A Song of Light and Shadow

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Chapter 4

Bran

It had been a few weeks since the death of the Three-eyed Crow, and Brandon Stark still sat in the darkness of the cave that he grown to call his temporary home. His eyes peered into the darkness of the depths of the cave. They seemed endless to Bran, and he couldn't help but wonder if they led into the very depths of the world, into the Seven Hells that were the home of the accursed. Every so often he would see eyes in the darkness that would look back at him. Bright, cold, blue eyes. Yet, Bran also knew that they were not there as well. He knew that the Others were coming out of their dark places to wage war against all the world.

"We cannot stop them," Bran muttered hopelessly, "No one can stop them."

It was then that he saw the eyes turn a different color. Red. Great red eyes. However, Bran was unsure to what this meant. The Others don't have red eyes. He heard a whimper and saw Summer, his direwolf, beside him. The way the wolf looked at the darkness made Bran wonder if Summer could see the red eyes too. Bran closed his eyes and allowed his mind to merge with Summer's. Bran was right, Summer could very much see the red eyes, and he felt that Summer knew those eyes, yet Bran did not know why. When his mind left the body of the direwolf, he called for Hodor and went to find the Children of the Forest.

The Chidren were gathered with in one area. All of them before the tree that now entombed the Three-Eyed Crow. The Children were arguing amongst themselves when Bran entered the room of the cave. They spoke in the True Tongue until they saw Bran. Leaf looked up at the boy in sadness. Bran could only guess why. Some of the Children shared her look, while others seemed angry and discontent. Bran instructed Hodor to put him down and wait outside while he and the Children talked.

"Brandon," Leaf started after Hodor left, "it is good you are here. The Children have talked long and hard. I am sad to tell you that we are not convinced that we should leave out home for the Wall."

"Our home is protected from the Others," one the Children said, "It is the same magic that protects the Wall. As long as we survive, the Wall shall survive as well."

"And what happens when the last of our people finally decides to join with the world?" Leaf asked, "Then the Others shall be able to crush the Wall beneath them and the world will fall with it! Have we so forsaken the race of Men that we are prepared for the earth that we love to die with it?"

"Men are of no concern to us," another Child interjected, "They made their intentions quite clear when the Andals decided cut down the trees at the High Heart, our sacred grove."

"Were not the First Men friends of the Children?" Bran asked, "Did you not teach them your ways and bring them your aid? Did you not help us against the evil of the Long Night?"

"After thousands of years of fighting, yes," the Child answered, "but even then Men have forgotten us: forsaking vows of friendship to destroy the land we held dear. And not just with your need for resources, but also with your wars. All Men ever do is fight against each other!"

"And what of our wars?" Leaf asked, "What of our struggles? Even before the coming for the First Men we carried weapons. We carried them to hunt, to protect, and sometimes we would even have our own differences that broke out in fighting. The Children are not innocent in the ways of war. Even you know this."

"Yes, but the Children still have fought less wars then Men," a third Child said, "We have always lived in greater harmony."

"I do not believe that the Others are a part of that harmony," Leaf said, "Which one of you believes that the Others are not an abomination on this earth?"

The Children were all silent. They knew full and well that the Others would destroy the earth if they had the chance. Bran knew that they knew it.

"Is this not our world as it is Men's?" Leaf continued, "Have we forgotten how much we love the world? Have we forgotten that the Others almost destroyed it once before?"

"Did we defeat the Others?" the first Child asked, "Was it not Men that sent them flying back into the darkness? Was it not Men that utterly destroyed them and the dead men that walked with them?"

"Men did not defeat the Others alone," Bran answered, "Didn't the Last Hero go to the Children for help? The armies of Men cannot fight the Others alone. If we couldn't before, what makes you think we can now?"

"You make a strong case, Bran," the third Child said, "But the Men still defeated them all the same. We simply allowed Men time enough to rally and drive the Others back."

