A chapter from the perspective of my favorite Telltale Games character. Let's see how having the North and the Lannisters work together impacts Mira's life. And see how the war progresses through her eyes as well.
MIRA III
The crowd cheered loudly on their passage. Despite their huge escort, the group that rode through the streets of Lannisport was very small for such a presumptuous demonstration. The news of the victory at Riverrun, of Stannis Baratheon's death and the alliance with House Stark and House Tully had provoked quite a positive reaction among the people in the Westerlands.
When they heard that Stannis Baratheon had died on the battlefield, Mira felt that for once, justice was served. Rodrik had been burned alive by this man, so she was relieved when she learned of his demise. The relief was even greater when it was announced that the North was back into the fold and no longer in rebellion against King Tommen. Mira's family was safe now, and she herself was no longer perceived as a possible threat, a potential spy for the enemy.
Ever since the war broke out, Mira had witnessed everyone's attitude changing towards her. People turned cold, or avoided her, although they never showed outright disrespect due to her statue as Lady Margaery's handmaiden and confident. But now that the Starks were their allies, everything had changed. She was seen as the northern lady who never turned her back on her mistress, and who helped arrange this alliance. Lady Margaery herself emphasized on this, going so far as to have Mira rode by her side as they rode between the people crowding on each side of the street.
Mira was relieved by all these good news, but she found the reaction of the people of Lannisport excessive. The war was far from being over. Stannis may be dead, but his supporters had not surrendered yet. They still held King's Landing and Dragonstone. The Vale was now openly at war with them, and of course there were the Iron Islands. Deepwood Motte, the seat of her family's liege lord, was still being held, and so was Moat Cailin. Ironrath was still under threat. And her father was still risking his life in this war. It was more than premature to celebrate.
Of course, there was another reason to celebrate, and the people showed it by shouting blessings to Lady Margaery and her upcoming child.
"Seven blessings on you, my lady!"
"Glory to you, good lady!"
"Long live Lady Margaery!"
Back in the day they lived in King's Landing, Mira had heard people shouting at Joffrey on the rare occasions he walked in the streets, surrounded by his kingsguards and the City Watch. Truth was, people spat more than they shouted. They mocked their king who started the war. With Lady Margaery, the people of Lannisport praised her sincerely. They loved her, from the wealthiest merchant to the homeless orphan girl. Even the women working in brothels loved her, though Lady Margaery sometimes joked some of them might hold a grudge against her for taking away their best customer.
And so the love, joy and excitement of the city accompanied them until they reached the city gates. Outside, along the path leading to the Lion's Mouth, smaller crowds still gathered to welcome their lady. It wasn't until they began to climb their way to the hill, as the sun was coming down on the horizon, that their group was left alone.
Inside the courtyard, after they entered the castle, the welcome was much more solemn and serious. As soon as Lady Margaery unhorsed and got her feet on the ground, Ser Damion Lannister, the castellan of Casterly Rock, stood before her, bowing and kissing her hand.
"My lady. Welcome to Casterly Rock. You have all my congratulations."
"Thank you, Ser Damion. You're very kind."
"It has been a cause of great joy for us when we heard of your pregnancy. It brought a ray of light to everyone after the news of what had befallen Lord Martyn and Lord Willem."
"I agree, Ser Damion. It is such a tragedy." Lady Margaery looked at the small group of Lannister people who had gathered to welcome her. Most of them were women and children, in the absence of all men available to fight. Genna Lannister was positioned at the front and center of this group, clearly the leading figure, but it wasn't toward her that Lady Margaery walked. She came to Dorna Lannister, the grieving mother who stood straight. Mira could see how she tried to contain her grief, but it was obvious from her red eyes that she had cried a lot today.
"Dorna, I'm so sorry," Lady Margaery told her.
"Could you… could you bring their bodies?" the mother said, her voice shaking. The Lady of Casterly Rock nodded.
"We will bury them with all the honors. I promise."
"I… I…" Lady Margaery took Lady Dorna's hands into her own, interrupting her and meaning she didn't have to say anything else.
In the meantime, Ser Damion had approached her from behind.
"My lady, I can assure you that I'm ready to carry out my duties as castellan."
Lady Margaery looked back at him. "Thank you, Ser Damion, but now that I'm here, I'll assume the governance of the castle."
"But my lady, considering your condition…"
"Thank you, Ser Damion, but I'm pregnant, not sick. I'll assume my duties until I can't. Then I'll call upon my friends to assume my functions until I'm ready to take them back."
Ser Damion said nothing else, but it was obvious he hoped he would retain his office while Lady Margaery went on with her pregnancy. Then again, he should have known Lady Margaery better. Being pregnant wouldn't stop her from carrying her duties as lady of a great castle.
Lady Margaery entered the Rock shortly after, a supporting arm on Lady Dorna and Lady Genna walking by the other side. She asked Mira to make sure her personal chambers and a bath would be ready for her within an hour.
Mira went to the servants to give the necessary orders, then went to her lady's room to prepare everything else. There, Sera was waiting for her.
"Mira! I'm so glad that you're back."
They hugged. Mira laughed a little. She was happy to see Sera again. "I missed you, Sera. It was a long journey."
"I feared the worst when I heard about the events at Riverrun. I was afraid something might happen to you in that castle."
"I'm alright. Lord Stark was furious when he heard of what happened. He had the responsible men executed almost right away."
"Still, I worried so much for you, my friend. I don't know what I would have done in your place."
"There wasn't much to do. We could just ride away. But now, Lady Margaery is taking a bath. We have to prepare it."
"Of course." They went to search for appropriate clothes for her change. "You have no idea how I'm happy that you're back. Without you and Lady Margaery, all this place looked empty. But tell, is Lady Margaery alright?"
"Yes, she is fine, Sera. She consulted maesters along the road, and her pregnancy is going very well."
"I can't believe that we'll be tending to a baby."
