The Harbor of Duskendale

[Deleted]

Rhae wondered if it would be tactful to ask about their infamous father, and then decided not to. "Where did you used to live? Always at Raventree Hall?"

////

"I think they might fall sometimes, maybe in storms. But it can't be so hard." Selyse said. Her eyes sparkled. "I dare you to try."

[Horas]

Daeron shakes his head. "Riverrun," he says. He stops talking, seeming somewhat melancholy, and looks out over the harbor.

/////////////

Cat looks nervously at the ship's rigging. "I'll climb if you climb," she says, forgetting momentarily about Selyse's leg.

[Deleted]

"Well, don't feel too bad about it," Rhae said gently. "You'll have a good home here. And you can go back one day, I'm sure. Think of this as a holiday."

////

Selyse hesitated. Her leg had always been a source of embarrassment and had always caused her anger and pain, especially when people taunted her about it, but she felt she could not possibly back down from Cat's challenge.

'Done," she said. "Let's go."

The workmen had taken a break for lunch.

[Horas]

"I will go back," Daeron says fiercely. "And nobody will stop me either."

/////////

Cat looks about nervously, vaguely aware this isn't something she is supposed to be doing. Then without any more words, she grabs hold of the rigging and begins scrambling up the side, agile as her name implies.

[Deleted]

"I expect Lady Aranya might marry you to your Tully cousins, if there are any girls of fertile age when you're old enough to wed," Rhae said with a smile. "And you can properly go back."

////

Not to be outdone, Selyse began to climb after her, though far less agile in her movements.

[Horas]

"I doubt it," Daeron mutters darkly.

///////

Catelyn continues to climb up the rigging, though she moves slower now. Even in the calm waters of the harbor, at this height the mast seems to swing for miles with every wave that rocks the ship.

[Deleted]

"Cheer up. There's hope yet. You have lots of time to decide what will happen in your life. Were you happy at Raventree Hall?"

"Hey!" one of the sailors shouted. "Those two girls are climbing the rigging!" Rhae looked where he pointed, and gasped, covering her mouth. "Oh gods be good." She ran towards the ship. "Someone get them down from there!"

/////

Selyse bit her lip, her stomach turning as the mast swung in the breeze. Someone was shouting down below, but Selyse didn't dare look down, or she puke for sure, or else lose her nerve as well as her grip. She could feel the wind pulling at her. Her shorter leg could not balance her well on the rigging. It was so hard. She squeezed her eyes shut, and could hear Cat scrabbling up above her. No. Cat could not be braver than her. Setting her jaw, Selyse resumed climbing.

Hawkeye was barking as men ran onto the deck.

[Horas]

"I --" Daeron's eyes go wide as he recognizes the girls swinging from the rigging. He charges towards the ship, weaving around the legs of the workmen attracted by the commotion.

/////////

Cat climbs even higher, though now that she is so high her courage is swiftly deserting her. She chances to glance down, and it is a mistake. Suddenly she feels light-headed, and she clenches the ropes all the tighter. She lifts her foot to the next foothold, but misses and catches only air, and suddenly her legs are swinging free and she screams shrilly across the harbor.

[Deleted]

Rhae ran up onto the boat, looking terrified as she followed Daeron through the gawking workmen. "Selyse!" she shouted. "Catelyn! Come down here at once!" Rhae wished she hadn't ordered the nurses away. Perra and Amrei would have never let this happen.

Rhae turned to the men who come running onto the ship. "Two of you go up and fetch them back down," she ordered. "And I'll pay you handsomely."

But the wolfhound, Hawkeye, sensed the agitation and growled menacingly at any men who approached the rigging, though he did not challenge Rhae or Daeron. "No, Hawkeye," Rhae said. "Stop that. No. Come here and leave him alone. Hawk - NO! Bad dog. BAD DOG!" There was a ripping sound as Hawkeye tore the sailor's shirt, snarling, and the man was screaming in terror.

//////

"Cat!" Selyse cried, as the other girl lost her footing and swung, screaming, above her. Selyse was covered in a cold sweat, her hands damp with terror. "Cat, wait, I'm just beneath you...Cat...I'm," she panted, trying to climb up higher. "Hold on! I'm coming!" But her shorter leg made her climb slow and difficult.

////

"Somebody go up there!" Rhae said desperately, as she tried to control the dog. Several men stepped forward, shuffling nervously away from the snarling wolfhound. One sailor leapt up to start climbing.

[Horas]

Daeron runs past the dog and takes a flying leap into the rigging, scrambling higher and higher. He is only a little bigger than either of the girls, but he climbs anyways, determined to help.

High above, Cat screams as she swings about wildly. She finally manages to hook her foot back in the ropes. Her screaming stops, but she closes her eyes and whimpers softly as she clings desperately to the rigging, moving neither up nor down.

[Deleted]

Selyse lost her nerve and her footing, her short leg finally giving up. She kicked wildly, trying to find the rope, but she couldn't. Selyse wailed in terror, and both girls swung, screaming.

"No!" Rhae shouted. "Daeron, come back down!" Hawkeye barked loudly, but he didn't push Rhae.

"It's all right, lad," another sailor panted, climbing up after the first one. "You get your young noble hide back down, or Lady Royce will skin us all alive. Go, now. We'll get those two."

The two men climbed up, surefooted and swift on the rigging. Selyse and Cat were flailing desperately, white with terror. "Hang on," one man called up in a strong, calm voice. "We're just below you." His tone was reassuring.

One man caught Selyse, and she collapsed against him, shaking with fear and relief. The other one took Cat with only one hand and held her over his shoulder, murmuring soothingly. They began to descent.

[Horas]

Daeron ignores the workmen, but growls in frustration as they quickly outpace him up the rigging.

Cat clings to her rescuer with a deathgrip, small tears running down her cheeks.

[Deleted]

"There there, shh, you're safe now," the sailor says in a gentle, gruff voice. They dropped down lightly on the deck, helping Daeron after them. Haweye calmed when he saw Cat and Selyse, and went up to lick their wet cheeks with a warm tongue. His tail began wagging again.

Selyse was shaking and she held Cat's hand, partly out of a need for comfort, partly because her leg hurt.

"What made you think of doing that?" Rhae demanded. "You're both so stupid. When Lady Aranya finds out I'm going to get in trouble for it because I was supposed to be watching you."

Well, you weren't watching, Selyse thoughy, a tad resentful. "It was my idea," she said, regaining some of her defiance. "I'm not afraid to talk to Mother even if you are."

"Of course you're not afraid," Rhae said in disgust. "You're the little darling with the useless leg, she loves you."

Selyse blanched.

[Fel]

Ser Marq rides down to the harbour looking for Rhae.

[Deleted]

"And you..." Rhae began, but she heard the clopping of horses' hooves and turned. Her cheeks flushed when she saw Ser Marq riding down the harbor.

"We'll just go home with Hawkeye," Selyse said quickly, taking advantage of the distraction. She knew how her foster-sister's nature was.

"Yes, well," Rhae said, wondering if it was safe to let them go. She beckoned the two men who had climbed up for them, and from a silken purse she drew a number of fat gold dragons and paid them. "There's more where that came from, if you see the girls to the Dun Fort safely. There are guards back up on the main street. Find them and they will take the girls back to the castle."

The sailors bowed, and gently led Cat and Selyse away.