"Are you certain, Shireen?" Sarah checked once she had been reunited with her little sister. Shireen had cried and hugged Sarah tightly, only for her then to say what was happening on Dragonstone. Sarah could scarcely believe what she was hearing from her little sister.
Selyse had said nothing to her, greeting her daughter and then weeping with joy. She almost refused to let Sarah leave her arms, but Sarah had insisted that she should go and speak with her sister. Selyse had nodded and turned her attention back to the flames, willing for her daughter to come back to her once she had seen Shireen.
"Father said that they lost the battle and that Ser Davos was a traitor. I went to the Onion Knight and managed to talk to him," Shireen said in a soft tone, scared that her mother or father could be listening in on their conversation. It took a few moments before Sarah bit on her lip, trying to think of the best thing to do in this situation.
What had Ser Davos done that was bad enough to be imprisoned? Sarah had always thought him loyal to her father and he had always proven himself. The only thing he did not agree with was the Red Woman, but Sarah could fully understand that.
"Did he say anything to you?" Sarah asked back.
"Nothing," Shireen responded. "He told me that I should not be in the dungeon-"
"-He is right about that," Sarah chastised.
"But he said that he was a traitor. I don't believe him, Sarah."
"Hmm," Sarah mused for a few moments.
She stood then, ruffling her sister's hair before kissing her on the top of her head. Sarah moved then, standing from the bed and looking around her sister's darkened room. How she longed to show Shireen the better things of the Seven Kingdoms. She did not deserve to be locked away for her appearance.
"Where are you going?"
"To speak with father," Sarah responded. "You stay here and I will be back soon enough."
Shireen had no option to speak as Sarah moved from her chamber, rushing through the corridors of Dragonstone until she came to her father's council room. Two men stood outside the door, both of them stern looking as Sarah held her head high, expecting them to move to let her enter.
"His Grace is busy," one spoke and Sarah cocked a brow.
"I am his daughter," Sarah responded, "and I demand entry. You do know who I am, do you not? If my father caught word that you had-"
"-Let her in."
The interrupting voice caused Sarah to inhale a sharp breath as the door opened and she stood there, watching Sarah with wide eyes. Sarah pushed her way past the guards as the Lady Melisandre looked to Sarah, studying her every detail. Sarah looked back to the Red Woman before moving her eyes from her, unable to hold her stare for much longer. There was something in her eyes which Sarah did not like. It was almost as though she knew what had happened during her absence.
"Sarah," Stannis's voice snapped out as he pushed the boy's chin from his hand and looked to his daughter before turning to Melisandre; "Why did you let her in?"
"It matters not what she sees now," Melisandre spoke back to Stannis and Sarah noted the tall, black haired boy stood in front of her father, looking slightly frightened to be in the company of the Lord of Dragonstone. Not that Sarah could blame him.
"What is happening?" Sarah wondered, picking her skirts up from the floor as Stannis ignored her and nodded at Melisandre.
"He is half Robert and half lowborn."
Sarah took her steps slowly, moving so that she stood beside her father and then looked to the boy. His eyes met hers and she could see the curiosity within his stare. Stannis took another moment to rest his hand on his daughter's back as he continued to glance between the boy and the Red Woman.
"Show the boy to his chambers, and have the maids draw him a bath and find him some decent clothes," Melisandre demanded from the guards who had been stood by the door before she whispered to the boy; "I'll come visit you soon."
He was escorted away by the guards and Stannis kept his eyes set firmly on the Red Woman as Sarah became inquisitive, her own hand touching her father's arm to draw his attention from Melisandre. Sarah would never trust that woman, nor would she ever willingly allow her father to trust her again.
"The boy," Sarah whispered, "who was he?"
A brief look of sorrow passed Stannis's face and he moved to rest his hand on his daughter's shoulder. He was merely grateful that she was no bastard in this world.
"The late Robert Baratheon's bastard son," Melisandre decreed as Stannis remained mute and Sarah looked over her shoulder back to Melisandre.
"And what do you intend to do with him?"
Bother her father and Melisandre looked at each other before continuing on with their conversation.
"Your father knows what I intend to do with him."
"Then why bathe him and dress him in fine clothes? If it needs to be done then do it; don't torture the boy."
Sarah's face scrunched up in confusion as her father turned on his heel and walked away from them the pair of them, wandering around the table until he looked onto the sea beyond Dragonstone, his mind still in disarray. His daughter was the one to follow him, standing by the middle of the table before she looked between the two others in the room.
