Tír Na Nóg

Chapter 2

Shay awoke suddenly to the sound of crying. It only took him a second to gain his bearings and jump out of bed.

Catelynn! Shay's mind yelped as he fumbled for one of his revolvers before bolting from his room. As he snuck down the hallway, thunder and lightning danced an intricate ballet, lighting up the hallway for him.

He arrived at the door to her room, open a crack, just how he left it. He quietly pushed open the door, and peeked in. seeing no one, he entered and what he saw broke his heart in two.

Catelynn had hid herself underneath the bed, dragging the blankets with her and making a fort of sorts. She was shivering and crying with her hands over her ears to block out the thundering.

Shay sighed as he placed the revolver onto the dresser before crossing the room to kneel in front of her. Catelynn crawled out from underneath the bed, jumping and screaming as another boom of thunder cracked through the night. In her fright, she clamped onto Shay's side, clearly refusing to let go.

Shay chuckled as he picked her up, rubbing soothing circles into her back and walked around the room, humming softly to try and sooth her.

"Sweep wit you?" she asked in a whimper, hiding her face in his neck as lightning lit up the room. "Pwease?"

"Of course," he smiled, kissing her soft hair as he left the room, making a mental note to grab the revolver in the morning.

Catelynn fell asleep before he had even made it halfway to his room, lulled to sleep by the comfort of her father's arms keeping her safe. A peaceful smile grew on Shay's face as he tucked her in next to him before pulling the blanket over himself. His heart soared when Catelynn snuggled in closer to him, seeking out his body warmth.

"I promise that I will always protect you, Catelynn," he murmured before drifting off to sleep.