"I hate you."
Leah's lips trembled; she didn't know why, but she just said it. Maybe to feel better, to let out the excruciating pain bugging her whole existence.
"Why can't you…see I needed this?"
She asked, trying to hold back her tears.
William ignored the fact that he had slapped her.
"You don't hate me," he said with confidence.
"You just need help, and I am willing to help you; I won't let you be defiled by lewd men; it doesn't befit your status."
He said almost in a whisper, his deep voice cutting through the air. He inched closer but she withdrew, taking some steps backwards.
Leah looked away; the tears she had been trying so hard to hold rolled down her cheeks.
"Look at me."
William said, but she started walking away.
"You never used to be like this…" He didn't finish what he had to say… she interrupted.
"It was either this or suicide!
She screamed, turning to face him, and blinked her tears away.
William was stunned to see her face wet with tears; he inched forward, but Leah staggered backward frenetically.
"You don't know how it feels to lose something! She whimpered, clutching her chest with both hands; she felt immense pain. She slowly crouched down, trembling.
"Every day I contemplate, should I jump out the window or die painlessly with poison? I just want to be free from this pain eating my soul." She sniffed.
William gazed at her; he was a bit reluctant, but he took some steps forward, covering the space between them. He placed both his hands on her shoulder and helped her straighten up.
"She killed it…my baby." Leah allowed the tears to trickle down her cheeks; she broke down.
"Who?...Whose baby?" William asked, pressing her head against his chest, and he started patting her. Leah sniffed uncontrollably, then pulled away from the embrace.
She blinked away the tears hanging in her lashes before fixing her gaze on William.
"Telling you will change nothing; I need to go back in there…now."
Leah said and was about to brush past him; he seized her arm and dragged her back steadily.
"What are you hiding from me?"
He asked, peering into her dark obsidian eyes.
Leah sighed, loosened her hand from his grip, and then adjusted the hood on her face.
"Let's go home."
She said, turned away, and started walking quickly.
William followed suit but struggled to keep up with her pace. She dived into the busy streets, sliding through the crowd effortlessly.
The moon was far behind the clouds by the time they arrived at the castle. They took the secret pathway, their footsteps barely making a sound.
They got to the beginning of the tunnel, Leah grabbed the oil lamp she had hidden. As they walked through the dimly lit tunnel, William couldn't help but glance at his sister. She had changed a lot and grown distant and weary.
"The least you can do is tell me what happened." He says, trailing behind her.
Leah ignored him.
"Is this about Vinson?"
His tone was calm but had a hint of coldness attached to it, yet Leah chose to pay no heed to his words.
"I know I hate him, but I might just be ready to let my hatred go for your sake…" Leah didn't let him finish by interrupting.
"Oh, for heaven's sake, will you keep quiet?!
She hissed irritably, then took a step forward.
"Tell me," she began, snapping her fingers.
"Will you be able to defile Mother? Huh?
"She has all the maids wrapped around her fingers; the guards are little pawns in her game! Leah's eyes became clouded with tears.
William opened his mouth to say something, but she wouldn't let him speak.
"You talk so bravely, but I know you won't be able to stand against the woman who birthed us! That conniving woman…she killed my baby. She is the one causing me so much pain!
The tears in Leah's eyes dropped, and she removed the hood concealing her face. She wanted to see the look on William's face, and she wasn't disappointed.
He was dumbstruck… simply left for forwards.
"You were pregnant?"
Those were the only words that managed to slip out of his lips after a fleeting silence.
Leah smiled bitterly, then pursed her lips.
"I was…not anymore."
She turned away and left, leaving William to his thoughts. He stood there in the shadows, reminiscing over her words over and over again like a playlist in his head, seemingly unable to recover from the shock of Leah's words.
.....
Johanna was seated on a rocky chair, her gown slightly raised up.
Under her dress, between her thighs, was a maid servicing her sexually.
Johanna's eyes were tightly shut as she moaned softly, her chest heaving, her breath hitched. She ran her hand through the maid's tangled hair, then pressed her head forward closer to her thighs.
"Oh Lord! That's it, my little girl, ugh!
She muttered breathlessly, her hand slowly snaking to her swollen breast. She pressed her hand against the linen of her dress; she wanted to tear it off so badly.
But a sound reached her ears, faint at first.
Then it became rapid and louder. Johanna's eyes fluttered open. She pushed the maid away and jumped up to her feet.
"Hide…quickly."
