The rumour of a shadow killing Renly Baratheon was the time when Sarah Baratheon realised she could not trust her father. She had managed to deduce that her father had killed his own brother with the creature that Melisandre had spawned. Sarah wanted nothing more to do with the God of Light.

She had spoke to Ser Davos of it and the elder man had agreed with her, but he had urged her not to flee. She questioned him and asked if he would tell her father, but he promised to play insolent. He even went as far as to tell her what ship would be the best to get on that night. Sarah had inclined her head, politely accepting Ser Davos and his offer.

"I don't think mother would approve," Shireen spoke when Sarah told her to take her cloak. "Sarah, why are we going?"

Sarah was fussing around Shireen's room, looking for the warmer pieces of clothing for the girl to wear. She found them and hastily placed them around Shireen's shoulders, making sure that she was well prepared in two cloaks.

"You have to listen to me," Sarah whispered, bending down to speak to her sister. She rested her hands on Shireen's shoulders and looked her dead in the eye. "You know about mother and the Fire Priestess, don't you?"

"Yes," nodded Shireen. "What about her?"

"She is not good news, Shireen," Sarah whispered. "You need to stay away from her. Do you understand me? We need to go. She has done some bad things."

"What?" Shireen continued to push her sister.

Sarah ground her teeth together. How easy it would be to tell Shireen the truth. How easy it would be to tell her that their father had killed his own brother. How he had committed adultery. How he had burned the Seven. Sarah didn't want to tell her. It was not in her place. Shireen was so young. She did not deserve to be told of the horrors that her father had committed.

Not yet.

"Bad things, Shireen," Sarah repeated. "I can't tell you. You believe me, don't you? We need to leave now? Just you and me."

"Where will we go?" Shireen wondered, standing up and taking hold of Sarah's hand. The elder girl shook her head.

She hadn't thought of that.

"I will find work somewhere," Sarah promised Shireen. "There are many places in Westeros, darling. We can have a nice house...you can read all day...and play...you'll make friends soon enough. I promise you."

Shireen looked to her big sister and allowed a small nod to escape her. She believed Sarah. She had always believed in Sarah. She knew that her sister always did the best by her.

"I will come," Shireen said and Sarah was about to respond that she didn't really have a choice regardless.

"Good," Sarah smiled. "Let's go then."

Sarah led Shireen through the dark halls. She had to admit that it was relatively simple to sneak past guards. Sarah had been doing it for years and it seemed Shireen had been doing it for a while. Sarah always kept Shireen by her as the two girls snuck around.

They finally left the castle and rushed down to the port, their feet hitting the floor at record pace. The moonlight streamed down over them, illuminating their way for them. Sarah looked around and finally saw the small ship. She kept her hood over her face and made sure Shireen was hidden behind her. She knew that her greyscale wouldn't help matters.

Appearing anonymous was best for every party.

"You must be the cargo Ser Davos spoke of," a tall man said.

Sarah kept a hand on the side of her hood and kept her head down.

"Aye," Sarah said, doing her best to keep her words to a minimum. She didn't know whether these men would recognise her, or if they would care who she was.

She could feel the man staring at her for longer than what was necessary. She did her best not to look at him, not wanting to show him that she was, indeed, worried about being caught and sent back to her father.

"I'm doing this because I trust Ser Davos," the man informed her. "That is the only reason why I am helping you. Do you understand me?"

"Yes," Sarah replied simply. She said no more as the man stood to one side and turned a blind eye. He didn't want anything to do with them. He would keep them below deck and hidden. It would be for the best.

When Sarah and Shireen were finally on the move, the two girls turned to watch as Dragonstone grew smaller with each passing second. Sarah rested her hand on Shireen's shoulder as the young girl shed a small tea. Sarah didn't know why. She suspected that Shireen never truly had anything on Dragonstone.

"Everything will turn out well," Sarah promised her sister, bending down to wipe her eyes. "Mother and father will be fine without us."

"They'll be angry," Shireen whispered, her wide orbs moving to look at her sister. Sarah ran her hand down Shireen's cheek and plastered a smile onto her face. She had to be strong. She needed to be strong for Shireen. It was the only thing she could do.

