The night was cold and gloomy, filled with horrors beyond one's wildest dreams. The forest slept wistfully, the beast of the night lulled into a deep slumber by a gentle midnight song, rocking its leaves and settling a light fog among the fallen leaves and branches of the earth, extending its long fingers and clawing at the frozen ground. Just the roar of a nearby river and the distant rustle of moving footsteps could be heard...
With their ragged breath and panicked movements, four figures raced through the dead leaves, suddenly to sleeping willows and creatures to a shocking echo, waking up the entire trees. They seemed confused, unable to hold their bearings; their only goal was to get away from the shadows, which were pursuing them with torches and dog barks. They dressed in rags, and the only thing that kept them safe were the heavy set furs, which were like parchment against the raging storm that was about to descend on the helpless. Only one of the four was dressed differently from the others; he was armour, with a thick fur draped over his back, keeping him warm. Only he knows the path to safety, and therefore only he was their only chance of surviving the King of the Realm, King Robert Baratheon's, unjust laws.
"Hurry!" exclaimed the young boy in armour to his companions. Looking back to see the fugitives struggling, his gaze drifted past them to the hill behind them, a brilliant transfixed light from the hunters torches showing their closing position—no doubt from his father—men who had assembled to hunt the three offenders.
There was a manhunt going on. If captured, it would mean the deaths of all four of them, but the young boy was adamant to get them to safety. Everything he had to do was get them to East watch, where he had a friend who would smuggle them out, safely beyond the grasp of King Robert and even his Lord father. All he had to do was get them there... but with men yelling and bloodhounds barking, even Y/N Stark was worried they wouldn't make it.
298 AC, The Free Cities of Essos, Braavos-Around four years later
Y/N Pov
Y/N was thrown from his seat by a sharp sting, landing harshly on the tavern's wooden boards. His jaw ached, and the rusty taste of blood in his mouth plunged the man into a furious whirlwind of aggression disguised as calmness. Y/N raised himself up off the ground with a grunt and some effort, and stood on two feet. Looking over towards the brute, whose face was distorted with anger, most likely aimed at Y/N.
He was a tall, dark-skinned man with a crooked nose and a fat lower lip. His angry eyes twitched, and his lower lip pulled down in a snarl, revealing his unsightly yellow teeth underneath. He didn't have any facial hair and just had a small amount of hair between his eyes. He was shirtless, and the only thing he wore were his deep royal purple trousers—which were almost as thick as a second skin, but were made of cloth—and his leather sandals. A curved steel blade hung from his waist, short enough to be used as a knife but long enough to be wielded as a sword.
Without a doubt, Y/N remembered the guy from a sale made not long ago on Tyrosh's shores. Y/N and the pirate struck a deal: bring him to Braavos undetected by police, and he'd pay them handsomely in cash. That was the bargain, but since Y/N noticed his pockets were empty, he needed time to raise the required number, and because Essos controlled their currency mostly through slave trading rather than coins, it was much more difficult."Was that really necessary?" Y/N sneered, rubbing his battered cheek with his palm as he took a moment to survey his surroundings and the two other men who stood behind his aggressor.
"Can you tell me where the gold is?" The Captain spoke in a jumbled manner, his deep accent obtrusive. Y/N shifted his gaze to his left, where a leather bag stood at the foot of the stool. The northerners' possessions were inside, including the money, but it was just enough, and if Y/N gave him everything he had, he'd be left with nothing. Y/N returned the man's stare. He bent down and plucked the satchel from the surface, taking out a small pouch of the promised money.The Captain seemed delighted, his stance mildly relaxed, his gaze fixed on the bag rather than the devious plot unfolding in front of him. The sound of coins in his palm enthralled even the two behind him."It's here," says Y/N. Y/N spoke up as he prepared to put the pouch in his open palm. "Now that I think about it..." Y/N slid the pouch into his coat pocket before reaching over and slamming his entire tankard into the side of the man's head.
"I've had a change of heart."
Y/N clutched his bag tight to his hand and dashed for the door as an easy diversion.He'd be a fool if he thought it would be that easy."You slime ball son of a slut, you're going to pay for it!"
One of the pirates, the taller of the two, draws his sword from its sheath and swings it at Y/N's head. Y/N ducked right as the sword flew over him, allowing the shorter (and smaller) of the three opportunity to take out his daggers and chuck them at Y/N. Y/N dashed to the entrance, narrowly avoiding the two daggers, when a figure stepped in front of him.
Y/N back stepped just at the right time, the steel blade embedding itself into the wood with a sharp clang—the Captain glaring.
"was that to soon?"
The Captain yelled, and Y/N realised if he didn't flee, this man's head would be chopped off.Y/N took a few steps back and glanced around; most of the lower half of the pub had been emptied of life; a few Dearing souls remained to witness his possible doom, the majority of them bent over the second-floor rails, waiting with wide eyes.Y/N watched as the three began to close in on him, arms in hand and a hunger for blood in their eyes—his blood—as he backed himself into an escapable corner. He scanned the area with his swift eyes, eventually settling on a wooden fixture suspended from the ceiling that acted almost like a chandelier, spreading out in various directions, almost like multiple crosses moulded together, each end bearing a lit candle.Y/N drew his steel sword and took a defensive posture.
