Chapter 40
Chapter 40
His ‘brother’ was an idiot.
Bran or now Brynden ‘Stark’ was ready to sign under Every. Single. Word.
And although he was never had any illusions about the average level of intelligence of the last few generations of Starks, seeing such a level of stupidity firsthand, was something else.
As the Bloodraven, he had long ago learnt that love is not always necessary for a betrothal. That duty and agreements must stand above all else. Especially in politics. But Robb Stark? That idiot certainly believes in the ‘love conquers all’ bullshit. Breaking a betrothal with the Freys and expecting them to not rescind their support? What kind of idiot would believe in THAT?!
Leaving Winterfell undefended, while trusting his ‘friend’ who was only a peace hostage and a Greyjoy to boot. And although ‘Bran’ is the one kept hostage now, he is glad for it. He has absolutely no desire to appear before his ‘family’. Especially considering the continuous changes his vessel had begun.
And while a glamour serves well to conceal the silver roots of his hair and the obvious violet glow his eyes have gained about the iris, with the Starks, he could never be certain of his disguise. They didn’t have magical blood for nothing after all and he was no Dragon-Fox…
But he cared not for politics of Westeros no longer.
He was only there, playing ‘captive’ until his magic completes repairing his body. And then he would be gone. Leaving them to face their petty problems by themselves.
His priority is now his Dragon-Fox. And magic. And freedom.
He will not be chained down again.
He was lucky that ‘Jon Snow’ decided to help him out of his contract with the Nightwatch.
As the silver beauty had said,
“There is a very good reason as to why mages and sorcerers swear their vows upon their magic. At least those they intend to keep. There is nothing more precious to a magical than their magic. Losing it is alike losing a limb.
Vows sworn such as ‘I swear on my life’ could be broken. Easily. You only have to think of the house of Undying for an example of how to work around that. They are not dead, but neither are they alive any longer. And that is not even taking into account the range of Undead creatures a sorcerer could transform into whilst still keeping their magic.
And the Nightwatch vow?
‘Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall wear no crowns and win no glory.’
Firstly, you are only accountable during the Night to uphold your ‘duty’ to the Nightwatch. Whatever you do during the Day, matters not. Then there is the matter of there being no set instructions you must follow during your ‘Watch’. You can basically do anything you want. As long as you believe that you are upholding your duty, you will not be held accountable.
And the ‘conditions’ you must uphold?
‘Taking no wife?’ You could take a husband.
‘Holding no lands?’ Well, unless you are into agriculture, it would be the smallfolk ‘holding’ them.
‘Fathering no children?’ It doesn’t say ‘Siring’. You could have them, just not raise them as a Father. Or better yet, you could ‘Mother’ them. What is even the difference? Essentially, it is all in your head…
‘Wearing no crowns?’ Well, there are always tiaras, circlets and other jewelry. And not wearing a crown doesn’t mean that you cannot be a monarch.
‘Wining no glory?’ Not a problem. Someone else could win it for you.
‘It shall not end until your death?’ That one is simple. Just stop your heart for a minute or two, and you are free. Are you a mage or a peasant?!”
And so the moment ‘Bran Stark’s’ head turns Bloodraven’s usual silver, his eyes violet and his features his once more, he will leave the North and the Stark drama and hopefully join his ‘Fox-Dragon’ somewhere in Essos.