A Son of Ice and Fire

Chapter 22: So close yet so far

Astrid

Heather had spent all morning passed out, completely dead to the world as she was still recovering from the night before. We were riding on back of my beautiful girl, her soft white hair shimmering in the golden sun as we rode through the tall grass. Just like the rides I used to go on when I was little. The only difference was that as a child, I didn't have someone clinging to me like an ill-fitting suit of armour. We had already travelled for about five hours in the morning, and we had to slow from yesterday's pace, or she would have fallen off by now. In that time, Heather had somehow gone from a position of laying forward on Stormfly's neck where I'd placed her, to somehow turning around and now pressed against me. I'm pretty sure it's uncomfortable for both of us, yet she didn't seem to be in any hurry to wake up.

With the harbour in sight, I finally heard her stir.

"Uhhhhh, Astrid." She mumbled softly. I brushed her hair softly, as she tried to sit upright. Her finely twisted braid now in a bit of the mess, as if she'd been struck by lightning. Her sparkling emerald eyes looked at me with a cloudy blur, as the effects of the alcohol were hitting her hard. I felt the cold moisture on the right shoulder of my light blue shirt as she peeled herself from me. She covered her mouth, but her bright red cheeks shone from embarrassment that she had actually drooled on me.

"I'm… sorry… about… that." She yawned. "Astrid?"

"Looks like someone needed their beauty sleep." I chuckled.

"Mmmmmmm. Why is everything backwards? And why is everything spinning?"

"Careful," I replied gently, as I carefully helped her pull her legs around, so she was facing in the right direction. "There you go. I can't stop your head spinning, you'll just have to suffer this one."

"What happened last night?"

"Well it looks like one little lady can't handle her drink." I giggled. She spun round quickly, attempting to punch me gently in the shoulder. However, her lack of co-ordination from just waking up, as well as the hangover, caused her to swing aimlessly and miss. The lack of an impact kept her momentum spinning, and she was moments from falling completely off of the horse's back. I quickly reached forward, grabbing her waist, and holding her as she regained her balance. The sharp tug however, caused her to instantly spew up last night's meal. What a beautiful sight. At least it was over the side, and missed me and Stormfly. I wouldn't hear the end of it from the horse if I let her even get muddy, so getting sick in her hair would mean I would have a very grumpy mare on my hands. I patted Heather on the back, and handed her a small container full of water.

"Thank you, sister." She said shakily.

"What would you ever do without me?" I laughed. "We're nearly there now. Once we get on the boat, you can rest again. Sound good?" I heard a soft mumble in agreement and she laid back on to me. "Don't worry Heather, we'll get there soon."

The boat journey was pretty uneventful. We'd expected to run into the Ironborn at some point or the other, but surprisingly the seas were very clear. No pirates even. Even the wind was behind us, allowing us to arrive at the Northern port two days ahead of schedule. The boat itself was one of twenty our House has. Of course, it was no comparison to the grand Redwyne fleet, but it was still respected in the reach. It was a spacious vessel, with the bright gold and blue sail, similar to our sigil. It took less than a week to make the journey north, and we would soon be on horseback again.

The final morning onboard the ship was here, and already I could hear the cold, whistling winds bouncing off the ship. I changed from my normal thin blue shirt and leather spiked skirt into the specially-made gear Valka had recommended for the trip. I put on my thick, deep blue leggings and the thicker, heavy leather, spiked skirt. The warm, red shirt was so different to the lighter fabrics of the South. It was tight, but I assumed I'd be needing it to be to get through the next few weeks. I mounted my metal shoulder-pads, and started to tie up my hair. I braided it, slowly easing the leather headband underneath my fringe. I put on the thick, heavy fur boots and spent a good ten minutes stomping around the cabin to get used to the feel of the weight on my feet. I draped the Heavy, silver coloured, fur coat over me and left the room. We were just about to leave as I remembered I'd forgot something very important. I rushed back to find the silver chain on the end of the bed. I hung it from my shoulder pads, so that the circular link in the middle hung a couple of inches below my neck. I looked down at the piece of jewelry. I'd had it since I was little, and it was one of my most treasured possessions. The large circular ring was smooth and simple, with my initials engraved into the top. Never was one for fancy trinkets, but this just felt special.

As we emerged onto the dock, the sharp chilling sensation swept over me. I'd only been North once, and I was too young to remember most of it. The air was still, and the wind hissed fiercely. If this was the North now, I dread to think of it in the middle of Winter. We soon got going, and trudged our way South East to join one of the major roads. Heather was back on her beautiful black stallion, a gift from my brother, and I was back on Stormfly. Valerie, or Valka, was riding behind us on an older mare. Brown, but with large black patches, it was a beautiful creature as well. A few of the men aboard the boat had decided to join us, so now we had fifteen men with us for the final leg of the journey. At least now all I have to protect myself from is the cold. I was as wrapped up as I had ever been, yet that wasn't enough to prevent me from shivering every time the wind gushed over us.

For five days, we forced ourselves through, making great time. At this rate we should get there in two or three days. As we settled down in a cave for the night, it was clear how small our group had become. Our eighteen-person party was now down to a measly nine. Two of the men from the boat had made excuses and returned to the sea. A few of the men had been killed by bandits and some others had decided to bail to head back south and out of the chilling cold. None of them knew the real reason why we were going, but I promised Valka not to tell them. We were so close now, and to be honest I was getting a bit nervous. It's not a feeling I usually have, but it wasn't like something like this had ever happened to me before. I was probably nervous for Heather and Valka, and in some way, it will be better as all the attention will be on them and not me.

