Catelyn’s Cause

Catelyn Stark "Game of Thrones"

Catelyn Stark meets with the lead character of the Gastar novellas.

A tall wingless demon stood outside of Shevata’s hideout in Hell; a comfortable apartment with gilded velvet furniture.  A desk stood in the middle for some bookkeeping and the few rejections Zermon had her review before exiling souls from eternal doom.  “She’s waiting inside.”  Shevata rolled her eyes.  “Stay outside.”

A lovely woman with long auburn hair sat at her desk, and stood when Shevata entered.  “I am Lady Catelyn Stark.”

Shevata sat across from her at the desk.  “Please sit, Catelyn.  We’re not highborn or baseborn here.  I am Shevata.”  The woman nodded respectfully and sat.  “You have no business here.  Anyone making a mad journey to Hell risks his or her soul.  What do you want of me?”

“I lost my whole family.  Why can’t I seek revenge?”

Shevata sat back.  “I know what happened.  Your husband, Eddard, was a good man as was your son Robb.  One underestimated the Lannisters, and the other was betrayed by his bannermen.  How can I help?”

“You have the power to kill.  I want those that destroyed my family to be destroyed.”

“In Hell, we get them all.  Believe me, the fire pits of Hell destroy like nothing else.”

“That isn’t enough!  I want them to feel the pain!  I want them to feel loss!  I want them to know what I lost!”  Tears welled up in her eyes. 

“If Zermon and I went to Westeros to put to torture and death every person that wronged another, we might as well allow what he wanted in my home city and create an extension of Hell itself.”

“You know a great wrong has been committed against my family!”

Shevata nodded.  “Yes, I know but I can’t give you what you want.”

“You’re an assassin!”

“Yes, an assassin.  Meaning, I kill individuals for specific reasons.  As tempting as it is, I’m sorry, I cannot take up your cause.”

Catelyn did not back down.  “Why not?  I can give you the names so why can’t you kill them like you do in your world?”

“I can’t spare your world from Zermon.  If I’m involved, he’s involved.  There’s enough Hell in Westeros already.  I won’t let him make it worse.”

She calmed herself in disappointment.  “You’re just like the rest of them, just as uncaring, and without honor!”

“Honor?  Of course there’s no honor here.  We’re not noble families with houses and sigils.  We’re below what you would call ‘baseborn.’”  I was born not just a slave but also a slave soldier.  Don’t tell me about honor.”

Catelyn nodded with respect.  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

Shevata leaned towards her.  “If you want revenge for your family then you must take it on your terms, not in Hell. This is not a war zone for feuding families.”

“What would you do then?”

Shevata thought for a moment.  “Go back.  Think backwards carefully.  Don’t stop.”