"Indeed," Leaf answered, "But we still showed Men how to drive them back. We gave them obsidian to strike the Others dead. I have seen the minds of Men, and they know no way now to defeat the Others. They have forgotten the secrets of keeping the darkness at bay. The Night's Watch, an order that we ourselves were able give Men time to form, has ever been our ally against that darkness until they forgot us. However, we have not forgotten them. We have not forgotten the past like much of Men have. Is it not our duty as guardians of our homelands to protect everything in it? This includes helping the same people that have forgotten us."

Again, all the Children were silent. They looked at each other long and hard, each contemplating the future of how their choices would affect the world. Bran watched them all, hopeful that Leaf was able to change their hearts and minds.

"Your magic is still strong now," Bran said quietly, "But they will still find a way to break through. Evil does not sleep, you know that. If there is another way to get around your magic and destroy the world, they will find it. Even if your people endure long enough to see it and the Wall continues to stand."

All the Children looked at Bran with wide eyes. They knew he spoke truth. If there was a way around, the Others would surely find it. The Wall did not need to fall for the world to fall, the world would just fall faster if the Wall did.

"Please," Bran continued, "we need your help. We need your wisdom and guidance. The world may fall anyway, but we cannot sit around and do nothing. If I am to die, I want to take as many of the Others with me as I can. But before I die, I want to know that the world itself was united against a common foe."

"We will consider joining your further, Bran," the second Child said after some silence, "but we will not yet give you your answer. Thank you for your input into our consideration. For now, however, let us discuss this matter on the morrow."

The Children went their own way, and Bran watched each and every one of them leave. Only Leaf remained with Bran in that portion of the cave. Bran looked at the tomb of his former master while he thought.

"You did very well, young one," Leaf said as she came closer to Bran.

"Thank you, Leaf," Bran said, "but I do not feel as hopeful as I should."

"Why is that?" Leaf asked.

"What if I fail?" Bran asked, "Brynden claimed that if I fail the world will fail with me."

"There is always a possibility that we could fail, young one," Leaf said, "But that just gives us more reason to try again and harder. I understand that you are scared. I am too."

"My father said that a man can only be brave when he is afraid," Bran said thoughtfully.

"Your father is correct," Leaf said, "To brave is to go forth anyway, not matter how afraid you are. You have courage. Courage I have not seen in a long time. You must have faith, Bran. You have faith in your friends, your family, and the gods, but you do not have faith in yourself. If Brynden has tried to teach you anything, it is that you must believe in yourself if you are to unlock you full potential. You are strong, yes, but you are not yet as strong as you could be. You must have that faith is you are to succeed."

Bran thought for a moment. She was right, though. If Bran was going to hold the darkness at bay, he must be strong. He must have courage, faith, and the will to carry on.

"Thank you, Leaf, I needed this," Bran said with a smile.

"You're welcome, young one," Leaf said as she got up and returned the smile.

Bran thought to himself for a while. How could he be able to unite all of these peoples together? Surely the Lannisters and Greyjoys would never join the Starks. However, if Brynden has never steered Bran wrong before, then he wouldn't do it now. There must be a way.

"I must speak with Jojen," Bran thought as he called out to Hodor.

"Hodor," Hodor said happily to Bran as he picked the Stark prince up.

"We need to find Jojen," Bran said to Hodor.

"Hodor," Hodor replied and started on his way with Bran to find their greenseeing friend.

It didn't take them long. Jojen was in the same place he was since they entered the cave of the Children. He was still under his depression. Meera, Jojen's older sister, looked up at Bran with concern. Jojen refused to eat. He would only drink, sleep, and sit where he was. Bran's heart reached out to the girl he loved. There was nothing she could do about her brother. Bran instructed Hodor to place him in front of Jojen. Hodor complied and sat Bran opposite of Jojen, who was doing nothing more than staring at the hard ground.

"How is he?" Bran asked Meera, knowing full well how he was.

"He just sits here," Meera said anxiously, "He doesn't eat, he doesn't move around, he doesn't talk to anyone. He just sits here, looking at his feet and looking at the ground past his feet."

"Jojen," Bran called.

