WELL FLAYED [Game Of Thrones: The Boltons]

13. The Late Hour

IT HAD BEEN FOUR DAYS SINCE Lady Nisha dropped on the snow filled ground: poisoned and half-dead; that same four long days when Myranda was taken and dropped into the dungeon: starved and neglected.

The Dreadfort was in a brief bedlam when they mistakenly thought that their noble guest from the Vale, died. They almost tried to prepare themselves from the possibility of war against the Umbers, whilst readying Nisha's wake.

Moreover, if it weren't for Ramsay declaring that she was alive after all, Roose would have made the carpenters build her a casket as a parting gift to Lord Noxus Umber once he arrived. It might sound provoking, but it was his way of giving courtesy...which could also be a possible way to war if the Umber Lord misinterpreted his kind gesture.

Nothing was certain, aside that clear path to war. Almost all of the probability led them to it. And it was such a bad timing - not when Robert Baratheon, the King of the Seven Kingdoms, was rumored to visit the North.

Roose, in that moment, was extremely troubled - all because a girl was dead. But fortunately, according to Ramsay, she defeated the poison's deathly grip when she consumed its antidote before taking it.

He thought her mad that she would poison herself just to prove a point of Myranda's hostility towards her. Her action was perilous and he found it with careless execution. However, her motive to subdue her rival with a trick was quite impressing. That, he could respect.

Lady Nisha wasn't like the Umbers. They were known to be proud and loud, with only brawns, not brains. Roose thought that she had her deceptive wiles from her Dornish mother, as Dornish people, after all, were known to have mean and scheming little minds.

This led Roose to favor her. Lady Nisha would just do great in Dreadfort where her subtle cunning would blossom with his son's conniving deviousness. Though, she was still dainty and pure and innocent; sly but not heinous. All that she needed, Lord Roose thought, was a gentle push to have the guts to take the Bolton knife and flay men. He could see its certainty, as he could see her potential. Her potential as a Bolton Lady- tactical and discerning and ferocious.

She was a reasonable match because of this. It turned her family's fortune to be just an additional catch.

Now, he had every reason to achieve a settled agreement with Noxus concerning the marriage of their children. He needed to have her in his house, since he just knew, that she would only waste her talents with the foolish Umbers.

After debating all the dowries that the Bolton house would receive and the Umber house's request to take up arms with them whenever it was needed, both the lords of the said houses finally bound each other in fealty. Then subsequently with their blessings, both agreed that the finalization of their houses joining through marriage would commence two days from now.

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LADY NISHA'S BRUNETTE HAIR was flapping everywhere with the chilly breeze blowing at her. It also made the owl on her shoulder shiver.

She was standing on the curtain wall, high above the snow filled ground, and high enough to see perfectly the afternoon sun in the misty horizon of the North. The skies were gray but somehow, the sparks of gold found their way to dance freely on the glum grumpy clouds, as the emerald trees from a bygone era swayed beneath them.

Everyday was winter here in Dreadfort, even during summer, even during spring. There would always be snow and chilly breeze, and she would always freeze. The environment she was in was harsh and cold, but in this quiet moment, she found comfort and peace. Soon, this would be her home. Soon, she would be the Lady of Dreadfort. She knew it was natural to be nervous. Although, her new incoming responsibility as a wife was giving her more anxious thoughts - just random of them. After all, it would be her time to start her own family. It would be such a huge step for her, considering that she was used to being alone and alienated. Now it was all about to change.