I was laying there trying to sleep, but my thoughts were so clouded I couldn't drop off. Then I heard it. A faint sound of footsteps outside of the entrance to the cave kept me on edge, and I slowly walked over and shook Heather and Valka, holding my hand over their mouths at first so they didn't make a sound. I pointed to the sound of the noises, but soon there was no need to hide. The sound of swords clashing rung in the air, echoing loudly and reverberating throughout the cave. Then silence. We headed deeper into the cave to where the horses were being rested. As we started to untie the ropes and make a run for it, five men came charging around the corner. Dressed in mostly black, with pointed helmets and leather straps crossed across their chests in the shape of a cross, they stared at us. They already had blood on their blades, so I can assume our escorts were all dead. Just our luck.

"Boltons." Valka whispered scornfullyunder her breath.

The men formed a line in front of us. Me and Heather pulled out our axes.

"Get those horses untied now, we can go out the back." I whispered back to Valka.

As the men saw her continuing to untie the knots, they held their weapons high and charged. Me and Heather were without our usual armour that we wore in the south, but the heavy clothing would at least provide some protection. Hopefully. As the first man lunged at me, he didn't even get a second attempt before I had planted the blade of my axe in his side neck. The life drained from his eyes, as the blood trickled down the steel and onto the wooden handle, making its way down, until droplets rolled over the tips of my fingers. I froze. I'd be trained to fight, to beat an opponent, but to take a life. I knew this was someone trying to do the same to me, but my hand was shaking for a good few seconds after that. Heather had beaten her first enemy easily, parrying a weak strike before one end of her axe sliced vertically up the man's throat, leaving him grasping for air before he fell. The next had a shield, so I looked across to see if she needed help. Before I could blink, the razor-sharp end of her blade had found a gap around the man's shield. As she swung the axe effortlessly with huge force, the man's confident demeanor immediately broke and he screamed. He looked down at his now dismembered arm, his right hand now dropping with a thud and landing still on the ground. The shield clattered onto the floor as the man yelled in agony. Only for a second, as Heather had span her weapon and dug the other end deep into the man's breastplate. Causing his now still body to drop like a stone.

Now in a two on two standoff, the two men left stood there with deep scowls. As we crashed into a deep lock of metal on metal, I saw the horses out of the corner of my eye. Heather's mother was finished untying them, and now was leading them out of harm's way. I looked over to Heather, to give her a nod that we could now get away, but before I caught her eye, I felt a sharp intense pain. I looked down to see the dagger lodged deep into my lower chest. I couldn't scream, couldn't yell, only a high-pitched yelp came out. I could feel the strength sapping, as the man's sword was now easily pushing my axe back. My arm started to shake, but I grabbed the handle tight. I was still losing grip, and soon I couldn't push it back any further. As the sword pressed closer and closer towards my neck, I suddenly felt the pressure ease. Heather's man laid dead on the floor, and her axe was now firmly implanted in the back of the man who's eyes I was staring into. The man's thick fur coat must have resisted the swing of the blade to an extent, as he let out a loud growl. He barged me to the floor, as my axe slid across the floor and implanted deep into a mud mound. He turned to face Heather, sword primed. Her axe was still lodged in him as he turned, grunting again loudly. She was now defenseless, backing off. Without a second's hesitation, my hand still shaking violently, I clenched my fingers onto the dagger lodged into me. I clawed into the fine, wooden handle and gritted my teeth as hard as I could as I forced the blade loose. I pushed down the bile that was forming in my throat back down, at least I hope that's what it is. A good three to four inches of the blade were painted red, and I looked at it in shock for a second. A second, and only a second. I limped forward, trying to ignore the sharp pains in my chest, but I soon found my target. With a strong, two handed blow, I plunged the blade as hard as I could into the man's uncovered neck. As I pulled out the blade and implanted it his neck for the second time, the blood sprayed out, drenching me in a thin layer of it, as I looked again at the dagger and down to the blood trickling down my shirt and soaking into the leather of my shirt.

I dropped to my knees. I'd had tens, even hundreds of cuts and bruises from sparring and training, but this was new. Heather rolled to the side, just before the man dropped and fell headfirst towards the ground. Heather looked at me in shock, then got up and sprinted towards me. She dropped to my side, tearing the fur coat the rest of the way off and peeling the shirt back to reveal the extent of the wound. The lighter shade of red of the fabric now drenched with the darker shade of the blood seeping through. Heather shouted out for her mother in a panicked tone, eyes darting furiously back and forth.

"Heather. I'm fine. You don't need to wor… worr… worry." I mumbled. I could now feel the blood in the back of my throat, and the burning I could feel all the way across my forehead. The sweat now clumping on my cheeks as I spoke.

Valka sprinted around the corner, she ran in and her eyes met mine for a moment. Before I felt my head drop and my eyes begin to close.

"NO. NO ASTRID YOU DON'T GET TO DO THAT TO ME. DON'T YOU GIVE UP. I NEED YOU." Heather yelled, shaking my soldiers repeatedly.

"Heather, I told you, I'm fi…" With that I fell back, head landing in the dirt as my arm reached around to clutch where the blade had entered. Heather gave another desperate look over to her mother, who came sprinting over, ordering instructions. I could see their mouths moving, but I couldn't hear the words. I felt the warm hand of Heather take mine off of my stomach, and then the cold splash of water onto the wound. It stung, and I wanted to scream, but I couldn't find any words. As Valka reached over and pressed firmly onto the wound, I closed my eyes to grit the pain. But as I tried to open them, I couldn't. I could feel Heather's arms around me, shaking me, hugging me, but I couldn't move. Couldn't speak. Then I couldn't feel anything at all.