Jojen didn't move. He didn't do anything. He simply sat. Bran looked sadly at his friend. Bran thought of only one way he could reach to Jojen, but Bran was not sure what effect reaching into Jojen's mind would do. Bran could easily enter Hodor's mind, but Jojen had a stronger mind and will. Jojen's mind, therefore, would not as easily be penetrated. However, according to Jojen, that fact that Bran could enter the mind of any human being, even Hodor's, was astounding. Usually one would take a lifetime to achieve such a skill, if even that! Bran, however, knew he had to take the chance. Bran noticed that Meera was studying Bran, and the thoughtful look on his face.

"What are you thinking?" Meera asked.

"I think I need to enter Jojen's mind," Bran said, "It is the only way I can see what he is thinking."

"Can you bring him out of his depression?" Meera asked.

"That is what I am going to find out," Bran replied.

Brandon Stark concentrated on Jojen. He blinked and suddenly he was in a swamp. It was winter, so the leaves had all fallen from the trees, and the sky was grey and stormy. It looked bleak all around him. He could only guess this was the Greywater Watch, or at least one of the ways to find it. Greywater being grey and bleak during the winter. Bran had to admit that the thought was somewhat funny. The Greywater Watch sat upon a floating island, making it impossible for anyone to find who didn't know the movements of the island. His dream. That was the answer. Jojen kept seeing his dream over and over again until he lost hope. But what was it that made Jojen lose hope in such a way that it would force him into depression? Even when Bran saw the Others in his dreams, when he wanted to say that it was hopeless, he could still find a ray of hope when he spoke with Brynden of Leaf.

Even then, Bran found it odd that Jojen saw now to lose hope. Jojen was the most hopefull person he knew. Why now? Jojen wasn't afraid of death. He always said that when he was in the face of danger, that it wasn't his day to die. Now that he knew his death, he quailed in front of it. No one wanted to die, but facing death was inevitable, whether one had the courage to face it or not. It was then that Bran got his answer. Bran saw an island approaching him, and on the island were the tents and huts of the crannogmen, only all of the crannogmen were butchered into bits. Bran felt horror wash over him as he saw his slain people. However, that wasn't the worst part. The slain rose, all with cold, bright blue eyes. And when they rose, they came for Bran. He turned to run when he saw Meera standing behind him the whole time. She, too, had the bright blue eyes that the slain crannogmen had. It was then that Meera took her spear and thrust it into Bran's heart. Everything went black.

Bran came out of Jojen's mind with a jolt. He was breathing heavily and was very warm. He opened his eyes and find Meera and Hodor kneeling over him.

"Oh, Bran," Meera cried, "thank the gods you're okay. You were thrashing around and fell when you entered Jojen's mind. What did you see?"

Bran looked at Meera sadly. How do you tell someone you love that she is going to die? How do you tell her that someone she loves is going to get killed by her own animated corpse?

Bran wanted to scream. He wanted to tell Meera. He wanted to take her far away so that she would never have to endure the fate she was going to receive. Maybe the dream was misinterpreted. Jojen misinterpreted the dream that claimed Bran and Rickon were going to die.

"Winter is coming," Bran said finally, "He dreamed that winter is coming. Hodor, let's go explore the cave some more."

"Hodor," Hodor said as he picked up Bran.

Meera looked at Bran in confusion. She was not sure what to say, or what to ask. But Bran left all the same. He could feel her eyes upon him and Hodor as they walked away.

…

Three days later, the Children called for Bran. Bran and Hodor walked to Brynden's tomb once again. Jojen finally somewhat came out of his depression. He ate more and he moved around more, but he still remained silent and in thought. This was pleasing to Bran in a way, but Meera remained discontent to not know what was going on and why no one was telling her what was going on.

The Children looked at Bran expectantly when he arrived. Just as before, Bran instructed Hodor to set him down and wait outside. When Hodor left, Bran saw a smile appear on Leaf's face.

"Brandon Stark," Leaf began, "we have heard your case, and we have debated long on the issue. In the name of and by the grace of the Old Gods, for sake of ancient oaths, past friendships, and alliances against the shadow of the Long Night, we will go with you to the Wall and to war."