Long Live the Boy-King

Chapter 27: Where the Heart is

Author's Note: Hello everyone. Sorry for not updating last Thursday and Friday. I just really felt like not writing and I'm constantly fighting off writer's block in my system. Anyway, please stick 'til the end for further A/N. I hope you enjoy this chapter! (I DO NOT OWN GAME OF THRONES NO MATTER HOW ECSTATIC I AM FOR THE SEASON PREMIERE THAT WILL BE HAPPENING SOON)

Long Live the Boy-King

Chapter Twenty-seven: Where the Heart is

I woke with a start, gasping for air as if my body's been submerged underwater for a very long time. I inhaled and exhaled as fast as I could in order to regain proper breathing. From my experiences so far, I've never encountered the phenomenon of drowning. My mother knows that I am a good swimmer and could fight off sharks if I have to so I'm not even certain if what I am feeling right now is drowning itself.

Slowly, I sat up and rested my hands on my knees. No, I wasn't drowning judging by the dry dirt I've been sitting on. Thin clusters of grass sprinkled the area where I was situated but beneath the green blades, I could see how parched the land was that it begins to crack. And my dress did not show signs of dampness even from sweat.

Where am I, I wonder?

I looked around at the vast land, searching for any signs of a living presence. Carefully, I gathered my skirts and supported my whole weight with my two able legs but most of my heaviness came from my head. The pounding migraine I was starting to have bothered me. I felt like my eyes are going to pop out from the annoying pain.

I scratched my head then started to wander around to see if this mysterious place holds any familiarity in my memories. But as I walked further and further, I noticed that I was only going back to where I came from before – the rounded patch in the middle of nowhere. Solitude loomed over me and only the gray clouds up above and the wilting grass on my feet were my companions. Not even a single ant crawled upon the soles of my feet. Being isolated from civilization sent a chill down my spine.

That is until I heard a soft humming sound that played in rhythms and tempos. It wasn't a person humming, rather, a person playing an instrument that produces that pleasing sound. A flute maybe?

I tried to follow it, wherever the music came from, even though my guts told me that I would be caught up in an endless loop once again. Then, the sound became nearer. My heart pounded in my chest, my blood rushing with anticipation, and my slow strides turned into full sprints. The feeling was exhilarating for some reason.

This time, I found my gut feeling false. I wasn't going in circles, I was actually making progress. In the distance, a silhouette of a tree popped up from the view and it seems like it is standing on a small raised hill. As I grew closer to the tree, the scattered patches of grass became much fuller and the soil looked much healthier. I had a feeling that this was going to be a positive experience after all.

The tree grew larger as I was nearing it but only when I was about to step on the hill did I notice a figure of a man sitting on one of the protruding roots of the Sycamore. I guessed that was what the tree was judging by the patterns on the bark.

"Sir?" I called out through the music that filled the air. The man did not seem to notice me so I spoke louder. "Sir?" His dancing fingers refrained from moving as he covered all the holes of the flute. The music stopped abruptly. "I was going to ask where I am. I need to go home."