272 AC

Chapter V

Lost in the Whispering Wood

Lysa

After all the excitement of the tournament they had just attended, getting lost in the Whispering Wood, because of a heavy mist created the perfect contrast. Lysa and her sister, Catelyn, were lost in conversation about the tournament. Like most young ladies, they talked of the gallant knights and lords competing at the tournament. They talked endlessly about the ideals they upheld, and how lucky the ladies they would marry would be. Then just before they lost track of where they were in an unusually thick mist, Lysa brought up their friend Jonos. They had both been in attendance for the sword competition he had competed in. Lysa felt weightless when she saw his display against the other squires. The way he moved, the way he smiled and taunted his opponents throughout the rounds of the competition, and the way he showed no fear against any of his opponents. It also wasn't seen as a pity that Jonos was also by far the most handsome squire in Riverrun. Besides, Lysa wouldn't talk much to the other squires, because she didn't feel comfortable around them. She did not know them well. Consequently, she had known Jonos for years now. She always knew he was capable of the showing he put on, but it wasn't any less impressive for her. She had been surprised how disappointed he was with his own performance.

The thoughts of Jonos and the tournament were, however, replaced by thoughts of their new predicament. The mist engulfed the wood, only allowing them to see what was directly in front of them. It being near dusk did not help the situation at all. Lysa made sure to stay close to where Catelyn was, as the sounds of the forest continued to ring around them. Lysa hoped to the Seven the tales their mother told about the creatures of Whispering Wood were not real. They couldn't. Could they?

"What if they don't find us, Cat? We'll be captured by grumkins and never be heard from again!" Lysa said, terrified.

"They'll find us, we just need a place to wait for the search party. Father is bound to send one after us," Catelyn reassured her.

"The mist is too deep, how can they find us if they can barely see what's in front of them?"

"They'll find us. Help me try to find somewhere safe to stay while we wait. It's not best for us to split up, but try to look around that side of the clearing while I look at what's over there," Before Lysa could retort, Catelyn had already disappeared to wherever she was going. Lysa felt more isolated than she had before. Each step that she took, as the branches and whatever else broke underneath her feet made her more uneasy. All she could find was trees, trees, and even more trees. It did not help that the noises of the wildlife around her made her more uneasy as the moments went on.

She reached the dead end that would lead to even deeper wood. Immediately. she looked around to try to find her sister Catelyn.

"Cat! Where are you?" She yelled partially blind from all of the mist blocking their view. Lysa continued wandering around blindly yelling her sister's name. The Grumkins got her. And now I'm next!

Just as Lysa lost all hope of finding her sister, even resigning herself to the potential kidnapping that lay ahead in her future, she finally found her sister. She stared blankly at what was a large tree at the center of a clearing. The tree itself was much larger than the surrounding trees. The formation along the bark seemed older and more ancient than the surrounding foliage. To Lysa's horror, there was what looked like a face seemingly carved into the trunk of the tree. Lysa quickly got the attention of her sister, more in truth for them to get out of the horrifying tree.

As soon as Lysa got Catelyn's attention, she turned toward her, seemingly interrupted from a trance-like state.

"I've never seen a weirwood before. The Maesters taught us that they had cut most of these trees down in the South," And they had good reason to cut them down. From the face carved on the tree to the eerie formation it took, Lysa thought it would come to life to swallow the both of them. She did not share the fascination Catelyn seemed to have of the tree.

"I don't like it, Cat. It's creepy," Lysa tried to tell her. Catelyn seemed to ignore her concern about the tree.

"Before you came, I stared directly into its eyes. And then I saw something, something strange," Catelyn commented. Lysa wondered what it could have been. But with her sister seeing strange things after being near the weirwood, it only fueled her desire to get out of sight of the creepy tree. It was the start of the scary stories that their mother would tell them.

"What do you mean by see?"

"I don't know. It's like the tree wanted me to see something. I don't even understand it myself, I didn't realize it may have been false until you startled me,"

"Like a vision?"

