The light inside the tower was dim and ambiguous.
Cersei leaned against the cold stone wall.
Her hood had long since slipped down, her golden hair spread loosely over her shoulders.
The magnificent skirt was piled at her waist.
Jaime Lannister gasped, his palm caressing Cersei's delicate skin.
The roughness of the stone wall contrasted sharply with the warmth of her skin.
"Hurry, Jaime."
Cersei's voice was suppressed and urgent.
"If we're discovered..."
"No one will discover us."
Jaime looked up, sweat trickling down his handsome profile.
He kissed Cersei's lips, swallowing all her unspoken words.
Outside the tower.
Bran finally climbed to the window.
Intense curiosity drove him; his small hands gripped the window ledge, and he pushed himself up with effort.
Bran peered in.
He saw them.
The Queen.
And... Jaime.
Bran's eyes widened.
Cersei was passionately embracing Jaime.
Suddenly, Cersei's peripheral vision caught sight of the window.
"Quick, stop!"
Inside the tower, Jaime's movements abruptly froze.
He sharply turned his head, following Cersei's gaze to the window.
Their eyes met.
Bran's gray eyes were filled with shock and fear.
Jaime's eyes instantly turned cold.
"Damn it, how did this child get up here from below?"
Cersei also reacted.
She shrieked, frantically pulling at her dress and hiding in the shadows.
"He saw! Jaime! He saw!"
Jaime's movements were incredibly fast.
He strode to the window.
He looked down at the shivering boy clinging to the outside wall.
"Clever boy, quite the climber."
"How old are you this year?"
Bran stammered.
"Ten... ten years old..."
Jaime's gaze sharpened.
At ten, he already understood many things.
He asked tentatively.
"What did you see, child?"
Jaime's voice was eerily calm.
Bran opened his mouth, but was too scared to utter a single word.
He wanted to retreat, but behind him was a bottomless abyss.
Jaime's golden hair fluttered in the wind.
He glanced at the hunting party in the distance, then back at Bran.
"It seems you understand what this means."
Jaime withdrew his hand, looking at the somewhat panicked Cersei.
Just as Bran breathed a sigh of relief.
"For love, I would do anything."
Jaime suddenly reached out.
He pushed hard.
"No!"
Bran's scream pierced the quiet courtyard.
His body instantly lost balance and he fell backward.
Below the tower.
Lynn's pupils contracted.
It's here!
He had already calculated Bran's possible trajectory of falling.
The moment Bran screamed, Lynn's legs shot out like arrows from a bowstring.
He dropped the longsword in his hand.
The wind whistled past his ears.
Bran's body plummeted rapidly, his small frame tumbling in the air.
Lynn sprinted at full speed.
The impact might break both their bones.
But Lynn had no choice.
Lynn leaped, using his own body to "cushion" Bran's fall.
"Bang!"
A dull thud sounded.
Bran's body heavily slammed onto Lynn's shoulder and back.
The immense impact made Lynn's vision go black.
He felt as if his spine was about to break.
The two rolled several times on the gravel-strewn ground.
Dust flew.
The Direwolf, Summer, howled wildly and pounced, circling them.
Lynn lay on the ground, gasping for air.
Half his body had lost all sensation.
He struggled to turn his head to look at the boy in his arms.
Bran's eyes were tightly shut, his face as pale as paper.
His right leg and left arm were unnaturally twisted.
But he was alive.
His chest was still faintly rising and falling.
Lynn breathed a sigh of relief, the intense pain almost making him faint again.
He struggled to get up but found himself completely weak.
Lynn gritted his teeth, holding the unconscious Bran.
"Help!"
Lynn roared in a hoarse voice.
"Someone help!"
"Something happened to Bran!"
In the castle, someone finally heard the commotion.
Patrolling Guards and servants on duty were swarming towards them.
On the tower.
Jaime looked at the dust rising below and the figure that had suddenly appeared.
His brows were tightly furrowed.
Cersei rushed over, peering down from the window.
