Queen of Wolves // Jaime Lannister [GAME OF THRONES] (ON HOLD)

8. AND NOW IT BEGINS

She is swimming. 

She is swimming in the water that cleanses away the dirt of the land, the blood and bones buried within, to wash away like crashing waves, foaming and frothing white against the majestic clear blue.

She wears a small frown on her face as soft clawing sounds reach her, the scratching noise flooding her ears and she stops to float in the water, the emptiness carries her easily, and she thinks, of course, I cannot drown. The certainty of that never leaves so she remains drifting, without a worry in the world, for no one harms her here, under the water. 

Bubbles begin to erupt, encircling her, she watches in serene fascination as dozens of fish of all different sizes and colours surround the girl, their eyes freeze at her in awe, blurring as new ones appear before her very eyes, but she doesn't scare easy, simply...overcome with wonder. Then they open their mouths and the scratching bursts in her ears louder than ever, deafening and roaring all at once. She tries to scream but only silence she returns with their harrowing warnings. In an effort to stop the pounding pain she blocks her ears with her hands, screwing her eyes shut, wake up! Wake up! she's telling herself, she feels as if she might just drown if she doesn't wake herself up but then she realises, she hears nothing. Instinct tells her to move her hands away from her ears but her eyes remain tightly shut. An ethereal voice fills the water, it relaxes her and she listens. 

'Open your eyes riverchild, they cannot hurt you.'  the voice speaks in a trusting tone. Blinking, the girl sees sparkling silver trout in front of the other sea animals like small guards, slightly mystical with their shimmering scales and dignifying nature, as much as fish can be. 

'Who are you?' she asks first before all the other questions in her brain. Looking around she fails to find who the voice belongs to.

'No foe dear one, I will be there when you find me, river princess.' 

'I'm a Stark.' she argues. 

'Yes, the Night Wolf, for it is always night under here in the water, but if the water freezes, what happens to the wolf?' the voice asks.

'The wolf lives on the land.' the girl states easily. 

'Not for long. Are you ready to hear what I have to say?' the voice sharpens in its tone, like a knife, slashing through the water, causing ripples. She feels the river's warmth slowly disappearing. The girl nods hastily, and somehow the voice compels her to close her eyes again. The noises from the sea animals before return but they melt into the one voice.

'What if all it took was a breath of wind to give truth to summer's lie? Blow king to beggar and queen to bleed, blow space to time? When skies are hanged and oceans drowned, The single survivor will still be man. As the most who die, the more we live.