"I think a wet nurse will take care of him, Sera."
"You know what I mean. That will be such a change. Do you think the baby will look like Lady Margaery, or more like her husband?"
It wasn't hard for Mira to understand the hidden meaning behind Sera's words. "From what I could read, there's no reason to believe that the child will be a dwarf."
"But he could be?"
"Yes, of course."
"What if he is?"
Sera looked worried. "Well, Lady Margaery is married to a dwarf. I doubt she would hate her son or her daughter for that reason."
"No, I don't think so," Sera replied after a moment. "But I hope it will not be a dwarf. It would be better."
"Yes, it would be," Mira recognized. "But it is not our choice to make, Sera. It's in the hands of the gods, not ours."
"I know. I just hope for the better for Lady Margaery. It's been a while now since she tried to have a child."
They continued preparing the room and the bath as they talked. Sera updated Mira on all the events that occurred at Casterly Rock in her absence. From a topic to another, Mira ended up finally asking about Sansa.
"How is she?"
"I don't really know. We haven't seen her very much. Guards kept her in her chambers."
"Even after we allied with the Lannisters?"
"I'm not sure. We didn't see her very much, anyway." Sera looked straight at Mira as she finished placing a pillow. "Look, Mira, be careful. No one wants to be seen with Sansa Stark right now. She's from the family the Lannisters and the Tyrells fought, and they murdered two children."
"Sansa had nothing to do with it."
"No, but she's from the family who did it. I wouldn't approach her for now, Mira. It doesn't matter that now the Starks have pledged to fight for King Tommen. Everyone sees her as an enemy, someone undesirable."
"My family fought the Lannisters as well, Sera," Mira reminded her.
"Yes, that's why you must stay far from Sansa. You know how this works, Mira. No one would dare to speak against you in your presence, or in the presence of Lady Margaery. They know you are very close to her. But while you were away… People didn't constrain themselves. They whispered about you. Against you. You must be careful. I'm your friend. I don't want anything bad happening to you. The Lannisters might hate Sansa and they probably do not hate you as much, but you remain a Northerner. And some people… Well, it might not matter for them that you're not a Stark, or that you've served Lady Margaery for years. They'll always look at you as a Northerner, as an enemy. I don't want anything to happen to you. We never know what may happen."
A chill crossed Mira's spine as she listened to Sera's last words. Of course, she knew that anything could happen any time. She resisted the temptation to massage her neck, where the blade had been. No physical or visible clue was left of its passage, but she could still feel the cold of the steel against her skin.
"I'll be careful, Sera. I promise."
Her friend seemed much relieved. They resumed their work until Lady Margaery finally walked in. It was night by now. In public, which meant almost all the time, Margaery Lannister never showed any sign of exhaustion or weariness. But in private, with only her closest friends, she could let go her facade, like she did in this moment. She sighed deeply once the doors closed behind her, then looked at the both of them.
"Is there anything worse than dealing with almost every person responsible of anything in your castle when you come back from a long journey?"
Sera jumped to answer. "My lady, you should spare yourself. You must be careful with the baby."
Their lady rubbed her belly, smiling. For now, it was barely visible. The first trimester was barely over. Someone had to look very carefully to see even a glimpse of the curve. "Indeed. You are right, Sera. Is my bath ready?"
"Yes, my lady. It is. Everything is ready."
"Good. You may leave, Sera. I'm not holding you any longer. Mira, please stay with me."
Mira was quite surprised, and so was Sera. "My lady, if you still need some help, then I can…"
"No, no, Sera. I don't need the assistance of two handmaidens for the rest of the evening. One of you two will suffice."
Sera turned to Mira. "If you want, I can stay in your place. I know you must be tired."
"Thank you, Sera. But I'm not pregnant. I'm still able to carry out my duties," Mira kindly replied.
"Anyway, I'll need you tomorrow, Sera. I'll allow Mira to rest early in the morning after this long journey. You will be alone to help me when I wake up."
"As you wish, my lady."
On that note, Sera left, not without displaying her disappointment. Mira was now alone with Lady Margaery.
"I hope I didn't cause any friction between the two of you?" the Lady of Casterly Rock asked.
"Not at all, my lady."
"Good. It's hard enough to manage the whole household in a castle. I hope helping me alone tomorrow morning will compensate for Sera that I asked to be alone with you, Mira. Now, help me undress."
Mira approached to help her mistress unfasten her gown. She had absolutely no problem staying with Lady Margaery. She was her handmaiden and had duties towards her. Mira was indeed tired of her journey, but she wouldn't show it, not even to her lady. Unlike Margaery, she never showed her tiredness. She had duties and would perform them the best she could, no matter how she felt. She would have woken up early tomorrow to help her prepare for the day, but she would rather not insist on doing so. Unlike Mira, Sera considered very important the position she had when compared to Lady Margaery's other servants, and Mira didn't want to upset her friend further. When she left, Mira noticed that Sera somehow resented her for being on such good terms with their lady.
One by one, layers of clothes fell from the Lady of Casterly Rock's body, until she stood bare and entered the gigantic bath that was prepared for her. She put her head under the water, then re-emerged and sat on the bottom of the bath, resting her head on the border, closing her eyes and dropping her head backwards, sighing heavily in relief. In the meantime, Mira gathered her mistress' clothes and folded them for other servants to wash them later.
"Are you not exhausted, Mira?" her lady asked her.
"I don't want to lie to you my lady, but I can say that I'm still able to work, no matter the long journey we had and… everything that happened during it."
They remained silent for a moment. When Mira thought her lady didn't have anything else to say, only enjoying her moment of rest, she took Margaery's clothes to move them. But right when her hand touched the fabric, her mistress called her back to attention with words she never expected.
"Come in the tub, Mira."
Surprised, she turned to her mistress. "My lady?"
"Come. We both had a long journey. You deserve that kind of moment as well."
