Dark Wings, Dark Words

Bolton

The clang of metal chains echoed in Ashanna Stark's subconscious. No matter how hard she tried to ignore it, it remained defiantly to spite her.

Ashanna opened her eyes, unable to cling onto the blissful dreamless unconsciousness she found herself in.

Blinding white light shun into Ashanna's eyes. Without a second thought, she lifted her left hand to shelter her gaze from the wraith of the sun. Her eyes widened when she took note of the chains around her wrists. Her hands were bound. Why were they bound?

Then it came flooding back.
Her mother..
Robb..
Talisa..
Their men..

Dead. Dead. All dead and gone.
And she was left alive. Clearly the gods wanted her to suffer.

Ashanna looked around at her surroundings. She was in an enclosed horse drawn cart. Red and gold fabric covered the walls. Ashanna was sprawled across a cushioned seat of the cart. Her mother's blue dress was smudged with dirt and smeared with her brother's blood.

In the seat opposite her, sat a very bored looking Roose Bolton. He watched her silently as Ashanna got herself into a sitting position.
She set her icy glare upon Lord Bolton. He merely stared back at her. His beady eyes piercing her soul.

"Why?" She demanded in a weak voice. Ashanna tried her hardest to sound strong, her voice crumpled despite her best efforts.

"'Why?' Your brother was never going to win that war." Roose Bolton said dismissively. Ashanna tried to push herself to her feet in outrage. However her body was too weak. The She wolf found that she was unable to support herself.

"He won every battle! He was good to you! He was a good king!" Ashanna yelled in pure anger. Lord Bolton raised an eyebrow at her.

"Your brother won every battle, that's true enough. But he wasn't a good king. He beheaded loyal followers for pursuing justice. He broke his oath to Walder Fray and married a foreigner."

"How DARE  you speak of oath breaking. YOU murdered my brother! Your king!" Ashanna reached for her brother's killer with chained hands. The clang of metal stabbed her mind as she struggled to reach the monster. She'd kill him. By all the gods, she'd kill him for what he did to Robb.

"I chose the winning side."

"When I get out of these chains. I'm going to kill you." Ashanna hissed as she once again pulled in her restraints. Lord Bolton merely sighed.

"You'll never get the chance. The Lannister's have plans for you."

"I imagine it'll be a bloody end." Ashanna said more so to herself. Maybe Joffrey would have her whipped through the streets. Or have her pushed from the walls of  King's Landing. Maybe he'd have her beheaded in front of the Sept of Baelor... Like her father.

"There's not going to be an end for you." Rosie Bolton said as he studied her reaction. Ashanna stared back at him. Before she could reply he began speaking again.

"You're not going to die for some time. The Lannister's have already planned your fate. You, Lady Stark will be married off to a lord of their choosing. You see dear girl? You're going to spend the rest of your life in chains. Not like the ones you where now. You're going to spend the remainder of her days birthing, and birthing heirs for a Lannister cub or whomever they chose."

Roose Bolton's tight lipped expression slowly grew into a smug smirk as he watched Ashanna's horrified face melt into despair.

Ashanna was too shocked to fight him as he pressed a new bowl of liquid to her lips. The liquid tasted bitter as it disappeared down her throat.

Ashanna blinked away the grey fog that began to obscure her sight.

And blinked again.
The darkness remained stubbornly.

Her eyelids became heavy. No matter how hard she fought, the lull of sleep called to her.

Luring her into a false sense of unconscious bliss.