The charcoal in the hearth seemed to burn with an unusual quiet.
This was the lord's chamber in Winterfell's Great Keep, secluded and warm. Only Catelyn, Robb, Rodrik, Joffrey, and their companions were present.
Catelyn sat alone beside the bed, gazing in wonder at the three tiny Children of the Forest.
"Children of the Forest," Robb murmured.
Joffrey opened the conversation. "Robb, since you know of the Children of the Forest, I imagine you know about skinchangers and greenseers too."
Catelyn looked at her son.
Robb nodded. "Maester Luwin told us about them. They can supposedly control beasts and even know all things."
Could any of that really be true?
Joffrey sighed. "Maester Luwin was a worthy scholar. It wasn't until I went beyond the Wall that I learned he died trying to save Bran!"
Catelyn could not bear to hear it. Panic seized her at once. "Bran is so young. Who would want to hurt him?"
"A greenseer!" Joffrey said with utter sincerity. "You may not know this, my lady, but Bran has the gift of a greenseer. That's why the greenseer hiding beyond the Wall—Bloodraven—set his sights on him."
At last, Catelyn heard a familiar name. "Lord Bloodraven? Brynden Rivers!?"
"That's right. The Bloodraven who was exiled to the Wall."
"He later became the Children of the Forest's greenseer, but he still couldn't escape a mortal's lifespan. So..."
Joffrey paused to watch the three of them.
"He wants Bran's body. He often slips into Bran's dreams and gnaws at his soul. Maester Luwin discovered what was happening, and that was why he was killed."
Words were no match for proof.
"These Children of the Forest saw Bloodraven's true nature. His wildlings and skinchangers hunted them all the way here, until we rescued them."
Leaf bowed. "My lords, it