Shireen was playing with her stag figurine on top of her book on the table that Davos had carved for her, next to a fire. She had said goodbye to Davos as her father had sent him away on a mission. Stannis enters the tent.
She smiled and asked, “Father. Aren’t you cold?”
Stannis replied, “No. What are you reading?”
Shireen answered, “The Dance of Dragons.”
He asks, “What’s it about?”
She told him excitedly, “It’s the story of the fight between Rhaenyra Targaryen and her half-brother Aegon for control of the Seven Kingdoms. Both of them thought they belonged on the Iron Throne. When people started declaring for one of them or the other, their fight divided the kingdom in two. Brothers fought brothers. Dragons fought dragons. By the time it was over, thousands were dead. And it was a disaster for the Targaryens as well. They never truly recovered.”
He asks, “The dance of dragons? Why is that a dance?”
She shrugged and said, “That’s just what they call it.”
Stannis said, “Doesn’t make much sense.”
Shireen said smiling, “I think it’s poetic.”
He asks, “If you had to choose between Rhaenyra and Aegon, who would you have chosen?”
She stated, “I wouldn’t have chosen either. It’s all the choosing sides that made things so horrible.”
He said frowning, “Sometimes a person has to choose. Sometimes the world forces his hand. If a man knows what he is and remains true to himself, the choice is not a choice at all. He must fulfill his destiny and become who he is meant to be. However much he may hate it.”
She said with empathy, “It’s alright, father.”
Stannis said looking at her, “You don’t even know what I’m talking about.”
Shireen smiled and said, “It doesn’t matter. I want to help you. Is there any way I can help?”
He said frowning, “Yes there is.”
She said sweetly, “Good, I want to. I’m the Princess Shireen of House Baratheon and I’m your daughter.” They hug.
Stannis said sadly, “Forgive me.” He gets up and calls the guards. She is flanked by guards as she walks towards a pyre not knowing why, clutching the stag Davos gave her. When she arrives close enough at the pyre Melisandre steps to the front of her.
Shireen, not liking her, demands, “Where’s my father? I want to see my father.” She got scared feeling what was to come next.
Melisandre looked at her and said emotionlessly, “It will all be over soon, Princess.” Shireen got scared then and knew what Melisandre was going to do to her and tried to run. The men dragged her to the pyre and tied her up to the stake log. Aldarra sees what is about to happen to the little girl and looks for a place to land.
Shireen yells panicking, “Where’s my father?! No you can’t do this, father, where are you?!” Stannis just stands there like a coward and watches on from the crowd.
Shireen shouts begging, “Let me see my father! Where are you, please?!”
Selyse said to Stannis standing next to him, “It’s what the Lord wants. It’s a good thing. A great thing.” Convincing herself to let it happen.
Melisandre said in a dramatic testament, “The year is now, my Lord. For you we offer up this girl, that you may cleanse her with your fire and that its light may lead our way.” Shireen is crying and terrified.
YOU ARE READING
Game Of Thrones:Lady Blackthorne
FanfictionBy a matter of fate, a woman is captured in the woods from a dead house from the Westerlands at High Heart before the retreat to Harrenhal. Tywin Lannister decides to intervene in her life because she could interfere with the confiscation of the lan...