"I don't know exactly what I saw. It was like I was taken to another place, a river to be exact. There was a falcon, it had vibrant colours, a light blue grey back, undersides snow white. Then there was a large Direwolf with a fish in his mouth,"

"And you saw all this in the tree. How would you know what a direwolf even looks like?" The two sisters had not ever seen a direwolf, only how they were described. Lysa supposed Catelyn could have recognized a direwolf from a description they were given.

"That's not even the peculiar part of what I saw. The falcon was trying to snatch the fish from the Direwolf. It was putting up a scrappy fight too, clawing at its eyes, flying around it. Generally being a nuisance to the direwolf." Considering a falcon was a bird of prey, it was reasonable to think that they had to compete with other predators for their prey. Lysa supposed the falcon originally had its sights set on catching that fish, and the direwolf simply swooped in before the falcon could. Odd, because falcons would have the advantage in speed and the ability to fly.

"So you saw a falcon and a wolf fight over lunch? I don't understand why that's anything special. If anything, the creepy tree might just be giving you what it saw earlier this morning," Lysa explained. The septas explained how the Children of the Forest mistook the trees for Gods. If Lysa could remember her history correctly, she could have sworn the Northmen still worshipped the same Gods the first men worshipped.

"I don't think it should be taken that bluntly. Mother said weirwoods could implant certain visions to people that decide to. That's how powerful they are. They are symbolic to what lies ahead, if the Old Gods are to be believed,"

"So you're saying that it could be a vision of the future? I'm surprised someone like you can believe in things like that," Lysa stated. Either that or the tree really just wanted to unsettle the two. She wanted to believe the latter, because the possibility of nature having a mind of its own made Lysa want to avoid verdant forests more than she already wanted to.

"I don't know. It could certainly be just something my mind made up to try to help me get through being lost in a literal forest. Or it could actually be the power of a weirwood,"

"Anything else you saw in the little vision you had?" Catelyn had a pondering look on her face as she stood by her sister. Her focus still seemed to be on the abnormally large tree.

"Before you startled me, I saw another part of the vision. There was another direwolf, much smaller than the large one. I'd assume because it might even be she-wolf, as there were features it had that were not there in the larger wolf. They both had similar coats," Catelyn began. Another wolf. Cat could write a ballad about the wolves and the falcon. Only thing it needed was a twist where one of the wolves falls in love with the falcon, "The other wolf looked at the Falcon intently. Like it was interested in catching it maybe, but given the falcon's ability to fly and fight it, it might not have been the best idea to pursue it. That was all I really got out of the vision."

"Funnily enough, the only thing related to you might have been the fish. It is on our coat of arms," Lysa added. Of course, the fish in the vision was literally waiting to see which animal would make it their next meal.

"I would rather not be eaten by a wolf or falcon, thank you very much," Catelyn replied. Lysa tried to laugh at her sister's attempt at a joke, but she was too busy trying to tug her away from the tree.

"Isn't Jonos' house sigil a falcon?" Lysa didn't know why Jonos suddenly entered into her thoughts. She guessed the vision had something to do with it. Jonos also had extremely unique eyes, much like the uniquely coloured falcon in the vision.

"As a matter of fact it is," They heard a voice coming from behind him. She hid behind Catelyn. At least this way, she might be spared a few seconds before the stranger kidnaps them. "Gods, Lysa I thought we were past the point of you being scared of me. Shame really, I started to think we were friends."

The sarcastic joking tone could only really belong to one person. Lysa emerged from behind Catelyn and she was relieved by what she saw. He was clad in the ranging gear that she often found him wearing when they were traveling. It was something he picked up from her Uncle Brynden. Lysa didn't know if it was just the situation, but she immediately felt relieved at the sight of the blond haired squire. She almost ran straight into his arms.

"You found us! Thank the Gods, I thought we would be in some grumkins stewpot,"

"Silly Lysa, grumkins aren't real. The Children of the Forest are however. I heard they had a habit of boiling fair maidens they find in the woods." Lysa ignored that comment and clung onto Jonos as tightly as she could. She would be out of these woods soon.

