Little Dragon - Game of Thrones

4

Lyla pouted in her room as she remembered the King's party leave for the south. She had been confined to her chambers for a long while, even though her mother and father had left Maester Luwin had been making sure she kept to her punishment.

With that in mind, she noticed that the Maester had not come to take her to the dining hall. She jumped off her furs, and over to the tall wooden door. As she reached to open it, the door swung open, and Theon and two unfamiliar guards stood on the other side.

"Hello Theon! Where did you go? Did you have fun?" Lyla gushed with a big smile, bouncing on her heels at seeing her best friend. Theon opened his mouth, but closed it. "What's wrong?" The smile fell from Lyla's face, and she looked up at him confused.

"I've taken Winterfell." His voice was cold and hostile.

"Why?"

"I..." Theon sighed deeply. "Come with me." She took his hand, and he led her out to the courtyard, and she looked up at the torn wolf banners.

"You really did take Winterfell." Lyla said sadly.

"I need to talk to you."

It scared the seven year old how serious Theon was being right now. He had always seemed so carefree and funny, now he seemed... Scared. Insecure. Angry. Confused.

"What's going to happen to me?" Lyla asked him. "Are you... Are you going to kill me?"

"I'm not going to kill you." Theon spoke hastily. "You're going to have to stay in your chambers for a few weeks. We'll have to hold Winterfell for a while to ensure it's secure."

"And then you kill me?" Her voice was bitter and sad.

"I won't kill you! I just... I need you to just do as I say. Please."

"Okay..." Lyla finally said, nervous. "I trust you. You're my friend." She gave him a weak smile that he returned, and she went back to her room that she never seemed to leave.

---

Lyla could feel herself going mad inside her room, nothing to do but okay with the toys she had played with for years. The time went by, the sun rose and fell, but nothing seemed to change.

One night, she heard screams begin to erupt from the city. She smelled smoke and heard people running wild. She didn't have a window in her room, so she couldn't see what was happening.

The smoke smell grew stronger, and soon an orange glow rose from the crack underneath her door. It became hotter and hotter in the room, the fire spreading into her room and over her floor.

It chased after her like a dog after a piece of meat, and just when it seemed to reach her, everything went black.