#arc iv.

this is a canon divergent verse, set during eleanor’s life at the ages of eighteen to nineteen.  this period is set mostly outside of her hometown of redwater and is flexible to most settings and character interactions.

as the symptoms of her illness worsen, eleanor starts to remember the events of her disappearance in fragments.  she slowly begins to realize that she is not the same eleanor that entered the woods, but is instead a host body to a parasite ("the changeling).  she comes to the conclusion that the parasite has been feeding off the others around her as well and draining their energy, explaining her mother's illness and father's hostility as well. eleanor has a violent confrontation with her father, where she expresses her long repressed resentment, presumably killing him.  

eleanor returns to the forest where it all started and decides it’s time to leave her old self behind.  she sets a fire before departing, effectively killing her old self and the child within her. she becomes fully merged with the changeling.

with little resources on hand, eleanor takes to hitchhiking as her main form of transportation and pickpockets her way through the state. she stops using referring to herself as eleanor ainsworth, but has yet to find a new name that fits just right.

hurriedly did the young lady walk through the corridors of dragonstone in an attempt to locate her master, as one hand clutched a letter, a summons, a demand. it was outrageous; it was not to be borne. the sheer audacity to order her around after eight years of barely any contact, any sort of correspondence.

ever since her grandfather had arranged this position as lady-in-waiting and sent his young granddaughter on her way, there'd been rarely a day where the baratheon had not been near the one she served. boremund baratheon had instilled in her that the crown princess would be her master henceforth, to learn from her and, most important of all, to serve her with the utmost loyalty. floris had done as commanded. but a girl of ten and two when entering the princess' service, sweet but ever so determined to become a most faithful and useful companion. she liked to think she had succeeded by now in the eight years since her arrival.

it could be hidden. easily could this letter be tossed into a fire, made into kindling to warm a room. but without response, more would come. and who knew? her lord father could have been clever enough to not only send word to her but to her lady as well. no, best to be upfront, to share the news and to avoid misunderstandings lest it lead to being relieved of all duties it was frightening to think of such a thing happening, for it would mean failure. failure to do her duty and to keep her word to her deceased grandfather.