Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Disney, Square-Enix or Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire. They rightfully belong to their respective owners.
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
Writing/Singing
"Foreign Language/Flashback"
-Scene Shift-
Chapter 14: Rude Awakenings
It was all foggy and muggy in the marsh filled swamplands.
Many trees were bare of their leaves in the immediate area while outside of it's range were still there. This only enhanced the unbearable, cautious feeling many bore when traversing through the Neck.
The swamplands were not always this way in the Neck. It was once a lush, plentiful land back in the Dawn Age. But back in the war between the First Men and the Children of the Forest, the latter used their magic and flooded the land in order to gain an advantage over their human opponents. While others fled the swamplands; the rest settled there, took root and strived by becoming craggongmen.
Any visitor crossing through the land needs to strictly stay on the path and never venture past it. Or else one would face the dangers that lie beyond the safe, solid grounds. From the suckholes, quicksands and crocodiles and other reptilian creatures which infest the lands.
Yet something else infests the lands as of late. A much more darker creature which threatens its residents.
In a particular area of the Neck, a crocodile was lazing about on the shoreline. It licked it's chomps, cleaning away any stray meat from it's recent meal.
It soon raised its head, inspecting the area. It heard something unnatural nearby but couldn't quite place it. All it truly heard was some bubbling in the water. The crocodile thought it was nothing, yet this feeling welled up in its body and didn't seem to leave.
The "lion-lizard" -as most people called it's kind- was about to sleep when a large booming slash occured not far from its resting place.
The crocodile was no doubt startled, crawling back away to safety. Yet it couldn't make it far with a large black tentacle-like claw sliced through the creature. And as it started bleeding to death, the attacker took hold of the animal and consumed it whole.
The area entered an eerie silence with a heavy presence hanging over the entire swamp. A presence of darkness.
It wasn't very long for another explosion to occur in the water, with Roxas flung out and sailed towards a decrepit tree.
His back hit the tree, yet he was unable to slide down quickly holding up his two Keyblades in defense from a black three-clawed limb that clamped around them.
Swiping his blades at it, the clawed limb eventually disintegrated into dark vapors.
It wasn't long before yet another explosion occurred in the water nearby, revealing the adversary he currently faced.
This wasn't familiar to the Greater Nobody, no. This was the same god damn thing he had faced during his days in the Organization whenever he went to Halloween Town.
Looking back, Roxas saw a large purple flower bud rise out of the swamp water with thorny vines attached. Going higher and higher, the Nobody saw a decrepit, black coffin with pale gold lining attached at the bottom. Said coffin was surrounded by a large, silver chain and has two large silver nails driven partway into it on each side. A hole made things visible for a glowing yellow eye to peer through the coffin's lid. And at the bottom lied the Heartless emblem.
Roxas did not enjoy facing the Leechgrave before and he will surely not enjoy doing it again.
More black tentacle-like claws -or Tentaclaws- shot out of the water and went to capture or skewer the Keyblader. Roxas merely blocked or swatted them away while jumping and gliding out of the way. Each of the limbs trailed after him, prompting him to cast several Fira spells at them. He heard them shrek in utmost pain before diving back into the swamp water to quench the flames.
As several more came out, he repeated the same process again while also casting Thundara as they were drenched in water. Their damp forms proved useful in adding more damage onto them as they were being shocked considerably.
Several of the Tentaclaws retracted into the ground before they burst forth around Roxas making him leap high into the air. As the closest one drew near, Roxas slashed at it using the momentum of his Keyblade hitting his target as well as his own spinning body to get some distance from the other Claws that snatched at thin air. Adjusting his body, Roxas began to glide around the area and avoided the appendages again and again.
Oh and not to mention the poisonous cloud the Leechgrave excreted from the opened coffin.
Eventually taking care of the present Tentaclaws, the greater Nobody had to block the Poison Shots fired off by the present Heartless. Some were able to be rebounded back before he fired off several strong Firaga spells. Once they all collided, the coffin fell down into the water; giving Roxas the opening he needed to deliver more damage onto it.
Honestly, Roxas was hoping that he wouldn't be facing anything this damn big on his journey down to the capital of this continent. Sure he had encountered Heartless here and there as he accompanied the Royal Caravan with the Stark retinue at the behest and request of the King but he was planning on seeing more of this World anyway. The trip down south with the King was just an easier means of sorts.
