I hope you have all enjoyed the last chapter. This chapter will see a death, a new beginning, and perhaps Stannis will come to terms to something he hasn't felt in a long time.
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Sacrifice
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Sansa did not sleep that night.
She paced her room, thinking of her dinner with Stannis and the kiss he left upon her lips before running away. No, he did not run away, he was simply leaving her behind after taking a kiss. Sansa softly touched her lips and paused her pacing. She wondered if she actually enjoyed it as much as he seemed to have. Stannis kissed her for a reason and it must have been because he cared for her in some way, even more than he cared for his wife.
"Stop biting your nails, child."
Melisandre had entered the room and saw Sansa pacing back and forth, her teeth crunching down on her nails as she remained deep in thought. Sansa jumped at her words and sighed, "Must you frighten me so? Besides, I am quite-how do I say- frantic." Melisandre knew of Stannis kissing the girl and she smirked, "Ah, yes, you are confused." Sansa raised an eyebrow, "How did you know?" Melisandre chuckled and walked further into Sansa's chambers, "Lady Sansa, you are how old?"
Sansa bit her lip, "I am ten and three, my Lady. I will be ten and four in just a few months." Melisandre nodded, "Do you know how old the King is?" Sansa shook her head, but she did believe he must have been at least twice her age. The Red Witch smiled, "He will celebrate thirty-eight years soon. Sansa did not cringe, she did not look at Melisandre in disgust, but simply let out a breath, "Oh." Sansa thought for a moment, "My father was just a few years older than him." The red woman in front of her nodded, "His grace is quite youthful for his age, Sansa. I hope that knowing his age won't harm how you think of him-"
"No!"
She stopped Melisandre, "I would not think any differently of him." She began to get nervous, "But-But why did he kiss me?" The woman before her bowed her head and smiled, "You know why, Sansa, you are a woman flowered and you know what men feel." Sansa sighed, "I don't know-"
"Tease him. Ignore him. Make him see that you will not give in so easily."
Sansa began to understand what she was saying and nodded, "I will not lie of my-feelings that I feel. I am just so unsure." Melisandre chuckled, "Don't be. You are a woman."
...
"I have been chosen by the Lord of Light!"
Selyse looked up at Stannis from her place on the floor. She smiled, "I have been chosen." Stannis frowned, "What do you mean?" Selyse began to explain, "Melisandre showed me the flames of our Lord. In the flames, I saw a sacrifice burning until she reached the night sky! That sacrifice was me, Stannis, the Lord of Light has decided to set me in the flames for your future."
Stannis said nothing as he looked down at his pathetic excuse for a wife. He had always been suspicious of Melisandre's "Lord of Light', but as of late, he had embraced it. Selyse began to sob, "Do you love me now, husband? Do you love your wife for what she is doing for you?" He thought of Sansa, he thought of his plan, and soon he remembered the plan, "No." Selyse looked up at him again and her smile was wiped away, "N-No?" Stannis explained, "I have never loved you, Selyse, and you have never loved me."
Selyse shook her head, "You will see, husband, you will see that you love me when the Lord of Light takes me."
...
Stannis had left his meeting with Selyse in anger and as he walked down the hall, he saw Sansa walking in his direction. He placed his hands behind his back and stood straight, but as she got to him, Sansa simply bowed her head and spoke softly, "Your grace." Stannis acknowledged her, half expecting her to speak with him, but to his surprise, she kept walking. He stopped in his tracks and turned to watch her walk away from him, but his voice unexpectedly called her name, "Lady Sansa." The Lady Stark paused her steps and did not look back as she waited for him to continue. Stannis sighed, "I wanted to apologize for my actions last night, my Lady." Sansa smiled to herself and felt a flutter in her stomach as she heard those words. She turned and whispered,
"You have nothing to apologize for, your grace. You are the King and you simply took a kiss from your ward."
He smirked at her words, "Kind words." Sansa smiled sweetly and turned to walk away, but he spoke again, "Would you join me tonight on the beach? Lady Melisandre makes a bonfire every full moon for the Lord of Light." Sansa thought for a moment, unaware of what would take place, before she finally nodded,
"I would love to."
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The night was dark and full of unknown terrors. Sansa dressed in a gown of dark purple with her black cloak keeping her warm against the oceans winds on the beach. She stood at the top of the stone steps, waiting for Shireen and Ser Davos. Shireen's small voice broke her from her thoughts, "It's very windy tonight, my Lady!" Sansa laughed at Shireen's hair whipping in the wind, "Quite! Where is Ser Davos?"
"Right here, my girl. Come, go down to the beach with the princess and I will follow shortly. I must wait for the King and Queen."
Sansa nodded and took Shireen's hand while Ser Davos watched them carefully step down the slippery stones. He quickly turned and saw Stannis coming to the stairway, but he did not see the Queen. He frowned, "Your grace, where is the Queen?" Stannis looked at him with dark eyes, "She will be here soon enough. Get to the beach, Davos, you are to stand with my daughter."
