Gavin wandered blankly on the hillside, gazing at the vast sea below. The waves crashed against the shore with a deafening roar, while the sea breeze blew gently, bringing with it the familiar, salty scent.
In the distance, a thin child struggled to drag a heavy iron pot out of the sea, moving it with difficulty toward a pile of firewood. The small figure was nearly knocked over by the strong sea wind.
Gavin watched the scene, a sense of both familiarity and strangeness filling his mind. His eyes darted around, and he quickly looked behind him, fixing his gaze on the three towers standing tall in the distance.
He thought, "This is the Three Towers Territory. Why am I here? Wait, I understand... This is a dream."
As Gavin processed this, an old, deep voice suddenly sounded from behind him.
"You should have died long ago, from disease or hunger, but you broke the established path of fate. What helped you? Was it that?"
At that moment, the child below finally managed to place the pot on the pyre. Stretching out a hand, he ignited the flame with a spark of fire, setting the pyre alight.
Watching this unfold, Gavin realized with clarity that this was all a dream sent by the Three-Eyed Crow.
He turned around, facing the source of the voice, and saw an old man dressed in black robes with white hair. Gavin cautiously asked, "The Three-Eyed Crow?"
"It seems you know me," the man replied, his voice as calm as still water, yet carrying an undeniable weight. "Some call me the Green Seer."
Gavin's brow furrowed, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "I know far more than that, Brynden Rivers. Why did you bring me here? We've never interacted before—how did you pull me into this dream?"
The Three-Eyed Crow looked at him with piercing eyes. "It seems you know more than I anticipated. Not only did you defy your own fate, but you've altered many futures. The threat in the North is now more urgent than ever. Your actions have disrupted preparations that were meant to be."
Gavin's expression darkened, and he listened intently as the Three-Eyed Crow continued.
"Arya Stark was meant to train in the House of Black and White, but it was destroyed. Daenerys was to marry the Horse King, but instead, you took her with you."
Gavin responded coolly, "Yes, I understand. But I only sought to protect myself. Sometimes, I can't afford to care about the consequences."
The Three-Eyed Crow shook his head. "What you've done has set off a chain reaction. If this continues, the consequences will be catastrophic."
Gavin, unfazed, asked, "What do you mean?"
The Three-Eyed Crow's gaze grew even more intense. "I ask you to leave the North. Return to your Stepstone Islands and sever your ties with the Starks."
Gavin chuckled bitterly. "Are you worried that I'll influence Bran Stark?"
The Three-Eyed Crow remained silent, but his voice was calm as he responded. "You can touch the Heart Tree at any time, and ask me whatever you wish to know about Westeros."
Gavin realized the Three-Eyed Crow had no real stake in his decisions. This was merely a transaction: if he left the North, the Crow would allow him to leave with the knowledge he sought. After a moment's thought, Gavin asked, "Are there still dragon eggs in Westeros?"
The Three-Eyed Crow answered, "There are many, but most are fossilized and no longer contain any life. Only three dragon eggs still have vitality."
Gavin pressed on. "What about Qyburn?"
"Not long ago," the Crow replied, "your people from the Three Towers took him aboard a ship and left Westeros. Once he departed, I lost all trace of him."
Gavin's mind raced, and he asked once more, "What about the Dark Sisters?"
"From here," the Three-Eyed Crow said, "I can tell you about the Targaryen sword, the Dark Sister, and the dragon egg. But only if you leave the North."
Gavin nodded thoughtfully. "I will do my best. Once I finish what I must here, I'll leave the North."
The Three-Eyed Crow spoke again, his voice tinged with finality. "When you touch any Heart Tree, I will know. You will also be able to sense my presence."
Gavin thought for a moment and asked the original question again, "How did you pull me into this dream?"
The Three-Eyed Crow explained, "You possess magic and are in the North. I didn't bring you into your dream—I entered it."
Gavin fell silent, reflecting on the Crow's words. After a moment, he turned to the Three-Eyed Crow and said, "I have no more questions. But I want to try something one last time."
With those words, the dream world began to shift. The sun grew unbearably hot, and in a matter of moments, the vegetation on the ground began to burn and turn to ash. Gavin watched in awe as the world around him began to crumble, a feeling of apocalyptic dread settling over him.
The dream world shattered, and Gavin awoke with a start, finding Daenerys still peacefully sleeping in his arms. He looked toward the window, where a crow stood watching. It fluttered its wings and flew away, disappearing into the night sky.
Three days later, aboard his ship, Gavin was deep in thought about his upcoming trip to Castle Black when he received a message from Osha. She expressed the hope that he would come ashore. Without hesitation, Gavin decided to learn what she wanted.
As Gavin approached the port, he saw Osha standing there, her expression filled with an unreadable mixture of emotions. He stepped off the ship and walked straight toward her. "What's going on?" he asked.
Osha glanced at him before answering succinctly. "Mance Rayder is here, and he wants to see you."
Gavin's brow furrowed in surprise before a faint smile played on his lips. "In that case, let's meet him."
Following Osha, Gavin passed through the wildling camp—familiar, yet filled with the untamed energy of free folk—before entering the large hall once again.
Mance Rayder was sitting by the campfire, lost in thought. When he noticed Gavin's arrival, he didn't speak but merely observed him quietly.
Gavin broke the silence. "Mance Rayder, since you sought me out, you must have something to say. Silence is no way to treat a guest."
Mance Rayder smiled softly. "Apologies. It's just hard to imagine a southerner being so aware of the White Walkers. You seem more clear-headed than the lords of the South. I'm curious—did you come here simply to exchange wood?"
Gavin responded with honesty. "I was merely passing through. I just left Braavos, not far from here, and thought it prudent to see the situation with the White Walkers for myself."
Mance Rayder nodded. "Your assessment is correct. The White Walkers are heading south, and we don't have much time. I've been trying to unite the free tribes and encourage them to migrate south. The Great Wall stands in our way. We need your ship to help us cross it."