#martyn . dyanna 001.

[ravasz]

closed . @wcrfcres

The hidden figure slid around the stone column, eyes nearly glowing in the dark as they focused in on the fleeing lady in pink. Martyn was practically glued to the stone surface, like a spy in the night (or a lizard on hot stone), subtle as ever (not), corners of lips twitching upwards with a mischievous vigor that in certain lights almost seemed like the snarl of a wolf cornering its prey. And then, all of a sudden, it turned into a knowing, soft smile, as he pressed his back against the column, hands busied with the flower crown that was now taken off the top of his head, fingers gently brushing over silky petals, a deep but velvety voice escaping him as he finally spoke. "I wouldn't go that way if I were you..."

[ravasz]

"I-I... I don't know--" He lied, no, acted in his role of the frightened, useless and pathetic little liege flawlessy, even with the amount of laughter that was tickling the bottom of his throat already, threatening to erupt at any moment. His character for the play was frozen in place, the actor all but enjoying the lady's hand pressed up to his chest like that, but one could only tell if they took the time to really search his eyes. It was admirable to see the lady still hadn't run away, and Martyn was more than grateful, for the great finale was about to begin. "Lady Dyanna, watch out!" He hopped in front of her again, but only halfway, so that she would have the perfect view as the great beast lunged from the shadows, sharp canines on display as amber glinting as the direwolf came into the candlelight, greeting his companion with a low rumble and a nudge of his head. "There you are, Dusk!" Martyn gasped between laughs, fingers running through the fur of the direwolf to give him an affectionate pet. "Apologies, my lady, he has a tendency to make an entrance."

speed at which the young marbrand moved was unbecoming of a lady . ❝ how fast can you run? ❞ whispers no less determined than it would have been had they not fallen over . palm pressed against something study , perhaps the floor or the chest of the lord of winterfell , she could no longer remember . in fact , she didn't care . all that ran through her mind was the danger brushed close with the stranger in tow , no doubt . terrified as she may be , she cannot face her loving parents like this . not without a fight at least , not cowering to some heinous monster that creeps in the dark while her father risked his life to save them . fingers clutched on lustrous fabric , pulled up to make room for quick steps . only for the sound of her own to be matched by whoever , whatever it was that the shadows spit out . she cannot outrun it , of that she was certain . if tonight was the time , she must face the seven , dyanna didn't want to meet the stranger with her back turned . she stops abruptly and turns , no prayer , no pleas for help , just stillness in the face of cold - blooded predator . ❝ lord stark , are you seeing this? ❞

[ravasz]

The cold darkness of the unlit gardens the noise came from turned any fear into a sense of familiarity and comfort, the only excitement being that Martyn knew that this way, their trick would be even more believable than ever. All they needed was to catch the perfect moment in which the scare could happen, and Martyn could heroically jump and wrestle the beast. Before that could happen, however, it seemed that the last bit of dignity had been lost to the lady, and her deafening scream threw him off guard just enough so that in the impact of her embrace out of fear made him lose his footing, stumbling down to the ground. It must've been pack instinct, or perhaps the surprise of the fall that Martyn screamed as well, then let out a yelp as they hit the ground. Hands were resting on her waist, holding her in place for a moment longer than it was proper, and he quickly held them up by his face instead, just in time to cover his mouth as he nearly let out a laugh. "From all the noise we made I don't think not making sudden movements will save us, Dyanna." He muttered from behind his hand, glancing towards the sound of heavy paws hitting the ground as the beast approached them. "It's here..."

she had met terror before . not made lukewarm by hopes and aids , not even by the presence of knights with their swords , or dragons with wings spread across the sky . dyanna knew her well , the fear that slithers around her ankles and wrists . making her freeze and useless to any form of intervention . sinks into her skin as she remembers her father's reassuring smile before she was lead to safety , to run far away from the danger raining over them . familiarity rings in her ear , made louder by the growl that skittered from the darkness and clawed on the walls . ❝ i'm not leaving you here . ❞ a miracle that she was even to conjure words and voice to speak to him . protest swallowed in a time before now , spoken to the image of her father more than the lord of winterfell in the same situation . a collection of horrors pouring from the dead of night , from the deafening darkness . an achingly frightful gush of wind made her forgo manners . seven hells to being proper ! finally a scream escapes her , arms thrown around martyn , clinging to him , back turned against whatever horrid fate awaits them . only to send them both falling onto the floor with a loud thud . shivering frame peeling away from the other , gaze refusing to lift from the crack on ground it latched on. ❝ don't make any sudden movements , martyn . ❞

[ravasz]

The fear in her voice at that exclamation nearly sent him over the edge, a laugh tickling in his throat and threatening to burst out of there at any second, but thankfully he had enough willpower to suppress it with a deep inhale through his nose. "Cut? Gods... it would be more like ripped into shreds..." He knew he wasn't helping. He didn't want to help. Not yet, at least. He felt like he could go further with the story. Extract a tear or two. A yelp. A scream, even. He was being pushed back, and instead of stepping back, Martyn stepped to the side, then behind her, putting his body between the lady and the unknown, just like a gallant knight would. "I don't know. Maybe it was just the wind..." Gaze set on the darkness, his arms were held out on each side of his, as if shielding the lady from whatever was to come. All it took was the next, almost disembodied huff of a growl coming from the shadow for Martyn to know what was happening. "It's nearing us, my lady. If it comes to it, I'll make time for you to run. Just... tell my family I love them. Tell them it was a heroic death."

