SWEET CREATURE [ Ramsay Bolton ]

CHAPTER TEN

It's hard for him to continue his days pretending as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. Only time will heal his wounded pride; something much more pressing is the overbearing presence Katherine now flaunts at the Dreadfort. Everyone else now knows of the power she holds over Ramsay. The whispers follow her wherever she goes; she should be dead by now. He remembers how the arrow he leased had sunk into her flesh, the flood of blood that followed. She should be dead.

Death had become a hobby of Ramsay's, something he was well acquainted with. More than a hobby, it was something he gleefully practiced inflicting upon others. It gave him power. It fed his lust. Now, it seems that Katherine had been created to rob him of that. Katherine's ability to cheat death robbed him of any power he might have had over her.

Esme Ambrose vanishes and the remaining servants know better than to cross paths with Katherine. She terrifies them with her cool reserve, the way she quietly drifts from room to room. It's the lack of sound she makes that's unnerving, like a predator stalking its prey.

His father, at least, is still naive to her true nature due to his being away at war. As far as he knows, Esme Ambrose is the dull highborn lady that he had accepted into his home. When Ramsay is commanded to take Winterfell, he follows the order eagerly. Anything to escape her and the constant reminder that she has bested him.

The day he leaves the fortress, he finds her waiting with her companion and all her packed things. At the sight, he freezes in his tracks. He burns with resentment and shame at the feeling that he's been caught sneaking out like a child.

Looking the epitome of innocence, Katherine bats her eyelashes. "You didn't think I would just wait here for your return, did you?" she asks. She never had any intention of letting Ramsay slip through her fingers. Any objection from him proves fruitless. Nodding towards Darren, he grabs more of the luggage, carrying it away to load it for the journey.

"War isn't a place for ladies," he tries. It's a horrible argument when she's anything but a lady. Her hands are just as blood stained as his. He can still see the smear of red on her chin, the splatter of it on her body. It's not her own blood that flushes her cheeks but Myranda's.

"I think you'll find me a valuable asset." Katherine steps up beside him, shoulder to shoulder. "Don't fight it, Ramsay. I've made up my mind."

It's an obvious display of her power and Ramsay knows when to choose his battles. For now, she has the upper hand. Somehow, he will eventually win it back. For the moment, however, he smiles tightly and gives his unnecessary consent.

     . . .

They begin their journey that very morning. For Fiona, it's not one of luxury though she can't deny the sense of excitement she feels at leaving that hell behind. Her whole life consisted of the horrible little village and now she gladly sees it fade into the distance. Time with Ramsay was as bleak as the streets of her home, but she's sure their destination will make it all worth it.

For the most part, her time on the road is uneventful. The excitement slightly fades when the ache sets in from the cold and the uncomfortable coach. A week into the journey, she finds herself regretting her previous discontent when she catches the eye of Katherine Pierce.

          She is the woman Fiona had somehow felt drawn to only weeks before. Since then, many things had changed. For one, she now knows that Katherine is not who she had pretended to be. Secondly, Fiona is certain that she's just as dangerous as Ramsay.