WOLF IN THE WOODS
Allara pulled her complete waist length dark-brown mane to the back and tied it into a pony hairstyle that would be comfortable for shooting arrows. Wearing leather tunics and breeches was not her style, unless she trained in court-yard with Ser Rodrick. Her sister, Lyanna, had a meager interest in shooting, demeaning Allara by calling it a coward's weapon to play with. Perhaps, it was the truth but hunting required shooting. Not that she had hunted huge animals, as seeing those poor animals' life wither away was too heart wrenching but Ser Rodrick wouldn't let anyone near the horse, if they were not an archer. So, she learned it... as much it was necessary in archery. Moreover, hunting was not just about killing, it was a patient process in tracking the animals, in which she had expertise.
She tied the laces of her leather boots that covered till her knees and marched to the court-yard to vent out her frustration. Her fingers traced the beautifully carved dire wolf sigil on her long bow, made of elm wood. Nocking an arrow to the string, she drew the arrow, aiming for the target's bull's eye. Ser Rodrick always would tell her, "Time and precision are the key to shoot an arrow, my lady." But she took her time, focusing so hard on the red circle in the centre, to make a clean shot. When she released, her disappointment couldn't find anymore deep cistern pit to sink, seeing the arrow plunge at the last circle of the board.
Am I good at anything at all?
She nocked another arrow which she possessed in her bow arm and aimed for the center but it only moved a few circles closer, nowhere near the target.
I have been training at this for as long as I remember. Why can't I even shoot once?
Allara realized in those many years, never once, had she hit the bull's eye. Furiously, she set her aim, and the only thing that prevailed in that yard was herself and the target circle. She heard no sound, and the world seemed still, when she released her perfect shot. And it missed. Had it missed like the first shot, reaching the edge of the board, she would have tried again, but it lingered on the thin line of the centre red circle, making her neither a winner nor a loser.
"Pray, tell me, how you managed to kill all those deers, elks and boars, with this middling skill of yours?"
Lyanna's voice interrupted her but Allara replied nothing to her sister's mockery, while she continued shooting with the rest of the arrows.
"What happened to you, Aly? You talk a little and share nothing with me. Have you forgotten me?" Lyanna asked in a low voice which trailed with pain, but that was the tone her sister mastered in, to get what she desired from Allara. "You have changed ever since that Lannister boy came."
Allara faced her sister with a frustration of getting reminded of Jaime, but she was not surprised to take a hint of a lie in Lya's eagerness. It wouldn't be a mystery to resolve if any of her siblings lied. So, Allara kept mum, waiting for her sister to get along with the act, to uncover the truth.
"I always thought, we both will be together, forever. Will you forget your family?... your own sister?, for that stupid blonde head." Lyanna asked in a pitiful tone.
"Don't be a numskull, sister. I am not - ever - going to give up on you or our family." Allara chided feigning a disinterested smile.
"No... That is a blatant lie. When was the last time, you spoke with me?" Lya screamed.
"I- Yest-" Allara tried recollecting the day that she last spoke with Lya. All she remembered was yelling at Ben, for bringing presents and letters from Jaime. Twice she interacted with Ned, who asked her about the details of the debt collected from the wine merchant in Wintertown. But she never spoke with Lya, and she avoided her sister for the fear of spilling that ugly truth about Jaime or Brandon. She didn't know which was more disgusting. "I promise you Lya... I never intended to be that way... It's just-" Allara paused thinking about all the times, Lya would console coming to her chamber at night, after a fight.
"You were the only person who I would seek in my hardest time, Aly. And to know that I don't mean the same for you..." Lya blinked her gray eyes trying to push a tear that was not present, in the first place. "It hurts so much. I never even remember how mother looked like. You are all I got."
"Lya..." Allara felt like garbage for letting her little sister feel left alone and to know that she had thought Aly as their mother made her feel terrible. "I am so sorry. We are all we got. Tell me... What you want to know? Or what you want me to do for you?" Old memories of dressing Lya like a Princess came to Aly's mind and she let out a warm smile. "Do you want to dress up? Or Do you-"
"How about we go for a hunt?" Lya asked excitedly, while joy and victory had already replaced all the recent grief that had found a home in her face.
