A Clash of Kings-Chapter 35

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Bran V
A Clash of Kings chapter
AClashOfKings.jpg
POV Bran
Place Winterfell
Page 380 UK HC (Other versions)
Chapter chronology (All)
Bran IV
Jon IV  ← Bran V →  Tyrion VIII

Bran VI

Bran learns of his brother’s victory, and the death of Ser Ryman Frey, and realizes that Jojen Reed’s prophesy had come true. Jojen now tells him of his green dream of the sea flowing over the walls of Winterfell. Bran tries to warn others, but mostly the dream is dismissed. Ser Rodrik Cassel finally returns with a prisoner, Reek who was involved in the forced marriage and then murder of Lady Hornwood. Jojen reveals to Bran that he had a green dream where Reek is skinning off his face.

Synopsis

Bran is found working the bellows for Mikken when Alebelly finds him to tell him that there has been a bird from Robb Stark. Bran lets Alebelly carry him to Maester Luwin’s turret where Richon already waits. The Maester informs them that Robb shattered a Lannister Army at the Battle of Oxcross, killing its commander Ser Stafford Lannister. He has also captured several castles, and is currently at the stronghold of House Marbrand, Ashemark Rickon asks if Robb is coming home, but Bran knows that only Lord Tywin Lannister matters, as Big Walder states, which disquiets him. Niether Big Walder or Little Walder seem bothers by their uncle Ser Stevron Frey’s death, who note he was very old (50 or 60) and always tired. Little Walder asks if Ser Emmon Frey is now heir, and his brother gives him line of ascension: Ser Ryman Frey, Edwyn Frey, and Black Walder Frey, Petyr Frey, Aegon Frey and his sons. Little Walder states the Ryman is too old, and then asks if they think he will be lord, and Big Walder states he will be lord and does not care. The maester tells them that they should be ashamed.

Osha arrives to carry him; she is stronger than Alebelly. Bran asks if she knows the way north, and she tells him it is easy. He then asks if the Children of the Forest, the Others and Giants are still there and she tells him she has seen giants and heard of the others. He then asks about the Three-eyed crow, which she has never heard of. She sets him on the window seat of his bedchamber.

Shortly thereafter Jojen enters the room unbidden with Meera behind him. Brans asks Jojen if he had heard about the bird; it was not supper, it was a letter from Robb. Jojen tells him that the green dreams are not easy to understand. When Bran asks Jojen to tell him his dream, and that he will believe him no matter how strange it sounds. Then Jojen reveals:

I dreamed that the sea was lapping all around Winterfell. I saw black waves crashing against the gates and towers, and then the salt water came flowing over the walls and filled the castle. Drowned men were floating in the yard. When I first dreamed the dream, back at Greywater, I didn’t know their faces, but now I do. That Alebelly is one, the guard who called our names at the feast. Your septon’s another. Your smith as well.

Bran, confused and dismayed, replies:

But the sea is hundreds and hundreds of leagues away, and Winterfell’s walls are so high the water couldn’t get in even if it did come

To this Jojen replies:

In the dark of night the salt sea will flow over these walls,” said jojen. “I saw the dead, bloated and drowned.

Bran wants to tell them, but Jojen tells him it will not save them, they will not believe him. Jojen then asks Bran to tell of his wolf dream, and Bran replies:

There’s different kinds. There’s the wolf dreams, those aren’t so bad as the others. I run and hunt and kill squirrels. And there’s dreams where the crow comes and tells me to fly. Sometimes the tree is in those dreams too, calling my name. That frightens me. But the worst dreams are when I fall.” He looked down into the yard, feeling miserable. “I never used to fall before. When I climbed. I went everyplace, up on the roofs and along the walls, I used to feed the crows in the Burned Tower. Mother was afraid that I would fall but I knew I never would. Only I did, and now when I sleep I fall all the time.

Jojen tells Bran that he will be called a Warg if they hear of his wolf dreams, and some will hate you in fear, and the power is strong in him. Bran is concerned since in Old Nan’s stories wargs were always evil, and tells Jojen that he wants to be a knight. He is told that he is a winged wolf but will never fly unless he opens his eye in his forehead, and he must search for it with his heart. When Bran states that Maester Luwin states dreams are just that, and Jojen tells him they are the past, the future, and truth. With that they leave him, and Bran ties unsuccessfully to open his third eye.

In following days Bran tries to warn his household, but no one seems to believe him. Mikken thought it funny, and states he always wanted to see the sea. Septon Chayle states the gods will take her when they do, and she does not think she will drown since she grew up on the banks of the White Knife. Alebelly took heed, and refused to bath or go near a well; finally other guardsmen gave him a bath because he stunk so badly.

Ser Rodrik Cassel returns with a man that Hayhead tells Bran is named Reek. He had served the now dead Ramsay Snow (aka the Bustard of Bolton). The bastard and Reek had murdered Lady Hornwood. Rodrik’s men had shot the bastard as he attempted to ride away. The bastard had forced Lady Hornwood to marry him and then to sign a will naming him heir. Ser Rodrik is concerned that Roose Bolton may not agree that doing this under duress would make the marriage and will invalid. Ser Rodrik wants to keep Reek alive for judgement when Robb returns. Meanwhile House Manderly and House Bolton are fighting in the Hornwood forest, and Ser Rodrik does not have the strength to stop them.

Ser Rodrik then brings Bran commanding Alebelly not to bath. Bran tells him about the green dream. Maester Luwin then tells Rodrik that he has told Bran about the uncertainty of prophesies. The maester then tells how raiders in longships have been plundering and raping along the Stony Shore, and Leobald Tallhart sent his nephew Benfred Tallhart to deal with it. After he gets more information about the green dream, Ser Rodrik promises ot to take Alebelly with him if he rides against the raiders. Bran takes some hope in this.

When Bran meets with the Reeds later that night, Meera agrees that it should be possible to change prophesies. Meera gets angry with her brother when he tells them that what he sees always come true. Then Meera states that Alebelly and Bran should both fight to avoid their fates. Bran asks if he drowns also and Jojen reveals another dream:

Not drowned. I dreamed of the man who came today, the one they call Reek. You and your brother lay dead at his feet, and he was skinning off your faces with a long red blade.

Meera states that she could go down to the dungeons and kill Reek now, but Jojen tells her she will not succeed; first the jailers would stop her, and they will never believe. Even if Bran went to Greywater Watch he would not avoid his fate; the green dreams do not lie.

References and Notes