9 AGOT Bran II: Aspiring

Climbing the battlements one last time, Bran overhears a conversation about his father. When he maneuvers to see who is talking, Bran sees the queen naked wrestling with her twin brother. They catch him and Jaime shoves Bran out the window.

Bran is eager to go to King's Landing and meet the legendary Kingsguard, Barristan Selmy. He wonders why Jon is so angry to be going to the Wall with Benjen. Bran is deeply sad to be leaving the people of Winterfell and climbs the Broken Tower one last time to be alone with his feelings.

The most important scene in the chapter is the conversation Bran overhears between Jaime and Cersei. That he cannot see them at first draws him nearer and he must expose himself to see. When Cersei sees him, Bran falls. He catches himself on the ledge but might still have fallen but for Jaime pulling him in only to shove him after a moment's thought.

Mnemonic Titles

2020: Never Fell: Bran was pushed, but then he did fall, though he never had before. He'd never eavesdropped before and did not know how easily being surprised could end him.

2023: Aspiring: One wouldn't think a queen had anything to aspire to, but of course it's for her son to succeed to the throne and of course that is not as certain as t might see,. Catelyn worries Jon will inherit over Robb and even that Ned may still love another woman, even of she's a world away. Catelyn's win over Ned and Cersei's failure to sway Jaime are compared in this chapter with reference to AGOT Catelyn II.