Elyssia Thorne
"What are we doing out here anyway?" Elyssia asked, sending a sharp look at Theon. It had been an hour and a half since they'd entered the woods, and she still had no clue as to why.
"We're looking for Bran and that damn wolf of his. Now shut up and look" Theon said crossly, stepping over a fallen tree.
"Bran always runs off like this. It's not any secret that he does it to get away from his mother and sisters" She said as she gave Jon her hand, allowing him to help her step over the same tree. "He just found out he's leaving Winterfell. Is it any wonder he's come out here?"
"I'm not getting a chill from Catelyn Stark because you refuse to help" Theon snapped. "Stay here if you must. You're only here to keep the Lannisters from being suspicious."
Elyssia opened her mouth to protest but Jon silenced her with a look. She bit her tongue hard, forcing the sharp retort to stay in her mouth.
"Don't give him more of a reason to argue, Lady Elyssia" Jon whispered in her ear as he passed her.
Elyssia had to fight to keep from balking as she glanced around the godswood. The great forest was darker than she'd ever seen it. She felt weighted, as if the trees themselves had rooted in her shoulders and were forcing her to bear their weight for them. These trees had never accepted her, even as a child. Maester Luwin had once told her that a godswood could spread like wildfire and choke the life out of all other trees that dared to grow in their way. Even the old, mighty trees like Ironwood...and Elderoak.
"I don't like this" She said quietly. A sick feeling had settled in her stomach as the wind blew harder through the trees. Theon and Jon turned to look at her, both mildly confused. "I can't go any further...I won't"
"Elyssia.." Jon started.
"Ignore her. If she doesn't want to go any further she can stay here" Theon unhooked his dagger sheath from his belt and threw it at her feet. "Keep that with you. We'll get you on the way back. Else you can find your way back to Winterfell yourself."
"But Theon-" Jon sighed as Theon stalked away. "Just call if you need us Elyssia. We won't leave without you"
Elyssia wanted to follow as she watched them walk away. She wanted to reach out, take Theon's arm, and demand they stay there with her...that they return to the castle. Instead the woods caught in her throat, tangled there by the thick presence of the godforsaken trees that surrounded her here. Her eyes watered as she stumbled backwards, falling down her cheeks as she caught her balance against an old, rotted tree. The old bark dug into her palm, drawing blood and staining the weathered wood red. She tripped over herself as she frantically maneuvered through the trees, hoping she'd chosen the correct direction. Then she saw it.
Lying among rubble and bits of broken stone. The pieces dyed scarlet around it. The flash of gray fur.
Then she screamed.
Theon Greyjoy
He froze when he heard the noise. It was high pitched and gut-wrenching, and gods was it loud. Jon turned just as quickly as Theon himself did, clearly distressed. Elyssia. It had to be Elyssia.
"Dammit" Theon cursed, shoving past Jon. He broke into a run as the screaming continued, hearing Jon crashing along in the underbrush just behind him.
The clearing they'd left her in was empty, but still the screaming carried on. He wanted to cover his ears and use silence to chase away the thick feeling vibrating in his stomach. Instead he spun on heel. His foot hit something slick, knocking him off balance.
"Your dagger" Jon pointed out the sheath, picking it up and handing the muddied leather to Theon.
"And blood" Theon pulled his hand away from the rotted tree he'd caught himself on. He scowled at the red stain on his hand. Thick sap had mixed with the warm blood that now clung to him, making it stick his fingers together and congeal in the creases of his palm. "We have to find Elyssia now."
They followed the noise all the way to the very wall of Winterfell. There they found here, kneeling beneath the armory tower and grasping at something in the could see her shaking, rocking herself in a way he'd never seen in anyone before. She was frantic and sobbing, her distress obvious.
"Dear gods" Jon had paled, his face going completely white.
"Elyssia! Elyssia" Theon grabbed her shoulders, ignoring everything else. "Get a hold of yourself."
"Dead. Dead..." Elyssia sobbed to herself, completely ignoring his presence. "I-He can't be-Lady Catelyn"
Theon finally looked at her hands, his eyes widening when he saw they were coated with blood. A direwolf came stalking out of the underbrush, hesitating as it took in the scene and then titled its head back and howled. Theon grabbed Elyssia by the arms, wrenching her up and away from the pale, broken body, of none other than Brandon Stark.