Taly couldn't understand where she was. Was this the Red Keep? It was strange, for the most part, she had forgotten that most of my family was murdered in the Red Keep. Maybe it was because Taelerys was already preoccupied with things. She had come to a dangerous place, and winter was coming. But, didn't understand how she was in King's Landing if she was back in Winterfell. That was when she saw Lord Stark walking across the street. Was that Ned and Jory with Littlefinger? The three men walked into a brothel. Taly was unable to move to her own accord. Someone else was doing that for her. It was as if she were floating, no, flying.
Was Lord Stark going to break his marriage vows to Lady Catelyn again? She gritted her teeth in anger. Taelerys would not allow Ned to break her lady's heart again. Somehow Taelerys got into the brothel. No one seemed to notice her and even Taelerys had no idea what was going on. How she got there or why she was there. She didn't feel like she was in her own body. Taly felt like she was an invisible pair of eyes.
There were naked women walking around everywhere. The moans and cries of the whores and their customers having orgasms was not music to her ears at all. Taelerys could hear someone talking behind a curtain of beads. "Mhaegan is the mother of one of Robert Baratheon's bastards. The little one is named Barra. Such a beautiful thing." a prostitute said to another.
Why was that important? Taelerys wondered. What the fuck is going on?
There was a commotion coming from outside and immediately Taelerys felt herself pulled to the front of the brothel. The street was now filled with soldiers with Ned, Jory, Petyr, and Wyl. They all wore chain mail over leather, gauntlets, greaves, and steel helms with golden lion crests. Their cloaks were white and clung to their backs. There were at least ten men at his flank. Taelerys could feel a wave of disgust come over her. Littlefinger stepped forward. "What is the meaning of this? This is the Hand of the King."
"He was the Hand of the King," The line parted for a man riding a stallion. On a golden breastplate was a blazing lion of the Lannister house. The man removed his helmet, revealing his long blond locks of hair. "Now, if truth be told, I'm not sure what he is."
It was Jaime Lannister.
Lord Stark isn't the Hand no more? Taelerys wondered.
Jaime began laughing, taking off his riding gloves. "Apparently, Ned Stark has a heart for all pathetic forms of life. He resigned after Robert ordered the death of the Mad King's two children across the Narrow Sea," he said, rather cheerfully. Taelerys could feel her naturally flaming heart immediately freeze in place. Viserys? Daenerys? Dead? It can't be! If she could feel her blood right now, Taelerys knew it would be simmering. But, she knew that she was not inhabiting a body.
She was just there. Watching.
Petyr Baelish was not at all pleased. "Let us pass, we are expected back at the castle. This is madness, Lannister."
Jaime merely smiled. "The only madness here is your wife, Lord Stark. I'm looking for my brother. You remember him don't you? He was with us at Winterfell. Fair-haired, sharp of tongue, very short."
"I remember him well," Ned replied.
"It would seem he has met some trouble on the road. Your lady has taken my brother hostage. Catelyn is to be brought here to answer for her treasonous crimes,"
Catelyn kidnapped Tyrion Lannister? Whatever Lady Stark was planning, Taelerys knew this would only mean war with the Lannisters. Perhaps she could avenge her fallen family after all with a war. Taelerys then focused at the situation she was seeing.
"Your brother was taken at my command, to answer for his crimes." Ned stated. Littlefinger groaned in dismay as all the soldiers instantly had their swords drawn. "Lord Baelish, I would leave here in some haste if I did not care to get bloodstains on my costly clothing."
Littlefinger did not have to be told twice. He immediately walked back inside the brothel. Jaime drew his own sword. At first, Taelerys thought he was pointing it at her and immediately became scarred. But, soon realized that he was pointing it at her lord. "Draw your steel." Jaime ordered.
Eyes watched from all nearby windows and doors, but no one was going to intervene. There were a few moments of silence as Jaime stared through Taelerys. They can't see me, Taelerys noted. Why?
The Lannister guards awaited any order. "Kill his men, but do not harm Lord Stark." Jaime ordered. "I'll take him myself."
