Late One Night
By: Crusher1701
Word Count: 1006
Summary: Melisandre and Stannis have a late night conversation about the future.
Stannis felt Melisandre's warm chest against his back before her warm arms snaked about his body. He moaned lightly and leaned back into the woman he had just made love to. He did 't care much for feeling, but he could 't deny that he held more desire and love in that Iron heart of his for Melisandre than he did for his own lady wife, Selyse. It wasn't his fault thought. Selyse was dull compared to Melisandre, and even to compare the two, Stannis felt it was wrong. There was no competition. Melisandre had won his iron heart, and for that, he would never leave her side. He knew, deep down, that once he won the Iron Throne, she might leave him. Somehow this fact upset him deeply. He didn't want to lose his Melisandre. Before Blackwater, he hadn't wanted people claiming his victory was because she was with him, and he had left her on Dragonstone. His defeat had happened because Melisandre hadn't been with him. Now he knew he could never leave her side, or else he'd certainly lose the battles he needed to fight. He enjoyed always having her there.
"Is something troubling you, my king?" she asked quietly, her head moving to perch on his shoulder.
"When I am king and on the Iron Throne, you won't leave me, will you?" he asked, turning around and putting his arms securely around her.
"Not unless you want me to leave," she replied. "I only do what you want me to do."
"Good," he said, pulling her closer to him as he rolled onto his back. Melisandre moved her head to res on his chest, making the pair smile lightly in pleasure. "Because I know that I wouldn't be the man I am without you. I'd be lost without you."
Melisandre smiled and leaned towards her king, pressing her lips to his. "You're my light, my king," she whispered against his lips. "Also, completely unexpectedly, I've fallen madly in love with you."
"My wedding vows…" Stannis started.
"Are the same as those said by the Night's Watch. There is only one God, my king, and the Old Gods, the Seven… making vows to them is, as I said to Jon Snow, like making a vow to one's shoe," Melisandre said. "Fortunately, you've seen the light, you ought to know that in the eyes of our God, you and Selyse aren't married. Because Stannis, if I were to vow my loyalty to Renly, for example, to your britches because they're a God, would that make my vow real?"
"I don't think so, no," he replied.
"Aright," she said, smiling and moving her head back to Stannis' chest. "Those Lannister fools probably still think you're on Dragonstone, and we need to beat them. Once we've gained most of the Lords of the North, Bolton will still be the issue. If we destroy him, we'll have the north."
"I'm not going to ask how you know that," Stannis said, having an idea how she had found out. "Yes, Bolton Has declared for the Lannisters, making him an enemy. However, those who were loyal to Stark who haven't bent the knee to the Lannisters, will have the chance to swear fealty to me. Robb Stark may have called himself a king, making himself a usurper, but he wasn't as bad as the others. His father and I weren't friends, but I can't deny that he was an honourable man."
"The Freys may also cause a problem. The Lannisters have apparently stripped the Tullys of Riverrun. Then there's those Ironmen," Melisandre continued. "And another God. The drowned one."
"False God, my dear," Stannis said, bringing his hand to her head to play with her hair.
"Of course my king," she replied, purring softly at the feel of his fingers in her hair. "All of these enemies should be beaten before we move on to King's Landing."
"I agree, my dear," Stannis said as the candle on Melisandre's side burned out. "You're a
much better Queen to me than Selyse ever would be. You'll discuss things like this with me. She wouldn't."
"Could you light a candle?" Melisandre asked. "My king, you may be my light, but you know I don't like darkness in any capacity."
"Of course," Stannis answered, drawing his hand from her hair and sitting up to light his own candle. When the light from the candle illuminated the bed chamber, Melisandre smiled her thanks before Stannis pulled her back into his arms.
I don't understand why people in Westeros still think Joffrey, Tommen and Myrcella are your brother's children," Melisandre whispered, running her nails down her king's chest.
"Because that is what my brother, their king, believed and taught them to believe," he replied. "So it's a good thing the commoners pose less threat than their lords do."
"Many of them are losing faith in their false king, Stannis. I know you care little for the thoughts of common men, but it may mean that they will accept you as their king easier," Melisandre said and Stannis started chuckling. "Is something funny, my king?"
"Nothing, my lady," he replied. "Except that we are speaking of the future and I don't have an heir. By the laws of Westeros, Shireen cannot sit on the Iron Throne, and Selyse is incapable of having children anymore. I need a son to take my place when I pass."
"Well, my king. I can help with that problem once we take the Capitol," Melisandre stated. "Would you objet to losing Selyse?"
"Not at all, she cannot give me what I need," Stannis replied plainly. "It sounds cruel, but it isn't. She is unhappy with me, I know she is."
"Then, once this is all over, I will be yours, and I will give you an heir."
"You wouldn't be able to be a priestess anymore, and you giving that up seems unreal to me."
"Except that it is real," Melisandre whispered, kissing her king and sealing her promise to him.
finis.