The light inside the tower was dim and ambiguous.
Cersei leaned against the cold stone wall. Her hood had long since slipped off, her golden hair scattered messily over her shoulders. Her gorgeous dress was bunched at her waist.
Jaime Lannister was panting, his palm stroking Cersei's smooth skin. The roughness of the stone wall contrasted sharply with the warmth of her flesh.
"Faster, Jaime," Cersei's voice was suppressed and urgent. "If someone finds us..."
"No one will find us." Jaime looked up, sweat sliding down his handsome profile. He kissed Cersei's lips, swallowing all her unfinished words.
Outside the tower.
Bran finally climbed to just below that window. Intense curiosity drove him. His small hands gripped the window ledge, and he pushed himself up with force.
Bran peeked his head over.
He saw it. The Queen. And... Jaime.
Bran's eyes widened into perfect circles. Cersei was embracing Jaime, completely lost in the moment.
Suddenly, Cersei caught a glimpse of the window out of the corner of her eye.
"Quick, stop!"
Inside the tower, Jaime's movements froze abruptly. He whipped his head around, following Cersei's gaze to the window.
Four eyes met.
Bran's grey eyes were filled with shock and fear.
Jaime's gaze cooled instantly. "Damn it, how did this kid get up here from below?"
Cersei reacted too. She screamed, frantically pulling at her dress and hiding in the shadows.
"He saw us! Jaime! He saw us!"
Jaime moved incredibly fast. He strode to the window in large steps. He looked down from above at the trembling boy clinging to the wall outside.
"Good lad, quite a climber," Jaime said. "How old are you?"
Bran stammered, "Ten... ten years old..."
Jaime's gaze focused. Ten years old was old enough to understand many things.
He asked tentatively, "What did you see, child?"
Jaime's voice was terrifyingly calm.
Bran opened his mouth, but was too scared to say a single word. He wanted to retreat, but behind him was a deadly drop.
Jaime's golden hair fluttered in the wind. He glanced at the distant hunting party, then looked back at Bran.
"It seems you understand what this means."
Jaime withdrew his hand and looked at the somewhat panic-stricken Cersei. Just as Bran breathed a sigh of relief...
"The things I do for love."
Jaime suddenly reached out and shoved hard.
"No!"
Bran's scream pierced the silent courtyard. His body instantly lost balance and fell backward.
Below the tower.
It's happening!
Lynn had already calculated the trajectory of Bran's fall. The moment Bran screamed, Lynn dropped his longsword, his legs already moving.
Bran's body plummeted rapidly, his small frame tumbling in the air, crows circling above the castle.
Lynn could have caught Bran with his hands. But since he intended to earn the Starks' gratitude, he naturally had to make the performance spectacular. He needed to win chips for himself.
So Lynn leaped up, using his own body to "cushion" Bran's fall.
Thud!
A dull impact sounded. Bran's body smashed heavily onto Lynn's shoulders and back.
The massive impact made Lynn's vision go black; he felt as if his spine was about to snap. The two rolled several times on the gravel-strewn ground, dust flying. The direwolf Summer howled madly and rushed over, circling around them.
Lynn lay on the ground, gasping for large mouthfuls of air. Half his body had lost sensation. He turned his head with difficulty to look at the boy in his arms.
Bran's eyes were tightly closed, his face pale as paper. His right leg and left arm were twisted at unnatural angles. But he was alive; his chest was still rising and falling faintly.
Lynn breathed a sigh of relief. He struggled to sit up, holding the unconscious Bran.
"Help!"
"Someone come quickly!"
"Bran is hurt!"
Inside the castle, someone finally heard the commotion. Patrolling guards and remaining servants swarmed toward them.
On the tower.
Jaime watched the rising dust below and the figure that had suddenly appeared. His brows furrowed tightly.
Cersei rushed over, clutching the window ledge and looking down. "Is he dead?"
"Not dead," Jaime's voice held a rare gravity. "Someone saved him."
"Who?"
"A man in black."
Jaime withdrew his gaze, his face grim. "We have to leave, quickly."
Cersei also realized the severity of the situation.
Jaime, however, shook his head. "No, I need to go down and kill them both!"
Cersei hurriedly said, "You're crazy! Bran falling could be an accident. If his body has wounds caused by a human, that would be a completely different situation! He is Ned's second son!"
Watching the figures running hurriedly toward Lynn in the distance, Jaime scratched his golden hair in frustration. He knew he couldn't delay any longer.
"Now we can only deny it was us to the bitter end," Jaime said to Cersei.
Cersei nodded, and the two quickly tidied their clothes and left the tower.
Seeing the figures rushing toward him, Lynn relaxed his mind, and his vision began to blur. His consciousness was like a stone sinking into an icy sea, slowly floating up.
Lynn felt like there was a noisy crow cawing randomly by his ear.
Opening his eyes again. His vision was blurry at first, then gradually cleared. The annoying crow cawing by his ear vanished without a trace.
An unfamiliar ceiling made of heavy oak. The air smelled of herbs and oils.
"You're awake."
An old voice sounded. Maester Luwin sat on a chair by the bed, holding a book. Seeing Lynn open his eyes, he closed the book.
Lynn tried to prop himself up. A sharp pain shot from his back, instantly spreading through his whole body. Lynn didn't force it and fell back onto the bed.
"Don't move," Maester Luwin stood up and walked to the bedside. "Your spine took a severe impact. Although there are no fractures, just to be safe, you cannot get out of bed for a few days. But your constitution is good; there shouldn't be any major issues."
Lynn's lips were cracked and dry as he rasped, "Bran... Bran, how is he?"
A trace of grief appeared on Maester Luwin's face. "He is alive. A miracle in misfortune."
The Maester paused. "But he hasn't woken up yet. His leg and arm are broken, but I think they can heal. If you hadn't cushioned his fall, he would likely have spent the rest of his life in bed."
Lynn closed his eyes. The result was better than expected.
"The King and Lord Stark are already on their way back," Maester Luwin continued. "Winterfell is in chaos. Lady Stark..."
Luwin didn't finish his sentence. The room door was gently pushed open.
Catelyn Stark walked in. Her eyes were red and swollen, her face pale, and her usually neatly combed hair was somewhat messy. She looked like she hadn't slept all night.
Maester Luwin bowed slightly to Catelyn, then quietly exited the room, closing the door behind him.
Only Lynn and Catelyn remained in the room.
Catelyn walked to the bedside. She looked at Lynn, complex emotions in those blue eyes. Gratitude, sorrow, and an unspeakable feeling.
She suddenly bent down.
Startled, Lynn hurriedly said, "My Lady, what are you doing!"
Catelyn's movement stopped. Her tears finally couldn't be held back, sliding down her cheeks.
"Thank you," her voice choked with irrepressible tremors. "Thank you for saving my Bran. If not for you..."
She couldn't continue, covering her mouth with her hand to stifle her sobs.
"My Lady, you know I can see things others cannot," Lynn said calmly. "Besides, anyone who saw that would have done the same."
Catelyn shook her head. "No. Not everyone has your courage."
She wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself.
"Lynn. House Stark owes you a life. From today on, you are the benefactor of all Winterfell."
Catelyn's gaze became incredibly firm.
"I swear by the Seven. As long as I, Catelyn, live, House Stark will forever protect you."
"What do you want? Gold, status, or honor? As long as you ask, and as long as House Stark can do it, I will grant it to you."