"No!" Ned screamed, grabbing his sword. Men closed in from all sides. Jory and the other man named Wyl fought their way through the Lannister men. Wyl was overwhelmed by two guards restraining him, while the other was going to stab him. Ned rammed the blade into the Lannister guard's throat, before coating it with the other. The soldiers fell to the ground, choking on the blood pouring from the hole in their necks. Wyl broke free and slashed the other Lannister soldier across the chest. Taelerys noticed Jaime swiftly walking towards Jory, who was caught up in a sword fight against three Lannister soldiers. Jory didn't notice Jaime. "Jory!" Taelerys tried to cry out. "Watch out! Behind you! Turn around! TURN AROUND!"
Jory did not hear her. The moment he turned around, it was too late. Jaime had already stabbed a dagger through Jory's eye, the blade exiting through the back of his head. Jory dropped his sword and his body twitched a few times, before slumping over dead onto the ground. Blood began to pool by his head. "No!" Taelerys screamed with terror. Not that they could hear her screams. Wyl charged at Jaime, enraged at the death of his friend. That was the worst mistake he ever made. And it costed him his life. Wyl slumped over beside Jory and Jaime was smiling. Ned limped over to the bodies of his fallen comrades. It seemed to take years for him to do. There was blood gushing from Ned's leg from the spear stuck in it. Taelerys also saw some bone sticking out. The gold cloaks surrounded an injured Ned Stark.
"My lord!" cried out Taelerys, so desperate to help him. There was nothing she could do in this strange form. Before she could see the scene continued to unfold, everything was melting. The brothel, the horses, the people, and Lord Stark, all their faces became one as they disintegrated into fire. This was no ordinary fire, for it even made the very air ablaze with it. Taelerys recognized that sick shade of green from anywhere.
This was wildfire.
I knew I should've left those wildfire containers in Aegon's Vault! Taelerys thought, overcome with hysteria. What was I thinking?
Taelerys looked down to see her bare feet. She was puzzled, Taelerys didn't have feet before, nor her body. Now, Taelerys stood naked, clumsy with fear in this raging fire. Before Taelerys could do anything more, a strong and bony hand grabbed her wrist. She felt something sharp scratch and poke at her bare thigh. At first, Taelerys thought someone was brushing a blade along her side. But, it wasn't, they were nails that were a foot long. "No," Taelerys breathed, looking up in horror.
There was only one person she knew with disgusting yellow and overgrown nails like that. The moment she dared to look up was when Taelerys saw her father, Aerys Targaryen, standing before her, gripping her hand harshly. Taelerys let out a shriek and snatched her hand away from him. She stumbled and fell backwards into the flame. Taly wanted nothing more than to run away, but her body seemed thick and weak. His dark purple eyes refracted the sick green color of the flames. Taelerys remembered that distinctly about her father, the Mad King.
"F-Father," Taly stammered. "No! You're dead!"
Aerys immediately grabbed Taelerys, hitting her repeatedly, just like he did with her mother, Rhaella. Her poor and sweet mother who was now dead. "No...no...no one can kill me, Taelerys," Aerys began in a soft voice, before his dark purple eyes went wide with madness. He held his arms high in the air with wonder. "I am the true dragon!" Aerys then screamed. "No one can kill the true dragon!"
She closed her eyes and cried. All Taelerys wanted was for Lord Stark to be here. Or to have Blackfyre, so she may plunge it into the heart of her father. As if to answer, there was a loud ripping sound and the crackling of the fire. When she opened her eyes Aerys was gone, three great columns of flame rose before her, and in the midst of them were dragons. Taelerys couldn't count how many, there were too many of them. They turned their great heads slowly. When their molten eyes found hers, she woke, shaking and covered in sweat.
She wasn't in King's Landing. It wasn't on fire. Her father Aerys wasn't there. Nor were those dragons. It was just a dream. Taelerys sat in her bed for a few minutes, shivering and overwhelmed by that dream. It felt too real to be a dream and yet it was.
Taelerys threw the covers off and headed to the bathing room to prepare a bath. None of the maids were up yet. After warming up a huge cauldron of water, Taelerys basically sat inside it after removing the large pot from the stove. Water was said to be holy and cleansing, but Taelerys didn't believe that. It was fire is truly cleansing. Something can only truly be cleansed once it is destroyed. From the ashes, arise a new day. There were so many dragons, Taelerys noted. The only dragons she could distinctly make out were the two front ones. Black and white.
Just like her two dragon eggs.