"But you never liked to hunt."
"I never liked to dress up either. I bore it for you all these years." Lya scowled making an odd face which sprouted layers of mistrust in Aly's heart. There was a grain of truth to it. Lya only wished to do, what Brandon and Ned did. She wanted to ride like Brandon and so, she became like one. Their sire, Rickard Stark, had strictly forbidden them from swinging a sword saying those activities would not suit a lady of noble birth. Lyanna found ways to defy it. But never once had her sister showed any interest in songs or dance or dresses. Neither did she learn numbers nor did she read books. Lya roamed only with a wooden stick in her hand.
"We both alone can't wander into the woods, Lya. It's not safe to do and Father had taken most of the guards out to visit the land dispute in the nearby mill."
The truth to the tale was, without Brandon, she had never ventured into the woods. She used to track the animals and Brandon would shoot it. That had been their partnership. Now... There was no way Allara would be able to look at Brandon's eyes without thinking of that whore or his naked... body. Allara's spine sent a shiver with that memory. She had been successfully avoiding her brother, for close to four days, and she wanted to stay that way for a while.
"Why do we have brothers, then?" Lya jumped in excitement.
"I am not coming with Brandon." Aly retorted and turned to aim at the target again.
"Brandon is not the only brother you have, Aly."
Allara bit her tongue hearing Ned's voice, and she couldn't control her surprise to see him waiting with a bow and arrow, as though already they had planned for this.
"See, I know what you would say. So, I got Ned and now... we can go for hunting." Lya jumped and marched straight to armory, probably to fetch quiver and bows for herself. Aly wound her arm into Ned's, observing Lya's antics, who was commanding orders at Benjen.
"My sister is extremely sad and I have no idea what the reason might be... or should I ask who..." Ned pondered scratching his trimmed beard. Ned was the miniature image of Brandon, but more polite and adorably quiet. He would write the tales of Vale, of the Royce lord he befriended, of the friend he found in Robert, of the food that he hated in the mountain, through the letters. Could he even sense my worry, just by seeing my face?
"How do you know?" She asked trailing towards the stable, taking the reins from the stable boy.
"That your lovers' quarrel is all about Jaime?" Ned questioned with a chuckle. Allara stood speechless trying to contemplate of why he would address her and Jaime, as lovers. They were anything but that.
"Don't worry, Ned Stark... A ride is what required for us both to fix that small misunderstanding."
Allara jumped hearing Jaime's voice behind, and she was stunned to realize, everyone had been cornering her coming from different sides, at the right time to force her to come for hunting. Her fingers flexed on the reins of the horse, when she glowered at Jaime. That was when she observed Lya, taking her horse, rewarding Jaime with a victorious smile. Did he use Lya to fool me into this folly? Before she started to scream curses at him, he placed his hands on her hips, from behind, mumbling, "Let me help..." and placed her onto the back of the horse. Allara wanted to fight back at him, proudly flaunting of how she knew to ride a horse on her own and didn't require his help, but she was silenced by Ned's low growl that tried to intimidate Jaime for holding her. Oh... Sweet Ned... He puts up a great show, but this is not his real face.
Jaime rode solemnly staring at the behind of the horse and its rider. Both had a tail, on them, and Allara's dark-brown hair ran below, tingling the horse's stomach. That shiny strand of golden hair complemented on the palfrey's red mane. He couldn't stop comparing her with that steed. Both were sleek and amorous.
Why do I keep thinking about this girl, to this extent?
Jaime tried to ignore and leave her behind, so he could give her some space, but her teary eyed face, kept haunting his dreams and she didn't even give him a chance to meet or speak. He had to coerce her sister, Lyanna, into all this ploy. Jaime couldn't even make sense of his own behaviour. Women swooned over him. It had never been this way, where he had to play tricks. Still, a part of him was amused to wait and win.
"The deal is done, Jaime." Lyanna moved her horse closer to Jaime. "It is between you and her, from now."
