I looked up at my father, still slumped in his throne as though his bones could not hold the weight of his grief. He moved ever so slightly to look at his mother, who sat with the members of the Small Council next to the throne. She rose and gracefully descended the dais to observe me. Cersei sidestepped Shireen's grotesque head that still lay on the floor. She held my chin in her hand and slowly turned my head, trying to recognize the boy behind the blood.
"It's him, Your Grace, the Prince has returned," her voice was steady and I could not read her emotions. I saw my father's exterior crack apart as he slowly rose from the Iron Throne that seemed to dwarf his now frail frame. He stumbled so many times and I feared that his bones were too weak to support him. Two Kingsguard rushed to his side, but he pushed him away.
"Let me see my son," he croaked. "Let me see Eyan."
It took all I had to fight the emotions that came flooding down upon me. I stepped forward so he wouldn't have to walk so far. "Father, I'm so sorry. I should never have left you when you needed me the most. Can you ever forgive your undeserving son?" I fell to my knees. I had been holding in this anger for so long and now I had my justice: I had killed the woman who murdered my mom before my eyes. But it did not feel the way that I thought that it would.
I felt ashamed. Ashamed for abandoning my family when they needed me. Ashamed for causing so much grief. Suddenly I felt arms wrap around me. King Joffrey had fallen to his knees next to me and embraced his long lost son. His shoulders heaved as though he were crying. "I forgive you, my son," he cried. "I forgive you."
I didn't want to let go. Despite all his faults, I loved my father. I gently pulled away and gestured to the head in the floor. "I ran away to track down the person that killed Mother. There she is, Shireen Baratheon, your cousin."
Just then Jaime and Tyrion burst in, followed by Arya. "The battle is won," Tyrion announced. "After Eyan killed Shireen, her troops retreated. The captain of her guard told me they were all returning to their families."
"Excuse me, who is the girl?" Cersei spoke up.
I looked at Arya to speak for herself, knowing she hates being spoken for. She bowed, but I knew her eyes were full of hate. "A friend of the Prince, Your Grace."
Lord Varys noticed the tension and spoke up, "Our runaway Prince is exhausted. Why don't we discuss the line of succession after he's been allowed to rest and eat?" The plump man rose and motioned for two Kingsguard to escort me to my old chambers. As they led me away I looked for Arya, but she had already slipped out undetected.
