Robb Stark left one morning. From what Anera could gather, he was planning to go to war. The idea seemed trivial to her. They were heading in the wrong direction. The true enemy was the creatures beyond the Wall. Thankfully enough, however, Theon was going with Robb, which meant she wouldn't have to endure his taunting. Another minute of it and she had half a mind to kill him while he slept.

She had been wondering how she could kill the pompous lordling. The Starks didn't trust she and Osha nearly enough to allow her into the kitchens where she could get her hands on a knife to plant in Theon's heart. Theon had taken her bow and mocked her for how it was made. He'd made her watch him practice his archery, saying that she would never have the skill he possessed. How she longed to get a hold of his own bow and send an arrow through his neck.

Despite the obvious lack of trust between the Starks and the two women, Osha and Anera were allowed to venture the Godswood, so long as they remained in their chains. She was growing strangely used to the feeling of the added weight on her legs. For the first few days, she had found herself tripping over her own feet, but now she could walk with little difficulty. She and Osha found Brandon Stark sat in front of a weirwood, praying softly. "Please watch over Robb," he was saying. "And watch over all the other men from Winterfell. And Theon, too, I suppose."

"You hear them, boy?" Osha asked, looking up at the trees. "The Old Gods are answering you."

"What are you doing here?" Brandon asked, looking up at the two women.

"They're our Gods, too," Osha said. "Beyond the Wall, they're the only Gods. Even slaves are allowed to pray."

"You aren't slaves."

Anera snorted at that, shaking her leg to make the chains clink together softly. "Well, your friend did put a knife to my throat," Brandon pointed out.

"We're not complaining, little lord, just telling truths," Osha said.

He hesitated a moment before he asked, "what did you mean about hearing the Gods?"

A smile played at Anera's face. "You asked them and now they're answering. Quiet, now. Listen."

His eyes drifted up to the red leaves of the weirwood. "It's only the wind."

Osha shook her head. "Who do you think sends the wind if not the Gods? They see you, boy. They hear you. Your brother will get no help from them where he's going. The Old Gods have no power in the South. The weirwoods there were all cut down a long time ago. How can they watch when they have no eyes?"

Anera jumped slightly at the sound of footsteps advancing, turning to see quite possibly the largest man she had ever seen. He was grinning, completely naked. She held back her laughter as she averted her gaze. Osha chuckled. "Well, there's a big man," she said. "He has giant's blood in him or I'm the Queen."

Brandon sighed. "Go back and find your clothes, Hodor. Go dress," he instructed.

The man, Hodor, nodded. "Hodor," he said, and he disappeared into the trees once again.

Brandon looked to Osha and Anera. "Are there really giants beyond the Wall?" he asked.

Anera's smile faded. She met his gaze fully, her voice cool as she replied, "giants and worse than. We told your brother, he's marching the wrong direction. All of these swords should be heading North, little lord. North, not South. There's cold winds rising."

His face looked solemn. He turned away from her, staring up at the weirwood again. The wind fluttered through the crimson leaves.

One morning, Brandon woke with a strange dream. Anera and Osha listened as he explained to them the raven that had led him through the crypts. "It had three eyes," he was saying. "It told me to come with him, so I did. We went down to the crypts and my father was there."

"Your father's not down there, little lord," Osha eased. "Not for many years yet."

"You're both afraid. Just like Hodor," Brandon said.

"We're not scared of some hole in the ground," Anera replied.

He looked between the two women as he said, "you've both lived beyond the Wall. What are you scared of? I'm a crippled boy and I'm willing to go."

That seemed enough to convince Anera and Osha. As they ventured into the dark crypt, Osha carried Brandon in her arms. He pointed at each statue, reciting the names. "That's my grandfather, Lord Rickard. He was burned alive by the Mad King, Aerys. That's Lyanna, my father's sister. King Robert was supposed to marry her, but Rhaegar Targaryen kidnapped her. Robert started a war to win her back. He killed Rhaegar. But she died anyway."

He pointed at an empty space. "That's where I saw Father," he said.

Anera managed to smile, though the crypt was making anxiety swim in the pit of her stomach. "You see, little lord? Your father isn't here."

A snarl sounded from the darkness, and Anera turned to face their attacker. Out of the pitch black came a direwolf, it's yellow eyes glowing as it snapped and snarled. Osha dropped to the ground with Brandon, while Anera stood frozen in place. "Here, Shaggydog!" a voice called, and the youngest Stark, Rickon, emerged.

"Rickon!" Brandon cried.

"That beast is supposed to be chained in the kennels!" Osha snapped.

Rickon shook his head. "He doesn't like chains."

Brandon released a sigh, looking at his younger brother. "What are you doing down here? Come back up with us."

"No, I came to see Father," Rickon said indignantly.

"How many times have I told you? He's in King's Landing with Sansa and Arya."

Once more, the six-year-old shook his head. "He was down here. I saw him."

"Saw him when?" Brandon pressed.

"Last night, when I was sleeping."

He turned to his direwolf, waving a hand. "Here, Shaggydog," he said before he and the beast disappeared into the darkness once more.

Anera let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. She and Osha shared a confused look with Bran.

"You both miss him. It's only natural he should be in your thoughts and dreams, but that doesn't mean that- -" Osha began as they made their way out of the crypt, Anera's eyes falling on Maester Luwin, who looked crestfallen as he read a letter in his hands.

Osha went silent. Maester Luwin looked at the trio, breathing out a sigh. "Bran..." he said softly, and somehow Anera knew that the little lord's dream had come to pass.