~Elena~

I stumbled through the halls on wobbling legs, right hand sliding across the chilled stone walls to keep myself upright, while an almost empty bottle of wine sloshed in lazy fingers. My stomach churned and my mouth was impossibly dry, but I couldn't stop to think about that.

"Elena." I lifted my head to see the blurry figure of a girl standing not far from me, hand beckoning me forward, a giggle on her lips.

"Lucia?" I rasped as I stumbled forward, knees scraping against the floor as I fell, bottle rolling away with a clatter.

"You're it Elena. Come and get me." She laughed as she twirled, long black hair swishing about her shoulders. I scrambled to my feet as she turned to skip away, my hands outstretched in desperation.

"Wait Lucia. Please come back." I croaked, running to catch up to her, shoulder barking with pain when I collided with a solid wall, her laughter ringing in my ears. Tears rained down my flushed face as I began running again, chasing her blurred figure down hallway after hallway, mind swimming in to much wine.

"Lucia. Please." I begged as I stumbled once more, falling into a pool of weeping misery. "Please, don't leave me alone." I pulled my knees to my chest, rocking myself as I tried to keep my sanity, feeling myself falling further into a black pit of despair, the darkness wanting nothing but beautiful violence and slow blood shed.

"Excuse me, miss? Are you alright?" I looked up, quickly trying to scrub away the never ending

tears to see the semi-familiar face of Sir Jamie Lannister, staring down at me with troubled blue eyes. I quickly stood, head swimming as I tried to keep the world from tilting. He reached out with a gentle hand, taking my arm to keep me from falling.

"I'm fine. I'm sorry to bother you." I whispered as I made to turn away, but he stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. I froze, wondering how much like his father he really was and cursed myself for forgetting my knife on the table by my bed. I have to get out of here. If Tywin catches me talking to his son. He might- I stopped myself from thinking further as I eyed the shadows, heart threatening to explode.

"I recognize you, from the trials." My face flushed with shame at having been remembered that way. Tyrion's back stabbing whore.

"I. I didn't." But there were no words to explain away what I'd done. No way to ask forgiveness. To explain why I had to do what I did.

"Allow a crippled guard to escort you back to your room?" He asked, offering up his arm with a gentle smile. I took it cautiously, keeping in my sigh of relief as I let him take the brunt of my drunken weight. He seemed unbothered, steps unhurried as I led him in the direction of my chambers.

"Do you love him?" I spared him a confused glance as he looked down at me, eyes gleaming with knowledge. "My brother I mean."

"I hardly know him." I answered, perhaps to quickly. I tried to stay sharp, focused. He was, after all, a Lannister. One I didn't know, and that made him dangerous.

"Well, then I suppose you won't care about my visit with him then? It's an uninteresting story really. I wouldn't want to bore you." There was laughter in his voice as my interest peaked. I'd been starved for information of Tyrion, but with Sansa gone and Lord Varys determined to keep me in the dark, I'd had no one to turn to.

"I've been told I'm a good listener, and we still have a ways to walk." I spoke carefully, face schooled in disinterest.

"My brother is an oddity amongst the Lannisters. Being a dwarf, he was always a shame in my father's eyes. My brother believes that's what all this is about, but I disagree. Doesn't matter now, he's gotten himself into trouble this time, and I can't get him out of it. He's fine now though, healthy for the time being, and in need of a champion." A smile touched my lips at hearing he was alright, even if it was just for right now.

"Do you believe he'll find this champion?" I questioned softly as we rounded the corner, my chamber door within sight.

"My brother can accomplish many things when he puts his mind to it. I wouldn't count him out just yet." His laugh was genuine as he flashed me a smile. A sigh leaked past my lips as he released my hand, smile still stretching at his mouth.

"Thank you. For escorting me to my room. I hope everything turns out well for your brother." I spoke in farewell.

"Goodnight my lady." He turned with a light chuckle as I tried to fight the smile on my face. Tyrion is alright. My nose wrinkled under the assault of sweat, human filth, and old blood as I entered my room, crimson decorating my floor as I eyed the knife lying untouched on the table. The door shut with a click that rang like thunder. I toed silently across the floor, eyeing the shadows, before diving for my knife. My heart stuttering when a low throaty groan sounded from the other side of my bed. You can do this Elena. I reassured as I climbed to the other side, knife firmly in hand.

"Rosette?"