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CHAPTER FOUR; ESCAPE

"Aurelia!"

Before she could scream, a hand clasped over Rey's mouth as she woke with a start. She thrashed around fiercely, her vision blurred in a frantic state. It felt almost instinctive to put up a fight to an unknown threat, but as hard as she kicked and threw her fists, she didn't hit anything. She shot up, her legs tangled in the covers and her auburn hair sticking in several different directions. Her eyes were wide and frantic, and it took her a moment before she came to focus on the face of Ser Hogarth.

Immediately she settled, though she gripped onto his arms fearfully. This had never happened before, but it must have been serious considering the fact that he was the one to wake her.

"What is it?" She asked quickly, her voice croaky from rest. "Is something wrong?"

"I need you to come with me," Hogarth urged, taking her hand and pulling her out of her comfortable bed. Despite her body not wanting to comply, Rey forced herself onto her feet and rubbed at her eyes with her other hand, yawning. "We need to leave."

"Why?" Rey responded with furrowed eyebrows. She didn't want to go anywhere, she wanted to go back to sleep. There were rings under her eyes and her ears were pink from the sudden movements, while her head was spinning. "What's happening?"

"I'll tell you in a moment," Hogarth rushed her towards the door, and Rey's bottom lip began to tremble. She couldn't seem to wrap her mind around anything, there wasn't any indication as to the current events. "Is there anything you desperately need?"

"Uh," Rey inhaled sharply, before stumbling over to her dresser, trying to see anything in the darkness. She began rummaging through her jewellery, her hands shaking uncontrollably. She hastily picked up the necklace of her family sigil, as well as her bumblebee ring. She slipped the latter onto her finger and the former around her neck, before looking back up at Hogarth. "What about clothes?"

"Elise packed a few dresses for you," Hogarth insisted, reaching out his hand for Rey to take. Rey began to splutter in confusion. What did he mean, Elise had packed a few dresses? Did she already know that this would be happening? The girl swallowed nervously, before seizing the knight and allowing him to pull her outside into the quiet hallway.

The pair wound through the unoccupied tower, the only sound being Hogarth's armour clanging against the ground. Rey didn't dare say a word, she didn't even question why no one had heard them or confronted them. Torches and windows lit the way down the stairs and towards the entrance of the tower.

"Where are you two going?" The guard and girl came across a pair of gold cloaks who had been stationed outside, and thinking quickly, Hogarth wrapped his arms around Rey's shoulders.

"Poor girl had a nightmare, I'm taking her to see the Grandmaester," Hogarth replied easily, and Rey purposely dropped a little in his grip, staring at the guards through squinted eyes. "She's never been this bad before."

"They're waiting for you outside the back gates. Best way is out through the cellars where no one can see you," one of them muttered incredibly quietly, and Hogarth nodded once. "Take the Southern passage, you won't come across any of Lord Varys' little birds."

"Thank you," Hogarth heaved, tugging Rey away from the scene. The girl clutched onto him as if her life depended on it -- it seemed in this moment, it did.

She had so many questions, but she didn't know how to ask them. What was happening? Where were they going? Was she in danger? Where was her father? Where were Arya and Sansa?

Her nightdress flapped against her legs as she practically ran to keep up with Hogarth's lengthy strides. Her hair was flying in her face and her feet were uncovered, yet she was filled with fear and adrenaline she hardly noticed. She didn't feel safe despite the knight's secure grip that had now returned to her hand.

"Hogarth-"

"Quiet," the man hushed her as they entered the corridor leading to the cellars. He kept looking over his shoulder just in case they were being followed by anyone, though they had gone unnoticed so far. The very few guards that had seen them had turned a blind eye, as if they understood what was happening.

The dirt in the cellar flew into the air, blanketing her feet and the bottom of her nightgown. Rey hated the feeling; the feeling of running away from her problems. She couldn't even stop to stare at the dragon skulls in the great room below the castle, which made her stomach knot.

