✓ Trueblood || Jon Snow

𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖘𝖎𝖝𝖙𝖊𝖊𝖓 ~ 𝖗𝖚𝖓𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌

THE DAYS BEGAN TO PASS IN BLURS WHILE YELENA IGNORED HER MOTHER AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE. She'd avoid her in the corridors and lock her out when she came to the princess's rooms. She didn't want to have to worry about Cersei trying to convince her Tyrion killed Joffrey or revisiting what she'd felt the day her little brother died, what she'd seen. Those big blue eyes and giggles still came back to her sometimes when she slept. Instead, she worried about how to help her uncle, how to escape, and locking away that gaping hole in her heart that wanted so badly to write to Jon.

But there were other times when her mother couldn't be avoided. Like when she stood at her brother's coronation and watched him be crowned with sad eyes, knowing Cersei and Tywin were probably tearing into him already. When the initial ceremony was over, and everyone was mingling, she made her way up to where he stood to pull him into a hug. "I'm so proud of you, baby brother." she whispered. "You'll make a wonderful king." she pulled back, and brother and sister exchanged smiles before she gave a little nod and retreated back into the crowd.

Next came Tyrion's trial. She watched the charges spew from her grandfather's mouth. She watched the witnesses, watched him bite back, watched the smirk on her mother's face... and watched him demand trial by combat when Tywin disgraced him further by sinking so very low as to find Shae - who was apparently somehow one of Tyrion's whores - to put on the stand. Yelena was furious. She could only imagine how her Uncle must feel.

A day or so later, she stormed out to the gardens. There was simply no way to get Tyrion out without help. That was when she felt the presence behind her. Quick as a flash, she whirled, dagger out and against his throat before he could react. His face wore a surprised smirk, his hands up non threateningly in the air. Yelena blinked. "Prince Oberyn." she lowered her dagger. "I'm so sorry."

"Well, I suppose it's good you can defend yourself princess." He chuckled.

She frowned slightly in confusion. "What are you doing here?"

"I hoped I might have a word." She hesitated before nodding, and the prince continued. "It was entirely awful of your grandfather to take someone Tyrion trusted so fully and force her to lie. The Martells and the Lannisters have a terrible history, but he does not deserve to go like this. Not from what I've seen."

"He doesn't." she murmured.

"I thought so." he nodded, pausing a moment. "Choosing trial by combat was very risky. How can he be sure anyone will fight for him?"

Yelena sighed. "Because he's smart enough to realise he must have at least a few dwindling allies. I hop he's right."

"You seem quite fond of him. He must have faith that there are people like you, willing to take the risk."

She froze. "You're right." she blinked up at the prince. "You're right, he has faith in people like me." the princess began to back away a few steps, her mind whirling. "I'm so sorry, I have to go. But thank you. Thank you so much." 

She didn't make any stops between the gardens and the throne room barging straight in through the doors to find Tommen in the middle of speaking with a citizen, the lords of the small council and the ex-queen around him.

Cersei frowned. "Yelena, my darling, what are you-"

"I claim the place of the champion!" She called out, not a single note of hesitation in her voice. "I will fight for Tyrion Lannister in his Trial by Combat!"

Her mother's face seemed to run through an entire scale of emotions before selling on horrified. "No... no, Yelena it's Clegane-"

"There are no restrictions as to who can or cannot fight in the Trial." Her eyes were not on her mother, not on Tommen, but on Tywin. "You dare not refuse."