"And how is that a fair deal, my lady?" Jaime seethed. "You were supposed to give me a chance to speak with her alone. And... You bought your brother with us. That too... the most honourable one. He didn't even let me go near her. Now, how will I speak with her-"
Lyanna stared at him with icy-steel glare, making Jaime get alerted with whom he was speaking to. "And what matters will you speak with my sister, that too alone, in the woods...?" Her voice was crusty, trying to threaten him. "Make no mistake, Jaime. I am her sister and I won't hesitate to use my sword on you, if you even dare to hurt her. I fooled her easily because she loves me and trusts me. But beware that I am not here to entertain your conniving schemes."
Jaime pulled the reins of his horse, to a halt, taking a long unforgiving glance at the wolf girl in front of him. For the past two days, she drained all of his energy in making him to train her, promising him at each cut that she would make him meet Allara alone. Jaime hadn't thought of it as a waste of time. He felt alive only when he held a sword. Even though this girl was nowhere close to his skills but Jaime had to admit how much he underestimated the girl, just because she was a girl. If she got a proper training, she could become a knight one day.
"You do realize that I can cut you, even before you unsheathe your sword. Don't you?" He tightened his jaw, getting insulted and cheated by a girl. It was one thing when her sister, Allara did, which actually triggered something carnal inside of him but he hated to get mistreated by Lyanna. "And you don't even own a sword, for that matter. Now... You listen to me, wolf! I want to have a moment with your sister, and as you promised, if you don't let me be with her alone... then I will have to admit to her of your betrayal. I will spill the truth of how you traded loyalty for sword-swinging lessons with me." Jaime spun something evil in his head. "Or how you have started to take a liking for me and said filthy tales about her, in jealousy to me."
"Liking for you?" Her eyes widened. "I never said filthy-" Lyanna paused staring at him in utter shock. He laughed finding her distraught face, that became pale in sadness. "One last time, Jaime. I will make sure you get your time but after that, the deal between us is done." She screamed kicking her horse towards her brother and sister. "Filthy bastard!" Jaime could still hear her ramblings even this far.
As he trailed behind them, Jaime could not understand why he was becoming desperate to have a moment with Allara, who he supposedly hated in the beginning. What use it would be? Allara was beautiful — true, but Cersei was beautiful too. She was headstrong — true, but Cersei was headstrong too. What was it that made him to buzz around her, like a fly? He had attempted every trick that men used to court a lady, starting from sending flowers, presents and even walked by her chambers, hoping to get a glance of her. What Cersei would tell of all this? She would spit on him, calling him names, saying that a true Lannister would never accept the likes of a savage northern woman. Before he arrived Winterfell, even he thought the northerners to be nothing but savage lords. But, it had all changed after knowing them.
At the edge of the woods, he tied the horses, along with Ned, who patted his shoulder while ordering two of his men to stay by the horses. It was not a huge party, only four guards had accompanied them and Jaime had no great interest in hunting. It was a long and exhausting process, tracking the trails of boars and stags. But the killing part when blood spilled with guts falling out had always excited him. He could even feel his veins plopping out, for the picture of blood and blades in his head.
"Tell me about the woods in Casterly Rock, Jaime? What animals do you hunt?" Ned questioned eagerly.
"Mostly elks, which are a common sight... and sometimes boars. If you are lucky, lions will come across you." Jaime responded adjusting his long-bow by his shoulder. "What about this wood?"
"Stags are a common sight. But with wolves getting increased, father is worrying about the proportion."
"Why not kill a few of them?" Jaime pondered.
Ned was appalled, but he shook his head with a mild smile. "Wolves rule these woods, Jaime and we bear them in our sigils. It is not likely for any of us to kill them. It will be an ill omen to do so."
Jaime rolled his eyes, thinking how ridiculous their tales and beliefs were but he kept to himself, instead of pointing their old tradition. Brandon Stark might laugh and punch Jaime's shoulder for such remarks but Ned Stark was so stern and rarely smiled. Anyway, Jaime had much more important matters to focus on. And just when he thought about it, Lyanna was tugging Ned's arm.
