Finally the day had arrived, just as Viserys said it would the night he spoke to King Bartoern. This was also the day Shoshann had feared the most. Today would be the day she would set out on her journey to Westeros with Viserys, accompanied by five of the King's Guards. Up until the very moment she knew it was time to leave she had been in a whirlwind of emotions, fear, anger, saddness and so many more. At one moment she thought herself sick but her handmaiden had assured her it was nothing more than her feelings overwhelming her and soon it would all pass.
Leaving the only home she had ever known was a lot to take in. She wanted to stay here, a place in which she knew very well, it was familiar and warm and all her loved ones were here including her Father. The more she thought about leaving the more her heart slowly broke inside, she didn't want to leave but she knew that protesting the inevitable would be pointless and a sense of wasting time. Her protests would fall on deaf ears no doubtedly. She stood quietly in her chambers and looked around the now almost empty room. All that remained was the furniture, all her many belongings and priceless possessions had been packed away and she was certain that each trunk was being loaded onto a carriage. Once again saddness washed over as she stood there. It was beyond clear now that this would be the last moment she would set foot into this room, the room that had been hers since infancy. She took a deep breath, as she remembered laying in her bed by the window...her mother tucking the blankets tightly around her and kissing her forehead each night. She remembered how her Father would watch her Mother as he stood at the end of the bed. Her Mother happy he was able to do such a thing, after his search of "monsters" were over. He was such a different man back then.
As she wiped a tear from her cheek, she turned on her heel and rushed from the room, her face buried in delicate hands as the tears began to flow at so many memories flooding her mind. It was almost too much to bare. She had shielded her eyes with her hands to keep from seeing anymore of the room for fear that she would never be able to leave. Once she was down the corridor far enough from her room she slowed her movements into a slow walk, using the hem of her sleeve to wipe the tears from her face as she tried to make herself more presentable. This corridor would lead her to her future, a future she didn't even want. At the end of the corridor she was met by her father Bartoern. Though his face was void of emotion she could see the depth of saddness in his eyes. Oh how she wanted him to ask her to stay, but she knew he could not do that, for it would show a sign of weakness and her father was anything but weak, especially since Viserys had been waiting in the courtyard. He was the last person she had wanted to view her father as a weak man. So he stood in silence as he walked beside her until they had come to the steps that lead into the courtyard.
As she neared the bottom of the steps she stopped a moment to look over her left shoulder to see her father had not moved, even though she silently hoped he would have, but nothing, not a single word or gesture. As they shared a glance, as brief as it was she knew it would be the only farewell she would recieve from her father. Never the less she was at least grateful for that much. When she turned her attention back to the carriage that had stopped there in the courtyard following behind it was her soon to be husband and King of Westeros, Viserys.
Taking the final step down she stopped as she watched Viserys ride up on the black stallion, a powerful and strong horse for a strong and powerful King she assumed. When he dismounted he looked right at her, ignoring everyone else, even the King Bartoern. In his mind no one else was worthy of his attention except for his future bride. As he took her hand he bent forward in a slight bow to place a kiss upon the back of her hand. Rising back to his full height he released her hand slowly, and watched as it slipped back to her side. When he focused on her lovely features he noticed that her face was flushed and her eyes were red an slightly swollen. Crying? Yes, she was crying. How unbecoming of his future queen he thought.
Taking her hand once more he lead her to the carriage and when he helped her enter the carriage he leaned forward and she thought he was going to try and kiss her, but she soon found out just how wrong she was going to be. Instead of pressing a kiss to her lips he leaned closer, the warmth of his breath caressing the shell of her ear as he whispered into her ear.
"Shed your tears now Shoshanna, because tears are for the weak. And the future queen of Westeros is anything but weak. When we enter my realm, do remember to make yourself memorable, presentable and strong. Not a sniveling child." His whispered words had been as harsh as he had intended them to be. But when he stepped down from the carriage the smile on his lips had seemed genuine as if he was truly a happy man. A man that was filled with joy that he was begining a journey with his future bride. It was only half accurate.
Shoshanna tried to hide the shock that creeped across her features at Viserys's words and she had managed qutie well except for the initial shock that shown in the widening of her eyes. Hoping no one, especially her father had not noticed she quickly turned her face from the eyes of everyone as her hand lifted to the necklace around her neck, the same necklace she had worn for several years, and normally had kept hidden beneath her clothing. Her fingers curled around the pendant tightly as she closed her eyes and tried to breathe in deep, slow breaths to calm her nerves. It was at that moment that she felt the hand of her handmaiden resting upon her shoulder. Her handmaiden, and friend spoke softly in mere words of no importance as she ushered Shoshanna to remain calm. And before they knew it, the carriage had started to move...the journey had begun...her future was just begining.
