WILOW-Ch.313: Sibling Reunion
Dreadfort, Bolton Lands
POV of Brandon Stark
Bran did not think that he would ever be so happy to see Arya once again.
But as he sat in the wheelchair and as Arya hugged the life out of him, he realized that if nothing else, losing his legs at least brought his family closer to him.
It was a pale consolation, but it was something.
After a moment of hesitation, he hugged her just as tightly.
Then the sweet moment was over, and he got the chance to meet Lady Barbrey Dustin, who was the regent of Bolton lands in Lord Domeric Bolton's absence.
She did not look like she wanted to welcome him to Dreadfort. She probably wanted him to leave the castle as quickly as possible. How Arya could be so cheerful around such a cold woman was beyond him.
She had her guards pass him and Meera a plate of bread and salt and said, "Eat."
He quickly did so, and the tension in his body dissipated.
"My work here is done. I'll see you later, Bran, Meera." Leaf said and started to leave for the Heart Trees.
"Wait! You're not coming with us?" he asked, feeling a little vulnerable for losing his only ally on this journey.
"No Bran Stark. My work here is completed, and I wish you luck on your journey." She said and vanished between the Heart Trees.
He looked at the courtyard and noticed that Lady Barbrey was already leaving as if he was not even worth her time.
He looked at Arya, who smiled sheepishly at him. "Don't think too much about her. She gets in her mood sometimes, and she does not like us Starks all that much. Especially the male ones. But she's a good person otherwise. And she is teaching me many things."
He nodded, and she took the wheelchair from the back and started leading him toward the castle. "Come. Let me show you to your rooms."
"Arya, do you know how I'll be sent to the True North?" he asked as they entered the castle and went through a long corridor.
The floor was made of some kind of marble, which looked extremely clean and smooth, and the corridor walls were covered with realistic paintings of various castles and Westerosi landscapes.
Winterfell also had a few paintings like these, but they were hung in important places, such as the Lord's solar and their parents' bedroom.
He could see why the Boltons were said to be so wealthy.
"No. Briar usually tells me if anything interesting is going on in the castle. Or Ygritte or Raksa does. But Briar doesn't know how they're going to send you up North, and the other two are not here. I heard you're a Greenseer now. Have you ever had a green dream?" she asked.
"No. At least, I haven't had any green dreams since waking from my coma. But while in a coma, I saw a Greenseer, also known as the Three-Eyed Raven. I later learned that he was Lord Boodraven, who summoned me to the North." He said, then added. "Have Raksa and Varko gone on another expedition?"
"Yes. Lord Bolton went on a new expedition, at the King's command, to capture a new wight and bring it back as evidence to show to the Southern Lords. And he took his three sworn shields with him. Even Varko, who had originally planned to participate in the tourney in King's Landing, went with him. I believe that because Lord Bolton brought the expedition forward, Varko forfeited his participation in the tourney and instead accompanied Lord Bolton on the expedition." Arya said.
'Arya really does know a lot about what's going on here,' Bran thought.
He also felt slightly giddy at the prospect of one day going there as well, before the memories of him being a cripple returned to him full force and left a faint hollowness in his chest.
Arya didn't notice and continued to talk animatedly about the castle.
How she was learning archery under Lady Ygritte. How she did not have to sit with girls who mocked her for acting like a boy and called her cruel nicknames, how she learned to sew leather armor instead of sewing clothes in sewing classes here, how Lady Barbrey even arranged a sword instructor for her called Syrio Forel, who was the former First Sword of Braavos.
What Arya didn't know was that when his aunt Barbrey wanted to arrange a sword instructor for her, Domeric had specifically sought out and arranged for Syrio Forel to be summoned.
On the other hand, Bran had not known that Arya had repressed so many things in her life in Winterfell. That she hated those girls and the loss of her freedom so much.
He could clearly see that living here made Arya happier than anything, and that made him sad.
He remembered how Arya wanted to play with him with the wooden swords, how Theon and he mocked her and didn't allow her to join them in their training.
He wondered if she would have liked Dreadfort this much if she had been given more freedom in Winterfell.
"I never thought you'd like sewing classes, Arya," he said.
"The reason is that the sewing course here isn't about acting like a lady. Although there are still lessons in dressmaking and embellishment, many of the techniques used in those can also be applied to sewing and embellishing leather armor, coats, and cloaks. Furthermore, Lady Ygritte promised to give me lessons in mounted archery once I've mastered sewing my own leather armor." She said.
He discreetly looked at her attire once again. Something that he had not noticed before.
She was wearing light leather armor that fit her perfectly. She was not wearing her hair in twin braids as she did in Winterfell, but in a high bun, and she even had a thin sword on her waist.
He wanted to question her about the sword, but they reached the guest room, and he did not get another chance to ask her questions that day.
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Next Chapters' Name:
Ch.314: Tourney and Conspiracy
Ch.315: The End of King Robert's Reign
Ch.316: Renly Sets His Sights on the Throne