Disclaimer: I do not own Game of Thrones or anything related. It belongs to George R.R. Martin, the creator of this wonderful universe and David Benioff and D. B. Weiss who created the show.
Chapter Ten: Blackwood.
"Lady Grandmother?" Sanira asked taken back as she attempted to rise from her seat, her eyes widening as she stared at the last person that she had expected to walk through that door. It had been many months since they had last seen one another and Sanira had never imagined that her grandmother would come here to the Twins to visit her.
"Your Grace," Lady Sylvina Baratheon greeted moving to duck into a shallow curtsy, she refused to have anyone think that she was not capable of showing such respect. She might have been an old woman and Sanira's grandmother but that did not mean she would not show a Queen the respect that she deserved.
"What are you doing here?" Sanira asked, she moved to lift her grandmother from her curtsy but was waved off by her as she regained her footing and the two women stared at one another. Sanira did not wish to imagine what news had brought her grandmother all the way to the Twins, she had left Karlon with her hoping to keep him safe.
"Did you truly believe that I would not come after what happened?" Sylvina asked her, she took Sanira's hands and she cursed the Lannisters for what they had done to her family. The losses that she had suffered were at their hands and she would never forgive them for that; her only son, her baby boy was gone at the hands of his murderous wife.
If that was not enough, Sylvina had no doubts that the massacre that had happened was down to Tywin Lannister; only he could make promises that would make a man like Walder Frey brave enough break guest right. Taking a nervous breath, Sylvina knew it was time to tell Sanira the truth and she had put it off for long enough; at least now she did not have to worry about the Lannisters learning the truth.
"There is much we need to discuss, things I should have told you sooner," Sylvina told Sanira, she squeezed her hands and smiled at her weakly before they moved towards the fire where another seat had been set up for them. There was silence in the room as they took their seats and Sylvina waved away her own ladies knowing that the less people that heard what she had to say the better.
Only Aiana and a trusted lady of Sylvina's remained in the room with them and Sylvina was thankful for that, she could imagine that what she had to say would likely bring the wrong sort of attention now. Staring into the flames, Sylvina pondered how to start such a conversation and how best to explain to Sanira why she had waited so long to share this with her. Sanira was a woman now, a wedded and bedded woman and she deserved to know the truth especially if the gift decided to make itself known in her own daughter.
"When I foresaw what was to come. I feared the worse, I sent my men as quickly as I could to aid Arthur in doing away with that Lannister whore and instructed him to travel post-haste to the Twins," Sylvina explained wishing that she had acted soon. If she had done so perhaps Arlenna would not have escaped and her son would still be alive, instead she had hesitated wanting to see how things played out wishing to believe Rolan was stronger than he was.
Regret filled her face and she would forever mourn him, she did not believe that there was anything stronger than the love a mother had for her children. Sanira stared at her grandmother confused, the wording catching her attention and she felt even more confused about what Sylvina could have possibly meant. Of course, she had heard that her brother had overthrown their mother before riding to the Twins with his and the men that her grandmother had sent to him.
"You mean… you can see things?" Sanira checked wanting to be sure that she was understanding her right, she could not believe what she was hearing. The very idea that perhaps her night terrors were more than that, that perhaps she was not alone in all of this like she had believed. It made sense to her now why her grandmother was far more encouraging about her night terrors than anyone else, why she took an active interest in what Sanira claimed when others had dismissed her as a girl.
"Yes, just like you. Sometimes I have dreams and I can see things," Sylvina confirmed quietly, her eyes falling to look down at her lap and she wanted nothing more than to reveal all that she had kept secret. Sylvina had never meant for such a secret to remain so, she had planned to tell Sanira the truth and train her to control such visions when she came of age and became a woman. However, that had been made rather difficult by Arlenna and Sylvina did not trust the Lannisters, she feared what might happen if they learnt what Sanira was capable of.
"My mother was a Targaryen Princess, though I think the gift skipped over her because the Targaryens has other gifts," Sylvina begun to explain, she did not think her mother had even mentioned to her that she had seen things. Rhaelle had been a firm mother and had kept a close eye on her only daughter, she had often spoke of her disappointment that both her children have favoured their father's darker looks compared to her own. Never the less, Rhaelle had loved her children and had taken a special interest in her daughter ensuring that she was prepared for a courtly carrier which had been scampered when Sylvina had married Ronard.
"It was from my grandmother, Betha Blackwood, that my gift came from and the same gift that you have inherited," Sylvina continued, a soft smile forming on her face as she thought about her own grandmother. It was forever ago that she had been sitting in Betha's chambers and had practiced with her, the smell of lemon cakes in the air and laughter. Sylvina had often imagined doing the same with her own daughter or granddaughter but have been deprived of such especially when she knew that such things must be kept a secret.
"The tale goes that a knight of the House of Blackwood was riding through the forest when he came across a strange sight, a woman sitting by the edge of the river bathing in the moonlight," Sylvina started recalling the legend, it seemed so silly when she had been a girl and she had to wonder how much of it was true.
"The woman was Melusine, a Goddess of Water. It was love at first sight for the two of them, and they were married, but Melusine imposed one condition: every month, he must leave her alone to bathe, and under no circumstances was he to disturb or spy on her when she took her monthly bath," Sylvina whispered, her voice low and she had no doubts that Sanira was listening. It was a tale of their history and the only explanation that she could give for what Sanira was able to do, she just hoped that it would be enough.