"Yes," Sarah said, knowing full well that she couldn't deny her parent's anger. "But it does not matter. We had to go, Shireen. There was no other option. I won't abandon you."

Shireen sniffed and gave Sarah a small smile. "You've never abandoned me. I trust you, Sarah."

The ache in the elder girl's chest was almost becoming too much. She moved with haste to wrap her arms around her little sister. She held Shireen against her for a few seconds and closed her eyes as the ship rocked about on the sea.

"Everything will turn out for the best. You shall see, Shireen. We will be fine."

...

Sarah only wished she could believe her words. She had no idea how long they had been walking when they docked at Duskendale. Sarah entered every passing inn, wondering if there was any work available. She was rejected at every possible opportunity. She continued wandering, managing to find leftover food for her and Shireen to eat. They spent their nights sleeping under trees. Shireen was the one to sleep and Sarah did her best to keep watch, knowing full well that they could be ambushed at any given moment.

"Sarah," Shireen spoke one evening as she lay by her sister. "I think I hear something."

Shireen tugged on Sarah's sleeve, forcing her to wake up after she had almost hit the point of exhaustion. Sarah's lids opened and she looked around, standing up and allowing her cloak to whirl around her as she did so.

"Stay with me, Shireen," she whispered down to her sister.

The girl nodded as three men came into view, the only light coming from the torches they held, the flames burning into the night sky vigorously.

"And what would two little girls be doing in the forest alone at night?" one man wondered and Sarah instantly had visions to the day when she was ambushed by some Wildlings. She'd had Beren and Jaime to save her then. But now? Now she had just her own body to protect them.

"We were resting," Sarah said. "My sister and I are heading North."

The man's brow furrowed as Shireen kept a hold of Sarah's hand, refusing to let go as her knuckles turned white around her sister's fingers. Sarah held her chin high, doing her best not to show how scared she was. She didn't want to admit that she was petrified by the prospect of being harmed. It wasn't herself she worried for. It was Shireen. She was just a girl.

What had Sarah been thinking? She had brought her to danger. She had done this.

"North?" he checked. "Why would you be heading North? It seems everyone is fleeing from the North."

"I am seeking work. The South seems too far from here. We are closer to the North, are we not?"

"Aye," another man spoke. "We are. But we're not far from Riverrun. You know who resides there, girl?"

"Who?" wondered Sarah.

She'd heard rumours of the Seven Kingdom, yet she believed the playing insolent would be for the best.

"The King in the North," the man replied to her. "I doubt he would turn down two girls like you. There's always a job scrubbing the floors of Riverrun."

Sarah arched a brow, not entirely convinced with what she was hearing from the two men. She took a second to think. No one was this kind. No one she knew, anyway.

"Thank you," she decided to say. "It would mean a lot to us. All I need is some work."

The three men looked at each other as if Sarah had missed something. And she knew she had. She was pretty certain that there would be more to this deal than she had initially thought.

"Aye," the man said, casually moving forwards and Sarah could feel her pulse begin to quicken. She backed her and Shireen against a tree, doing her best to keep her body from shaking. "So you should give us something in return, shouldn't you?"

Gulping, Sarah looked at the man and Shireen remained confused for a moment.

"I...I think we should be on our way," Sarah whispered, her voice cracking as she said it.

"Sweetling," another man spoke, moving his slim body forwards as Sarah knew what she was about to do. She had no other option but to run. She had to get away from them. "All we ask if that you suck our cock for the journey. It's nothing horrendous, is it?"

Sarah squeezed Shireen's hand and looked to the side, her eyes flitting around her. The man finally dared to rest his hands on Sarah, groping at her waist before the girl struggled to push him off. Another man went to Shireen as Sarah was turned around in one man's hold, his hand groping her breast as she screamed loudly.

"No! Get off of her!" Sarah snarled as she saw a man take hold of Shireen's arm.

"Don't worry," one spoke to Sarah. "She's a bit too young for our tastes."