Mira hesitated. "Are you sure, my lady? I wouldn't want to disturb you."
Lady Margaery laughed softly, her eyes still closed. "You're not, Mira. You've always been a good friend to me. That's why I want you to stay with me. I just want to enjoy a good moment with a friend. Please, come."
That wasn't the first time Lady Margaery told Mira she was like a friend to her, but she had always said that Mira was like a friend, or viewed as a friend, or considered as a friend, maintaining an appropriate distance with a handmaiden from lower birth. Never she told Mira she was actually her friend.
"Thank you, my lady," Mira told her, her voice affected by the emotion.
"Come, now. Don't do the number of the northern shyness. You've lived in the south for too long."
Mira smiled shyly at the comment. She remembered the first time Lady Margaery and her other friends and handmaidens had gone to a pool inside Highgarden to swim. All the other girls had just removed their clothes and run to the water while Mira remained behind, stunned by what happened. It was Sera, who had taken a little more time to join the others, and with the help of Lady Margaery, that Mira was finally convinced to join them. She had tried to hide behind a tree while she disrobed, and then walked timidly to the pool, her arms wrapped around her belly, covering her breasts. As time went on, Mira had lost most of that shyness. The south was a different place from the North and she had to get used to it.
Despite this, Mira had not lost all her reserve. She still remained a little away from others in such circumstances, trying to avoid useless looks. As such, not only she verified that Lady Margaery had still her eyes closed, but she also positioned herself behind her lady when she began to disrobe, trying to do as few noise as possible. And there she stood, naked, her hair falling free on her back. She usually made a tail with them, a tail she kept in all circumstances but when she slept. That's when her eyes caught the huge glass.
In Casterly Rock, everything was bigger, a testimony to the prosperity of House Lannister. And everything was in better condition than anywhere else, resulting in Lady Margaery's glass being larger and better reflecting than any other. And Mira could see herself whole from head to toe.
Mira never considered herself especially pretty. It wasn't that she didn't take care of her appearance, but she saw no need to outwork it either. She cleaned herself regularly, no more than what was requested of handmaidens and noble people in the southern kingdoms, wore appropriate clothes and maintained her hair in good state. She never arranged anything about her appearance better than what it was usually. Her appearance was not an obsession, unlike many women in the south. A decent appearance was more than enough for her.
However, sometimes, Mira couldn't help but compare herself to other women. She had angular features, a long face, a very pale skin, slim and long fingers, hair dark like a moonless night, a very thin frame, an average height, green eyes without anything particular and breasts so small they were almost inexistant. Was there any feature about her that was exceptional? She couldn't see any. In these times, when she looked at herself for who she was, the voice of her mother, reminding her how important it was to make a good impression, to show yourself under your best day to the others, brought her to think about how insignificant she was when compared to other women.
"Coming?"
The soft voice of Lady Margaery brought her back to the reality. In an instant, all that was gone. Like always, she tossed these concerns in the back of her mind and wouldn't think about them before a very long time. Slowly, she walked to the tub, straddled the border and dipped into the water.
She kept her head under the surface for a very long time, enjoying the feeling of the water surrounding the whole of her body. She could sense her hair floating in the liquid, shortly freeing her back from their burden. When she emerged, they fell all around her head in complete chaos, covering her eyes and entire face. She pushed them back, recovering her vision in the process, while they hung on her back and shoulders.
She settled to the side opposite to that of Lady Margaery. The large dimensions of the tub would have allowed four people to sit inside without touching anyone. When Mira saw the tub for the first time, she wondered who else than the Lord and Lady of Casterly Rock bathed there. At her home, back at Ironrath, personal tubs were no more than small wooden basins carried in the chamber by servants and brought back once the noble person had finished. That was her mother who ordered these basins to be made. Before her parents were wed, even the Lord of Ironrath only used a bucket of water to wash himself. Larger, communal tubs, were made so that dozens of people could hold in together at the same time, but the space was cramped when it happened, and there was none of these at Ironrath, only in largwer castles like Winterfell and Deepwood Motte. Buckets remained the norm for everyone else at Ironrath. That was another way for the Lannisters to show (to what few people could see it) that even among the noble people of Westeros, they were privileged.
Mira seized a sponge that was left next to the tub and began to scrub the surface of her skin. Even though they could take a bath at some stops during their journey, such as when they stopped by the Golden Tooth, dust from the road accumulated. And as was the habit for a Northerner used to clean on rare occasions, Mira scrubbed her body thoroughly and completely.
"You know, Mira," came the sleepy voice of Lady Margaery from the other side of the tub, "when you told Sera you were not pregnant, I almost said it may not be long before you are."
Mira stopped in her scrubbing process. "My lady?" What did Lady Maergaery mean?
"Well, this war will be over soon. And when it's done, there's a wedding waiting for you."
The meaning of her mistress' words dawned on her. "Oh. Yes, my lady."
"I won't be able to make Willas wait much longer. Creylen gave me a message from him as soon as I arrived. He congratulated me, but he was also wondering when I would let go my favorite handmaiden."
"I'm sorry he has to wait." Mira's wedding with Lady Margaery's cousin was delayed when the war started.
"I replied that he would have to wait a little while longer. You proved very valuable recently, Mira. In fact, one of the reasons I wanted to talk to you alone is that I want you to attend the small council meeting with me tomorrow."
"My lady, I don't think a handmaiden is admitted to a meeting of the small council."
"I don't think Tommen will complain. And there's a good reason for your presence. I want to show that the Crown and the North are truly allies now. Getting Sansa inside the small council chamber would be too risky. Even if the Starks are on our side now, the memory of Martyn and Willem is still vivid for many. But the presence a personal friend of mine, who's been on my side this whole time, would send a very strong message. I'm not asking you to say anything, Mira. Just to be there by my side. That's why Sera is preparing me alone tomorrow morning. I really need your help on this."
