ataraxion | video;

[Bran's smile is only a little wan--and that is only because he is distracted, because Summer is distracted. The great direwolf is sitting at his feet, but Summer has grown large enough that he is still visible in the video feed. Something is ailing the direwolf, making him skittish. He huffs a whine as the video begins, and Bran looks down at him, and lays a hand atop Summer's head.]

Be still.

[Summer's ears flick, nervously; he blinks, and whines again. Bran looks to his device, his hand still resting atop his direwolf's head.]

I am looking for paper--perhaps twenty or thirty sheets of paper, that is not being used. Most things on this ship are written by typing, but there must be some paper somewhere. I can make a trade for it, if it is necessary. And I will need tape-- [That is a new word, but he says it smoothly.] --and scissors, with which to cut. They must be able to do fine work, I think.

[Restlessly, Summer raises his head. The video jars a little, and Bran quickly reaches to steady it, as he gives his direwolf a slightly anxious look.]

In Westeros, great tourneys are often held, where knights prove their merit in the lists. That means a joust, though there is sometimes melee fighting as well. I have never seen a tourney, only heard tales of them--and we have very few knights here. So we are going to let our direwolves race instead, and have a feast, just as if it were a true tourney. [Summer whines again, more plantively. He shrugs out from beneath Bran's hand, turning in a tight circle.] Summer, quiet. It is only a shadow.

There must be a prize, at the end, and I have been trying to think of something good. I have ideas, but they aren't very good, so I thought--

[But what he thought is never realized, because Summer moves quite sharply then, twisting away from Bran and the video with a sharp growl. Bran's face pinches in worry, and he grabs hastily for his device, to steady it again, before he shuts it off. It is an ungainly end to the message, but his concern trumps his good manners.]

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What is bothering Summer?

He saw a shadow, and he chased it.

[And then he kept running, long after he should have, and he was not playing a game as he sometimes does. Bran frowns, just slightly.]

But we have fetched him back since.

Did he find anything?

There was nothing to find.

[And here Bran hesitates a moment. He would not frighten Nill, or worry her--but she is stronger than she first seems. He knows that to be true. And if there is some threat, then she should know of it, shouldn't she?]

I have heard that people have been seeing strange things. I think-- maybe Summer saw something like that.

[there's a long pause. because she's seen them too, but she hasn't said anything to heine. he's shot out any mirrors close to their room, even if they're almost magically fixed the next day. but if he knew she was seeing things too, he might chalk it up to more than just his personal demon.

bran could know. he wouldn't think less of her for it. but she'll avoid telling him for now, because heine might see.]

Has it happened to the other wolves?

Nymeria was not bothered by it, when she went after Summer.

[Or was she? Bran can read the direwolves well, but Nymeria is Arya's. There are small tricks of her that he does not understand so well as Arya might. And even if she had wanted to chase the shadow, she knew what was tasked of her. Perhaps that had been enough to bring her home once more.]

They all must know of the shadows. But perhaps there was something of this one that made Summer want to chase it more. He will not do it again. He knows better now.

I hope it goes away soon.

[He does not want to ask. If she has seen something, then asking her will only remind her.

But, cautiously--]

Have you seen it?

[there it is. she can't ignore a direct question like this. so instead, she tries her best to keep heine from seeing by making it private.]

Yes.
Heine cannot know.

[There's a little pinch of worry in his belly when he reads those words.]

But then you might be under some threat. If he does not know, he can't help you.

He needs to help himself first.

What does he need help with?

Controlling the things he sees.

He sees the shadows, too?

But then you must tell him. You can help one another, if you have seen the same things.

It is different for him.

Then he does not see the same shadows?

[He frowns, troubled by all of this.]

Or does he see--something different? Something beside shadows?

[she knows she's said too much, but it's hard not to with bran.]

That is not for me to say.

[That is understandable, at least. But still troubling.]

Then you will never tell him what you see? He would want to know, no matter what. If I were him, I would want to know what troubles you.

But you are not him and you do know.

He should still be told. He would want to know.

[Or Bran imagines that he does. He knows only what Nill has said of Heine, and only what glimpses he has seen on the network. But surely anyone that cares for Nill would want to help her. Even those who do not know her as he does would want to help.]

If you will not tell him, you should stay close to me and Summer.

I can do that.
He has been patrolling a lot. [because he's afraid of hurting her, she knows it]

Does he go alone?

Yes.

He should not. Even Robb says that he thinks it dangerous to wall these halls, in these days.

Heine is not afraid.

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