A/N: Gosh, this story is going so fast! Huge thanks to all of you who read this, and even bigger thanks to those who reviewed. Don't worry, still two more fanfictions before we say goodbye to The Game's End, and trust me, I can't stop myself writing it, so there will probably be spin-offs!
Nina
It was strange, the war did not seem to have changed anything at all, not for the common people. In a way, it was probably pleasanter at the moment to be a peasant than a high lord or lady. You were far less likely to be brutally murdered at any given moment, and no-one came marching in to remove you from your home.
Still, she wished very much that the war would end soon, for her siblings' sakes. Margaery was wise and manipulative, but she was still a woman, and women were never truly free of the control of men. Willas was intelligent and respectable, but his lame leg meant he was disadvantaged if attacked. Garlan would be alright, she supposed, but Loras, despite being a talented warrior, was vulnerable to blackmail because of his preferences. She hoped her oldest brother, younger brother and sister would be safe. It would be a sad fate indeed if only she and Garlan were left when peace returned to Westeros.
Her mother was inside, no doubt washing clothes or tending Alisabyth. Nina had become the mender - she sewed up any and all ripped garments brought to them. It did not bother her, for it provided a welcome distraction from her worries and made her feel like she was helping her little family, albeit in a very small way.
She still missed Viserys, but she was learning to manage without him. After all, she was going to have to. He wasn't coming back any time soon. Their daughter was all she had left of him. She now found she could look back on their times together and smile, instead of weeping. Her lost, frightened dragon. Oh, she had loved him.
She hoped for peace soon. Warring Kings meant little sleep at night. Renly Baratheon. Stannis Baratheon. Joffrey Baratheon. Robb Stark. Balon Greyjoy. Daenerys Targaryen. Their names were on everyone's lips. Every one seemed to have their own prefered ruler.
Nina just wanted a safe Westeros. She didn't care who brought that.
Sometimes she wondered if skulking out here was the right thing to do. Nothing remotely important had mappened to her since the meeting with Renly. Nina knew that despite her bastard status, she had Tyrell blood, and was inextricably caught up in all that was happening.
Then one day she heard tell that King Renly had been killed, and everything fell apart. Nina cried for three consecutive hours. She had not known that she cared at all about him, but she considered him her brother now, and he was gone. That would place her entire family at risk unless they allied themselves with another large house, and soon.
And they could not afford to have this happen again. The house they joined with would have to win this war. If it did not, the winning house would not be merciful to a house that had twice been its enemy.
The choice the Tyrells were about to make was going to be momentous. They could not afford to go wrong.