"Of course, meylady."
"Thank you, Mira. I really appreciate."
Her mistress began to clean herself as well. Mira, on her side, remained unmoving for a while. She was very touched again that Lady Margaery consider her a friend.
"By the way, Mira, I hope you have no problem with your family."
"No, my lady. I don't have any."
"I mean, I know telling me about Martyn and Willem must not have been easy. You went against the interests of your family. I know how it must have been hard."
"No, my lady. It wasn't hard." She looked straight in the eyes of the Lady of Casterly Rock. "They murdered two children. There was no way I would hide such a crime." And neither would Jon.
"I wish things were that simple most of the time. But if it hadn't been Rickard Karstark but your father who committed the murders, would you have told me, knowing what would have happened next? You can say no, Mira. I know I wouldn't have if my brother had been in such a situation, and I know my husband would have done everything to protect his brother, no matter what he did."
Mira thought about that. After a long moment of reflection, she answered as honestly as she could. "My father exiled my brother to stop a war from breaking with another house. Even if it was someone in my family, it remains a crime. The Tullys may say that family comes first, but… maybe it shouldn't."
"Maybe not." Lady Margaery answered after a moment. She looked lost in her thoughts. "But when comes the time… when we have to actually choose between our family, someone we love, or anything else, be it loyalty, duty, honor, justice, or whatever is better for everyone else… we would probably both choose our family all the same."
They remained silent for a very long time, both lost in their thoughts. Mira was thinking of when Jon came to her. It had been quickly obvious that he wanted to tell her something, but he hesitated. Finally, he just told her to find out what happened in the cells the night before. Mira had gone to tell Lady Margaery about it, and after making contact with her network of informants inside Riverrun, she discovered the horrible truth. If Jon had hesitated so much for telling her about a murder committed by a bannermen of his brother, then how much could he have told if the crime was committed directly on Robb Stark's orders? What would Mira have done in his place?
"I'm glad that you'll join my family soon, Mira. Really, I couldn't be happier."
"It will be a great pleasure for me too, my lady."
"It will. And as soon as Willas places that wedding ring around your finger, I'll be able to command you to never call me again my lady. Between Tyrells, we don't use titles."
They laughed shortly together. But Margaery was already waiting to ambush her with another subject.
"Tell me, Mira. Is there someone in your life?"
Mira was taken by complete surprise. "I'm… I'm not sure what you mean, my lady."
Margaery snickered. "Mira, we're both women. Septons might say we must remain virgins until our marriage, that we must always be models of virtue, faithfulness and submission to our husbands, even before we even know who they're going to be, but the truth is we are no different from men. We have feelings, desires… And what we have between our legs is not that different from what men have. It's mostly the shape that's different."
"My lady, I would never engage into…"
"Calm down, Mira. I'm not suggesting you surrendered your maidenhead or are planning to do so. I know you enough. Even I remained technically a virgin until my wedding night, and I know you would never act unconsciously. No. But like I said, we have feelings. We can fall in love."
A knot took shape in Mira's stomach. "I'm not in love, my lady."
"You're sure. If that's the reason you insisted on pushing back your wedding, I wouldn't blame you, you know."
"There's no one, my lady. I swear. There's no one."
She tried to make her voice as convincing as she could. Mira hoped Lady Margaery would know it was true. There was truly no one in her life.
"If you say so," her lady replied, a playful smile on her lips.
They continued to talk about many other subjects, until finally Lady Margaery was done bathing. Mira helped her to dry her hair, but when Mira began to gather her mistress' nightgown, Lady Margaery told her it was useless and ordered Mira to go to sleep. Mira left the Lady of Casterly Rock go to bed, naked, while she donned her clothes back and headed to her bedroom.
Mira might hide her exhaustion, but as soon she got in her personal room, she let herself fall on her bed and fell sound asleep.
The next morning, Mira woke up early. No matter how tired she might feel, she would wake up at the same hour. She didn't brush her hair the night before, and as a result it was a mess. It took her a lot of time to untangle it and get the ponytail she wanted, but she managed to do so.
Since she had some time before the beginning of the small council meeting, she went to see the person she had no time yesterday to see. Mira hoped she wouldn't bother her, given how early in the morning they were, but it might be a while before she could speak to Sansa if she didn't try now. Sadly, circumstances were against her. When she reached Sansa's rooms, she found out that she was gone. Mira decided to go to the godswood, in order to pray, and perhaps to meet Sansa if she happened to be there. Again, the daughter of Eddard Stark was absent and Mira ended praying to the gods of her father until her duties called her.
The administration of Casterly Rock and the Westerlands proceeded in a similar manner to that of King's Landing and the Seven Kingdoms, though with some differences. The Lord of Casterly Rock ruled the Westerlands with the help of a small circle of advisors, just like the king. However, there was no institution such as the small council. Lord Tyrion met his advisors on a more or less regular basis, sometimes alone, sometimes in group. Castellan, maester, master-at-arms, captain of the guards, stewards, tax collectors, lords and ladies, members of the family with duties, none of them had an official place in an institution whose existence was to advise the Warden of the West, for no such institution existed at the Rock… until King Tommen arrived.
A room had been assigned for the king to hold the meetings of his small council while he stayed at Casterly Rock. This is where Mira headed, as Lady Margaery had required her presence. She made sure that she arrived in advance. This way, she would not enter the room alone, but at Margaery's side.
As a result, she waited for quite some time until someone approached the door she stood by. The maester of Casterly Rock, Creylen, walked decisively, charged with parchments, when he noticed her. A pleasant smile appeared on the lips of the man between two ages.
"Lady Mira. I'm glad to see you. I guess this means Lady Lannister has already arrived."
"No, maester. She's not arrived yet."
"Ah. Well, in this case, could you give me a hand, please? I'm a little overloaded."
