Margaery wrapped her arms around herself as she watched Stannis getting ready for the battle. He checked on his horse and turned to her. Shireen was standing in front of Margaery, staring at her father. He walked to them and clumsily stroked Shireen's hair. His lips quavered in a slight smile and his eyes then met Margaery's. She hugged him tight, not knowing if he would spurn him or not, but she did not care. His arms, after a second, embraced her and she whispered in his ear:

"Come back to me"

"I will", he whispered back, enjoying the delicate scent from her hair. How he would miss her if he died… He did not kiss her when he moved away. He smiled, nodded at Melisandre and got on his horse. Margaery watched him leaving to the battlefield, her hands resting on Shireen's shoulders. When he had disappeared, she took the little girl's hand and led her in her tent. The child took a book and started to read. Margaery was looking at her, sewing. She needed to focus on something else than her husband fighting his brother. Stannis had joined her the night before, and she was surprised. She hoped he had given her a son. She smiled slightly, thinking about him, and Shireen's voice brought her back to reality.

"Are you afraid, mother?" she asked.

Margaery looked up, surprised: she had never called her that before. But she didn't point it out. The girl's eyes were tearful and the Queen stood up to join her:

"I am, sweetheart."

"Because you love father?" she asked again, turning her big dark blue eyes to her.

Margaery nodded with a slight smile. She suddenly realized she may lose Stannis in a few minutes, in a few hours. Yet, was it love between them? She thought she needed more time. Though, she did not want to ruin Shireen's hopes. She had a right to dream about romantic love even though, in their world, it was pretty uncommon.

"Your father is a great man", she honestly said. "And I am very proud to be his wife."

The dark blue eyes met hers and a smile enlightened them. Suddenly, they heard the first noises of the battles: the trumpets, the horses neighing and the crash of the swords. Margaery closed her eyes and pulled Shireen closer.

Davos was fighting the best he could. Stannis had not put him on the frontlines: he knew he was not the greatest warrior alive. When he was having a moment, Davos watched admiringly his King and his brother-in-law fighting side by side. They were excellent soldiers and they fought as if they had learnt together. A man attacked Davos suddenly and, trying to escape his sword, he stumbled on a body and fell down. His head hurt armor and, for a moment, he stared around him, dizzy. He saw dead bodies, young men crying and calling for their mothers, pieces of arms, legs, heads. He tried to stand up but someone yelled his name. He did not know who, he just saw Loras running to him. He turned around, close to pass out and faced a boy, about the age of his son, who tried to run through his chest with his sword. The knight did not know how he blocked the move. He just knew that the young lad stared at him while his own sword ran through him. Blood rushed by his mouth and he fell down, his eyes wide open. Davos would never forget this face. The battle was confusing, the yells frightening. He looked for his sons, but did not find them. As he was fighting for his life and for his King, he could not stop praying. Praying for him, for his children. Glancing at Stannis from time to time, he made sure he was fine, and not injured. His arm was aching, his legs felt like they weight a hundred kilos. Blood was covering his face, not his blood, though. And the smell… the smell was awful. Blood, excrement – some men had accidents, because of fear or pain - , horse's guts, puke. Slowly, the noises lowered. They became scarce and the sounds of trumpets, for a moment, drowned the men's yells out. Loras raised his arms and yelled. Davos saw Renly's men running away. Some of Stannis's ran after them and killed some but Stannis ordered them to stop. The old knight looked for his sons, straightaway. He found them, one by one. They were injured, but not deadly and he thanked Stannis silently.

The King was standing, leaning on his sword, breathing hard and fast. His hands, his face were covered with mud and blood. He heard someone calling at him and turned around to face Loras:

"Your Grace, what a great victory!" he enthusiastically said.

Stannis looked all around him: which victory? Thousands of young men dead, thousands injured, thousands lost lives, because his brother had been too stubborn to recognize him as the King. And now, if he was not dead, he will, eventually. So what was the point? He stared at Loras quite despising.

"The only victory I am seeking is against the Lannisters", he groaned. He tried to walk away but he almost fell and Loras held him back.

"Are you injured, your Grace?" he asked, worried.

"My leg…" Stannis said.

Loras helped him sit down and called out for water.

"Where is Renly?" Stannis asked.

"We are looking for him, Your Grace."

Loras called at the maester Cressen but Stannis grabbed his shoulder:

"No… I can wait. Some are more severely injured."

"Your Grace", Loras said again.

"I said no", the King shouted.

Pain and tiredness were two things he hardly handled. He gritted his teeth, clenched his fists and looked at the knight:

"Find Renly. Do not harm him, or any of his men."

Loras nodded and left only once Davos had joined Stannis, surrounded by his sons.

The news of Stannis's victory soon spread through the whole camp. The first injured men arrived, and Margaery hid Shireen's eyes. To her, the battles had always meant brave men fighting bad men, yells of victory and so on. But here, all she could hear were the whimpers of the men who were dying. She waited, impatient, for Stannis to come back.

When he felt able to walk, after Cressen had bandaged his thigh, Stannis joined Davos and Loras : they had found Renly, who had surrendered without a word. The tall woman who fought with him had followed him. Stannis stood in front of them. Renly was looking down.

"You are my brother", Stannis said with a tired voice. "I will not kill you for treason. But, from now on, I assure you that if you fail me again, whether it is on the battlefield or in advices, you shall be hanged."

Renly simply nodded: he was shaking like a leaf, probably traumatized by this first battle. At his side, the tall woman had remained strong. Stannis stopped in front of her:

"Loras told me you are an impressive soldier, Lady Brienne."

"I am no soldier, nor Lady… Your Grace".

She had hesitated, as if calling him this would definitely mean their surrender. Renly didn't react.

"Then what are you?" Stannis asked.

"A humble servant of your brother", she replied.

"I want you to keep serving him…by serving me", Stannis smiled. "My Kingsguard is not complete yet. You can be one of the Seven? It's up to you."

Brienne looked surprised and Loras interrupted Stannis but he raised his hand and the young knight shut it. The woman glanced at Renly, but he didn't look back.

"It would be a great honor, Your Grace. Thank you."

"I reward loyalty and bravery", Stannis said before limping away.

When he came back to the camp, he was laid on a stretcher. Margaery ran to him, terrified, followed by Shireen. The soldiers laid him on his bed, in his tent, and Crassen reassured the two females.

"Thank you… Thank you so much", Margaery said, while Shireen was crying with relief.

"The King is strong, my Ladies", the old maester had replied.

He was the one who had known Stannis the longest. Margaery loved to hear about him as a child, but he was pretty sad, even back then. The death of his parents in front of him had not helped him getting more cheerful. She then joined Stannis, who had refused milk poppy, and stayed by his side until he felt better. She slept in his bed, and, a few days later, they were coming in Storm's end's castle, triumphantly.

Every Stannis's thoughts were now focused on a young black haired boy, fighting the Lannisters alone up in the North.