It was only when Shireen's hood fell from her face did the men look at her with wide orbs. Sarah struggled about as the man weakened. His arms seemingly slackened and Sarah finally managed to get away from them. She rushed to Shireen as she was pushed to the floor. Sarah dropped to her knees and helped her sister to kneel in front of her.

"You're safe," Sarah promised her as her sister began to delicately cry. "I have you...you're safe..." Sarah promised her.

"The Baratheon girls," one man spoke.

"No." Lied Sarah.

"She has greyscale," another pointed out. "We've all heard the tales. It can be no one else...no one like her...and here you are, all alone."

"You are mistaken-"

"- I don't think so," one responded. "We're not fools. We know who you are."

"What do we do with them? Will the King want them? He can ransom them back to Stannis? He might be able to make an allegiance then?"

"Or Stannis will find out and crush the King to get them back."

"He wouldn't do that."

"How do you know? I've heard about the dark magic he uses. You know he killed his own brother."

"But he could hardly defeat the King in the North, even with that Red Priestess of his. Besides, I still don't know what to believe about this shadow."

"So we take her back? The King will reward us. I know it."

"Fine. We take them with us."

Sarah remained silent, knowing that going back to Robb Stark would be a dangerous move. She didn't want to go back to him and be ransomed back to her father, yet she did not want her father to harm Robb. No, she needed to get away from the men.

It was only as they advanced towards her with ropes and intent in their eyes did Sarah knew that there was little that she could do.

...

Sarah did her best to keep Shireen calm on the journey. Her sister had been tied up and was sat on a horse separate to her own. Sarah continued to throw her sister, what she hoped were, encouraging glances. She knew that Shireen was frightened beyond her wits. So was Sarah. She just didn't show it.

"Here we go," one man spoke as soon as a castle came into sight. The land beyond and around it was green, boarded on two sides by rivers. Sarah couldn't help but allow her jaw to drop. She didn't think that she had ever seen anything so picturesque before. Riverrun would have looked practically tranquil if not for the large encampment behind its walls.

When Sarah was finally freed from her binds she reached for Shireen and helped her from hers.

"Come on," a gruff voice spoke and Sarah was pushed forwards.

She kept looking around her as maids and servants did their best not to stare at Shireen's face. Sarah's grip seemed to increase on her sister's hand as they wandered through the concrete halls. They finally came to the Great Hall. The room was dark and slightly eerie, only a fireplace allowing light and some heat into the room.

At one end of the castle there was a large table, covered in maps and pawns with a man bent over it. On the other side there was a few more tables that had been pushed back to make room in the space.

"My King." A gruff voice snapped from behind Sarah and Shireen.

Robb Stark suddenly looked up, his eyes scanning around him before they settled on Sarah. He narrowed his gaze, wondering if he was seeing the right thing. Apparently he was for he doubted he would forget the face of a Baratheon.

"We found these wandering around. They're the girls that Stannis is after."

Robb walked forwards and looked at the men, a slow nod coming out of him as his eyes finally found Shireen. He knew that he was in trouble. His men would know of them being here. His men would spread the word and word would reach Dragonstone. Stannis would find out soon enough. Perhaps Robb could treat him with him then. Or he would send his army for Robb's.

"I see," Robb said. "I trust you treated them well."

"As well as they deserved," another chuckled and Robb looked to Sarah for any signs of abuse. He saw none on her. She looked as healthy as she should be.

"As you say," grunted Robb. "Then I thank you men for bringing them to me. You'll find all the food you need in the kitchens."

They all looked slightly put out by Robb's response. It seemed as though they had been expecting a knighting. Slowly, they left the room and Sarah and Shireen. Robb waited until the doors had closed before he allowed his eyes to find Sarah Baratheon.

"It seems you've caused a great commotion," Robb grunted. "Stannis Baratheon has demanded your return as soon as you're found."

Gulping, Sarah nodded in agreement with him. "I do not doubt it. However, I would urge for you not to send us back to Dragonstone."

"And why is that?" Robb asked her. "You seemed intent to get back there when you were in Winterfell. I know why, mind you. I know that the Lannisters threatened you."

