All Men Must Die (Game of Thrones Fanfiction)

Chapter VIII

Rhaenyra and Roy galloped until they found a small stream in the middle of the forest, the water seemed to come out of nowhere. Rhaenyra could see smoke coming from somewhere.

"C'mon, Roy. Let's go see where the smoke is coming from" Rhaenyra told her oldest friend.

"I have a bad feeling about this, Rae" Roy said as his horse trotted behind Caelys.

Rhaenyra had heard stories of witches, living in forests. She knew there was one near Lannisport, Cersei had told her. When the Queen was a child, she went to see Maggy the Frog, who had predicted Cersei would marry the King and bare him three children. Cersei always said it had been wrong, since Rhaenyra was there. The young princess believed no more in things like witches, but was always curious.

Rhaenyra got down from Caelys and ushered Roy to go with her. Roy followed her example, careful where he stepped, he knew there was something weird and wrong. After some minutes walking, they found a cottage. Rhaenyra grasped Roy's hand, could it be that witches were real?

"Rhaenyra, let's go" Roy asked her, pulling her hand.

"Roy, aren't you curious? Let's go, what's the worst that can happen?" Rhaenyra said carelessly.

"That we die, perhaps..." Roy told her and she laughed.

"Don't be so pessimistic, Roy" Rhaenyra said, pulling Roy.

Roy felt as if Rhaenyra was a little girl again. She used to take his hand and drag him into the dungeons of the Red Keep. She always liked doing things she shouldn't. Rhaenyra always felt better when Roy was with her to go in adventures. They always had the best relationship. Joffrey didn't understand why she treated him so well, in his opinion, he and the Hound were only there to serve, so he treated them that way.

"Roy?" Rhaenyra asked quietly, "why didn't you ever married?"

"Well, I was going to marry, but she died during the rebellion. Aerys Targaryen killed her, for fun" Roy told her and Rhaenyra gasped.

"Roy, I had no idea. I'm so sorry" Rhaenyra said, and hugged him.

"It's okay. Besides, with you, why would I want any children?" Roy joked.

"I'm serious, don't you want a family of your own?" Rhaenyra asked her friend.

"Yes, and I'll have a family, that I promise you. I just have to find the right woman" Roy smiled at the princess.

Just then did they see the cottage. They were just a few feet away from it. Nor Rhaenyra or Roy had seen it, since it was very well camouflaged with the trees and plants around it. Against what Roy asked, Rhaenyra knocked on the door. The door opened itself, creaking.

"Hello?" Rhaenyra called.

"Who is there?" She heard an old voice ask.

"Uhm, Rhaenyra Baratheon, Princess of the Se-" Rhaenyra started and was interrupted by the same voice.

"No!" The woman yelled.

"Ma'am, I assure you, my name is-" Rhaenyra was interrupted once more.

"I heard you the first time. How dare you use the name of the dead?" The old woman yelled at her.

"The dead?! She is your princess!" Roy yelled, taking his sword.

"Silence, Roy Stone. I know you, I know her. I know everything. I see everything that was and everything that is," the lady laughed, Rhaenyra could still not see her, "a girl is confused. A girl has questions, a witch has answers"

"A girl has a name" Rhaenyra told the witch.

"Yes... A girl has a stolen name. A girl doesn't know her own name. A girl doesn't know whose name she is wearing" the old lady said before coughing, "come closer, I want to see you"

Roy and Rhaenyra did what she told them. They were both really curious about the woman. When they were near enough, they saw an old woman sitting naked in front of a fireplace. She stood up and walked to an improvised bed, took something from it and put it around her neck. Her body started to shift, her back straightened up and all the wrinkles disappeared. Her fallen breasts recovered its shape and her almost bald scalp with white hair grew majestic blonde hair. Her white, blind eyes recovered its brown colour.

"You are a red priestess, aren't you?" Roy asked her, eyeing her body.

"A witch is No One. A witch used to serve The Lord of Light before she encountered the House of Black and White" the witch said, urging them to sit, "a girl resembles her mother" the witch said. Her voice has changed too, it was not raspy and sick.

"My mother is Cer-" Rhaenyra started but the witch interrupted her.

"A girl lies again" the witch told her.

"Care to tell the truth then?" Rhaenyra was growing exasperated with the witch.

"Do you know who Elia Martell is?" The witch asked her.

"Yes, but that is not important..."

"Of course it's important, dear girl. Come with me" the witch took Rhaenyra's hand and dragged her to the back of the cottage.

There was a water stream that flowed through the walls and to a small pool of water. Before she knew, the witch had already stripped Rhaenyra from her clothes.

"Hey! What in the Seven Hells do you think you are doing?!" Rhaenyra exclaimed.

"Showing a girl the truth." The witch said, helping Rhaenyra into the stone pool. 

The water was cold but bearable. The water was a turquoise colour, but one could see clearly through it.

"I guess a girl has never wondered why Eddard Baratheon has a crypt in the Septon but Rhaenyra Baratheon does not" The witch inquired.

"Clearly, because I am alive but my brother died of a fever a week after we were born" Rhaenyra explained, remembering all the times her mother told her how angry and hurt Robert had been when he found out his son had died, but how relieved he had felt when he saw Rhaenyra.

The witch nodded and pushed lightly Rhaenyra's head into the water. The witch took a vial with grape oil and poured it in the water, the witch rubbed her hair, and started chanting some words. Rhaenyra kept her eyes closed the whole time, enjoying the feeling. The oil had a strong yet enjoyable smell that made her sleepy. The cold water didn't bother her anymore.

"A girl can open her eyes now, she needs to see the truth" The witch told Rhaenyra.

At first, the only thing she saw were black spots in her vision. But slowly, she started seeing everything. At first, Rhaenyra saw no difference. The witch helped her out of the tub and gave her a robe.

"A knight can come now" the witch called and Roy walked to the back, where Rhaenyra and the witch were.

"Why did you bathe her?" Roy asked the witch.

"A witch has opened a girl's senses to what it was and what it is. A girl needs to see the truth" the witch made Rhaenyra sit in the bed next to Roy.

Roy felt slightly uncomfortable, he had dealt with witches in the past, and none of those times were pleasant. The last time he had, the witch had predicted his betrothed's death at the hands of the Mad King. His betrothed had been a servant to Princess Elia, and the Mad King believed her to be a spy, so he decided to burn her alive.

"A girl needs to close her eyes. A witch will show her the truth. Hold his hand so he can watch too" the witch told them.

Roy and Rhaenyra closed their eyes, the witch touched Rhaenyra's forehead.