MOON RIVER
CHAPTER I : DANCING BACK FROM THE GRAVE
'Dear Jaime, - I am in White Harbor, alive. Because of my treason, my grandfather decided to trace borders that I must not cross. I can't even remember where was the moon the last time I swam in cold waters, perhaps I haven't at all since I have been forced back in White Harbor, perhaps the last time was with you...' Rebekah heard steps approaching her chambers, so she quickly folded the parchment piece and proceeded to seal it. Then, she used a sharp knife to cut the back of a painting that used to stand above the chimney and slid the letter between the cardboard background and the canvas. Finally, she hung the painting back in its original place. Her grandfather stepped into the room, a curious expression on his face, like he could smell her wrongdoing. He noticed a goose feather on her bed table, slowly but surely he walked towards it. With a finger he felt the feather, and the tip turned black "Writing letters again, child?". Rebekah chose not to answer, because it usually made things worse. "At some point you are going to have to learn. Wheather it is with by listening to me"- he paused, and looked away before daring to say "or by dreading the Septon's hands".
A year later
Helga was Rebekah's maid and most trusted confident. She did not know much about what had happened to Rebekah before she was brought back to her home, but she knew everything about what her life was like since her grandfather had forbidden her to leave. Helga was sweet, polite and did her work properly. She never spoke a bad word about Lady Manderly, and always made sure that other servants served her as well as she did. That morning, her master had assigned her to welcome guests of the castle, but she decided to walk past Rebekah's chambers to verify that she was perfectly taken care of. When she arrived in front of the massive wooden door, she saw three younger maidens standing still, observing the scenery carved in the mahogany : mermaids and mermans, swimming in the moonlight. "Where is lady Rebekah?" she asked, interrupting their silent contemplation. "In her chambers, changing for the ceremony" one answered. "By herself?" Helga added, using her severest tone. "She didn't ask for our presence" added. Understanding that they were unexperienced, the older maid simply waved with her left hand, ordering them to leave to their following chores. She knocked on the door."Who is this?" asked the voice in the room."Helga, my lady"she replied. "You may enter" authorized Rebekah.
The young woman was standing in front of a tall mirror, finishing the hairdressing of her long black mane. She was completely unclothed, which allowed Helga to see the fresh scars from whiplashes on her back. "You have been punished again" the maid in disbelief. "Because I have sinned" Rebekah, pretending to find reason in her submission to torture. "The gods must have forgiven you by now, they are merciful" commented Helga. It wasn't true, Rebekah was still seen as the traitor who betrayed her own blood by the Faith, and by her family. She chose to cut the conversation short "Help me, will you" she required, pointing at the clothing laid out on the bed. Helga helped her with the corset and strongly pulled the lace while Rebekah relied on the edges of the mirror to stay still. She looked up at the reflection in the glass and glanced down at Helga's round stomach. "How is the baby?" she asked the mother-to-be. "She is good, my lady" replied the servant, delivering a heart-warming smile. "She" emphasized Rebekah. "Yes, my lady" Helga as she knotted the lace down the corset. "Congratulations" complimented Rebekah, and her eyes went from the maid to her own face. "You will have one of your own when the gods want you to" asserted Helga."I don't want one, he wouldn't be happy" Rebekah retorted, fitting in the last piece of her outfit. "Your mask, lady Rebekah" Helga announced, and held the mask out.
Suddenly, the heavy door slammed in a loud noise. "Leave us" ordered Wyman Manderly as he entered the lady's chambers. Helga bowed, and without another look at either one of them she quietly left the room as she had never been there. "You look delightful, child" her grandfather at the view of the ice blue dress that fitted her shape perfectly, complemented by a green gem-incrusted silver belt that added to the curve of he waistline. "How was your morning with The Faith?" he questioned, reaching over to the table near the entrance for a bunch of grapes. "Soothing" she lied, wishing he could appreciate the sarcasm of her comment. "I'm glad, you will need the Sevens on your side to face what is ahead" Wendell announced in between bites. "May I ask, what are you referring to?" asked Rebekah, maintaining a soft voice which wouldn't show the deep concern gaining her entire being. "King Tommen is to be feasting with us" Lord Manderly. Her heart skipped a beat, and her pale cheeks went pink. She turned to her mirror once more and covered half of her face with the light gray mask. Wendell took a few steps towards her back and bent forward to speak in her ear "He, and all Lannisters men". "Aren't they supposed to believe I am dead?" she asked. "You know well enough only one of them really had to" he said. "Had?" asked Rebekah, needing a clear explanation from Lord Wyman. "Haven't you heard? He was made Lord of Casterly Roc, and wedded". There it was, what she had been preparing herself to hear all year long. "Still, I would prefer it if you avoided him" he added. Wyman placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. She despised him for stealing her away from the man she wanted, but she knew that, in his own way, he was protecting her and their family, so she answered "It would be preferable for all of us" she concluded.
"Welcome to White Harbor, your Grace. May you enjoy all the delights this city has to offer" lied the bulky Wyman, who found it extremely difficult to stand up from his armchair, and couldn't hide his discomfort when the movement of his stomach against the wood sent a vibration throughout the entire table, giving rise to a common laughter. "I suggest we all raise our cups to peace" he roared, quieting the mockingjay. "And celebrate together the nameday of my grandchild, Lady Rebekah of House Manderly". Two knights opened each part of the huge door, and Lady Manderly entered the room. Drunken man chanting her name created a cacophony, and them raising wine-filled cups in her direction spilled alcohol everywhere. She paraded between the two gigantic dining tables at each side of the room, as an orchestra was playing joyful sounds and women in feathery white gowns were dancing around Lannisters men. At the end of her walk, she bowed to King Tommen and Queen Margeary. However, she noticed that the young King wasn't really looking at her, but was rather captivated by the dancers behind her. "My King, will you give me the honor of a dance?" she spontaneously offered, and her grandfather shelled out the wine in his mouth on the clean tablecloth. King Baratheon gently squeezed his queen's hand and she gave him a sweet smile. "Anything you want" she said. King Tommen joined Lady Manderly at the center of the room. He glanced at the northern men around him and tried to remember the steps he had never learned. "I have heard poems about you" he mentioned to Rebekah while she spun in circles around him in small jumps, holding the bottom of her dress in both hands. "What did they describe?" she asked, spinning again. "A half-human-half-fish woman; swimming naked under the moonlight" replied, it was now his turn to spin around. Rebekah stood still, and felt loud heartbeats hitting her chest and blocking every sound around her but Tommen's voice "These are rather unknown poems your Grace, who could have chanted them to you ? " she questioned. "My beloved uncle" he responded. The young king stopped moving and waited for her to gleefully spin around him again, but she didn't seem to want to dance anymore. She could feel a presence behind her, and somehow she knew it was Jaime. She didn't need to turn around and face him, all she needed to do was feel his chest brushing her dress.
Her familiar scent traveled to his nose and it felt as if she had never left his side. He delicately untied the ribbon which held the mask in place and patiently waited for her forest green eyes to sink into his blue ones again. Rebekah helped him remove her mask and faced the lion. She could feel her knees weakening at the instant their eyes locked. "Jaime" she started, "Run away" he said, breaking the spell binding them. His tone was serious, too serious, "You aren't safe here" he added. Before she could even meditate on taking his advice or not, a Septon grabbed her forearm with a firm hand and dragged her outside the reception room.