lover's mercy - jaime lannister

ONE

Elyanna Stark was stubborn.

She was currently fifteen and she was being debuted into society. They were having a massive feast in the evening and all the Northern lords were currently in Winterfell with their first-born sons, hoping to secure a match with the eldest Stark daughter.

              But she didn't want to be matched with anyone but Damion Cerwyn. A boy with a gentle soul.

                Which is why she instigated a little act of rebellion as she crept out of her room in the morning. She had ran off in the morning and headed to the fields; it was her place to be alone and think. She even convinced Jory Cassel, her loyal guard, to let her go.

"Please, Jory, I promise I'll be back before the feast," she pleaded with him to let her go.

"The last time I told you no, you snuck out anyway," he addressed and she smirked slightly. "So if there's no stopping you, my lady, then I'll go with you. There could be much more than wild horses."

She remembered the time she went on a hunting trip for the first time. A wild horse had come up to the camp. She had simply reached her hand out and the horse came up slowly before placing its snout against her palm.

Then Jory found her.

"My lady, get away from it. It could hurt you," Jory placed his hand on his sword as he looked at the black beauty. A wild horse could rear up and hit her at any moment.

The horse snorted almost like she understood Jory. Elyanna chuckled as she petted the horse before looking at Jory, "She won't hurt me. Her name is Baela now and she's my horse."

"And I could tame them, too, Jory," she started down the hall as he followed.

"I don't doubt it but best to be safe," Jory worried.

She looked over at Jory with a soft smile before leaning over and kissing his cheek. His cheek turned red and she chuckled, "My loyal guard."

                "Always, my lady."

                 _____

           So when it came to breaking fast with her family, her absence was noted.

               "Where is Elya?" Catelyn questioned. "We have so many dresses to go through..."

                "Oh, can I look at them?" Sansa said wistfully.

                 "Of course, Sansa," Cat said before looking at her eldest boy. "Robb? Your sister?"

                  He swallowed, "Well, she swore me to secrecy..."

                   Catelyn raised her eyebrows, "You will be sworn to your room if you do not tell me."

                   Robb sighed, "She just mentioned she was going for a ride this morning..."

                   Which meant she had run off. She had done it plenty of times when she didn't like something. And she didn't like this feast in her honor; she felt like she was being served up like meat on a table.

                  "Oh, that stubborn girl," Cat muttered as Ned chuckled.

                   Cat looked at Ned sharply, "She gets it from you."

               Ned still had a small smile on his face as he looked at Robb, "Do you know where she went?"

                Robb shook his head but Damion Cerwyn spoke up. He was another ward of Winterfell but it was different; his home was only half a day's ride which meant he came and went as he pleased mostly.