Chapter 19 - Oath and Farewell
Manny had not expected the offer to become a greenseer, but the moment Leaf spoke it, a sharp excitement rose in him. The Children were shaken and the cave was heavy with their murmurs,m but Manny's mind raced with what the power meant. He had read the books and watched the show. He knew what a greenseer truly was.
A greenseer could see the past, reach into the present and in some ways could read and guide the future.
He could enter dreams.
He could slip inside animals.
He could watch everywhere with the weirwoods in the world like windows.
Magic, sight, memory, all of it in his hands.
So yes, he was surprised. But he was also very excited.
He looked at Leaf and the gathered Children. "If you give me this power, if you choose me, I will promise you one thing," he said. "I will never let your people go extinct. Not now. Nit later. And I will help you prosper to live in forests as you are meant to and not hide in caves."
A few Children gasped softly. Some looked hopeful. Others wary.
"But," Manny added, raising a finger, "you must follow some of my advice too. You are not human. And humans… well, they do not accept easily what they do not understand."
Leaf tilted her head, listening closely.
"You must learn to adjust," Manny went on. "Magic is only starting to return, but it is not fully here yet. And even if it returns, someday it might fade again. When that happens, you will face the same danger of extinction. We need to make changes so you are safer. So you are accepted. So your future generations can live openly."
There were whispers among the Children. Uncertain. Curious. Nervous.
Leaf raised her hand and the cave quieted.
She said, "If you ask this of us, then we will ask something from you as well. Not a normal promise. Not a spoken vow. We want a blood oath. We will accept nothing else."
Manny blinked. "A blood oath?"
"Yes," Leaf said quietly. "We have helped many in the past. We have suffered for it and we are still suffering. This may be the last time we give our power to anyone. So we want an oath sealed in blood, in the presence of the old gods."
Manny nodded without hesitation. "I am ready for a blood oath. But you all must also give me one."
Leaf looked surprised. "All of us?"
"Yes," Manny said. "You all will take an oath as well,every Child of the Forest still alive. And the oath that binds your descendants too. I will not bind you to weakness but I will not accept hatred toward humans. Not anymore."
Several of the Children lowered their eyes. Others stiffened, ashamed.
Manny spoke plainly. "You are not innocent. The dead walking outside are your creations. You had fought humans in the past for a long time. If this new path is to work, you cannot hold onto old hatred. Not now or in the future. I don't want your descendants waking one day and deciding it is time to 'take the world back' by slaughtering humans. That will not happen. You'll be open for defense, but never for conquest or hatred"
Leaf's face softened with shame. She sighed, a small, sad breath.
"Yes," she said. "We made mistakes, terrible ones. When we fought the humans and we created the White Walkers, we cursed the world. And we have been punished for thousands of years because of it. Maybe the old gods judged us and it's the reason we still pay the price."
She looked up at Manny.
"We will take the oath. All of us. We agree."
Manny nodded. "Good. We should take that oath. Now tell me, how will this be done?"
Leaf gave a small, humorless smile. "Yes. Everything we have is tied to the forest. To the weirwood trees. You and I will cut our hands, place them on the carved face of the tree, and speak our oath silently. The old gods will hear it. They will bind it. They do not need loud voices to understand the truth."
Manny nodded. "I accept."
All this time, Brynden Rivers had remained seated on his wooden chair, half-merged with roots. He was not angry. He did not lash out. He only sat there, silent, shoulders lowered, staring into the distance.
Sad.
Ashamed.
Almost defeated.
He had lived long enough to know Manny was right.
The Targaryen line was dead because he had done nothing.
Summerhall burned.
Aerys went mad.
Rhaegar's children and wife were murdered.
Lyanna died at childbirth.
Viserys and Daenerys are roaming like beggars in Essos.
Aegon being called a bastard 'Jon'.
And he did nothing. Not one thing to prevent these events happening.
What could have changed if he had acted?
If he had whispered warnings?
If he had used his sight to save even one life?
But the past was gone. It could not be touched.
The future, though, could change.
And it already had.
From the moment Manny arrived in this world, nothing was the same.
The North had changed.
The Wall had changed.
The Free Folk had changed.
And now even the Children of Forests would change.
Brynden Rivers lowered his head, accepting it.
Whatever came next was no longer his story.
It belonged to Manny now.
Manny and Leaf moved together toward the thick weirwood root where Brynden Rivers sat tangled. The roots had loosened now, sliding back from his arms and legs as if they no longer wished to bind him. Bloodraven sat slumped, half-upright, breathing in small, thin breaths.
