Shireen was playing with her stag figurine on top of her book on the table that Davos had carved for her, next to a fire. She had said goodbye to Davos as her father had sent him away on a mission. Stannis enters the tent.

She smiled and asked,"Father. Aren't you cold?"

Stannis replied, "No. What are you reading?"

Shireen answered, "The Dance of Dragons."

He asks, "What's it about?"

She told him excitedly, "It's the story of the fight between Rhaenyra Targaryen and her half-brother Aegon for control of the Seven Kingdoms. Both of them thought they belonged on the Iron Throne. When people started declaring for one of them or the other, their fight divided the kingdom in two. Brothers fought brothers. Dragons fought dragons. By the time it was over, thousands were dead. And it was a disaster for the Targaryens as well. They never truly recovered."

He asks, "The dance of dragons? Why is that a dance?"

She shrugged and said, "That's just what they call it."

Stannis said, "Doesn't make much sense."

Shireen said smiling, "I think it's poetic."

He asks, "If you had to choose between Rhaenyra and Aegon, who would you have chosen?"

She stated, "I wouldn't have chosen either. It's all the choosing sides that made things so horrible."

He said frowning, "Sometimes a person has to choose. Sometimes the world forces his hand. If a man knows what he is and remains true to himself, the choice is not a choice at all. He must fulfill his destiny and become who he is meant to be. However much he may hate it."

She said with empathy, "It's alright, father."

Stannis said looking at her, "You don't even know what I'm talking about."

Shireen smiled and said, "It doesn't matter. I want to help you. Is there any way I can help?"

He said frowning, "Yes there is."

She said sweetly, "Good, I want to. I'm the Princess Shireen of House Baratheon and I'm your daughter." They hug.

Stannis said sadly, "Forgive me." He gets up and calls the guards. She is flanked by guards as she walks towards a pyre not knowing why, clutching the stag Davos gave her. When she arrives close enough at the pyre Melisandre steps to the front of her.

Shireen, not liking her, demands, "Where's my father? I want to see my father." She got scared feeling what was to come next.

Melisandre looked at her and said emotionlessly, "It will all be over soon, Princess." Shireen got scared then and knew what Melisandre was going to do to her and tried to run. The men dragged her to the pyre and tied her up to the stake log. Aldarra sees what is about to happen to the little girl and looks for a place to land.

Shireen yells panicking, "Where's my father?! No you can't do this, father, where are you?!" Stannis just stands there like a coward and watches on from the crowd.

Shireen shouts begging, "Let me see my father! Where are you, please?!"

Selyse said to Stannis standing next to him, "It's what the Lord wants. It's a good thing. A great thing." Convincing herself to let it happen.

Melisandre said in a dramatic testament, "The year is now, my Lord. For you we offer up this girl, that you may cleanse her with your fire and that its light may lead our way." Shireen is crying and terrified.

Selyse, still trying to convince herself, says, "If we don't act then we'll all starve here all of us, but if we make this sacrifice…"

Melisandre putting her arms in the air still testifying, "Accept this token of our faith, my lord and lead us from the darkness. Lord of Light shows us the way!"

Shireen screams in terror, "Mother, please mother! Mother, please mother!" Aldarra was running after dismounting Drogon.

Selyse said desperately to Stannis, "I can't."

Stannis grabs her and says, "There's no other way. She has king's blood."

Melisandre testifies audaciously, "Lord of Light protect us, for the night is dark and full of terrors!"

Shireen was desperately screaming, "Mother, don't do this please! Please help! Don't do this! Please, father! Mother, help!" Aldarra grabs her bow and arrow and is running towards the pyre.

Melisandre goes to light the pyre and an arrow flies through the air and pierces the Red Priestess through the forearm and knocks her back from the pyre with the torch falling on her clothed body lighting her on fire. She made one scream and started rolling in the snow.

Shireen is still screaming in fear, as a loud dragon roars, scaring the soldiers into retreating. Aldarra in her long fur coat with her sword drawn hurriedly marches up to the pyre swinging at a few men in the way. She goes behind and cuts Shireen's ropes, hugs her to her side and begins to walk her quickly towards Drogon.

Aldarra said to Shireen, "I'll keep you safe, little one, stay close to me."

Stannis steps in her way angry and shouts, "How dare you interfere with my blood sacrifice for victory!"

Aldarra put her sword to his neck and said in a deadly voice, "I should kill you both where you stand. You're the most undeserving of parents."

Aldarra shouted angrily, "Get the hell out of my way or I'll burn the whole lot of ya to the ground and let you taste the flame instead yourselves! How dare you destroy something so beautiful for a red priestess witch with her own agendas that you never questioned! You didn't ever deserve this child after her survival of grayscale! You blind fool, hasn't she been put through enough in her life?! How could you put your ambition before the pure love of a child, you greedy bastard!"

She holds her sword to his neck and it nicks him and blood wells up running down his neck. Selyse cowers on the ground shaking. Aldarra shoves him with the butt end of the sword in the face and trips him to fall on the ground. Aldarra quickly walked up the dragon's wing with Shireen and strapped her in the saddle facing her and straddling her lap. She wrapped her fur coat around the girl. They fly away taking the food back with her as Shireen sobs into her chest and has her arms wrapped tightly around Aldarra. She holds her arm around her with her chin resting on her head keeping her warm. They flew back towards Castle Black.

Aldarra saw a lone figure on a horse trudging through the snow heading north. She landed Drogon. The lone person walks up to her. Davos shouts out, "I have been commanded to return to Castle Black!"