Mira assisted the maester by seizing a part of his package. When they entered the room and walked to the long table at the center, Mira looked at the finely chiseled furniture. Carved of a very rare wood coming from Essos, and with chairs made of materials just as costly, an aura of prestige and authority emanated from this place where decisions concerning all the Seven Kingdoms were taken. For now, it was empty save from the maester and the handmaiden who helped him.
"I am sure you are happy to be back, my lady. I must confess that I am personally filled with joy to see your green eyes again."
Mira smiled at the kind man. They crossed paths on several occasions, and after the maester was looking for a book and Mira indicated him where it was in the library, he had taken a liking to her.
"Thank you, maester. I'm glad to be back, too. And relieved. I was worried for Lady Lannister on the way. She would not admit it, but the journey took a toll on her."
"Indeed. I examined her when she came back yesterday. There's no worry to have for now, but she needs to rest from now on. After all, she's probably bearing the future Lord of Casterly Rock."
"Or a lady."
"I hope it will be a boy. Considering the time she needed to conceive, we don't know how much time may be required for another pregnancy to happen."
"Do you think there's a risk she may not have another child?" Mira asked, worried.
"Well, it took almost five years of marriage before Lady Lannister finally got pregnant, and although there are exceptions, a woman's ability to conceive decreases with her age. Lady Lannister is twenty-one. Most noble women become mothers before that age, especially when they've been married for years by that time." The maester looked around. "I know how close you are to Lady Lannister and how she values you. So please, keep an eye on her. We must do everything for this pregnancy to go on without problems."
"I already intended to do it. And I'm not the only one."
"But you might be the person who makes the difference. When I talked to her yesterday, Lady Lannister showed no disposition at slowing down her activities. She plans to attend the small council meetings, to carry on her charities, and not only to administer Casterly Rock and the Westerlands in Lord Tyrion's absence, but also to advise the king and help him to rule the Seven Kingdoms. I'm afraid she's placing too much of a burden on her shoulders."
Mira shared similar concerns. During their trip back to the Rock, she and Lady Margaery discussed a lot. Mira often encouraged her to spare her forces, but she wouldn't. Her lady would attend feasts and any event given in her honor when they stopped at a castle, she wouldn't sleep until late in the evening to speak with their hosts, and she would wake up early the next morning to continue their route. It wasn't rare that when they came by a village, she would use the opportunity to stop there and speak with noble and common people all alike. She wouldn't slow down, telling everyone she was only pregnant, not sick. Once, Mira had stupidly wished her lady was sick, for the people would have stayed away from her and she would have rested. But the people knowing she was pregnant only made them want to see, touch and talk to her more than ever. Mira remembered how Lady Margaery just let herself fall over her bed, without preparing for the night, after her bath was over. Maybe Mira was too worried. She knew what Lady Margaery was capable of and she shouldn't underestimate her capacities, but she couldn't help but worry for her.
"I'll keep an eye on her, maester. I promise."
He nodded in thanking and sat down at his seat. "I wish the health of our lady was my only concern. With this war, and now that the king is present, I have so many duties. You know I tried to convince the Citadel to send us another Grand Maester to advise our king? Well, they answered that Pycelle was already the Grand Maester and there could not be two Grand Maesters. If we wanted the Grand Maester, we just had to not abandon him in the capital. I'm afraid the archmaesters do not have a good view of how Lord Lannister abandoned the capital to Stannis." He went on ranting about his superiors at the Citadel. "And as a result, I must advise a king and fill the shoes of Grand Maester for him, with all the work and duties but without the title and privileges, while this old pie of Pycelle serves our enemy. Or served, to be more precise. Now that we've taken back King's Landing, I'm eager to see how we will deal with him."
"King's Landing is ours again?"
Creylen quickly turned his head to look at her, his eyes wide open in shock. "Oh. I… I received the information during the night. I was supposed to inform the council today. Please, don't tell anyone."
"Yes, of course. I will not talk about it."
"Thanks. Sorry. I guess I'm just eager to resume my normal duties as maester of this castle. Please, help me organize all my papers before the others arrive."
Mira accepted. It wasn't long though before Lady Margaery herself walked in.
"Mira. I guess I sent Sera to fetch you for nothing. I'm glad you're already here."
Margaery Lannister was dressed with some of her lighter dresses, red with traces of silver on the fabric. Mira wasn't sure if it was a good idea given the colder weather.
"Hi, my lady. How do you feel? You spent a good night?"
"Yes, a very good night. But now, we have work to do. Creylen, anything I should know before the meeting starts?"
The maester proceeded to inform of the latest developments in the war, including the liberation of King's Landing by the combined forces of House Lannister and House Tyrell, and the events that took place at Casterly Rock in her absence, though there was little he could tell as other members of the council started to pour in.
One by one, they walked in, offering congratulations to Lady Margaery again for her pregnancy and taking place around the table. The king was last to enter and all stood to welcome him. The young boy welcomed his aunt very warmly, though in a less childish way. Mira could only take note of how Tommen Baratheon changed from the first time she saw him. The small boy who fought in a tourney against a dummy on a horse was almost gone. The war, the death of his parents and his elder brother, the departure of his sister, and his new position as king had taken their toll on him. He was more mature, taller, and his kingsguards were never far from him.
Once the king sat down, Mira noticed how small his small council actually was. Several positions were empty. The Master of Ships, Mace Tyrell, was occupied elsewhere, leading the army besieging Storm's End. Lord Reginald Lannister, head of House Lannister of Lannisport, would have taken his place in normal times, being at the head of the fleet of Lannisport, but the said fleet was gone for the Iron Islands. As such, no one filled the shoes of the Master of Ships for the time being and they had to rely on Lord Lannister's reports. The same thing applied for the Master of Laws, Ser Kevan Lannister, riding with Lord Tyrion. And since Lord Tyrion himself was Regent, Protector of the Realm and Hand of the King, he made a few positions absent on his own. The Grand Maester, still in King's Landing, was absent as well and Maester Creylen fulfilled his duties the best he could, while continuing to be the maester of Casterly Rock at the same time. Finally, there was no Master of Whisperers. None had been named since the escape from King's Landing.
