Chapter 70: Discussions
"So, we know what's happening beyond the wall, the dead are coming back to life, just like in the stories." Arya said. Bran had told her and Sansa everything that he had discussed with Uncle Benjen shortly after that meeting had ended. However, it was only now that they were getting a chance to talk about what it meant and how they were going to deal with it.
Mother was busy panicking because the banners had been called once again, and she was trying to convince Bran to let someone else take command of the host. Bran was adamant that as Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, it was his duty to command the northern host. So far they were at an impasse, Mother was speaking with Maester Luwin to see if there was a way out of this, and Bran had snuck away.
That was why they were all moving in this direction. They wanted to speak with Old Nan. The woman's words from weeks ago seemed to make more sense now.
"And there's your dream." Bran pointed out.
She'd told Bran and Sansa about the dream, of the shadowy figure and the man-the man whose eyes she'd looked through-and what she thought it meant. And that was another reason they were going to see Old Nan. Surely, she'd have answers?
"Are you sure about this?" Sansa asked. She was biting her lip in the way she always did when she was nervous.
"Yes." Bran said, he was starting to grow taller now, he was almost the same height as Sansa. He'd probably be as tall as Robb and Jon, if not taller.
"We need to know what Old Nan knows." Arya agreed. "And she definitely knows something. Uncle Benjen wouldn't have spent an hour speaking to her otherwise." That had been the oddest thing. Uncle Benjen, had as far as she could remember, avoided speaking or seeing Old Nan, and yet for some reason when he had come to visit, he'd met her and spoken with her for an hour!
Their direwolves bounded into Old Nan's room, the sound of the woman laughing reassured them and enabled them to enter. Arya bit back a gasp when she saw what the woman looked like. Wrinkled, shrivelled and with white hair falling to the floor. The woman's milky eyes took them all in.
"Have you come to ask about the wall?" She asked, her voice sharper than it had ever been.
"Yes." Bran answered.
Old Nan nodded. "Benjen said you would."
"That's what you spoke about?" Arya asked, at a glare from Sansa, she shrugged, she couldn't help it if she was curious about that.
Old Nan laughed. "That and many other things."
A pause, then Bran asked. "So, what's going on? Why are we having green dreams? And why has nobody else had them since Torrhen Stark knelt?"
Old Nan sighed. "The green dreams stopped because Torrhen kneeling was the final sign that the Age of Ice had ended in Westeros. For the first time in eight thousand years, Westeros was under one single King, and it was not the King of Winter."
Arya went to ask a question but stopped when Old Nan held up a hand. "Eight thousand years ago, when the Wall went up, the seven children of the Lion of the Night, or as he is known in the north, The Great Other and a Child of the Forest, agreed that their eldest brother would rule the lands south of the wall as Emperor, and they would rule their agreed upon lands under him as Kings and Queens. Because he was the eldest, he was given the task of ruling the north, that most dangerous of Kingdoms. And he was tasked with ensuring the Wildlings did not cross the wall and bring the wrath of the Battle of Fire and Ice south with them."
Arya exchanged a look with her siblings, but said nothing. Old Nan continued. "He ruled for thirty years and passed on the duty to his son, and on it went, until the Andals came. They broke everything. War was fought, the Kingdoms forgot their true allegiance, and Westeros became Seven Kingdoms in fact. That was when the Wildling invasions started."
"Why?" Bran asked. Arya wanted to know as well.
"As long as the Empire of the Dawn remained united and the Seven Kingdoms recognised the power of the King of Winter, the Wildlings were trapped beyond the wall, unable to break through a wall of solid ice. Then the Andals came, and the Empire broke down, and the wall started to crack. Not in a visible way, but in a way that allowed the Wildlings through. The Night's Watch became corrupted and has remained so ever since."
"In Essos, the Valyrians grew all powerful, and the Wildling attacks grew stronger, in the north. Then Valyria fell and the Targaryens came to Dragonstone. The Doom was what ensured the Age of Fire truly began. Aegon the Conqueror knew what he needed to do. He came and he brought fire to the South. Torrhen Stark originally wanted to fight, he wanted to stay in the north and hold the line, bleed Aegon dry. But the Wildlings were invading in larger and larger numbers, and one of them even took his wife hostage. Then a Woodswitch came and told him that if he bent the knee, all his troubles would be over. And so, southward he went, and he bent the knee. The Age of Fire was triumphant, the Wildlings went back beyond the wall and Torrhen got his wife back."
