15

Chapter 15: Ch15 The Long RoadNotes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Chapter 15 On The Long Road

Shireen Baratheon

She'd been holed up in her cabin since they'd left Dragonstone. She'd been numb and fearful since...whatever happened and had brought her back to Dragonstone. Ser Davos had come to her many times since, talking to her and trying to console her. But nothing he said could change what had happened, the horror of the truth.

She'd always loved father...and he'd burned her as a sacrifice because Melisandre said so!

I will not shed any tears! She screamed to herself silently. Father had always been distant and she'd heard enough of the men jape about him lacking any sort of kind emotion in his bones, but she'd always believed otherwise...showed what she knew, she decried herself with an unamused snort of derision.

She knew how Uncle Robert had messed everything up. She knew how Uncle Renly hadn't been any better. Mother had always been a little off, even Maester Cressen had said so, but she'd thought father was better than them!

I am a Baratheon! Ours is the Fury! I will be strong! Because apparently Greyscale scars and all, I'm the only sane one in the family!

The irony that she had been safer at the Wall, even with the Dead and the Others coming for them did not amuse her.

She loved her father and he'd...

She shuddered as she shook the dark thoughts away, the memory of the flames and the unending terrible pain. A tear threatened to be shed, but she fought it off. She fortified herself with better memories, drowning her pain with good and happy memories. She smiled as she remembered all the times she'd talked with Maester Cressen, all that he'd taught her. He'd had such good stories and he'd taught her how to read...but he wasn't with them. Ser Davos had left him on Dragonstone.

She cast that aside and remembered Gilly and Sam. They had been a surprising couple. Sam had been skirting the bounds of his oath with Gilly and yet almost no one had cared much about it. Sam had shared her love of books and he had been kin. His mother Lady Melessa Tarly had been a Florent...though his descriptions of her had left Shireen wondering if Melessa and Selyse were actually related. The kind, warm woman he described had borne mother no resemblance at all...apart from the ears. Shireen rubbed her ears, she'd heard all the jokes about Florents and their ears.

Maybe I'll meet her this time? She thought idly.

Leaving thoughts of Sam behind, her mind came to Gilly. Now she had been a complete and utter pleasant surprise. She'd read so much about Wildlings while growing up and Gilly had been nothing like that at all. The hours as she helped her learn to read had been a joy. Gilly had wanted to learn, much more than Ser Davos. She'd been attentive, nice and kind. She'd listened and thought about Shireen's words without dismissing her as a silly little girl...and mother had hated Gilly. Demanded that she have nothing to do with Gilly, despite how harmless the Wildling girl had been. A small smile came to Shireen's face as she remembered how Gilly had been so happy as she learned.

She even thought of the Lord Commander, Jon Snow. He'd been dour and stiff like father except he'd always had a smile for her whenever she'd run into him. The Greyscale scars hadn't bothered him. Once, when they'd been alone, he'd ruffled her hair and said she reminded him of his little sister, Arya. That they'd both had the same inquisitiveness...

She frowned, Arya Stark had disappeared and was most likely dead then, and she'd seen the pain in his eyes as he spoke of her, knowing that Arya had most likely died in King's Landing, alone and afraid, running from the Lannisters. She wondered if Jon remembered now? She smiled, she hoped he did, he'd be surrounded by all of his lost family now. He'd lost so much more than her. She imagined how joyous those reunions would be.

Taking deep breaths, her melancholy under control now, casting aside her hurt, she forced herself to focus on what was happening now. There was some food on her table and she was hungry. She ate ravenously and felt much better.

Suddenly tired, she decided that it would be nice to sleep for a while. She crawled into her bed and was soundly asleep before her head hit the pillow.

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She was watching as the water lapped against the hull of Ser Davos's ship, Black Betha. She didn't know why they were anchored off Blackwater bay and well away from the docks. They had been here for hours and Ser Davos didn't seem to be in a hurry to take them away from here.

She'd awoken refreshed and much happier, finding the courage to dress properly and leave her rooms with her head held up high. Coming onto the main deck, Ser Davos had seen her and given her a concerned look before she gave him a wide smile. He started for a moment before he'd returned the smile, he'd stood taller then before as if a heavy burden had been removed from his shoulders. He'd looked to want to came and speak with her but one of his sailors had come to him and stared talking at him.

She had walked around the deck for a while before finding a spot by the railings and watched the waves. She just stood there idly letting the waves, as if they could wash away all her dark thoughts. The sailors didn't bother her and her guards were below deck for the most part. Only Matthos came and gave her kind greetings.

And now, here they were waiting for...something.

She turned away from the water and looked about the deck watching as most of the crew just sat idly, also waiting. Ser Davos was standing at the wheel with his son, Matthos. She gave Matthos a long look as Ser Davos talked quietly with him.

Her thoughts turned morbid for a moment, Did you burn to death or did you drown? Or both? With Wildfire both were possible, maybe even both at the same time, she'd read enough to know that Wildfire burned water. She only knew he hadn't returned from father's failed attack on King's Landing.

She smiled, it didn't matter, he didn't remember, he was spared that and she was glad Ser Davos had his son back. Ser Davos had seemed almost merry now, and she envied him his new happiness. He was a good man and he deserved this happy reunion.

A sailor called out, pointing and shouting. Ser Davos's head jerked towards him and he was quickly moving towards the sailor.

"Ahoy, Black Betha!" came a strong voice.