They did not speak to him yet. The cave was heavy with the silence of the children of the forest, all of whom held their anger close but controlled.
Manny cut his palm lightly with his dagger. Leaf did the same. They stepped closer to the root. One by one, the other children of the forest also cut their hands. Their blood was not bright red like Manny's; it was darker and thicker, as if mixed with the sap of the trees. They placed their hands on the wide roots that had once trapped the old greenseer.
Leaf closed her eyes. Her voice dropped to a low murmur, almost like wind through dry leaves. The others followed her, whispering old prayers, old intentions. The weirwood responded. A faint glow rose from the root—white mixed with pale red and green. The glow spread through the roots and into the hands of every person touching it. Manny felt the warmth run up his arm, then into his chest. It was not painful. It felt like something long asleep waking inside him.
When the glow faded, Leaf pulled back her hand and nodded to Manny.
"Your hand," she demanded.
Manny held out his hand for her. Leaf placed her cut palm over it, then laid her other hand on the weirwood root. The rest of the children followed her again. They shut their eyes and whispered another spell though shorter this time.
Manny felt the magic pour directly into him. It was strong enough to make his knees shake. Something shifted in him, like a door he had never known existed was opening for the first time. His skinchanging ability rose first, sharper than ever before, easier, more natural. Then another sense opened behind it.
The beginnings of the green sight pressed into his mind. It was powerful but he had no control yet.
The glow dimmed. The cave settled. All the children of the forest opened their eyes and looked at Manny. Their expressions were different now, more respectful, more serious. They looked at him like a new chosen leader. Manny understood then that to them, a greenseer was not a king but something close to it.
While all this happened, Val stood a little behind, trying not to show any expression. But Manny did not miss the way her eyes widened every few moments. She stayed silent, but she was amazed, even proud. When she realized Manny now carried the magic as the new greenseer, her shoulders straightened with a sudden confidence. She hid her emotions well, but her thoughts were clear in her eyes, 'she had stolen the right man'. And when she remembered he now had magic too, she pressed her lips together to keep from smiling too widely.
Manny stepped back toward her and gave a small nod. Val returned it softly, her eyes still bright.
Only then did Manny and Leaf turn their attention to Brynden Rivers.
Bloodraven looked thinner now, almost fading. Without the roots feeding him, his life seemed to slip like water through open fingers. Manny knelt beside him.
"I am not blaming only you," Manny said. "But you did not use your power properly. Still, do not worry. I will not let the children of the forest die. I will keep your family alive. I will see to it that the Night King is finished for good. I will finish all what you wanted to finish."
Brynden Rivers breathed out slowly.
"I have made mistakes," he said. "Many mistakes. I judged others for their hunger for power, yet I too was blinded by my own. It's true, Power can make even the strongest hearts waver."
His voice shook, but he continued, "Thank you for telling them the truth. Thank you for saving them. I… I never wished them to be dead. I simply had no other path left in my narrow sight. I believed they had to remain tied to me for my plan to be complete. Perhaps I was wrong. Perhaps I was too afraid to see the world without me."
He lifted a trembling hand and reached behind him. Manny heard a faint scrape of metal. From behind the weirwood root, Brynden pulled out a long sword wrapped in an old, dark cloth.
He held it out with both hands.
"This is my last gift," Brynden said.
Manny unwrapped the cloth. The blade inside was long, thin, and dark as a raven's wing. Valyrian steel caught the dim cave light and drank it in. The sword felt alive in his hands.
Brynden's voice dropped to a whisper.
"It belongs to my blood. It is proof of Targaryen legitimacy. The Dark Sister."
"Keep it. Do not lose it. If the day comes when the Targaryen line rises again, give this to them. But until then… use it well."
His breathing weakened. The glow in his red eye dimmed.
Leaf stepped forward and placed a small hand on his shoulder.
Brynden apologised, "I am sorry Lead. And truly ashamed."
"I forgive you. Do not fret over it. Your watch has ended and you may rest now," she said.
Brynden Rivers closed his eye with a smile of relief. The Bloodraven and the one of the greatest minds of his age let out a long, final breath.
End of Chapter 19 - Oath and Farewell
--- Poll time
Who among the Children of Forests should be paired with Manny?
A. Leaf
B. New character(If you choose this, suggest a name too).
Thank you all for your support. Keep reading and sharing. ---