"Is he dead?"
"Not dead."
Jaime's voice held a rare gravity.
"Someone saved him."
"Who?"
"A man in black."
Jaime withdrew his gaze, his face grim.
"We need to leave quickly."
Cersei also realized the seriousness of the situation.
Jaime, however, shook his head.
"No, I have to go down and kill both of them!"
Cersei quickly said.
"Are you mad!"
"Bran falling can be considered an accident."
"If his body has human-inflicted wounds, that would be an entirely different matter!"
"He is Ned's second son!"
Looking at the figures rushing towards them in the distance due to Lynn's shouts, Jaime impatiently ran his fingers through his golden hair.
He knew they couldn't delay any longer.
"Now we can only insist it wasn't us."
Jaime told Cersei.
Cersei nodded, then the two quickly tidied their clothes and left the tower.
Watching the figures rushing towards him in the distance, Lynn's heart relaxed, and his vision began to blur.
His consciousness was like a stone sinking into an icy sea, slowly resurfacing.
Lynn felt a noisy crow by his ear, constantly squawking.
He opened his eyes again.
His vision was blurry at first, then gradually cleared.
The annoying crow's cries by his ear also vanished without a trace.
An unfamiliar ceiling, made of thick oak.
The air was filled with the scent of herbs and ointments.
"You're awake."
An aged voice sounded.
Maester Luwin sat on a chair by the bed, holding a book.
When he saw Lynn open his eyes, he closed the book.
Lynn tried to prop himself up.
A sharp pain shot from his back, instantly spreading throughout his body.
Lynn didn't push himself and fell back onto the bed.
"Don't move around."
Maester Luwin stood up and walked to the bedside.
"Your spine suffered a violent impact."
"Although there are no fractures, to be safe, you cannot get out of bed for the next few days, but your constitution is good, so there should be no major problems."
Lynn's lips were cracked, and he spoke hoarsely.
"Bran... Bran, how is he?"
Maester Luwin's face showed a trace of sorrow.
"He's alive."
"It's a miracle in misfortune."
The Maester paused.
"But he hasn't woken up yet."
"His leg and arm are broken, but I think they should recover."
"If you hadn't cushioned his fall, he would probably have spent the rest of his life in bed."
Lynn closed his eyes.
The outcome was better than expected.
"The King and the Duke are already on their way back."
Maester Luwin continued.
"All of Winterfell is in chaos."
"The Duchess..."
Maester Luwin's words were unfinished.
The room door was gently pushed open.
Catelyn Stark walked in.
Her eyes were swollen and red, her face pale, and her usually neatly combed hair was somewhat disheveled.
She looked like she hadn't slept all night.
Maester Luwin bowed slightly to Catelyn, then silently exited the room, closing the door behind him.
Only Lynn and Catelyn remained in the room.
Catelyn walked to the bedside.
She looked at Lynn, and in her blue eyes, emotions were complex.
There was gratitude, sadness, and an indescribable emotion within them.
She suddenly bent down.
Lynn was startled and quickly spoke.
"My lady, what are you doing!"
Catelyn's movements paused.
Her tears, finally unable to be held back, slid down her cheeks.
"Thank you."
Her voice was choked, with an uncontrollable tremor.
"Thank you for saving my Bran."
"If it weren't for you..."
She couldn't continue, only able to cover her mouth with her hand to prevent herself from crying aloud.
"My lady, you know, I can see some things others cannot."
Lynn said calmly.
"And anyone who saw it would have done the same."
Catelyn shook her head.
"No."
"Not everyone has your courage."
She wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself.
"Lynn."
"House Stark owes you a life."
"From today on, you are the benefactor of all Winterfell."
Catelyn's gaze became incredibly firm.
"I swear by the Seven Gods."
"As long as I, Catelyn, live another day, House Stark will always protect you."
"What do you want?"
"Money, status, or honor?"
"Just name it, and as long as House Stark can do it, I will fulfill your wish."
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