WELL FLAYED [Game Of Thrones: The Boltons]

10. Beauty and Rage

THE SUNNY DAYS OF THE WEEK had vanished when a new morning came to the Dreadfort. The gods only gave the people a small taste of light and warmth, then continued to be cruel. The temperature dropped, the weather got damp. Soon, the realm was once again in the frost.

Lady Nisha was in her chamber, looking for her white cloak to keep her warm. While she rummaged through her cabinet, she heard a hoot coming from her open window. Nisha turned around; she yelped in joy when she saw Mir again. Her pet owl was perching on the windowsill, eyeing Nisha longingly.

"Oh, Mir! I thought you wouldn't return!" She couldn't believe it. She was incredulous.

It had been two days since Nisha ventured outside the castle walls, alerting everyone and driving her betrothed into frenzy which endangered her commoner friend that she was with. Mir probably got spooked when Ramsay's guardsmen made a commotion with them. She likely went into hiding in the forest, got lost, but then eventually found her way back into the Dreadfort.

Nisha gently ran her fingers on Mir's snowy feathers. Her owl cooed under her touch and then jumped on her shoulder to snuggle closer. "I'm sorry that I didn't try to find you. They wouldn't let me out the castle walls again." It was restricting, but Nisha decided to just laugh it off. "I can't believe they're that paranoid of my safety." However, her smile was wiped from her lips once Yorr came into her mind. She tried to see him down the courtyard yesterday, but it seemed that her friend had not yet returned. "Oh, Yorr..."

Worried sick, she rushed to the courtyard again to check. His usual spot was empty: his materials in tending the sheep were gone. She pivoted her direction to the stables to ask Gartney, Yorr's friend and a working lad there.

"Have Yorr returned yet?"

"Yes, mi'lady."

"What?" She was startled. "But he wasn't here when I tried to find him yesterday."

"It's because he had gone at dawn with his father to their old village."

"When would they return?" Nisha was still filled with hope.

"They won't mi'lady. I'm afraid they left for good. Yorr's father was terribly concerned for his son's safety after the beating he got under Lord Ramsay's commands. They wouldn't be back any time soon."

Nisha felt her knees weaken. It was her fault. She's the one who endangered Yorr. If only she had stayed put in Dreadfort and not forced him to go to that market town by the hills, then maybe he would still be here- safe and fine. She couldn't really blame Ramsay, since it's her action that first started this whole mess. Ramsay was only trying to be protective as expected of him.

She wanted to slap her own face, pull her hair, bite her hand- anything at all that would feel as a punishment. Because the thought of jeopardizing someone by her doing, quickly ate her away. Yorr was her friend, a true friend; her only true friend. He knew herself and her real home in Dorne. He understood her like he's family. After all, he was the younger brother she never had. Nisha loved Yorr, and it broke her truly about what happened.

She absentmindedly fiddled the golden beryl dangling on her neck. It would be her only reminder of her dearest lost friend.

However, an idea came into her mind. "Gartney? Where is this old village that you speak of?" She would just visit him secretly.

"I cannot say, mi'lady."

"Why not?"

"It's because-" Gartney stopped mid sentence. Something that he saw at the distance behind Lady Nisha made him freeze.

"What is it?" Nisha frowned. Gartney still didn't speak. She turned around impatiently. There she saw Aengus- the biggest guardsman of Ramsay, standing at the far side corner, watching her carefully. His presence was intimidating that the poor stableboy almost pissed himself only by the sight of him.