He would never be able to take on three men at once, no matter how much preparation he had undergone as a child. Perhaps three officers, but not hardened pirates like the ones he was up against now."Pretty baby, your time is up. "I'm going to gut you like a fish!" With his mouth pulled up in a smirk, the Captain joked.Y/N watched as their faces transformed into a crooked joy, a pending triumph about to come, with a quivering palm, glancing between the three figures.
"I wouldn't be so sure!"
Y/N tossed the satchel towards the wooden chandelier by chance, the leather strap getting trapped by a strangely needed hook in the decorative wood. The chandelier is now rocking back and forth due to the newly added weight.With their eyes on the bag, Y/N took advantage of the chance to swing at his tallest rival.Y/N threw the guy off guard by lunging in, throwing him off balance long enough for Y/N to grab the upper hand and sweep his foot out from under him, sending the pirate toppling to the floor.
Hearing heavy footsteps behind him, Y/N takes a step to the side just as the Captain's sword descends on his head. He heard a scream and then a grunt before jumping out of the way of another swing after elbowing the Captain deep in the ribs. Y/N shifted his stance and parried an oncoming lung. By pressing against the sword, Y/N was able to force the guy sideways, giving him a small advantage. The Captain was forced to defend himself after a hacking attempt, giving Y/N a slight opportunity. With a true twist of his sword, Y/N was able to nick the Captain's throat, causing a small trickle of blood to escape the open wound.
With a vengeful glint in his eyes, the Captain placed a broad hand on the cut and glared down at his bloody hand, saying, "You fool!" Now I'm going to kill you!"The Captain swung his curved sword horizontally, causing Y/N to flee, and he ducked behind him. Standing quickly, Y/N sliced a thin line across the Captain's back, causing him to howl in agony, and the Captain slammed into the tallest of his henchmen with a powerful blow.
Two daggers swung down in front of him, their points digging into the wooden beam beside him. He barely avoided another knife thrown at him by turning his back in the direction they came from."Where do you think you're going?" says the narrator. With a pronounced lisp, a far higher pitched voice talking.Y/N slid down to his closest cover and flipped a table over onto its side, using it as a shield, just as two more daggers slashed the wood.
How many more does this man have?, Y/N thought.The pirate had crept closer, tossing another small knife his way, and Y/N ducked, the unmistakable sound of steel impaling wood behind him. He slammed the pirate against the wall behind him as he hurriedly pushed the table forward.Hearing the guy grunt, Y/N sprang to his feet, reached over, and smashed a wooden chair over his head, knocking him unconscious.Y/N avoided an assault by the taller pirate by turning back. He swung his sword lazily, looking for a strike to injure Y/N, but his clumsy footwork allowed Y/N to lock their blades together and, with a brief pause, he swung his sword once more. The guy was headbutted. His vision became momentarily hazy and his composure wobbled when a harsh and brutal pain erupted within his skull.
Maybe it wasn't the best decision..."Arghh!" Reeling, Y/N saw the Captain chasing him, but before he could counter or back away, a sharp and burning pain spread over his face, causing him to stumble backwards. But before he could fall, a pair of hands clamped around his throat, and he could feel his body being lifted off the ground and slammed against a hard surface—he could hear wood cracking—and he was knocked to the ground and splinters scattered in his back like needles as a searing pain goes through Y/N almost like wildfire.
"You northerners are so much trouble—when I had the opportunity, I should have killed you!"
And with that, Y/N felt his vice-like grasp close around the sensitive flesh of his throat, cutting off any chance of getting any air. Y/N cough for a breath, slightly wide-eyed and panicked, trying to draw in any oxygen. In his mind, he could still feel the blood flowing.
Y/N made a feeble effort to pry his fat fingers off, but to no avail. Y/N held out his right hand, feeling the field around him for something he could use as a weapon, without breaking eye contact.
"Nighty-night, pretty boy," the Captain said in a short, almost taunting whisper as he bent over Y/N, putting some of his weight against his hold—Y/N was sure he'd snap his neck if he added any more—and with a toothy yellow smile, he said in a low, almost taunting whisper.
With the last of his abilities, Y/N responded with a low grunt and, with his fingertips clenched around the tip of a glass bottle, swung as hard as he could at the man's head, instantly shattering the glass on contact. Y/N was able to break loose and out of the man's reach because he was now disoriented. Since kicking the man down, Y/N took a few minutes to catch his breath, gasping for air as he grasped his swollen and bleeding throat and coughed.
"If I ever see you again, no matter where or where, I will splatter your blood across the sidewalks... I would not extend to you the mercy that I have shown you today..." "Do you understand?" Y/N threaten.With a smile, the Captain exited the room.Y/N straightened his stance and stepped over to the nearest table under the wooden chandelier, placing his sword back into its leather sheath on his hip. He ascended, snatched his satchel, and descended. He retrieved some gold coins from his bag and threw them onto the bar-table.
"Sorry for your troubles..."And with that, Y/N disappeared into the evening sun in the beautiful streets of Braavos.