Carliene Stark

Chapter 32

Euron

I pulled down my yaw, to stretch my cheeks as I trailed the sharp edge of the knife across them. Once again admiring my talent to sharpen blades, I looked at my reflection, trying to shave evenly. I could have a squire do it, but over the years I had found that my hands were the ones I trusted most. Though maybe I should have waited for the sun to rise higher, as the dim light didn't make it very easy to see.

But I had always liked the mornings. The castle was peaceful. No Lord or Lady haunting the halls and paths. I could just walk freely and for a brief moment just enjoy the cold air and pretend that these halls were mine. Today I had found the need to shave again though. Since Ser Jamie had taken that foreign knight with him when he left, the position of guarding the Lady Carliene would most likely fall back to myself.

A loud knock on my door pulled me from my thoughts and almost caused me to shave a jagged edge into my beard.

"Enter!" I said as clearly as I could without getting any foam into my mouth. Expecting it to be a servant with some request I didn't turn around.

"F-forgive me" the voice was soft and surprised and ... female?
I frowned and turned around, clenching my jaw as I could feel some foam threatening to slide from my chin. There, two steps into my chamber, the door handle still in her hand stood the Stark girl. For a moment I was too confused to say anything, I couldn't remember the last time a member of the higher family had visited me in my chambers, let alone one fo the Ladies. Looking at her, I noticed her face was slightly flushed and she looked a bit disheveled. I was about to play with the idea that seeing me bare chested had flattered her, when I noticed she was wearing pants.
"I'm sorry to barge in like this but I really need your help" she announced, closing the door behind her.
"What are you wearing?" I questioned ignoring anything she said. I had seen peasant girl sometimes wear pants, but never a woman and never a Lady. It was just absurd. "Why are you wearing pants?"

"Listen" she stepped towards me, determination in her expression. "I need you to take me to Lannisport" she sounded way to enthusiastic for this hour of the morning.

I finally dropped the knife and quickly picked up a linen cloth, to wipe the foam from my face.
"I would find it myself, but I assume you'd know the quickest way" she continued.

"Woah there slow down" I took a step away from her. She was in my room, with a closed door, with me not wearing a shirt and her wearing pants. i was getting very mixed feelings. "I'm not taking you to Lannisport"

She crossed her arms and sighed, as if that was exactly the answer she had expected.

"Look, I don't know why you would think so, but I won't help you escape!" I instead as I quickly slipped into a fresh shirt. "I've gotten in trouble for you before, but don't think for one second I won't go to Lord Kevan personally and tell him all about you sneaking around in pants" I assured as I closed the buttons. "Do you want to be locked in a room again?"

"I don't want to escape!" she interrupted annoyed.

It sounded so sincere. I wanted to believe her, but I had been fooled before, so I wouldn't let her off so easily.

"Listen I am going wether you come or not" she announced.

"I'll tell Lord Kevan" I threatened.

She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again. I could see her struggle with a knot in her throat and her eyes glazed over. She nodded in defeat and turned back to the door.

"I thought I had at least one friend on this rock" she said with a quivering voice.

A knot formed in my chest. She had been cooped up in the castle for over a fortnight. Clearly she was used to more freedom as a northerner. After all this hardship, maybe she deserved a little vacation. Maybe I could make her happy, even if it meant taking her to Lannisport.

"Fine" I sighed. "But we take a carriage"

She turned around, all traces of sadness wiped from her expression. "A carriage is too slow, we'll take horses" she corrected.
I frowned. "Fine, but we take four guards with us"
"Two" she bargained.

"But you'll wear a dress" I opposed.

"Pants are better for riding" she disagreed.

I groaned. "You cant go out looking like this! You're the Lady of Casterly Rock!" slowly my patience was dwindling and I was already beginning to regret eve raving greed to her plans.

"Oh please" she scoffed. "Lady Dora has that post buried well under her expensive skirts" she waved off. "Meet you at sun up" she finished eagerly as she pulled open the door an disappeared.

Leaving me behind, confused and full of regrets. I would get into so much trouble for this.

Carliene

I looked around the room. Wondering if I had forgotten anything fo import. surely I had as the small bag I was clutching didn't contain much. Some gloves, a fresh shirt and the few coins of silver and A knife I had found while going through the Kingslayer's things. I highly doubted that he would ever be coming back and thus concluded he had no further need of these things. I chose the largest cloak I had an draped it over my shoulders. It felt good to be wearing pants again. And not having to be stuck in the confinements of a corset all day. Corsets who were growing tighter by the day it would seem. Apparently in the south its as modern for the Ladies to walk around half suffocated.

Letting my eyes dart across the room one last time, I turned on my heels and hurried out of the room, holding up the edge of the dark cloak as to not step on it by accident.

True to his word, Ser Euron had prepared four horses with saddle bags and two guards in full armour. A nervous knot formed in my belly, we better hurried, before someone caught any suspicion and told one of the Lannister family.

Euron clenched his jaw as he saw me, he looked pale and at least as nervous as I felt. I only prayed he wouldn't chicken out and rat me out. They would lock me up and throw away the key for sure this time.

"We're all ready" the knight muttered as he gestured towards the horse intended for me. It was grey, with a shaggy mane and probably the eldest of the four animals. But it was a horse.

Before the night could offer his hand to help me climb, a swung myself on the steed, grabbing the reigns in content. It had been far too long.
"We better get on with it then" I said nodding towards the two guards, sudden enthusiasm rushing through my veins. "If we still want to make any progress today" I added as if I knew what I was talking about.

In truth I had no idea how long it would take for us to reach Lannisport, I only knew the general direction: north along the west coast. The thought of leaving the confinements of the castle had put me in an awfully good mood and for the first time in what felt like ages, I felt something I could almost compare to happiness. I was so cheery that I almost forgot the goal of this quest and the night terror which had sparked it.