Dark Definetly

Davos invited the trio back to the citadel, much to the dismay of Selyse Baratheon.

"Who are these children, and what are they doing in my house?"

"Apologies, my Lady," said Davos, "They're here the same reason as I."

Selyse had joyless eyes that made Dante feel sorry for her. She scoffed, "I asked Stannis to make you cease these senseless visits. They do more harm to the girl than good."

"My Lord has my gratitude for ruling otherwise."

After awkward introductions with Selyse Baratheon and Maester Cressen, Davos led the gang through the castle and up a winding staircase to the tallest tower of Dragonstone.

"This is amazing," said Gendry, leading the pack beside Davos, "Never set foot inside no castle before."

Dante had seen some imperial castles in his past life, but he had to admit that Dragonstone was like no other. The halls had a solemn austerity as if the architecture called for serious conduct. You got the feeling that this was more a fortress than a home, "I have to agree. Maybe we should build one of our own?"

Margaret laughed softly, worried she might get in trouble if she was too loud, "Whatever, dreamer."

"If Ser Davos can rise from Flea Bottom, who to say what's impossible?"

"I do," said Gendry dryly.

"Don't worry, Gendry," teased Dante, "We'd build you an extra-large stable to sleep in."

"And I'll make sure they build the kennels extra small, just for you."

Margaret smiled. She always enjoyed the boy's back-and-forth bickering. The jokes were always light-hearted and came off as if they were close brothers.

Then they finally climbed to the top, and a heavy metallic door blocked their path. Candlelight vanished from the keyhole as Davos unlocked the door.

Dante raised a brow, "What do you have locked up in this tower, Ser Davos. A wild beast?"

Davos laughed knowingly, "Something like that."

Inside was a surprisingly spacious room. Plenty of light poured through the many tiny square windows, and the air was noticeably easier to breathe. Scrolls stretched out on the table, alongside books stacked six high. In one corner was a chest with many dolls and toys on the ground.

A girl, likely no older than five, dropped her book and sprung from her chair, "Davos!"

Davos chuckled as he patted her head, "I was only gone twenty minutes."

"Who are they?"

She glanced up at Davos innocently, and the man's heart skipped a beat.

Dante took a knee with a smile, "Pardon the intrusion. I'm Dante. What's your name?"

"Shireen," she said, with a twinkle of the nose. She inspected Dante's kind face. It confused her, that warm smile, that attentive gaze. It was like he could see something inside your eyes, the real you, and he looked at that real you like it was the most beautiful thing in the world.

"Gendry," introduced the companion, who looked around with a funny expression. Gendry guessed a million other things behind that door, and none involved a little girl locked in a tower.

"And I'm Margaret!" the redhead said with glee. Margaret's younger sister died some years back, so she has a soft spot for littluns, "I hear that you're clever. Think you could help us?"

Shireen had never had such a normal interaction in her life. Why weren't these strangers looking at her greyscaled face? "Maester Cressen said I can read like the grown-ups," she said with pride, "Do you like books?"

"Like them? I LOVE them!," said Dante with childlike enthusiasm.

Gendry shrugged, "Dunno. Never learned how to read"

Shireen bounced in place, "It's really easy. I could teach you!"

The idea of a little girl teaching Gendry to read amused Dante, "I sure hope you're patient!"

Davos watched the interaction like a proud father. It was nice to see Shireen talking to other kids, even if they were quite a bit older.

Margaret, ever so great with handling children, helped keep things on topic, "We need your help, Shireen. Think you could help us?"

"Sure! What do you need help with?"

Dante placed a hand on his heart, "We're smiths, you see. It's long and tiring work. So we're here on vacation. Think you could show us around Dragonstone?"

Shireen squinted as if trying to see if Dante was teasing her. "I've lived here all for as long I can remember…." She said sheepishly with fidgety fingers, "But…. I only know what I've read. Mother doesn't let me outside this room, let alone the castle."

Dante suddenly understood the situation, "Doesn't she?" he said, glancing at Davos, "Well then, what's say you?"

"Hmm?" wondered Shireen.

Dante stood and stretched, "Let's go for a walk."

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After a while of tedious negotiation, Davos managed to persuade Lady Seleyse to let Shireen leave the castle to explore the island. You had to give Davos some credit; he was taking a big risk. If Dante kidnapped Shireen and asked for ransom, Stannis would never forgive Davos' incompetence.