Old Nan cleared her throat before continuing. "Or so that story goes. But regardless, the Targaryens were on the throne, and the Wildlings attempted to cross the wall twice during that period. They don't remember why, but they did. And both times they failed. But then the Targaryens fell, and another crack appeared in the wall."
"It has taken seventeen years, but that crack has become a crevice, and the Wildlings are coming through once more, and the Other of Fire is trying to hold onto power one last time."
Arya saw that Bran was frightened, his mouth was open, and his eyes were wide. Sansa looked stunned. That's why she asked. "What does this mean? What does this have to do with any of us?"
Old Nan looked her right in the eye, then looked at Bran and Sansa and said. "It means that Winter has come, and we all need to prepare for the final battle."
They were sat in the King's study. The King's crown was on the table in front of him, the King himself was in the royal blue, but there were bags under his eyes. Being Lord Commander meant that Jaime got to see this side of the King. He got to see the boy, rather than the man, the King and all conquering warrior God, that the King had to be to everyone else. It was both a terrifying thought and an honour.
That was why when the King spoke, Jaime listened. "Lord Tywin thinks it is foolish to put as much trust into Lord Tyrell as he thinks I am doing."
"And you do not agree?" Jaime asked.
"Oh, no, I fully agree. If I was Lord Tywin and I knew only what he knows, that Lord Tyrell is being instructed to keep an eye on Renly Baratheon and on his own mother, I'd definitely think it unwise. But he doesn't know the other thing I've asked Lord Tyrell to do." The King answered.
"Which is to ask his eldest son to write to Oberyn Martell to make an offer that would in the short-term harm House Lannister, by sending Ser Gregor Clegane on a death march into Dorne?" Jaime asked. He had to say the plan was a bold one. The Dornish got Clegane and revenge for Princess Elia, in return the Dornish bent the knee, and they would be spared the starvation the King was otherwise planning.
"Indeed." The King replied.
"I still think that you are misjudging my father, Sire. He would willingly hand over Ser Gregor if he knew that that was what you were planning. He has only ever viewed Ser Gregor as a dog to be used when needed. Nothing more." Jaime said, he knew this because he knew, or at least he thought he knew how his father thought.
"That might have been true had he not been considering using Ser Gregor to remove Sandor Clegane." The King replied.
Jaime frowned, that didn't sound right. "The Hound? Why would he want the Mountain to kill the Hound?"
"Because the Hound is a living embarrassment. A reminder of his failure to keep a handle on Joffrey even when he wasn't there." The King replied.
"Ah." Jaime still didn't get it, but he knew that the King got these sorts of things more than anyone else he'd ever known.
"We shall see whether I am right to trust the Martells in this. If they don't live up to their agreement, then they and their people will starve." The King said simply.
Jaime had to admit that seeing the change in the King's persona, from honourable and naïve, to this cold and calculating man who could be so loving with Myrcella and their children, was fascinating. It was also terrifying. He was very happy he was not an enemy of the King's.
"Regardless of that, tell me, how are my Kingsguard getting along?" The King asked.
Jaime smiled, the sign of a true politician was how quickly he was able to move onto another happier subject, and make you forget what terrible thing he'd just said.
"Ser Jon is doing well, his progress in the sparring yard is impressive. I think he is the best swordsman I've seen since myself." Jaime answered, which caused the King to laugh. "As for Ser Balon, he too is improving, he is more of a brawler than a dancer, which makes me think he's perfect for the more odious parts of the sentry duty." Usually the night shift, when everyone else started to slacken, Ser Balon seemed to come to life.
"Ser Harry Rivers needs some work. His sword work is good, but he is too distracted by some of the fairer maidens about the court." Jaime said.
"Blackwood?" The King asked.
"No someone else. Who, I'm not sure, but I will make sure it ends." Jaime replied, he knew how distracted he'd been around Cersei. He would not have any of his fellow Kingsguard experience the same. The King gestured for him to continue.
"Ser Arys is reliable as ever." That was the truth, the man had no visible faults. "As for our newest recruit, Ser Loras is adapting. There are times when his arrogance comes across, but he soon loses it in the sparring yard."
The King laughed and asked. "Will he settle?"
"I believe so, especially once he is no longer the newest member." Jaime answered.
The King nodded but said nothing, and they fell into a companionable silence. When the King closed his eyes, Jaime got up and remained on guard for a time. Ensuring the King got his rest.