"You are going to kill him?" Sarah checked and Melisandre looked back to the girl, slowly lacing her fingers together before sauntering over to her. Sarah remained stood tall, refusing to quiver underneath the Red Woman's stare. But the Red Woman knew. She could see it. She saw all of Sarah's sins.
"He is an obstacle to the true King's path to ruling," Melisandre responded. "We cannot have that."
"He is your nephew!" Sarah snapped at her father and Stannis turned around on the spot to look at Sarah.
"He is a lowborn bastard."
"Who so happens to be your nephew!" Sarah yelled back at her father. "Do you think that he would oppose your claim? Have you seen him? He was scared beyond his wits."
Stannis glowered for a few moments and Melisandre curled her fingers around Sarah's shoulder.
"Your father knows that I am right," Melisandre responded in a whisper.
"You are not right," Sarah snarled, shrugging Melisandre from her shoulder. "And why is Ser Davos a prisoner? He is the only man you can trust, father, yet you have him locked away in the dungeon."
"Ser Davos tried to kill the Lady Melisandre," Stannis responded and Sarah shook her head. "He has lost his sons and he lashed out at the Lady Melisandre. He has declared himself a traitor."
"He is no more a traitor than I am," Sarah snapped back and Melisandre's lip then curled.
"And you are no traitor, my dear?" she checked and Sarah gulped, feeling her cheeks flush red. Stannis's brows furrowed together as Melisandre moved around the black haired girl, each step precise and thought out as Stannis moved to stand by her side. Melisandre rested her hand on the back of one chair, leaning her hip against it.
"What are you talking about?" Stannis demanded to know.
"Your daughter knows what I speak of," Melisandre replied. "I saw it in the flames. She knows what she did and I know what she did. A stag lying with a lion..."
"Be quiet," Sarah hissed, her heart beating quicker than she could ever have imagined. "You know nothing of what happened."
Stannis tried to think about what she was speaking of. A lion...where had Sarah been with a Lannister? And then he remembered. The Kingslayer. The man who had sent her back home. The man who had saved her from being raped. And why would he do that?
"Ser Jaime Lannister?" Stannis checked.
"Your daughter should be the one to tell you. The boy requires my attention."
Sarah glowered as Melisandre swept from the room. A satisfying grin was held on the woman's face and that was enough to make Sarah's hands ball into fists.
"Well?" Stannis demanded and Sarah sighed, shaking her head back and forth.
"Nothing happened," Sarah lied to her father. She had no intention to tell him of how the pair of them rowed before she had fled. She did not wish to speak of how she had told Jaime that his sister cared for no one but herself and he would see that soon enough. Sarah had seen it and she hardly knew the woman.
She just knew that Cersei was not to be trusted.
Jaime had defended her honour, of course, reminding Sarah that their kiss meant nothing. She had questioned why he had done it in the first place. He was the one to instigate the movement; the one to move his free hand to slowly caress her cheek.
"Jaime is not as bad as you seem to believe," Sarah replied. "He has changed and that is all. He helped me and proved himself not to be as diabolical as the rest of his family."
"And what did Melisandre mean? Did he take you?"
"No!" Sarah snapped at her father, anger coursing through her veins. "Do you honestly think that I would have let him? He is deeply in love with his sister and not me. I am nothing to him...he reminded me of that quite often..."
Stannis didn't know whether or not he believed his daughter, but he had no option to question her further as he noted tears fall down her face and she turned around, beginning to storm out from the room.
"I'm still innocent enough for you to sell me to the highest bidder."
Stannis wanted to tell her that was something he had never thought of doing, but she slammed the door shut behind her and Stannis knew that there was something more than what she was letting on.
...
Jaime had lived in King's Landing long enough to know that nothing was a secret, especially when there was the likes of Varys in the Capital. It was the week before Joffrey's wedding when Jaime received the news which had not yet been released. He had commenced to train with his left hand, doing his best to use it like his right.
That was how he found himself sat on a rock after finishing dueling Bronn, peering out onto Blackwater Bay and wondering where Sarah was right then. He hoped Dragonstone. The red shirt he wore was slightly peeled back, his hair neat and his beard gone from his face. He looked like he used to, but he knew that he had changed.
"My Lord Commander."