Then again, nothing is ever that easy for the Nobody as his life had basically proven it up to this point. The minute he had spotted just one of these damnable Tentaclaws on the caravans trek through the Neck, he groaned knowing just what was waiting around here in these swamps. He had to take it out himself.
"C'mon, just die already." He grunted out.
He was soon smacked away by a newly risen Tentaclaw and was slammed into the water. The Keybearer grunted, fighting himself free from not drowning in the murky swamp.
Seeing as he had no little choice, Roxas focused and casted Thundaga. Bolts of lightning rained down in the area, electrocuting the water and the present Heartless and him along with it.
He screamed from the pain, but it was worth it. With the Tentaclaw no longer holding him down, he shot out of the water and struck the flailing coffin where the real Heartless inside took residence. With the gap wide opened now, Roxas stabbed the being inside and fired off a strong Firaga spell to roast it alive.
It screamed in agony as the fire encompassed the coffin and soon spread towards the flora-like body. It slammed into the water to quench the flames, but Roxas wasn't having any of this. Using his Keyblades, he sliced through the chains and pried the coffin lid open. The yellow eye glared at him before widening once it's opponent pierced his Keyblades into it one final time.
The Heartless stopped moving before fully collapsing into the swamp water. And it wasn't long before it disintegrated into dark vapors. And once seeing the large Heart released into the sky, Roxas panted in order to catch his breath and calm the rapid beating in his chest.
Roxas walked away from the water before sitting upon the shore of the lake, panting heavily while staring with half-lidded eyes at the center where the Heartless once resided. When this day started out, he honestly felt like relaxing.
But nope, that was not to be.
Still, he was relieved he had managed to get this out of the way right away rather than play detective unlike the last time in Halloween Town. That first ever fight with a Leechgrave was all he needed to know how much of a pain in the ass this type of Heartless was.
After all, it just started out by a warning and a description by the resident craggongmen; which Roxas picked up from there in order to keep the Neck safe from the Heartless.
He ran his hand through the muck covering his blond locks before flecking it all off.
"Man this is not my day." He muttered out, walking out of the swampy water. "Now let's find that Nexus and get back to camp."
Traversing further into the swamplands, the greater Nobody soon found the swirling Nexus he was looking for.
He figured the Leechgrave was feeding the Nexus with the Hearts it captured in order to speed up it's progression process.
Aiming his two Keyblades at the swirling darkened portal, wisps of light appeared the blades and congregated at their tips. They molded together as one condensed, ethereal ball of light. Reaching its peak, the greater Nobody shot out a beam at the Nexus.
The beam of light struck the Nexus in it's dead center, cutting through the darkness. Silence filled the area once the beam vanished.
A light forming within the darkened ball, expanding and soon swallowing up the blackened form. With an expunging wave of light, the darkness all but vanished with small wisps of darkness filtering the air before they too faded away.
With that taken care of, Roxas looked around and didn't know where exactly the royal caravan was at anymore. Everywhere around him seemed to be the same and the fight with the Leechgrave furthered this.
Not wanting to waste time in finding them, Roxas concentrated and opened a Corridor of Darkness and traveled through it.
About a good half mile away from the royal caravan a plume of darkness erupted from the ground with Roxas walking out a moment later.
He began walking back to the camp that had been set up as they were resting for the time being.
He could see it in an open field, a safe area in the swamplands where many can rest from the surrounding dangers.
Drawing in closer to the camp, he was met with Ser Barristan who first spotted him.
"I take it with your return the threat is taken care of."
"It is, Barristan." Roxas soon walked past the Kingsguard Commander who soon followed beside him.
"Are you well, Roxas?"
"I need something to eat and maybe a bath." Roxas grimaced a moment later, hocked a loogie and spat out a few globs of brown saliva. "All I can taste and smell now is swamp after getting a good amount through my nose and mouth."
Ser Selmy chuckled. It would surely not be a pleasantry on that happening to anyone.
"And what of your clothes?"
Roxas simply held out his arm with most of the grime and mud already dripping off while appearing cleaner by the second.
