Song of Ice and Fire

Chapter Twenty-One

"I love you." I whisper over and over again. Tears are streaming down my face, dropping on his paling face. "Please, Lucas... I... I love you."

"Who knew that for..." he coughs blood and smiles again. "To say... these... words... I just...n-needed to die."

"Don't... don't say that." I whisper and kiss him urgently. "You aren't dying. You... you will live."

"No..." He whispers and gives me another small smile. "I... I am dying... who knew that our first...'I love you' would be last?" He whispers and looks away from me at the skies. "I... I love you..." he whispers and his gaze stops at me, forever turning into glass.

"Have you heard anything from Theon?" I ask Robb again and he shakes his head, annoyed. In the end I decided to stay... I don't know why, but I know I have to be here.

"He wouldn't even have arrived, yet." Robb tells me annoyed and I nod. "I have an idea, you won't like." I turn at him. "But I need you to do it... for me." I nod one more time. "I want you to go and meet Renly Baratheon... with mother."

***

"Sometimes we will have to do things we don't like." The voice whispers in my head again. I turn back and stare at him. His red eyes are sparkling in the dark.

"What... how?" I manage to choke the words out.

"You, my child..." he says in ancient voice and looks dead in my eyes. "You have great destiny... and powers... use them and save them, all."

"You are going to fight him?" I ask Renly as I enter his tent. He is getting ready to meet his elder brother, and then fight. He looks at me and nods. His usual smile resting on his lips. "He is your brother." I whisper again and this stops him.

"So, what?" He asks me again. "Anyways, why aren't you with your mother?"

"Decided to tug alone with you." I shrug my shoulders. "Anyways, why are you doing this?" He looks at me and hesitates to answer. "Is this for power? Throne? Crown?"

"Maybe all?" He tells me and I shake my head.

"Take his offer and side him." I whisper in a low voice again. He looks at me as if I have two heads. "He is your brother, Renly... you can't kill him." I whisper and look down.

"Bianca..." He starts in bored voice. "We have been friends when we were little. You were kind to me when I came in Winterfell... but we no longer are friends."

"Sure... you are right." I whisper and leave his tent.

***

"Long time no see, lady Bianca." Stannis greets me and smiles at me. I bow at him as well and look away. He knows the truth... I can see it in his eyes. "I have wondered why Robb Stark became the lord." He starts and I snap my eyes at him.

"What do you mean?" Renly asks and looks at me and then at Catelyn.

"The true heir is Lady Bianca." Stannis says with a large smile. "She is the only daughter of Lord Brandon." The words start echoing in my head. "Lady Catelyn... threw her away... after Robb was born but when she came back... she lied for Robb's sake."

***

"Can I come in?" I whisper and look inside the tent. Renly is standing in the middle with my mother and his knight Brienne.

"I am sorry." Renly whispers and surprises everyone in there. I look up at him, confused. "Sorry for what I said earlier today..." he whispers, but I don't listen to him. I watch the shadow behind him.

"No!" I yell and jump on him, while sharp pain goes in my spine. I can feel blood oozing from the large gash.

"What?" Renly asks in low voice as he sees me. "What happened?!" He demands, but I don't answer. Instead I take his sword and look at the shadow. I start moving, my shadow fighting with the one on the tent's walls. Our swords interwinding and each scratch leaving the opponent's sword bleeding.

"Call the guards!" Renly orders and looks at me with fear in his eyes.

"Leave!" I shout at him and he obeys, taking frozen Catelyn with him.

"I know who you are... and I will make you pay!" I shout as the shadow disappears.

I run outside, my feet feeling heavy. Renly runs to me, checking for injures, which I have plenty on me.

"Where are you going?" He asks me as I jump on my horse.

"I need to see him." I whisper and kick the horse gently to motion it to go.

***

"You aren't scared." He whispers as he studies me.

"It has no point. No more." I add in a low voice and sit on the large rock. "Why me though?"

"Because of the power you hold." He tells me in a wise voice.

"I never asked for it."

"We don't ask for things."

I put my hand on the horse and concentrate on giving as much energy to him as possible. I can feel it becoming stronger and faster, taking me to his tent faster than wind. I jump from it and look at mesmerized Lords and knights.

"Where is Stannis?!" I demand and start making my way towards his tent. At the noise he comes out with Lady in the Red. She stops when she notices me, fear evident in her eyes.

"Shadow Dancer." She whispers in a loud voice. Her eyes become wide and she runs to me, stopping in front of me.

"Lady Bianca." Stannis says a little annoyed. "What brought you here?!"

"How could you?!" I yell at him. He flinches at my loud sound. "He is your brother! At least fight fairly!" I rise my voice as I shout. "You should be ashamed!" I scream at him.

"He is alive?" Stannis asks and I nod.

"I wouldn't let him die." I whisper and look down at my feet. Anger radiating off of me.

"She is... Shadow Dancer." Melissandre whispers in fearful voice. "She managed to fight shadows..."