Aside from helping Robb and Maester Luwin out with the chores and duties as future Lady of Winterfell, Taelerys enjoyed spending time alone in her room. She had her two beautiful dragon eggs, her rare Valyrian texts, and her candles. Although the ages turned the eggs to stone, they were beautiful to look at. Taelerys had too many questions about their existence. How could they have gone unnoticed in the vault for so long? How could she even have Blackfyre?
Taelerys got hit a good one on the back of the legs by Theon's blunt of his blade. "Ow!" she exclaimed, nearly falling over in the mud. Theon burst out into laughter. "What's the matter, Taly? Thinking about Jon?" he taunted.
"No, just staring at the sky." Taelerys muttered, in no mood for Theon's games.
"You mean at that cloud that looks like Jon?"
Without a single thought, Taelerys threw her blunted practice sword at Theon, who ducked underneath the table of weapons. The sword flew over his head and knocked a barrel of other practice swords, spilling them across the mud. It was stupid and reckless no doubt, but so was Theon Greyjoy. He looked up at her with a wide grin on his face. "Now, now, Taly," Theon teased. "You could've hurt someone right there."
Ser Rodrik Cassell cleared his throat. Taelerys stood frozen in the thick mud of the courtyard. "Indeed," Ser Rodrik agreed, clearly displeased. "Clean that up."
With a groan, Taelerys did so, scooping up all the muddy swords before placing them into the barrel. Ser Rodrick picked up the last sword and placed it blade first into the barrel. "You two, your presence is required by Robb." he ordered, spinning around to leave. Ser Rodrik then stopped in his tracks and sniffed loudly a few times. "Taly, you smell terrible."
She rolled her eyes. "Well, I've been out here for an hour or so practicing with a sword," Taelerys pointed out. "Did you expect me to smell like roses?"
The master-at-arms let out a chuckle before marching away to see Robb. As he was passing, Ser Rodrik stopped one of the servant girls that Taelerys had ordered to draw a warm bath. "Use all the salts," he told her. "All of them."
Theon let out a burst of laughter, being led away by Ser Rodrick. Taelerys' face turned a bright red with anger. "I'm not that dirty!" she exclaimed with outrage. That old man sure loved to poke fun at Taelerys, ever since she was a child that had arrived in Winterfell.
Seventeen years later, Ser Rodrick had not let up.
"And make sure she scrubs herself!" Theon added with a joyful laugh.
Taly angrily threw her sword into the barrel. "I know how to take a fucking bath!" she shrieked at him, not caring if she was swearing and talking out of turn. All things weren't proper for a lady.
"Woohoo!" Bran cried out, riding his horse Dancer in circles around the courtyard. Taelerys was mildly annoyed that she was forced to take a bath only to get dirty again by going horse back riding. Robb and Theon climbed atop their own horses. Taelerys readied her horse named Flame, a beautiful reddish-brown mare that reminded her of the fires of her House.
"Let's go," Robb told them.
The three of them galloped through the gates and into the woods. Up to now, Taelerys had been helping Bran get used to the special saddle Tyrion Lannister made for him. She was surprised by how compassionate and helpful the imp had been. He was also quite smart and charming, in his own unique way. Not at all like his other family members. Tyrion's device had finally brought a smile on Bran's face. For the first time in a couple of months, Bran looked so happy.
"Hey, not so fast, Bran!" Taelerys hollered.
She heard Robb and Theon chuckle from behind her, bringing their horses to a gentle trot. They reached a tall, grassy plain where Bran had Dancer sprint across it. Summer and Grey Wind came lopping beside them. The horses had long grown accustomed to having the direwolves with them.
They rode through the muddy streets of two villages, along the rows of neat houses of log and stone, passing through common people, and finally, into the murky forest. With Robb and Theon talking in the back, Taelerys decided to catch up to Bran to make sure he didn't get into any trouble. Starks always cause trouble, Taelerys squeezed her legs around Flame, forcing the horse into a gallop.
"Bran!" Taelerys hollered. "Bran, where are you? You have to stay in our sight, remember?"
The only reply she got back was the loud chirping of a bird. Almost immediately, Dancer jumped out from a tall bush, almost crashing into Taelerys and Flame. Summer bolted out of the bushes as well, right after his master. Both were so startled that Flame whined loudly and flung Taelerys from the saddle. She landed on the dirt ground from her seven foot fall. Her back felt like it had split in half upon hitting an tree root. The wind was knocked out right out of her lungs. Pain splintered throughout her body like ice, making it impossible for her to breathe. "Taly!" Bran cried out, pulling the reigns on Dancer.