"It cleans by itself."
"What I would give for that type of garment." Barristan admitted, slightly envious of the boy's clothing.
"True, but it wouldn't matter if the wearer is still dirty underneath the clothes."
"Good point."
The two were soon met by the occasional guards of both Stark and the royal family. And following behind them was King Robert and his Hand.
"Ah, Roxas. Good to see you." Robert greeted. "You look like shit."
"Hey." Roxas said blandly, walking right by the King who only chortled aloud.
"Was it that bad of a fight?"
"Yes, bath first then food." Roxas said, waving his hand.
"I'm sure." Ned said. "We can help draw you a bath by your assigned tent."
"I can manage, Ned. But thanks."
Ned only smiled slightly at the boy who was stretching himself out to get all the soreness out of him.
Making his way towards the tent he will be sleeping on his journey to the capital, he didn't notice the royal princess and the elder Stark girl spotting him from afar.
"Oh, there he is." Myrcella said with a smile before frowning.
Sansa spotted the facial change by the princess beside her and noticed her crush's deminor. "He does not look happy."
"Maybe we could cheer him up."
Sansa nodded as the pair followed him.
Roxas hadn't noticed their approach as he eventually made it inside his tent, casually beginning to take his clothes off, throwing his trench coat over his shoulder and managing to remove his black shirt as well. He tossed his two pieces of clothing aside to his set up bed.
By the time he started unbuckling his belt, he heard someone speak to him from behind.
"Roxas, are you alri-"
Looking back, the Nobody saw Sansa and Princess Myrcella staring right at him. A blush slowly formed on their cheeks, which made him wonder what was wrong. But due to his naivety, he didn't realize the two healthy and developing teenage girls were looking at his naked upper body in seeing how slim and defined it was.
"Don't you knock?" He asked before slapping his forehead. "Wait, that won't work with a tent of all things."
The two girls remained unresponsive giving him a set of stares that grew more intense by the second. It was honestly kinda starting to weird him out.
"Uh, Sansa, Myrcella, can I help you two with anything?" Roxas asked aloud, making both girls blink realizing they had been staring for so long.
The princess "eeped" while the Stark girl stammered while trying to compose herself. Keyword being trying.
Quirking a brow, Roxas was at a slight loss on what to do for the moment, deciding to throw on a spare shirt seeing that the two weren't going away for the moment.
That seemed to do the trick… sorta.
Their red faces slightly dimmed in color yet the two refused to meet him in the eye with both now looking away trying their damndest to get themselves under control.
"Girls? What's wrong? Is everything alright?"
"Hmmm? Oh, oh! Yes, yes, apologies for such… faces." Sansa finally managed to get some words out.
"What's wrong? Your faces are all red still." Roxas pointed out which made them gain back a healthy coloring of crimson. "There, it's even redder now."
"It's something we ate." Myrcella said quickly, not really thinking about what she was saying. Sansa looked to her with utter bewilderment.
Their crush tilted his head and quirked a brow. "Really?"
Myrcella looked to Sansa with a pleading look with the red-head realizing what she was trying to get at. Relenting, her soon to be good-sister responded back. "What she says is true."
"There was a dish that was served that came from the swamps that caused this sort of reaction at times." Myrcella hastily added on.
Roxas hummed on that tidbit, thinking over the logic of it and nodding to himself.
"I can possibly see that. The swamplands tend to have some stuff lying around that should not be consumed." Roxas noted. "I believe there's some mushrooms that merely mess with your mind while others hurt your stomach badly."
Sansa let out a shaky breath of relief, one Myrcella shared, glad that the half-baked story was bought by the object of the Stark girl's affection.
"And if I remember correctly, there's one that causes some other effects. Supposedly when done right has some aphrodisiac-like properties."
"Aphrodisiac?" Roxas repeated. "What does that mean?"
Say what you will, but the greater Nobody did know a lot of things from Ansem the Wise. Unfortunately aphrodisiacs were not one of them.
Sansa's expression blanched.
"Nothing of great importance." Sansa promptly waved off. "All you need to know is that we are alright."
Roxas wasn't sure but seeing that they didn't want to talk about it any further he shrugged it off.
"So how are you two fairing?"
