Thank Me / Criston Cole

15. Scream it Out

Criston didnt want to waste his day searching for aegon. He was having such a nice morning with mallory snuggled up beside him.

Tully didn't want to go to the capital and rightfully so even though aegon was nowhere to be found, she hated the idea of being anywhere near where he might show up even the thought of seeing her precious aemond wasn't enough to get her to leave her bed.

" I have some business to attend to my dear." Larys remarked as he poured his little sister, another cup of tea. Like the best friend that Mallory was, she was going to stay all day and distract tully.

" is it all right if I head off just for a bit." he added.

" oh, yes, go don't stay on my behalf." Tully agreed. " I have Mallory to keep me company and you are a busy man just come home soon OK? And be careful the world is a scary place."

Larys hated that aegon made his little sister think the world was a scary place now, because she always used to think the world was so beautiful and Grand. But now she was scared to leave the house. He kissed her forehead nodding.

" I'll be right back just something I have to do."

"So we are like romeo and juliet." Mallory decided. Tully smiled shaking her head. 

"And what am I?" Tully mused. 

"My handmaiden." Mallory teased. "Thanks for letting me die, I thought we were closer than that." Tully swatted at her. 

"You really like Criston." Tully remarked. 

"I really like Criston." Mallory agreed. "He's just soooo," she sighed happily. "But here I am being happy while you-"

"I want to see you happy, to know your happiness." Tully assured. 

"I hate Aegon for what he did." Mallory added. 

"Me too." Tully whispered. "Keep telling me of criston though, please." Tully begged and Mallory jumped up moving to Tully's side. 

"He's so sweet. He is handsome, strong, he listens to me. He... I mean dont get me wrong we spend a lot of time in the bed but he takes me out to supper and has breakfast with me. If he wasnt queens guard I'm certain he would be with me right now." Mallory remarked. 

"But he is." Tully added. 

"And I dont see him quitting." Mallory agreed. "BUt I'm young." She added quickly. "We can do this a while before I am forced to marry some ugly hag like my sister did." She added. 

"Oh Mallory-"

"No, no, dont give me that pitying look." Mallory corrected. "I would rather have loved a love like this, how you love Aemond- so completely- and lose him as opposed to never having him at all."

"Thats very mature." Tully offered. "But you are going to throw a hissy fit if he doesnt leave the queens guard."

"Well she won't be queen forever, so problem solved." Mallory countered. "We need wine, if any day there was a day to have wine this early in the morning it is today." 

"Agreed." Tully declared tipping her head back to the ceiling. "It's weird," She whispered as mallory got glasses. "I'm... I think I'm trying to numb out the pain because there isnt anything I can do to change it."

"Thats not weird. I'm sure thats common in these cases." Mallory suggested. 

"I just... I felt so weak. So vulnerable." Tully rasped as mallory poured the wine, tully took a large sip. "I felt like... I wasnt anything to him, I was just a body for his use and... I wanted to scream. I still want to scream." Tully admitted. Mallory got up pulling Tully to her feet. 

"Then lets do it." Mallory agreed. 

"What?" Tully countered as mallory wiped at her teary eyes. 

"Lets scream it out." Mallory declared. "Maybe it will be therapeutic." Tully nodded and they headed outside. Once outside the girls held hands and looked into the trees, sucked in a deep breath and let it all out in a giant scream. Tully kept screaming out until she dropped to her knees. Mallory dropped beside her holding her tight. 

"I want him dead." Tully hissed. 

"Larys took care of that." Mallory whispered holding Tully close. But Tully didnt hear her as she screamed out again. 

But by the time Larys got home he would have never known that the girls had a melt down and screamed into the woods, scattering birds in their wake. 

  Mallory and Tully we're sitting by the fire, soft smiles on their faces as they spoke. Larys was glad that his sister had a friend like Mallory that could help cheer her up, even after the most dreadful of nights before.

" I brought carrot cake. Your favorite." larys had stopped in the market on his way home. 

" see what did I tell you have the best brother ever," mallory declared. "all I got was a lousy sister that ran off when she got married I need to get me a brother."

"We cannot find him." Criston and Aemond remarked. Errky and Arryk informed Otto the same, they searched day and night for him. The moon was high and Aegon wasnt here.

Then the fisher men drew something in with their nets. It was Aegon. Dead. Mutilated. Alicent wept for her son, Aemond didnt know what to say. Helaena felt a small smile curve her lips, she knew she shouldnt be but she was free of him.