Taelerys let out a long groan as she heard the gentle trot of Dancer approach. Bran looked down upon her with worry. The boy would've gotten down to help her, if he wasn't paralyzed. "Are you okay?" he exclaimed.
The snout of Summer peered over Taelerys, before starting to lick her face. Taelerys shoved his muzzle out of her face with annoyance. Taelerys rolled over and used her knees as support to push herself up onto her feet. She rubbed her now aching back. "Are you trying to cripple me too?" she nearly hissed. "You're lucky I didn't break anything!"
Not that I can break you, Bran, Taelerys thought with sorrow. Even if you weren't already broken, I couldn't and wouldn't.
Bran fringed his lips, noticing Robb and Theon's approach. "I'm really sorry! please don't say anything to Robb," he begged. "He won't let me ride again."
Taelerys bent over to pick up Blackfyre, which had fallen from her waist upon being thrown off her horse. Bran managed to lean over in his buckled saddle to pull a couple of leaves from Taelerys's now messy, silver hair. The three braids streaking across the side of her head had fallen apart. Although Taelerys was angry at Bran for being reckless and startling her like that, it was hard to stay angry at the boy. He lost his legs and finally has a way to move around, Taelerys reminded herself. Of course he's going to take advantage of that.
"Brandon Stark, I know this is exciting for you, but if you want to keep on riding then be more careful," Taelerys scolded, trying to sound as authoritative as possible. "I could've broken my back or worse, possibly even broke my neck and died."
The boy's dark coarse hair covered the side of his face as he looked away with shame. "I'm sorry, it won't happen again," Bran said. He was being completely serious. Taelerys knew that because he would look at the ground or at his feet when he lied. Since Bran was being remorseful, Taelerys decided it was time to let it go and move on. Robb and Theon kept their distance. They were talking to each other in the distance. Taelerys rubbed Dancer's wet snout, who puffed loudly in her face. "Alright, you can keep riding, but stay close this time," Taelerys grabbed the reigns, forcing Bran to look her in the eye. "Okay?"
"Okay," Bran promised with a nod.
"And don't ride so fast," Taelerys added. "Any faster and you would've been flying."
Bran's brown eyes then gazed at the ground. Dancer whimpered once, shaking his head. "Flying," he muttered. "Flying."
There was a peculiar look on Bran's face. Almost like he was happy she said that, but at the same time, seemed to recognize what she had just said. As if it were remembering a familiar face. Taelerys didn't know why it bothered her, but it struck her as odd. Bran then smiled at Taelerys as he forced Dancer onto a path into the forest. Taelerys grabbed the reigns to Flame before heading towards Theon and Robb. Now her back was going to be killing her when the morning came. She already knew that bruises were forming in the places where her back throbbed. Robb had a grim look on his face, reading a small letter in his hands. "What is it?" Taelerys inquired.
"A raven arrived from King's Landing this morning with this letter," Robb sounded sad, although he tried to hide it. "Taly, I need to tell you something."
"Yes, what is it?" Taelerys felt sudden dread. "Is it about Lady Catelyn? Is she coming home?"
Robb shook his curly red hair. "No. Jory Cassel is dead. And Wyl and Heward along with a couple more of our men. Murdered by the Kingslayer." Robb said with his throat tightening, lowering the letter.
Taelerys's amethyst eyes widened with horror. Just like the dream, she remembered. The image of Jaime stabbing Jory through the eye. The blade piercing through the back of his head. Dark wings, dark words, Old Nan had always said. Ravens had always been the messengers of death. As of late, this was proving to be true. Taelerys swallowed once, trying to overcome her shock. She breathed to calm herself.
"Did the Kingslayer...stab him through the head?" Taelerys asked, her voice so low that it sounded like a mumbler.
Robb and Theon looked to each other once. "Yes, how did you know that?" Robb responded with narrowed eyes.
"And Lord Stark...was he stabbed through the leg with one of the Kingslayer's men?" Taelerys continued on, ignoring his question. "At Petyr Baelish's whore house?"