She said, adjusting her dress and fixing her hair at the same time. She was wearing a blue robe…with long sleeves, made of silk and fur.
The double door to the chamber flung open with a loud bang, and William stormed in. Johanna snapped her head in the direction of the door… Retracting her gaze back, she saw that the maid who was pleasuring her a few seconds ago was innocently pouring her some wine.
"Have you no manners?"
Johanna's eyes grew icy as she turned her attention back to her son.
"I came here to ask some questions, and you will give me the answers."
His voice was dreadful, dangerously low…but commanding.
Johanna scoffed.
She took the cup of wine the maid handed over to her and then took her seat back on the wooden rocking chair beside the window in the chamber.
William inches closer, his shadow crawling on the walls as the candlelight in the room reflects on him.
"Leah was pregnant… was she not?"
He asked calmly.
Johanna smiled, clicking her index finger on the surface of the cup she was using to drink her wine.
"I never knew you both shared such a close relationship… She told you that?"
Johanna asked, arching her brows.
"I will do the questioning here!
William growled; he was trying so hard to respect this woman, but his instincts were screaming, Kill her already.
"Don't talk to me in that tone, William; I will not tolerate it."
Johanna's eyes grew cold.
William shut his eyes and then pinched the bridge of his nose; he didn't want to do something he would regret. He was trying to relax his nerves; so far nothing was working.
"You got rid of the baby…"
"No… I simply helped to straighten Leah's path." Johanna interrupted; she crossed her legs, then sipped from her wine.
Getting knocked up by that silly prince who has no intention of making her his wife—that would have been a shame too heavy to bear."
"Her shame! ...not yours. But either way, she could have lost her life in that process." He shot back.
"Nonsense! I made sure the grand maester brewed the tea perfectly; it was a risk to be taken, but it was worth it in the end."
Johanna said before gulping the last drop of wine in the cup.
William shook his head from side to side bitterly.
"You don't deserve to be called a mother; you lost that privilege a long time ago. But you hold on to the title like a shackle around your neck."
"Don't lecture me, William; I do my best to keep things in check."
Johanna said, then shot up to her feet; she placed the empty cup on a table with a thud, then turned to look at her son.
"You are the one disappointing me every single time; all I feel when I look at you is regret. I almost died when I labored to bring you into this world, all for what? Nothing!
Johanna shrilled, her neck lines stretching with veins as she talked.
William crossed both his hands behind his back elegantly. This way he won't be able to strangle his own mother to death.
"I stopped caring about what you think about me a long time ago." He said dryly.
"Then why are you here?" Johanna asked, scanning him from head to toe.
"To warn you." He said plainly,
"Try your luck."
Johanna mocked, turning away from him.
"You have made things easier for me; your hatred and selfish ambition makes me boil with nothing but disgust. I have no regards for you anymore; your whole existence no longer matters."
His words drilled holes in Johanna's heart. She was forced to pause in her tracks; stunned by his harsh words, she turned to look at him… And there it was.
The devilish glare of vengeance, hatred fueled and served hot.
"You can't simply be serious; can you hear yourself?" She said, still trying to take in all that he had just said.
"You said it yourself, you hate me and regret bringing me into this world. There is no better explanation to prove that you are only a mother by title; deep down you are empty."
"William…I…"
"Do not address me by name… You have also lost the right to do that."
He added bluntly, his voice cold. Johanna looked into her son's eyes and saw the flames of the candles reflecting in them, his gaze burning like wildfire about to consume her soul.
"You can say all you want; the blood in our veins always runs thicker, the evidence that you are my son."
She chipped in, and William gave her a twisted smile. Suddenly the smile on his face disappeared.
He took some steps forward, then snatched a knife stuck in a basket of fruit; turning around swiftly, he aimed it towards Johanna's direction.
His was so fast. Johanna didn't have time to process his actions. The knife flew in a straight line across the room and brushed past Johanna before hitting the wall behind her.
Johanna's face was pale with fright. She was rooted to the spot she stood, unable to move, too shocked to say a word.
She watched as William walked out of the room without saying a word; the sound of the door closing echoed in the silent chamber.
Johanna slowly regained her composure. She blinked a few times, her right hand slowly resting on her chest; she felt her spirit escape from her body when the knife brushed past her.
Just like that, her life had flashed before her very eyes. She turned around slowly before fixing her gaze on the knife still stuck on the wall.
"Where did he learn how to throw like that?"