Carliene Stark

II Chapter 88

Carliene

The colossus of Harrenhal was visible on the horizon an entire day before the army reached it. We had been traveling along the Kingsroad with the Gods Eye to our right for two days. The large lake stretched out towards the horizon with no hints fo a shore to the west. It lay like a pool of steel, the sun reflecting off the wind-whipped waves that disturbed the surface.

Harrenhal sat on the northern shore, a black mass of stone rising from the otherwise flat landscape. I remembered that I had seen it from a distance before. Twice in fact. When traveling south to King's Landing with my father and sisters all those years ago. And then again when traveling north to the Twins to reunite with Robb and mother. Each time I could only admire it from afar. Thinking that maybe one day I might visit.

Now I realised that it was even larger than it seemed to be. Growing with each mile that we got closer. The weather, though, cold was still holding up. Perfect visibility enabling us to watch the castle grow ever larger before our wondering eyes. The towers reached into the sky like fingers, strangely twisted and misshapen at the top. I could only imagine how grande it must have been when it was newly build and still intact.

"They say it is haunted" I told Theon as we rode side by side again. 

"Everyone knows it is haunted. Just look at the place" he pointed out. He did not seem to share my excitement of finally seeing the structure up close.

"Just imagine what it must have taken to build all that"

Theon sighed, taking in the sight that by then had grow so large that we already had to raise or faces to the sky to be bale to see the top of the towers. "Many years, more materials and countless lives. Which is why it is haunted" he concluded.

"I can't believe we get to visit" I dared voice my wonder. I had read so much about this place. I felt like stepping straight into history. As if at any moment Aegon would appear in the skies above, atop is dreaded beast Balerion.

"You've got strange fascinations" Theon decided. 

I shot him a look. "What do you mean?"

His body shook with a small shiver. "Ghosts and creatures of the night" he grimaced. "Remember there was a time when you used to sneak out every full moon because you were sure there was a wolfman living in the godswood?"

"What really? I had no recollection of that. "I don't remember that" I mumbled. 

"Well you didn't catch anything" he enlightened me. "Just a cold and a fever and you were bedridden for a week" 

"Maybe that is why I don't remember" I pointed out. Then I broke my gaze on the structure and studied him instead. "You can't tell me you look at that and feel nothing" I spoke almost accusingly. However terrible the circumstances of its creation were, I wouldn't believe anyone that tried to tell me it wasn't a sight to behold.

"What is the use of a castle too large to maintain?" He did make a valid point there. "A cursed one at that"

"I see the lad has no sense of imagination"

Theon and I both turned our heads at the same time, to spot whoever decided to listen in and then join in our conversation. Lord Florent smirked up at the large walls, his black stallion holding pace with my own mount. "The feasts you could hold in those halls" he mused. "The treasures you could stow in the vaults" 

"The army you could camp inside its walls" I finished, not too amused about his presence.

His green eyes turned to study me. "And even the last lowborn foot-soldier will have a proper roof over his head" he agreed enthusiastically. He acted friendly enough but by now I knew him well enough to be expecting anything. "You are not afraid of ghosts my Lady are you?" he pondered mischievously.