Clairvoyance ♛ Jojen Reed

~ VI ~

Rushing towards him I kneel beside his jolting form as he begins frothing slightly at the mouth. Instinct tells me to run towards the hollowed out tree and grab my sword and sheathe. Tearing it from the tall oak I bring the leather strap towards his mouth and place it there to ensure he doesn't swallow his tongue as he flails unconsciously on the ground.

Much to my surprise he bites down on the leather strap and his rapid breaths fade slightly as his face relaxes from the pained expression previously gracing his features to a calmer almost relieved look. By this point I notice the brown orbs staring up at me signifying his regained consciousness. Sheepishly I pull back the strap from in his mouth allowing him to sit up and look towards me puzzled. About to question why he looks so puzzled towards me I feel a salty drop land on my drawn back hand. Looking down I see a lone tear has escaped my eyes and now rests teasingly on my hand as if trying to embarrass me further.

"Thank you," he speaks up successfully drawing my attention back towards him.

"Err.. no problem," I manage lost for words and for once not having anything floating around my usually very crowded thoughts.

In a bold sense of rebellion and sadness I realise how I cannot simply marry Viserys. Its not what I want and my father knows that however, if I return to the hall I know it's inevitably going to happen whether I like it or not. I'm just another daughter to marry off into another house to ensure the Stark name is upheld as a strong ally and if I really do marry the Targaryen heir I'm afraid I wont be much more than an object on his arm or a toy that he can play with.

"I've got to go!" I say breaking from my ashamed whisper to a louder cry of urgency. No one except Jojen luckily being there to witness my bold new take on how I want my life to pan out.

"What? Where?" He says but doesn't receive an answer as I'm already rushing off towards Alvira and the godswood where I can hopefully hide until I have decided on an escape plan. I do not want to leave Winterfell nor my family but I simply don't know what else to do and right now it seems that it's do or die. A slight exaggeration on my part but the truth non the less. I'd rather die than marry Viserys right now and I'd rather live in hope of someday returning then dying before my time.

The leaves of the trees around me rustle in the wind as I push on not wanting to stop running. Tears now pour out of my eyes and I break into a clearing that reminds me of the reoccurring dream that had followed me into my sub consciousness every evening for the past couple of days. A strange feeling overcomes me and I almost immediately put it down to knowing that if I do this I will be on my own in a world I have yet to discover much of. Slumping down into a sobbing heap I hear a branch snapping in the distance.

A dark shadow casts on the ground from the edge of the clearing and a shadowed figure steps from the tree line just like in my dreams. Looking up and brushing the back of my hand over my cheeks to remove the tears I stand up and wait for the advancing figure, who I know is Jojen, to emerge.

However this time something seems off. The figure looms ever longer in the shadows and slyly snakes forward growing taller and taller until the shadows lift to reveal the grotesque features previously hidden beneath their weathered hood.

Drawing my sword I become aware of a distant crunching from my left, swinging my head I see another figure emerging and appearing from my right is yet another Wildling that advances menacingly towards me their face set with a hard scowl.

I'm surrounded.

Looking swiftly behind me I see the glint of a dagger held rigidly in the air against a smaller silhouette. Squinting into the darkness I'm met by the calming brown orbs I'd first imagined would greet me.

The silhouettes are illuminated and my instinct is confirmed.

"Jojen," I breathe.