"The Wolf, the Stag and the Snake" book 1

Chapter 2

CASSANDRA

There was not a time in which Cassandra Baratheon was eager to come back to King's Landing, especially during the celebration of the name day of her insupportable, spoiled little brother Joffrey. Every year, a great tourney was to take place, in which many knights would fight to honor their future king. And Cassandra had made her purpose to not arrive on time.

Cassandra Baratheon was the eldest daughter of King Robert Baratheon and Queen Cersei Lannister, who ruled Westeros from the mountains of Dorne in the South to the cold Wall in the North, where Cassie spent most days of her life.

Cassandra Baratheon wasn't only a princess but also one of what was historically called a Keeper of Light. Or for the most superstitious, like her mother, a Black-Eyed Witch, because of the color of their eyes, orbits, and pupils at the moment of their birth. M

aester Pycelle, who was supposed to be the wiser man in the Capital, said that it was to show their very soul, black and empty.

The Keepers of Light had a terrible power that must have been constantly taken under control by handling their emotions. With just a touch, they could subjugate the unfortunate who ended up as the Keeper's slave. They were considered the living form of stories for children. They were the last people who used some kind of ancient magic. They were the last living magic beings, but many things about their powers were still unknown, and many legends were told about them. The Citadel was doing many studies on Keepers of Light.

Keepers of Light were only girls, and it wasn't possible to predict their birth; it just happened, especially during the Summer. During Winter, not even a Keeper was ever born.

After the Conquest, the Targaryen decided to conduct an annual census to take every Keeper and send them to the Wall to help the Night's Watch to protect the realm. They said it was to have better protection, but Cassie knew that it was just to have them under control. Targaryens were cowards, after all.

That was the reason why the princess didn't live in King's Landing. Not that she had ever complained about that. Her traveling forced her not to spend a lot of time with her family and the nasty people of the capital.

When Cassandra made her entrance in King's Landing, wearing her pitched black dress on the back of her horse, nothing was different. She looked around as she rode; the crowned stag on a golden field was shown hanging on many windows.

The sigil of her House.

The people turned to her as she passed, stopping what they were doing to bow their heads at the princess. Some would smile at her, and some would say her name. Children would wave at her or observe with curious yet fearful gaze. Some others would fix their gaze on Cassie's hand, her right hand, where the mark of the Keepers of Light was showing. Visible and unmistakable.

Cassandra rode from the poorest part of the city, Flea Bottom, to the reacher parts, where the stones became redder and redder under the light of the sun.

The Red Keep was enormous. It was a fitting castle for a King. Or so everyone said.

The more she got closer to the Red Keep, the more man of Lannister could be seen, as well as the roaring golden lion shown on the banner of Cassie's mother's House. It was almost impossible to see the stag anymore.

"Look who came riding from the North." The voice of her uncle made her turn, looking down from her horse. "Late as usual."

Cassandra heard the voice of Ser Jamie Lannister, the queen's twin brother and a Knight of the Kingsguard. He was known to be as skilled with his sword as he was beautiful. And he really was, with his lucent golden hair and bright green eyes. Cassie didn't like to look at him for more than it was necessary, feeling like her mother was staring back at her and talking to her.