"I'm surprised you found us so quickly, though I thank the Gods you did," Catelyn stated.

"Thank your uncle for teaching me how to use footprints to track animals and in this case you,"

"Are you with a search party, or did you come alone?"

"Alone, I took it upon myself to find you when I realized you two were missing. I bet they are still scrambling together a search party as we speak," Jonos explained. Then, Lysa assumed Jonos saw what was behind them, "Is that a Weirwood? I thought the first men cut and burned those things down long ago."

"I thought so too," Catelyn replied. There was silence for a bit. Lysa still hung on to Jonos, who stood there awkwardly.

"So are you content with staying with the weirwood or shall we be off?"


The entire family was relieved when Jonos came to the hastily set up traveling camp with the two sisters in tow. Her father had decided to camp for the night and set off for the remaining journey to Riverrun tomorrow. This decision came shortly after he realized the pair were missing. It was when the first few were sent off, when Jonos arrived with them.

"Thank you for finding them, Jonos," their mother told him. Jonos smiled.

"Ser Brynden didn't teach me to sit idly when I knew I could do something. It was the least I could, my lady,"

"Aye, my boy I taught you well. Please tell me when you go off on your own, I thought you were lost with them when I couldn't find you," Ser Brynden stated with some pride in his voice. Her father also looked pleased along with her uncle. Seeing them in agreement for once surprised Lysa slightly.

"If you'll excuse me, my lords, I shall take my leave to bask in today's triumph," Jonos stated sarcastically. They nodded, and Jonos bowed before he left the tent. Lysa could feel her eyes linger over him, but she could not really figure out why.

"Get some rest you, two, but don't even think about wandering away from camp," Lysa and Catelyn nodded. With that her father and her uncle left the tent to go take care of a few affairs. Their mother made sure to get the two of them taken care of. Lysa finally felt an ache in her stomach as she had not eaten anything since this morning when they got lost in the woods.

While it wasn't any fine dining hall, most of the traveling nobles ate in a tent dedicated to food and drink. While there were squires, pages, and other retainers eating while Lysa and Catelyn were, Ser Brynden's squires were all missing. Not that Lysa cared about Jonos Bracken or Tytos Blackwood. She hadn't properly thanked Jonos for saving them from the woods. He came for us on his own initiative. He must have such a brave and gallant heart to do such a thing.

"So he just found you both right next to a weirwood tree. I thought they had cut down and burned all of its kind in the south?" Jayne Ryger, Ser Robin's daughter said. Lysa had drifted off into her own world before, Jayne had cut right through it. Like Jonos, Lysa and Catelyn had also found companionship with the ladies in waiting her mother had. Jayne Ryger was a little older than them at twelve and Bethany Blackwood was as old as Jonos.

"I didn't know they still littered the whispering wood. Their faces are far too eerie for comfort," Lysa responded, finally returning to the food she had in front of her. Despite feeling the pangs of hunger in her stomach, she had barely touched her food.

"We have one in Raventree Hall. I never found it scary," Bethany chimed in.

"That's because your family still clings to the Old Gods. I wonder why the Blackwoods are so set on worshiping such antiquated dogma," Jayne retorted. Bethany did her best to avoid the subject, but it was strange in Lysa's view. Her family's customs were more in line with the Northmen than the Rivermen of the Riverlands.

"I have no choice in the matter. I always grew up with them, and I would not change it if given the choice," Bethany diplomatically stated.

"We were lucky Jonos came for us when he did. Who knows what could have happened to us if we had stayed lost in the woods for longer?" Her sister said. Even the mention of Jonos' name seemed to have stirred a response in Bethany. It was no secret she fancied him from the moment her brother and her arrived in Riverrun. But Lysa knew Jonos couldn't return those feelings. Bethany wasn't anything special, despite her being unusually tall. At least she hoped Jonos didn't.