Sarah shook her head, and looked down to Shireen. She didn't want to talk about this in front of her.

"Shireen is tired," Sarah spoke.

"No-"

"-It has been a long journey," Sarah interrupted her sister before she could say anything more. "I know that we may not be welcome here, but it would mean a lot to me."

"No," Robb shook his head. "Of course. I shall have my mother show her to a guest chamber. My mother is in the next room reading. I shall go to her."

"Thank you."

Robb left Shireen and Sarah alone in the room. The elder girl rested her hands on Shireen's cheek and smiled gently. "Everything will be okay now. Lord Robb is a good man, Shireen. He will make sure we're kept safe. His mother will look after you whilst I talk to him."

"What if he sends us back?" Shireen whispered. "Father will be mad, Sarah. You said it was dangerous to go back."

"It is," Sarah promised her sister. "But it shall not come to that, Shireen. Believe me, it will not come to that."

Sarah kissed Shireen's forehead before she stood up and saw Robb enter the room, the familiar face of Catelyn Stark behind him. Lady Stark smiled politely when she saw Sarah and she inclined her head.

"Lady Sarah," she spoke.

"Lady Stark," Sarah responded.

Catelyn looked at Shireen, startled at the sight of her face for a mere moment. But it was just that. Catelyn looked beyond the scarring and saw a set of kind and innocent eyes, along with a look of worry. Holding her hand out, Catelyn waited for Shireen as Sarah urged her sister forwards.

"Lady Stark will look after you," Sarah promised her and Shireen finally wrapped her hand around Catelyn's.

"If you're lucky, she might even take you to see if there is any dessert left," Robb added on, his voice gruff as he remembered what it had been like to have two younger siblings in Winterfell. He missed Bran and Rickon. He missed Arya, and even Sansa. All of them meant everything to him at that moment in time.

"Yes," Catelyn agreed. "I do believe there is a fresh batch of lemon cakes downstairs. Do you like lemon cakes?"

"I have never had a lemon cake," Shireen whispered in a soft voice.

"Well," Catelyn said, a smile on her face, "you are in for a treat."

The doors finally closed and the silence swallowed Robb and Sarah again. Robb chuckled and ran a hand over his beard.

"She certainly has a maternal instinct," Robb declared to his former betrothed. "Take a seat, Sarah."

Sarah followed Robb to sit at the table. He poured them a goblet of wine, draining his in seconds whilst Sarah held onto her goblet. She looked around for a few moments before Robb settled into questioning her.

"Why are you here, Sarah? What happened on Dragonstone?"

It was only then when Sarah began to sip on her wine. "You've heard of my father and his turning to the Red God, have you not?" she checked with him. "The Lady Melisandre."

"Aye, I've heard of her," Robb nodded. "Men in Westeros fear him, especially after the rumour...of...well...Renly."

"T'is not a rumour," Sarah replied, finally gulping down the wine. "My father...he and the Lady Melisandre created a shadow. Some form of shadow that killed Renly. It is magic, Lord Robb. Dark magic. I had no other choice but to take Shireen and get away from there. Father wouldn't listen to me, and mother is too far gone. There was no hope."

Shaking his head, Robb struggled to believe what he was hearing. Yet his mother had told him the same thing when she returned to him.

"Sarah...your father sent ravens to all of the Seven Kingdoms," Robb told her slowly. "He has demanded for you to be returned. He says anyone who hides you will suffer his wrath. What do you think that means?"

Sarah took a second to think. "I would have thought that meant he would send men...but now...with Lady Melisandre...I don't know, Robb. I don't know what he will do. All I know is that I am not taking Shireen back there."

"And what do you intend to do?" Robb asked her. "Surely you know that staying here is dangerous, Sarah. People know that you are here."

"Then let us go," Sarah urged him. "Just do not send us back to Dragonstone, Robb. Deny that I was ever here. Those three men...they can be silenced, surely."

"Do you suggest I kill them?"

"You would have to join the queue for that," Sarah hissed. "They only spared us when they saw Shireen. Their intent had been to rape me. I don't think that is tolerated, is it?"

