Chapter 291

BRAN STARK POV

"People say that the lands here are very prosperous. That Lord Bolton is a very good Lord. Perhaps that greatest from his house. What do you think of that?" Meera Reed asked from the opposite side of the Carriage.

He was at a loss for words. He had not known that Meera Reed would join him in this journey up North. But having a companion whom he could talk with was better than nothing. She was also very beautiful but after losing his legs… he very much doubted that any girl would ever choose to marry him so that line of thinking was closed to him.

Who would want to marry a cripple?

"It is… very…" he thought about the correct word to say it "The people in these lands. The small folk. They're richer than the people from the people living in the Stark lands."

"That's an understatement if I ever heard any" Meera said "I've spent my entire life in the swamps of Neck. The first time I left was in the 2nd expedition up North along with my brother…" Her face fell at the reminder of her brother.

He knew what happened to Jojen Reed. Robb and Jon had told him when they came back from the second expedition.

How the wights piled on top of him, broke his armor and crushed him to death.

The death of his uncle Benjen still pained him but he knew that losing your only brother would have been much harder for Meera.

"And now you're going there once again." He said "Are you a Greenseer as well?"

Meera shook her head "No. My brother used to have green dreams. See glimpses of the future. I have no such gifts. But the Bloodraven sent a message… and my father allowed me to come with you."

There was silence in the coach and tried to think of something to lighten the mood. To replace the sorrowful look on Meera's face with a smile.

Leaf was sitting beside Meera and seemed to empathise with losing your love ones but he knew that she would remain silent like she does most of the time and not console Meera.

"My sister. Sansa.�� Meera looked up at him "She said that Dreadfort was the most advanced and luxurious Castle in the whole North. She also said that Winterhold was more organized an prosperous than any other city. I suspect she might have said those things because she was in love with Lord Bolton. But my brothers Robb and Jon said the same thing."

She gave a small smile. She saw right through his sad attempts to cheer her up "That's good." She said and went silent, looking outside the window to try and see that city in the distance that was coming closer every minute.

He let out a sigh looked outside as well.

The whole 'going up North to become a Greenseer' left him in a nervous state and really couldn't muster up enough energy to help her.

What if he wasn't good enough to be a Greenseer? What if he couldn't help his people? What if he failed to save his people despite being a Greenseer? What if he turned out to be useless like he was in every other thing in his life?

He knew very well that for all his boasts of wanting to become a Kingsguard, he was never really good with the swords. Never really took his training as seriously as Robb or Jon.

Would he be able to help his family if he became a Greenseer. Would a girl ever want a cripple like him?

The next two hours was spent in uncomfortable silence with awkward small talk every now and then before they finally reached Winterhold.