Valyrian Steel

Chapter 4

Bran

The Wolf Beneath the Tree

Bran kept his eyes closed and enjoyed the sounds around him, Meera was sharpening her spear and one of the Children was humming a slow melody. Lately he rarely spent any time in his body, he was always either in Summer, watching through the eyes of the old gods, or dreaming. Today, for now he was listening to Meera sharpen her spear.

Jojen had disappeared in the dead of night long ago, Bran saw him burn by the hands of The Red Woman. He never told Meera who had left the cave in search of him, she did not go further than a mile when a blizzard made travel impossible. Summer had to guide her back and keep her alive, she did not speak for days afterwards. Meera was often Bran's only companion. The Children spoke strangely and were often distant, but had taken the time to teach him and Meera to speak to animals as they did. Meera picked it up easier than he did, it was as much about reading the movements of the body as it was about listening to sounds. It wasn't a language, more of speaking through a mixture of signs, scents, sounds and mental images to get ideas across. Bran could not carry a conversation with Summer as he could with Meera, but they could covey emotions directions or images to each other.

On the rare occasion that he wasn't hunting through Summer, seeing through the trees, or speaking to Meera, he dreamed. He dreamed of Dragons to the east and a faceless wolf lurking nearby, He dreamed of a dragon to the west covered in mist and shadow and one in the north made of Ice and Blood. A red woman crying tears made of molten fire while a girl spewed death from her mouth. His sister Sansa sitting on a wierwood throne while a dark shadow pulled on her strings. Rickon ridding Shaggydog and killing. A darkness in the forest that hungered for blood and vengeance. The lion queen resting on a throne of corpses, two belonging to her children, she laughed and cried as the corpses consumed her.

He dreamed these things and more, but on special nights he dreamed of Winterfell, of his family. Robb with his easy smiles and good nature, Jon's warmth and understanding, Sansa during those rare moments when she dropped the guise of lady and allowed herself to be a girl, Arya who was braver than all of them and never let Theon or anyone else push him around, and Rickon as wild and resilient as their sister. Father seemed giant to him, as a lord he was strong and stern but with his family he was kind and firm. Mother radiated love, for everyone but Jon, even then she tried to hide it from him and his siblings.

Father, Mother and Robb were dead, he knew that, he saw it. He also saw his mother's corpse rise with a kiss. Rickon ridding Shaggydog in Skagos and hunting game. Jon was at the wall leaning against his wolf with a red shadow. Sansa was mourning the death of a young boy and being fitted for a wedding dress. Arya standing beside a dragon with a smile on her face and hope in her eyes.

"Summer" he called out. The wolf trotted towards him, the Children fed him well enough but his wolf would often become restless and go out for hunts. He neared Bran and licked his outstretched hand.

"It's time" he said sadly.

Meera looked up from her spot by the tree with fear in her eyes and Bran smiled sadly.

"I won't leave you" She said stubbornly and Bran loved her all the more for it.

"You have to, I am safe here. The Children will watch over me, Blood Raven returns to his body from time to time and Hodor will stay." He said as calmly as he could.

"Who will keep the roots off you! The Children don't care and Blood Raven wants them to engulf you. You always forget to look out for it. The tree wants you, when you travel the roots start to twist around you and you always loose sense of time. If I don't clear them out who will? Hodor! Last time you were gone for a week!"She stomped around the cave yelling at him. A few of the children turned to watch the humans fight, while others actively ignored them.

"You have to leave now, I would send only Summer but he can't be my voice. Hodor knows he has to move me every couple of hours."

"Hodor know because I remind him!" Meera shouted in distress. Bran simply sighed in response.

"It has to be done, there are more important things going on than my mobility. I need you-"

"What about what I need?" Meera yelled cutting him off. "I need you! You're all I have! Jojen is gone, you never said it but I know he is, I felt it! My father-"

"Is alive, he is hiding from Stannis and the Red Woman in the swamps. He is waiting for you as Jojen told him to." Bran said, hoping this would finally convince her to go.

Meera stood there with clenched fists. "How…how did he die."

"Stannis' priestess was trying to get you father's forces to march with him. Jojen arrived just in time to tell of the Others and convince your people that their only hope lay in the blood of the Starks and the blood of the Dragon. He told them he saw it all in his green dream and that was his doom. Her knights seized him and tied him to a wierwood to be burned in front of your father. He fought, but they were too large, then he prayed. When he slept than night in the cage they set up for him, so he could think on his treason and sacrilege, I sent him a dream. He made a mask of reeds and his people copied him. A mist rose that night, poisoning The Red Woman's men, your father escaped and no more wierwoods were burned or cut. He moves from place to place, camping by our Old Gods, waiting for you. His people attack anyone who enters the swamp who carries arms and a few that carry provisions to Stannis. You need to go to him and wait for Arya, she will save Rickon and Osha. You need to tell her Jon is alive. She will kill the red woman. Arya is the only one who can kill her, she does not show in the flames."

Bran watched as Meera turned away from him and for a moment he worried that she hated him. This was why he kept the secret, so she would get angry and leave, but the boy in him trembled at the thought of losing her. She rushed forward and kissed him, for one shining moment in his dark life Bran felt like a man grown.

"I will come back for you" She said with tears streaming down her cheek. "I swear it by the Old gods and the new, even if I have to fight wights to do it I will." She kissed him once more and ran from his sight Summer gave Bran one final lick and chased after her. One of the children followed her carrying a satchel and Bran felt truly alone.

)O(

That is the last time I type three chapters simultaneously, my ADD is so out of hand. Some of these chapters won't even come into play until possibly ten chapters from now.

Btw, I got the complete history of Westeros the other day. Definitely worth the 30$, it is beautifull and I am so entranced with it that it will contribute to my story.

Still pissed at the show about Gendry, Tysha and Lady Stone heart. It also seems like season 5 will enfuriate me. No Arianne or Quentyn Martell and Tyrion might not even meet Aegon, there was a screen shot of him at the pit wedding with Daenerys. Da faq David and Dan?! Da faq?!