Hello all to anyone who happens upon my writing!

WELCOME! This is the inaugural story for this brand new category, "Game of Thrones." I saw the first episode of the HBO series and I knew right away I wanted to write for this series. Some will say that the title is "A Game of Thrones," and I don't know if anyone will get their knickers in a twist about it but we'll see how this goes. I did request a correction or review of the actual title.

This is my first time writing in the fantasy genre. I'm not new to the site or to multi-chaptered story writing, but this is the first story under this account that I originally opened to write in the True Blood universe, which will come to me soon. I hope you enjoy it. It's a "divergence" story, seeing as how the television series is only at its 5th episode. For those of you who have read "A Song of Ice and Fire," in which this TV series is based on, I hope you like it.

The characters have not been set on this site but I've sent a cast list to FF(dot)net and hope that it will come up soon. The main characters in this one shot are Catelyn Stark, her son Bran and Jaime Lannister but it's mainly focused on Bran. His direwolf is in this as well but at this point in the series, it doesn't have a name. I know the name, but for the sake of continuity, I won't give it to him in this two shot.

Here is the first story in what I hope will be many in this universe. I don't own this series, the books or tv show, nor do I make any money off of it. Please spread the word and tell others that this category exists.


Dragon's Keep

A Two Shot Story Featuring

Bran Stark

Chapter 1

"The Power of Dreams"


oooo0oooo

The early evening was passing slowly as Catelyn Stark sat at the edge of Bran's bed, her needlepoint getting longer and longer with each passing day. Sometimes Bran's eyes twitch slightly and she would look up, anxious and hoping that her second born son was arousing from his unnatural slumber, but the boy never stirred past the rapid eye movements.

Disappointment dug at her at her like the impending cold winter but she remained at her fallen son's side, determined to not leave until he awakened. What if he awakened and she wasn't around? What would he think? A mother's love was deep; deeper than the vast oceans and as dense as the largest forests. Her son was one of the kindest, most gentle souls she knew and all those at Winterfell had offered their warmest regards to him and hope that he improve.

Bran's fall perplexed her. The boy was agile; always climbing up a tree, the side of the castle, over fences and often drove her to distraction. He didn't seem happy unless he was climbing up on something or other. He was, however, always careful. He was as graceful as a summer wind and his apparent fall from the side of the building was seen as an omen. If a child so graceful could stumble and fall in such a way, then perhaps her house was in for a difficult time.

But he survived, and this was yet another reason why she remained at his side. An accident though it was, there was something sinister in the air and she would be there to protect him. She couldn't drop her guard for one minute, especially with the Lannisters around. Although King Robert were pushing her daughter Sansa and his heir together to unite their house, she secretly wished the pinched face cretin off on someone else. Heir to the throne, she nonetheless didn't like or trust him and truth be told, neither did his own father. Ned would probably agree to the match out of loyalty and fondness for the King, but she could only hope that Joffrey's attention turned elsewhere.

Anywhere else!

Bran's eye twitched again. She glanced up briefly before returning to her needlepoint. This was no different than any other time and she had grown accustomed to the disappointment. Her place was at his side and she would never leave it. She was thankful that he had survived the fall, but what would he awaken to? Would he be as his normal self or would he have some horrific injury that would affect him for the rest of his life.

Catelyn pushed those negative thoughts out of her head. It would do no good to dwell on such things. She had to trust in Ned and hope that all will be well. Perhaps the omen she was sensing was that of Jon Snow's ignoble death at the Wall. She was glad to not ever have to see her husband's bastard ever again.

Bran's eye twitched again and she glanced again, more out of habit than thinking that there was a change in him. The direwolf resting at his side, she sighed sadly and continued her needlepoint, her heart heavy with grief and sorrow.

Bran rested quietly in his deep slumber but his young, agile mind was another matter altogether.


oooo0oooo

Bran slowly opened his eyes, his face covered with dirt and sweat. He looked upwards, wondering how he had gotten down from the window. He didn't recall climbing down, nor had he entered the tower and excited that way. This was strange, the inquisitive boy thought. It was as though he had lost a brief moment in time.

