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"I would sooner watch you," the man said He sounded bored "Come back here"

"Lord Eddard has never taken any interest in anything that happened south of the Neck," the woainst us Why else would he leave the seat of his power?"

"A hundred reasons Duty Honor He yearns to write his naet away from his wife, or both Perhaps he just wants to be warm for once in his life"

"His wife is Lady Arryn’s sister It’s a wonder Lysa was not here to greet us with her accusations"

Bran looked down There was a narrow ledge beneath the , only a few inches wide He tried to lower himself toward it Too far He would never reach

"You fret too htened cow shared Jon Arryn’s bed"

"If she knew anything, she would have gone to Robert before she fled King’s Landing"

"When he had already agreed to foster that weakling son of hers at Casterly Rock? I think not She knew the boy’s life would be hostage to her silence She row bolder now that he’s safe atop the Eyrie"

"Mothers" Thedoes sohed It was a bitter sound "Let Lady Arryn grow as bold as she likes Whatever she knohatever she thinks she knows, she has no proof" He paused awill require proof?" the woman said "I tell you, he loves me not"

"And whose fault is that, sweet sister?"

Bran studied the ledge He could drop down It was too narrow to land on, but if he could catch hold as he fell past, pull hiht make a noise, draw the, but he kneas not meant for his ears

"You are as blind as Robert," the wo, yes," the man said "I see a "

"He betrayed one already, or have you forgotten?" the woman said "Oh, I don’t deny he’s loyal to Robert, that’s obvious What happens when Robert dies and Joff takes the throne? And the sooner that corowsStark beside him will only make him worse He’s still in love with the sister, the insipid little dead sixteen-year-old How long till he decides to put me aside for sohtened He wanted nothing so o back the way he had come, to find his brothers Only ould he tell theet closer, Bran realized He had to see as talking

The hed "You should think less about the future and more about the pleasures at hand"

"Stop that!" the woman said Bran heard the sudden slap of flesh on flesh, then the hter

Bran pulled hioyle, crawled out onto the roof This was the easy way He ht above theof the rooetting very tiresome, sister," the man said "Cooyle, tightened his legs around it, and swung his and slowly stretched his head doard theThe world looked strange upside down A courtyard swam dizzily below him, its stones still ith melted snow

Bran looked in the

Inside the roo They were both naked Bran could not tell who they were The man’s back was to him, and his body screened the woainst a wall

There were soft, wet sounds Bran realized they were kissing He watched, wide-eyed and frightened, his breath tight in his throat The s, and heher there, because the woman started to moan, low in her throat "Stop it," she said, "stop it, stop it Oh, please" But her voice was low and weak, and she did not push hiolden hair, and pulled his face down to her breast

Bran saw her face Her eyes were closed and herfrom side to side as her head nized the queen

He must haveright at hi happened at once then ‘ The wo Bran tried to pull hioyle He was in too much of a hurry His hand scraped uselessly across ss slipped, and suddenly he was failing There was an instant of vertigo, a sickening lurch as theflashed past He shot out a hand, grabbed for the ledge, lost it, caught it again with his other hand He swung against the building, hard The iled, one-handed, panting

Faces appeared in theabove hinized the man beside her They looked as much alike as reflections in a mirror

"He saw us," the woman said shrilly

"So he did," the ers started to slip He grabbed the ledge with his other hand Fingernails dug into unyielding stone The man reached down "Take my hand," he said "Before you fall"

Bran seized his arth The ?" the wonored her He was very strong He stood Bran up on the sill "How old are you, boy?"

"Seven," Bran said, shaking with relief His fingers had dug deep gouges in the o sheepishly

The s I do for love," he said with loathing He gave Bran a shove

Screa, Bran went backward out theinto erab on to The courtyard rushed up to meet him

So Crows circled the broken toaiting for corn