The Eminence in GOT-Chapter 53: Interlude. Pain of the Wolfwomen

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P.O.V. Arya Stark.

The second month of the year 299 A.D.E.

Castle Osgiliath, Valley of the Sunflame, Dorne.

«Remember, Arya, when you have an audience with the lord, keep your mouth shut and don't even think about saying anything without my knowledge. Do you understand? - Once again Elsa asked me, probably repeating her words a hundred times.

«I understand, I understand. Don't think I'm stupid. - I replied, pouting, although I wanted to tell her everything I thought about her now.

Six months ago, my calm and quiet life flew to the farthest depths of Pecla. First there was the King's visit to take my father, along with me, Sansa, and Elsa, to distant King's Landing. Then there was Bran's injury, falling off the wall because a raven spooked him and breaking his back, which was followed by an assassination attempt. It was rumored to be the fault of the damned Lannisters, who decided to spare our kind a cripple for the sake of "mercy." I wish they'd all die.

Things got worse from there - Joffrey's attacks at Ruby's ford, Mica's death at the hands of a scorched Dog, killed only because of "disrespect for the royal persona", Sansa's betrayal of her "beautiful and perfect prince destined for her", ugh... arrival in the capital and the massacre that followed... and her father's arrest.

It was only thanks to Elsa, who was always looking out for me and managed to slaughter that dude from the Royal Guard sent by the Queen-Lannisteress to arrest us, that she and I managed to escape into the city through some randomly found catacombs and lay low.

There were several options for what to do back then. The first was to disguise myself as a city slave and wait for Rob to come with our army and show the lions what real luthwolves are worth. The second was to get out of the city and flee to the North, where I could reunite with my brother and go with him to rescue my father. And the third was to use the tunnels we'd found and rescue Dad from the damp and dark dungeons where those stinking, shitty cats had put him.

As soon as I told Elsa about my ideas, they looked at me as if I were a fool. Hmph...

"Arya, you're not a little girl anymore, so why do you come up with such stupid ideas. - She said to me then, in one of the many back alleys of King's Landing, amidst mountains of garbage and human waste. - Think about it. Robb can muster twenty-five thousand soldiers at most, while the Lannisters and the Crown have hundreds of thousands at their disposal. Yes, our Northerners are worth a few Southerners, but it will be very difficult and time-consuming to outnumber them all. So much time on the streets we won't survive. - At that point, she jerked me abruptly and hid us under her dirty gray cloak as another squad of Gold Cloaks ran near our hiding place. - We must hurry. There are so many guards in the dungeons and harbor that Faceless One can't even get through, let alone two girls. Besides, we don't have a nickel to pay for seats on the ship and there's nothing we can do about it. You're lucky your sister knows a place that can help us. Let's go."

With that, we looped through the small and winding streets of the capital, which we had begun exploring with my sister since our arrival, and soon climbed to the top of Visenya Hill, finding ourselves on the wide and crowded Steel Street, right in front of a tall, three-story building made of large white stone and guarded by warriors in red armor.

"What are we doing here!" - I asked my sister loudly, realizing where she had led us. The factoria of the Tempers, the same merchants from the south that my father had met with before the tournament in his honor. And then there were nearly fifty wearers of cloaks the color of dirty gold standing before her.

"Shut up," Elsa hissed at me, pulling the hood of her cloak deeper over her face and, without letting go of my hand, walked toward an inconspicuous wicket near the main entrance to the mini-street of several buildings and warehouses that made up the factoria. It was easy to slip through - almost all of the capital's guards were watching their chief, a thin, squeaky-voiced man in black armor who looked more like a rat than a man, arguing with a tall, bearded swordsman from the Tempers' side. And judging by those words, which made even the Goldcloaks whistle respectfully and Elsa try to cover my ears, the other was sending the Goldcloaks, with their demand for inspection of warehouses and other places, to places so far away where the sun didn't shine.

