Jaidyn spent the day dealing with wedding matters, so when Caitlyn allowed the girl a break, she did not waste a second leaving. She had not seen Bran since the courtyard so Jaidyn decided to find him. Since Ned had accepted the role of the Hand of the King, the younger Stark family excluding Robb and Jon would be leaving. Jaidyn wanted to spend as much time as she possibly could with them. But Bran seemed to be distant with her and she was determined to find out why.
After looking just about everywhere, she was going to head inside when she noticed Greywind acting strange. Her attention was focused on Greywind that she did not see the other direwolf approach behind her until she felt the pull on her skirt. She tried to free her dress but the direwolf would not let her. He pulled and pulled her in a direction so she reluctantly began to follow.
The direwolf pulled her outside the castle walls and recognized the direction she knew where she was being led to. The Broken Tower had not entered her mind when searching for Bran. Just looking at the behavior of the direwolf caused the uneasy feeling to rise back into her stomach.
Her face paled as they approached the tower. At the bottom of the tower laid her worst nightmare. Brandon Stark sprawled out not moving.
Her throat felt dry that she couldn't scream nor did she want to. A whisper could barely be heard as Bran's name left her mouth.
Before she knew it, she was kneeling beside his body praying that she found any sign of life. And just as she was about to give up all hope there was a faint thumping against her fingers that were placed on his neck.
A sigh of relief left her mouth as he looked around her. She needed to get help but she would not leave Bran alone. Her head turned to the two direwolf that sat beside her.
"Go find Maester Luwin and Lady Stark now." She told the two pups hoping they understood. She closed her eyes as they turn and ran toward the castle.
In that moment, Jaidyn felt hopeless. There was nothing she could do but wait hoping that the direwolfs will return with someone. Silent tears began to roll down her face as she looked at Bran's face.
Jaidyn was too focused on Bran that she hadn't seen Maester Luwin approach. Her head snapped up when the Maester knelt down on the opposite side of her. The Maester eyes kept switched between Bran and Jaidyn before settling on the tower behind him.
It was then that Jaidyn heard a scream rip through the air. She stood up shakily as Caitlyn Stark approached. "Jaidyn, go and find more people to help us move him inside." Maester Luwin spoke as his eyes settled on Bran again. Without a moment to waste, Jaidyn ran to find anyone she could.
After Bran was moved inside, Jaidyn paced around the room as Maester Luwin assess the damages. Caitlyn had tried to get her to stop but it seems as if Jaidyn were put in an autopilot mode. After having enough of Jaidyn pace, Caitlyn stood and approached the girl. She placed her hands on her shoulders before looking into her eyes. "I know it is scary, Jai but you must be the one to keep the strength. I cannot leave my son now but I also have three more outside that door waiting. I need you now more than ever to help me. Take the children somewhere and get them settled. Then go find the hunting party and tell my husband what has happened."
Jaidyn stared at the woman in front of her who had tears running down her face and reality seemed to snap her out of her trance. Caitlyn wiped the dried tears from Jaidyn's face then kissed her head before moving back to the bedside.
Jaidyn looked to Bran again before walking to him kissing his forehead and walking out the room. As soon as she emerged from the room, three Starks ran to her asking questions and trying to find out what had happened.
Rickon wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in her stomach. Arya held onto her arm with a tight grip and pleading eyes. Sansa Stark stood as poised as she could but Jaidyn could see under through her and knew the girl was close to breaking down in tears.
"We need to get you three to a room before I can do anything else." The three children looked at her with a questioning look before she spoke again. "I promise I will come to you with everything I know after I get your father."
Before they could even try to protest, she had taken them to Sansa's room. She put Rickon and Arya onto the bed and turned to Sansa. "Be sure to stay here until I come back. Is that understood?" She gave them forehead kisses before exiting.
As soon as Jaidyn was out the door, she ran to the stables to saddle a horse. Mounting it as quickly as she could she bolted out of the gates in the direction she had seen the hunting party go.
She traced for what seemed like hours before she could hear familiar talking of the King. She kicked the horse to go faster. She didn't see the arrow coming toward her until it had narrowly missed her.
"Are you insane, Jai? We could have killed you!" Robb Stark's voice rang out but she had more important things to discuss.
Her eyes roamed the hunting party before they landed on Ned Stark. He could already see the panic in her eyes and questioned her quickly. "What?" The others around them grew with curiously of what was happening.
Jaidyn's chest heaved but answered quickly. "Your need back at Winterfell immediately." Her next words shook the people who knew Bran well. "Bran has fallen."
Ned wasted no time climbing his horse and riding to Winterfell.
Jaidyn waited till Robb, Theon and Jon were on the horses before turning and riding to Winterfell. Her horse was fast and she was able to catch up to the frantic father as they rode into the gate. The stable boys were ready to put the horse up seeing as how frantic the castle was.
Jaidyn followed quickly after Ned with the three boys on her heels. As they approached the door to Bran's room they waited outside. Robb then approached Jaidyn worried about her state of mind. Jaidyn's eyes met his and before he could ask, she answered bluntly, "I'm fine."
