Chapter 70: Free Folk

"Okay, I'm coming out!" Rhaegar decided to be honest after thinking it over.

With a sigh of relief, he stowed the dagger back in his bracelet and emerged from the cave, hands raised in surrender.

As soon as he stepped out into the open, Rhaegar saw a bow aimed at him. He instinctively took a half-step back.

"A child?" The archer, a young girl in a leather skirt and cloak, looked at Rhaegar with a hint of suspicion.

Rhaegar's heart sank when he saw her attire. It was clear that she came from a different world than he did.

The girl kept her weapon ready but approached carefully, asking, "Is anyone else in there? Come out now!"

Rhaegar stood frozen in place as he said, "There's no need to shout. I'm alone."

"Nonsense! How could a child like you navigate the swampy jungle?" The girl scoffed and looked him over closely.

At that moment, Rhaegar realized she was judging him by his clothes, assuming he was the son of a noble.

Rhaegar was quiet for a moment, then asked, "Are... you from the free folk?"

He chose his words carefully, trying to avoid using the term "savage." The Maester called the free folk "savages," which was a term for people who were seen as disobedient and uncouth.

The girl in the leather skirt didn't look at him, her attention focused on the cave entrance.

Behind her, two boys came out, dressed in animal skins and carrying bone axes and shovels.

One of them grabbed Rhaegar pretty firmly, which made him uncomfortable. "Easy there, no need to be rough," he said, but they didn't listen.

One of the boys, about ten years old, seemed a bit on the frail side, while the other, taller and stronger, had a darker complexion.

They didn't pay any attention to Rhaegar, completely focused on watching the girl in the leather skirt.

As it turned out, Rhaegar was right. The girl walked to the front of the cave and shot an arrow that whizzed past her and embedded itself in the rocky wall.

When she scanned the empty cave, there was no sign of anyone hiding, not even a mouse.

The tension eased, and the girl in the leather skirt took a deep breath of relief as she got her bow and signaled her brother to bring Rhaegar inside.

The skinny boy tied Rhaegar with twine and put him in a dusty corner, prompting Rhaegar to squirm away from the cobwebs in disgust.

The girl approached him and grabbed his chin, her tone a bit intimidating. "Who are you? What house do you belong to? And where is your lord?"

Rhaegar winced at the pinch, but met her gaze defiantly.

The girl tightened her grip, her threats clear.

But as they locked eyes, Rhaegar found himself feeling braver.

He looked at the girl—her brown curls, high nose, and confident demeanor—but none of it mattered to him.

What caught his attention were her wheat-colored skin and the blood blisters on her knuckles.

Rhaegar's eyes lit up as he spoke, "You're not one of the free folk, are you?"

The young girl's demeanor shifted slightly, her tone becoming somewhat colder. "I'm the one asking questions here. Get to the point."

"This is your brother. Neither of you are from the free folk."

The change in the girl's attitude confirmed Rhaegar's suspicions.

Rhaegar met her skeptical gaze and continued, "A child raised in the wild wouldn't have such smooth skin, let alone a frail one like your brother."

Rhaegar looked the skinny child over carefully and noticed something was wrong. A skinny kid with poor health doesn't match the image of a child raised in the wild.

The girl's expression turned sour as she let go of Rhaegar's chin and spoke in an indifferent tone. "So what? Clever words won't save you."

"Tell me where you're from, or I'll have to take further action."

"No, please! I'm only six years old. You can't hurt a child," Rhaegar said, suggesting, "Untie me, let's talk. Maybe I can help."

Insisting, he added, "I know some skilled healers who can help your brother."

"He's not sick!" The girl shot back, prompting Rhaegar to doubt her. "His pale face suggests otherwise," he countered.

"That's enough!" If you don't stop, I'll have to take action! The girl threatened, raising her fist.

Rhaegar sighed and decided to be honest. He didn't want to go through any more pain.

Given Rhaegar's frail appearance, the young girl hesitated before deciding to untie his grass rope.

"He might be a noble child..." the skinny boy murmured. "Nonsense! Look at his clothes; he's definitely from a noble family," the stout boy interjected.

Silenced, the skinny boy retreated resentfully, crouching to the side.

The young girl shot a stern look at the stout boy. "Teson, go fetch Uncle Falcon and the others. Tormund and I will question him," Tormund said.

"But..." Teson hesitated, but met with the girl's determined gaze, he reluctantly scurried out of the cave.

With one less person around, the young girl's demeanor softened, and she introduced herself, "I'm Skylar, and this is my brother Tormund. We're from the Hawk tribe."

"What's your last name?" Rhaegar asked.

"We don't have one. We're bastards, hated by men and dogs alike," Skylar replied, clearly upset about her origins.

Rhaegar was taken aback by her frankness. He considered the possibility of such a child being accepted in her community.

Skylar continued, "Who are you? Why are you the only one in the cave? And what's with all the blood and dung outside?"

Rhaegar was reluctant to reveal his true identity. If he told a reasonable person who he was, they might try to hold him to ransom. He wasn't sure what Skylar's intentions were, given her dislike of her own birth.

Sensing his unease, Skylar reassured him, "Don't worry, we won't hurt you. Our tribe takes care of children and women."

Relieved, Rhaegar introduced himself, "I'm Rhaegar, son of King Viserys Targaryen. I was traveling the continent riding my dragon."

Although there was some truth to it, Rhaegar was trying to show his origins and give the siblings a heads-up.

"Targaryen! So, you're a prince?" Skylar was quick to respond, while Tormund was eager to know, "Where's your dragon?"

Rhaegar remained calm and insisted, "Let's take it one step at a time. Yes, I am a prince. My silver hair and purple eyes are symbols of the Targaryen House."

Rhaegar was hoping the siblings wouldn't act rashly, to make sure he was safe.

Before him stood the siblings, their expressions a mix of anxiety and anticipation. They were still enjoying the consequences of their audacious feat. Capturing a Targaryen was definitely an unexpected turn of events for them.

(Word count: 1131)