Hi everyone, so this is my own baby fanfiction. I do apologize if I made mistakes in spelling, grammar or whatever or if this does not make any sense to you. Actually English is not my mother tongue AT ALL but I just wanted and have a try at writing in English ( though this is a translation from a fic I write in French ) I do hope you enjoy it and please leave comments and reviews just so I know you've read it. let me think if you enjoyed it ( or not ) ;).
As per usuals : only my characters belong to me ( it makes sens, doesn't it ? ). The reste is George RR Martin's genious'... Prologue :
Obviously, I do not make profit on this !
Any stranger to the North would have called this day a freezing cold day. A Northerner, however, would have considered the temperature of this spring day quite hot. This was one amongst the many differences between North and South. Behind her bedroom window, Tylia Turryn watched as people came and go in the castle's yard. Men were harnessing horses and coaches, sharpening their blades, hasten as much as possible as the time grew nearer. Full of melancholy, she looked over this room which had been her shelter for the past seventeen years.
Tylia knew each and every corner in this castle. She grew up in this castle, it was there she cried for the first time on the day she was born. Behind her, the curtains of the four poster king bed were shot, the things were packed and the trunks were closed. They had been sent downstairs were, soon enough, they would be loaded onto one of the coaches as to remind her of her imminent departure.
When the sun would be high up in the sky, Tylia Turryn would leave the Darkmounts and ride towards a whole new life.
A scratching noise on the door startled her :
« Oh, it's just you, silly boy ! Come ! » she laughed, seeing Snow.
The wolf moved towards her in utter silence. It could not resist grunting from pleasure as she burried her hands in its fur. Instantly, the animal closed its eyes and nestled against her. Offered by lady Catelyn Stark as a gift a few months earlier, the wolf had quickly grown up and was now scaring quite a few people though Tylia knew she had nothing to fear from this animal with whon whe had bonded so strongly.
" Don't worry, Snow, I'm not leaving you here," she whispered in its hears.
" I doubt Edric would be delighted if you brought that monster in his house", called a deep voice from the doorstep.
Snow is no monster. Besides, you and I both know how little Edric would mind."
Gaïus Turryn had nothing to say to that. He was therefore left to watch at his only child with a look of disapproval. As long as he could remembered, Tylia had always done as she pleased, not scared to talk when she was not meant to or to run and wonder as only a boy would. Many septas had tried to tame his daughter. None of them succeeded. He, himself had renounced it and came to the conclusion that no one could ever do so. Had Lady Turryn been alive, she might have been able to teach some sense into their daughter. But Lady Turryn was no longer, and she would never have been given the chance to try and do something about this storm he had to call his daughter. If he were to be honnest, he had to confess he was rather looking forward to this fury's leaving : he had no idea how to control her whatsoever.
Gaïus had no way to temper her temperament, it was far more wiser to let her go.
As his gaze felt upon his child, the man could not help but wonder what life without Tylia would be like. He had to admit that, despite all of her faults – and the Gods knew she had plenty – she was still a good girl and some seventeen years spent in her company would not leave anybody indifferent. Suddenly he realized how lonely the Darkmounts would feel when the red-headed girl would have left. Tylia was, for a huge part, the sould of this old and cold castle. Every single person in this castle knew her, she would annoy them as much as they would love her spirit, her beauty and her liveliness. Life here, would seem rather bleek without his little girl. Though Gaïus could never and would never admit it to anyone but himself.
"It is time we leave, girl", he said.
Her green orbs stopped for a while on her father, just long enough for him to see the sadness and resignation in her eyes, usually so bright and now so mat. What was it really ? Sadness ? Fear ? He would never know how to read through her. Sarah would have know had she still been alive. She always knew how to understand their baby girl. He didn't. He never had, and probably never would.
She did not utter a single word as she stood up and smoothed out the fabric of her dress. The Lord of the Darkmounts knew, however, that she did not care about her appearance. It was only nervosity talking. She walked across the room and to the courtyard not once aknowledging her father's presence and ignoring the hand he held to her.
As she stepped out of the castle, people bowed to her. She did not care. She never got used to this movement and hated the idea that they actually had to do it because she was highborn and some people declare her life more valuable than others. In the coach, her maid and long-time friend, Amara,was waiting for her, alongside Septa Fara who looked ready to burst from exasperation. As she caught sight of her septa, the red-haired lady sharply demanded to the groom :
"I wish to ride as we travel. I need my horse, go and get him ready,please."
As she said though words, every one stopped moving in the courtyard, waiting for the storm to begin between father and daughter.
" I pretty much doubt that, Tylia", Gaius commanded.
" I think I just asked you to bring me Jarash, didn't I ?, she asked the groom, not bothering to pay attention to her father.
"And I am to make sure that no one does" the Lord roared .
As the shouting began, every one in the courtyard suddenly seemed eager to find something to do or somewhere to go, not wishing to be there as their Lord and his daughter quarelled. They had lived through that for seventeen long years and knew better than that. No doubt they would both be in a foul mood soon enough and that was not something people would like to see.
Tylia had turned her attention to her father, her green eyes dangerously shining. It seemed like her hair was in flame, her cheeks were burning, she seemed ready for a fight. She could not help being sarcastique :
"Oh, let me guess, father … I think you are going to say something alongside "a lady does not ride".
Before he could answer, septa Fara seemed about to answer to that. She did not dare do so, however, seeing the deathly glare Tylia threw us.
"Well, at least I should be happy that one of my lessons sank in, at last" he replied with anger.
" Well it did not, really, for I will ride whether you agree or not."
" And you will tire more quickly than my men, then you will make us stop and we will be late. You will be at Lord Dane's in about three months if I listen to you. You will obey me at once and get into this coach where you will sit and stay there until I tell you otherwise. Is that understood young lady ?"
Tylia felt like sticking out her tongue at her father and running away but this would have been too childish a reaction. She had to be stronger than he was, that was all it was about. All it had ever been about.
"Well, how should I put it father ? She spat. If you do not let me ride, I absolutely refuse going to Starfall.
I am your father and for once in your life you will obey me. Gaius yelled. I am tired of you doing whatever pleases you ! Gods you are a lady whether we like it or not, try to behave as your duty commands.
She could not miss the look of disappointment on his face as he said "you are a lady wheter we like it or not", nor could she help feeling hurt about it. Well, if he was trying to hurt her, well she knew how to play the game : she hard learnt from the best.
" You think that because you are my father you have all powers on me ? You think you can dictate what I do and where I go and what I say ? Well you can't ! You sold me as one would sell a brood mare. For that is what I am to you, is it not, just a brood mare. What did Lord Danes pay to get me, huh ? I do respect this decision because, contrary to what you seem to be thinking, I do know what duty is. You know how I abhore all of this thing but I agreed to it because as the lady of Darkmounts, I have to. But I swear on the old Gods and the new ones, I swear on mother's grave : if you do not let me ride, I will run away. My sense of duty has some limits ! I will not be "just a brood mare" so accept it or leave it … I guess it is all up to you !"
Gaïus Turryn was a lot of things : cold, manipulating at times, strict... but he was also a father and though he had never let the father in him talk to anyone ( especially not Tylia ) he could not ignore the pain he felt when she said those things to him. He knew what she said was partly true. He knew she really did feel that way : that was as far as he knew his daughter. He knew that her swearing on her mother's grave was no light thing : if she did so, she really did plan on putting her threats into actions. He could not take this risks.
Tylia knew she had won when she saw the mixed expressions on his face and his face contorted with anger : unhappy to surrender to his daughter.
" Women be cursed ! Get her horse ready, we are leaving know !"