Inside we were greeted by a pair of soldiers who recognized the sister who appeared to be a frequent visitor to them. Why she was there, they wouldn't tell me. They took us to their chief, with whom Elsa had a long talk in his office. Alone. After that we were kept in the factoria for three more days, where I had to stay in my room all the time, and my sister had to go somewhere else all the time. And the strangest thing was that Elsa, the one who had looked after me almost from birth, who had taught me fencing, archery, and horseback riding in secret from my mother and father, and from whom I had no secrets, refused to tell me where she had gone.

Three days later we were put into a huge box, with big holes made in it, and shut up, to my indignant screams and furious squeals. I'm not afraid of the dark or small and confined places, but... The darkness, the dampness, the impossibility of getting out..... It's an experience I definitely don't want to repeat. Br-r-r-r.

So we were taken to the ship and carried until we left the Blackwater Bay, where royal patrols often sailed and could stop any ship for inspection at any time.

That's how we ended up here.

Osgiliath was astounding and completely in keeping with the rumors that had been circulating about it. I'd sat in Maester Luwin's classes with Rob, Jon, and Bran and listened to the grandeur of the Free Cities, Staromest, King's Landing, and White Harbor while Sansa embroidered with her mother in the next room, but all I'd ever seen was Winterfell and Winter City and the stinking, filthy capital. The Tempers' estates were on a completely different height. Snow-white houses decorated with carvings and statues, clean streets smelling of lemons and fresh foliage, the armor of the guards glistening in the sun... It all made it seem so fabulous that I began to understand the sailors and warriors who sailed with us on the same ship and called their home by only one name.

Silver City.

«Dong-dong-dong-dong...

The sharp and loud blows of the bell frightened our horses a bit, because of which they started to jump and had to be calmed down with blows on their sides and stroking on their necks.

«Hush, hush, girl. - My sister said, stroking the blond mane of her white mare. - What was that?! - She asked our companions, who were on foot, unlike us, not using horses.

«I'm sorry we didn't warn you, my lady. - Answered a soldier with a tentmaker's badge on his chest. - It's the signal for the end of the palaestra.

«Palestra? - I asked, surprised, hearing the word for the first time.

«That's right. - He stopped abruptly and signaled the others to stop. In a few seconds, a flood of children of the same age as Bran and me burst out of the building on top of which the bell was located. Screaming and shoving, as if they didn't notice us, they ran out of the doors and scattered through the streets to the soft smiles of people passing by and the shouts of the guards, "No running!!!". - Pay no attention, my lady. It's like this every day around here. - Looking at our shocked faces, the tentmaker continued on his way to the castle that towered a few miles away. - This is our lord's design, created ten years ago. It is essentially a place where all children from the age of seven must go for four years. There they are taught the basics of writing, numeracy, Valyrian, history, theology of the Old Gods, self-defense, and worldly wisdom without charge.

«Theo... what?! - Even more surprised, I exclaimed. Back in King's Landing, I had learned that, unlike the seven gods of the south, the Tempers worshipped the Old Gods, and were considered outcasts among the septons of the other six kingdoms. But theochpoki... what did he say? What's that?

«The basic belief in the Old Gods. - He answered, switching places with the guard next to us. - I've heard that you in the North don't have priests, and most people just pray to the Old Gods in godsheds. It's a little different here. First, we have priests, the people who tend the chardreves and bogoroshes and lead most ceremonies, such as weddings and funerals. Second, along with honoring our ancestors, children are taught about the human virtues by which humans should live.

«Somewhat similar to believing in the Seven. - Elsa remarked, as I listened attentively to the soldier's story.

«Ha-ha-ha-ha... Well said, my lady. - Laughing merrily, he agreed. - But unlike the Semites, our priests can't go into someone's house and accuse someone of blasphemy or non-payment of tithes. As our lord said, "A man has much to choose for himself, and what he believes in first."

«Good words. - Elsa agreed, adjusting the hood that had slipped off her head. - But why would Lord Temper want to teach the children of ordinary townspeople, and for free?