By now, Robb had grown more and more confused as to how Taelerys had this knowledge. He tried to form words but nothing came out at first. There were too many things he wanted to say. Robb managed to overcome his shock too with a deep breath. "Y-Yes," Robb answered, in a grim tone. "That is correct, Taelerys."
Taelerys didn't know what to say. She felt as if she had been punched in the heart. Taelerys slowly began walking backwards, before tripping over a tree root. "Th-That's impossible though," Taly stammered, shaking her head with disbelief. "I couldn't have..."
Robb narrowed his eyes. "What is?"
"It was just a dream though! I couldn't have known that!" Taelerys nearly exclaimed, growing more and more frantic. It was real, I had a dream and it came exactly true, Taelerys thought. The blade exiting through Jory's skull. Wyl being overrun and gutted by three Lannister men. Lord Stark facing off with the Kingslayer himself, before a spear going through his leg like pork on a stick.
"Taly? What the hell is the matter with you?" Theon shouted. "What's wrong?"
By this time, Robb had gotten off his horse to help the trembling and anxious Taelerys onto her feet. He wrapped an arm her shoulder, comforting her. Completely ignoring the fact that Taelerys had somehow known this before the letter had even arrived, Robb helped calm down Taelerys.
"You need to make the Lannisters pay for Jory and the others,"
"Taelerys, I promise you, whatever might happen, I will not let this be forgotten," spoke the solemn voice of Robb the Lord of Winterfell. "But, you two are talking about war."
"I'm talking about justice," Theon said.
Taelerys sat with both legs dangling from the left side of Flame, she was busy rebraiding her long white hair. Long hair could get you killed in a fight. "I never said go to war," Taly corrected herself. "I just said make them pay."
Taelerys had already seen a war. All at the tender age of eight years old. The bodies, the blood, the rape, the orphans, and the poverty. No child no should have to go through that. No one should. "Only the Lord of Winterfell can call in the bannermen and raise an army." Robb reminded him.
"A Lannister put his spear through your father's leg. The Kingslayer rides for Casterly Rock where no one can touch him..." Theon said. For once Greyjoy did not smile. His lean, dark face had a hungry look to it, and his brown hair fell down across his eyes.
"Are you barking mad?" Taelerys hissed at him in a low voice. "Marching on Casterly Rock would mean war!"
Taly was careful to make sure that Bran couldn't hear her. Though with how distracted Bran was with riding, the young boy probably couldn't hear them. Theon merely shrugged. "Robb isn't a boy anymore and you certainly aren't a girl anymore. Although you still are a maiden," Taelerys rolled her eyes. "They attacked his father. They've already started the war. It's his duty to represent the House when his father can't."
Flame was starting to stray away, so Taelerys grabbed his reigns before he could go any further. She patted the mare on her auburn snout. "Theon, one's maturity isn't determined by age or the loss of ones virginity. I don't feel like losing my innocence in the local whore house." Taelerys coldly stated to him, earning herself a glare from the Greyjoy. As they continued debating about whether or not to call the banners, Taelerys had wandered off towards a tree.
She sat against it deep in thought while Flame nibbled at some more flowers. Taelerys still pondered on how her dreams had forseen the attack at Littlefinger's brothel. It couldn't have been a coincidence. After several minutes of deep thinking, Robb rushed towards her. "Have you seen Bran?" he nearly exclaimed.
"Shit!" Taelerys cursed aloud, throwing the flowers she had picked to the ground. The two of them ran through the thick bushes and trees to find Bran. When they did manage to find him, upon hearing loud voices, he was surrounded by three wildlings. Actual fucking wildlings. Taelerys had never seen them before but had heard stories. She knew they were wildlings from the way they dressed. These folk were definately not from around here. Robb put a finger to his mouth as he fell into a crouch. Taelerys nodded, silently drawing Blackfyre.
One of the wildlings was cutting off a strap from Bran's leg. "...Imagine what Mance Rayder would give for one of Benjen Stark's blood," the female wildling said.
"Piss on Mance Rayder, and piss on the North. We're going South as far as South goes." Scoffed the male wildling, who had stopped cutting the leather strap. Robb came up from behind, brandishing a sword. "Drop the knife. Let him go and I'll let you live," Robb demanded.