"What do you mean, Roxas?" Myrcella inquired.
"I mean your brother is marrying Sansa. You two seem to be getting along well."
Sansa's mood dimmed a little, but the princess didn't even notice. "Oh we're faring well. Being good friends as it would help strengthen our relationship once we soon become good-sisters."
The Stark girl didn't really say anything, not trusting her mouth at the moment. She merely nodded in agreement.
While the betrothal wasn't official at this time, it seemed to be with everyone else already thinking of this. All Sansa does know is her father is discussing this matter with King Robert in reconsidering so she may marry Roxas instead of the crown prince.
Roxas nodded as he went to the nearby tub and started getting things set up. "Just asking this, but do you know who you might marry Myrcella?"
"P-Pardon?"
This question threw the two girls off.
"I was just wondering. Don't know if your parents already set something up for you or not, yet." Roxas shrugged. "Seems to be very important here."
The princess shook her head 'no'. "Mother and father have either not discussed it yet, wanting my brother to marry first before me, or keeping it a private affair."
"Understandable."
Need the older children, much less the important ones, marry first. Once things are all said and done with said children, the next ones down the line will be figured out once they are ready.
Sansa had noticed several bruises and scratches upon Roxas's arm when he had pulled his sleeve back to test the heat of the bathwater.
"Roxas, what happened here?" Sansa disregarded boundaries, gently taking his arm into her hands with one trailing them over his injuries.
"Oh, I didn't even notice those." Roxas remarked, hovering his free hand over his injuries. "Cure."
A small ethereal green flower formed overhead and sprinkled it's pollen upon him. The injuries receded, vanishing a moment later with Roxas nodded in satisfaction at his work yet his arm still remained in Sansa's hands who stared in wonder at what she had seen.
"Even after so many instances, your magic is still truly astonishing Roxas." Sansa said with open awe. "I would love to learn how to cast such extraordinary magic."
Roxas thought for a moment. "Well, I think you can honestly. Robb and Jon are learning, so you could learn as well."
"Truly? Why haven't I heard of this before till now?"
"You never asked."
"...That's fair."
"So you wanna learn? You and the rest of your siblings all are capable." Roxas stated. "I think your dad has it as well."
"Dad?" Questioned the blonde Baratheon.
"Father, Myrcella." Sansa clarified, having heard this already. "But what do you mean by my father having magic?"
Roxas furrowed his brows in thought.
"Hard to really explain, Sansa. Short version, I just assumed that your whole family has the trait, given Robb and Jon can do it."
He didn't mention Arya just yet, as per wishes as she wants her training kept a secret for a little while longer.
Now Sansa could hardly contain her intrigue and want of actually learning. Roxas just informed her that she has the potential to use magic! And not just any magic, he is actually willing to show and teach her how to utilize his brand of magic specifically.
If she indeed was able to use magic, she would possibly enjoy spending time with her crush more and more.
Her mind then started drifting elsewhere as her hormones acted up. Her remembering Roxas' shirtless chest which then went on of her being utterly alone with him. They soon draw close, kiss and-
"Uh, Sansa? Your face is turning red again? Is that food or whatever you had earlier?"
"Yes, yes, that." Sansa said dreamily, unable to contain her rather vivid imagination at the moment.
Myrcella narrowed her eyes, already telling her friend was fibbing. She already could tell what the Stark girl was thinking of, given her reaction.
Granted the crown princess wasn't also thinking of such things. But she was a bit more controlled on such thoughts unlike her soon to be good-sister.
"So how did you get those injuries earlier?"
"Meh, Heartless." Roxas said casually. "A variant I faced off before in another town very far from here."
"What was it?" Sansa asked.
"It's called a Leechgrave." Roxas said. "Big one with a flower bud for a head, a giant coffin and too many annoying clawed tentacles to count."
"Clawed tentacles?" Myrcella murmured.
"Imagine black and decrepit tree branches that are all jagged with weird joints and you might get the idea.
"Sounds rather frightening." Myrcella said, squirming slightly as she was honestly a bit nervous still on the idea of these creatures of darkness known as the Heartless.
"Annoying is more like it." Roxas huffed. "Damn things threw me around in the mud, water and the entire swamp. Felt like it was intentionally doing that?"