Of the few who were present at the council, Ser Damion Lannister assumed he duties as both castellan of Casterly Rock and Master of Coin. Since he was responsible of the finances of House Lannister in the absence of Lord Tyrion and Lady Margaery, and that for now the finances of King Tommen were almost all assumed by Casterly Rock, the designation made sense, though Mira was almost certain that someone else would be appointed as soon as the king was back in King's Landing. There was also Ser Barristan Selmy, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, always by the king's side. And also attending were Lady Margaery, unofficially representing her husband, and Lady Genna Lannister, whose presence none dared to oppose. Mira stood aside by the wall, far from the table yet hearing everything people said.
"Well, we're all here," the king started. "Maester Creylen, what are the news from our armies?"
"Lord Tyrion and Robb Stark are approaching the frontier of the Vale by the East Road. They should clash with the army of the Vale very soon. The siege of Storm's End is continuing under the direction of Lord Tyrell, and our ships have started their blockade on the Iron Islands. For now, battles are limited to small engagements between a few ships and some raiding on the shores, yet for we have no more news from Lord Reginald. A few merchant ships that were blocked in the Iron Islands managed to escape thanks to the arrival of our fleet and arrived in Lannisport. We plan to use them to supply our men in the islands. He brought with him a few soldiers who were injured in the early fights. And, we just received the news yesterday your Grace, King's Landing is ours. The men of Lord Randyll Tarly took the city."
This lifted the spirits of everyone at the table. Ser Damion was first, and alone, to congratulate the king for this victory, even though Tommen had no hand in this battle. Lady Margaery and Ser Barristan both said this was excellent news. Lady Genna simply nodded. Creylen resumed his report once the table was calmed down.
"Our men have captured the Grand Maester Pycelle, along with some relatives and close advisors of the usurper Stannis. Ser Axell Florent is among the prisoners."
"What about Selyse Florent and Shireen Baratheon?" Lady Margaery asked.
The maester took a more contrite expression. "Selyse Baratheon was found dead in her chambers. It seems she took her own life not long before our men attacked the Red Keep. And it seems Shireen Baratheon escaped the city with the help the Onion Knight and the red priestess of Asshai."
"Then this war is not over," Lady Genna stated harshly. "As long as Shireen Baratheon is alive, she is a threat to all of us."
The declaration weighed heavily in the air. The king was first to talk, very timidly. "Lady Genna, do you think we should kill her?" He seemed afraid the answer his question might bring.
"She will always be a threat to you, your Grace. She is the daughter of the man who challenged you, who called you a bastard. As long as she's alive, there will be people to look at her as their true queen."
"Shireen Baratheon is a child, even younger than our king," Lady Margaery declared. "I think we had more than enough of children's death since this war started. And judging by how Robb Stark lost bannermen after Martyn and Willem died, killing Shireen could bring us more trouble than benefits."
It was obvious many people adhered with this opinion. Tommen jumped on the occasion. "I agree with aunt Margaery. Killing Shireen would be wrong. It's not the right thing to do. There must be something else we can do. She might not even want the Iron Throne. I never wanted it myself."
"You are naive, your Grace," Lady Genna said. "Even if she doesn't want the Iron Throne now, there will come a time when she will want it, when she will remember that her father was king, and that he died fighting us, fighting your armies. Perhaps not today, but one day, this will happen, or someone else will use her to start a revolt. We cannot let that happen. I agree that killing her might seem extreme, but unless we have another solution to neutralize her, that might be our only option."
"Maester Creylen, Shireen Baratheon has greyscale, isn't it?" Lady Margaery asked.
"Indeed, she has," he answered.
"I know her father managed to stop the spread of the disease, but can we expect her to live very long, or even to be able to have children?"
"I'm afraid I cannot answer with certainty, my lady. But it wouldn't be surprised that the Lady Shireen doesn't have very long to live. Controlled or not, greyscale is part of her now, and I doubt any lord or knight in his right mind would want to marry her, less have children from her. "
"What about making her a septa? From what I know, she loves to read, and given her condition, it wouldn't look unnatural if she was to choose that king of path. And we could have people watching over her at the same time."
"I tend to agree with Lady Margaery, your Grace," Ser Barristan supported. "There would be no honor in killing an innocent child who found herself involved in this war. At least make her the offer. We have nothing to lose by doing this."
"I will," the king said.
"Tommen," Margaery started, "I suggest you write to Shireen, personally. She just lost both her parents and several members of her family, just like you. I think if someone can convince her to just stop with this war, it is you."
Tommen Baratheon, the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, the young boy, looked down, then back at his aunt. "I will."
"We should also contact Davos Seaworth. He was Hand of the King before Stannis died and he's likely taking the decisions for Shireen Baratheon right now. We should…"
"My lady," Ser Damion interrupted her, "please forgive me, but ever since this session of the council started, I couldn't help but notice that someone is watching us." He turned towards Mira, which brought the others to look at her as well. Mira felt very uncomfortable all of a sudden. That was the kind of reaction she feared. Ser Damion turned back to her lady. "I don't believe a meeting of the small council is an appropriate place for a handmaiden, especially considering her origins and her allegiance."
"If you're talking about the fact that Lady Mira Forrester is the daughter of a northern lord, Ser Damion, we should consider that the Northerners are our allies now," Ser Barristan pointed out.
"Very recently, they were still our enemies. And forgive me, I don't feel safe sharing such sensitive matters with someone of questionable loyalty."
Mira felt outraged at the moment. She wanted to react, but her mistress did it in her place.
