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THESUN had just begun to rise, casting a warm golden light across the countryside as Maelys and her party set out on their journey to Winterfell. The air was crisp, filled with the earthy scent of dew-kissed grass and the distant sound of a brook bubbling nearby. They had left King's Landing behind, and though the city had receded into the distance, its memories clung to her like the lingering warmth of a summer day.
Maelys usually rode alongside Lord Cregan Stark, his presence as imposing and quiet as the North itself. Yet today, it was Ser Erryk Dayne, a knight of House Dayne and a close ally of the Stark family, who rode beside her. His brown hair glimmered in the sunlight, framing a face marked with both youthful vigor and the maturity that comes from battle. He was handsome in a rugged sort of way, with striking features that hinted at his noble lineage. A sword of legendary fame, Dawn, was strapped to his back, its blade a reminder of the honor and duty he upheld.
"Are you managing well, Princess?" Erryk asked, glancing at her with a gentle smile that softened the seriousness of their journey.
Maelys appreciated his kindness. "It feels strange to be leaving everything I know behind," she admitted, her voice barely above the sound of hooves against the ground. "And to be bound for a man I hardly know."
Erryk nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Change can be daunting, but it also brings opportunity. Winterfell is a place of strength, and it will embrace you in time."
Maelys turned her gaze forward, watching the landscape unfold before them. The fields were vast and rolling, dotted with wildflowers swaying gently in the breeze. "I have always dreamed of adventures, but I pictured them differently," she confessed, her heart heavy. "Not as the bride of a Star, what if I do not fit in?" she murmured, a note of vulnerability threading through her words. "What if they do not accept me as one of their own?"
"Every journey begins with uncertainty," Erryk said, his voice steady. "You have a strength that comes from your heritage, and a heart that yearns for freedom. That is what makes a true leader and a beloved ruler. Trust in yourself, Princess Maelys. In time, they will see your worth."
She offered him a small smile, grateful for his encouragement. "You speak as if you have experience in matters of the heart."
"Perhaps I do," he said with a smirk, though his tone turned serious once more. "But even knights have their own battles to fight, both in the field and within. I have learned that honor and loyalty go hand in hand."
As they rode on, Maelys felt a strange sense of camaraderie forming between them. Erryk's presence was a balm to her anxious heart, a reminder that she was not alone in this journey. The sun climbed higher, casting a warm glow over the landscape, and with each mile they traveled, she felt a slight loosening of the chains of dread that had bound her since her betrothal.
"Tell me about Dorne, Ser Erryk," Maelys mused—she had heard many stories about the vibrant land, but her mother had forbidden her from leaving the castle. She had been to King's Landing on one occasion only, and it was safe to say the princess was not well-versed in traveling; all she had known her whole life was the Red Keep, and she was all right with that.
