duty & sacrifice | House Of The Dragon.

ii. Close call.

132 AC

"Thousands of men, women and children died that day, but only one deserved to die." I rolled my eyes as I heard another man drunkly ramble on about his life, which the whores surrounding him could not care less about.

It was clear that the whores did not care. But in the mans drunken state he didn't seem to notice.

"Another?" I look up from my drink and notice the bar maiden pointing toward my drink.

I shake my head and I hand her a small slightly rusted silver coin.

I get up and leave as I notice the sky outside darkening. I was also just sick of the smell of sex, alcohol, mud and dirty whores. All though I had been to the tavern many times, I could never get used to the smell and sounds. I have been going to the tavern since I was old enough to know what it is. The thin timber floors were not soundproof and neither were they smell-proof. And you could imagine for a young maiden girl, this would leave little, to no imagination as to what was going on downstairs. 

Sometimes I would get curious and would think of wondering down there, but every time those thoughts resurfaced I had pushed them away.

I had grown up surrounded by women who gossiped constantly, so that taught me enough.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by the wet sensation creeping in boot.

I quickly look down to see that my foot stood in a deep muddy puddle reaching my ankle. "Oh for fuck sake" I mumble at I shake my foot, hoping it would get rid of any remaining water left in my shoe. Once I had finished I continued walking down the busy alley. I groan in frustration as I hear my boot squeaking each time I take a step.

The streets began to fill with more adults than children. Night was coming, so that meant I had to return to the red keep soon. I turned a corner which lead me into an unfamiliar alley. I noticed children running inside their home as their mothers called for them to return inside. I gave them a smile as I passed. I then turned on my heel finally done with exploring ready to head back to the red keep. I didn't really have a choice anyway, I was banned from exploring too much. Odessa, the head maid of the red keep had banned it for every girl, in fear someone would get lost, someone would run away or something far worse would happen. Only her most trusted maids were allowed to leave the red keep. I was thankful that I had even been allowed to escape the place I unfortunately called home. It had almost been four moons since I had been outside the tall, depressing walls of the red keep.

I had walked for only a short period of time before I arrived at the large gates of the red keep, which now had many guards spilling from every possible opening. My gods it was terrifying to come face to face with them, since it had been so long since I had done this I had grown as anxious as I had been the first time I had left the red keep. "Away with ya' bastard!" A guard yelled. I had forgotten to remind Odessa to tell the guards that I would be leaving to fetch supplies for the kitchen.

"I'm a maiden who left this morning to fetch supplies for the kitchen, under the orders of the head maiden, lady Odessa"

A few gold cloaks chuckled. "heard that before!" one of them yelled.

"Even ask the lady herself" I quickly snapped back. I was becoming slightly agitated as I was beginning to get tired of the cold, which was now numbing my hands.

The guards all looked at each other, then at me. Fear briefly took over my body. If they wanted, they could kill me. I am only just some kitchen maid, I am replaceable and worthless. "Open!" One of the guards yelled. I let out a soft sigh in relief.

I nod at the gold cloaks as I walk through the gate.

I begin walking towards the red keeps grand front doors that I had been through thousands of times.

But as soon as I started to get closer two pairs of hands grabbed me by shoulders. I let out a loud yelp as they were forceful and careless as I cried in pain. The groceries that I held fell to the ground. My head turned to look at the two gold cloaks on my left and right dragging me to the front doors of the red keep. "please, let me go!" I had now noticed that they were taking the route to the grand hall, where the iron throne sat, most likely to ask for permission to rape, beat me and then kill me.

The two gold cloaks ignored my pleas and I lowered my head in defeat.

I heard the sound of the large doors to the grand hall opening yet I couldn't lift my head.

The gold cloaks harsh dragging down the stairs made me cry again as each step hit my knees on an awkward angle. There was definitely going to be dark bruises covering my knees by the end of this.

after some time we came to an abrupt stop. The two gold cloaks dropped both of my arms. Which I am guessing to grab their swords, ready to kill me.

The grand hall was silent apart from the sound of fire lit chandeliers and quiet rustling.

"What do you say girl?" The voice wasn't the kings, neither was it the queens, rather it was her father. Ser Otto Hightower, the kings hand. I slowly lifted my teary faced head, which now seemed too heavy for me to graciously lift.

The hands face remained blank, he showed no emotion even when he noticed me crying. He looked comfortable as he sat on the throne that would never be his. "My lord hand, I have done nothing wrong" I said as I let a few more tears stray away from my eyes. "I believe you have, you are creeping around the red keep. Your time arrival is rather suspicious, along with your cloak, that you are yet to pull off your head" Before I could pull off my cloaks hood a gold cloak pulled it off forcefully.

The hand moved slightly which earned him a small cut on the back of his neck. The hand grimaced in pain and put his hand over the open wound. With his other hand he waved it in the air to signal someone. Out of the shadows a figure walked Odessa. I relaxed a bit more, because now my actions would be justified by the person who sent me to do them.

"I have brought the head maiden here to ask her if what you claim is true" Ser Otto spoke again.

I looked at Odessa with pleading eyes. The hands head turned towards Odessa "Lady Odessa, the young maid here has claimed that you sent her to fetch supplies for the kitchen, is this correct?" Odessa looked from the hand to me. I prayed that she would defend me against false claims. "My Lord Hand, It was I who sent the lady Leila to fetch supplies for the kitchen" Odessa looked at me again and I had sworn that I had seen an angel.

"Very well. Guards, escort these two maidens to the maids quarters" The hand looked rather frustrated that he couldn't find something to use against myself and Odessa.