"We should split up, I say. How will we hunt, if we scare off all the animals?" Lyanna pressed Ned.
"Don't tell me, you have taken a fancy for hunting, sister. I can't send a search party for you, in these woods, if you run away." Ned complained with a frown.
"I swear, I will be close to you. Perhaps, Aly and Jaime can go in separate ways. Our hunting will be very successful if we don't create a nuisance in the same part of the woods." Lyanna held a contempt for Jaime, even while pleading Ned through her eyes. Jaime forced himself to not look at Allara who had been throwing daggers at him, from behind, ever since Lyanna opened her mouth. But he couldn't hold and his worst nightmare came true, when he turned to find Allara, standing close with her arms crossed across her chest, completely aware of all his ploys.
"I am not sending them alone into the woods, Lya. Keep quiet." Ned chided.
"It is fine, Ned." Allara intervened. "We both will go around the lake, to check. When I come with Brandon, that is where we track first. You have to come through that way to leave the forest, anyway. We will wait for you there."
Jaime felt defeated. Why would she agree to go alone with him? If she would agree this easily, why couldn't she accept to meet him in the castle?
Ned frowned with a reluctant nod, unable to deny his own sister's request. "Don't go anywhere else. Stay close to the shore."
And with that Jaime walked brushing her shoulder. Jaime was tall for his age, compared to rest of the boys. And Allara was of the same height as Jaime, which happened to be highly uncommon with her family. He knew she wasn't muscular like Lyanna, which was required to throw weight around a sword for fighting. But that didn't make Allara, weak. She was slender and seeing her in a man's attire made her more womanly than ever, with all the curves and dips. She was tall... with perfect-fit shoulder, absolutely desirable... for mating. Why his cruel head would wander there? Was it because of the loneliness in the woods? Had he become so desperate being a long time away from Cersei?
Allara stopped on her tracks, turning with sharp mismatching eyes, that chanted a dark spell around him. He felt so familiar with those eyes, as though they had been watching him, for a long time.
"How many times do I need to ignore you before you take a hint, Jaime?" Her voice had an edge of distaste to it and Jaime bit his lower lip urging himself to not reply something ugly. "Haven't you done enough the last time? And now, you are using my own family in your games? What do you want this time, from me?" She howled while her fingers pulled the strings of the longbow, that rested by her shoulder. Her eyes were turning dark, the left gray eye always remained the same, but it's her right eye, which remained mostly dark blue, but it would go close to black when she was in anger or remain soft blue with her change in heart. Those eyes reminded Jaime of Tyrion more than Cersei. His little brother also had mis-matched eyes as her. Why do I keep comparing her to my siblings?
"I want you to forgive me, Allara Stark. I know my apology means nothing to you, but it is everything to me." Jaime sighed, realizing how for the first time, in his whole life, he gave a genuine apology to someone. His father, Tywin Lannister, would never forgive him, if he learned that his precious son apologized to a Stark girl. But Jaime cleared his throat and head, knowing he had to do this properly.
"Allara, I should have never taken you to a whorehouse. No proper man would do that to a lady. And I realized how much I hurt you by showing your brother's indiscretion, only after you compared him with Cersei." He looked down on his boots, wondering what his mother, Lady Joanna, would have said of all this, if she ever lived to see what had become of him. He didn't know an answer to it or he didn't even want to know about Lady Joanna. Her memories were getting foggy in his head. "I know how it matters to see the best in your family. Especially, with one's siblings. Trust me... I am nothing without them. They hold us together, when we are left alone. Don't they?"
Jaime's corner lip curved a little as he tried to wear a mask to hide his vulnerability, but he failed, when she spoke nothing in response. He felt so naked before her, exposing the hard truth through his eyes, telling a tale of how his father was never there to fill the gap of what his mother left behind. If Cersei was not there, Jaime didn't know how he would have survived those horrible days of being only seen as a prized heir for his father. The self-pity was allowing him to surrender to Allara's soft gaze, and he realized it would be easier for him to accept her brawling than to yield to her empathizing.