"Did he come riding in on a horse to save you both? I wish he would rescue me like he did you," Bethany said breathlessly.

"No, he just walked up to us. Gods, Bethany, would you put yourself in danger just for the hope of Jonos coming to your aid," Catelyn responded.

"Who wouldn't? Have you seen how he looks?" Lysa didn't argue with Bethany in that regard. Jonos by all standards had the fair and handsome features those of House Arryn had been known to possess. Medium length blond hair, sharp and regal features, and a breathtaking smile. Lysa knew all about them, as she spent a lot of time around the heir of the Eyrie. However, Lysa did not like Bethany talking about Jonos in that manner.

"No one here is denying Jonos' fair disposition. But your fascination with him is bordering on obsession, Bethany. It's more becoming of a harlot than a lady" Lysa suddenly snapped, surprising some of the people at the table. The venom in Lysa's voice was even more surprising. Lysa herself didn't even know she had in her.

"Lysa, what's gotten into you. We were just having light hearted fun," Bethany replied.

"It's because she has her eyes set on Arryn too, Beth. She wants him all to herself, given how much time she spends around him," Jayne stated in a mocking tone. Jayne always had a habit of mocking Lysa, mostly because she was three years her junior.

"Jayne, let's not go there," Her sister Catelyn said to try to diffuse the situation.

"It's fine Cat, I was done eating here anyway. Have fun talking about a boy you'll never have, you two," Lysa managed to say, before excusing herself from the table. Catelyn knew better than to follow her out. She could hear her trying to keep the peace at the table, while she made her way out. Her appetite had been lost.

Lysa wandered around the camp by herself, which she had been told not to. However, sometimes she wanted to be alone. Solitude made her happy sometimes, so she didn't have to deal with others. Every time something would go wrong, she would hide by herself. She wouldn't have to face others, it would be just her.

Luckily, Catelyn understood this about her, so she kept the other girls distracted so they would leave her alone. Lysa could always trust her sister. Thank the Seven that she could at least trust her.


After wandering around the camp until night fully set it, Lysa realized she needed to linger around the lit tents, so as to not get lost again. Lysa looked around for a tent that would produce the least likelihood of running right into the other girls. Eventually, she found her uncle Brynden's tent out of all of them. Lysa hoped he was there, as she often did when she had problems getting along with others.

When she opened the tent flap, she saw that her uncle was not in the tent. Instead, there were three boys huddled around a table.

"Looks like I'm going to be taking all of Jonos' prize money after he sold his bronze prize," A voice that Lysa recognized as Tytos Blackwood declared triumphantly. He looked so much like his sister that Lysa almost excited the tent.

"No doubt to spend on ale and whores, as typical for a Blackwood," Jonos Bracken stated as he tossed dice on the table. Lysa could hear an exasperated sigh coming from the third boy in the room.

"Well Jonos, look on the brightside, at least you lasted six throws this time before running out of dragons," Lysa then saw Jonos smile. It was really hard not to feel different when he did that. Lysa could feel her heart soften at the sight.

"Why are you smiling after losing seventy gold Dragons. Have you gone mad?" Blackwood joked, collecting what looked like the pot in the middle of the table.

"I smile, because it confuses people. I smile, because it's easier than explaining what is killing me inside," Jonos said ominously, "I also have no other way to react to losing most of my prize money. It's really what I default to."

They had not noticed Lysa standing in the tent, but before she could leave, they had already caught on to the fact that she was there.

"Lady Lysa? Quick, hide the dice, Ser Brynden will have our head if he caught us gambling," Jonos Bracken stated. A True master of subtlety. "What can we do for you, my lady?"

Lysa scrambled her thoughts together to be able to respond.

"I-I was looking for Uncle Brynden," Lysa stammered. Ser Brynden's squires all nodded to each other.

"I can take you to him, Lysa. Not much left for me to do anyway," Jonos offered. Lysa nodded. She could not even think of refusing Jonos' offer. The other two squires began hiding all evidence of their games.

