Stormbringer | Jon Snow

Chapter 3

The King's anger could not be abated.

Melyse had never felt so similar to Stannis. He'd always been so distant, physically or emotionally or both, and it was hard to believe they shared any blood. But in the first week after the attack on the Blackwater went so astray, it was as if they shared one mind split between two bodies.

Ser Davos had been rescued by one of Salladhor's ships, arriving scabbed, dirty, and starved. Melyse had rushed to him, Arusha even willing to wet her little paws in the sea as they went to his tender boat and helped him onto the beach. With a small and weak shake of his head at her question about his sons, Dale, Allard, Matthos, Maric, she knew it was over. The wildfire had gotten them.

While Stannis raged with Melisandre– Devan claimed he almost choked her to death for their failure– Melyse raged with blades. She'd already broken two of the spears from the armory beating into the cliffs at the beach, screaming in fury as Arusha curled up mournfully, the two knowing Matthos was never coming back.

She wondered if he'd thought of the Lord of Light in that moment, if he'd found consolation in that death or if he'd wavered in his faith at the end. She wondered if he'd been thinking of her, his closest friend, as she'd been thinking of him. She wondered if it would have been better to stop being afraid of what she'd felt, to take their closeness as far as possible. And yet, she wondered selfishly if it was better this way, if it hurt her less now– no matter how painful– because they'd never been more than friends.

Yet, who was she kidding? He'd still been the one she went to in every moment of happiness and despair. He'd still been the one that brought her the greatest comfort aside from her young fox. He'd still been what made her feel whole, and now he was gone.

"You haven't touched the soup."

She glanced at Shireen, who'd finished her bowl by then. Even Arusha was gnawing gladly at a bone, bright eyes turned to Melyse as her food lay undisturbed. "I realized I'm not hungry," she admitted. "You can have it, if you'd like."

"You need to eat even if you don't feel hungry," counseled Shireen. "Lest you waste away."

She forced herself to have a spoonful, but it made her wish she hadn't. It only brought a desire to hurl. "Our great-uncle is Hand now," said Shireen, trying to cheer her up. "My mother has given him the King's seal to speak in my father's name. He's kind. He spoke to me today."

"Alester is kind," agreed Melyse. He'd never made a fuss about her, nor had his son Alekyne. The one who'd minded was her grandfather, Ryam. He made a fuss and he made the other Florents hate her.

Brightwater Keep wasn't even going to be anymore. It was said already that the Tyrells had named the Florents traitors and would be snatching it away. The knight who'd ridden to battle in Renly's armor to seem a 'ghost' was Ser Garlan Tyrell, and he now marched to take it from her great-uncle Colin, who served as castellan. His son Omer was a maester at the Citadel, his son Merrell a squire in the Arbor, and his daughter Delena wed into House Norcross.

Colin Florent was utterly alone and Stannis had no aid to send. Doubtless, he'd be dead soon. She wondered if they'd give lordship to someone from House Tarly; Randyll Tarly had wed Alester's daughter Melessa, and they had two sons and three daughters. Perhaps one of the boys would be given command of Brightwater Keep, for every other male with the Florent name was wanted for treason.

Her response wasn't enough for Shireen, who prompted, "I'm sorry about Matthos. He was very kind. Devan is very sad... I gave him a book and I hope it will keep him company."

The innocence of her little mind; Melyse could not let her anger out here, not in Shireen's presence. She knew her cousin was too young to understand loss, to understand the disappointment that Melyse felt. She told her only, "Thank you for your kindness, Shireen. You are a bright light in this world, and we are all the better for it. I look forward to seeing how the kingdoms will shine when you are Queen."