Chapter 346: The Greenseer
A wayward highborn child returning home—in this critical hour of human survival, why should such a thing cause a stir? But in Egger's eyes, this event instantly jumped several levels, bypassing all other duties to claim the top spot on his priority list.
As Lord Commander of the Night's Watch and supreme officer of the Wall's defenses, Egger needed to question this boy—the last living soul to return from beyond the Wall—about the conditions north of the Ice and the movements of the army of the dead. He needed to determine when the enemy would launch their final assault to calculate exactly how much time he had left to prepare. As an ally of the North, Egger had a duty to ensure that the brother of Robb and Arya, the beloved son of Lady Catelyn, and the current legal first heir to Winterfell returned home safely.
But what was truly most important—as a traveler who knew the plot—he had to make immediate contact with Brandon Stark, who had likely evolved into the Greenseer.
Whether Bran had received a true inheritance or had his body overtaken, he was the second living wielder of supernatural power Egger could reach, after Melisandre. From a political standpoint, he, like the Red Woman, stood firmly on the side of the living. As a deluxe version of a skinchanger, the Greenseer's ability to scout enemy movements through weirwood trees and crows was of incalculable value. If he could be brought into the fold...
Egger had countless reasons to prioritize Bran's return, and he acted swiftly: dropping everything at hand, he took his trusted guards and hurried through the howling, freezing winds to the Nightfort.
The ancient fortress looked much more presentable and complete than when Egger had last visited. Having received promises from Egger such as continued residency rights after the war and never being evicted unless one voluntarily leaves the Watch, several major mountain clans had established themselves along the Wall. Gradually adapting to life in stone houses and beginning to view this place as home, they had spent their leisure time on repairs and expansions. The Flint clan, specifically, had achieved visible results: the haphazard tents and crumbling masonry that once filled the Nightfort were largely gone, replaced by newly risen houses built of mixed wood and stone.
"Lord Commander." Torghen Flint rushed to the gate upon hearing the news, reporting to Egger in a gruff voice: "This time I've shut every door and gate, and I've stationed good lads outside Young Lord Bran's door to watch him night and day. They aren't to leave even if the Wall falls! I guarantee he won't run off again."
It seemed that letting the son of his liege lord vanish under his nose last time had left Old Flint with massive psychological trauma—he didn't even realize how inappropriate it was to be guarding Brandon Stark like a prisoner.
"Well done." Egger tossed his reins to a subordinate and followed the master of the hold quickly toward the hall. "When and how did he appear?"
"You told us to keep an eye on the well, and we've followed that strictly. This morning, the first sentries into the kitchen heard a noise coming from below. After investigating, they found a young woman and a crippled boy had emerged from the bottom. Since we pull up the baskets and ropes at night, the girl couldn't lift the boy out alone, which is why they made a ruckus." Old Flint spread his hands. "Of course, we know now. The girl is Miss Meera Reed, and the boy is Brandon Stark. As for that big stableboy and Jojen Reed..."
The big stableboy and Jojen Reed were certainly dead, and Bran's wolf, Summer, likely met a grim end as well—a beast held little significance to the Flint chieftain, and he probably hadn't even noticed the direwolf's absence.
Egger frowned. It seemed the storm caused by his butterfly effect had limited impact beyond the Wall. Not only had the plot of Bran crossing the Wall to become the Greenseer remained unblocked, but even the casualties were exactly the same. He wondered if this was the inevitable conclusion drawn by the old Greenseer, or...
"I will find out," Egger nodded. "Go about your business. Tend to the horses and arrange a carriage. I'll be taking Bran back to Queenscrown when I leave."
"Aye."
The commander Egger had appointed to the Nightfort also came forward to briefly update him on the fortress's status, but Egger's mind was elsewhere. After a few curt replies, he cut the conversation short and asked to be led to the room where Bran was staying.
As the party reached the quarters, they happened upon Meera Reed, who had returned to the Wall with Bran, pushing the door open as she stepped out. The short, slender girl, though bundled in thick furs, radiated a sense of strength and vitality that defied her gender and size. It was no wonder she had managed to lead a crippled boy out of Winterfell and return safely from a journey beyond the Wall.
Yet, this capable and iron-willed huntress had red, swollen eyes, looking as though she had just been weeping.