"To hurt you?"
"No, to piss me off and get a laugh." Roxas said with a frown. "Seriously, every time one of those Tentaclaws managed to grab me they just threw me in the dirtiest or most painful spot that was nearby."
Hearing such a blunt and slightly brutish statement, Sansa couldn't help but giggle suddenly finding Roxas grumpy mood rather amusing.
"Yeah, laugh it up. Not like I don't go out of my way to help you all."
At that comment, even Myrcella began laughing with Roxas's eye twitching before he started chuckling softly.
"You sound as though you would like to relax." Myrcella commented.
"And knowing my luck, that's probably asking for too much." Roxas dryly said.
"That's too bad. A man like you should have time to rest from such things."
"I could go for Ice-cream right about now." Roxas admitted, feeling the craving for his favorite Sea-salt treat right about now.
Probably after getting cleaned up, he might just get himself some.
"This ice-cream you speak of again." Myrcella said, curiosity filling her mind. "Everytime you speak of it, the more I want to try it."
"Me too."
"I'll bring it around soon." Roxas assured. "Promise. I know you girls will love it."
"How?"
Their crush merely smirked. "I have my ways."
Both were confused by this statement yet they decided to take his word for it.
"Have you seen Arya recently?" He suddenly asked.
"I have not. Why do you ask?" Sansa questioned.
"She would want to hear this story as well and you know her."
Sansa nodded.
Checking the tub once more, the Nobody felt the water was warm enough.
"Whelp, I'm gonna take a bath now ladies." Roxas said. "I'm starting to feel all the gunk I went through stick to my skin and I'd rather get it off now before it becomes permanent."
The two teen girls chuckled at his small jest. They said their brief parting goodbyes as they left the tent.
Yet they lingered back a little as they saw Roxas start undressing himself through the tent's flap.
'If only there were a means of capturing that for later.' Both girls internally shared the same desire as the image of a shirtless Roxas was burned into their heads with their faces heating up once more.
They silently giggled before moving away, not wanting to get caught by anyone else in such a questioning act.
-Unknown-
He was still here. Still in this endless landscape with the ground far below him.
It seemed as though he had been falling for a very long time. Could it have been days, months or years?
"Fly." A voice simply commanded in the darkness. "Fly."
But Bran did not know how to fly. It was impossible. All he could do was fall.
The ground was so far below him he couldn't make it out, given this foggy mist enhancing the darkness. Even in his dream he was in, he could not fall forever. He would wake up in the instant before he hit the ground.
He had to... right?
"And if you don't?" Said the voice. Bran frantically looked all around for the source and saw a raven flying beside him. "You must fly."
"I can't fly!" Bran sobbed out as his eyes were tearing up. Both from the rushing fall, which dried out his eyes, to his fear taking over.
"How do you know? Have you ever tried?" Cried the raven. "You must fly, now!"
"I can't!" Bran said pitifully.
The young Stark never wanted to wake up so badly more than ever. He just wanted to be home. He wanted to be in his parents' embrace and tell him his dream can't hurt him. He wanted to be with his loving siblings and tell him everything will be alright. He wanted Roxas to help him be brave after this ordeal.
But neither of them were here. No one was here with him, except for the raven with three eyes.
"I'm too scared." Bran whimpered as his body seemed to flail against the rushing wind in the darkness. It's impossible for him to fly, only leaving him to fall.
He didn't know if he was imagining this or not, but the young Stark saw something that made him even more scared.
Far below where he was falling from, a large valley of skeletons were sprawled about. All seemed to have been impaled via spikes of wood and ice and were no doubt broken from the fall. And perched on one of them was another raven… or was it a crow. It didn't matter as the dark bird's feathers were wet and soggy as it's blue and red eyes peered at his falling form.
"Please… Someone… Anyone… Save me…"
The three eyed raven cawed again. "No one will help you! You must save yourself! Fly or you will die! You must fly NOW!"
The bird's command was not making this better for Bran. It was hard for him to do so as he was falling faster and faster to the pike filled valley down below. And the blue/red eyed crow down there was cawing in merriment in what may come next.
Bran whimpered more and more, calling out for help one last time. The three-eyed raven cawed out to fly once more making him cover his ears as he began writhing in the air.