He began to remember the brief sensation of floating and the cloudy sky above moving farther and farther away and then a sickening thud. Yes, that's right…he had climbed up one of the walls outside of Winterfell and had fallen down. Oddly enough, he never felt a thing. He looked up the rough façade of the building, wondering how he could have even survived such a fall.

No, he had been pushed. Jaime Lannister had pushed him, but why? Their families were very close allies and it was strange for him to do such a thing. What had he done to deserve this? Jaime Lannister was a valiant warrior and the King's brother-in-law. Perhaps he had made a mistake and had only meant to reach out and pull him…but pull him where?

His brow furrowed. Now he remembered. He had seen Jaime and his sister Cersei in bed together. They were…

Bran closed his eyes and cringed. Jaime tried to kill him. He had pushed him out of the window after catching them together in the most unholy and unnatural way. He slowly stood up, shaking his head as he looked around for his direwolf but the faithful creature was nowhere to be seen. He needed to get back inside of Winterfell and find his father. Jaime needed to be punished or worse.

Suddenly a howl tore through the quiet silence of the afternoon across the open ground on the outskirts of the grounds. Breathing a sigh of relief, he shook his head in irritation. His direwolf was running away from him. Perhaps he was chasing something, maybe a rabbit or a deer. He began running towards him to get him back before he got away completely. He climbed up over a small wall, through a wooden fence and into a small nearby forest.

The creature howled again, this time from an even greater distance. He continued onward but soon he realized that the sky had darkened and a thick mist began to descend. He thought to stop chasing the direwolf and head back but as he did so, the forest seemed to have swallowed him up. Not sure what to do, he finally decided it was best to return to Winterfell and alert his father to Jaime's crime against him. He turned to go back but soon realized that the trees, rocks and brushes were beginning to look different. He continued onward, knowing that he was hopelessly lost but thinking that he would come out on the other side of the forest and could at least see the village on the other side of the forest.

He heard the howl again and turned around, this time seeing his direwolf standing on a boulder. The beautiful animal jumped down and ran into the misty brush.

"Direwolf!" he called out but the animal continued deeper into the forest. He really needed to name his wolf. Calling him "direwolf" was getting tiresome but he had to be patient. The direwolf will dictate actions that would help create its name.

The sounds in the forest, however, gave him pause. It was getting darker and scarier and he would need to return back home but to do that, he needed his direwolf. Shaking his head, he ran onward until he realized he was in a clearing. He stopped running, breathing hard and wanting to collapse from exhaustion under the afternoon sun. It seemed like he had been running all day long, in a circle no less.

If he had to be honest about it, he couldn't really tell what time of the day it was. The sky was obscured by the layer of mist and he couldn't tell where the sun was. The ground was very misty but he could make out his direwolf next to a large tree.

Wait…the tree…is it moving?

Bran's eyes widened as he began to back up but his direwolf slowly walked over to him, taking the edge of his shirt and pulling him forward.

"Stop it," he said sternly, the tone of his voice hiding his abject fear. The huge tree seemed to be getting larger the closer they got to it.

He tried to pull away but the direwolf held on, using his strength to propel the frightened boy forward. Desperately trying to keep from screaming and scared beyond reason, Bran fell to his knees, forcing the direwolf to stop. It turned around, leveling his eyes toward his master's.

It was strange; he could feel his direwolf's confidence and strength. He knew that the animal would never forsake him or lead him to harm. The connection between them seemed to strengthen Bran as he stood up and, walked towards the huge tree, his animal right beside him. It gave him comfort and the courage to go forward. Whatever was going to happen, they would face it together.

As they approached, his breath left him and he had to step back on one leg to steady himself. It wasn't a tree…


I hope that captured your attention. I don't know how this will be perceived since I just threw this chapter up so I could post to this new category. I'll make any corrections on it later. Thank you for reading it.

FelonMistress