Summer child~Brandon Stark x Reader

Chapter 30- Ice

If not in the 3rd person the character will be noted. If not noted then it is the reader.

Sansa's POV
It was about lunchtime but not yet. Mother had gathered us all for some reason. Rickon's stomach growls loudly and his eyes widen. Bran looks over at him smirking. I stroke the little blonde's curls and he looks up at me. At least someone is still shorter than I am. I imagine Bran Would be taller now if he weren't a cripple. I walk over to him and wait for robb and Jon to join us. Mother and father Were waiting and talking quietly amongst themselves. Arya walks in and Nymeria follows behind. She immediately lays by the fire and Arya stands next to Rickon finishing off the braid in her hair. "Where's y/n?" "Uh..she will be here in a moment." "Alright.." Sketchy.. I ruffle Bran's hair absently and he looks up at me. "Sorry." "No it's fine I just didn't expect it." He pushes himself up in his cart. I am sure mother wasn't happy that the dirty thing was inside but it would prove useful and not be buried in snow. I continue to ruffle Bran's hair and Jon Snow walks in. I smile to him and he grimaces back. One hand is on his stomach. He looks sick. You alright? I mouth. He nods and looks around. Probably for y/n. She comes in behind him and he turns and smiles at her. She was oddly like Bran. Made everyone around her happy. They'd make each other happy. It was a good match. The Starks sure we're lucky. It'd be nice if I could have some luck with a man. Arya had been sneaking around with a talk dark boy who seemed older than even i. But as winter came, well I assume he harbored in the Wintertown. I hope he's warm there she seems to care about him. Some warm food and a warm home would do the kid good. Why couldn't I be lucky? Jon either. We're both just so unlucky! I frowned to myself and dreamed of a renegade boy who was as far from a prince as could be. He would come out of the no where in the harsh winter. He'd be strong, handsome..but cold and tired. Hungry. He would eat with us as a guest. And he and I would fall in love. So far fetched... "Children. We have news." Bran's friends stopped in the doorway to listen in. They probably shouldn't be doing that... I turn my attention to my mother. "The wall has seen white walkers. Not many, but we received word. As will the South. They haven't crossed the gates but I do not trust that they possibly could break through. The dead can do many things." I felt my body go rigid. "For now we are safe. But if there is one, there are more. Food rations are of what we have. We will be fine for now but the winter is only starting. It'll be a long one." Mother cuts in. "I don't want you children to worry. The Night's Watch will take care of things." "Why couldn't I have joined them.." Jon mutters beside me. But imagine if he had.. Who knows where we would be. When Id see him. The Night's Watch took a hit I heard from the Wildlings. Mother murmurs to father about how she doesn't want us worrying and we need to relax and see the good side of things while they're still good. "You all deserve to know but we don't want you to worry." Father says softly and sits down in a chair. Mother sighs and sits beside him. Lady grumbles in protest and Grey Wind nuzzles her neck.

