A WINTER ROSE ⊳ g. of thrones [1]

CHAPTER ELEVEN | Treason & Trust

"LADY ELLENA! YOU MUST WAIT!" Doran Rivers now galloped beside her, rushing to meet the strength of her horse with his own. "No, Ser, I will not accept this. My fathers men were slaughtered. Jaime Lannister cannot go unpunished."

Doran pushed forward, refusing to give up, and managed to halt his steed in front of the mare. "You think you can just go and fight him? He took down your father, the man who defeated the Sword of the Morning, you truly think you can take him on and win?" She opened her mouth to argue but he hushed her. "I am sorry my lady, but I was charged to take care of you. I am not going to let you charge in and fight Jaime Lannister, a man who can and would best you. Despite that, he's gone to regroup with the Lannister armies. You think they'll so easily let you attack their Golden Prince?"

Ellena crowned, before baring her teeth and growling in frustration. "The Lannister's will not get away with this; not while a Stark still draws breath."

She slid off her horse, and began to pace in her anxieties. But how could she make them pay? How could she show the Lannister's what Starks are? They were wolves and they were not to be trifled with; those Lannister's may be lions, "kings of the beasts", but Starks were wolves. They reigned through the Long Night and survived to tell the tales. Could a lion do that? No. Only the wolves will howl in the night, that's what Old Nan had said. And howl they would.

"Father has been keeping a secret... Even my mother came down from Winterfell to warn him. There's something he knows, something that could break the crown." She looked back up at Doran with fierce eyes. "We must go back to King's Landing. I need to know what my fathers knows. This could change everything," she breathed, her mind racing.

Doran seemed unsure, shaking his head. "M'lady, it is far too dangerous to travel back. The Lannister's are vicious players; they will already have your father in chains by the time we return."

"And how would you know?" She barked. "How do you seem to know so much? You're a knight, yet you seem to be just as clever as the Imp or the Spider."

He bit his tongue, breathing deeply through his nostrils as his eyes met with hers. "I swore to protect you. I come from the Riverlands, and the Riverlands are loyal to you and your family. Don't forget your mother and her family too."

She stepped back. "You're with House Tully."

He nodded, as her mind put the pieces together. "Aye, sent by your uncle, the Blackfish, just as soon as Tyrion Lannister came bound to the Eryie."

~

The two trotted back to the castle on the backs of their horses, the light of day darkening over the horizon. As they both ran up the stairs of the tower, the quickly reached her fathers chambers. He sat at his desk, looking weary and worn.

"Father?"

He looked up, his eyes for once looking old and tired. She had never seen her father like this. The capitol was slowly draining the life from him. "Pack your things," he began. "We are going home."