Arrowforest had once been their mother’s favorite destination after the first trace of the summer sun appeared and sunlight glimmered on the lawn. The town was located in the middle of a grassland and was considerably smaller than Lannisport. Its walls were not particularly tall, which made it easier for the once ruling house to have it completely surrounded by a castle, Lady Alyna's had told her. She had also learned from her that because the founders had not built bigger walls, her family had taken on the responsibility to better defend them. Arrowforest was well regarded in the Westerlands by its weaponsmithing and deadly archers, warriors as fierce as they are precise. The green ones trained everyday, and when they loosened, hundreds of arrows landed on the ground outside the walls, “I look out the window and see a different forest every morrow,” the woman had said. “Though we lack true forests, arrows make a sight just as wonderful.” Hence the town’s name. Jaime and her had never returned to it after their parents had decided for them to come for the first time, so most of her memories of the place were all but gone. It had been a long time ago, before Lady Alyna had fallen ill in her old age, before their mother had prematurely died, before Tyrion!. Her mind went back to the feast when she heard a retching sound coming from Ellena.
“Pray excuse me, my lords... Hhuug... and lady. I am feeling unwell...I...Blllerrrrgh” The girl stood up, covered her mouth with both hands and rushed towards the door. The guards helped her out quickly when they sensed her urgency. You run as fast as your archers can loosen arrows, Cersei thought, if the gods are merciful your death will be just as quick.
Soon enough,
Mark got on his feet and left, his hand covering the front of his breeches.
His friend Terrance preoccupied and trailed behind him, but returned some
time later with a grin from ear to ear. When he sat back on the table, Cersei
noted there was redness in his eyes. Tears!
“Has
something ill happened to Mark? He looked strikingly ill not long ago, and your
eyes, my lord. Have you been crying? Is he. . . dead?,” she asked trying hard
to sound dismayed.
“Died? Yes.
But of shame, my lady,” he said laughing. “After we left the room, he decided
to lock himself in the sept. I could hear him start praying. When I offered to
call the maester he refused, told me it should be gone soon, and blamed it all
on the sight of Lady Ellena’s breasts. Finally, he was so troubled that he
begged for maester Creylen to come. When he appeared, he looked at Mark and
knew right away. He saw it in his pants, he said. He told him it was natural
for a boy his age, and asked him to mind something different. Yet, when the
maester noticed it made no difference, he started telling us of how, many years
ago, a woman from Sarsfield had put a few drops of a rare elixir into her old
husband’s ale. Presumably, the drink made the old husband hard for long enough
to get her with child. Eventually, rumors about its powers spread like
wildfire. The maester even admitted to have acquired some of the elixir, and
said he keeps it safe. So yes, my lady, I was crying for the lad, but for a
different reason.” When terrance roared with laughter, his bastard brother
joined him.
“I’m pleased
to hear it was nothing serious.” This, at least, shall not have to
explained. On the other hand, some servant might find Ellena’s body sprawling
on the stairs all smelly and soaked. It will be said she died retching her
insides out. “I will assume you did not encounter Ellena on your way back
here. The fact that she is not returned yet is quite troubling.”
“Not as I was
returning, but I see her now coming into the room, looking pale but well. Turn
and see for yourself, my lady.”
When Cersei
turned and recognize that the Ellena had, in truth, returned alive, she felt
her blood boiling. You were supposed to be cold by now!
“ I beg your pardon, I was not feeling well. My belly is aching,
and a chamber pot was nowhere to be found.”
“You look
uneasy. I am sure another drink should help relieve some of the pain.” I should have poured the whole bottle! Unless this wasn’t what it
was supposed to be. Oh, seven’s be cursed. Creylen’s bloody elixir.
“I thank you,
my lady, but I would rather not. I am afraid it must have been the food.
Instead, could any of you kindly help me find my uncle, I wish to start the
ride back home.”
- Alex Ramos Miranda
- Alex Ramos Miranda
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