"In the beginning, the couple's marriage was an exceptionally successful one: they were happier than any in the world, they had children together - beautiful daughters and strange wild sons, and Melusine's husband kept his promise of never intruding or spying upon his wife when she took her monthly bath," Sylvina spoke, she glanced at Sanira to make sure that she was listening. The room was quiet, and a small look told her that both their trusted ladies had given them space to talk though clear that they were both listening in on the tale that she was telling to Sanira.
"However, Melusine's husband could not help but become increasingly curious of his wife, for her beauty never faded with the passage of time. One day, he could not bear the mystery of her secret bathing any longer and, spurred on by the persuasion of a guest, he crept down to her bathhouse and spied upon her, only to see Melusine as her true supernatural self as she swam beneath the waters of her bath - from the waist down, she had a large, scaled tail like that of a fish's," Sylvina revealed softly. Of course, if she had been a Greyjoy then the tale would have likely ended very differently, the idea that they were not only descended from some sort of goddess but one with a scaled tale like a fish did seem rather humorous.
"Unable to forgive her husband for breaking his promise, Melusine left him, taking their daughters with her. Her husband was forced to live alone with his sons, a heartbroken man, and regretted to the end of his days the weakness that led him to betray her trust," Sylvina stated sadly. She could not imagine what such a betrayal from the one that loved you was like that; she had always known that Ronard had her back no matter what happened.
He had taken her secret to the grave; she was hopeful that once she had done her duty here that the Gods would reunite them, and she would see the man she loved again. Sylvina's greatest wish was to see her husband and son again, she was an old woman now and she did not think she had much time left in this world, but she still had one important task left to do.
"Though Melusine never saw her husband again in his lifetime, she never stopped loving or missing him, and at the hour of his death, he heard her singing for him," Sylvina finished the story, it was not the greatest ending, but love did endure no matter what happened. The story might just be that, but it was something that she had held onto since she was a girl, she had never imagined that she would have a love like that.
"The daughters of her line are gifted with the sight, we are often warned of events that can bring about our doom and sometimes the death of a loved one," Sylvina explained, and she watched Sanira's face knowing that this was a lot of information to take in. Never had she imagined that this was how the conversation would happen, she had avoided it for so long and she had done her best to hide the truth while encouraging Sanira in all the ways that she could. The necklace that she had gifted her on her wedding day was meant to be the first step in telling Sanira, a reason for her to come visit but the war had started and there never seemed to be a good time.
"If you would let me, I wish to train you… teach you what my grandmother taught me," Sylvina asked of her, she knew that Sanira could say no, and she would understand but she was hopeful that she might agree. She had come all this way to see her, and she wanted nothing more than to right the wrongs that she had done in the past. Convincing her nephew to side with the Starks had been hard, she knew that Stannis was stubborn, but she had never thought he would hold out for as long as he did but eventually, he had come around.
"Why did you not tell me?" Sanira whispered, she could not believe what she was hearing when all her life she had felt crazy for the things that she could see, the things that came true and she had no explanation for it. Never could she have imagined that the answer would come from someone that she had loved like this, she felt deceived and hurt that she had not been told sooner.
"Your mother," Sylvina murmured as if it explained everything, she reached out to take Sanira's hand and tried to hide her hurt when she pulled away from her. It was not the best excuse, but it was the one that she had, and she hoped that at least now Sanira would understand.
"I did not trust that she would keep my teachings a secret, such information would have fallen into the wrong hands and perhaps led to me being burned at the stake," Sylvina continued wanting to take the taste of betrayal away from Sanira. It had never been her intention to hide it from her forever, she had begged Rolan to allow her summers with Sanira, but her son had always waved her off and told her that Arlenna had plans for their daughter.
For the first time in a long time, Sylvina felt safe to discuss the truth that she had buried, and she wanted nothing more than to help Sanira in anyway that she could. If not for Sanira's sake than for the sake of a future daughter perhaps, her visions were so unclear during the war that Sylvina feared that she might be losing her touch.
Getting to her feet and moving away from her grandmother, Sanira approached the window and stared out of it while she tried to gather her thoughts. Although she felt hurt by what she had just learned, there was a sense of relief and she pondered what she might be able to do if she had greater control over her ability. If she could truly predict the future than perhaps, she was not useless and could be of some help while she recovered, her wounds were healing but not fast enough for her to travel as Robb wished her to.
"Very well, you may teach me," Sanira announced turning to her grandmother, perhaps being close to the river might help in her training especially given her apparent descension from a river goddess. She almost wished to laugh at the notion, but she knew now was not the time, in a world that was crumbling around them because of a war started by the Lannisters she knew anything could happen.
There were even reports that there were dragons hatched across the sea, though Sanira did hope that whatever happened during the war that they remained there. The very last thing that Westeros needed right now was another crown being thrown into the ring, if the Targaryen Queen came this way with her dragons, then Sanira was unsure how they would cope. Sylvina smiled at the agreement, she was most pleased to hear it and they did not have a moment to lose; there was something coming and Sanira would have to be prepared.
Please Review, Favourite and Follow xx