Loras Tyrell (age 16), District 3

Day 1

We walk for hours. I'm afraid Ren can hardly walk now. It gets dark. He's shaking from the cold and fuck it, so am I.

"Should we stop?" I ask softly. My voice sounds hoarse even to my ears. He tries to smile and shakes his head.

"No. I'm okay. We have to find shelter."

I nod and pull my coat tighter around us. "We're almost there, love. Just hold on a little longer, okay? Soon we'll both be warm.."

"I can't wait." he mumbles. I smile a little.

Suddenly I see something. It started to snow a little while back, and I'm cold and tired and kind of worried, damn it. It could just be my mind playing tricks on me.

"Do you see that, Loras?" Renly whispers at my side. "Like a light. A-a fire."

Realization dawns on me. It's another tribute. I grip my sword tighter.

"Stay here." I say flatly, and he bites his lip but he nods. I creep up closer to the light. I know by now it's a fire but I can't see the people.

"Loras!" Renly hisses suddenly. "What if it's more than one per--?!"

"Stay there." I command again. He falls silent.

I creep forward again. And then I see him. It's just a boy. A little kid. I don't recognize him, but before I know what I'm doing I grab him by the collar of his shirt.

He's skinny, red hair. He has a tarp wrapped around his shoulder and I guess a box of matches but that's it. And he's a child--younger than me, maybe thirteen. Maybe even twelve.

His eyes widen and then dim. "Do it." He whispers weakly. "Please, make it fast."

I nod. I'm not a sadist. "I'm sorry, kid," I say. And then I cleanly slit his throat.

Only when the cannon fires do I realize I killed my first person.

"Loras!" Renly rushes to where I am. "Are you all right? Love?"

I wrap my arms around him and hold him close. I still have him at least. I'm not letting him go so easily. I pull away and kiss him. He tastes gentle and cool. That reminds me.

I take the tarp and wrap it around his shoulders. "It's not much..."

"It's better than nothing." he says firmly, and smiles. He picks up the matches and puts them in his pocket. "For the Castle."

I shudder at the little boy's body. When I look at the Castle again, it's closer than I realized. We can make it before the day ends.