The Little Wolf

Chapter 24 | Prayers

I ask the Father to judge the ones who killed my father and tried to kill my little brother justly, helping my brother on his journey to seek justice for the crimes committed against our family.

I beg the Mother to keep my sister Sansa, who is being held as a hostage in the Lion's Den, safe and sound as well as my sister Arya, whose whereabouts are not of my knowledge neither of those who surround me. May the Mother have mercy and forgive my own mother for her crimes against our enemies, for justice is not applied with more crimes.

I beg the Warrior to help my brother in battle and out of battle so that he can triumph and win the war, ending these times of chaos and death. I ask that he is protected so that he can save this unfortunate country from its ruthless ruler.

I selfishly beseech the Smith so that he may fix my broken soul and spirit and help me overcome all the terrors I have been put through in these last months and make me able to stand tall with my head held up high to serve my House and do my duty.

I ask the Maiden to forgive my sins and to keep my judgement clear, preventing me from the temptations that come from feelings, not of the heart but of the flesh. I beg that she restores my purity, since there is still plenty of it in me, though my innocence has been taken away from me against my will. I pray that the Maiden keeps my sister's innocence and protects it since there is no turning back for me.

I beseech the Crone to give me guidance on the path I shall take, for I'm walking blindly in an unfamiliar game with no rules. I request that she helps me make my own decisions wisely so that I may aid my House in these tumultuous times.

I pray to the Stranger so...

It was nighttime and Lilia was currently saying her prayers to the Seven. Though she followed the Old Gods, there was no weirwood south of the Riverlands, since some Houses from the North of that region remained faithful to the Old Gods. She had been raised in both Faiths, knowing the basics on the Faith of the Seven.

Her prayers were interrupted by repeated knocks on her door. They were loud and impatient, scaring Lilia and making Winter Rose growl. Lilia knew she had to open the door but she couldn't move an inch. Her mind had been taken to that night and she could not bring herself to even blink.

Memories of that flashed through her mind. The impatient knocks, the violence, the screaming and soon, she felt the same fear as she had felt under the roof where she thought she was minimally safe. As the knocks grew louder and more frequent, she reminded every second of the terror she had endured. She was trembling as terror filled her veins.

With much hesitation, she stood up on her foot as she took cautious steps to the door. She grabbed a jar from the room, as she headed towards the wooden door. Winter Rose walked in front of her in a defensive way and Lilia felt safer. Should anything go wrong and she could set Winter Rose on those who were going to harm her.

As her hand rested on the door handle, she took a deep breath before opening it and once she did, much to her surprise, someone pushed her out of the way getting inside the room and closing the door, as Lilia was preparing herself to escape and to throw the jar at the person who was covered with a hood.

The person set some things she had brought on the Stark girl's bed, pushing down the hood and revealing her identity. Lilia's face turned into one of surprise once her eyes met the Dornish Princess's. Her dark eyes and her dark skin were illuminated by the candle lights, making her beauty a mysterious one. Lilia had never seen a woman as beautiful as Arianne Martell, she would dare to say that the Dornish heiress was the most beautiful woman in Westeros.

Arianne's gaze was on the candles and the pillow Lilia had put under her knees, being redirected to Winter Rose and the jar on Lilia's hands, making her furrow her forehead in confusion and disbelief.