Carliene Stark

Chapter 41

Carliene

I wasn't allowed to leave my chamber for two days. Actually I had expected a far longer imprisonment. For life maybe? During the two days I saw no one but Iris, who brought me food and bath water and fresh clothes. She talked at me while she was in my room, in her own way trying to interrogate me. But I had seen through it and kept quiet for the most part.
In the beginning I tried turning the conversation, and find out what was going in the castle and Lannisport. Was the sickness spreading, what was being done to prevent it, how much losses did were made. But the girl bit her tongue. Obviously she had orders from high up that the westerlands business were no longer my business.

So I lay on my bed and cursed myself for not running away when I had the chance. I had waisted the chance to prove a point and actually help my captors. Father would turn in his grave if he knew. I paced around the small chambers, stretching my sore muscles and fought with stomach pains. At first I thought I might have infected myself, but seeing that my skin was showing no rashes and my head was fine I concluded that it must have been the food at the Inn or the days travel in the rain.

On day three it was still raining. Not harshly, but in a constant dribble. It was the kind of weather that would turn all the roads and yards into thick pools of mud. Robb, Jon and I had often come home to a distraught mother, covered in it from head to toe in weather like this.

I was sitting in the window thinking back to such times when my door opened with the familiar squeak. I didn't turn at first, fully expecting it to be Iris, but when I heard the clank of metal I thought other wise. 

"M'lady" the guard greeted, one arm pressed to his side the other at the pommel of his sword. "Your presence is requested" he stated simply, gesturing towards the door with his free hand. 

I looked at him, then the door, wondering what would lie at the end of this walk. Probably a very angry Lannister. I didn't mind, anything was better than confinement. So I nodded politely and grabbed my coat. Another guard was waiting outside the door and they took me in their middle as they lead me through the castle.

It was comfortably quiet as the rain seemed to keep the habitants and servants of the castle indoors. The yard was nearly empty, except for some eager stable boys, trodding through the muddy puddles. We stayed on the balustrade, canopies of vines protecting us from the drizzle.

As we turned another corner a familiar face appeared before us and my stomach turned sour. I had hoped Vylarr had been sent back to Lannisport, but apparently he was still lurking about. 

"Ah Lady Carliene" he said in s sickly sweet tone. "Could I have a moment?"

Before I could refuse the guards turned and stepped back around the corner out of sight.

Vylarr watched them leave. "So you've been summoned by Lord Kevan" he stated. "He wants to hear your version on what played out in Lannisport"

That made sense. "And what do you want?" I asked annoyed. 

He leaned back with a grin. "Clever girl" he complimented. "I want you to tell the truth"

I raised an eyebrow. "The truth?" There was no way it was as simple as that. 

"The truth about my hospitality" he elaborated. "How I kindly took you in and tended to your worries and wishes, but how I also warned you many times of the danger you were in"

I inhaled deeply, understanding perfectly what he wanted. He wanted to be praised by me in front of the Lord of the Rock. What a pathetic prick. I may have just agreed, if it hadn't been for that disgusting conversation in the Inn.
I smiled at him sweetly. "Of course"