And instead of the three eyed raven responding, someone else did instead.
"Don't worry, I'm here." Spoke a soft, gentle voice. "It's going to be alright."
The voice shocked both Bran and the two birds, making them look all over in wondering where it came from.
Suddenly a bright light surrounded and blinded the three beings. While Bran felt no pain, the three eyed raven did as it was knocked far away.
Opening his eyes once more, Bran saw a glowing figure flying towards him. He flinched and tried not to interact with it. The last bird was demanding and forceful. The young Stark didn't want to deal with the same thing all over again.
But once the being came in close, the same voice from before gently spoke to him. "You're safe now, Bran. Don't worry. I'm here."
Bran felt an odd wait on his back. Looking back, he saw a white dove clenching onto him with it's small talons. He wondered how it was going to fly with him attached to the innocent creature.
To his surprise when the dove went to unfurl its wings, instead of small ones a large pair of ethereal wings sprouted out. They reached quite the long length and the light coming from the wings were bright; almost bright enough to light through the darkness.
"Be ready, Bran Stark." Spoke the dove. "And don't worry, I'll keep you safe."
It was by this point the three eyed raven came swooping in, as if trying to attack the dove for interference. Before it got anywhere near them, the dove gave out another wave of light which sent the raven away even further.
With that bird out of the way, the dove took Bran elsewhere in the darkness.
Down below, the blue/red eyed crow was curious with what it just saw. Unfurling it's soggy wings, it took flight and went to investigate.
Yet before it could get remotely close, both Bran and the dove disappeared in a flash of light; leaving the soggy bird utterly confused.
-Insert Kingdom Hearts Re Chain of Memories: Namine-
Once the light died down again, Bran slowly opened his eyes and saw many small lights all around him. There was something about them that reminded him of something, but what?
Looking at them a bit better, he recognized them as-
"Stars…" Bran said with utmost awe.
Some of these stars were blinding white, others blue, a few red and the rest were filled with the rest of the rainbow. The endless sea of stars greeted him instead of the skeletons and spikes from before. He was filled with safety instead of danger.
Soon enough, a different light greeted him. One far larger and brighter than the stars surrounding him.
It was a large platform filled with lights like that of the sunrise and sunset. The colors of twilight were very gentle and soothing in contrast to the unsettling darkness.
As his eyes took better focus on it, the Stark gasped on what he was seeing.
It was a stained glass platform filled with the twilight of colors. Along the edges was this repeating symbol of a splintered, upside down heart with a pointed cross attached to it. And in the far background was an oddly designed belltower with a numeral board on its face with two flat pieces placed on certain spots.
But this wasn't what really drew his attention, but the people inside of the stained glass platform.
At the center of it all was Roxas and in his grasp was a Keyblade he was not truly familiar with. Instead of Oblivion and Oathkeeper -as he called them- it was a metal version of the wooden toy he gifted Arya on her nameday.
Surrounding his head in small portraits were five individuals. One was a smiling, spiky red haired man with green eyes and a purple tattoo on his cheek which looked like a teardrop. One was a smiling black haired girl with deep blue eyes. The other was a silver haired teen with him being blindfolded for some apparent reason.
Yet there were two that he saw that made his eyes widened, instantly recognizing them both. It was his sister Arya and brother Jon. What were they doing on this… whatever it was?
Bran was so caught up with his inspection did he not notice his feet were firmly planted on the platform's surface. When he did, he blinked and shook off his shock.
Soon he saw a brief flash of light from the corner of his eye. Turning around, he saw a young woman who appeared to be around the same age as Sansa. Her shoulder length blonde hair was like Lannister gold; perhaps even lighter and brighter. Her eyes were bright blue which held much warmth and kindness.
And her attire was the strangest thing he'd seen, being a pure white dress which reached her mid-thighs to reveal much of her legs. On the top of her dress, it was cut off at the shoulders with only two small straps along the shoulders holding it in place. And her footwear was a pair of white laced sandals.
For some reason, he thought she must have some relation with Roxas; given some physical similarities.
"You're alright now, Bran." She gently said with a smile.
The young Stark instantly recognized the voice as it was the same as the dove!
