CHAPTER 3

Esther plaited her still damp hair and pinned it up. She was not looking forward to going into the lion's den but she had no choice. She couldn't leave without her niece; gods she couldn't even remember the girl's name. She'd never seen any of her nephews and nieces in real life except Robb and he had been a baby when she had been sent away. She'd heard when Ned had brought his bastard back and then, after she supposed Catelyn had forgiven him, the rest of them had been born. It had been a relief to know that even if some of the babies hadn't made it there were enough of them to mean that she would never have to inherit the responsibilities of Winterfell.

Benjen had escaped to the Wall and become a member of the Night's Watch; she remembered the day he had gone, looking so fine on his horse and the rest of the family proud but puzzled at his choice to relinquish everything and go to a place where no one really returned from. She hadn't had much to do with any of her brothers but Benjen had been the one to teach her how to trap animals, fire an arrow and use a knife. He'd been kind to her and spent time with her. Her mother, before they both had died, was only really interested in Esther's sister, so beautiful and good at everything a lady should be. Esther was always too noisy, too dirty, too wayward and then, after the incident, too dangerous.

She found her thoughts slipping back to the days before Robert's Rebellion when her brothers and sister had been at home, her father still alive. Although Winter was still raging there had been laughter and her beautiful, beautiful sister had been there to tell her stories and sing to her and give her opportunities to escape Septa's chidings and the interminable hours of lessons and sewing. She remembered her father, who never really knew what to do with his daughters and was always so harsh with his sons, sitting by the roaring fire surrounded by his dogs telling her about the land beyond the Wall and laughing hugely at her announcement that she would set out the next day to go and find a giant and bring him back to Winterfell.

Those days had disappeared when then mad King had executed her father and then her brothers had gone off to fight and then her sister had been…taken, only to be returned in a closed coffin and buried in the crypt. When only Ned had returned he could barely bring himself to look at Esther and after the incident had packed her off to the convent far away across the water as soon as possible. How much she had hated him. And now here she was, in a city she loathed plotting to release his daughter from the nest of vipers that was the Westeros court and then onto… what? She had tried and tried to see what was coming but it was dark and shadowed. She had seen green fire on burning water, white figures in a snowstorm, a heart made of stone, a dog howling in the rain, the shadow of a wing on the sea and always a red woman laughing in the light of a bonfire. But these were just images, disjointed like a broken mirror, they made no sense. She had always known what was to come and now she felt blind.

She sighed again and laced up her boots; she may have to wear an uncomfortable and heavy dress, act like a lady and smile courteously for a short time but nothing in the world could make her part from her boots, they were part of her like her hand or her leg.

She stowed her bag in the eaves of Rellet's house, nodded to the frightened woman and made her way towards the side gate of the Keep. She would work out the lay of the land before she made her move.

Esther watched as the servants unloaded a cart full of baskets and barrels. The guards were too busy making lewd comments to the maids as they carried the unloaded food to notice another one slip through the gateway and on into the courtyard.

She dumped the basket of apples by a well, grabbed the best looking fruit and wandered through the next gateway biting into the flesh as she went. She hadn't expected it to be this easy but gods she was glad it had been; she was in no mood to have an altercation with anyone this early into her plan. She found herself in the training ground where men in armour were beating each other to a pulp with maces, axes and swords; clangs, shouts and screams filled the air.

"You! Bring me a drink!"

Esther ignored the request and skirted the three men lying on the ground gasping after what looked to be a particularly difficult training session. She looked up at the walls that faced the sea and was wondering which ways to head when she felt a mailed hand roughly grasp her shoulder and spin her round.

"I asked you to bring me that wine jug, bitch."

She looked up at the huge figure that had blocked out the sun and who was now shouting. The glare shadowed everything but his shape, she could not make out any of his features but his hand was squeezing her shoulder too hard and she felt her ever present anger begin to rise.

"No, you asked for a drink, you weren't specific. I chose to ignore you and…unless you can see something I can't, I'm not a dog." Esther said, aware that she had raised her voice but unable to stop it.

Suddenly the whole training yard had gone quiet, Esther could feel all the eyes of the men on her and the huge shape in front of her. He still had not let go of her shoulder and now he was squeezing it harder.

"I could kill you right now you fucking little whore and no one would give two shits. Get me that fucking wine jug." The soldier's voice was low and rasping but it still echoed around the now silent yard. Esther knew she should do what he said, she should keep a low profile, not get noticed, hells she'd only been in the Keep for a few moments but she couldn't, just couldn't back away from a challenge.

"Get it your fucking self." Esther replied slowly and deliberately.

The man raised his other hand to strike her and she felt her hands begin to itch as the power she tried so hard to keep dammed up behind a wall flowed through her…burnhim burnhim burnthemall…

"Hound! What are you doing? The King's asking for you!" said a voice that came from across the years.

The soldier lowered his hand but did not let go of her shoulder. She did not take her eyes off him but felt two men walk behind her.

"Didn't you hear me? I said the King is asking for you." said the familiar voice again.

"Yeah, don't play with your food." another voice said.

The soldier dug his fingers into her shoulder again and then pushed her to one side and stalked off through the gate, grabbing the wine jug as he passed it.

"Are you hurt girl?"

She knew she would have to turn round and face the man she had known so many years ago but she wanted just a few moments before her whole plan fell apart.

"Are you hur…fuck me"

"Hello short boy, or is it Lord Tyrion now?"