"Mira has been my servant for a very long time, long before I became Lady of Casterly Rock. Her loyalty to me is unquestionable. She remained at my side during the whole conflict and performed missions for me, my husband and the king with the utmost loyalty. She is not a spy. She is a friend."
Lady Margaery looked straight at her with a supporting gaze while she said the last word.
"My lady, we should be careful…" Ser Damion began before he was interrupted by Lady Margaery.
"Look, I'll say it and I'll only say it once. The Starks are our allies, and so are all their bannermen, and Northerners, and the river lords. Whoever thinks different should not be welcomed on this small council."
"My lady, don't get me wrong. We appreciate the fact that the Starks and the Tullys finally bent the knee. But we should not forget they were rebels not long ago. We fought each other. We cannot trust those people."
Lady Margaery turned her head towards the king. "Your Grace, you went to Winterfell before this war started. While you stayed there, have the Starks showed you anything that might suggest they could stab us in the back?"
"No," Tommen Baratheon replied after a moment.
"If I may," Ser Barristan began, "the Starks of the recent generations have only ever entered into rebellion against the Crown when they were provoked. Eddard Stark rebelled against the Mad King when his father and brother were slaughtered, and Robb Stark only declared war to the king after Ned Stark himself was executed. But Lord Tyrion also saved them at Riverrun. The Starks place great importance on respecting their promises and honor. I do not see them rebelling against us again, unless we give them good reason to do so."
"And they have good reason to do so," Ser Damion objected. "You said it yourself, Ser Barristan. We executed their lord. And they didn't hesitate to kill two of our own children. How can we be sure they will not start again?"
"Robb Stark had nothing to do with it. He punished the assassins himself, including one of his most powerful bannerman, a man who was a distant cousin of his."
"Then that means we cannot trust his men, including the minor houses of the North."
Mira tried hard not to show her indignation. They dared to compare her own house to the likes of the Karstarks. She warned Lady Margaery about the fates of the two boys, going against the best interests of her native land. Whatever outrage Mira didn't display, Lady Margaery did.
"You're comparing the people I choose to be at my service to children slayers? Do you really think I would keep someone like that close to me? I hope you're not questioning my abilities to rule my household?"
To that, Ser Damion didn't dare to answer. Surprisingly, Tommen jumped in the conversation. "I trust my aunt's judgment. I met Lady Mira several times and I have no doubt about her loyalty. She can stay here."
The king's word was law, and so everyone abode. But Lady Margaery wasn't done. "Your Grace, Tommen, if you don't mind, I want to remind everyone that about twenty years ago, House Lannister and House Tyrell fought opposite sides during the war that brought your father on the Iron Throne. Perhaps our armies never fought each other at the time, but we delivered to your father the only defeat he endured during that war. And he forgave us. So, if there are people in this room who are not able to look at the Starks as allies and to forgive them for their past mistakes, just like Robert Baratheon my own family, I think they should leave right now and never come back."
The king answered immediately. "I agree. Is there someone who wishes to leave?"
No one left, and no one said a word, though Mira could feel that Ser Damion, and even Lady Genna, were not happy with the way events turned out.
The rest of the meeting was spent discussing the plans for the king to go back into the capital, the gathering of provisions for the ever-closing winter and a few other internal affairs to the Westerlands. When the meeting ended, Lady Margaery asked Mira to fetch Sansa for her. She wanted the daughter of Ned Stark to accompany her to one of her orphanages she would visit this afternoon.
This time, when Mira arrived before the door of Sansa's apartments, she found her. One of her guards announced Mira to Sansa. When she walked in, she found tools necessay to sew right next to where Sansa was standing, and a gown that was almost finished.
"Mira."
"Hi Sansa. I'm sorry I didn't come to see you before. I tried this morning, but I couldn't find you."
"I was in the sept, praying with Lady Dorna." This surprised Mira. Lady Dorna was the mother of Martyn and Willem. She wondered how Ser Kevan's wife felt about Sansa. "Is there something I can do for you?"
"Lady Margaery is requesting your presence. She's going to visit an orphanage in Lannisport and would like you to come."
"It will be my pleasure."
Sansa didn't show much reaction to the request, but she asked Mira to wait for her. A few minutes later, she came out with a heavier gown for the exterior. Mira had never seen that one before.
"I like your new dress, Sansa. The dressmakers made good work," Mira told her as they began walking together. Despite the grey tissue it was made of, Mira found in it an elegance and simplicity that could not be found in the south. It reminded her of her homeland.
"I made it myself," Sansa replied.
"I'm sorry. You're very talented. Much more than me, I can tell."
"Thanks, Mira. I had a lot of time to make embroidery and sewing."
"I heard of what happened. I'm sorry they locked you, Sansa. You didn't deserve it."
"It's not the first time it happened. The truth is, when it happened in King's Landing, I felt safer inside my rooms."
"I gave them your letter," Mira then whispered. The guards were far behind them. They wouldn't hear her.
"And? How were they?"
"When we left Riverrun? All fine. But of course, it was before the battle. Though I heard they were all alive after it." Mira then raised her voice to avoid suspicions from the guards. "I heard your lady mother is coming here to visit you."
"Yes. Lady Margaery came to see me yesterday when she arrived. She said I was free to go wherever I wanted, and so my mother would be. I can't wait to see her. It's been so long."
Mira nodded. She missed her mother too. She didn't see her since their journey in the North. "I'm sure she will be very happy to see you again too."
"Yes, I think so. Mira, you know, Lady Margaery told me that she would like that I spend time with her and her friends again. She said I had nothing to fear, but… Is it true?"
Mira hesitated before she answered. "Your family is allied to the Lannisters now, Sansa, but I won't lie to you. There is still resentment, and even hatred against your family. Some people have lost relatives and loved ones during this war, and since the death of Martyn and Willem… There are people who must simply find someone to blame for their ills. And you're the closest thing they can blame since you're a Stark. Some people will always hate you, no matter what you say or what you do. That's the reality. I must face the same every day."