Bran's POV
It is cold. I can't move like everyone else. It is harder to get body heat. Even the castle seemed frozen sometimes. If we didn't have hot springs running through our walls, I don't know what we'd do. I wished I could take off my breeches and lay on the floor of my bedchambers. Id be warmer that way. But I couldn't possibly. I didn't wish for y/n to see my crooked legs when she wasn't focused on my face. And I certainly wouldn't remove my breeches in front of anyone anyways. Only Hodor is allowed to see. He's the one who helps me with everything. Everything. It's embarrassing being a cripple. I rub my lifeless leg and try my best to sink into the cart. I wanted to cover myself in the furs. They were falling out of the cart. They barely covered half of my legs. "Um..y-y/n." I blush. I hated asking her for things. I wish I could do things on my own. She spins around, her blonde hair swirling behind her. She smiles warmly and my heart flutters. I look around to be sure no one noticed. She immediately noticed my blankets and pulls up the furs so they're completely covering my legs. I smile my thanks and look up at Sansa who is still playing with my hair. Arya was talking to Jon Snow and I try my best to listen in. "There's not enough food no." "What will we do? Send a raven?" "No Raven can fly in this. We stick it out. Smaller portions per day. Some of us..won't get as much. But it'll feed who is important." "You're fucking important Jon Snow." "Arya it's the truth. To you I may be. To society? No. The lords and lady's will eat much more than i." "Father will make sure that-" "no arya. He will make sure you eat. And Rickon. And bran since he's so thin. Even Robb won't eat as much. We need to save up for other mouths." "Oh. Well you should eat as much as Robb gets." "It doesn't work that way Arya.." "I'm hungry!" Rickon whines. "I'll be fine." I turn away from Arya and Jon and look over to my little brother. He complained to Mother and she gave him a hug. "Go see your brother Hmm? We will eat in a little while." How much did we have.. Rickon quietly walks over to Bran with his head hung. "Is there anything to hunt Bran?" "I don't think so Rickon." Rickon frowns in frustration. "But I can hunt maybe.." "There's nothing there to hunt. Just dead carcasses." "Bran.." He whines. Bran opens his arms and Rickon crawls into them for a hug. "We will be fine. We are Starks Rickon. We will be fine. I promise you that. There will be enough." I had to look away when I felt the tears prick my eyes. Why did it have to be this way? A fortnight of snow and were already set to starve. I knew how this would work. Jon is right. I would get more food than Robb. But less food than Arya and the little ones. They would get the most since they are children. And when Arya's portions go down, Bran's won't for a while after. He is thin. He would need his strength when the dead come.. But he wouldn't like that. No I know Bran enough. If he knew he was getting anything more than anyone else he wouldn't eat a single bite. Robb was older and would be fed much less than the children. They might already eat less than him but they are growing more than he is. Talisa would need to eat for two until the child could eat for himself. And when it is y/n's turn she will do the same. Jon won't get much at all. That would be very noticeable. I wonder if he will eat with us or spare the children seeing how little he will receive. Just because he is a bastard. Even I do not approve of this even if I understand politics a bit more than I bargained to. What happens when we do see the Others? The dragonglass. All we have isn't enough. If we had more..Id feel safer. I do feel safer with Bran though. I don't know why. Jon says valyrian steel is as strong as dragonglass against the white walkers. If only there was more to fight with. And Bran was our most important weapon of all. I've seen him warg. I've never seen anything quite like it. If he sought out the three-eyed Raven and truly trained with him. If he is indeed the most powerful warg. What would happen? Could he warg into the dead I wonder? What could he do..

Bran felt Sansa's eyes on him. He didn't understand why she kept looking at him but he wasn't returning her gaze. He couldn't think. Rickon was whining. He wasn't sure what to do but to hug him. Rickon shouldn't be worried he's so young. Maybe everything old nan says has some truth to it. The threat isn't here yet. The winter no matter how cold isn't as threatening as could be.

Bran's POV
I wonder what started all of this. The white walkers. I want the answers. What created the first. who sought out to create more? I guess I'll find out sooner than I wish to. They're coming that's for sure. The Night's Watch will see them first. And they won't be able to hold them off. Will there be any survivors? If there are will they make it here? Or will they freeze and starve? Staying North is where we belong. It's stupid really. We're defending our home and how long will that last? I don't wish to be one of them. I want to lay in the crypts when I die. I don't want to die as Bran the Broken either. Id like to be something greater. I want to have more of a story than the boy who fell from the window. I want to be with my family. I want to have my own family. I've gotten this far. Perhaps I could..if I could warg into a raven. Send word to Castle Black. And warg into their Raven from there and travel back safely. I could see what was going on. We could prepare. Possibly... And I could go further and see. See how close the army is. I am sure they don't need to stop for food and rest. Is that all really up to me though? To stop the white walkers..how? Will I know how?

I held Bran's hand. He seemed so troubled. Lost in his own thoughts. Rickon was whimpering to himself and pulling on his brother's arm. I squeezed Bran's hand and he still stared into space. Completely lost in his own troubles. What a burden to carry.