Theon was terrified.
In all his life, he had never been this afraid.
Listening to the moans drifting up from below, growing closer and closer, he ran in panic around the top of the broken tower, searching for any place he could possibly hide.
But the ruin had been abandoned for years. Aside from dust on the floor, the room was completely empty.
There was nowhere to conceal himself.
In the end, Theon went to the window and looked out at the rough stones jutting from the outer wall.
'I can only stand there and hope it is enough.'
'Damn it, the queen and Ser Jai of all people. If they find here, I am dead.'
Clenching his teeth, he climbed onto the cracked window fra, then edged sideways, pressing himself flat against the wall as he stepped onto the stones that stuck out from the tower's outer face.
He let out a careful breath. 'If I stay here, as long as they do not lean out to look, they should not see .'
'Gods, please, let them finish quickly and leave.'
He could not help glancing toward the window, his heart filled with both terror and a sick kind of excitent.
He never imagined that simply following the instructions in the letter and coming to the broken tower would lead him to stumble across the queen and a Kingsguard in the middle of an affair.
And their relationship was more dangerous than any other.
Theon did not need to think hard to know that, if they discovered him, he would not escape with his life.
'Why must this happen now of all tis, gods. Could they not wait until I have left before coming here. But the queen is truly bold…'
'If this spreads, House Lannister will be wiped out by the king. Wait… the king's three children, could they also be…"
Theon pressed himself tighter to the wall, mind racing wildly as he listened to the sounds coming from the room.
His heart pounded against his ribs.
A gust of icy wind blew past and he shuddered uncontrollably.
Even so, he did not dare to move. On the verge of tears, he could only stare toward the distant rookery and pray they would finish soon.
Any tiny sound from him might give him away.
After a while, voices drifted out from the room.
Theon slowly let out the breath he had been holding and, unable to resist, listened closely.
"I do not like that old wolf. You should be the one wearing the Hand's pin," Cersei said lazily, fully satisfied, leaning in Jai's arms. Her slender fingers traced his face.
Jai sat on the floor, holding her. "Spare . Whoever wants that thankless job can have it."
"You really cannot see the danger behind this," Cersei frowned, looking at her brother. "Robert trusts Stark more than anyone. If Stark senses anything, we are in danger."
"Then we kill the wolf the sa way we killed the eagle," Jai replied carelessly.
Theon's heart clenched hard at the words.
His eyes went wide and his mouth fell open. His fingers dug into the stone above him.
'So the forr Hand, Jon Arryn, was killed by the queen and her people.'
The thought sprang into his mind, wild and terrifying.
He shook so hard his foot nearly slipped from the stone. He barely managed to catch himself and plant his foot again.
'If I tell Lord Ned and the king everything, the power in the West will be overturned. And the Iron Islands will have a chance to profit.'
'Father will praise for it.'
'Stay hidden. For now, all I have to do is hide and avoid being seen.'
While Theon did everything he could to conceal himself, Bran was climbing up from the direction of the godswood and, by chance, spotted him clinging to the broken tower's outer wall.
'Huh? Why is Theon there? Did he not go hunting with Father? Does he like climbing walls too?'
Bran's hands gripped the stones and his eyes sparkled with excitent.
It was hard enough within Winterfell to find soone who shared his love of climbing. This was the first ti he had ever seen anyone but himself climb so high.
'I will not call out to him yet. I will give him a surprise.'
Feeling pleased with his idea, Bran climbed harder and soon reached the top of the First Keep.
He took a deep breath and looked at the gargoyle carved on the edge of the wall. With a running jump, he caught it with both arms, hanging freely in the air.
His direwolf sat below, ash gray fur bristling, yellow eyes fixed on its master, afraid he might fall.
At that mont, a black raven flapped its wings and flew over, landing on the head of a nearby gargoyle and silently watching Bran.
As though witnessing the fate that was about to befall him.
Bran did not notice the raven. He swung his arms with effort, moving from one gargoyle to the next like a child on a swing.
After several breaths, he gathered himself and jumped, hurling his body toward the broken tower's outer wall. His hands caught the protruding stones and held fast.
A dull thud shivered through the wall.
Theon snapped back to himself instantly.
He turned toward the source of the sound and saw a very familiar small figure.
"Bran…"
His voice ca out as a groan of despair. In his heart he prayed.
'Do not speak. Please do not make a sound.'
One hand clung to the stone to steady himself. With the other, he pressed his fingers to his lips and waved frantically for Bran to be quiet.
But Bran, focused on climbing, did not see him.
He moved with nimble hands and feet, and in just a few motions reached the stones below and beside Theon, then looked up curiously.
"Theon, what are you doing here?"
The mont Bran spoke, Theon knew it was over.
He had no ti to think.
"Bran, go," he shouted.
Then he turned and began climbing down as fast as he could, no longer caring whether he was any good at climbing at all.
But Jai inside the room reacted even faster.
The instant he heard Bran's voice, he pushed Cersei aside, sprang to his feet, and rushed to the window.
In a single glance, he saw Theon and Bran clinging to the broken tower's outer wall.
Caught off guard, Bran was startled by Jai's sudden appearance. His fingers slipped from the stone.
With a cry, he fell.
Theon reacted on instinct, grabbing for him.
He caught Bran's arm, but the boy's weight dragged at him, pulling him off balance. Both of them almost fell together.
At the critical mont, Jai reached out, seized Theon's arm, and with a violent pull hauled both boys back up and into the room.
Behind him, Cersei finally truly understood what had happened.
She scread, scrambled into her clothes, and shouted in panic. "They saw us, they must have seen us!"
"Jai, kill them! Kill them now!"
Jai's expression stayed calm.
He blocked the terrified Theon and Bran in front of the window, then turned to Cersei and pressed his hand down in a soothing gesture.
"Cersei, calm down. Calm down."
Hearing him, Cersei forced herself to quiet down, at least a little.
Once she stopped speaking, Jai turned back. His gaze swept over Theon and Bran, each wearing a different expression of shock and fear.
"Well now, who would have thought this broken place could attract so many visitors."
"Is there truly nowhere else to go in Winterfell."
His tone was light and mocking.
His eyes were full of killing intent.
__________
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