Jaime turned his gaze around, the sight of Varys approaching him. The eunuch always had been the one with all of the knowledge inside King's Landing. Jaime had little to do with him, just managing to pass pleasantries when applicable.
Lord Commander; a title which Jaime had yet to become comfortable with. His aim was to protect Joffrey, yet he could not stand the boy. He had grown in his hatred, but he hid it well when Cersei spoke with him. His dear sweet sister who looked repulsed every time she saw his stump.
"Varys," Jaime responded politely. "To what do I owe this special visit?"
"Oh, I have heard a whisper which may concern you," Varys said, sitting down on the rock next to Jaime's perch. His eyes moved over to the glimmering water of the Bay as he spoke. "I thought that it might intrigue you."
"Oh?" Jaime wondered.
"They say that a woman is riding to King's Landing. A great brute of a woman with blonde hair...the same one who foiled your father's plans to have Robb Stark killed."
Ah, yes. Jaime recalled the wedding that had almost turned red. It turned out that Brienne had ridden to the Twins to warn the King in the North of the plan which Lord Bolton was aiding. Men had died, but Robb Stark still lived to fight another day. That was the part which Cersei could not stand. Multiple people called for the King in the North to sit on the Iron Throne, but Robb Stark had no interest in that.
"She is coming for the Lady Sansa, or so I hear," Varys said. "But that is not the rumour which troubles me most."
"It should be," Jaime scoffed; thinking of Brienne and the strength she possessed. Any man would do well to come out on top against her. "What other secrets do you have for me?"
"One concerning the Princess of Dragonstone."
Varys then looked to Jaime, doing his best to judge his reaction. Jaime knew that he was being studied and his jaw remained stubbornly set, his cheeks taking a chewing to.
"What of the Lady Sarah?" Jaime wondered back.
"Her father is heading to the Wall," Varys continued. "The Night's Watch have sent ravens to every Kingdom demanding aid against the creatures they call the White Walkers. Many men believe that Stannis is doing what his Fire Priestess tells him to do. He journeys there in the coming days."
Nodding, Jaime recalled all that Sarah had told him about the Red Woman. No one trusted her except Stannis.
"But he leaves his daughter behind. He has her locked in her chamber for multiple crimes...one of which was aiding to free the late King Robert's bastard escape Dragonstone after being...well...no one knows what Stannis intended to do with him," Varys continued. "My bet would be that he was going to kill him, but that is by and by now. She is also accused of fraternising with the enemy."
"Robb Stark?" Jaime guessed.
"No, you, as a matter of fact," Varys responded in the skip of a heartbeat.
Jaime did his best to look nonchalant, but there was something inside of him which was failing miserably. Why had Sarah told her father about the pair of them? Why would she say anything?
"The Red Woman knows all," Varys concluded. "Sarah Baratheon is a girl no noble lord willingly wants to marry. Stannis has alienated himself from the rest of the Seven Kingdoms, and now he is abandoning Dragonstone...leaving it unprotected...well...apart from a few hundred men."
Jaime moved to stand up, his hand on the hilt of his sword as he kept one foot on the rock.
"And why are you telling me this?" Jaime wondered.
Varys stood too, doing his best to work out what Jaime Lannister felt. What motivated this man? That was something Varys did not know.
"There are whispers that the sweet Queen Regent is plotting to send men to Dragonstone," Varys whispered to Jaime, both men awkwardly looking at each other, neither one of them showing any true emotion. That was what killed in King's Landing.
"And do what?" Jaime asked, his mouth drying up.
"What do you think?" Varys responded. "She would have Stannis's daughters held hostage until he bends the knee and his head finally decorates the Red Keep...and then...well...I doubt she would stop then."
Jaime closed his eyes and looked out to the sea, the thought of Sarah's head on a spike enough to make a shiver run down his spine. Varys glanced back over to Jaime and then followed his gaze to the sea.
"And you would have me do what?" Jaime wondered and Varys pondered where the cocky remarks had gone from the man in front of him.
"I do not know, my Lord Commander," Varys replied, turning on his heel to walk away. "I just thought that I ought to tell you of this revelation."
Jaime didn't bother to ask how Varys knew. He sunk back down onto the rock then, looking to the golden hand which hung from his arm before he looked to the sky; thinking of what it was he could do to stop his sister.
...
A/N: Thank you to Guest and CupcakesAndAlice for reviewing the previous chapter. Do let me know what you think!