Dark Wings, Dark Words

Revenge

Pinch me, I'm dreaming.
21k?!?!?!! Lads, no seriously I can't actually believe this. This is incredible!
Thank you so much!
It's crazy to think I've spent the last 3 years writing this fanfic.
I can honestly say, 16 year old me never imagined it would get this far. I was delighted when this fanfic got 50 reads so you can only imagine the state of euphoria I'm in right now.

Thank you so much for standing by me and sticking with me this far. You have no idea how much this means to me.
-A

A whisper, quiet as the night. It was like a gentle breeze, a light touch that seemed to kiss her face so lovingly it made her heart swell.

Just hearing that sweet voice made Ashanna's heart soar and break.

It was the voice of her beloved mother.

Ashanna stumbled through the darkness, blindly clawing the air for her mother.

"Ashanna." The voice called again, closer this time.

Ashanna followed the voice while stretching her hand out before her.

A cold hand suddenly latched onto hers.

Ashanna had that dream every night. She lost count of the days that seemed to go by her in a daze. She lost count of days since her brother and mother were ripped from her. Everyday seemed to merge into one dark endless night. Maybe that was because Ashanna only woke at night. Every single night they allowed her out of the carriage to relieve herself. They always stopped in the thickets of rurality. Ashanna figures they wanted to avoid people. Why? She wasn't sure.

They allowed her to remain awake long enough for them to force a broth down her throat, followed by the mysterious liquid that left her in such a exhausted state. Ashanna had lost count of the amount of times that occurred. She had no idea where they were or how long they had been travelling for.

She knew one thing though.
She knew where they were going.
King's Landing.
Her new prison.

Ashanna woke from her forced slumber earlier than she usually did. She kept her eyes closed, she wanted to be awake for just a minute longer. She wanted more then the miserable cycle she found herself in. She didn't want to return to that dream.

The carriage was stopped, time for another stop. Ashanna reluctantly opened her eyes and was immediately greeted by a blinding light that gleaned through the slated windows of the carriage.

It was dawn.

Ashanna furrowed her brows. Never, not once had any of the breaks had taken place during the light of day.

Before she could she could spare another thought the door to the carriage opened so abruptly, Ashanna thought the door would rip off its hinges.

Rough hands grabbed her by the forearms and roughly yanked her from her seat. Ashanna gasped as she hit that familiar sweat stained air.

King's Landing.
She was back in King's Landing.

Ashanna's knees failed her, she fell to them in a staggering haze. She could feel her skin splitting where she fell on the cobbled stone ground.

The men escorting her pulled her sharply to get feet. Ashanna's head spun as she tried to plant her feet. Useless. Her attempts were futile as they glided her across the floor.
Ashanna glanced up at the men gripping her left arm.

She knew that face. That face would forever be etched into the depths of her memory. That was the face that slit her mother's throat. Black Walder.

A wave of emotions washed over her. Rage gnawed on her soul as they dragged her through the courtyard of the Red Keep. None of the soldiers passed much notice of Ashanna and her escorts. They merely waved them along before turning back to their posts.

What are they going to do?
Ashanna wasn't sure if she wanted to know. Roose Bolton already told her what her fate would entail. Ashanna was still hoping that was a lie, a fabrication to dwindle her spirit.

However as Lord Walder's men dragged her through the castle. She couldn't shake the feeling that Lord Bolton was telling the truth.

She could hear voices as they climbed up a tower. She recognised the journey too well, these were her family's quarters when her father was the Hand of the King.

Torches burned brightly against the stone walls, lighting the tower in a golden haze.
As they neared a room, the voices grew louder. Ashanna could hear a woman and a man talking in soft voices. She strained to hear what they were discussing but before she could, the door to the room was shoved open by one of her companions. Ashanna was thrown inside, she slid across the stone floor. The chains around her wrists clanged loudly from her abrupt movement.

When she looked up three pairs of green eyes were staring back at her.

Tywin Lannister sat at the head of the table, clad in noble attire of golden and red fabric. Cersei Lannister sat to his left, her golden hair was tousled from disturbed sleep. She wore a red gown that appeared as if it was thorn on in haste. Tyrion Lannister sat at the opposite end of the table to his father. Ashanna was surprised by the sympathy flashing across those eyes.

Ashanna didn't want sympathy, she wanted revenge.

She couldn't get the words Roose Bolton whispered to her brother, before he plunged a knife into his heart.

They were on a constant loop in her mind. It was the first thing she heard when she arose after her forced slumber and the last thing she thought of before falling asleep. Even now in her mind she could her those words.

"The Lannisters send their regards."