The World of Ice and Fire

The winds in Westeros were welcoming the mirth of summer as birds chirped and animals hopped around the lush green forests of the continent. The North, too, experienced this ever-growing temperature as the permafrost thawed, allowing for some warmth to seep into the Icy walls of Winterfell. The people of the castle woke up this morning feeling a sudden rush of energy as they toiled away, preparing for the Lords of Winter to awake.

In the corner near the entrance to the renowned crypts sat a little boy barely of 10 playing in the dirt, drawing whatever abstract idea ignited his fantasy. He had found his world in these small piles of dirt that he used to give form to his creations often. Today he had drawn the mighty three-headed dragon and the fire it released to declare that the blood of Valyria still reigned as Lords over the world as they had now reigned as Kings of Westeros.

The Realm was celebrating the birth of its new prince Daemon Targaryen on this 81st Year of Aegon's Conquest; King Jaehaerys I has maintained his peaceful reign for over 40 years now and brought an unprecedented time of peace and prosperity to the continent. It is in celebration of both these events that all the great lords of the realm were throwing a feast in the name of their King. Winterfell was bustling with activity in preparation for this nightly feast.

"Have you heard the young princeling has ash-white hair and deep violet eyes, they say he been the most handsome and cute-looking boy the realm over.", said one of the handmaidens.

"Yes, and I also hear that the young prince Viserys has doted over the infant since he laid on him. For the past three days, he has been sleeping near the young prince's cradle refusing to leave the newborn alone. He will be a very doting brother."

As the handmaidens continued to gossip, the boy who drew on the ground kept on listening, he had always been the silent type, never to speak too much lest he offends someone and be punished for it.

"Boy!!! What in the seven hells do you think you're doing playing in the dirt when I commanded you to go fetch some water for me." came the bellowing voice of the stable master as he came looking for the young child. With a sudden jolt on his entire body, the boy shakily stood up from his post near the crypt and looked at the towering figure of the stable master approaching him.

"I...I'm sorry, uncle I'll do-do it now."

The stable master only grunted at his response, at which he whimpered away towards the well to fetch the water commanded of him. As he rushed past the crowd towards the well, he noticed all the people hard at work some working while caring for their children while others being assisted by their progeny. A sense of sadness adorned the face of the boy, for today, again, he was confronted by the truth of being all alone in the world.

On reaching the well, he marshalled his strength forgetting his sorrow to fill the entire bucket of water to the brim. He then proceeded to drag the entire bucket back to the stables a task which took a significant toll on his malnourished body. His black hair was roiling with sweat, which continued to flow from his forehead to his aquiline nose, past his deep brown eyes to the tip of his gaunt face, and falling into the bucket.

He made his way to the stable and saw the stable master using the brush to clean the horses. He laid eyes on these majestic creatures and became lost in their beauty. He wished he could ride them one day and feel the wind hitting his face as he imagined what a scenery that would be.

"The idiot finally makes it. Lo and behold! The water in the bucket is almost half empty. One task you had to do but even that, you failed spectacularly.", the stable master shouted and then proceeded to slap the boy hard enough for the boy to stagger. The child could not take more of this, but he stopped the tears that welled. He knew crying would only increase his misery, for he had walked this path before and ended up right where he was now.

He slowly handed over the bucket to the stable master in the condition that it was. As he stood there waiting for more punishment to come, he realised that nothing seemed to be coming his way to hurt him. The boy opened his eyes and watched as the stable master walked away, leaving him alone in the filth-ridden stables. He, too, then ran away to avoid any more attention being drawn on him.

As the boy was running, he began to hear voices, "Ugh, what the hell is this place! Where the fuck am I!"

The boy suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, and he cautiously looked around to see if there was any unknown presence around him. As he contemplated what was happening, he failed to see wisps of white floating around his head.

...

In the darkness

Damian awoke in a very dark and desolate space with little memory of his arrival there; stranger even was the fact that he seemed incorporeal to himself in this strange environment.

"Am I dreaming, or is this a really advanced version of VR?!"

He began to ponder as he looked around to see whether he could initiate contact with something or somebody in this open space. As he looked around, Damian began to realise that this location was either a very huge dark space or something entirely beyond his wildest imagination. Damian shouted, cried, whispered, and whimpered as reality began to dawn upon him. He was all alone; nobody would deign to respond to his sorrow, nor would it be addressed, he remembered his life, his parents, his brother and his love, the one he had fought, cried, laughed and shared all his joys with.

His situation was something he could not fully grasp, thus keeping him in inaction as he continued to delve deeper into his misery, hoping to see his loved ones, expecting his love to pull him out of this desolation. He longed to be in her arms, beg for forgiveness, find his own and be at peace with the one he was now sure was lost to him as he was transported to this void.

"If only I'd been a little more thoughtful before running away from her" as Damian remembered his last memory, it all suddenly came back to him. When he had left his house after their fight he had been hit with extreme pain in his head, absolutely disorienting him leading to his vehicle flipping over. The next thing he awoke to was the void.

"Noooooo, this can't be true I can't be dead, I have so much to say so much to do so much to live for" again, Damian broke into sobs and heaved as what could only be described as ages passed away. When he finally had a moment of reprieve, a huge hand of light appeared before him which on closer inspection was entirely made of fire. It grabbed onto Damian's incorporeal form and pulled him into the great darkness.