Armies of Summer

Chapter Thirty-Three

Winterfell - The Courtyard

Elsie watched from her hiding spot around the corner as Bran missed yet another shot at the target. Elsie had been standing next to him, but had quickly removed herself when she saw Lord and Lady Stark coming around the corner to watch. They didn't like her, and she didn't really understand why, but whenever she saw them coming, she always hid, trying not to make them any more angry then they already were with her.

"And which one of you was a marksmen at ten? Keep practicing, Bran. Go on." Lord Stark called from above, and Elsie flinched, wedging herself further against the wall, just in case.

"Don't think too much Bran." Jon was saying as he tried to help him.

"Relax your bow arm." Robb added, and Elsie was crossing her fingers, hoping that Bran would hit the target so he wouldn't be disappointed in himself later. Bran pulled the string back, but another arrow hit the target, and everyone, including Elsie looked to see who it was. It had been Arya, who was around the corner from Elsie so she couldn't have stopped her, but she wish she could have, as she watched Bran throw his bow dow, leap over the railing and go chasing after his sister. Without even really thinking about it, Elsie followed, hearing the yells of Bran's brothers from behind them.

"Quick Bran! Faster!"

When Elsie finally caught up to them, they were both a lot faster than her, seeing as they were two and three years older than her, and were both a lot taller, she saw that Bran was glaring down at the crypts, where Arya must had gone, trying to lose him. Which makes sense, Bran hates the crypts, they give him nightmares whenever he goes down there.

"Bran!" Elsie called as she got closer, and the boy glanced up at her, a smile breaking through his grim face as he caught sight of his oldest friend.

"Hey! Where did you go?"

"Oh... well your parents were coming so I went around the corner, I could still see you though. I was sure you were going to make that last one if Arya hadn't of interrupted." Bran smiled at the smaller girl shyly, thankful for her seemingly never ending support.

"Yeah well, it doesn't matter. You wanna go climb the tower?"

"Sure!" At with that they were off again, racing to see who could climb the tower the quickest, Bran of course won, but Elsie may have been going a little slower than normal, as she tried to bring up the spirits of her best friend.

Sadly though, their fun was short lived, as Robb came to collect Bran to do something with Lord Stark, meaning Elsie would be alone again for the day. Hopefully she would be able to find something to do.

Winterfell - The Courtyard

Elsie was watching the King's procession come closer from her hiding spot on the top of the lookout tower, where Bran was quickly climbing up to meet her, when the tell-tale shriek of Lady Stark emitted from below.

"Brandon!" Elsie ducked down so they wouldn't be able to see her, sharing a little look with Bran as he turned to his mother, and Elsie peeked over, to see Lady Stark, Princess Elia, who Elsie guessed she should start calling Lady Elia Stark, and Maester Luwin looking up at Bran.

"I saw the King! He's got hundreds of people!" Bran was saying as he began to climb down, flashing his eyes up at Elsie, telling her to stay where she was.

"How many times have I told you: No climbing!" Bran jumped down the last few feet, and went to stand in front of his mother.

"But he's coming right now! Down our road!"

"I want you to promise me: No more climbing." Lady Stark said, and Elsie had to hold in a giggle as Bran looked at his feet before he spoke.

"I promise."

"D'you know what?"

"What?"

"You always look at your feet before you lie. Run and find your father. Tell him the King is close." Bran nodded, glanced up at Elsie's hiding spot, and left, Summer chasing after him after also looking up to make sure she was okay. Elsie remained still as the group still hadn't moved, and listened when she heard Lady Elia speak.

"My Lady?"

"Yes Princess?"

"I don't think you need to worry about his climbing... I don't think he could ever fall."

Once they finally departed, Elsie quickly scurried down the wall and began making her way to the main yard, where the King would be entering. When she arrived, she saw that the Starks had all lined up, so she moved quietly behind Bran, who turned and gave her a quick smile, before his mom began to speak so he whipped around so as not to draw attention to the blonde haired little girl behind him.

"Where's Arya? Sansa, where's your sister?" Sansa shrugged, and the question was answered when Arya ran in, wearing an ugly helmet, and almost ran into her father, who grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey. What are you doing with that on?" He pulled the helmet off and handed it back to an old man with a cool beard, and Arya ran to stand between Sansa and Bran.

"Move!" She yelled, pushing Bran, and Elsie discreetly stuck her foot out so that Arya stumbled a little, causing the older girl to look back at her with a glare, which Elsie just returned with a confused smile, while Bran and Sansa chuckled. Elsie zoned out while the King and his court arrived, only listening to snippets of information, really just wanting to play with Bran some more. But that plan was foiled when, as soon as the meet-and-greet was over, Lady Stark ordered the boys to go get ready while she helped the girls, so Bran smiled apologetically at Elsie, before following his brothers to Robb's room to get dressed for the feast. Leaving little Elsie alone once more.

Winterfell - The Broken Tower

Elsie was running late, she had said that she would meet Bran at the Broken Tower before the King left so they could watch them ride off, but her father had needed help with the horses, so she was about a half hour late. She didn't think anything of it, until on her way there, she heard screams.

"Bran!" She was running before she even noticed as she heard the now familiar voice of Lady Elia scream the name of her best friend. When she reached them, Elia was laying over Bran, protecting him with her body as a lot of people ran around her, including Lady Arya Lannister, who was looking at the window. When Elsie glanced up, she saw yellow hair, and couldn't help but think of the Lannisters, before she looked back down at Bran, who was unmoving, and hadn't woken up.

"Maester Luwin! Help! Bran is hurt!" Elia screamed again, trying to get help from someone she knew. After a few moments Maester Luwin finally made an appearance, falling to his knees next to Bran, and sparing a quick look for Elsie who seemed unharmed.

"Dear Gods, what happened?"

"I don't know. I was walking, and I saw Summer, and he was pacing under the window, and then Bran fell. I didn't see how. He won't wake up. What do we do?"

"Help me pick him up, we must take him to his chambers so I can exam him. It will be okay." Maester Luwin said, glancing at Elsie as he said the last words, and it was then that Elsie noticed the tears falling down her face, and it was worse because she knew she wouldn't be able to go see him. That Lady Stark would not leave his side, and she wouldn't be allowed in to see her best friend.