CONTENT WARNING: Explicit physical violence
"Shit," Hilena swore under her breath. She lowered her longbow, relaxing her grip on the string, but kept an arrow nocked. The tawny stag she was chasing bounded off further into the Wolfswood. The girl of five-and-ten left her crouched position from behind a bush, eyeing the animal as she moved. Eventually, it stopped, swerving its head around in a panic, but stayed put. Hilena approached closer as the stag nibbled at the grass, the girl finding a spot behind an ironwood tree.
She stepped out from behind the tree, bringing her bow up again, arrow ready. Perfect. Hilena deftly drew her arm back, the bowstring going taut as she brought her hand against her face. The commoner scrutinized the stag, aiming for the backside of the front leg.
Hilena released the arrow. It whistled in the air and pierced the stag's heart. The animal stumbled, then keeled over, dying rapidly and painlessly.
Yes! I haven't got a stag before. The girl put her bow across herself and sprinted over to the carcass. Thank the gods it isn't fully grown, though that would give more meat. Hilena knelt, plucking the arrow from the deer and returning it to her quiver. Delicately, she grabbed the animal by its legs and began to drag it. After I get this to the butcher's, it'll feed more people than anything I've got before has.
Suddenly, the blast of a horn rang through the forest, followed by distant shouting and the stomping of horses. The girl stood up shakily. Why did no one tell me about a hunting party?
Hilena started retracing her steps back to her horse Jenny, trying to go as fast as possible without harming her valuable kill. Get back to the river. The noises of horns, men, and horses continued to resound throughout the forest. Soon enough she caught sight of her chestnut mare, peacefully standing by a soldier pine.
"Who goes there?" Hilena froze in place upon hearing the booming voice and whipped her head in its direction. Some yards away sat an armored man atop a mud brown courser, a hunting spear in hand. He wore no helmet, his dark grey hair and beard slick with sweat. His pale blue eyes stared daggers at her.
Oh no.
"My lord, what is it?" Another deep voice called out, but Hilena recognized this one, relief washing over her as the man approached on a snow-white mare.
"Lord Stark." The girl bowed towards the highborn. Eddard Stark appeared now how Hilena had known him all her life. Solemn, yet kind eyes, and finely dressed, all with an air of steely honor. When the commoner returned to standing, there were more mounted men gathered around.
"Hilena," Eddard Stark replied, then turned to the man on the courser. "Lord Tallhart, what's wrong? She's just the master of horse's girl." I forgot there were visitors. At Lord Stark's invitation, the Tallharts of Torrhen's Square came to Winterfell recently. I put their horses away. I suppose a hunting party makes sense.
"Just? Look at that deer. Who gave her permission to hunt in these woods?" The other lord spat out, further narrowing his eyes at her. "And what kind of girl hunts?" The man let out a large huff. "And a member of the smallfolk, nonetheless. Seems to me, she's a poacher."
Dread instantaneously filled Hilena at the word.
"I'm no poacher, m'lord," she countered, trying to stay calm and polite, "I swear it, m'lord."
"These woods are your lord's land, girl. They are not for the likes of you to be in," Lord Tallhart retorted back, "That makes you a poacher. Give that deer to your lord."
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ALL THE KING'S HORSES ━ asoiaf
FanfictionHILENA IS A NOBODY. The whelp of Winterfell's master of horse, her life will not be written in books nor revered in songs. As a spirited young girl, she dreamed of a better realm for the smallfolk. Nearly a woman grown, Hilena knows her ideas were o...
