A Lion in the Midst

16| Blood Stained Bricks

"Fear cuts deeper than swords."

Charlotte's POV

Fear is prison. It's the cold hearted jail cells that bind together the thoughts of your subconscious and the actions of reality. Or the actions of people in general. Some of us have this perverse way of locking ourselves away in the dark, gloomy prison. The only way of escaping is using the key. But, when someone else throws us in. The key is nonexistent, and we must escape before losing our sanity...

*~*

I couldn't feel the tight grip of my mother until I knew she was restricting blood flow to my arm. "Charlotte?" She pats my shoulder anxiously. "Charlotte... listen to me..." I shake my head out of the clouds, and stare into her eyes. "Yes?" My response disappears into thin air.

Her hand finds my face, rubbing my cheek softly. "Please, don't do this..."

I was feet away from the front steps, wanting nothing more than to see the message that was meant for me. "You have to let me see it... I need to know what it says." I pull against her stronghold, struggling as she held her ground. "No. You don't. It's just a rouse to scare us. It means nothing."

"If it means nothing, then why won't you let me see it?" I duck under her arms, and barrel away from her.

It was as if you could smell death on the streets. The rancid stench of spilled blood mixed with distress and agony. The message was clear, and reflecting crimson rays into the crowd as hints of light touched the bricks.

The reign of the Golden Princess with end at the hands of her captors.

I inhaled slowly, trying to rationalize the message written on the blood stained bricks.

"Charlotte!" My name was yelled from behind, yet it wasn't from my mother. But, from Lord Stark. "You don't need to see this, Princess."By the time he was at my side, also was my mother. Lord Stark grabs my arm, almost shoving me away. He glances at my mother, as if knowing they would agree on this one thing. "Get Charlotte away from here."

Here... being right here? Or... here as in Kingslanding?

"Who did this?!" I hear my father howl from behind Lord Stark.

Jaime approaches from the left, turning in the direction of the men. His words were meant to be mumbled, but I could hear them clearly. "It was just a commoner boy, no older than twelve years of age. "

Father asks. "And, the blood?"

"It was in a bucket... Appears to only be cow's blood."

Great... No one was actually murdered in my demise. My mother softly wraps her arms around my shoulders. "You should have listened to me... You did not need to see this." I look up at her, and for the first time since I've known her... I saw fear in her eyes.

"The Guards killed the boy before he could say anything." Killed the boy... He was only twelve...

My entire being froze, unable to even take a breath. It was as if the world had shifted on its axis. Every living soul within distance turns in my direction. It was then that I realized words were coming from my mouth, and my brain wasn't doing anything about it. "Twelve? A young boy was slaughtered at my expense?!" I sink closer to my mother, hiding my face in her shoulder.

She turns me around from the crowd. "Come, darling... Let's get you inside."

*~*

An oak carved door was pushed open in front of me, whilst I was being ushered into the room. "How is this one?" My mother was trying to help me chose a room, but this one... just as the others we've been in, all looked the same. Lacking actually life...The only difference was the color schemes.