KINGDOM FALL | ROBB STARK [1]

77

KINGDOM FALL
— 77. Hardhome

      Beyond the Wall, it had been days since Annalys had fled to Hardhome with Tormund. When they finally reached their destined location, Annalys was shivering severely due to having no cloak. She stood with Tormund in front of a large tent. The two of them turned to each other, exchanging an uneasy look. They both knew there was only two outcomes that could occur due to Annalys' sudden arrival.

"I'm warning you now, Annalys Lannister, you don't want to get on her bad side," Tormund warned Annalys, referring to Freyja, "Freyja is the last person in the Free Folk you want to dislike you."

Annalys remained silent, slowly nodding her head in understanding. Tormund looked down at her, noticing how uneasy she seemed to be, no matter how much she tried to hide it. After all, she was alone, without an army, beyond the Wall in a village filled with tens of thousands of Wildlings that hated her kind.

"Do you trust me?" Tormund asked Annalys, causing to let out a small humorless laugh as she turned to look directly at him.

"Does that make me a fool?" She replied, earning a pat on the back from Tormund.

"We're fools together." He pointed out to Annalys, just before they cautiously entered the large tent.

As they walked in, everyone's heads turned. The large tent was filled with clan chiefs and Annalys even noticed a giant crowded in there as well. Everyone's eyes seemed to lock on Annalys, who looked out of place. After all, she wasn't wearing wildling attire. She was wearing almost no clothing, actually, compared to what the Free Folk wore to save themselves from the cold. She had golden blonde hair, which was rare beyond the Wall. She had a fancy-looking sword sheathed on her belt as well, which was what threw them off most of all.

At that moment, they all realized that Annalys wasn't like them. She wasn't a Free Folk. She belonged to the people who lived South of the Wall.

Annalys glanced around, only to lock eyes on the woman who sat on a throne-like chair directly across from her at the opposite end of the large tent. She immediately recognized the woman to be Freyja. She sat before her, holding a sharp dagger in her hand as she eyed it. She looked bored, Annalys knew that much. She clearly didn't want to be there. Annalys felt like she could relate to that, in a way.

"You must be Freyja," Annalys spoke up, looking directly at the woman, "I am Annalys, of House Lannister."

Annalys didn't bow her head after introducing herself as she usually did. She knew the Free Folk were different. She knew they didn't care about bowing or proper introductions.

"So you're the one who slaughtered three hundred of my warriors with the swing of that swords of yours," Frejya suddenly spoke up, causing Annalys to tense uncomfortably while the wildling queen refused to look away from her dagger, "Anything to say for yourself?"