lคץ ๓є l๏ฬ

[assassinrue]

The men before Cassius approached a wall and Cas slipped into the trees to watch from his horse as they entered, listening and looking for any queues as to how they signaled the door open.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Averyl's captors took her away from the palace, down the road that led toward the town. Halfway there, though, they took a split in the road and headed east, toward one of the Karstark's small estates for lesser family members.

[assassinrue]

Cassius got over the wall when one of the watchmen turned away. He was suddenly incredibly grateful that he was a great tracker, and was mostly able to keep along the trail. He just hoped nobody noticed him as being different.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

It wasn't a terribly long ride to the manor, but it felt like forever to Averyl. She felt each of the horse's steps and each time the man whose horse she shared shifted in the saddle. Each second that ticked by brought her closer to a panic attack, but then the anxiety faded and a strange sense of calm washed over her. All she could do now was wait.

[assassinrue]

The manor was nice for it's low class surroundings but nothing impressive. Cassius raised an eyebrow at it before finding a way to sneak closer, to try to figure out where they had taken Averyl within the manor.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

By then, Averyl was in an empty bedroom, her blindfold removed but the gag still tightly stuffed in her mouth. Her hands weren't even tied, but she knew that two men were posted outside her door based on the shadows that moved every now and then.

[assassinrue]

Cassius was able to slip in a poorly guarded entrance and knock out the guard. he quickly pulled on some of the guard's clothes and grabbed his sword as well, two weapons never hurt. He made his was steadily toward the house, crouched low and all his senses on top alert.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Averyl closed her eyes and tried to hold onto her calm. She felt a panic attack threatening to take over, but she took deep breaths through her nose in an attempt to hold it at bay. If she lost her composure, there would be no getting it back.

[assassinrue]

Getting in the house was less simple but after a few tussles that ended poorly for the other men he was in. But he was still skirting and dodging other guards and workers. He needed to find her. Now.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Averyl didn't know how long it was, but eventually someone entered the room. She opened her eyes and glanced up, stiffened as she recognized him instantly. "Uncle," she said quietly.

"Hello, Averyl." The man wasn't terribly old, but he wasn't young either. Her father's young brother, and apparently he turned out to be quite bitter about not inheriting his brother's position when he died. That honor had gone to his niece.

[assassinrue]

Cassius found the room, he only knew so because a quivering kitchen boy told him so and when he went to confirm, he saw the uncle walk in the room.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Averyl met his eyes, a mix of grief and anger swelling in her chest. "How could you, uncle?" she said quietly. "How?"

He pulled up a chair to sit across from her. His face was completely calm, and that bothered her more than anything. "I had to."

"Had to?" she demanded. "You tried to kill your own niece! For what?"

"To take over the house."

[assassinrue]

Cassius found enough of the crack to look in the room. He had to do some planning. He was far out numbered but he hated waiting.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Averyl shook her head, unable to think of anything to say to that. There was no talking reason into a person who thought like him. How could she not have known this man was so power-hungry? She'd grown up around him. She'd loved him.

"Regardless, this is the end of the road for you," he said. "If you promise to renounce your title and hand it to me, I will let you live. If not, I have no choice but to remove you myself."

[assassinrue]

Cassius kicked some rubble then darted into a dark corner of the hall to hide. When two men came out of the room to check out the noise Cassius slashed them down so fast they never even knew they were going to die. He waited. The reaction when the men did not return to the room would tell him what to do next.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Averyl didn't respond. She didn't look at him, either. Instead, she just stared at the floor--stone covered in a fine carpet--her face blank. She felt dead inside, a sense of hopelessness filling her. Somehow, she knew her uncle wouldn't hesitate to kill her.

[assassinrue]

Cassius heard the rushed whispers hissing from the room and waited for men to emerge from the room. Two more came - it would never be just one - Cassius aimed but managed only to slash through one man's shoulder. There was a tussle, Cassius was afraid they had too much noise, and froze among the corpses.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Eventually, he seemed to realize Averyl wouldn't speak and rose to his feet. "I'll leave you to your thoughts until morning. Then you will have to decide," he said. My men will untie you, but the door will be locked and two guards will be posted outside. Don't try to escape."

Averyl didn't respond. The room she was in had a bed, which meant her uncle didn't intend to make this experience entirely uncomfortable. It wasn't like a simple luxury like that could make this any better, though. After a moment, he turned and left the room, speaking softly to the guards outside. Two men came in and cut Averyl's bonds and then withdrew, leaving her to her own devices.

[assassinrue]

Cassius overheard it all. Two guards were easy enough to get past. The biggest problem was getting Averyl out. He considered dressing them in the guards uniforms but she was too small to fill one out. And if she was asked to speak, they'd know right away. Chassis dragged the bodies into a small deserted room and decided to take the night to think, here among the dead.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Averyl didn't change out of her dress for obvious reasons, instead opting to simply lie down on top of the comforter fully clothed. She pressed her cheek against the pillow, clutching a second one to her chest, feeling like a little girl again, needing someone to hold her and tell her everything was going to be okay. Everything didn't feel okay.