WELL FLAYED [Game Of Thrones: The Boltons]

6. The Huntress

CORNELIUS HANDED NISHA her hunting gear consisted of a long bow, and a quiver filled with white feathered arrows. At their side were the hounds, barking and howling excitedly as Yorr held their leash together - but their animalistic strength was making it harder for him.

They all stood before the Dreadwoods - just outside the back of the castle walls, waiting for the prey to be presented to them.

Tansy exited the secret passageway at the walls behind the fort - with a sack around her head and rope around her wrists. She was being dragged by her elbow by the One-Eyed Damos; and behind them, was Ramsay Snow.

When he got beside Nisha, Ramsay asked; it was not for clarification but for his curiosity. "Do you really want to do this?"

Nisha only looked at him blank in the eyes. She didn't answer him, instead, she gave a command to Damos to release Tansy.

As soon as the rope around her wrists fell on the ground, Tansy immediately dashed into the woods with reckless and hasty steps - almost jumping.

"I'll give you 15 seconds head start!" Nisha yelled, and the grin on her lips made her tone sound in frenzy.

Nisha was following Tansy's tracks deep into the mossy forest of Dreadwoods. Ramsay was next to her, marveling how she had grown accustomed to hunting.

"It seemed like all of my lessons had paved their way."

"Lessons?" Nisha scoffed as her grip around her long bow tightened. "You barely even let me come with you during your hunting hour."

"You were easy to get frightened. I didn't want to risk it."

"Especially when you were hunting human beings after all?"

Ramsay gave her a sly smile. "Like I said, you're easily frightened. I didn't want to make you cry."

Nisha did not respond to that, but only gave back a smirk to Ramsay before running off ahead of him. She stopped midway, then directed her bow and arrow toward something Ramsay could not figure. Nisha was moving her aim, as if following an invisible track. Then with a swift release of the string, she set the arrow flying in a silent whoosh at the distance covered in thick bushes and mangroves. A feminine yell broke the silence, accompanied with a falling thud.

Nisha glimpsed at Ramsay, her eyes were wild with edge. "You were saying?"

Ramsay laughed a bit then brushed back his black hair. "I admit, your aim is not shit anymore."

Nisha rolled her eyes then proceeded to trudge past him to locate the wounded Tansy somewhere at the distance, hidden in the mangroves. Ramsay tailed behind her, then whistled for his hounds to come around.

They later found Tansy by the brook. The poor girl was bleeding from the back of her left thigh, to where Nisha's white-feathered arrow had pierced her.

"Please! No!" She begged to Nisha; then, she glanced at Ramsay. "My lord! Please save me!"

Nisha turned to face Ramsay. She studied him if he would bend. After all, Tansy was his spy, his eyes around the castle, and she had served him well. Would he give her his gratitude, an ounce of his loyalty to his good acolyte perhaps?

For a moment, he was quiet - then Ramsay flicked his look to his wife. "She's your prey. Not mine."

Without even blinking, Nisha released another arrow. This time, it landed on Tansy's throat. The sharp tip was buried in her larynx that she was not able to scream nor groan. She only gurgled, as her blood filled her mouth and slowly dripped to her chin.