Blood upon the snow (game of thrones)

Chpt 5: The Last Embrace

Raven grows stronger and larger by the day. I found out he likes to be stroked behind his ears most of all. It makes his leg pat the ground and his tongue hang out of his mouth.

But at night, he grows restless. He howls relentlessly every time i close my eyes trying to get to Ghost. He will out grow it soon enough once Jon and Ghost go to the wall. I found myself twiddling my thumbs as Raven sat by my feet. The door handle seemed to be heavy.

In truth, i did not want to go in. I didn't wish to see Bran in this state. It had been two days since his accident and he has not shown any signs of waking up anytime soon. My mother has not left his side, stitching some protective doll her mother used to make during times of war.

Rickon now follows me around more than ever waiting for my mother to be a mother to him. He is too young to understand her grief. "Do you wish for me to go in first, sister?" Rickon asked looking up at me. I gave him a soft smile brushing the loose curls from his face.

It took all my might to finally open the door, revealing my mother looking as sickly as ever. "Mother?" i called out. When she turned to us, her eyes were red, her finger tips bloody from her relentless stitching and she looked as if she had not slept for days. "Keep the wolf out" she muttered. "Or else Brans wolf will follow."

I nodded weakly, my heart heavy shutting the door on Raven. I placed Rickon on my lap whilst we sat on the edge of Brans bed. The silence was deafening. My mother wiped her runny nose mealky continuing with her stitching.

"Rickon, do you wish to tell mother what we did this morning?" i asked. He hesitated for a moment keeping his eyes on the floor. "We helped make lemon cakes in the kitchen" he mumbled.

My mother gave no response. I wanted to understand her grief, i truly did. But i wanted my mother too. I was leaving for Kingslanding today and i would not be back for many moons. I wanted my mothers embrace, i wanted her to coddle me and i wanted to leave Rickon knowing my mother would be able to care for him.

"Tell her how that all ended" i said with weak laughter. Rickon shook his head and pushed his head into my shoulder. I rubbed his back gently trying my best to comfort him. "Mother please speak with us" i said gently.

I watched as her hands began to shake. She then put her head in her hands, quiet cries leaving her. "Go to your chambers, i will say my goodbyes soon" i whispered to a Rickon as he reluctantly hurried off out Brans chambers.

I then rushed to my mothers side, confused on what to do. "Mother?" i whispered brushing her matted hair gently. Suddenly, she turned to me wrapping her arms around my waist as she sobbed into me. I continued brushing her hair letting her soak my dress with her tears.

I felt more like a mother to my own mother at this moment.

"It's alright, mother. It will be alright" i said. I held her unsteady figure close to me until her tears finally stopped. I knelt before her grabbing both of her hands in mine. "Do you wish for me to stay? I can, truly. I will tell father you need my help whilst Bran is in this condition."

She shook her head. "No, no your father will need you in Kingslanding" she mumbled. Her eyes then fell on Bran as she bit her lip. "What am i going to do if he doesn't wake? I can't loose my boy."

"Don't speak like that. Maester Luwin said if he was going to die, he would have done so by now. He will wake" i insisted. "Even if he does, he will never walk again. He will never become a knight like has always dreamed of being... The names they will call him-"

"If anyone says a word about Bran then we will cut the tongues from their mouths" i spat. My mother was slightly taken back by my words. "I will take them myself if i must."