The soldiers of Winterfell hurriedly climbed the ladder to help Bran, but he refused their assistance. Determined to do it on his own, he made his way to the edge of the high wall. Using both his hands and feet, he skillfully navigated the rough surface of the wall, moving as swiftly as a monkey. In mere moments, he had climbed down with remarkable ease.
Everyone watching held their breath, their hearts pounding in fear for the reckless boy.
Jason Liu was stunned.
"Damn, that was impressive!"
Bran's climbing skills were astonishing. No wonder he was so fearless!
It seemed like this child had never been properly disciplined.
With that thought, Jason Liu turned to look at Lady Catelyn, expecting her to scold Bran harshly for his reckless behavior.
But to his surprise—
Lady Catelyn rushed forward and hugged Bran tightly, anxiously checking him for any injuries. She fussed over him, asking repeatedly if he was hurt. Even Bran, who loved attention, looked a little overwhelmed by her concern.
"Alright, Mother, I promise I won't climb next time..." Bran muttered, his head lowered in what seemed like an apology. But Jason Liu clearly caught him sneaking a cheeky grin at Arya.
Even Lady Catelyn must have noticed his little act, but she still couldn't bring herself to be strict with her beloved son. Her scolding lacked any real weight, and Bran knew it.
Jason Liu couldn't stand it any longer. With a serious expression, he stepped forward.
"Lady Catelyn," he said politely, "I believe you and Lord Stark should be more careful about this. Bran is still young and doesn't fully understand how dangerous his actions were just now. I hope you and your family will keep a closer eye on him. He's a wonderful child, and if he were to get seriously hurt, it would be heartbreaking."
Jason Liu chose his words carefully, trying to be as tactful as possible. He knew how much the Starks loved Bran, and as an outsider, criticizing their son too harshly could make them resent him. He had said what he needed to out of concern, and whether they chose to listen was up to them.
After offering his advice, Jason Liu slightly bowed his head. "If there's nothing else, my lady, please allow me to take my leave."
"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Jason," Lady Catelyn responded warmly. "Ed and I will certainly be more mindful of Bran's safety in the future."
Jason Liu nodded in acknowledgment and turned to leave with dicken and the others. He made up his mind to stay far away from Bran from now on.
Just as he was about to exit, Bran's cheerful voice rang out behind him.
"Master Jason, don't forget—you promised to bring me some fun new toys!"
Jason Liu froze mid-step, his cheek twitching in frustration. He turned his head and forced a smile. "Of course, Bran, I remember."
Not wanting to give the mischievous child another chance to make trouble, he quickly picked up his pace and left Winterfell.
Once Jason Liu was gone, Lady Catelyn turned to her son with a disapproving look. "Bran, that was very rude. You shouldn't ask for gifts like that."
Bran grinned and dodged his mother's hand as she tried to ruffle his hair. "I wasn't asking for anything! Master Jason already said he'd bring me toys."
"What kind of toys? Are there any for girls?" Arya asked with interest.
Bran scratched his cheek, thinking. "I don't know what exactly, but I'm sure there won't be any swords. Those aren't toys."
"Ugh, Arya, why do you always like things meant for boys?" Sansa said with a sigh, rolling her eyes at her younger sister.
Sansa couldn't understand Arya's fascination with swords and fighting. As a noble lady, she had no interest in such things. In her mind, weapons were something she wouldn't touch even if her life depended on it.
"Because they're fun!" Arya shot back. "Sitting around doing embroidery and needlework with Septa Mordane is boring!"
"It's not boring. It's an important skill for noble ladies," Sansa argued. "Ladies don't play with swords like boys do!"
"Well, I don't want to be a lady! You can be one yourself!" Arya snapped.
"Alright, that's enough," Lady Catelyn intervened, sighing as she stopped their bickering. "Instead of arguing, why don't you both go try on the clothes that Mr. Jason brought? I'm sure you'll both look lovely in them."
The two sisters huffed at each other but went off to their rooms, still grumbling.
Lady Catelyn rubbed her forehead in exhaustion. She turned back just in time to see Bran trying to sneak away. Narrowing her eyes, she raised her voice.
"Bran!"
Caught in the act, Bran flinched and slowly turned around with a sheepish smile. "Mother, I was just going to play with Rickon's toys..."
Lady Catelyn arched a brow. "Really?"
Bran hesitated for a second before weakly raising a hand. "I promise."
Lady Catelyn sighed as she looked down at the son who was both her greatest joy and biggest headache. After a moment, she finally said, "Alright, but you better not be lying. Otherwise, I'll tell your father, and he won't be as forgiving as I am."
"I understand! Thank you, Mother!" Bran chirped before dashing away.
Lady Catelyn shook her head, smiling bitterly. She couldn't help but think of Jason Liu's warning. Maybe it really was time to talk to her husband about keeping a closer watch on Bran. His safety was too important to ignore.
Meanwhile, Jason Liu finally returned to his shop, only to be greeted by Lena.
"Master Jason, the steward from Winterfell is already here waiting for you."
Jason Liu sighed and ran a hand over his face. "Bran delayed me longer than I expected."
He quickly went to meet the steward, who greeted him politely.
"Bran is very clever, well-mannered, and kind," the steward said with a helpless chuckle. "But he's also too active. He's always climbing walls and rooftops like a little monkey. It's impossible to catch him."
Jason Liu shook his head. "You should still be careful. Climbing so high isn't safe at all."
After exchanging a few more words, Jason Liu signaled to Barlow to prepare the carriage. Since their destination was less than ten kilometers away, he opted to ride a small carriage rather than go on horseback.
The steward rode alongside them, while dicken and the others divided themselves between horses and the carriage. Jon Snow led ten of Winterfell's best young riders to escort them, ensuring their journey would be safe and uneventful.
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