I have returned my dear readers! Sorry for the vanishing but school sucks from time to time. But I hope to keep updating for a while now.

Shireen felt warm. She felt safe. She felt happy.

Softly she smiled and snuggled back into the warmth that now enveloped her. She gave a small yawn as she opened her eyes to see the sun just rising and sending its rays streaming from the window. The light danced across the candle stands, the chairs, and her books to cast long shadows that soon fell across her quilted figure. Lazily she closed her eyes once more to see if she could escape to her dream she had that night. The one she always hated and loved...

The dream began as it always did, with her trembling beneath her bed on Dragonstone, the sound of screaming and battle coming from around the island. Targaryen men had landed the day before with Ser Davos as the ambassador to her father. Cocky Stannis paid no mind to the offer of peace the Queen gave him and tried to kill Ser Davos as a traitor. Shireen had saved the man she thought of as a second father and in return he said when Dragonstone was sacked, he would make sure she got out. All she had to do, was hide in her room.

Now she was having doubts. The terrible noise was getting closer and she swore it was now near her hallway. Her breathing was now ragged.

Then came the pounding on the door. The lock gave in a mere few seconds. The sound of footsteps entered into her room.

"Come out come out grey face... we won't hurt ya... just want to talk..." a cruel voice came.

Shireen stopped breathing as a pair of feet stopped in front of her face. The world stood still and her heart beat against her chest with the force of an enraged stag. Then the gloved hand grabbed her ankle from behind.

"Gotcha ya little slut!" the big man behind her yelled as he dragged her out and held her to him.

Both men wore the sigil of Stannis but neither seemed to be here to save her. The fat guard's companion was gaunt and harsh looking with a desperate glint in his eye.

Shireen barely got out a, "Why are you doing this?"

The man laughed before drawing his sword, "We kill you, it will secure our loyalty to Queen Daenerys. We can be pardoned if we give her the corpse of her greatest enemy's daughter."

As he drew closer, Shireen could only close her eyes as a tear ran down her grey scaled cheek. She was the next Rhaenys. She would be stabbed half a hundred times and be presented to the new monarch. And none would care. None had cared for her when she was alive and now her death would not change that.

But as she waited for the knife to drive into her belly, a growl rumbled in the room and she felt her captor fall to the floor under something furry and heavy. She opened her eyes and turned to see a massive black shadow mauling the man as he screamed in agony.

Shireen turned back to the man with the sword to see someone had stepped between her and him.

Her protector had long red hair and wore heavy furs. Two rough stone hatchets were in his hands. His voice was a low growl, "Step... away..."

The swordsman sneered, "Move aside boy..."

"Boy?" the rescuer snarled back. And before he knew it, the swords man had a hatchet in his neck and another in his chest. The man gave a gurgled yell as blood began to spurt from his throat before toppling to the ground.

Shireen's breathing was still hard as her rescuer moved to pull the hatchets from the dead man. And when he turned around, her breath caught.

He was a boy. A boy on the cusp of manhood. His face was handsome and cords of lean muscle covered his exposed arms. His eyes were blue like hers but more fearsome and confident.

"Wh-Who are you?" she whispered.

"Shut up," was her answer before he swooped her up into his arms and began to carry her out into the hallway, the creature from before leading the way.

"I-I can walk..."

"Slowly. And we need to get out fast before the Queen arrives with the dragons. Now once more, shut up."

Shireen went silent again and nestled herself into his arms. He was warm with either rage or the heavy furs he was wearing. Wearing only her shift, she welcomed it as they ran down the corridors.

Two more guards appeared in the archway ahead, but with a whistle, her rescuer's shadow lunged with a growl and began tearing at the men without a second thought. That is when she got a good look at it.

It had pitch black fur and pearly white teeth dyed red with blood. It's eyes were a fearsome yellow, savage and full of mistrust of others. It was as big as a pony and had the ferocity of an angered bear.

"Direwolf," she uttered in an awed whisper.

Her rescuer let out a laugh. It was rough like his axes but rich like the brown of his furs. It was passionate like the flame of his hair but reassuring like the blue pools of his eyes, "Aye, it's a direwolf alright. Shaggy!"

The animal looked up from its feast and moved to his master's side as the trio made their way through the castle. As they reached the courtyard, they arrived just in time to see the gates burst down with a battering ram. Targaryen troops moved in swiftly, Strong Belwas at their lead. They paid no mind to the frightened girl in the boy's hands or the massive wolf, and just charged further into the keep.

"Shireen!"

Quickly she turned her head to see a relieved looking Davos run up and embrace her, pulling her away from her rescuer. She hugged the old smuggler back but rather missed the warmth of the wild man who saved her.

The boy nodded at Davos, "There Seaworth, the debt is settled, I'll be on my way. Much hunting left to do in the North." And with that he mounted the direwolf and sped out of the gate, and into the night.

Shireen couldn't remember how long she looked out of the gate at the retreating form until Davos brought her back.

"W-Who was that?" she asked, her voice hoarse with wonder.

"Rickon Stark that was. Dangerous lad but handy with an ax in a pinch."

"Rickon," she repeated to herself, testing it on her lips. It rolled right off the tongue, and she liked it.

Shireen was brought out of her reverie by some stirring next to her.

Slowly she turned her head to see Rickon Stark lying next to her, his arm draped over her waist and his mouth agape. A bit of dribble fell from his lips to the pillow which always made Shireen giggle.

She took this time to study his face. It was as handsome as always and in his sleep, tended to have a sense of peace about him. His red hair was longer and red brown stubble was beginning to appear on his smooth cheeks as well.

It was at times like these that she just wanted to kiss him gently, just to see what he would do. But the risk was too big.

Silently, she got up from the bed so as not to disturb him. She knew her heart wouldn't be able to handle how he'd react if he found himself cuddling her. She gave a sigh.

She loved the loveless.

Poetic and sad.

With those thoughts, she stroked his cheek and went to take a morning bath.

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