Before she knew it, Hogarth had taken her to the back of the Red Keep, through to the cliff which led to the Kingswood. Rey winced a little as she slipped on a rock, feeling the bottom of her foot scrape against the sharp ground. She held onto Hogarth a little tighter, looking ahead to see an overwhelming source of light towards the brink of the forest.

"Almost there, little bumblebee," the man assured her, supporting her as she stumbled a little. "Everything will be all right."

"Is that-" Rey began, squinting a little as she saw a man of average stature standing with dozens of horses and men, as well as two wagons filled with supplies. They drew closer, and Rey tensed in surprise.

"Lady Aurelia," Renly smiled as Rey and Hogarth approached him. He stood surrounded by numerous supporters of his, all of them with weapons at the ready. Rey nodded in response, though she shivered a little in the cold of the night. Noticing this, Hogarth grabbed a blanket from a leather bag hanging off the saddle of one of the horses, proceeding to wrap it around Rey's shoulders. "My apologies for calling for you at this time of night."

"What's going on, My Lord?" Rey asked quietly as Hogarth hoisted her onto the grey mare, her trembling hands reaching for the reins. Renly stepped forward and placed his hand on her knee in an assuring manner, then glancing down at her pale feet in concern. He then instructed one of his guards to find her some shoes. Rey, stared down at him with a scared and confused expression. "Where is my father?"

"The King is dead," Renly took a deep breath before he explained, and Rey's eyes widened a little. "Your father has given myself and Ser Hogarth the task of returning you to the Reach and to keep you out of danger. You are no longer safe in the Red Keep, no one is."

"What about him?" Rey interjected, clearly concerned. Renly sensed this, taking her hand in his. It was warm compared to her cold one, and though she knew it was supposed to put her at ease, it only filled her more anxiety. "Why isn't my father here?"

"He insisted he stay behind," Renly replied solemnly, though his voice was clear and full of urgency. "He didn't want to jeopardise your safety. Now, we must leave before the Lannister's find out."

"But," she spluttered, looking back over her shoulder. She didn't feel much often for her father, but now she needed him by her side. "I can't leave him here, I-I can't-"

"Aurelia," Renly muttered softly, his kind eyes bolstering her. "I must respect your father's wishes. Don't allow his sacrifice to be for nothing."

Rey hesitated, tears rising in her vision once more. No one else seemed to be as upset as her, did that make her weak? Her mind drifted to her father; how he would be sitting in his armchair, his hairline dripping in sweat, and his bottom lip shaking vigorously. He too, would be petrified. But, she knew that despite his common folly, he always knew what to do in times of trouble. She knew that House Marigot relied on survival, and for her to live, he had to put himself in danger.

Rey gulped, before releasing a shaky breath and nodding. Renly squeezed her hand gratefully and turned on his heel towards his own horse. Hogarth pulled himself onto his own horse and appeared once more at the girl's side at the same time shoes were being slipped onto her feet. Rey glanced over at the knight, before looking back at the lights of the city. She thought about the people she was about to leave behind.

"Will I ever see them again?" She asked quietly, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. "Gendry? Arya? My father?"

"Only time will tell," Hogarth replied, his expression forlorn as he watched Rey fight her internal battle. He then pointed towards the ring on her finger. "As for the blacksmith boy, you'll always have a piece of him wherever you go."

Rey's eyes flickered down to the grey band, and she sniffled slightly. Gendry had spent a month working behind his master's back trying to perfect the piece of jewellery for her name day. He had kept it a secret, having melted down the dozens of other attempts to hide his failures. The final product was not like other accessories made for nobility, but beautiful nonetheless. He was so talented, so caring.

Rey didn't want to leave him behind, yet, she knew and hoped he'd understand.

★☆

three!! chapters!! in!! a!! day!! fuck!! society!!!

also literally two people read this so thank you so much dudes i love you so much!!!!!!! i'm also super inspired to write this now?? after considering pacing and revising the plan i had for this story, i've figured out the general scheme of things, which is dope cause it means i can write more!!

also gendry and rey = big uwu energy