Watching over you-Bran Stark

Chapiter 6

A few days had passed since the incident with the wildling. The woman kept alive, Osha was now a "guest". She mainly spends all her time with Bran and Alaia, transporting on her back Bran from one place to another. Beside their first encounter with the children, they had learned to respect each other. Alaia even started to depend on her, being they were the only two women in the castle of Winterfell, beside Old Nan who Alaia found too weird so she tried to ignore her most of the time. Alaia relayed on Osha to teach her the life of a woman. She thought her which herb could be essential and other things. She knew if she had any questions that made her uncomfortable to ask Maester Luwin she could always go to Osha, mostly on things that men can't understand since they are not women.

The day after the altercation in the woods, they had received a letter from Sansa, who had been in King's Landing with her father and sister considering she was set to marry Prince Joffrey. It said that Ned Stark was accused of treason because he had tried to take the throne nearly minutes after King Robert's death. Robb, as the new Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North was asked to go to the capital to bend the knee to King Joffrey. Robb decided to oblige at the demand that he would go to King's Landing but not alone. He asked Maester Luwin to send ravens to all of the banner man. They were going to war.

♦♦♦

A feast was held with all banner man at the table. Plans for the war were held before they headed south to retrieve Lord Stark and his two daughters from the lion's den. At the principal table, Robb sat in the middle with Alaia and Bran on his left side. She was sat between them protecting her from the men sat around the table. But some plans didn't satisfy everyone mainly Lord Greatjon Umber.

"For 30 years I've been making corpses out of men, boy." He started. "I'm the man you want leading the vanguard."

"Galbart Glover will lead the van." Retorted Robb.

"The bloody wall will melt before an Umber march behind a Glover. I will lead the van or I will take my men and march them home."

"You are welcome to do so, Lord Umber. And when I am done with the Lannisters, I will march back north, root you out of your keep and hang you for an oathbreaker."

"Oathbreaker, is it?!" Everyone in the hall got up. "I'll not sit here and swallow insults from a boy so green he pisses grass." He started to get out his sword from his sheath before he could think, Grey Wind attacked Greatjon Umber, bitting two fingers off. Bran and Alaia sat there, eyes big, as Umber's hand gushes out blood.

"My lord father taught me it was death to bare steel against your liege lord. But doubtless the Greatjon only meant to cut my meat for me."

Greatjon kicked his seat, before replying. "Your meat..." He looked around the dinning hall. "is bloody tough." He then started to laugh quickly followed by everyone else beside Bran and Alaia who only looked at each other with questioning eyes, not understanding why they were laughing after what happened. They had missed the joke.

After supper, Alaia and Bran headed to bed. As they were sleeping, they were obvious about what was happening everywhere else in the castle. Men were preparing to go to war this very night. They were sound asleep beside each other when they were woken up by Robb shaking them up.

"What is it? What's happened?" Asked Bran.

"Why are you waking us up?" Followed Alaia.

"Shh, it's all right." Comforted Robb. 

"Where are you going?" Bran questioned Robb.

"South. For Father."

"But it's the middle of the night." Added Alaia.

"The Lannisters have spies everywhere. I don't want them to know we're coming." Explained Robb.

"They have more men than we do." Replied Bran.

"Aye, they do." Agreed Robb.

"Can't we come with you?" Inquired Bran looking at Alaia, before he looked back at Robb. "I can ride now. You've seen me riding. And I won't get in the way, I..."

"There must always be a Stark at Winterfell. Until I return that will be you. You are not to leave the castle walls while we are gone. Do you understand?" Bran only nod. "Listen to Maester Luwin. Look after your little brother and Alaia even though she can protect herself."

"I will."

"I'll send letters whenever I can, but if you don't hear from me, don't be scared." Robb placed his right hand on Bran shoulder. "Until I return." With that, he left them to sleep giving them only a last look before he was long gone. Once they couldn't hear Robb, they saw Rickon entering the room slowly.

"How long have you been hiding out there?" Asked Bran to his little brother.

"Robb will be looking for you to say goodbye." Added Alaia.

"They've all gone away." Said Rickon.

"They'll be back soon. Robb will free Father and they'll come back with Mother." Comforted Bran.

"No, they won't." Just like that Rickon was gone. Alaia placed a hand on Bran's, caressing it. She knew that Bran had his suspicions about the welfare of his family with a war starting, but they could only hope that everyone would be back safe and sound, that everything will be okay soon.

♦♦♦

The next day, Bran and Alaia were in the godswood, praying for their family and everyone at war.

"Please watch over Robb. And watch over all the other men from Winterfell. And Theon too, I suppose." Bran prayed out loud.

"You hear them, boy? The old gods are answering you." Said Osha.

"What are you doing here?" Questioned Alaia to wildling.

"They're my gods too. Beyond the Wall, they're the only gods. Even slaves are allowed to pray."

"You're not a slave." Alaia said. Osha only showed her chained feet to reply.

"Well, your friend did put a knife to my throat." Explained Bran.

"I'm not complaining, little lord, just telling truths."

"What did you mean about hearing the gods?" Inquired Bran.

"You asked them, they're answering you." Alaia went to talk but she was cut before she could. "Shh. Open your ears."

"It's only the wind." Observed Bran. Alaia was looking at him as if saying that the woman was crazy.

"Who do you think sends the wind if not the gods? They see you, boy. They hear you. Your brother will get no help from them where he's going. The old gods have no power in the South. The weirwoods there were all cut down a long time ago. How can they watch when they have no eyes?" 

Osha was cut short when Hodor interrupt them, running in the godswood naked. Alaia quickly shot close her eyes turning her head away from the scene. "Well, there's a big man. He has giants' blood in him or I'm the queen."

"Go back and find your clothes, Hodor." Instructed Bran. "Go dress."

"Hodor."

"Are there really giants beyond the wall?" Asked Alaia trying to forget what had just happened and change the conversation.

"Giants and worse than giants. I tried telling your brother, he's marching the wrong way. All these swords, they should be going north, boy. North, not south! The cold winds re rising." Ended Osha.