Around 30 feet below them the Farryn was cascading towards the eastern sea. Only vestiges were left of a bridge that once led over the creek that separated them from a safe way home.

Eathel saw the snow covered plains in front of him, if only he could jump 40 feet. A few trees, mainly evergreens, dotted the landscape, even some promising close to the edge, facing them.

At least their platform was safe from the white and cold powder, an overhang protected it from the weather. If it was natural or man made he could not tell.

“Do you think they will find us here? I mean your father surely will have the entire castle in upheaval just looking for you.” said Edmure, he had studied their surroundings not finding a way down or across.

“But how will they know we are outside? I doubt they will circle the entire rock just to find us” answered Eathel.

“You are the lord's only heir and son, I do not think there is anything he would not do for your safety!”

“Maybe you are right, maybe not but how long will it take, will we endure so long? There has to be something we can do.”

Eathel sat there dangling his legs from the Ledge, fidgeting with the iron band he had pushed forth from under his sleeves, a gift he got from his father, his left arm was adorned by a bronzen copy he got from his mother.

“We could go in again, maybe find a different way to find back again.” Ed suggested, he was walking up and down not, he has not stood still since the early morning.The sun was nearing its zenith.

“How long is your rope?” asked Ed

“I did not know that's what you prefer.” answered Eathel “but the long one is around 30 feet. Why, do you want to catch fish? I am starving and I already feel weaker.”

“ Shut up, you knew what I meant,just give it to me, and no you know as well as me that we would not catch any fish with this” said Ed and he rolled his eyes.

Smiling at his own joke he did as asked and gave his friend the rope from his pack.

Edmure took it, searched for his own, which was basically the same length. He looped the ropes around each other tying a reever knot. afterward he bound his own sword to one end. “Eathel you are better at this, could you try to swing it around one of the trees?”

“Stop, I could lose your sword, let us rather free one of the door hinges and use that” after he said that, Eathel unhooked the door and then they hacked down at the dilapidated wood until it gave free a rather long and heavy copper hinge.

With their new device in hand Eathel said” Go inside so that I will not endanger you!”

He swung the rope a few times above his head, after Edmure was inside and secure. The rope flew, the hinge crashed against the rockface and plummeted down into the roaring stream.

Eathel was already prepared to stem against the pull, the shock still came but he could easily retrieve the hinge. His second try was better but still too short. He even managed to throw it in a way where it wrapped itself around a tree, but it could not withstand a pull so it dropped again.

Eathels spoke a short prayer, his muscles were in pain, his weak arms were heavy he threw full with desperation like a miracle it wrapped itself around an oak taller and thicker than any of the surrounding trees.

Finally!

He pulled and pulled but the rope would not loosen. After calling his friend to him, he said “I will hold the line while you climb over, leave anything unnecessary behind and call for help”

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“I can not leave you behind, what if anything happens while i am away, you are more important you should go and I will wait” said Ed to his friend.

“Ed you can not hold me, nor could you hold the rope, it has to be you who goes! Just lead them back here” Eathel said with a finality that left no room for discussion.

After resting for a while he stood up and bound the tight rope to the hook still hanging on the door jamb. He only did it as a last safety measure, so he took the still quite loose hanging rope and tightened it.

Meanwhile Edmure put all his possessions down he did not need, his sword, his jewelry, his firestarter and many other small things he carried.

“Now go!”

Edmur climbed onto the rope, he hung there face towards the sky and his legs crossed above the line. He pulled himself forwards with his arms, slowly yet steadily.

Eathel was straining to keep the rope tightened. Ed reached the middle Eathels vision started to fade, every vein in his head was pulsating, his arms were trembling, yet he still endured. Suddenly he tumbled forwards from the entrance, it was as if he fell asleep just for a moment, he was slowly regaining his senses.

Edmure fell just a few fingers mid swing disoriented he couldn't grab onto the rope, he was hanging with his face down looking at the river below him that could well become his watery tomb. He heard creaking back from the platform. To get into a safe position he swung back and forth and back and forth.

Eathels stood up, still reeling from his fall and his exhaustion. After a few moments he had a clear head again. As he took the rope back into his hands the door gave and the hook was ripped out amidst splinters, all bouncing off the again falling Eathels.

Just as Edmure managed to secure himself to the rope again he plummeted again but this time a lot longer.

The overwhelmed Eathel, still holding the rope, was sliding dangerously fast towards a wet grave. Just a few feet from the ledge he managed to grab onto a stone growing out of the platform. Suddenly stopping his left shoulder dislocated and a moment after his right one did the same. Eathels screamed with the fury of the ancients themself.

Edmure fell at least 3 feet, full of fear he could not contain himself; his Pants were soiled on both sides. He took many deep breaths before he could calm down and his heart finally stopped trying to escape his chest. He thanked his forefathers. Eathels scream did not escape Edmure, he was sure that now the castle guard knew where they had to search. He began rapidly climbing the rope which now had a noticeable

upwards slope he had to conquer.

Eathel took deep breaths trying to focus on just holding, so that his friend won't fall holding out to be rescued. He inhaled steadily, in and out, in and out fading out the sounds around him, the pain of his muscles disappeared slowly and then even slower his shoulders stopped to hurt his fear his exhaustion left, he felt something in his breast expanding trying to break through but it still hit a wall, it commanded for him to go back into the rock back into the belly of the Last but he could not go he had to be there for Edmure, nothing was more important, then there was only black.

His friend was living through a similar near awakening, only that he stayed awake came closer to the oak pull for pull finally on the ledge he pulled himself up, free to get help he turned around.

“Eathel I made it!” Ed's eyes widened, tears started to form and he saw his friend lying motionless. “Eathel answer me!” The boy lying opposite from him still did not answer, the only reason Edmure knew that his friend still lived was that he could faintly notice Eathels breath heaving up and down.

Shit

Ed looked towards the keep seeing that he was roughly opposite from the bridge crossing the Farryn. It was the only way onto the island on which the castle stood.

Not knowing what else to do he ran through the snow, it was only a few fingers high, sure an annoyance but not a to big disadvantage, he ran for leagues and leagues only his friends body lying not moving and with rope still in hand so close to the ledge, Ed feared a gust of wind could be the end of his friend.

The sun was now a quarter between midday and dusk, and Ed still ran, trees, bushes outcrops all left only impressions.

Finally the stagbridge was named for four massive statues of stags guarding the bridge all made from huge pieces of stone. Not paying any mind to them Edmure crossed and made his way uphill to the entrance of the Last.

He reached the huge gate made out of oak, studded with large bands of Bronze. Just as it opened the energy boost Edmure received on the rope gave out, he collapsed in front of the emerging guards.

“My lord, My lord” the guard opened Eathelred's chamber doors without being asked in. “Edmure has just awoken”