«Because after the palestra they go to the academy. - The guard replied with an upward pointing finger. - There they are trained for five years in their chosen craft by the best masters of our city. Herbalists, tanners, blacksmiths, brewers, weavers, priests... The choice there is incredible. So far, the academy has only produced two generations of boys, but they are already considered some of the best in their guilds. They say that at this rate, in ten years, our city will be on par with the Free Cities in terms of wealth! Although initially many masters were against giving their knowledge to outsiders, but the lord has all the craft guilds by the neck and they just couldn't go against him.

«Great. - I said, involuntarily glancing back toward the recently passed structure. A chance to learn whatever I want and become whoever I want to be, instead of the mannered lady my mother wanted me to be. Hmmm... By the way... - Did you study in this place too? - I asked with interest, having long ago noticed that most of the warriors here are very young. Even this tenser could look twenty-five or thirty years old at most.

«No, my lady. - He answered, smiling a little. I think it's kind of... sad, don't you? - I, like the others, came here after Baratheon's Rebellion. A lonely boy whose village had been ravaged by marauders and who, along with a crowd of refugees, had somehow miraculously made it here, had no choice but to go to the training camp and enlist. And now, after all these years, I don't regret my choice one bit.

«I see... - I pulled thoughtfully, so that the next moment I could ask unexpectedly. - Did they take girls to that camp?

«Arya! - Elsa hissed at me, to the loud laughter of the other guards.

«They did, my lady. Yes, they did. - The tenser answered, wiping away a tear. - But the demands on them were the same as on us, so some of them dropped out, and with the lord's patronage, began to work in the city, and those who remained... - Was it just me, or did he shudder a little now? - Most of them were selected as archers, though there were some who made their way into swordswomen. There are even three women in my lord's guard who have earned their place there by virtue of their strength and skill.

«Wow... - Remembering what the guardsmen of this southern lord looked like, I involuntarily imagined myself in their shoes. With a huge sword, a heavy shield, in black closed armor and with my lute-wolf at my side, slaughtering countless hordes of Lannister mutts who dared to go against my family. - "I hope Nymeria's all right."

I don't know what it cost Elsa, but midway through the journey the ship stopped between the castles of Broad Arch and Parchment, where an even more grown-up Merry and Sunny were already waiting for us. But to lead on board "dangerous" animals (yes I know more people, many times more dangerous than our wolves) refused, so we had to put them in cages and almost three weeks to lead them in a damp and musty hold. And I and our favorites did not like it at all, so much so that sometimes at night I felt as if I were in Nymeria's body, sitting in this horrible place, and could not even move normally. My sister felt the same way, and had tried more than once to negotiate with the captain, who was bile and stubborn as a sheep, but to no avail. "I won't let those northern creatures on the deck of my ship!"

So, indulging in less than happy thoughts, we reached the Tempers' castle without even noticing it.

If you had to name the complete opposite of Winterfell, this place would be perfect. High walls that merged with the donjon, tall towers that rushed upward, wide corridors with a plethora of plants in large pots, an incredible amount of glass and smooth white stone rubbed so smooth that it was easy to see your own reflection in it. It was tall, narrow, and luxurious, and contrasted strongly with the large and spacious native castle of rough black stone, with its narrow and dark corridors, numerous low towers, and ancient hemlocks, which had been built by Brandon the Builder himself.

On the one hand, I marveled at the beauty of the place, as if it had come from old Nen's tales of the great Valyria or the distant Golden Empire, but on the other hand, a knot of unbelievable sadness, sorrow, and shame tightened even tighter in my chest. For while I'm here in the far south, my father is rotting in prison because of the hated Lannisters, and my brother is fighting to free him. And there was nothing I could do to help them ...

As soon as we were in the castle, we immediately began to demand a quick meeting with the local lord, but a beautiful woman with platinum hair and violet eyes, who came out to us, with one look that reminded me very much of my mother, besieged us and said that ladies, after such a journey should clean themselves up and eat normal food, not "sea slop". Before I could even squeak, I was picked up by two sturdy maids and dragged somewhere deep into the castle.