Robb looked at her, wondering if he had ever seen her so annoyed before.

"No," she suddenly spoke again, shaking her head back and forth. "Bribe them or something...just...no one needs to know of us being here. We will go soon enough."

"Do you know how dangerous it is out there?" Robb asked Sarah in a soft voice. "My men would recognise you as soon as they saw you, especially the ones from Winterfell. They'd sell you back without a second thought."

"I would be careful."

"I assume you were careful before you were caught," Robb continued. "Look how that turned out, Sarah. No. I shall permit you to stay here, but you need to keep hidden."

Sarah ground her teeth together, not entire convinced if that was the best thing to do. She kept silent and inclined her head. One night would not hurt her. One night would be for the best. Both her and Shireen needed to rest.

"I should like to sleep on your offer, my Lord," Sarah told him.

"As you wish," Robb agreed. "I shall escort you to a chamber. I must then go and check on the Kingslayer."

Sarah felt something change inside of her as soon as she heard his name. She took a moment to collect her scattered thoughts before she looked at Robb as he stood up.

"Jaime?" she spoke his name.

Robb looked at her, wondering why she addressed him such a manner. He had always been suspicious of the pair of them when they were in Winterfell. Jaime was constantly hovering around her, and she was constantly making comments in his ear. Robb didn't know what to think then, and he didn't know what to think now he looked upon her face for one more time.

"Yes," Robb said. "Why?"

"I..." Sarah blabbered. "I wish to see him."

"I do not think that is a wise idea," Robb informed her. "Why would you want to see him?"

"Because I need to know if he was the one to instigate the rumours of me," Sarah said with haste. "I need to know, my Lord."

Robb knew that she was lying to him. He could see it in her face. There was a deeper reason than that one. He chose not to bring it up before he felt her touch his arm with her long fingers.

"Please," she spoke. "You know how grateful I will be for this."

Robb took a second to think before he offered her his arm. She took hold of it and Robb led her through the corridors before she made her second request.

"I wish to speak to him alone," she suddenly said and Robb scoffed.

"I am doing you a large enough favour by allowing you down here," Robb said, his tone harsh. "Do not think to make requests that are above you. Do you know what he did? He pushed my brother out of a window for seeing him with the Queen."

Sarah shook her head; unable to believe that was how Bran's accident had come about. The thought sickened her. She looked at Robb with wide eyes and kept quiet.

"I am sorry."

"As am I." Robb agreed. "He lives, but he is a cripple. The Kingslayer did that to him. So forgive me if I stop you from demanding silly requests."

"I am the daughter to the rightful King of Westeros," she suddenly declared. "I do not think my request is that vast."

They both stopped walking and Robb turned back to eye her with suspicion. What was she playing at? What was her game? Robb didn't know.

"You are wanted by the rightful heir," Robb agreed with her. "Not that anyone wants Stannis on the throne, mind you."

"I don't think anyone wants Joffrey either," Sarah snapped. "I am asking you as a favour, Robb. Jaime Lannister shall never admit the truth when an audience is there. You know that as well as I. He prides himself on being sarcastic and detrimental."

Robb seemed to think for a moment and shook his head.

"I shall not allow it," he told her simply. "That is final, Sarah."

Groaning to herself, Sarah suddenly informed Robb that she was feeling tired anyway. She did not think a meeting with the Kingslayer would be appropriate at that moment in time. Robb seemed to be suspicious but he hid it well with courtesy and took her back to her room.

It was only in the dead of the night when Sarah snuck out from her room, her cloak around her figure and her hood pulled over her head. She rushed with haste to the dungeons, seeing the guard on duty there sleeping in his chair. She rolled her eyes, knowing that her father would have him flayed if he was caught sleeping on the job.

The dungeons were dark and damp, a vile smell coming from them. Sarah wandered down the rows of cages, looking in each one of them with narrowed eyes before she saw him.

He was tied to a post, his body upright and chains keeping him in place. His hair had overgrown and a beard formed on his chin. The smell caused Sarah to wrinkle her nose as the light from the torch behind her burned bright, casting a shadow over her.

"The King in the North told me that the Lady of Dragonstone was here."