"But you're not a Stark."
"My family serves yours, and the Forresters fought the Lannisters at the Battle of the Kingsroad. It doesn't matter that I served Lady Margaery for years and remained loyal to her through the entire conflict. To some, I'll always be the Northerner, a potential enemy behind the lines of battle." She thought about Ser Damion and the way he spoke about her during the small council meeting. "One of my friends even told me to stay away from you, to not be further associated with the Stark name."
"Who told you that?"
"That's not important. I don't intend to stay away from you, Sansa. When Jon lived at Casterly Rock, I spent a lot of time with him. Some people spoke against it, but it didn't stop me from spending time with the only other Northerner in the castle. It will not stop me now either."
They remained silent for a little while longer as they continued to walk, but Sansa Stark broke their mutism. "Mira… while you and Lady Margaery were away… before I was confined in my rooms… I heard rumors."
"There are rumors about everybody and everything running around this castle."
"Yes, but they were about you and Jon. I heard some of the other ladies about you two."
"What were they saying?" Mira asked, curious.
"Well, many things. For example, they say that you often met in the Stone Garden."
"It's true. We were the only ones in Casterly Rock to worship the Old Gods back then, and praying together is much more pleasant than alone."
For an instant, Mira wondered why she said pleasant. Why was it the first word that came to her mind?
"Well, they were suggesting that you two might be doing… something more than praying." Mira stopped, her heart pounding heavily from confusion and anger. "There was even one who claimed she surprised you kissing in there once."
To the mention of that, Mira burst into laughs. No doubt, she knew where the rumors came from now. "Sansa, this never happened. I never kissed a boy, even less your brother. I can't even remember us holding hands. I'm afraid people are inventing all sorts of stories to spend their time."
Mira regaled Sansa about other rumors that circulated in the Rock, but also in Highgarden since she arrived in the south. The daughter of Ned Stark took them seriously first, but as their absurdity became more clear, she began to laugh discreetly with Mira. They were both smiling when they arrived at Lady Margaery's rooms and left with her for Lannisport.
The people of Lannisport didn't cheer Lady Margaery like they did the day before when they rode into the city. Her coming wasn't announced like yesterday, but there were still people to cheer for her on their way to the orphanage. Servants distributed a few coins to all beggars they came across on their way. Mira noticed that, despite the war, their numbers had decreased since Lady Margaery first arrived in the Westerlands. They arrived quite quickly to the orphanage.
Each time she visited one of her charities, Lady Margaery brought something to give to its occupants. Sometimes it was sweets and pastries or toys, but her gifts could be way more useful, such as clothes, food, beds, even medecine. Today, since it was her first day in Lannisport in a while and that she was pregnant, she brought more than enough food and pastries for each child to eat three meals. She also gave them toys to share between them, and she took time to speak to each one of them, and played with them.
Mira, Sera and the others followed her example. After a moment, Mira noticed a little girl in a corner, her doll between her legs, her face hidden behind them. Mira approached her and placed a hand behind her head on a comforting way.
"Hi, my name is Mira. Your doll is very pretty."
"Her name is Yara."
"Yara. That's a pretty name. It goes well with her blond hair."
"She's a princess."
"Lucky girl. I'm sure she could make a lot of friends."
"No. She…" The girl coughed. Mira felt the thin breeze on her arm. "Everyone is jealous of her because she's a princess."
"Poor girl. But I'm sure they would like her if only they got to know her. She's a princess. How could they not love her?"
"The others don't like her."
"Not all, I'm quite sure of that. In fact, I'm sure she wants to see the others just to find out the rare few who are nice. It would be worth meeting some bad people."
The little girl looked shyly at her. "You think?"
"I'm sure of that."
Mira slowly brought the girl among a small group of children of her age, and slowly she began to play with them. That's when Mira noticed Sansa on the side. Mira approached her, noticing how distant her gaze was. Before she could say a word, Sansa blurted in a very low voice.
"The last time my father gave me a doll was when we arrived in King's Landing. I was angry at him because he had killed Lady on the king's order. He wanted to be kind with me, and I just told him I stopped playing with dolls when I was eight."
Mira noticed the shivers in Sansa's words as she spoke. She was about to try to say something comforting when a septa came to her.
"My lady, may I have a moment, please?" She was adressing Mira, so she went with her, telling Sansa she would come back. Mira rubbed her arms. It was getting cold, even for her. "My lady, we should have warned you, but you shouldn't approach this girl."
She pointed in the direction of the child Mira just helped to join a group of friends. She was back in the corner, in the same position Mira had found her.
"Why is that?" she asked.
"She's from the Iron Islands." Now Mira understood why she called her doll Yara. "She came hidden in the hold of a ship that some of their prisoners stole to come back. They were merchants and their families who were trapped in the islands before the war started, but they managed to escape. The girl managed to get on their ships without their knowledge, but she's not from the continent. She's an Ironborn."
Mira looked at the little girl. No one would ever have suspected she was born in the Iron Islands. She looked so normal. But again, she never met any woman from the islands. The rare merchants who stopped on her father's lands and to Highgarden and who came from the Iron Islands were men. Perhaps she was a thrall, a kind word the Ironborn used to designate slaves.
"I don't see the point. She's an orphan?"
"We had to accept her because Lady Lannister told us to welcome all children who needed help. But we would rather not have her mixed with the other children. She might be a bad influence for them."
Mira didn't see how a child of seven or eight could be of any danger.
"I will let Lady Lannister decide of this. In the meantime, there's a reason why we're here."
She turned her back to the septa and went back to the little girl, running her hand through her hair to remove a few strands on her forehead, and sat right next to the girl. The septa obviously disapproved and left the room. Mira spent the rest of the visit with the lone child, going as far as sharing a pastry with her. At least, this girl had a friend for a moment until Mira left.
Please review.
Next chapter : Catelyn