Disclaimer: I do not own Game of Thrones or anything related. It belongs to George R.R. Martin, the creator of this wonderful universe and David Benioff and D. B. Weiss who created the show.
01x02: The Kingsroad.
Chapter Fifteen: The Assassin.
Stepping into Bran's bedroom, Maester Luwin sighed as his eyes came to land on the three occupants inside of the room; he wasn't surprised to see Catelyn still firmly by her son's side and he wished that she could see that she was making herself it. It had been over a month since Bran had fallen from the tower and while there was no sign that the Stranger waited to steal the boy away; there was also no sign of him waking up.
"It's time we reviewed the accounts, my lady. You'll want to know how much this royal visit has cost us," Maester Luwin said hoping that this wasn't how Catelyn planned to spend the rest of her life if Bran did not wake. Sanira peeked up from her sowing, she had come to sit with Catelyn while she had a moment to herself; she hoped her good-mother would snap out of this and soon.
In the days since Eddard and King Robert had left for the capital, things hadn't felt right in Winterfell and Sanira couldn't help but fear what would happen if Catelyn continued to ignore her duties. There was very little that she could do for Bran while she was sat by his side day in and day out, she was making herself ill and it wasn't just herself that suffered.
Poor Rickon was so lost right now and if he wasn't clinging to Sanira's skirts then he was following Robb around crying; he needed his mother just as much as Winterfell needed her.
"Talk to Poole about it," Catelyn replied stiffly, she continued on making her prayer wheel wishing that everyone would just leave her be. She was going to stay with Bran until she knew what the Seven had decided for her son's fate, Catelyn didn't care what else was happening nor did she wish to be bother by outside affairs.
"Poole went south with Lord Stark, my lady. We need a new steward, and there are several other appointments that require our immediate attention..." Maester Luwin explained softly, he felt for Catelyn but her behaviour could not continue now that Lord Eddard had gone south. Catelyn as much as she wanted to ignore it had responsibilities and she was allowing herself to be pulled away from them by her grief; she wasn't helping Bran by sitting with him every day.
"I don't care about appointments," Catelyn interrupted Maester Luwin with a glare, her words making Sanira jump a little and Summer raised his head to look at her; the room was quiet after she had spoken. Sanira swallowed not entirely sure what to say, she wished that Catelyn could spend all her time with Bran but it wasn't possible anymore and she had to stop this.
"I'll make the appointments. We'll talk about it first thing in the morning," Robb announced stepping into the room, he looked to his mother having heard her words from the corridor along with everyone else. They were all worried for her and he wished that he could shake some sense into her, his father had chosen the worst time to leave and Winterfell was being crippled because of it.
Catelyn pursed her lips before returning to her work, she kept her eyes down while Robb stared at her; she felt a pang of guilt for neglecting her other children. She barely remembered saying goodbye to Sansa and Arya when they had gone south with their father; she had been so focused on praying for Bran and working on her prayer wheel.
"Very good, my Lord. My Ladies," Maester Luwin said before leaving the room, he sensed that he didn't need to hear what was going to be said between son and mother. Sanira watched him leave, she carefully got to her feet to give Robb and his mother a chance to speak privately.
"When was the last time you left this room?" Robb asked stepping closer to his mother, he glanced back as Sanira left knowing that it was best that she did; he needed to knock some sense into his mother. It had been hard enough watching his father and sisters leave and it certainly didn't help when his mother was refusing to realise that she was needed elsewhere.
Everyone had been understanding when she stayed with Bran during the dangerous time when even Maester Luwin had no idea if he would survive but now it had been a month and she needed to snap out of this.
"I have to take care of him," Catelyn replied stubbornly, she truly couldn't remember the last time she had stepped outside of this room. Eddard had allowed her to remain with their son because he needed her most and things were crazy enough with the visit of the royal family; he had said it would be perfect training for Robb and Sanira to help out.
"He's not going to die, mother. Maester Luwin says the most dangerous time has passed," Robb said trying to make her realise that it was okay for her to sleep in her own bed at night, he was sure nothing would happen if she did. Maester Luwin had reassured them that Bran would wake in his own time, they just needed to be patient and allow him to recover from his horrible fall from the tower.
Not everyone might have been convinced that was what had happened but they wouldn't know for sure until Bran woke up and told them; they were just going to have to wait.
"What if he's wrong? Bran needs me," Catelyn replied turning to look at Robb, she wanted to be here when something happened to Bran and she couldn't bring herself to leave him for anything. Her little boy needed her and she couldn't turn her back on him when he was like this, Catelyn didn't trust anyone else to care for him right now.
