Finding Hope - Jaime Lannister fanfic

A Brush With Death

Chapter 27

The cold autumn air filled Adian's lungs as he opened the door. The trail had led him into some kind of courtyard, but here only eery silence greeted him. Only the echoes of the slaughter of the Stark army carried over the walls. One did not know how much time he had to find her. 

Adian grabbed one of the nearby torches and searched the ground. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, dread filled him at every scenario it came up with. Only the light could guide him further. 

A small moan halted his steps, Adian lifted the torch higher and its flame came upon a well that stood in the middle of the garden. Beside it lay a figure, one that he recognized in a heartbeat. As quickly and silently as he could, Adian crossed the courtyard, threw the torch into the well and knelt down next to her. Immediately he put his ear to her heart and there the softest of pulsing could be heard meeting the rise and fall of her chest. 

"Thank the Gods" he whispered into Liya's chest.

Adian only now saw that a thick rope had been tied around her neck. With a quick work of his hand, he hauled the noose over her head, his mind not even wishing to know what the Frey's had in mind to do. 

The sound of a door opening froze him in place, this one much closer by. Only the dark gave him no clue as to who'd entered. Their footsteps were hesitant, as if not familiar with this place. Still, Adian could take no risks and swiped the small hunting knife from his boot. 

"Adian"

Instantly his muscles relaxed. 

"Gerran, I thought I told you to wait outside?!" Adian whispered harshly.

"They were sniffing trouble out there, I had to go" the young boy retorted "is this her?" the boy instead questioned.

"Yes, now I'll only have to carry her back to the wagon. Come on" Adian gestured for the boy to go ahead. 

"But what do we do with her then?" the boy whispered.

Adian looked to him before he followed his gaze. And there lay someone else, someone he to had come to know well. The one that had warned him and spoke about her doubts of Walder Frey. The one reason that Adian was now able to save at least one of her children. Lady Catheryn Stark lay there beside her daughter, a deep and red cut marred her neck. 

There was nothing they could do, Adian knew that Lady Stark would've told him the same again. 

"Safe my children" 

His silence was answer enough for the young boy as he quickly turned to back to the door. Adian followed him with Liya in his arms through the door. His heart was heavy, but now a little lighter for keeping his promise. 

The wagon shook from side to side down the muddy road. Its rider's weary eyes looked over the vast planes of harvested farmland stretching to the horizon, where the sun had started to rise. Gerran was told by the knight that the upcoming winter would be relentless, so a fast pace was needed. Looking back to the carriage, the boy worried, its precious cargo wouldn't survive the cold. He gave the horses a determined whip and set his eyes back onto the road praying to the Gods that the journey would remain as quiet as it was now.  

Inside the wagon, save from the cold autumn air,  Adian cradled a body in his arms. In the last hour, her skin had paled into a worrisome colour. Only the slow rise and fall of her chest assured him that they still had time. The arrows, still stuck in place, were an ill reminder of the betrayal and massacre at the Twins. Adian had desperately wanted to erase its memory but knew that removing them could mean her death. Instead, they were wrapped holding them tightly in place.