The Little Wolf

Chapter 26 | Torture

They rode day and night, only stopping time enough for the horses to rest. The people would be kind and quiet, arranging them places to rest in since they were in the company of the Princess of Dorne, Arianne Martell. However, they wouldn't stay for long in order not to give away their exact location. Overall, their journey was being successful and they were very close to going away from Dorne and Highgarden was getting closer by the day, along with the thought of Willas Tyrell.

Day and night she would tell herself that it was her duty to her House and the only way she would get her sister back. They would finally be at Winterfell once more and they would all live happily ever after... all but herself.

Loras Tyrell had once told her that Willas was a good man and her father believed it to be true, but she couldn't know that for sure. No one had seen him, she had never even had the opportunity of seeing a portrait of his. All she knew about him was that he was a cripple. She did hope that he would be loving and kind, that he would not care for the scandals surrounding her and that he would respect her above else.

One night, as they were crossing near Yronwood, they stumbled against three men. Lilia studied them carefully but she couldn't recognize them well enough. She looked over to Arianne who looked like she had seen a ghost and, for the first time, Lilia feared that she would be caught and delivered back to Joffrey.

One of the boys whistled to them as they approached them. Tyenne and Arianne began growing uneasy, making Lilia fear for who they were, she was confused and she felt like a prey all over again.

"What are three ladies doing travelling all alone at night?" one of the boys asked them as they caught up with them on horse. "Princess Arianne Martell and Tyenne Sand, I see. What brings you here and who is that beauty?"

"We're travelling on duty," Arianne says shortly, earning a doubtful look from the lad. His eyes met Lilia's as she looked down immediately. He smirked at her.

"Duty. You mean another one of your adventures to meet Gerold Dayne" Lilia recognized the voice as belonging to Prince Quentyn Martell. He would recognize Lilia for sure. Oberyn had commented that his nephew thought Lilia Stark was a northern beauty just like every other man. "Father must not be pleased"

"Even if I were to meet him, you would have nothing to do with that. Besides, our father is way too busy worrying about the trouble with the Lannisters. You must know that since you are his favourite child" Lilia watched their fight as Quentyn rolled his eyes out of impatience. She understood now why Arianne insisted on defying her father – it was all to catch his attention because she was insecure about his love for her.

"It's always been this way. She fights with him and he fights with her for various reasons. She thinks her father would rather make Quentyn his heir and Quentyn is bothered that she makes Sunspear a brothel" one of the men said as rode by her side. "You are not Dornish, are you? Lovely beauty?"

"And who am I speaking to?" she asked as he arrogantly straightened his back. He had sand, blond hair and green eyes and had a smile capable of shattering many hearts. He looked as tall as a knight but not as humble as Ser Arthur Dayne himself.

"Ser Gerris Drinkwater, My Lady," he said with that same smile. Lilia decided to practise her skills beforehand with him, so she reassured herself that she would be able to do the same with Willas Tyrell.

"I'm no Lady, Ser. Though I'm glad I inspire you such thought" she said as she smirked. She didn't smile genuinely, she just smirked like it was no big deal. She felt someone's gaze on her and she noticed Tyenne apprehensively looking at her. Lilia didn't respond, she just kept playing that game with strange rules that she was not familiar with at all. "It might just come as a disappointment to you but I'm no more than a girl"