ZIRTYS PERZYS → podrick payne

CHAPTER SIX | snow

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ZIRTYS PERZYS
CHAPTER SIX
snow

"NO SNOWFLAKE
EVER FALLS
IN THE WRONG
PLACE."

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NOT A WORD HAD BEEN SPOKEN about Elia and Podricks shared cloaks, she'd woken that morning to Brienne's large hand shaking at her shoulder. Podrick had curled around Elia, his head laid limply against her shoulder with his arm tucked under her head. He hadn't woken when Elia slipped out from their cloaks and taken both of hers with her, his quiet snores hadn't stopped until Garlan woke him with a boot to the side.

He hadn't looked at Elia since he'd woken, he jumped up with a shout and his eyes didn't stop darting around until they'd settled on her. She hadn't had enough courage to talk to him, what would she say? I APOLOGISE FOR FALLING ASLEEP NEXT TO YOU, BUT I LIKED IT?

So, she hadn't spoken to Pod, Pod hadn't spoken to her and Brienne kept shooting glances between them every so often. Elia had taken to staying close to Grays side, they hadn't spoken about much but that didn't matter, he was calming when Elia needed it.

"White Harbor is truly a beautiful place, milady." Garlan had slowed to ride alongside Elia, Gray was happily chewing on dried meat in front of them but turned to grin mischievously when Garlan spoke.

"Best brothel you'll find in the north." He winked and laughed at Garlans scowl, "My brother, bless him, would not know. He's still a virgin."

Elia was still blushing when Garrett snapped at Gray, "It's not proper to talk like that in front of a lady."

That was that, Garlan had been too shy to talk to her for the remainder of the day and Garrett had kept Gray next to him and away from Elia. Podrick tossed a strip of dried meat to Garlan, laughing loudly; his smile pulled tightly across face, the mole near his lip moved with it.

Elia twisted the reins around her hands tightly as Brienne sidled up next to her, Elia flicked an eyebrow up. Brienne hadn't stopped eyeing her and Pod since she'd woken that morning, PLEASE DO NOT BRING IT UP.

"We'll be stopping in White Harbour for an hour before we continue north," Brienne's horse flicked its head and nudged Elia's, she thought it was sweet how well the horses liked each other. "Did you need anything while we're stopped, my lady?"

Elia coughed and ran a hand along the coat of her brown mare, "Just a few more spare rags." It truly was close to winter; they were only half a day's ride from White Harbour and the rivers and lakes were ice cold. Elia couldn't wash a thing, they froze before they dried.

Brienne flushed, "Forgive me, my lady, but I have to ask. . . You and Podrick, he - you haven't? I don't -"

"We are friends, Lady Brienne. Nothing more," Elia hated how her stomach churned and kept her eyes far from Podrick, "I swear."

Brienne nodded, "I know, milady. I do not mean it as an insult but there are better men than Podrick that would take advantage of a lady like yourself."

"Podrick is a better man than all the lords I know." Elia was not biased, she didn't think so anyway, it was a fact. A simple fact, simple. ". . .and I know a few."

"I do not know how to talk of stuff like this, my lady." Brienne looked as if she were ready to slap the reins of her horse and bolt, hesitance was written clear on her face. "But your lady mother would have liked you protected, against swords. . . And men."