A Game of Thrones 4-Book Bundle

overlapping iron disks, and
carried a dirk in one hand and an axe strapped to his back. “What do you
want?” Bran demanded, afraid. “This is my room. You get out of
here.”
    Theon Greyjoy followed him into the bedchamber. “We’re not here to harm you,
Bran.”
    â€œTheon?” Bran felt dizzy with relief. “Did Robb send you? Is he here
too?”
    â€œRobb’s far away. He can’t help you now.”
    â€œHelp me?” He was confused. “Don’t scare me, Theon.”
    â€œI’m
Prince
Theon now. We’re both princes, Bran. Who would have
dreamed it? But I’ve taken your castle, my prince.”
    â€œWinterfell?” Bran shook his head. “No, you
couldn’t.
”
    â€œLeave us, Werlag.” The man with the dirk withdrew. Theon seated himself on
the bed. “I sent four men over the walls with grappling claws and ropes, and
they opened a postern gate for the rest of us. My men are dealing with yours
even now. I promise you, Winterfell is mine.”
    Bran did not understand. “But you’re Father’s
ward.
”
    â€œAnd now you and your brother are
my
wards. As soon as the
fighting’s done, my men will be bringing the rest of your people

together in the Great Hall. You and I are going to speak to them. You’ll tell
them how you’ve yielded Winterfell to me, and command them to serve and obey
their new lord as they did the old.”
    â€œI
won’t,
” said Bran. “We’ll fight you and throw you out. I never
yielded, you can’t make me say I did.”
    â€œThis is no game, Bran, so don’t play the boy with me, I won’t stand for it.
The castle is mine, but these people are still yours. If the prince would keep
them safe, he’d best do as he’s told.” He rose and went to the door. “Someone
will come dress you and carry you to the Great Hall. Think carefully on what
you want to say.”
    The waiting made Bran feel even more helpless than before. He sat in the window
seat, staring out at dark towers and walls black as shadow. Once he thought he
heard shouting beyond the Guards Hall, and something that might have been the
clash of swords, but he did not have Summer’s ears to hear, nor his nose to
smell.
Awake, I am still broken, but when I sleep, when I’m Summer, I can
run and fight and hear and smell.
    He had expected that Hodor would come for him, or maybe one of the serving
girls, but when the door next opened it was Maester Luwin, carrying a candle.
“Bran,” he said, “you . . . know what has happened? You have
been told?” The skin was broken above his left eye, and blood ran down that
side of his face.
    â€œTheon came. He said Winterfell was his now.”
    The maester set down the candle and wiped the blood off his cheek. “They swam
the moat. Climbed the walls with hook and

rope. Came over wet and dripping, steel in hand.” He sat on the chair by the
door, as fresh blood flowed. “Alebelly was on the gate, they surprised him in
the turret and killed him. Hayhead’s wounded as well. I had time to send off
two ravens before they burst in. The bird to White Harbor got away, but they
brought down the other with an arrow.” The maester stared at the rushes. “Ser
Rodrik took too many of our men, but I am to blame as much as he is. I never
saw this danger, I never . . .”
    Jojen saw it,
Bran thought. “You better help me dress.”
    â€œYes, that’s so.” In the heavy ironbound chest at the foot of Bran’s bed the
maester found smallclothes, breeches, and tunic. “You are the Stark in
Winterfell, and Robb’s heir. You must look princely.” Together they garbed him
as befit a lord.
    â€œTheon wants me to yield the castle,” Bran said as the maester was fastening
the cloak with his favorite wolf’s-head clasp of silver and jet.
    â€œThere is no shame in that. A lord must protect his smallfolk. Cruel places
breed cruel peoples, Bran, remember that as you deal with these ironmen. Your
lord father did what he could to gentle Theon, but I fear it was too little and
too late.”
    The ironman who came for them was a squat thick-bodied man with a coal-black
beard that covered half his chest. He bore the boy easily enough, though he
looked none too happy with the task. Rickon’s bedchamber was a half turn