"Be sure to comfort him, my lady. He's lost all his pr-" Tytos Blackwood began until he got slapped in the back of the head by Jonos Bracken, "Don't touch me, Bracken!" Before Lysa could see the escalation, Jonos had already led her out of the tent.

Lysa and Jonos walked out of the tent to the lit campground. There were guards patrolling to make sure they weren't ambushed by undesirables or outlaws. Still Lysa stood close to Jonos.

"I'm surprised you aren't with Cat and the rest of the girls. Did something happen?" Jonos asked her. Lysa didn't want to bring up what had happened earlier. Partially, because it involved him.

"Do you know, Bethany Blackwood?" Lysa asked him in response. Since he asked about her, it was one way to get the thought she had in her head.

"Haven't heard of a Bethany Blackwood, although come to think of it Tytos did mention he had a sister. As far as I know I've never even seen her, let alone spoken to her. Why do you ask?" Lysa knew it. She was so plain that Jonos didn't even know she existed. Of course, it didn't come as a surprise to her. She was going to ask about Jayne Ryger too, but she already knew the answer to that question. She didn't hate the two of them, well maybe not Bethany.

"Nothing important," The two continued on towards where her uncle was. As they walked, despite the darkness, Lysa noticed how unique Jonos' eyes were. They were two pools of indigo. Lysa had always known Jonos had a unique eye color, they really were brought out when there was an absence of light.

"Why are your eyes like that, Jonos?"

"Why are my eyes like what? Is there something in my eyes?!" Jonos began to rub his eyes profusely. Lysa giggled.

"No, why are they that colour?"

"Oh, well my grandmother was a Velayron, she died before I was born. My brother and my sister both have the Valyrian coloring in our eyes." Lysa never knew that Jonos' grandmother was a Velayron. She had assumed it had been some valeman house, but not a High Valyrian house.

Jonos stopped at what looked like the main family tent for House Tully. Her uncle must have come back to the tent during the time Lysa had spent eating and wandering around.

"I haven't properly thanked you for what you did today, Jonos," Lysa told him.

"It's nothing. What was I supposed to do, allow you to get lost in the woods forever?" This time Lysa smiled. Lysa was a girl of nine, but she couldn't help but admire a lot of things about Jonos. He was brave and honest. Sure, he didn't act his age sometimes and had trouble staying serious in situations that required it, but not everyone was perfect.

Without even thinking, Lysa jumped up and planted a kiss on Jonos' cheek. Jonos seemed taken aback by it.

"What was that for?" He asked.

"It was your reward for rescuing me from the woods earlier," Jonos chuckled.

'Thanks, Lysa, nice to know I'm appreciated by one of my dearest friends. Well your uncle's in there, I have to head back before Bracken and Blackwood rip each other's heads off." Lysa nodded. Before she entered the tent to her uncle, she took one last look at Jonos. One day he would be a knight and a lord. And she wondered whether that future also included her.


A/N: And that is chapter. To clear the air, THIS CHAPTER DOES NOT LOCK IN A PAIRING WITH LYSA. Her crush on Petyr just transferred over to Jonos, which is the major cannon divergence that I talked about in the previous chapter. Jonos' pairing has been decided, and clever readers might be able to guess who it is. It might be difficult, but if you guess it, you will also guess the next major cannon divergence, other than the fact that Lysa was found by Jonos instead of Petyr causing a butterfly effect in the cannon, which is common in a DIVERGENT AU. Which with description of the story, most of you have probably guessed there will a be a lot different than in the cannon. The next chapter will be Petyr first chapter, and like I said in the previous chapter, I will utilize the character Petyr Baelish in an unorthodox less villainous portrayal simply due to the sweeping changes that are occurring to the cannon. Thank you for those who are reading, please consider leaving a review so that the writing can improve. With that I will see you on Friday for Petyr's chapter, which is the last one for the Riverrun POVs. Then we will go back to the Vale with Sharra, Robert, Jon, Ned and everyone else there.