~Podrick~
My stomach ached and my head felt heavy as Lord Tyrion drained his third glass of wine, picking up the bottle to pour more.
"Keep up!" He barked as he refilled my glass. Bile churned in my throat as I looked down at the deep red liquid with distaste.
"I don't think I can my lord." I admitted as I thought on the last time I'd gotten drunk. The way it seemed to heighten my senses. Elena. She'd been so beautiful in her carelessness. Silky curls running through my fingers as our tongues fought a fierce battle. My cheeks grew warm with the memory.
"It's not easy being drunk all the time. Everyone would do it if it were easy." He slurred before his door flew open to reveal his sister. The sight of her made the hair on the back of my neck raise, and I quickly drained my glass to get rid of the feeling.
"Get out." She ordered as she glared in my direction. I looked to my lord for instruction, heaving my wine filled body out of the chair when he gave me a nod. I closed the door firmly behind me, vision blurred as I tried to remain upright.
"Podrick, are you alright?" Elena's voice was a sweet melody against my ear as I turned to see her observing me with a tilted head. A laugh bubbled in my throat as my neck flushed with embarrassment.
"Of course my lady. I am simply enjoying the warm night air." My voice was slurred slightly, and I knew I'd been caught when she laughed.
"Of course you are. Come, let's enjoy the air together. I could use the company." She announced as she came and hooked her arm with mine, seemingly unbothered by my weight as I leaned against her for stability. She smelled of citrus fruit and something spicy. A scent that lingered on my skin when I'd left her room. It was intoxicating. Ensnaring my senses as we walked down the hall together, heading in the direction of the gardens. I'd found her staring out at the flowers with an expression of longing on more than one occasion. She'd seemed haunted and lonely.
"I wanted to both thank you and apologize for the other night. I didn't mean to drink that much, and taking advantage of you was not right." She sighed as we came to the open corridor. The garden isn't far now. I can make it that far. I hope. I thought as I looked down at her.
"There's nothing to apologize for my lady. I quite enjoyed our time together." I answered. She flashed me a weak smile before she leaned her head against my shoulder.
"I also wanted to thank you for putting up with my moods. I know I can be hard to handle sometimes." She was definitely not like other girls. There was a fire in her that burned bright and fierce. Perhaps that's what attracted me to her at first, but she'd been with Lord Tyrion then. Is she still in love with him? I wondered as we arrived at the gardens.
"Like I said, I enjoy our time together." She nodded as she led me to the far side, out of eye's view in the darkness, before she lay down on the grass, staring up at the stars.
"You're not afraid of getting dirty are you?" She questioned as I wondered at what she was doing. I wasted no time in lying down next to her. Our shoulders pressed together, fingers a breath from touching.
"They're beautiful aren't they? I used to lay outside my house and stare up at them when I was upset." Elena whispered as if afraid to much noise would break the spell of silence that had fallen over around us.
"Are you upset my lady?" I asked as I turned to look at her, noticing the small scar on her cheek and wondering where it came from.
"Some people want me to leave King's Landing." She stated simply as she continued to stare heavenward. My heart twinged at the thought of not being able to see her again. Is it Lord Tyrion that wishes her to leave? I wondered silently.
"Are you going to? Leave I mean?" I asked, holding my breath in anticipation of her answer.
"No. There's to much to keep me here. I can't abandon everything simply because someone wishes it." I nodded though I knew she couldn't see it.
"When I was a child, I found an emerald ring. It was beautiful. The stone glistening in the sunlight. I'd carried it in secret, looking at it long into the night. I'd often tell myself stories about who the ring belonged to. Taking comfort in them." She started as her fingers intertwined with mine, gripping tightly. "My mother found it while I was bathing one evening. She'd insisted I return it to wherever I found it, but I'd refused. I found the ring first. I told her. It belongs to me. Only it didn't. She took it while I was asleep. I don't know what she did with it. She'd carried that secret to her grave. I was so angry at her. The one thing in the world I had found to love and she'd stolen it. It took me a long time to forgive her." I wasn't sure why she told me this. Maybe it was from the simple fact that she needed to speak, so I let her.
"It's so easy to forget though. Forget how much betrayal can hurt." Her voice was barely a whisper as a tear slid along her cheek. I reached over and brushed it away with gentle fingers, wishing there was something I could do to make it better.
"I won't betray you Elena." She looked at me then, easy watering.
"You really are very sweet."