01/17/16 - Chapter 40: Bran III

[Clara]

1-They are in the first village they have seen since they left the foothills, and they saw a tower which was a holdfast on an island. Bran explained the lands belonged to the Watch, this was the New Gift. First it was called the Gift or Brandon’s gift, but Queen Alysanne doubled the leagues, and they were in the New Gift now, 50 leagues away from the Wall. No one has lived there for a long time because they were afraid of the wildlings. It seems they crossed a lot and people had to move. I guess they didn’t cross that often to go there now, since most of the village is a mess.

2-Jojen said they had to find shelter because there was a bad storm coming. Bran said they could get to the tower crossing a causeway under the water, he knew because Old Nan told him. How convenient! The Queen slept there once. The path was not straight which is kind of smart. Hodor almost falls twice, and Bran was afraid he forgot he was in his back and drowns. I don’t think the brothers would have let him though.

3-There was a murder hole in the holdfast, and since they couldn’t break iron bars of the door, they couldn’t get in through the door. So Bran took the grate of the murder hole and Hodor helped Meera and Jojen get in. They helped Bran but because Hodor was too heavy to lift, Bran told him to find some rocks and stand on them. That hole must have been quite large, since Hodor was big and he fit.

4-In the tower they reached the roof, and they couldn’t see the Wall because they were quite far away still. Bran asks how they will pass it, and Jojen answered they would find a way in the abandoned castles. When bran suggested to go to Castle Black and asked them to let them cross, Jojen told him no. There were a lot of men there, and a lot could tell they saw him. I forgot Bran told Benjen the name of all the 19 castles in Robert’s feast. It was really cute. Bran wanted to see Jon and Benjen, who he was sure already returned. I need confirmation on what happened to Benjen because it drives me crazy not to know.

5-Jojen saw a rider who took shelter in the inn, and lit up a fire. Bran wanted one as well, but Jojen said fire makes smoke, and they could be seen. He is right though, they didn’t know who that man was and if he was good or not.

6-When the storm began, Bran hoped Summer was not scared because of the thunders. Hodor was scared, and he screamed. They calm him down, but it sounded like a hell of a storm. Jojen saw men with axes outside, a lot of them. They weren’t mounted, and Jojen was afraid they were looking for shelter. Hodor was shouting a lot, and soon all of them were shouting to shout him, lol, which made everything way more stressful. Bran reached Hodor, which he never did before, and the boy calm down and barely reacted to the next thunder. Bran has so much skill! Jojen said something was happening outside, and saw a man pointing at the tower. While they were trying to guess who those men were, Bran said they couldn’t get to the tower because they didn’t know about the causeway. I guess they wouldn’t risk swimming with the storm. Then when Bran was in Summer’s skin, he could smell fear. I was so afraid for them the first time! This chapter made me so nervous!