someone, anyone who is still loyal to me."
He bowed. "It will be done."
He stepped back into the shadows and vanished. Edelgard turned her head downward to her desk and continued writing.
…
The next day, Edelgard found herself observing the Night's Watch. Being the only woman for miles she found hungry eyes following her wherever she went. She had found herself sleeping in full armor with Aymr close at hand, and even now in broad daylight found herself keenly aware of her surroundings. The men in charge here had allowed her to stay as they researched the destruction of the White Walkers, but she could clearly see how their influence mattered little. The Wall was where the Seven Kingdoms sent their beggars, thieves, and criminals. Men who had no future anywhere else were sent here. People like that had no respect for authority, because the ruling class had no respect for them.
She found herself watching a training session from above, observing the crowd below. Many of the men sparring clearly had never even held a sword before. Those who had were clearly a cut above the rest. Her eyes fell on one of those, who clearly was one of the few who had received formal training.
"One of the men have caught your eye?"
Edelgard cast her eye downward to see a dwarf waddling up to her.
"I'm simply observing." She said quietly, ignoring the jape. "To whom do I owe the pleasure?"
"Tyrion Lannister, at your service." He said. "You are the woman from Fodlan, Edelgard of Hresvelg?"
Edelgard thought it best not to correct him. "Yes."
"You are prettier than they said."
She thought it best to be political. "Thank you. You are too kind." She was reminded of Claude Von Riegan, and how he had complimented her looks right before trying to kill her in combat. "I take it that you are not a member of the Night's Watch?"
"Oh, what gave that away?" Tyrion asked, as he leaned up against the pillar, leering up at her. Edelgard, being rather short herself, was unused to looking down so far at someone. "No, I am simply observing."
"We have so much in common."
He gave a small start for a second, and then laughed. "Oh, I didn't think you would be funny." He said.
'I have my moments." Edelgard told him.
"Perhaps we should take this conversation inside?" Tyrion asked. "The chill doesn't suit someone from the south."
Edelgard did not hesitate. She could tell by his voice and his mannerisms that he was well educated and informed. Speaking with this man would give her insights onto the current political situation in the Seven Kingdoms.
"Lead on." She said formally, and allowed him to lead the way for drinks.
…
A/N
I probably don't have the knowledge of A Song of Ice and Fire to write something like this well, but I really enjoyed a number of other 'Edelgard in GOT' stories, and decided to try my hand at it anyway. Please be aware that I'm going into this as more of a Fire Emblem fan than a George R.R. Martin one. I have read the books, but that was a long time ago and a lot of the details are fuzzy. I'll probably go back and go through them again to ensure that the small details are correct.
I already feel like this fic is going to be the worst of its kind, but whatever. I wanted to write it.