The next few hours were a living hell for me. Bathing in hot water, rubbing with some foamy sponges, pouring some crap on my hair (and why didn't they like lice?!), smearing me with some ointments and a lot of similar things, because of which at the end I naturally growled at everyone who came near me.

"And Elsa is a traitor!" - I thought, exhausted, as I rested with my sister in our assigned quarters and waited to be called to the table. I was indeed very hungry. - "Sitting next to me and enjoying my torment! Just wait. I will avenge, forget, and avenge again!"

«How did you like the Dornish hospitality, sister? - Looking at me with a wry grin, Elsa asked.

«Oh, come on! We should have met this Tempest long ago, taken a ship from him, and gone to Rob! We shouldn't be here doing whatever the hell it is we're doing! - I shook my finger angrily at her.

«What difference would it have made? - She asked, adjusting the top ties of her corset. The clothes we came in were taken from us when we were brought to those baths, returning only my Needle and Elsa's weapons, which consisted of a dozen throwing daggers, a light blade named Spike, and seven hidden knives that she hid in almost every piece of her armor. Instead, my sister and I were given an outfit consisting of a long-sleeved white light shirt, a leather corset, and a purple skirt made of some light and very pleasant to the touch fabric that I'd only seen on the queen and a few other women in the capital. - Arya, understand, wars are fought for months, if not years, and one extra day wouldn't have done anything about it. And so we'd be insulting Lord Temper, and through him, Ruse Bolton, who is married to his sister. Do you want to make trouble for Rob by turning the second most powerful bannerman against him?

«No." I answered, embarrassed, my fingers fumbling with the hem of my dress.

«Lady Stark, Lady Snow, my lord summons you to the table. I'll show you out," said a maid who came in a few minutes later, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

«Watch your words, Arya. Speak only when asked, and don't think about doing anything stupid. - My sister said to me before I left, giving me a serious look that left me nodding and remembering all the etiquette lessons I hadn't managed to skip.

We were escorted, judging by our size, to the local Small Hall, brightly lit by numerous candles and lamps, where we were already expected. Three people were already seated at a large table covered with a patterned white tablecloth and, judging by the remaining seats, were waiting only for us.

Felix Temper hadn't changed much from the time I'd seen him in King's Landing. The same tall stature, broad shoulders, powerful arms, and bright green eyes that made me gnash my teeth. The only thing that had changed about him was the amount of gray hair that already took up half of his long locks.

«Lady Arya, Lady Elsa. - He turned to us, rising from his chair and smiling sadly. - I welcome you to my home. This is my wife, Eilis Temper. - He pointed to the silver-haired woman who had met us at the entrance to the castle. - And my second son, Alaric Temper. - I remembered that knight, the one with the Lannister looks who'd come second in that tournament, too. Still the same golden hair, still the same shining green eyes, still the same friendly smile.

"Well, unlike Joffrey and Cersei, he doesn't turn his nose up at me," I thought, while my sister was telling this Southerner what an honor it was, thanking him for his welcome and such.

Dinner, though not the best of expectations (I had heard of the Dornish love of creeping things and incredibly spicy food), went just fine. First, following the old custom of hospitality, we ate a piece of bread with salt, and then, appearing from unseen passages, the servants began to arrange the food in front of us, and when I saw it I pounced on it with pleasure. For they were serving something I had not eaten for nearly six months! Soup with smoked vegetables and haddock, black pudding, fried earthy apple, boiled eggs covered with minced meat and fried in garlic breadcrumbs, meat pies with ale, and even baked haggis! Haggis! Mmmm. Yummy! God, I missed it all while I was in King's Landing, where the cooks refused to cook such "savage" food even on my father's orders. Hollow-headed sheep!

So when the servants took away the rest of the plates, leaving only the unfinished cranachan, a sweet treat of whipped cream, wild berries, fruit and toasted oats, I was as satisfied as Nymeria, who had caught and eaten a fat boar on the hunt.

