Dark Sister

-Ashes-

-Ashes-

282 AC
Kings Landing

The next day Lord Rickard donned his steel-plated armor and was led to the throne room where the King, Queen, Prince, Princess, Kingsgaurd, and Nobles all waited. The Lord of Winterfell turned to face the King. "Who am I to fight, your grace?" Aerys looked to his guards and nodded, they grabbed Rickard and bound him, and suspended him from the rafters. Two of the Mad Kingʻs pyromancers came and lit wildfire underneath the Stark. "Fire is the champion of House Targaryen." Rickard struggled against his bonds as the green flames rose to his boots.

The clicking of boots was heard and two guards dragged Brandon in and attached a Tyrosh noose to his neck and placed a sword just out of reach. The wildfire caught onto Rickards cloak, setting it ablaze; the Lord of Winterfell screamed as the flames began to consume him. Brandon struggled against the noose in an attempt to reach the sword. But the more he struggled the tighter it got.

Valyria watched on afraid to look away. Her father had brought her and Viserys and their mother there for the sole purpose of making them watch as he burned the Stark lord and strangled his son. Valyria cautiously looked to Jaime who stood in front of her. He looked horrified at the Kingʻs actions at first but then his face went blank and conveyed no emotion.

Rickardʻs screams grew louder as the wildfire cooked him alive. Brandon struggled more at his fatherʻs screamʻs increased volume. He made one last attempt to reach the sword in front of him. A wheeze was heard and Brandon stopped moving. Rickard's screams grew fainter until the room was silent and the Lord of Winterfell was dead.

Valyria closed her eyes in an attempt to rid her mind of the sight of the dead Starks before her. But the picture would not leave. Jaime helped escort Valyria out of the room as she stared blankly at the floor. "Sen. . . Are you alright?" Jaime whispered to her. A tear slid down her face "No." she said softly. Jaime carefully guided them back to Valyria's room.

Valyria collapsed on her bed and cried. She rarely let tears fall but she was scarred from the day's events and could not help but let the tears flow. Jaime sat down next to her and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. Valyria sniffled and turned to look at Jaime, "How did you do it? Not convey any emotion." she questioned, with red eyes. "I went away inside. I focused my thoughts on Cersei, to distract myself from the horrors in front of me." Valyria nodded and looked away. "I've never had to watch my father burn someone. Most of the time he probably forgot I was there. But . . . I can't get the picture of their bodies out of my head." she said tears flowing down her cheeks once more. "One day, this will all be over, Sen. And until then we must survive long enough to see it," Jaime said quietly.

Valyria looked to him once more and gave him a ghost of a smile. "I have to go now. But I'll spar with you tomorrow during your lessons if you want," he said, standing up and quietly closing the door behind him.