Chapter 1: Circles

-Dream State-

There was no sound but that of her bare feet padding down the tiled corridor. Her lungs were stinging from the force of her heaving breaths. Where could she go? How could she leave? She was a prisoner. But she had to escape. She would die here if not. Kings Landing. Seven Hells. The face of all those who hated her swarmed as she continued her race to nowhere. Cersei, the Devil herself. And Joffrey, the spawn. Ser Meryn. Ilyn Payne. She had to escape. Or they would kill her after all.

But the thought arose once more as she rounded a corner. Where could she go? Her eyes were frantic as she continued her race. Turning this corner, down these stairs, around another corner, and down another corridor. She knew now that she was only running in circles. That there was no escape. She didn't dare stop running, for fear that if her feet stopped moving, she would surely fall to never again stand – doomed to rot within the walls of The Red Keep.

And then a door appeared at the end of her corridor. She knew that behind this door was her way out. Her escape. She bolted toward it, her bare feet burning now from the scrapes she had collected. With a force she slammed through the door, throwing all of her weight in to it. She stopped finally, her chest heaving under her laden breaths. It took her eyes a moment to adjust, but when they did, she saw her way out. Her escape.

It was there, on the bed. He had been waiting for her. He was naked under the sheets, only the top half of him visible to her. The ragged flesh of his face gleamed in the moonlight, but she only saw his eyes. She pushed the wood of the door closed behind her as she moved forward. She was home now, where she belonged. And then he spoke, his voice low and gruff. It was a voice that inspired fear in others, but yearning in her own heart.

"Come, Little Bird," he said.

As the door clicked shut, she awoke.

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