Robb frowned at his mother's words, he could understand where she was coming from but he also knew that there was someone else that needed her; someone that she seemed to forget about.
"Rickon needs you. He's six. He doesn't know what's happening. He follows me or Sanira around all day, clutching at her skirts, crying..." Robb insisted knowing that while it was good practice for when they had a child of their own; they weren't Rickon's parents. Howling started from outside of the window making Catelyn close her eyes, she felt like it was taunting her for forgetting her youngest; she felt so torn and she knew that her place was here with Bran.
"Close the windows! I can't stand it! Please make them stop!" Catelyn cried shaking her head, she just wanted to stay here with Bran was that too much to ask for anyone. Sighing Robb walked over to the window to close it only to stop at the pillowing smoke from below; he stared hearing the shouts for help and people trying to control the fire in the stables.
"Fire. You stay here. I'll come back," Robb said before he turned and hurried out of the room, they needed to get the fire under control so that it didn't spread. Catelyn stared after her eldest boy and then back to the window, the dreadful noise continued and she got to her feet; she hurried across the room to shut out what was happening.
Turning back around Catelyn stopped at the sight of a man that had appeared in the room, he was dirty and she didn't recognise him; she knew most of the people that walked her corridors.
"You're not supposed to be here. No one is supposed to be here. It's a mercy. He's dead already," the man said looking from Catelyn to Bran, he pulled out the dagger that he had been given knowing he would likely die for this. However, his family would be well cared for with the money that he had been paid to kill the Stark boy; they would never know what he had done to ensure that for them.
"No!" Catelyn yelled throwing herself at the man when he tried to take a step towards the bed, she tried to snatch the dagger from him only for the man to try and stab her; she struggled to pull him away only to be thrown to the floor. The man advanced on Catelyn, if he was going to do this then he might as well make sure that it was done right; he grabbed her preparing to make sure that she didn't stop him.
Catelyn grabbed onto the dagger with both her hands, she struggled as she tightened her grip not willing to let this man kill her son. The man slammed Catelyn repeatedly into the wall before she released her hold on the dagger; he threw her to the floor before moving to deal with the unconscious Stark in the bed.
Catelyn turned around in horror as the man moved to kill Bran, he barely got another step closer to the bed before Summer snarled and launched himself at the man. He shrieked in agony as the direwolf went for the throat, he didn't stand a chance against the large animal that had been only a small pup a month ago; his cries slowly fell silent before he stopped all together.
Summer snorted before he returned to lay next to Bran on the bed, he rested his head on his master's lay while staring at Catelyn who stayed on the floor. Slowly moving to look at the dead man, Catelyn let out a sigh of relief at the fact that the direwolf had killed him; she couldn't imagine what she would have done if Bran had died.
The sound of footsteps hurrying to her location made Catelyn slowly pull herself to her feet, she stared down at her bloody hands knowing that someone had sent that man to kill Bran. It made Catelyn wonder if her son did truly fall from the tower or if he had seen something that had resulted in him being pushed instead.
Stepping into the bedroom, Robb took a deep breath trying to wrap his head around what had happened that night; he still couldn't believe that a man had tried to murder his brother. He doubted that Catelyn would be easily moved from Bran's side now and he was going to find himself covering the majority of her work; Sanira was doing her best and she was looking after Rickon as well.
"How is she?" Sanira asked looking up at him, she still felt shocked at what had happened and she dreaded to think who could have sent the assassin to murder Bran. It didn't make any sense to her and she feared what Bran might have seen before he had fallen, Sanira didn't want to imagine the trouble that would come from all of this.
"Maester Luwin says she will be fine," Robb replied moving to prepare for bed, he was exhausted and he wasn't looking forward to what would come tomorrow; he was going to make all the appointments that his mother had ignored in recent weeks.
Sanira leant back on the pillows and watched him, she wished that there was something that she could do to help Robb but she was pretty busy herself tomorrow and she wouldn't be able to do anything. Slowly climbing into bed, Robb closed his eyes as he rested his head against his pillow; he held his breath for a moment trying to ignore the thoughts that were in his head.
Grey Wind settled himself near the end of the bed, he curled up and snorted trying to get comfortable; they had stopped him sleeping on the bed when he had gotten this big. It was only a matter of time before he completely dwarfed his master and mistress, Grey Wind was going to be huge and when that happened he would have to sleep in the stabled.
Sanira chewed on her lip before cuddled into Robb's side, she rested her head on his shoulder making him smile and wrap his arms around her.
Please Review, Favourite and Follow xxx