ZIRTYS PERZYS → podrick payne

CHAPTER NINE | dirt

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ZIRTYS PERZYS
CHAPTER NINE
dirt

"THE DIRT COVERS ME
FROM HEAD TO TOE
I AM SUFFOCATING IN IT."
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trigger warning ⚠️ 
blood. descriptions of a dead body. decapitation. panic attack.

True to his word, Lord Manderlys horses got them to the outskirts of castle Cerwyn just as the sun was dropping behind the horizon. Elia was half asleep where she was slouched in her saddle, the past three days had been the longest she'd spent on a horse continuously and she was certainly feeling it. Her horse slowed to a stop and Elia could vaguely head Brienne's voice barking orders, Elia didn't pay any notice, too concerned with sleep to worry about anything else.

Brienne barked again, closer this time, "—please get Lady Elia off the horse before she falls off."

There was no response except for a firm hand on Elia's ankle, warm through her boot and she swayed towards it. A voice broke through her haze, "My lady? Lady Brienne wants you off the horse."

"Five more minutes." Elia whines and the person connected to the hand sighs, whispering quietly.

Elia has a minute of peaceful sleep before hands settle on her waist before ripping her from her horse, she squeals as she tumbles into solid arms.

The chest she's pressed against rumbles with laughter and the arms drop from under her legs, they drop her to the ground and Elia rips herself out of the arms holding, turning to glare at Gray.

He blinks with faux innocence on his face, "I did ask politely."

Elia ignores him, peeking at the run-down cottages. Debris litter the ground surrounding them, not a soul is seen in the small streets and the gloomy, cloudy sky does nothing to quench the fear coiled in Elias stomach. She turns to where Gray is tightening the belt of his sword, "I have a bad feeling about this."

"Isn't that my father's line?" He jokes, but the smile slips off his face when he sees Elias coiled shoulders as she peeks at the houses surrounding them. His voice hardens, "What is it?"

She hesitates, watching as curious faces peek through their windows at them. She stutters, "Why..."

Gray pulls her aside, peeks at his father and Lady Brienne as they secure the horses and when he's satisfied no one is listening, he urges her to talk.

"It could be nothing," Elia starts, fingers tapping at the chainmail peeking from underneath her leathers, "It's just a feeling in my stomach but... why are the houses closed up?"

Gray follows her eyes just in time to see the curtains drop closed, "Winter is coming, my lady. It's getting cold at night."

"It's always cold." Elia curls her shaking hand into her coat, "It's just – it's nothing. Don't' worry."

She turns away but he pulls her back by the coat, "No. It's obviously something, if your gut is telling you something is amiss then you should trust it."

Elia doesn't reply. She's thinking deeply, eyes darting from the houses to the empty streets and back to Gray, her lips are cracked where she nibbles at them and her body shakes when she exhales. "I need you to swear not to leave my side, please."

Gray is almost tempted to make a joke but blankness on Elias face makes any joke dies on his lips, "I will."

Elia glances up at him and the sheer terror swimming in her grey eyes has him gripping his sword tightly, "I swear, my lady."