[Chapter Size: 1900 Words.]

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  Since she arrived ieros, elia had been very sensitive to the number 13. This number represented many things to her, the most direct being the beginning of everything.

  She couldn’t remember the exact date, so she had beeremely nervous sihe first day of this year. However, when the moment finally arrived, she felt a strange sense of calm, even though it was absurd to have so many unresolved issues about to begin.

  A roll of images filled with unknowns slowly unspooled, and the plot between right and wrong made her tense. She feared making a wrong step and worsening the situation. She also feared that ging too much would make the story even more plicated and fusing, leading to the loss of the narrative. Despite having an initial advantage, she wao be the narrator of this story.

  elia k would be difficult, but she had to face the challenge. However, even as events unfolded, she still felt a bit fused and even someanicked. She couldn’t distinguish what the right thing to do was.

  elia was very afraid of making a mistake because she kly the price of a slip-up.

  It all began one m, a month after her and Sansa's birthday party.

  elia was following Robb and Jon as they taught Bran archery. Ri was sitting on a wooden post, watg excitedly. Although Bran’s archery skills hadn’t improved over the st three years, he showed great perseverand hought of giving up.

  Unfortunately, progress wasn’t the best. The first arrow was det and hit the target, though only oer edge. The sed arrow, however, missed the target and hit ay wine barrel. Bra a bit frustrated, but Jon whispered that his father was watg from above. With this encement, Bran cheered up, raised his bow again, and shot another arrow.

  This time, the arrow pierced the sky and disappeared into the dense forest without a trace. Robb, Jon, and Ri couldn’t help but ugh. They didn’t kly what had happened, but they could imagine a powerless.

  "Of those whhing, who became an archer at ten years old?" Ned said, holding onto the railing. He looked at Bran’s embarrassed fad, with his firm voice, made everyoop ughing immediately.

  "Keep practig, Bran! Don’t give up!" Ned nodded, encing his son. Bran might not be very talented with the bow, but he was a smart child and, above all, had an admirable fighting spirit. That was the spirit the Stark children should have.

  Inspired, Bran prepared to draw the bow and shoot another arrow. However, Arya, who had heard the otion and ran to see what was happening, effortlessly shot an arrow, hitting a spot much closer to the ter of the target. She smiled challengingly, which made Bran so angry that he threw his bow to the ground and ran after her. Arya ughed and quickly ran away.

  The two began a chase, getting into trouble.

  "Run faster, Bran!" Robb cheered with a ugh, clearly enjoying himself and not taking the situation too seriously.

  This time, even Ned and Catelyn couldn’t hold back their ughter. They watched the se, ae the serioushey should maintain, they felt powerless and amused by the children’s joy.

  Although elia couldn’t see what was happening, just hearing the ughter made her feel extremely satisfied and happy.

  But happy moments are always short-lived. While they were still ughing and pying, Ser Rodrik appeared with a grave expression. He annouhat a deserter from the Night’s Watch had been captured and would be executed for vioting his oath.

  Deserters were to be severely punished!

  Ned ordered Robb, Jon, and even Bran, who was only ten years old, to watch the execution. Perhaps, for Bran, Ser Rodrik’s words were just an interruption to a moment of joy.

  But elia khe true meaning of that event.

  It had all begun!

  elia offered to apany the group. She knew what would happe, but in truth, she couldn’t clearly visualize the se during the day.

  Even though she had fotten many things, she still remembered that first se of the story. Maybe that’s why she felt she should be there.

  "Lia? What are you doing here?" Ned frowned when he saw elia holding the horse o Bran. Although Bran was only ten, there were certain things he o experience. But how could elia, a girl, watch such a bloody execution?

  "Dad, you asked me to learn feng, right? What does that matter? Besides, I ’t eve."

  There were certain experiences she hadn’t lived in her past life. For an ordinary girl who had never fought, these things were very distant. She couldn’t stop her father from exeg the deserter from the Night’s Watch, just as she couldn’t ge a world full of death and blood.

  So she could only ge herself!

  The weak had nht to survive in this world. She o uand that more clearly.

  her Ned nor Robb or Jon fully agreed with elia’s behavior, but they couldn’t resist her stubbornness. So, she finally mounted her horse and followed them to the execution field, oskirts of Winterfell.

  The execution site wasn’t far, and they soon reached their destination. When she dismounted from the horse, elia stumbled on a stone on the ground and almost fell.

  "Be careful!" warheon Greyjoy, who had e with them. He watched elia for a moment, noticed her stumble, and quickly extended his hand to steady her.