Aldarra unstrapped Shireen and unbuckled herself. They went down to see Davos on the ground. Shireen dove into his arms. He held her tight.

Aldarra said sadly, "They tried to sacrifice her and it terrorized her. I shot Melisandre in the hand with an arrow and she caught on fire briefly from the torch when she was going to light it. I'm keeping Shireen for myself with me. You are welcome to become part of my unusual group of family too?"

Davos gets emotional holding Shireen, who was crying, knowing what she has suffered at the hands of her own parents. He said with his voice cracking, "There is no place I would rather be." Shireen held up her hand showing that she never put down his gift.

Aldarra had Davos tie his belongings and the horses tack down with his rope to the pack of supplies in Drogon's back. She placed Davos in the back of the saddle with the waist belt around his waist in the back and told him to hold on to the back of the saddle. She sat on the saddle strapping down her legs and had Shireen straddling her hips wrapped safely in her coat and arms as she held onto the front of the saddle with one hand. She kissed the little girl's forehead making her smile a tiny bit and put her hands blocking the sound in her ears. Drogon chomped down the horse as it cried out, it was better than to let it freeze to death. The dragon took off into the sky heading back to Castle Black.

—--

When Aldarra arrived, it was chaos, Jon had just got back with the wildlings from Hardhome. They were being escorted through Castle Black and some got spooked by the dragon landing off at a short distance. Jon saw her land and went over to her.

Jon asked curiously, "Where have you been, Aldarra?"

Aldarra said smiling, "I picked up a couple of strays. I was going to leave the food with Stannis but changed my mind afterwards." She untied her coat and let Shireen out smiling at the tearstained little face. She kissed her and helped her up. Aldarra unbuckled herself and unbuckled Davos behind her. He grabbed all of his things off the large pack of food. Aldarra untied the food ropes on Drogon. Drogon reached around with his front teeth and pulled the pack down his wing onto the ground. Aldarra put her head on him and thanked him for everything he did to help her. She was grateful.

Jon said, taking the tack from Davos, "I'll have someone get the bundle of food." Shireen was clinging to Aldarra as she wrapped her arm around her.

Aldarra said, "I want Shireen in a room with me. I don't think Sansa will mind."

Jon said, "I'll see what can be done."

Jon turned to a couple Night Watch brothers and had them get the pack of food to the castle stores. Aldarra got a tray of some food and drinks for her and Shireen. They took it to her room. They ate their dinner together in the locked room with Barristan standing guard outside. The septa brought Aldarra her baby to feed, now that she was back.

Shireen smiled sitting in front of Aldarra as she nursed her son. Shireen said, "He's so beautiful. I love his dark hair like yours and his tiny fingers."

Aldarra smiled and said, "I know. His father has very yellow blonde hair. Well, half his hair is white mixed."

Shireen asked curiously, "You married a much older man?"

Aldarra nodded and said, "Yes, but I had to leave him two weeks later because he was oppressing my three friends. He broke my heart. He melted down my family's valyrian sword to make two for his ungrateful son and cruel grandchild against my wishes. I think he only wanted my properties and heirs, I could make him."

Shireen said frowning, "That sounds mean."

Aldarra burped Tyren. She said, "I thought so too. I scooped up my friends and paid passage to Braavos. That's Shae, Sansa, Tyrion. We met Jorah and Barristan later in Essos. They are with me now. You and Davos are part of my group of family now too."

Shireen asked, "Where is your real family?"

Aldarra said frowning, They all died when I was ten and six name days old. The Mad King put the whole Blackthorne family to death. My father hid me away until the soldiers left. I took everything of value, survived on my own and trained to fight to defend myself."

Shireen was looking in Aldarra's eyes and said, "Well, I'm only ten and one name days old. If you can do it, so can I. Will you teach me how?"

Aldarra smiled, laying down her baby in the little bed of furs. She said, "Of course I will. For right now, I want you to rest now that you have eaten well. Let's both take a nap together and get comfortable. Ok?" Shireen nodded, smiling at her. They pulled off their footwear and got on the bed. Aldarra spread an extra quilt across the top of the bed and put her fur coat over it. They climbed underneath the two and cuddled up without messing up the bed for now.

Shireen said with her head on Aldarra's shoulder warm under the fur, "Thank you for saving me."

Aldarra said softly, petting her hair, "You're welcome, Shireen. Don't worry, little one, I'll be your mother now who loves you with my whole heart. You have Davos too to look after you. You're going to be just fine." Shireen had tears in her eyes and nuzzles into Aldarra's shoulder and held her tighter.

Shireen said, "I love you, Aldarra." Aldarra held her a little tighter.

Aldarra said softly with emotion, kissing the top of her head, "I love you too, sweet girl." They both fell asleep.

—--

Jon found Sam and said frowning, "It was a failure."

Sam said, frowning back at him puzzled, "It wasn't."

Jon said defeated, "I went to save them, I failed."

Sam said flustered, "You didn't fail him, or him, or her. Every one of them is alive because of you, and no one else."

Jon said, "I don't think that fact's lost on them." He nods towards the Night Watch brothers.

Many men of the Night's Watch were glaring at Jon, then Olly who exchanged a long glaring look with Jon from the top of the stairs. Alliser walks down the steps towards Jon.

Allister said snarkily, "You have a good heart, Jon Snow. It will get us all killed." He turned and walked away. Jon sighed and looked at Sam.