❝ i don't want to be cut into parts , lord stark ! ❞ the panic has completely taken over . though it cannot be denied the lady marbrand was still tied to her refined upbringing . her pleas remained as poised , wrapped in grace and gentleness . ❝ i want to be talked about and be part of history , but not the gruesome kind . not the contents of whispers shared in corridors . ❞ dyanna did not dare turn to look into the darkness . not even for a glimpse as she began to spew what she had been taught to achieve , to want , to desire . his grip on him tightens by the second , the presence growing closer and looming larger behind her . she is too young to meet the stranger , too damn pretty to be the supper of a beast . all the sacrifices and sorrows would be in vain if she were to die here , in highgarden of all places . it was unintentional , if anyone asked , her hands pushing ... shoving past martyn and away to the column some feet away from where the sound came from . ❝ what is it ? ❞

[ravasz]

"Bold of you to assume what anything can tell this creature... this beast what to do. It sings its own songs, obeys its own rules, and when it's hungry... you can only hope you won't stand in its way." It was working. It was working so well that Martyn had completely slipped into his act, feeling goosebumps creeping up his spine and over his arms at the perfection that was his story. "I wish I was, my lady... I wish I was. Even I can't come up with such horror." Yes, he could. And he did. And he bit down on his inner cheeks to stop himself from smiling. He stepped away from the column, closer to Dyanna, the fear in her eyes only making the tempest of excitement in his chest roar louder. He took a deep breath making sure it was shaky before he continued. "And the parts of her they didn't find? Only the Stranger knows what happened to them..." There was a snap of twigs from the darkness, making even Martyn jump. "What was that--?"

bright eyes , a soft mingling of blues and greens , now flooded with fright as its gaze was held captive by the northern lord and his tale . she convinces herself that it was nothing more than an exaggerated story , a folly . ❝ this is highgarden , there's no chance ... i mean , there can't be ... they wouldn't let such an awful thing like that happen here . ❞ a tale of terror to keep the noble children in their bed chambers , and servants from exchanging whispers along the corridors . yet she felt trapped in her racing pulse . ❝ surely , you jest , lord stark , ❞ her voice escaped like a whisper , a quiet plea to shatter the ruse . heart knocking in her chest as she saw herself clearly in the shoes of the maiden in this retelling . unwillingly , her steps drew her closer to the lord of winterfell . overstepping the invisible boundaries strictly set by her septa when it came to speaking with those in court . ❝ it's not true , right ? ❞ strange sound sends her hand reaching out for his sleeve . fingers clutching for dear life , refusing to turn or see what lurks behind ❝ martyn ? ❞

[ravasz]

The smirk on their face as the lady stopped in her movements was washed away in the shadows as Martyn slid to the other side of the column, placing the flower crown on top of their head again. With the light of the torches behind them, their silhouette made for almost an inhuman one, though only for a moment before they stepped into the light again. Their prey was stuck in their trap already, and she didn't even know it yet. "There was a girl. Young and beautiful, hair of long golden waves. Not much more different than you, my lady. Be that as it may, she also had the idea to go for a stroll late at night. Whether it was because sleep had evaded her, or whether it was for a different reason altogether, to have a breath of fresh air from the stuffy crowd of the court, or mayhaps to mett up with someone..." He glanced at her for a reaction, then down again. "...well, that doesn't matter, really. What matters is the state she was found the next day. Or, well, should I say... parts of her."

❝ after what happened ? ❞ words drawn as she came to a halt . frustration and curiosity dwindling into something unsettling just below her jaw , where steady pulses were beginning to grow quicker . the silence filling itself with the haunting darkness , of the unexplored corners of halls she dared not pass until tonight . annoyance throws a veil over her features , but beneath it the fright quivers and latches onto the outlines of her face . try as she might , images slowly took form , its shape and colors too real for her to ignore . ❝ i don't quite understand , my lord ... ❞ but she does , and quite well , in fact . distance between them growing short , her direction shifts closer rather than away from the northern lord .

[ravasz]

A lie responded to with another lie. And so the plot thickened. "Guards? In these parts, after what happened? No, I wouldn't think so." His lips pursed, glancing away, acting as if everyone knew what exactly had happened, as if he wasn't still constructing the story in his head still. Naturally, it needed a beautiful yet gullible young lady walking into the night. And what sort of a story would it be if it didn't have a beast, thrice her size and fearsome as ever. "I shudder at the thought whenever I recall it... it was almost the same as this very night, with the moon high in the sky, her light barely touching the path under all those trees casting their shadows..."

appearances have been made , with added small talks , laughs , and exchanges with some of her acquiantances . actions to warrant that she had done her part as a lady of her house . most will be busy with their own preoccupations to realize that she was not there to join the collective exuberance . if her absence were to be noted , she could simply say she was lost to the beauty of the gardens and ... lemon tarts . besides , no other can hold her interest anyway besides the company of a friend still sewn to his recovery bed . and so she must go to him , offer hers once again . her hastened steps were , frustratingly , slowed by a voice that sent chills down her spine . ❝ why not ? i simply wish to get some ... fresh air . ❞ only when she did pay him a quick glance did she felt at ease that he was an actual person , lord stark , and not a entity trickling from walls to haunt her . ❝ are there guards roaming , lord stark ? ❞