She turned and saw Egger, quickly wiping her tears and saying with a sob, "My apologies, My Lord. We... we have caused you too much trouble during this time. I am truly sorry."
These were not mere pleasantries. Meera and her brother had vanished with Bran without a word. To search for them, the Northerners, the Watch, and the mountain clans had expended immense manpower and effort. Even the unexpected attack on Lord Commander Mormont had occurred while dealing with a case of Meera being harassed by New Gift settlers.
But as a highborn lady, even if she caused trouble for the Watch, who could do anything to her? Now that she had endured untold hardships to bring Bran back alive and looked so helpless and bullied, who could bring themselves to scold her?
"You children certainly know how to cause a stir," Egger sighed. "What's the matter?"
"I... I don't know..." Meera's eyes welled up again, and she shook her head with effort. "I don't know what foolishness I've done by bringing my brother along. Bran... Bran is like a different person. Everything about him is... strange."
"It's alright, I understand." This wasn't just a comfort; Egger truly did understand. After a few kind words of consolation, he patted Meera on the shoulder. "Say no more. Go and get some rest. After I speak with Bran, you'll return to Queenscrown with us. I'll arrange for someone to take you home later."
After sending the tearful Miss Reed away, Egger dismissed the unnecessary attendants, told his guards to find a spot out of the wind, and pushed open the door to Bran's temporary room.
The heavy wooden door creaked open, and a wave of humid heat hit him, making his eyes sting for a moment. Egger took a breath, stood still for a second, then closed the door and began to survey the scene.
The room smelled strongly of human presence; it clearly hadn't been empty before being vacated for the second Stark son. Despite guarding him like a prisoner, the Flint clan wasn't so foolish as to forget this was the biological brother of their liege lord. A fire roared in the hearth, making the room as warm as spring. Tables, chairs, beds, pillows, and sheets—every necessity was provided. Egger could see at a glance that these were the highest quality items available along the Wall or in the entire Gift.
In a large chair before the bed sat a young, delicate-looking boy: Brandon Stark.
Having been back at the Nightfort for only a day, there hadn't been time for anyone to construct the wheelchair Bran needed. At the moment, he was nestled in a large chair facing the door, a fur blanket draped over his knees, looking as though he had been waiting for Egger to appear.
"Lord Commander," the boy spoke first. "Hello."
"Hello, Bran." It wasn't their first meeting; they even had a somewhat complicated history that was hard to put into words, so Egger didn't act like a stranger. He pulled up a chair and sat down frankly across from the boy, observing him closely.
Compared to the little boy who performed acrobatics atop the walls when they first met, Bran's current state—sitting quietly and helplessly in a chair—was a tragic sight. Yet, the faint sorrow and anxiety lingering in his eyes, combined with the handsome features inherited from his mother, created the overall effect of a melancholically beautiful youth.
"I'm glad to see you're alive, but as Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, I am on duty and cannot chat for long. I hope you can answer some questions." Egger spoke directly and without ceremony: "Why did you children go beyond the Wall? How did you appear in the well? What exactly happened on the other side of the Ice? My mind is currently a mess regarding what has happened to you. If you could, please give me a brief explanation."
These were all questions Egger already knew the answers to. He asked them because of his pre-determined policy: he must never reveal his status as a traveler or his secret knowledge of the plot.
Since he couldn't reveal that, he had to ask the questions a man in his position would ask.
"It is a very... very long story." Bran's face, somewhat pale due to lack of exercise and nutrition, remained expressionless. "If I were to tell it, neither of us would sleep tonight. But you are now the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. Compared to my affairs, shouldn't there be other matters more worthy of your concern?"
Bran didn't want to tell the story, and Egger was happy to avoid it. If the boy really did recount everything from start to finish, would Egger—who already knew the gist—be forced to listen?
"I certainly want to know when the Others will come to attack the Wall, how the Night's Watch should defend it, and how to put an end to those monsters once and for all. The question is, can you answer those?"
"Opportunity favors the prepared, Lord Commander," Bran suddenly said, seemingly out of nowhere. "Thank you for the care you gave my family after my fall... especially Arya. And coincidentally, I truly can answer your questions now. For reasons you cannot yet understand, I can see all things—everything that is happening, and everything that has ever occurred. The Long Night is coming, and the warriors who stand against the darkness need eyes that can see the situation clearly. I can help you."
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