«I hope you enjoyed our hospitality. - Said the lady of the house, gracefully wiping her lips with a white napkin and signaling for the servants to take their plate away.

«Of course, Lady Eilis. - The smiling sister replied, as satisfied as I was after a delicious home-cooked meal. - The food was marvelous. Your cook did a wonderful job.

«I'll be sure to tell Rogar. He has not cooked food from his homeland in a long time, and he feared that the daughters of the honorable House Stark might not like his cooking. - The Dornish woman smiled, making me admire her. She was as beautiful as Cersei, more so in some places than others. She didn't have the predation and contempt with which the Lannister looked at everyone but her brother and the children. Or the sternness and poutiness inherent in her mother and the rest of the Ice. Rather the opposite - watching this exact copy of the Valyrians and Targaryen queens I'd read about in books and seen in pictures, I saw only gentleness and kindness expressed in this woman's every look and movement.

«Be sure to pass it on. I liked everything too. - Lord Temper entered the conversation, signaled one of the servants and said something quietly in his ear. - Lady, I know very well that you have many questions for me, but let me tell you some news before I do.

The same servant to whom the lord had said something walked beside me and Elsa, placing two glasses of some emerald-colored liquid with a strong groggy smell in front of us.

«Prodistilled tincture of wormwood, diluted with a decoction of white ermine and ghost-grass. - Temper said, nodding toward the glasses and raising his own, which, unlike ours, had some amber liquid in it. - This is a very strong sedative. Drink it, or I won't be able to begin my story.

I wanted to be indignant, but out of the corner of my eye I noticed how Elsa drank her glass in one gulp and began to wrinkle as if she had eaten a whole radish in one bite. Noticing her hard and unapproving stare, I had to drain my glass as well.

"That's disgusting!" - The thought rang in my head as I swallowed the stuff and held back my gagging. The bitter stuff with the taste of burnt hair left an unbearable aftertaste, as if I'd been chewing licorice for an hour. Thank the Old Gods we were immediately brought a glass of some juice, which was able to stop the taste, and to pay attention to the man who did not take his eyes off us.

«The tincture begins to take effect almost immediately after taking it, so I will begin at once. The first news is that two weeks ago Joffrey Baratheon executed your father, Eddard Stark, and declared your entire family traitors. - I was so angry at Temper for slipping me that it took me a moment to comprehend what I was hearing. Executed? Joffrey? Father? But, but, but, but... How's that? It even sounds like a very unfunny joke.

«Is it a joke, Lord Temper? - Elsa said my thoughts aloud, and the expression of the man sitting at the head of the table became very regretful and sad. So did his wife and son. - No...

That's when I realized why they gave us that stuff. I wanted to scream. I wanted to scream. I wanted to rush into King's Landing and kill the bastard who dared touch my father. I wanted to tear out all of Sansa's hair as she defended her "perfect Joffrey" and failed to see what an asshole he was.

But at the same time, I wanted nothing. It was as if all the anger, rage, and sadness had bypassed me, allowing me to stay calm and quiet rather than break everything in sight. Just like Elsa, whose condition was indicated only by the tear tracks running from her eyes. The same tears were rolling down my cheeks.

«The second tidings were more cheerful. - Temper began to speak again, instantly drawing my sister's and my eyes to his. - Your brother, Robb Stark, has reached the Twins at the head of twenty-five thousand troops and will soon cross to the other side of the Trident to fight the Lannister army. I've already sent my man to negotiate with him, and if all goes well, you'll be home in Winterfell in a couple months.

It was good news indeed, but in the face of my father's execution--

«I see you're taking some time to accept the news. The medicine I gave you is also a good sleeping pill, so you'd better get some sleep. Have a good night. - The man signaled, and then Elsa and I were picked up by two black steel soldiers and carried to our assigned quarters. I had no strength to resent such insolence.

That night my sister and I slept together in the same bed for the first time in many years. Just as we had in those distant days when Mother had not been angry with John and Elsa, and had treated them as her own children. For today we needed each other's support more than ever. Even in our sleep.

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