You hold your hands up in surrender to the soldiers mounted on horseback surrounding you. The woods are dimly lit and you can feel the coldness of the wind biting your cheeks, your body covered in a cloak. The leader has a sinister looking face, shoulder length raven colored hair matching the patches of his mustache and beard. Scars are scattered around his face, cutting through his eyebrow and dancing fine lines along his cheekbones. The flayed man sigil waves aggressively in the wind.
"Seven blessings." You state, your voice strong and unwavering as your wavy long hair flows in the wind.
"Fuck blessings." You hear the leader spit the words angrily as his horse approaches you.
You don't let your face show fear, even though it is coursing through your veins. You feared this house. You know what they're known for. For fucks sake their flag flies a tortured man.
"I'm just passing though." You try to reason with them as you motion to the cliffs near the edge of the woods you're standing at.
"Get through to where?" He asks suspiciously.
"Home."
"Where?"
"I told you, home."
"I know what you said, ya dumb cunt. I mean where is your home?"
"I follow the cliff's edge north until I see the lantern out front... I don't really know which area to call it."
"No town? City?"
"No, just us near the sea."
"Us?"
"My... husband and I."
You lied. But maybe he will let you free without question if he thinks a man is waiting for your return.
"You're lying." He is seething, grabbing the hilt of his swords as he dismounts his chestnut colored horse and approaches you. You instinctively reach for your dagger.
"I'm not." You mutter angrily.
"What's your name then?" He barked, stepping angrily toward you, only inches away now.
"Elna." You whisper, fear starting to creep into your voice.
"Last name, ya dumb bitch!" He angrily yells as he grabs your hair and shakes you.
"Fallnor." You yelp.
"I know the Fallnors and none of his sons married you!" He snaps as he shakes you.
You cry out as he shoves you to the ground and you land in a heap.
"What's his name? If you name your husband then you can leave. If you get it wrong you'll be screaming like a pig tonight." He pulls out a mean looking dagger, the edges cut and stained with patches of a maroon color.
You look around you to see yourself completely surrounded by men, although they have not yet drawn their weapons. The cliff is only about 200 feet away, and even though you don't exactly know if the sea is rough or the rocks sharp, anything is better than the slow death of having your skin peeled away. You slowly grab your dagger as you turn to the man closest towards the cliff and sink your dagger into his neck. You can feel the blood pour and spill over your face and body as you pull it back. You begin sprinting as you hear the gurgling of the dying man. As you look back you see the shocked expressions of the soldiers as some immediately try to save him; however, the rest draw their swords and run after you.
You pump your arms as fast as you can as you feel your feet carry you across the uneven patches of grass. The moonlight is all the guides you towards the edges of the cliff, and you can hear the heavy jumble of footsteps and angry yelling behind you. You navigate the rocky and uneven terrain of the edge of the cliff, and you can see you're only a few feet away. You see the bright reflection of the moon in the water and you brace yourself. Your feet carry you to the edge and the stampede of men are inches away from you as you jump, flinging yourself high into the air as you fly over the edge of the cliff, descending towards the unknown. You look down to see heavy waves tossing and turning, terrifying and rough. The cliff is about 80 feet from the water, so you know you must land correctly. You scream as you can feel gravity pulling you towards the deep and you hold your breath as you hit the surface with your legs first. You feel the harshness of the waves engulfing you as your ears are filled with water with a swooshing sound. You zoom through the water and you open your eyes to see trails of bubbles following your path behind you like a shadow. You paddle towards the surface and push yourself upwards. Just as you reach the surface and gasp for air, another wave toppled you under again, rolling your body awkwardly and without control. You begin to lose direction of where the surface is as you struggle to hold your breath. You flail violently in hopes to find your way again and successfully break your head through the surface. You barely have time to collect your breath again as you feel yourself being tossed underneath the ocean again as a wave pushes you under. You can hear your muffled screaming as your body is spun powerfully in every direction. The turbulence of the waves drowns out your please for help from the gods as you can hear the roar of another wave already ripping you into another stormy fit. You are spun every way possibly and open your eyes to try to find some form of help only to see complete darkness as your eyes are assaulted by the saltiness of the sea and no way out.