"You saved me." He said with utmost gratitude. "You saved me from falling. Thank you."
"You are very welcome. Anyone in their right mind should've done so."
Bran nodded before gazing at the stars above.
He didn't know how long he gazed upon them all. It felt like an eternity as he was lost in their beautiful majesty.
"Time's up, Bran."
The Stark snapped his head towards the blonde girl. "Huh?"
"It's time for you to return home."
"But the stars," he lamented, "they're so pretty."
"I know they are, but your family is waiting for you. They're so worried for you and they want you back home."
Bran wondered how she knew of this, much less wondering if what she said was right or wrong.
"Will I come back here when I dream again?"
All she did was walk up to him and gently poked the center of his forehead. "We shall see."
His vision soon became bright again as everything around him faded away in the light.
And before long, the light died down as he gasped; taking in a large intake of air into his chest.
-Waking World-
Catelyn stared down on her son with heavy eyes. The river blue's were reddened and tired from exhaustion. Either from weeping or just looking at his malnourished form this entire time. And all she wore was a simple gown as she would often take naps in the room.
Her ears picked up on the rapping on her son's chamber door. It opened to reveal Maester Luwin, walking in as he saw Lady Stark sewing and crafting yet another charm of the Seven for her child.
Coming up to the comatose child, Luwin inspected Bran before finally addressing the matter of his visit.
"It's time we reviewed the accounts, my Lady. You'll want to know how much the royal visit cost us a fortnight ago."
"It has cost us enough."
"My Lady, the king's party had healthy appetites." He reminded her. "We must replenish our stores before-"
She cut him off. "Talk to Poole about it."
"Poole went south with Lord Stark, Lady Catelyn."
Catelyn nodded absentmindedly. "Oh, yes… I remember."
"We need a new steward until his return. And there are several other appointments that require our immediate attention-"
Her voice practically snapped like a whip towards him. "I don't care about appointments!"
It was during this brief confrontation did Robb walk into the bedchamber. Hearing this problem, he took charge of his Lordly duties.
"I'll make the appointments." Robb said onto the maester, who soon took notice of him. "We'll talk about it first thing in the morning."
"Very good, my Lord." Luwin said before saying farewell to Lady Stark.
Once the maester vacated the bed chamber, Robb made his way towards the closed up window. He opened up the wooden panels in order to cycle in a fresh bit of air as the room felt stale to him. And the faint sounds of barking could be heard riding the wind. Looking down below, he saw Shaggydog, Greywind and Summer howling by the tower where the three Starks were presently at.
Feeling the cold air rushing past his face, Robb spoke. "When was the last time you left this room?"
The barking soon turned into howls, unsettling Catelyn little by little. All she tried to do to drown out the noise was keeping up with her craft and now speaking with her eldest child.
"I have to take care of him." Was her excuse.
"He's not going to die, mother. Maester Luwin says the most dangerous time has passed. Hells you even saw it yourself with what Roxas had done for him."
"What if he's wrong?" She argued. "Bran needs me."
"Rickon needs you." Her son said sharply. "He's six."
The howls and barking kept climbing in volume, unsettling Catelyn a bit more as her son continued speaking.
"He doesn't know what's happening. He thinks everyone has deserted him. He follows me around all day, clutching my leg-"
The sounds became too much for her, causing Catelyn to stop crafting and clutching her ears. "Close the windows! I can't stand it! Please make them stop!" She pleaded.
The grief was finally coming down on her. Night after night, the howling and the cold wind and the near empty castle of it's main residents. On and on it went as it never changed while her sweet Bran was lying there in such a state.
Her son who always loved climbing the walls of his ancestral home. Her son who had dreamt on becoming an explorer and possibly being a knight one day. And she feared her son may never wake again so she may never see any of that happen, much less hearing his voice again.
Catelyn didn't remember falling to the floor. Her tiredness was starting to escalate now with things crashing into her.
Robb rushed to her side and helped get her back onto her chair. "You need to rest, mother. Luwin said you hardly gave yourself any since Bran's fall."
Call it what you will, but her motherly pride wouldn't allow that to happen right now.
Yet all she could do was wheep.
"I can't." She cried out. "Gods forgive me, Robb, but I just can't."
