Standing before her father, the King of Strokwen, the young Princess Shoshanna, awaited. She was fetched by the King's hand, Johor. Upon entering the throne room, she was instructed to stand in front of the gold throne, as if she was knight or a criminal awaiting sentencing. Her long dark hair hung in curls down her back, a feature she inherited from her mother, the late Queen. The King did not approve of her hair loose. Just one of many things he didn't approve of in regards to her, her dress of ivory and gold silk was long and flowing. She stood there and waited.
Looking around the throne room, she felt a feeling of sadness. This was one of her favorite rooms as a child. She remembered the memories well. Her mother and father would sit at the throne, the young princess on the floor in front of them, listening to tales of the lands beyond the palace walls. The room was often filled with laughter and love when the royal family was together, a memory that had long been pushed into the back of her mind.
When the Queen had died, the King had flew into a rage, one Shoshanna had never witnessed. He destroyed her mother's throne, took a sword to the stone columns, and locked himself inside for three days, neither speaking nor eating. When he emerged, he was a different man. The light in his eyes was lost, the kindness in his heart dead. He wouldn't look at Shoshanna for months, she reminded him too much of the Queen.
She was startled at the sound of heavy footsteps coming into the room. Her father didn't look at her as he took his seat on the throne. "We are to have visitors within a fortnight."
"Yes, M'lord." Shoshanna answered. Why was her father telling her of visitors? She wasn't told anything. If someone were arriving, she heard from servants, not the King.
"It is King Viserys Targaryen and his army." The King further explained. "My army is not up to strength any longer to defend Strokwen. I have an accord with King Viserys." He hesitated before continuing, rubbing his nose between his thumb and finger, and "You are to wed."
Shoshanna jerked her head up from her gaze on the floor. "Wed?"
"Yes." The King's short reply.
"I am to wed King Viserys?" Shoshanna was shocked. Her father never spoke of marriage, not even when the Queen was alive. Shoshanna had just turned seventeen. "I am afraid I do not understand, M'lord. You wish me to wed King Viserys? For an army?"
"Try to understand, Shoshanna." The King impatiently said.
"I am afraid I cannot. I am not to wed a man I do not know, nor have I met, for you to have an army." Shoshanna shook her head. "I will not!" She shouted, surprising her father. "I do not wish to wed him."
"You knew this day would come. You are a young woman now. It is time." The King told her. "Our lands will be as one. Do this for your people. Do this for me. Do this for your mother."
"Father, I do not love him." She said quietly.
"You will learn to love him, Shoshanna. Your mother and I had an arranged marriage." The King paused, letting the wave of emotion pass before he continued. "You will come to know him. You will be a Queen."
"I am not ready to be a Queen! I have no wish to marry." Shoshanna cried.
"Shoshanna, you are of my flesh and blood. You are Princess of Strokwen. I am King. You will do as I say." The King shouted.
Shoshanna stood still, sadness, confusion, anger clouding her mind. "I will not marry King Viserys!" She shouted before running from the room.
Her father shouted after her, but she did not turn. She ran until she reached her bed chambers where she collapsed onto her bed in a fit of tears. Uncontrollable sobs overtaking her body.
Shoshanna cried herself to sleep that night. She was summoned once more by her father the next morning, but she didn't go to him nor did she go to him when he summoned her the following day, she stayed in her bed, burrowed beneath the blankets. She barely stirred when her servant, Eva entered the room. She heard her rustling fabrics, knowing she was picking out a gown for her to wear.
"M'lady, you must get out of bed." Eva told her.
"No." Came her reply from heap of blankets.
"M'lady, your mother would not have wanted you to behave this way." Eva softly told her. "She would want you to be happy, to find the happiness in this new life."
Shoshanna pushed the covers down and sat up. "What happiness? I am being forced to marry a man I do not know; I am being forced to become a Queen. I will have to leave the only home I have ever known. I will have to leave where my memories are the strongest." She wiped a tear away with the back of her hand. "I don't want to leave my mother."
Eva laid the dress she had chosen for the young Princess on the bed and came to sit next to her, pulling her into an embrace, patting her back as Shoshanna cried onto her shoulder. "There, there." She soothed. "Your mother is always with you. You carry her in your heart, in your smile, in your eyes. You favor her so much. She is always with you, my child."
Shoshanna leaned back. "I am not a child anymore, Eva. I am to be someone's wife." She cried.
Twelve days later, Shoshanna stood next to her father, dressed in a gown that was sent by carrier to her from King Viserys. A gown of ivory silk with roses sewn onto the bodice, she stood there as still as possible. Her hair pinned at the base of her neck with a silver comb to hold the curls in place. She had no more tears to cry. She barely had a voice from shouting her protests. She did the only thing she could do; she stood awaiting the arrival of King Viserys. A frown set upon her face as she heard horses in the distance.
A few servants began to whisper. Shoshanna caught a few words.
"Only he is left of his blood…."
"Hair the color of the moon…"
"Purple eyes…"
"A great warrior…"
"…The last dragon..."
She began to see horses. Several riders past them before she saw the man she would soon call husband. Sat upon a black stallion, she saw his hair was the color of the moon, white curls that sat upon his shoulders, lilac eyes that reminded her of the flowers in the palace garden. She could tell he was tall, slightly muscular, but skinny.
He dismounted and began to walk up the steps of the palace. Shoshanna stared at the ground until she could feel his presence in front of her.
"King Bartoern, It is my honor to be here." King Viserys shook the King's hand.
"King Viserys, Welcome to Strokwen. I hope your visit to my land is a pleasant one. May I introduce my daughter?" Shoshanna's father asked, turning towards Shoshanna.
"Please." Viserys answered. He smiled at Shoshanna.
"This is my daughter, Princess Shoshanna of Strokwen." Bartoern introduced.
Shoshanna met Viserys eyes. She offered a small courtesy as Viserys reached for her hand. Placing a kiss on her hand, he said, "Your father did not do your beauty justice, dear princess. My gift looks very pretty, you wear it well. I hope you like it."
Taking her hand back and placing it on her stomach, she answered, "Thank you, King Viserys. I do."
Viserys continued to look into her eyes making her shift uncomfortably. Bartoern broke the young King's stare, "Shall we tour the palace before our feast?"
"Yes." Viserys short answer came before he asked, "Will you be joining your father and I, dear princess?"
Shoshanna looked at her father. She was hoping to meet the King and then return to her bedchambers, hiding out as much as she could. Her father gave her look that said for her to accept. Offering Viserys as much of a smile as she could create, she accepted his outstretched arm and wrapped her arm around his elbow, the other hand holding her gown so she would not slip, "Yes, M'lord."
Her father and the young King spoke of battles and war, of conquering foreign lands. Shoshanna walked beside King Viserys, neither men were speaking to her, she was merely an ornament on the young King's arm.
They came to a stop in the palace gardens. Shoshanna released Viserys arm and walked beside the rose bushes, stopping to smell one of the beautiful flowers.
"This is my daughter's favorite place." King Bartoern told King Viserys.
"I can see." King Viserys smiled as he pulled a rose from the bush, smelling it before handing it to Shoshanna.
Shoshanna smiled and accepted the flower. Twirling the flower between her thumb and finger, she asked, "Do you have gardens in your palace, King Viserys?"
"Yes." Viserys answered. "They were destroyed over the years. I have since had them replanted. I must say they are the prettiest I remember them being." He touched her cheek softly, "Their beauty does not compare."