You can feel yourself passing out before you know what is happening as you let your body fall into an odd sort of sleep as you release your last breath of air.
*
You can hear a distant voice calling out to you. It sounds like a man calling out for you. Are the gods taking you? You cannot open your eyes, but you try to answer them. Your throat will not allow you to answer, and you try to with your vocal cords until you feel yourself sputtering. Coughing, you finally release the heaviness from your throat as a wetness falls over your lips and you choke up water until you can feel you can breathe again.
You open your eyes to see an unknown figure.
A gray haired man with a friendly face is pounding on your chest and I peeling next to you.
You turn to your side one last time and release a large amount of water, coughing and inhaling violently as you hear a pat of your back.
"There you go, there you go. Stay with me." A rough voice commands you.
You look to see he is missing fingers and has some burns in his face. His eyebrows look permanently furrowed and his lines of stress and years have formed on his forehead.
You breathe heavily and cough every now and then, but you can breathe. You move your fingers to feel coarse sand in your grip, and try to wiggle your toes in your boots to see that's they're missing as your feet also dig into the sand. You look to see the moonlight fading into the sea with a purple color taking control of the sky, light pink hues and orange dancing the sky as red decorates near the edge of the deep purple.
You move your finger to your cloak to feel it soaked through completely, and move your other hand to try to touch your face.
"Oh! Don't touch that!" He pleaded as he moved your hand away from your face. "There's a wound I need to stitch up on your cheek there. You must've hit some rocks coming in."
You feel your head pounding with pain as your body aches. Your lips feel so chapped that they're bleeding.
"Are... are they gone?" You rasp gently.
"Who? Is who gone?" He inquired, obviously curious and slightly concerned.
"There were solders. Bolton soldiers. They tried to kidnap me and I had to jump..."
"They probably think you're dead. I mean, I thought you were when I saw you washing up onto the shore." He jokes as he offers to help you up.
"Are you one of them?" You whisper.
"Bolton? No, I'm a seaworth. Davos." He laughs as he helps pick you up and hobble to where he is camped.
"Seaworth... onions, right?" You question curiously.
"Very good, you know your houses, say, what are you my lady?"
"Rogers, Elna Rogers my lord."
"Rogers? Nine unicorns? You're a unicorn girl aren't you?"
"Indeed." You smile proudly at your family's sigil.
"Did you tell them that? Is that why they tried to kill you? Because your house is not supporting them like mine?"
"Well, I lied. I tried to say I was a different person that supported them but couldn't live the past I guess." You sarcastically joke as you limp inside the small cave where a fire is crackling.
"I was just about to make some rabbit stew when I saw you wash up on the sands... you're the first one to make it back here with me ya know?" He comments.
"Really? I'm the first one?"
"There have been dozens of people washing up on these shores from shipwrecks, executions, or just accidents. All tried to be saved, but all never made it. You're one lucky girl." He jokes as he hands you a piece of bread.
You give him a sympathetic expression.
"I couldn't possibly eat your food you need it! I-"
"You," he he holds the bread out to you again, "will be my guest." He chimed with a smile as he takes a bite from his own piece of bread.
You take a bite in response and he laughs, focusing on making the stew, a content expression on his face.
"Thank you." You murmur politely.
"For saving you?" He asks, confused.
You nod your head earnestly and he releases a heavy laugh.
"You're gonna thank me for being a decent human being?"
"There aren't too many left in this world." You stare into the fire as you tell him.
"Ayy, but I think the gods help me bring back the good ones." He hums with a smile.
"Well, I'd say they send the good ones to save the decent ones if you ask me." You beam as you look at him.
He reaches behind him and bring back two tin cans and a bottle of something. It looks to be a deep wine. He pours out two cups and hands one to you.
"Well then, how about a cheers to the good ones." He jokes as you clink the cans and sip generously.