"I accept your apology, Jaime." She stated with an unmoving set of eyes that was transfixed on his own pair. "Let us hunt something, before my brother hunts us." And with that she walked slow as a cat, her eyes wandering everywhere into the woods.
Do I need to feel disappointed that she didn't bother to pamper me into asking for more details? Isn't that how all ladies feel sorry?
Although, a part of him felt disappointed, another part of him leapt and danced in joy, for finally finding a lady who wouldn't wail for all tales. Something was always pulling him closer to her. It was her haughty attitude which resembled Cersei, but there was kindness in her too, which his sister would never show to anyone else, except Jaime.
Jaime let out a long sigh, of finally getting over with this long awkward conversation that he was supposed to do before leaving Winterfell, and tracked her path. She had ample knowledge in tracking. She had already tracked the foot trails of a boar, and a buck.
"We better stay close to the shore, instead of wandering into the woods with these buck tracks." Allara said staring down at the footprint on the snow.
"It is a fresh snow, Aly. If we search further inside, we might be able to find it."
She played with a worn-out wolf brooch that was pinned by her chest and shook her head. "I promised Ned that we will not venture deep inside. If he comes searching for us, then he will feel very disappointed." Jaime chuckled unable to contain his amusement, and she threw a spiteful glance at him for that. "Spill it out. I can hear your voice already."
"Why do you always play being this perfect girl?" Jaime beamed seeing her get agitated. "See, I closely observed you for the past few days. You act like a right hand for your father. And your brother, Brandon, adores you, telling glorified tales about his marvellous sister. Look at yourself! Prim and proper at all the times."
She snorted a chuckle with a wry smile. "This is what I don't understand. You... Jaime Lannister, who hate me, could see how much efforts I put to appear to be the perfect lady. Yet, my father never, once complimented me." Jaime stared at her with wide eyes of disbelief. "Oh... Don't pity me. I believe you have got worse than me."
"Worse?..." Jaime pondered as he walked behind her, who was tracking the prints on snow.
"Well... You can hide it all you want. We both are sailing on the same lonely boat, hoping someday our fathers will come look for us."
"Are you a witch now? Guessing my life, with mere words."
She let out a small laugh. "It's not so hard to guess. You are arrogant, cocky, brash and impulsive." Those words pulled the trigger for his anger. Instinctively he pulled her wrist to make her stop. In response, Allara gave a smirk. "Are you going to deny of any that? Your last act of chivalry proved what extent you would go to exact revenge. And I am sure, all of these directs straight to your father."
He was getting lost being close with her. Her teasing sensualized his dark soul. And she possessed an amusing scent, that was giving giddiness to his head. Somehow without his knowledge, his hand trailed up her arm, and he wished she wore nothing. He earned to touch her pale skin, beneath all those layers of cloth. Her eyes closely followed, where his fingers travelled, up until it reached her jaw. Sleek and smooth pale skin, welcomed his calloused hand. He was careful not to hurt her, when his thumb traced her red lips, which was glistening to welcome him. He wanted to take a bite of it.
All of a sudden, when the scent was spinning his head, she whispered, "Jaime... Don't move. It is the scent of the musk deer and it is so... close. We can take it."
Jaime stared at her in awe unable to understand how she was able to speak about a deer, at this moment. Does she not want me, as much as I do? His ego felt bruised, and he instantly withdrew his hand, turning his head away from her stare. Allara didn't even bother about his wounded pride, when she started seeking that mindless deer in dark woods, while he stood in the same place dumbfounded of what had happened. She was waving her hand, excitedly at him, motioning him to join.
To clear his head, from the insult, he stood uninterestingly next to her, who had her eyes rested only upon that ugly creature.
"What are you waiting for? Finish it." Jaime murmured. She nocked her arrow, without even disturbing the surrounding wind. Jaime had hunted for his whole life, to know, musk deers were very sensitive to even the slightest disturbance, even though it was standing close to twenty-five foot farther. But she kept staring at it, in fondness. When Jaime nudged her elbow to release the arrow, she batted her dark eyelashes which was brimming with anguish.
