keep burning | darkstar & melisandre
The last rays of the sun had disappeared behind the horizon in the far west, leaving only a trace of golden and pink colors streaked across the darkening sky. The horizon on the east was already an inky blue and speckled with stars, slowly creeping forward to cover any light left from the sun. With the descending sun came the sounds of the night. Crickets nearby had begun to chirp while critters of the forest chattered. A few bats chirped as they rustled in the tree leaves that had kept them hidden throughout the day.
Most travelers did not venture this far off the road so he did not encounter anyone else other than the animals that would run from him whenever he approached. The dark, elegant mare followed close by his side, not even needing to be led by her reins. She snorted in irritation every few minutes, as though she was trying to remind him that it was past time for them to stop their trek. Her most recent snort was ever louder as she lightly bumped into his side. He reached up and patted her neck, a smirk appearing on his lips. "We will stop soon, I promise," he murmured to her while continuing through the leaf-covered forest. The mare snorted once more but kept pace with him, not even seeming bothered by the two packs that were loaded up on each side of her.
The further north he had gone, the more fascinating the terrain had gotten. He had spent most of his time in Dorne recently and hadn't gotten a chance to visit any other parts of Westeros. The smell of earth and the dew on the leaves was foreign to what he was used to, yet quite pleasant. He liked the bite of cold in the air that remained throughout the day; although it couldn't be considered just quite cold yet, it was much cooler than what he was used to in the Dornish lands. A heavy black cloak swung from his shoulders, covering the purple and black cloth of his tunic beneath. He was thankful he had the sense to have kept his heavier clothing even though the weather in Dorne never called for them.
The silver-haired traveler and the ebony mare continued their trek in silence for a while until the trees had started to grow more sparse. Up ahead, he spotted a large clearing opening up, indicating the edge of the forest. Night had fully fallen so it made it more difficult for him to see what was up ahead, but for one thing he was certain that he could see...fire. The tall, bright flames danced in the distance as the smell of the burning wood hit his nostrils. He could not tell if it was a camp or just a lone traveler, but he could see a figure moving near the fire. He had paused for a moment to observe what was happening but the mare soon snorted in irritation again and strode forward, brushing past him. With a roll of his eyes, he followed after her quickly to catch up and took a hold of her reins.
"You're the most impatient female I know." He side-glanced at the horse who whinnied in response, tossing her head. There were times where he was certain she understood him. Although the whinny was sure to have brought attention to him, it did not matter. His free hand was already resting on the pommel of his sword that hung against his hip as he continued to stride forward confidently. He tilted his chin up, letting the cool night breeze tousle his silver and ebony locks. As he came closer and closer towards the flames, he called out, "I do not think camp fires are meant to burn so high." A smug smirk tugged at his lips, his deep purple eyes slowly adjusting to the brightness of the light from the flames.