Not longer after, Maester Luwin exited the room and turned to those in the hallway. "Tonight will determine if he lives or dies. If he does survive, there is a high chance he will not walk again." His face saddened of what he had to say.
Before anyone could do anything, Jaidyn turned and headed to Sansa's room where three children were waiting. As the door came into sight she did not know what she could possibly say.
Taking a deep breath, Jaidyn turned the knob and entered the room. Three heads popped up from the bed and looked towards her. They were scared of what she had to say.
Jaidyn approached the bed and gathered the three around her. Robb Stark watched from the doorway as she informed the younger children in a soft mothering voice. They were scared to say the least but they understood as they all hugged Jaidyn with tears rolling down their faces.
After bidding Sansa good night, she picked up Rickon and proceeded to get Arya to bed when Robb came to pick up Arya. Together, they left to put them to bed.
Robb had insisted in walking her to her room watching her every move to try and sense how she was. Jaidyn wanted to stay strong but her emotions wanted to be let out. With Robb so close she wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around him and cry. But Caitlyn's words still lingered in her mind.
"Thank you for walking me to my room." She said quickly and quietly wanting to be alone. Jaidyn didn't give him much time to respond as she turned and entered the room.
Robb just about turned to leave when he heard a small sound come from the room in front of him. He didn't like the feeling inside him. Silently, he opened the door and looked inside. There on the bed was Jaidyn with her knees pulled up and tears falling freely. Robb closed the door behind him and stepped closer to her wanting to take away any pain she felt.
"It is going to be alright, my love. I promise." He said as he sat on the bed beside her. His arms went around the girl pulling her close to him.
"I felt helpless." She spoke with a broken voice. "I'm a warrior. Warriors don't show weakness. I don't ever want to feel like that again."
Robb held her close not knowing what to say. He wanted to take all her sadness from her hoping that she never feel it again. "Bran will live Jai, I swear it. Then we will be married." He spoke as he placed a kiss on her head.
"I pray that he does." Jaidyn whispered and leant her head on Robb.
《 Across the Narrow Sea 》
After Jorah told Daenerys about how the Dorthraki believes the world would end, he watched as she stared at her Dorthraki husband. "It'll get easier." Daenerys didn't say a word. "You know I had a daughter back in Westeros." Jorah spoke with a gentle tone. Wanting to take her attention away from her married life.
Daenerys looked to Jorah with an interested glint in her eyes. She looked to him as they began to ride again.
"Her name is Jaidyn. She has brown hair and green eyes. She meant the world to me." Jorah said as he remembered his daughter.
"What happened to her?" Daeneryes asked in a soft voice not wanting to offend him.
"When I left Westeros, I left her in the care of my aunt. But when I sent a raven to Bear Island, my aunt informed me that Eddard Stark took her as a ward for my crimes." He said with a sadness in his voice. "I receive word about her every now and again. I know that she is a fighter excelling at every weaponry given to her. When she was a babe, she preferred the coldness of my armor rather than her mother's silk. She was handling a bow and arrow by the time she was four. I was beginning to train her with a sword when I had to leave. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of her and I have regretted my actions that have put a sea between us." Jorah cleared his throat as they began to approach the camp.
Daenerys had been so intrigued by Jorah's story that she had not seen the camp around her. Her hands had been tight around the reins to the point where it cut into her skin. As she tried to climb off, the pain began to become unbearable. After Jorah had gotten her off the horse, Daenerys glanced back at him with a sad look upon her face. Jorah sighed and turned to leave when her brother walked to him.
Viserys Targaryen was a man who thought only of the throne. He was willing to sell his younger sister off to the Dorthraki for an army. The Targaryen boy sent off a bad vibe. Jorah would have to keep an eye on him.
《 Winterfell 》
The days seemed to become longer as the Starks waited for news of Bran. Jaidyn had taken a more active role with Caitlyn not leaving Bran's bedside. Robb had also taken a bigger role with his father's leave. Jaidyn's role seemed to be turning upside down and if not for Robb she would have lost all sense.
Jon had been acting strange with Jaidyn. He had been avoiding her and become more distant. This was out of the ordinary if anything they would have gone to each other. Jaidyn was determined to find out what was going on with Jon because she did not need another thing to worry about.
Finally, the opportunity arose when Jaidyn spotted Jon heading to his bedchambers. She hurried after him and slipped in the door quietly.
"Jon Snow, what a pleasure it has been awhile since we talked." Jon jumped and turned around to see Jaidyn leaning against his door.
His hands began to fidget as his tried to avoid eye contact. Jaidyn raised her eyebrow as Jon tried to figure out an answer.
"Something is wrong, I can tell. What I can't figure out is what it is and why you've been avoiding me?"
Taking a deep breath, Jon finally said the words that caused Jaidyn's breath to leave her body.
"I'm going to the Wall. I'm taking the Black."