"It is trying to attract its mate."
"Me and that buck have something in common then. Neither of us did a good job at that. Now shoot." He urged, but she rolled her eyes, without even slightest change in the tension of her string. She had strong arms to hold the arrow, but Jaime realized some ugly truth about her. "What was the animal you last shot?" He questioned curiously only to get no answer.
It took only a few seconds for him to nock an arrow to his bow, and before he knew, the deer laid dead on the ground, probably blood getting spread on the snow.
"Tell me that you have killed an animal before." He stared at her, in annoyance. She made no movement, giving only silence as a response, bending down to see her shoes. "Why do you hunt, if you don't have the stomach to kill?" He was probably wounding her pride, as he could clearly see her face becoming long. She deserved it, for seducing him and later wounding him. A bitter taste, still rested on his lips, and he thought for a moment to force a kiss on her. She wouldn't deny it, in the middle of the woods. Would she?
"Don't tell me the sight of blood makes you squeal. Have you ever learned to shoot in the first place? In which case, a girl like you, should have known to stay in that ice castle, knitting sweaters for men." Her mouth parted with a sad frown making even Jaime to feel sorry. He didn't want to hurt her. It was because of the rejection that he started spitting venom now. I am Jaime Lannister.
Suddenly, he withdrew being close from her and walked towards that dead buck, to see his own work. His arrow had pierced the deer's artery by neck, taking its life without much pain. The scent was too strong around the animal, and Jaime placed his longbow by the red snow bed, when he tried to touch its skin.
"Jaime..." Her scream was of panic and before he realized what was happening, someone behind him was moving. "Jaime... Don't move." Allara's voice ringed his head, but his adrenaline kicked in and he turned around with his hand resting on the sword hilt.
A growl came out from that ugly creature, and when it moved forward, calmly like a hunter looking for prey, a chill passed through his spine.
"Don't make any movements, Jaime. It will not attack, if you don't-" Jaime knew he had to listen to Allara, but it was in his nature to unsheathe a sword, facing an enemy and before he knew, his sword was in his hand. And that already bleeding ghastly wolf, lowered its head, taking position to attack him. He could fight a wolf. How hard would it be? I have defeated strongest of men, in sparring. It's just a wolf.
One leap of that animal was all it took for that beast to tear his tunic with its claws on him and his skills proved no use, when its canine teeth, sunk into the flesh on his wrist which held the sword. His sword dropped by itself and death was smiling at him, in the form of a wolf. When he knew his arm would be torn for its hunger, the wolf yelped with pain, and was thrown far away from him, as two bolts of arrows pierced into the beast's body, continuously.
He clenched his jaw bearing the horrendous pain, and within seconds Allara was steadying his shoulder, to rest him down. Her hands brushed on his chest, where shreds of clothes were hanging out.
"It is just a scratch here. It will fade away soon."
When her warm comforting voice soothed him, Jaime felt guilt gnawing at his chest for hurting her just moments before. Every time, he did something to her, with cruel intention, guilt ate him up thousand folds in return. She was examining his bleeding wrist and tore a part of her tunic, to wrap it around him.
"It didn't go too deep to have a lasting harm. But you need to treat it, before it gets festered. The Maester must have a salve." And when he gave no answer in response, she observed his emotionless face. Her hands traced his jaw, and with that one warm touch, he was lost to her again. "Are you fine, Jaime? You look pale."
He bought his other hand to rest on hers and whispered. "What have you done to me?"
She smiled and gave a mischievous slap to his cheek. "Some poison must have got into your head."
"Aye... My father always says, A Lannister doesn't act like a fool. It definitely is the poison speaking."
She laughed in response, and darted her gaze at that wretched beast, which was lying a few feet away from them. Her eyes were fraught with sorrow. "It is an ill omen to kill a wolf."
"I am quite sure my life is worth a thousand wolves like that. You can ask my father, when you meet him." It irritated him of her pity towards a senseless animal but he knew it was not in his rights to think that way. She had never killed even a deer before. "Aly... Look... One has to die for another to live." She nodded her head politely listening to him, all the while her eyes were set upon that wolf and suddenly she jolted.
