The Heir of Raventree Hall

CH1: Brynden Blackwood

Brynden Blackwood 292 A.C

His namesake was said to have a thousand eyes and one, however, he had only the two with which to keep himself safe. As his father's heir, he had the honour of joining him in his morning prayer at the base of the Heart Tree. Brynden's eyes, both a pale red, stared frightfully at the flock of ravens still roosting within the dead weirwood's embrace as it would not have been the first time, he'd been caught unaware by a projectile from above. After that, he'd learnt to keep both of his eyes open.

"Come son, let's break our fast, it'd be a shame to miss the cook's porridge this morning." Tytos said his face now more relaxed after finishing his prayer, Brynden wondered if the power of the Old Gods was truly as helpful as his father made it appear.

His father strode off briskly out of the wood as he did every other day and Brynden followed dutifully at his side. No more words were said between the pair, both hungry and ready for a warm meal, even though it was not considered of the north, Raventree Hall was cold often. He wondered had it been colder when he was born during the last winter. The past 9 years had been considered summer by the maester's standards.

It wasn't long until the large dark oak frame of the door into the great hall blocked their path. Already inside he could hear his three siblings arguing as they did every morning before his father arrived. As the heavy set doors scraped open his family was revealed seated at the high table as was their right as the lords of Blackwood vale, lower down maester Ambrose and some of the rest of the house staff had found themselves seated on the long table on the right of the hall while the guards took the left side of the hall as their own. The large fire in the centre of the room allowed some respite from the chill outside.

Brynden allowed himself a few moments beside the fire before following his father up the stone steps and taking his seat between his father and his brother Lucas who was turning eight in a week's time much to the boy's excitement. Their meal was eaten in silence as it had been for as long as he could remember, it was only afterwards conversations began springing up on the table, Brynden overheard Lucas bragging to Hoster about how it would not be long before he could join the arms classes at the castle as it would be another 3 moons until Hoster came to the age at which their father allowed them to begin learning to wield weaponry. Mother disappeared almost as soon as her food was gone as she needed to attend to both Alyn and Bethany who were still not old enough to feed themselves.

Hoster and Lucas both took off running out of the hall with maester Ambrose attempting to keep some form of control over the two boys, Brynden was surprised his father allowed such behaviour outside of the family's private spaces but when he met his father's eyes, he could tell they both found the sight to be a humorous one. It wasn't long until his father also left the table heading to his solar to go over the day's proceedings and the everyday running of the lands his family controlled. Brynden took the opportunity his solitude provided him and jumped down from the high table and sat with some of the guards hoping to catch some stories from long ago, something he was disappointed not to find before he was dragged away by the large and heavy hand of his uncle Aeron out into the courtyard for his lessons.

His uncle pointed to the racks of training swords. "Hurry up boy! The fight waits for no man!"

Brynden scowled but followed his uncle's order anyway, he'd felt what happened when he did not take his lessons seriously enough, his brothers' had no idea what they were in for when they came of age, he thought to himself. They circled each other until his uncle tapped the floor thrice with his wooden sword, the sign for the fight to begin. In and out Brynden lunged, parried and thrust but nothing seemed to shake his uncle, he was seemingly too powerful, composed and experienced for anything Brynden did to be of effect. What was probably but minutes later Brynden fell to the floor, sweat pouring down his head and his usually dark hair now shiny.