SWEET CREATURE [ Ramsay Bolton ]

CHAPTER ONE

Ramsay Snow had not expected Esme Ambrose to be so pretty. He had seen the gangly little boy that was the son of Lord Ambrose. It was only reasonable to imagine the sister looking much the same way. The girl before him, however, appears nothing like the lords of her house.

There's nothing about her that gives the appearance of an exhausted lady, spent from an arduous journey. Where are the dreary eyes? Where are the stiff limbs? Her movements are smooth as she steps out of the carriage, her eyes bright as she takes in her new temporary home. Every curl is perfectly in place, her gown prim and proper.

No, Ramsay had not expected this at all.

With what he assumes to be a charming grin, he begins to approach her. "My lady," he greets graciously, dipping his head.

"My lord." Her voice is soft, pleasing to his ears. Placing her hands demurely behind her back, she steps forward, head turning every which way as she observes the dreary surroundings. For so long her only view seemed to be of endless trees or fields. It's quite nice seeing a bit of civilization again, no matter how bleak it may be.

No matter, the scenery wasn't what she came for anyways. The true object of her curiosity stands right in front of her. She isn't quite sure yet, what she will come to find in the infamous Ramsay Snow. People talk about him as if he were a monster, a deranged beast in human skin. What stands before her is just a man. He's a bit shorter than she imagined, than what the stories made him out to be, and his grin seems more playful than sinister. He can easily pass as a harmless gentleman but it's the eyes that give him away. Vibrant blue, they are as piercing as she's heard. There's something in the way he looks at her that makes it unnerving. Katherine recognizes the coldness in them; those eyes had seen things that would send shivers down a lady's spine.

     But he isn't the only one keeping secrets. Katherine was no ordinary lady, no damsel in the clutches of a wolf. A little human like Ramsay with such a big reputation will make a fun game. She will enjoy him, enjoy breaking down his sweet facade piece by piece. He will show her the beast that resides in him and she will show him hers.

Let him see what a true predator looks like.

However, it would take some time. There's definitely much to discover about this character. She knows better than to judge at first glance; after all, Ramsay will take her to be nothing more than a sweet little ward. People like her (like them) have to make great liars. She won't let her guard down so soon around this unassuming man.

"On behalf of my father, Roose Bolton," he states, "I welcome you to our home." It's a warm welcome for such an intimidating place. Even as he speaks, a cold wind blows his cape and snow clings to his contrasting dark hair. Katherine may be immortal but she isn't oblivious to the freezing temperature. She pulls her cloak tighter around her.

Ramsay's grin noticeably broadens. She seems frail, too weak to be in the cold. The powerful preys on the weak. He will have her in no time.

"It's certainly a magnificent home," she replies, eyes continuing to look past him. Ramsay doesn't realize that she is hyper aware of him, of every movement he makes. Her faux distraction is merely a ruse, one of the many she employs. "My father sends his regards," she continues softly, eyes finally landing on him.

"I'm sure it must have been hard to leave his side." Ramsay remains polite, as he refers back to her failure of a father and lord. "But duty does call." It was very unfortunate that the Ambrose's debt to the Bolton's continued to accumulate. The poor man seemed to forget about it entirely, that is until Roose demanded insurance. They would keep the young Ambrose lady for as long as it took the Lord to repay his debt.

Ramsay is sure Esme Ambrose will be their guest for quite a while.

"You've had a long journey," he says, his clasped hands tightening around each other. Over the years, he's learned incredible restraint. There's no way to tell that the beast inside of him is coiled tightly, eager to lash out, eager to see how blood would look on her pretty pale skin. His voice is cool, controlled. "You'd like to see your room, I imagine."

"Yes, indeed, thank you," she replies, her own inner beast lying dormant. It's easier for her to shut the bloodlust off, to live in a more civilized manner. She's only become what most women have in higher positions, cunning and secretive. It's no crime to manipulate the men who take advantage of their power.

     The ladies maids are already there, carrying her stolen bags of garments away, ready to lead her to her new room. Katherine is following when she suddenly stops, and turns just slightly to face Ramsay again. His brow cocks; for a moment, they both observe each other curiously. "Will I see you again soon?" She finally asks.

The ladies maids look on in horror as Ramsay smiles, leaning forward as he promises, "Of course, my lady. You can count on it." They know what that smile means. Their stomachs twist in knots as they quickly look away, hurrying to their destination.

. . .

     Darren stays in a room close to hers, always just a few feet away. He had specific orders from Lord Ambrose to keep a keen eye on the young lady. It wouldn't be acceptable to send her away on her own to a place she was unfamiliar with.

      Darren made a lousy companion. He failed the real Esme, and he was bore to the fake one.

"Explain why you're doing this, again?" He sighs, sitting at her desk. He feels no fear at speaking so frankly with her; she made sure to compel those feelings away. Now, he only feels displeasure at seeing her parade around as the innocent Lady Ambrose.

"How many times must we go through this?" There's a sigh of her own as she strips down out of her traveling gown. She's naked in front of him thought it hardly matters. Katherine has never been much ashamed of bare bodies, and Darren doesn't exactly look at her with lusty eyes. He still only sees a witch, the demon within her. Any beauty that she may have had was marred to him, from the black heart that she possessed.

"You sneak into the Bolton's good graces to see if a bastard is as monstrous as he's rumored to be?" It's the story he's been told over and over again, yet it still feels unbelievable. He doesn't trust her. How could he?

"All out of pure curiosity," she promises. She toes the warm water in the basin before finally stepping into the bath. Looking up, her curls fall over her face, partially obstructing the view of her coy smirk. "A person grows bored after a few centuries. You'll find we do the most unusual things out of boredom." Then, with a wave of her hand, she dismisses him.

     "Make sure you have a good rest," she adds, before he has left the room. "We have a big day tomorrow, Darren." He pauses, nods, then ducks out of the door.