"Jaime... It has not died. Look! It is breathing."
"It is whimpering, Allara." He answered annoyed with her insistence and moved closer, taking his knife in hand. "It is a mercy to give a clean death."
"No..." She shrieked pulling his wounded arm with a crease on her brow. "I can cure it. Please don't do anything."
She kneeled before that black ghoulish creature and touched its neck to sense its pulse. Suddenly, the wolf's head turned to her direction and instinctively, Jaime raised his dagger in defense. But Allara was calm and comforting, petting the dirty black fur of it with calm wavy circles.
"Something else has wounded it before it came here." She whispered, tracing her fingers along the fresh red marks on its face. "It was scared when it met you, Jaime. Wolves always roam in a pack. It must have lost its family."
"That something should have showed mercy and killed it. Now, you are going to torture it. Give a clean death to it, Allara."
"No... I will cure her and release into the woods. I will never let her die by my hands."
"Let the Others take you..." Jaime and Allara turned to see Ned walk into the woods with the rest of the party. "I asked you both to stay by the lake." Ned paused on his tracks, his eyes, wandering towards Jaime, the dying wolf and the already dead deer.
"What happened here? Aly... Are you fine? Were you attacked?" So many questions were presented before them and Jaime answered for everything before Ned went to see that beast and stared at his sister who was having hopes high as a mountain to save that terrific creature, even though there was no chance for it.
"We can save her, Ned. I can take her to the Maester and remove the arrows. I was careful while I shot. I want this wolf, not to die in my hands..." Allara pleaded with tear brimming on her eyes.
"It is not a wolf, Aly. Its a direwolf." Ned sighed kneeling before the beast, checking the warmth in its body.
"But it looks so small for a direwolf." Lyanna intervened, trying to touch it carefully, with full of fear.
"It must merely be a two months old pup. Direwolves grow faster than normal ones. Look at this curve in its body." Ned was drawing a point with his fingers. "For more than a century, there was no direwolf this far south."
"We have one now. Before she loses consciousness, we must take her to the castle." Aly answered dryly.
"You must tell her..." Jaime whispered in his ears.
Ned was understanding when he placed his hand on her. "Aly... It is fine. Let her go."
Tears rolled down her cheek, and she stubbornly tried to lift the direwolf in her arms. "If you won't help me take it, I will do it on my own. Anyone who brings their knife close, will have to face me first. I will not be the reason of its death."
Lya said something to Ned's ear, and they all agreed to take both the wolf and the deer. But Allara insisted on carrying the wolf along with the guards and held its head, moving very cautiously towards the castle, not disturbing the arrows from its body. Jaime knew it was of vain. Now, her heart might break even worse having to see it dying.
When they reached the castle, she asked the guards to take it to the Maester's turret, forgetting about Jaime's presence or his wounded wrist. Brandon was all around her and was shocked to hear the tale.
"A wolf marked you, Lannister." Brandon said teasingly, before patting his shoulder.
"Aye... That it has done. Do you think the mark will vanish?" Jaime asked dryly, looking at Allara's behind, not remembering which wolf marked him deeper.
"Nah... It won't vanish, the mark is so deep. A proud tale to say in your cups, I say. You should stay in Winterfell, for a few more days for it to heal. Better go fix it with the Maester before my sister occupies him with that staunchly beast."
Jaime smiled cheerfully and walked towards the turret, to be close to her, with whatever remaining days was left over. His heart was swelling at the prospect of spending some time with her, even though a voice was screaming in his head to worry about Cersei, who would kill him if she ever learned of his feelings for this Stark maid.
Hope no one hates me for how I portrayed Jaime.
Arianna Le Fay : Yes, I want to take that story where Rhaegar is married to Elia.
Hercules : Yes... He is very much an arse. Flirted and tricked her. And about Brandon... I think she probably will be feeling disgusted. Thank you. Your comments make me happy.:)
Swiggs : Was it me who tricked and backstabed? Lol... I am excited to write about Rhaegar and Allara too.
Guest : Thanks :)