Sarah winced at his lazy tone, wondering how he had come to be.

"I had hoped you'd pay me a visit. I have missed your sarcastic tones and your wit," Jaime told her, his drawl entering her ears as she arched a brow and folded her arms across her chest.

"I am here for the truth," she whispered, doing her best not to wake the guard. "I think you owe me that."

"And how did you figure that out?" Jaime asked from her. "Besides, there are many versions of the truth. It depends which one you want. Of course, I sometimes find living a lie to be much better."

Sarah sucked in a sharp breath and glowered over to him. "Your sister made up the rumour about me, didn't she? She knew that my father knew of your relationship with her. She wanted me in King's Landing to make sure he said nothing."

Jaime rolled his eyes as he heard her. "You seem to have the same amount of intellect as the Young Wolf. Tell me, has he taken you yet? He seemed most aggrieved when he heard the truth."

"So it is true," Sarah said, ignoring his sarcastic comments. "And the rumour was simply that, wasn't it? Or was your sister slipping me moon tea all along? Were you in on it?"

"You always think the worst of me," Jaime said, jutting his chin out as a small smirk formed on his face. "It is most hurtful, Sarah; very hurtful indeed."

"Did she?" Sarah wondered.

Jaime allowed his mouth to hang open before he shrugged. "I suppose she did."

Shaking her head, Sarah looked away and back down the corridor to the steps.

"Not that it all matters now," Jaime replied. "The truth has reared its ugly head. I can only begin to imagine how happy Stannis is about that."

"It was bound to come out sooner or later," Sarah whispered back. "You know that, Jaime."

He chuckled then. Hearing his name on her lips sounded peculiar to him. He didn't entirely know what to think. "Jaime...how long it has been since someone called me that."

"I have other names if you prefer?" Sarah checked with him. "I don't think that you'd care to hear them, mind you."

"I think I might have already been called them before."

Another dark chuckle elicited from his lips and Sarah moved closer to the bars, wrapping her fingers around them. "Why did you do it?"

"Do what?" Jaime asked her. "Why did I fall in love with my sister?"

Shaking her head, Sarah refused to believe that. She didn't know if she could. She just knew that it wasn't right. "How can you love her?"

"The Targaryens wed brother to sister for years and no one said anything about it," Jaime reminded her. "Why should Cersei and I be any different? You cannot help who you love. You shall find that out soon enough."

"You pushed a boy out of a window," Sarah whispered. "Surely you can see that loving her has started this war. You and her started this war and now hundreds of people are dying because of it."

Jaime's brow furrowed. "Do you expect an apology? That isn't really my style."

"I expect nothing from you," Sarah promised him. "Besides, you're stuck in here, aren't you? What can you do now?"

"You could always free me?" Jaime dared to suggest. "All you'd have to do is fit the guards cock inside of you and you'd have the keys for me. I daresay it is a simple request. I have helped you multiple times."

Sarah could scarcely believe what he was saying. She shook her head and felt her teeth grind together.

"You're unbelievable," she snapped at him. "Enjoy your time down here, Ser Jaime. I assume you'll be here for a while."

"And where will you be?" Jaime asked her. "The Young Wolf would be foolish to keep you hidden here. Your father shall soon find out. You'll be back on Dragonstone before you know it. The Young Wolf told me why you arrived here. He did sound rather overjoyed. Perhaps he will have you as his bed warmer before you know it."

Glowering, Sarah's hands clenched into fists before she backed away from his cell.

"I thought you were different," she told him. "I thought that being a bastard was just a facade. I can see that I was mistaken."

"Were you?" Jaime wondered. "How terrible for you to believe that you know me. Rather foolish, I'd say."

Sarah turned on her heel and swept from the dungeons. Jaime remained sat where he was, not really having any other option, and he couldn't help but think of the loneliness that suddenly came over him when he heard her footsteps echo in the distance.

...

A/N: So thank you to Guest, Chen, Lady Kiki, BookWorm4479 and Zenstar flower for reviewing the previous chapter! I know that this one is quite long but if you could let me know what you think then that would be immense!