Castle Black's Council Room

[The Smith]

"You confuse me with Wull, I never married." Bracken stared at Aranya as he talked, "I am not saying I don't have any daughters, they would just all carry the 'Rivers' name."

[Deleted]

"I had no idea Wendwater was so reckless and moronic. I was shocked when Mudd told us what he did. Did he display better judgement when he fought against Hallise the Burned?"

"There's no shame in bearing bastards," Aranya said lightly. "Selwyn and I are bastard-born ourselves. I've never found that it was a problem."

[The Smith]

"I don't know. I already commanded Eastwatch at the Time, and could not come west for the battle." Bracken sighs, licking his lips, "I have heard some truly good stories though."

"I agree. You may feel you have to defend Bastards to the south. But on the wall, Bastards are sometimes the best of us. My best ranger was a rapist. And my most loyal man the bastard of a pig farmer." Bracken laughed, "Up here we are all misfits and dirt, but we have a duty. No one is looked down on for merely being a bastard."

[Lord Rhodri Arryn]

"If that is true, the Night's Watch may be better without him. We've had enough changings of Kings in the South to know little good comes of crowns. The Brotherhood could do with an infusion of new blood to strengthen it."

"I think my Lady Wife and I have occupied you too long. We will be making our way south, and we will try and send many more men to take the black."

[Deleted]

"I heard it was a battle to sing of," Aranya smiled as she rose to her feet. "But don't worry Lord Bracken, battle might come to the Wall yet again." And with it your dead brothers. Sooner than we think.

"I am glad we could sort out your differences with Lord Wull. If we hadn't, I'm afraid I would have tried to kill you both. Still, I'm glad it didn't come to that. See that you don't kill each other when Mudd's not there." Grinning at the idea, Aranya walked with Selwyn towards the door.

Selwyn's steward saw them coming and ran down to make ready their horses and wagons.

[Deleted]

Aranya fondly bade Hodrick Royce good-bye. "Hopefully I will see you again," she said. Then they went outside.

There, the old crone did not get onto the wagon. "My place is here, defending the crows," she said to Aranya. "You must go south, I know. I will await you here...when you return."

Aranya nodded, and mounted her black courser, who whickered at the old crone and turned eagerly for the south. Selwyn mounted beside her, and so did the Black Shields who were returning with them. Their knights remained, but their men-at-arms drove their two wagons, and they headed back south.

[Ellinda]

The snow storm that had hit Castle Black with a fury now spreads across the Wall and starts moving further south. Heavy flakes blanket the world, creating white out conditions. A bitter cold cuts through clothing and skin.