But it was fine all the same. Davos and Mathos would accompany Shireen, along four guards who didn't say a word. Add Dante's party, and it was ten people in total.

So it was. The ten left the castle. And what do you know? The gray skies opened to blue, and a fizzling sun warmed their skins.

"We should take you out more often," joked Margaret, patting Shireen's head. They walked along the beach, the ocean breeze in their hair, "Loo, you bring the sunshine."

'Sunshine indeed,' thought Dante, who walked barefoot on the sand, sniffing the salt-prayed atmosphere, and inspecting the cliffs. Dragonstone had a magnetism, much the same as Awaji Island Japan was in his past life. Dante could feel some force pulling him towards something.

He peered at Dragonsmount, the volcanic mountain of Dragonstone, "Hey, Shireen," he called.

"Yes, Dante?" answered the girl, her feet ankle-deep in the water, holding Davos' fingerless hand.

"Do your books mention any record of the island's volcanic activity?" asked Dante. He saw the grooves and nooks of the Dragonsmount. He tried to find where the lava flowed down the mountain, "When the eruptions happened, where the fire spewed. Anything like that would be handy."

"The island has always been tumultuous…." answered Shireen, and Margaret smiled at the young girl's choice of big words. "Dragons roamed here when the Targaryens left Valayria over 300 years ago."

"Hmmm…." Pondered Dante as he crouched and scooped a mound of sand.

"What do you think?" asked Gendry.

"It's promising," answered Dante, feeling the sand's texture, "Might be on to a winner."

They walked the beach, talking and laughing. Shireen shared the many stories she read — knights in shining armor, maidens singing, bright roses in their hair. The trio enjoyed listening to her. Gendry and Margaret weren't exactly the most literate of people, and Dante absorbed any tale he could hear. Davos thanked the gods that he trusted Dante and got Shireen out of that damned tower.

…. Then they happened upon a cave, deep, dark and mysterious.

"Dark," Noted Gendry, ever a fan of the obvious.

"But definitely," said Dante, who was going in no matter what, "We have some torches packed in the supplies we brought. Race you to the rowboat?"

Gendry smirked, "You're on."

The two boys sprinted off, constantly bumping into each other when it looked like someone was pulling too far ahead. Margaret shook her head at the idiots. Davos and Shireen laughed, and Shireen felt like running too.

Dante and Gendry still bickered about who won when they returned with the torches.

Margaret came to the diplomatic solution, "You're both winners."

Dante lit the torches and took the first steps into the cave. Echoing steps. The passage grew more extensive, the ceiling tall above. Dante whistled, and the sound went on and on as if the cave had no end. Then the walls turned to black and gloss reflection as if made of dark crystal. The torchlight flickered in the stone, casting red stars in the deep.

"Obsidian?" said Dante.

"Dragonglass," replied Shireen, "Maester Cressen said this island had a lot of it. He thought I wasn't listening, but I was."

"You're too smart for your own good," joked Margaret.

"Dragonglass?" asked Dante, "That's a funny name for it. It looks beautiful. You work in the store more than me, Gendry. You encountered this Dragonglass?"

"Sure," Gendry replied casually, "Now and then. Master Mott uses it ornamental for the most part. It's sharp and easy to break."

"Well, if they ever wanted to export it, there's some money to be made."

They continued further, and the path narrowed, the walls creeping closer until they happened upon a small chasm. They suddenly found themselves surrounded by cave art. Spirally symbols and dots darted the walls like a constellation of crop circles.

Dante held his torch near the wall, "Fascinating. I wonder who drew them?"

Then the spiral drawings stopped and soon became pictures of people. Small people and tall people forming two distinct groups.

"The children and the first men," said Shireen, "I knew the children were real!"

"The Children?"

Shireen obliged, "The children lived in Westeros before the first men arrived. Back when there was magic and giants. They fought, and the children went away."

"And yet here they are together," observed Dante, "I suppose they stopped fighting."

Gendry shook his head, "Why? Weren't the first men winning if the children went away?"

The answer came when the next cave drawing revealed itself. Three figures shaped like men with arms, legs, heads, but with horns and jagged limbs. They carried strange weapons. Glistening blue eyes stared out from the three of them, Dante felt a chill, and Davos' phantom fingers twitched.

Dante ran his hand against the drawings, feeling their etches,

"We have our answer."

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Next Chapter: Making gains back in King's Landing.