Carliene Stark

Chapter 69

Carliene

The letter arrived like a blessing, offering up an escape from the hell that was Casterly Rock. It was from the king himself, requesting my presence at the trial of his own mother, the queen regent in front of seven leptons of the faith. I did not know what exactly she was accused of, nor why I had received a summon and the lord castellan had not, but to be completely honest I could not care less about the more profound circumstances of the letter, I was just relieved, if not overjoyed, to finally have a way out. A way to leave the rock and Daven behind. 

The Lord castellan had not been summoned and to my slight confusion he was also the only one who had nothing to object to my soon planned departure. The maester and Brayla on the other hand were most vocal about their concerns, almost all entering about my pregnancy and the birth which according to how they made it sound would be starting at any moment.
But I knew I had to go. Something in my gut told me it would all be better. If not for my safety then for my unborn child's because no matter what complications might arise during a brith on the road, I felt nothing would be worse than whatever plans the greasy lion might have for me after.

"I'd rather bleed to death on the side of the road, than stay on this condemned rock another day" I snapped at the maester as I watched Irys carefully fold my dresses into a large trunk. 

The round man's face filled with pity and dispart. "Think of your child M'Lady" he urged. "Surely it deserves better"

I balled my fists, clenching the covers I was sitting on angrily. I was when I tried sending that letter, I gave him an angry glare, knowing that voicing my thoughts would not get us anywhere. 

"The king will understand" he continued. "Please M'Lady, you are more than unfit to travel" 

I rolled my eyes with a groan. All through the two days of packing I had listened to the same order of words fall from his lips, all in varying tones. "Watch me" I hissed defiantly and probably a little childish as I rose and grabbed my coat from where it lay beside me. I threw it over my shoulders my attention turning towards the door as Brayla entered, stepping out of the way of two servants who carried my last trunk out of the room. 

"We are all ready" she stated reluctantly, adjusting her own traveling coat. 

I smiled in relief, not daring to let the happiness wash over me completely just yet. They could still keep me from entering the carriage, the could still stop me at the door.
Irys came over and tugged at the coat, adjusting some of the folds to lay more smoothly over my shoulders. 

"I cannot force you not to take this journey" the Creylen sighed. "I can merely voice my worries to you and implore you to see reason"

He could crawl on his knees and beg me for all I cared. After the business with the letter I had come to understand where is true loyalties lay and all my trust in him had faded.

"You may not know what price you could yet have to pay for this decision" 

I decided to ignore him and instead turned to Irys. I cupped her cheek with one gloved hand and tried to giver her my warmest and most sincere smile. "Take care of yourself" I told her and a sand smile spread across her thin lips. "And thank you for your service" 

She nodded and stepped back, the smallest hit of moisture in her eyes. I knew she had just been a pawn of her masters like all the other servants, but I also believed to understand that she had had no other choice and that in her own way she had done the best she could for me. 

"Lady Carliene!"

I halted before joining Brayla at the door and reluctantly turned back to gaze upon the small fat man, sighing in annoyance. 

"Please" was all he managed, no trace of hope left on his visage. 

"Fare well maester Creylen" I stated in a cold tone before turning away from him for good, and offered Brayla my arm to walk with her out of the room I hopefully would never have to look upon ever again.

I knew that she wanted to say something swell, but she had the good sense to know when my mind was made up and when to drop the subject. 

The wagons were all prepared in the courtyard, with most of the guards already mounted and the horses bickering excitedly. I gazed over as they opened the gates, my heart skipping a beat as the taste of freedom almost formed on the tip of my tongue. 

Brayla suddenly released my arm and stepped away from me with a brief curtsy.
There was only one obstacle yet to overcome.   

I watched Daven wearily as he approached, fearing with all my heart that he would blow off the whole thing and lock me back in that room again to play his twisted games further. 

"Remember" he stated in a low tone, stepping a little too close for comfort. "Should you try and escape, we will hunt you down" there was a dark yet playful glint in his eyes.

Of course I had thought about escaping. Out on the road with only a hand full of guards and nothing but open country around? I would have been a madwoman not to consider that option. But I needed only to gaze upon my middle and think of the painful end fatal night that Walda had had to know that running away in my condition was nothing short of a death wish. 

Daven grabbed hold of my hand and my instinct was to pull away and tug it away but I managed to compose myself. He gave me a greasy-bearded grin before planting a kiss on the back of my hand. " Farewell Lady Stark" something in his one should have greatly unnerved me, but I was too concerned with the objective to retrieve my hand from his grasp. 

"Farewell" I repeated bluntly before quickly hurrying over to the carriage. 

He could still stop this, he could still lock me back up. 

But Brayla followed to sit opposite of me and soon the carriage rocked into motion. I nearly held my breath all the way out of the city, watching gates and houses and roads pass by. I don't know how long I had been sitting and staring out of the window, but at some point the buildings gave way to large fields and forests and my neck felt increasingly stiff. 

An uncontrollable smile spear across my features as I realised that I was free and it took all my might not to squeal excitedly like a little girl on her name day. I fumbled for the letter in my bag and opened it, reading the few lines again. 

"What do you suppose the queen is trialed for?" Brayla pondered carefully as she studied me and the parchment in my hand. 

My eyes darted across the lines. "I don't know, it doesn't say" I admitted. "But whatever it is I am sure she deserves it" I added with malicious joy. 

I had been unable to be present and see how Joffrey met his end, or Tywin, maybe this would be my chance to at least witness Cercei's. And maybe it would feel like some sort of justice for father and the rest of my family.

You will always be my daughter.

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Short one, I know. I was going to write a couple more chapter on the rock with some more character development and setting up things for later in the story.. but for the sake of getting the show on the road and keeping the ball rolling I decided to cut it a bit short and have her leave for King's Landing already. 

Thank you for all your patience!