The howls started intensifying, making things worse for her.
"Please shut the window!"
"I will if you swear to get some proper rest." He said, which she reluctantly did by nodding.
Walking towards the window, he was about to shut the panels when he noticed something was amiss.
It wasn't just the direwolves howling, but the dogs as well. Not to mention they were barking loudly, as if they were trying to get people's attention.
And then there was the faint smell of smoke and fire crackling… which wasn't coming from the bedchamber he currently stood in.
Looking off to the side, Robb widened his eyes. "Fire."
Catelyn snapped her head towards the window. "What?"
"There's fire at the stables." He said, quickly making his way out of the room. "You stay here. I'll come back."
It wasn't long after his departure did she hear the bells ringing, alerting the men on what's happening right now.
Mustering what bit of strength she had, Catelyn got onto her feet and made her way to the window. All she wanted was to no longer hear those noises.
Once up close, she heard the guards shouting as they tried to put out the growing fire. And they had to help get the horses back in one piece as they were causing some bits of chaos in the yard.
Turning back around from closing the shutters, she saw a stranger standing in the room with her.
He was a small, dirty gaunty man in filthy brown and grey clothing; who stank of horses. Catelyn knew pretty much every servant within these walls and this man before her was clearly not one she recognized.
"You weren't s'posed to be here." He muttered sourly as he gazed upon her. "No one was s'posed to be here."
It was then did she notice a knife in his grasp as he shifted his gaze onto her comatose son.
"No," she whispered in utmost horror.
"It's a mercy. He's dead already."
Fear and adrenaline quickly filled her very being, causing her to charge in order to defend her defenseless son.
"NO!"
He slapped her away, having her fall onto the bed. The stranger quickly pulled on her hair, forcing her to stand back up. Seeing the blade reaching towards her throat, she moved her hands and grasped the sharp weapon. She struggled as she fought back. The blade started cutting deep into her palms as they collided into the stone wall. Her hands were starting to get slippery from her drawn out blood, but she would not let go of the dagger and let the man kill her.
Needing a means of getting free, Catelyn bit down hard on the attempted murder's hand.
The stranger cried in pain, almost deafening her ear in the process. It was too much for him, causing him to push Catelyn out of the way. When she tried to fight back, he shoved her onto the floor.
"No one was s'posed to be here." He repeated in a low tone.
As he made his way to kill her, a brown blur collided against the stranger's form. They collapsed onto the ground with the man screaming.
Crawling up towards the bed and pulling herself up, Catelyn saw Summer biting through her attacker's throat. It wasn't long before the stranger no longer cried as he was dead with the light vacating his eyes.
The direwolf pried his teeth out of the attacker and got onto the bed. He started licking Bran's cheek out of worry before lying down next to his sleeping form.
"Good boy." She muttered out before her eyes started growing heavy as she would fall into unconsciousness.
"Mother?"
From the mixture of her tiredness finally catching up to her to the bloodloss, she didn't know if she was becoming delirious or not. It's as if Bran was wide awake, both confused and alarmed now.
All she did was wear a smile on her face as she collapsed into slumber.
-End Chapter-
AN:
Another short-ish chapter for the story.
Some people might say that things are taking a bit too long in progressing things. But you need to realize, many episodes in the show are composed of several POV chapters and split up accordingly and make things seem long. I don't want to speed things up too fast, merely wanting to detail things along the way. It's only at later chapters will things be longer in events with the story.
Besides, I think things flow better with these somewhat smaller chapters instead of longer ones to reflect the actual episodes that seem rather inconsistent to some degree. Already cutting out the stuff with Jon right now, but don't know what else for the time being.
FMW: Yeah, so we can churn these chapters out at a consistent rate considering how far ahead we've already planned while constantly keeping up to snuff on quality. I hope at least. But still, with this and Infinite Wars we've got a good groove going on and can update constantly without too many long ass gaps in between. And Dracus, dude, no we're not interested in writing those crossover ideas. We've got enough on our plate as is. There are still other matters to write on from Xion's place as well as here and things will only continue to grow as we all know since this is GOT and there are other characters to come.
Anyways, be sure to review this story guys! Would like the criticisms. Please and thank you!
R&R