She Wolf • |Book 2|

• Chapter Five •

She sat by the window, the glass pushed open to let in a gentle breeze. This had been apart of her routine, sitting by the window and sewing together little dresses for her child. Occasionally she would glance up to stare at the latest flayed victim. Now that the sight no longer repulsed her, she would study what lay underneath their very flesh.

Today, however, the victim had been an old frail woman Rhaella recalled seeing about Winterfell a few times, including in her own chamber. She had been a kind woman, a simple servant who kept her nose to the ground and did her work well. It was devastating to see the old woman strung up with half her flesh removed while the rest remained. It appeared Ramsay did not care how weak his victim was, he flayed them anyway.

A rough rap at the door tore her attention away. She turned her head, dark eyebrows raising slowly as she waited for them to enter. Since that night Roose humiliated Ramsay at dinner no one had visited Rhaella except Sansa, but even she had been locked away after word reached Ramsay of her attempt to escape.

That is when she noticed the drastic change in Ramsay's character. No longer did his lips curve into their sadistic smile that he wore. He appeared serious, at all times. Though she would never admit it to anyone, this side of Ramsay did frighten her.

There had been little interaction between the too, and for that, Rhaella had been grateful. She could hardly think how long she would last before she too ended up like Theon, Sansa, or even the old lady outside.

Though she wasn't sure why, Rhaella had a funny feeling Roose had a hand in his son's sudden distance. She had noticed, over time, that Ramsay would come and go, mostly on Roose Bolton's orders.

From her window she would watch as he rode in and out, bringing with him a victim or nothing at all. Often, Ramsay would look up at her window, and on his good days, he would force a smile. She had wanted to believe that it was out of courtesy, given that the two had gotten along just well before that night. And even though it sent chills down her spine, she would have rather seen him smile at her than find herself being carved away at like she was some sort of game.

There had been more than just a change in Ramsay. A change in Roose had come about as well after the death of Tywin Lannister. He kept his distance from Rhaella, but when they were in a room together, she could not shake the feeling that Roose was looking at her in the same way she noticed other men had.

It only grew worse from there. When Stannis Baratheon came for Winterfell, Ramsay had been sent to defend the keep, leaving behind Rhaella and Sansa. Both girls kept to their separate chambers, Rhaella more so to avoid seeing Roose. She had breathed a sigh of relief the moment Ramsay came riding back in, jubilant from his victory. It had only lasted a moment, however.

Her only handmaiden, a bastard girl of one of Bolton's men, revealed that Myranda, the daughter of the hound's master, had been found dead and Sansa was no where to be found.

Rhaella kept to her chambers then, not even leaving to eat. She knew both father and son would be livid at the blow that was dealt to them and she would rather not be brought into the mix anymore than she was.

But then another Stark appeared, one Rhaella once believed dead until Ramsay revealed he wasn't. This had been the first time she left her chamber, dropping to her knees before Ramsay to plead with him to allow her the company of the youngest Stark. He had refused her.

The rapping grew louder, each knock more urgent than the last. Rhaella could hear a voice from the other side. She knew it could not be Roose, it was said that he had been poisoned some nights back. She knew better than to believe those lies. There had been a look in his eyes the night she went to him, Ramsay was responsible for his father's untimely death.