The Finding of Lya Stark

Lights

I sit out on the windowsill, my legs dangling out into the cold air, looking out over Winterfell. Everyone is sleeping except for the few flickering flames in various windows. I scan over the rooftops taking in the beauty of it all. This is my home now, I think. I nearly snort at the idea. This is like every low born girl's dream, to find out that they are of a higher status, and they get to go live; like a Princess compared to what it used to be. Yet, here I am wishing my real father had never shown up. I lean my head against the side and sigh closing my eyes.

I miss the simplicity of it all then. I got up and did what was expected of me, and I enjoyed doing it. Here it seems I am to be expected to be a Lady, and I have no idea what I'm doing. I open my eyes and squint seeing a light in the distance. I lean forward as if that's going to help, and see it is coming from the forest. I look around to see if anybody else who was up at this time of night had noticed it. Seeing no one, I slip back into my room, and grab a cloak. I wrap it around my shoulders and secure it tightly. I make my way back to the window and deftly climb down to the ground.

Looking around again to see if anyone had seen me, I make my way across the yard making it to the gate out of breath. It's closed, so I climb up the wall finding foot holes and crevices easily formed to my hands, making quick work of it. I pause at the top and look back down swaying slightly at the sight of the ground so far below me. I take a deep breath and walk to the other side.

I stare down at the grass and close my eyes. How the fuck am I supposed to get down now? Going up is the easy part, and going down: well that's another story. I turn around and kneel pebbles digging into my knees. I slowly inch backwards, and then even slower I find the footholds and crevices to lower myself down. My feet slip at one point, and I hold on tighter. I stare at the wall willing myself not to look down at where my feet are dangling uselessly. I scramble at the wall with my feet praying for a foothold. Finding none I dangle my arms aching. I look down and try to focus on the wall. There's a crevice down by my knee but it looks like it's miles and miles away. I bring my foot up and push it into the crack feeling as if I was going to drop to my death.

I take the weight off my arms and my body starts to shake. I look down trying to find a foothold but the ground seems so far away and I start to feel dizzy. I close my eyes leaning my head against the wall. I feel blindly as far down as I'll let myself proceeding even slower than before to find the next place to put my feet. My fingers begin to ache, and shake making it harder to hold on until finally they slip from the wall. I shriek, my stomach dropping as the wall falls away. It doesn't take long for me to hit the ground hard. The shriek stops and I can't breathe. My vision is fuzzy but suddenly the air rushes in. I roll to my side, bringing my knees up blinking away the tears that had formed.

My chest and abdomen hurt as I push myself to my feet. In the woods I can see that there is a light. I make my way towards it holding my arm across my body waiting for the pain to go away. I enter the woods, and look around uncertainly. Even though it's the middle of the night there's a certain glow about it and I can see, nearly perfectly fine as if it was daytime. I reach a Heart tree, and look on in wonder.

I had only heard of these in stories from travellers, not having any near my home. I shiver slightly feeling as if I was being watched. I look around not seeing anyone. I look back at the face on the tree, and gently trace it's features. I definitely understood why people would believe these were vestiges of the Old Gods. I let my hand fall searching for the source of light. I find it in a small pond. I approach and peer in. There's a light at the bottom, and it seems to be calling out to me. I reach down and touch the water, drawing my hand back away from the freezing water. I stare down at it, and it seems to be getting closer. My face is the first in the water, and it shocks me. I take a breath in and panic as the rest of my body follows me. I'm completely submerged and as I look down at the light, I forget to panic. I forget about how cold the water is. I want to see the light, and the light wants to see me too.

I'm being pulled away and I don't want to be. Before I can struggle I'm completely out of the water, and dragged away. Someone's slapping my face, calling my name. I cough water dribbling out of my mouth. I'm sat up, and the person slaps me on the back. I cough up more water, and then vomit on myself. I blink at the watery mixture covering my lap. I blink the water out of my eyes looking at the pond a few feet away and there's no light.

"What were you doing?" Robb asks his face in mine.

"Th-there was-was a l-l-l-light," I say shivering. He takes his cloak off and wraps it around my shoulders. He picks me up, and carries me like a babe. I lean my head back against his body as we start walking.

"You're OK, Lya," he says cradling me. "You're going to be OK," I continue to shiver closing my eyes feeling exhausted. "Bran run ahead and tell Maester Luwin. It's OK Lya," he repeats as he walks along.