When Stannis finally reached the beach, he found Sansa standing near Melisandre, the woman in a red cloak gently rubbing Sansa's shoulder and then looking past her to Stannis. He nodded his head to her and soon, everything would begin. Stannis walked to Sansa and gently touched her back, "Lady Sansa, purple suits you." Sansa smiled and turned pink with blush, "Thank you, your grace." Sansa looked around him, "Where is the Queen?" Stannis chuckled and turned her so she was facing the large pile of wood at the center of the beach. She never received an answer, but watched as he took her hand and wrapped it around his arm. One thought repeated through her mind,
"This is where the Queen should be."
Melisandre walked near the pile of wood and looked at the crowd in silence. All fell quiet as she got their attention and she smiled, "Tonight, a fire will burn to the heavens for the Lord of Light as he brings our King to triumph." Her voice was loud and clear as the bannermen, guards, and the others listened. She turned to her left, "Bring her forward." Two guards escorted a woman towards the center where Melisandre stood and as she looked closer, Sansa was finally able to see her. She gasped, "The Queen!" She looked at Stannis, "What is going on?"
She received no answer as Melisandre continued, "The Lord of Light has spoken to the Queen through the fires and he has chosen her to lead our King to the throne!" They all cheered out, but Sansa looked at Stannis to see no emotion on his face before she looked at Shireen. The child was curious as to what was happening, and even more curious to see her mother standing with Melisandre with a smile on her face.
"Tie her to the stake."
Melisandre's voice was serious and Sansa watched in horror as Selyse was tied to the large stake she had not noticed in the dark before. Ser Davos understood as well and grabbed Shireen's arm, "Princess, we must return to the castle." He looked at Stannis and shouted, "This? This is your plan?" Stannis looked at him, but still he said nothing. Sansa grabbed his arm with her other hand, "Your grace, please, what is happening?" Selyse looked out at the crowd and saw Sansa and Stannis standing arm in arm on the windy beach. She smiled and called out, "Stannis! My King! Do you see what I am doing for you? Do you love me now, my King?" Stannis frowned and tried his best to not listen, "Stannis! Look at me!" He looked up at her on the stake and without another word, nodded towards Melisandre, giving her the signal. Melisandre was handed a torch and she faced the crowd once more,
"Lord of Light, accept this sacrifice tonight, as we pray that you show us the way to triumph!"
Sansa said nothing, but simply listened as she continued, "Make our enemies fall to their deaths and scream in fear as we take all that is promised to us!" She held the torch to the pile of wood and looked up at the Queen, "Do you have anything to say, your grace?" Selyse smiled and looked out at all of them, "I am honored to-" She stopped when she saw Sansa clutching tighter to Stannis, face nearly hidden in his arm as Stannis stared back at her, no emotion on his face at all. This was what he wanted, wasn't it? He wanted to see her burn whether it be for the Lord of Light or not. She began to panic,
"Stannis! Please, don't let me do this!"
He heard no more as Davos rushed to them, "Lady Sansa, come with me and the princess. You should not be witness to such an act-" Stannis growled, "She will stay on my arm, Ser Davos. SAnsa Stark must see and learn about the Lord of Light's ways." Davos argued, "She will be scarred for life-"
"You will not argue your King! Take my daughter and go, but Lady Stark will remain!"
Selyse began to cry and Sansa still remained quiet, barely realizing that Stannis and Davos were arguing. She watched as the Queen struggled against her bonds, her mind becoming clear as she realized what was happening. Melisandre looked at Sansa and spoke, "Lord of Light, guide us for the night is dark and full of terrors!" She lit the wood and the wind spread it through in only moments. Sansa watched the fire build and touched the bottom of the Queen's gown, causing her to scream in fright.
...
It was over just as fast as it started. Sansa tried to look away as Selyse screamed from the flames touching her skin, but Stannis whispered in her ear, "Do not look away, girl, the Lord of Light wants all to see." Sansa looked at him and began to shiver as she watched Selyse burn away to nothing. When it was over, Sansa ripped away from Stannis and began to rush away through the sand to get the castle. Melisandre pushed Stannis forward, "You fool, don't let her get away!" He growled and ran to Sansa, grabbing her arm, "My Lady, please let us discuss what you saw tonight-"
"I saw you sacrifice your wife to the Lord of Light, whomever he may be."
Stannis hissed, "What you saw was my wife, a woman that never loved me, a woman that was completely crazy, sacrifice herself! Selyse was not alright, Sansa, she was sick." Sansa looked at him in fright and thought of his words for a moment and she realized he was right about her being crazy; she spoke with her enough to know that. She did not know what to say for several moments, she did not understand what was going on. Sansa said the first thing that came to mind,
"You should not speak ill of the dead, your grace."
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"We should not have brought her to the beach."
Melisandre chuckled, "Of course we should have! The child needs to learn about our Lord of Light, your grace. She needs to understand us, understand you." Stannis eyed her from the side and listened as she continued, "She is scared, yes, but she will learn. Perhaps you should speak with her-"
"She will not see me, I have tried."
Stannis looked at her and hummed, "Perhaps you should speak with her?" Melisandre nodded, "Yes, that will be best. Let me speak with her about the Lord of Light and the sacrifice, perhaps that will help her."
Later that night, Stannis could not sleep, but he kept hearing Selyse screaming in his mind and seeing Sansa's blue eyes in the flames. He rubbed his face and finally found sleep when the sun was rising over the sea.
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I am very happy with how this chapter turned out. Thanks for reading!