Game Of Thrones:Lady Blackthorne

CHAPTER 4

Over the next few months, Aldarra, who was the gossip subject of many, stayed away from everyone. On the night of the Blackwater Bay attack by Stannis’ ships, the bells were ringing all over the city as the royals and nobles went to gather in Maegor’s Holdfast. Shae and Aldarra stayed in the Tower of the Hand until the knights disappeared and they heard running crowds out in the hallway at the bottom of the stairs. Aldarra had found a secret passage in her room that was a section of wall that opens up. She grabbed a bowl of fruit, as many candles as she could get and blankets off her bed with Shae and went into the dark passageway of the cobwebby hallways. She was wearing her dagger tied to her thigh under her dress. They both found a spot on the ground and spread a blanket and placed the one candle on the ground. You could hear the clashing of swords at a distance echoing through the dark recess. They ate fruit and talked softly out of sight until eventually they fell asleep out of boredom. Both women woke up to a loud bang and shouting coming from her room on the other side of the wall. They sat up listening. It was Tywin. Aldarra would know that voice anywhere.

He was shouting, “I want you to comb through the entire keep with everyone you can get and find her and bring her back here! Search Maegor’s Holdfast first! I want all of my son's belongings gathered and put in another room! I want this entire tower cleaned thoroughly from top to bottom!” She could hear people rushing about.

Aldarra whispered, “I think we should sit here for a little time longer. I don't want to be found so eager to be around him again.”

Shae whispered, “He will just get angrier.”

Aldarra grinned and said, “Good.” She popped a grape into her mouth and lit another candle.

After a few hours longer, both women slipped back into her room and the door was wide open. She hid her dagger in its hiding spot. They both sat on the bed waiting to be discovered. A couple knights came into the tower and knocked on Tywin’s door. The women just stayed put listening. The knight said, “We have searched everywhere and Lady Blackthorne has not been found.”

Aldarra said loudly, “That is because I have been sitting in here for a while.” Tywin Lannister went into her room and had his hands on his hips looking angry.

He angrily demanded, “Where the hell have you been?!”

She looked at him innocently, “Hiding, of course. That is until we fell asleep in our hiding spot. We came back to my room as soon as  we realized it was all over and safe to come out again.”

He was flustered. Tywin said, clearing his throat, “Yes. Well good thing you did. Have you eaten this evening?” Both women shook their heads.

Tywin said pointing at Shae, “You go to the kitchens and get food and tell them to bring a dinner tray for both of us with wine here.” Shae nodded, stood up and curtsied leaving out the door.

Tywin said to Aldarra, “Are you well?”

Aldarra replied to him, “Yes, Lord Lannister. Is my sword well also?” He huffed at her and walked out of the room into his own room and sat down at his desk and started reading scrolls. She stood at the door and leaned against it.

She asked him, “So is that a yes or a no? I answered your question, didn't I?”

He ignored her and continued reading. Aldarra huffed after a minute with no response and said, “Rude.” She walked back in her room and closed the door.

A few minutes later he opened her door and stated, “You're the rude one. How dare you ask about that damn weapon.”

Aldarra smiled a fake smile and said, “It's the only thing I'll ever want from you ever after all this time. I have waited almost a year in this hot keep full of foolish, jealous and violent scheming people to be avoided, whilst you have been traveling the countryside with my father's sword. All I could think about, was what if you lost in battle then I would never get it back again, so I could leave this damn place far behind me and erase all memories of your family and the nobles here. Maybe then, I can wash my mind of the hellish games they play of beheadings, brutal beatings of women, raping of women, whoremongers, incest and liars whilst stabbing each other in the back. I hate this place and you for making me live here!”