All of them started laughing. The older wildling, the leader from what Taly presumed, stepped forward and spat on the ground at Robb's direction. The second wildling ran towards him holding an ax. He swing at Robb from the side, who ducked, and drived it up from below, missing. He turns around, with the ax in the air, and drived it down to meet Robb's sword. Before the female wildling could gang up on Robb, Taelerys jumped from the bushes with Blackfyre in hand. Caught off guard, the other wildling barely had time to register Taly's attack. Taelerys piveted her sword, pulling the wildling closer, the sword took the wilding ax with it, then swung her sword, driving it through the wildings throat, slitting it. The female came up from behind and hit Robb's back with a broad stick. Robb turned, striking the stick to the ground, causing her to slip, and pulled her to his side, holding her by hair. A third wildling runs up to Taelerys with a sword. She struck the blade away and shoved Blackfyre through the wildling's stomach. The wildling leader pulled Bran from the horse to the ground. He held the knife to his throat, struggling to hold the crippled boy. Summer slid away, snarling, as he tackled the other wildling woman and ravaged her with his fangs. Another ran from the carnage, only to be bitten in the ankle by Grey Wind, who emerged from the wet bank. The wildlings cries were cut off, along with his neck.
"Robb! Taly!" Bran cried.
The wildling looked down at Bran. "Shut up!" he yelled in his grisly voice, before looking up at Robb and Taelerys. "Drop the weapons and stop your beasts!"
Taelerys gritted her teeth with disgust as she dropped Blackfyre to the ground. Robb slowly placed his blade next to hers. He let out a whistle and as if the direwolves understood him, Grey Wind and Summer retreated to his side. Their fangs were still bared, as if they felt the anger themselves.
The middle-aged wildling raised his eyebrows at Blackfyre, then even more upon seeing Taelerys. She held her arms in the air with discomfort of his stare. "A Valyrian sword...and a white-haired bitch?" the wildling said. "Well, isn't that something."
"She must be the Mad King's daughter," the woman wildling interjected, still lying on the ground. "A Targaryen. Blood of the dragon."
"Osha, quick, grab her sword and then kill the beasts with it," spat the wildling man. "It's Valyrian steel!"
"What about the Targaryen? A dragon breathes fire, we need fire to kill the Others." Osha stated. It was awkward for Taelerys and Robb to stand there while the two surviving wildlings debated. The Others? And she didn't literally breathe fire. Taly didn't understand their pecueliar interest in her.
Before they could do anymore, the wildling man gasped. An arrow pierced his chest and he collapsed to the ground, alongside the crippled Bran. Theon came up from behind. He drew another arrow, walking towards Robb and Taly, and pointed it at Osha. She let out a sigh of defeat before dropping her spear once more, arms in the air. Theon continued to hold his arrow in her direction.
Osha glanced around as Stark guardsmen appeared from beneath the trees, steel in hand. She threw down her spear. "Mercy, m'lord," she called to Robb.
As Taelerys knelt to examine the wound on his leg, Bran turned his head. Theon Greyjoy stood beside a sentinel tree, his bow in hand. He was smiling. Ever smiling. A half-dozen arrows were thrust into the soft ground at his feet, but it had taken only one. "A dead enemy is a thing of beauty," he announced. "You didn't do too bad yourself, Taly."
"Of all times to be an ass you chose to be one now?" Taelerys nearly barked at the Greyjoy.
Theon looked offended and surprised by her reaction. "It was meant as a compliment, you should be thanking me for saving your lives."
"What if you had missed the shot?" Robb then said, coming face-to-face with Theon. He was even more angry than Taly was. "What if you'd only wounded him? What if you had made his hand jump, or hit Bran instead? For all you knew, the man might have been wearing a breastplate, all you could see was the back of his cloak. What would have happened to my brother then? Did you ever think of that, Greyjoy?"
Theon's smile was gone. He gave a sullen shrug and began to pull his arrows from the ground, one by one. Robb glared at his guardsmen. "And where were you?" he demanded of them. "I was sure you were close behind us."
The men traded unhappy glances. "We were following, m'lord," said Quent, the youngest of them, his beard a soft brown fuzz. "Only first we waited for Maester Luwin and his ass, begging your pardons, and then, well, as it were..." He glanced over at Theon and quickly looked away, abashed.
"I spied a turkey," Theon said, annoyed by the question.
The two glowered at Theon and the guardsman with disbelief. "I hope it was worth the fucking turkey," Taelerys nearly hissed, stomping away with Flame in tow.