The Cave

by Jasvit Singh (Jast.Witt)

The flickering torch cast gloomy shadows on the rough cave walls. It was dark outside, and darker still in the cave, barely illuminated by the fire. But the weary man didn’t need the light, he knew the cave like it was his home. He limped inside, slowly, he was in no hurry, nor was he in pain. A smile played on his lips, as he remembered the first time he had been here, the first time he saw her, and the first time he had lost his honour.

He was an honourable man, or so everyone said, but he had killedmany men and women, he had executed children and broken hisvows. Everything was forgotten now, and he was a broken man.

He reached the spot where she had said the words, and let his body drop on rounded stone. Removing his sword from its sheath he looked at the blade. The light danced across the steel, a melancholy dance. Many a man had fallen to his sword. He fought

for what he thought was right, lived through many battles, all the killing,all the blood, and for what? All the power in the world couldn’t bringher back, and for all his strength he could not save her.

He had held her as she died in his arms, blood all over her, as red as her hair. She was a warrior, so she would not cry, but he could see the pain in her eyes, and deeper still the sorrow she had held for so long. He had betrayed her, and he had hurt her, she had loved him all the same, and all the words left his mouth, as he saw the light leave those eyes. She whispered something with the last of her strength, the tension left her body with her life, and she was limp in his arms. He sat there clutching her, afraid to let go, he sat in the snow and dirt as the battle raged around him. People were screaming and dying, calling for their mothers and fathers, but he could hear none of that. His ears were filled with only her last words.

It had been ages since that day, and ages since they had spent the night in this cave. He was home now, as he lay his sword down and closed his eyes, her voice as clear as day. Resting on the jagged stone he whispered to himself as a tear rolled down his cheek, the words she had said with her dying breath, “we should have stayed in the cave.”

From the diary of Aegon Targaryen Jon Snow.