  "Thank you, Theon!" elia smiled, but pulled away from his hand almost without realizing. He had beeo Winterfell after his father’s rebellion and surrender. Although he was named Ned’s adopted son, he was, iy, a hostage. They got along well as friends, but deep down, they were always on guard.

  It wasn’t just because of his status as a hostage, but because she kheon would betray the Starks. Even though she couldn’t remember the exact details, she khat he would take Winterfell while Robb led the army south, and ultimately return to a burning Winterfell.

  Theon Greyjoy would be part of the destru of the Stark family!

  For that reason, how could she rete to him without rese? Even if he was i at that moment, elia’s defeitude was hard to abandon. During their time together, she rarely opened up to Theon.

  "Bran, e here and hold me!" elia smiled, waving to thank Theon, and called Bran. Walking outside Winterfell during the day took more effort, and it would be easier if Bran guided her.

  More importantly, it was Bran’s first time fag such a se. She feared he wouldn’t be able to adapt.

  Perhaps, in fact, it was she herself who wouldn’t be able to adapt.

  Bran came closer, took her hand, and guided her to the execution ptform. Robb was ahead of them, while Jon followed right behind. In the distahe sound of several people approag could be heard. They must be the soldiers under escort.

  There was no denying that elia was nervous. She pced her hands on Bran’s shoulders, rubbing the fabric of his clothes unsciously. Her heart ounding like a drum, but she knew she had to face that moment.

  Her hearing had always been very sharp. Even during the day, when she couldn’t see, she could pete with Robb and Jon just by listening. That’s why, at that moment, she clearly heard the murmurs of the deserter from the Night’s Watch approag. He was muttering something about havihe White Walkers.

  The man had said the same thing to Ned, but her father clearly didn’t believe him. elia knew he was telling the truth, but she also khat arguing with her father would be futile in that situation.

  The White Walkers had disappeared thousands of years ago. Now, aside from the wildlings who lived beyond the Wall, no one ieros believed in their existeo he deserter was nothing more than a man who had broken his oath.

  "In the name of Robert I of House Baratheon, King of the Andals, the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms..." Ned solemnly pronounced as he drove the family’s aral sword, Ice, into the ground. He lowered his head aed the words of judgment. It was an aradition that had survived to the present day.

  Those who issue a death sentence must carry it out themselves. That’s why Ned had to perform the execution with his own hands.

  The words of judgment echoed in elia’s mind. Her head seemed to buzz, and the sounds around her grew distant and muffled.

  "Don’t turn your head. Dad will notice!" Jon whispered, who was right behind elia and Bran. He had noticed their nervousness. It was difficult for Bran, who was only ten years old, and even more cruel for elia.

  But now that they were there, there was n back. Even if Ned didn’t want elia to witness it, he would never allow ao back down ohey had started.

  Jon’s words reached elia’s ears, instantly bringing her back from her distracted state. She closed her eyes and swallowed hard, f herself to calm down.

  She still wao ge her family’s fate.

  "I, Eddard of House Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, sentence you to death!"

  Ned finally finished pronoung the sentence. He raised his massive sword, Ice, and delivered the blow. In an instant, the head rolled across the ground and blood spttered everywhere.

  elia heard the sound of the bde cutting through flesh and the thud of the head hitting the ground. She pressed her hand onto Bran’s shoulder for a moment. Although she couldn’t see, the sounds and the smell of blood in the air were enough to create a vivid, bloody image in her mind.

  A ess washed over her hands a. Even though she didn’t physically feel the cold, it reached her heart relentlessly.

  In the past thirteen years, no moment had made it so clear to elia what kind of world she was living in. In that instant, she realized she was far from ready.

  The ses she had seen on television or in her memories didn’t pare to what was happening before her eyes!

  The real image had color, smell, and even temperature.

  But elia khere was no choice!

  Time flowed like water, indifferent and impartial. It wouldn’t stop to wait for her to be ready.

  "You’re doing great," Jon said, patting her shoulder.

  elia snapped back to reality. When she regained herself, she realized she was gripping Bran’s shoulder too tightly. Bran’s body was also stiff.

  "Let’s go!" elia said softly, trying to calm down and fort Bran. She patted his shoulder and led him to turn and follow Robb and Jon toward the horses.

  The execution site became more and more distant, but the wind still carried the smell of blood to elia’s nose, reminding her of the harsh reality.

  This wasn’t just words from a story or a fleeting moment on a television s.

  It was real blood, dripping and leaving a pu smell in the air, enough to make a tremble and skin crawl.

  But elia could only move forward, step by step.

  There was n back. There was no escape.

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