Ser Davos quickly came to the railing, "Ahoy, yourself! Shouldn't you better at rowing by now?" he called out in an amused tone as he leaned over the side of the ship to shout back, "We've been waiting for while now." He had a big grin on his face now.

Shireen moved to stand by him now, confused and intrigued, she looked out and saw a rowboat, she crept closer to Ser Davos, wondering who their mystery guest was. As they came closer she began to see it's occupants, there were three people in the rowboat. Their features resolved themselves as the closer they got.

Two were boys, older than her now, one fat and black haired, the other blonde and wiry. The one shouting was also the one rowing, he was older, nearly a man with big strong square shoulders and black hair. She didn't recognize any of them.

When they were near enough The sailors threw ropes to them and after a couple of tries the boys caught the ropes. The sailors pulled and when they were close enough they came aboard the Black Betha.

She watched as the black haired older boy more or less physically hauled up the fat one. They were followed by the thin and wiry blonde haired boy.

"Davos," the boy said with a wide smile, "It worked."

Ser Davos was grin was even wider now, he embraced the boy, almost full grown man, that she didn't know. Matthos was standing by them and she saw the look of surprise on his face. Now her mind was working scrambling and trying to figure out who the boy was, who was he that not even Matthos knew him?

It worked? What worked? She wondered in quiet mystification.

The embrace ended and Davos turned and proudly introduced Matthos to him.

The boy nodded and said, "I'm Gendry Storm." He pointed a thumb at the other boys, "they're Hot Pie and Lommy." His voice was deep and sure of itself. The other boys were staring about in mild shock, fidgeting as they stood there.

The voice sounded familiar as well now. Gendry turned towards her, his deep blue eyes found her and he didn't flinch away from her as so many others did. It took a moment before her confused mind made enough connections.

Shireen blinked up at Gendry, "Who are you?" she asked dumbly, she bit her lip, "You look like uncle Robert?" confusion echoed in her voice.

Ser Davos was scratching his beard as Gendry nodded, "I'm Robert Baratheon's bastard son." Gendry gave her a simple smile.

She blinked up at him in surprise before smiling unsure, "Oh...then well met cousin." She knew Uncle Robert had a lot of bastard children, but who was this one to Ser Davos?

"It's good to meet you too, I've heard nothing but good things about you from Davos," retorted Gendry giving her a bigger smile now.

Her face flushed with embarrassment, unused to the open compliments, finally she found her voice, "So you're who we've been waiting for."

Ser Davos looked a little guilty now, he scratched at his beard nervously, "I should have spoken to you sooner, but..."

He didn't have to say more, she wouldn't have listened, she'd been too lost in the sudden change...all the sudden changes that had happened.

"Where are we going now? Somewhere safe?" she asked. Maybe somewhere across the Narrow Sea? She'd love to see Braavos and the Titan of Braavos and all their beautiful canals...of course the Others were also coming, so how far away was safe?

Ser Davos looked nervous now, "We're going to White Harbor." he announced finally.

"White Harbor?" she squeaked in surprise.

"...from there we'll ride to Winterfell," he finished.

Why are we going North now? What's in the North for us?

Though seeing Sam and Gilly...and even Jon would be nice, she admitted to herself. Plus she'd always wanted to see Winterfell, there were lots of stories written about Bran the Builder's famous fortress.

"It's a long story my Lady, but we have friends there," Davos said with a degree of chagrin that confused Shireen, "Let's get their boat on board and these lads stowed and then when we're underway, I promise to explain everything."

Shireen gave him a curious look and then nodded, "I like long stories...I can't wait."

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Jaime Lannister

The rainstorm forced them to find shelter, and that is how they found themselves at a less than semi-respectable inn along the goldroad. The storm came surprisingly fast and turned the weather cold, which is how they found themselves at an inn he would have avoided under different circumstances. Under any circumstance, considering Tommen and Myrcella were with him.

The inn was more run down then was proper for a Lannister or a Royal Prince or Princess, Cersei would have screeched long and hard if she'd been with them.

Jaime sighed and tried to cast thoughts of Cersei away. If she remembered she'd despise him and if she didn't she'd feel so betrayed by his words in the courtyard of the Red Keep. There was a gnawing pain in his gut, his mind knew what was necessary but his heart wanted to do something else....and he'd seen how following his heart with Cersei had fucked everything up.

She's probably dead by now, he thought mournfully, if Renly hadn't killed her by now than Robert most assuredly had.

He cast those thoughts aside and looked about him, focusing on the current situation. A week of hard of riding had taken their toll of them all. The poor weather hadn't helped either. The Large size of their group had helped keep bandits and other parties that had ventured too near to them. Near thirty Redcloaks, gathered from the Red Keep or picked up along their ride though the city, with him and Ser Barristan at the head of the group.

He shook his head as he remembered the escape from King's Landing...and a hellish escape it had been. Rioting had broken out in the streets. As the bells of the Great Sept rung, he'd seen Sparrows goading people along to acts of violence against the Goldcloaks. Two Redcloaks had tried to join their party but had been beaten to death under a sea of angry bodies, though thankfully most had been too scared to attack armed and horsed knights. He'd run down a couple of the damned sparrows that got in his way, scattering the mob.

The smallfolk had had various reactions during their ride, most had through rocks and shit at them though a couple had actually cheered for them when they saw them...that had really confused him.

Leaving King's Landing behind, the riding hadn't been easy, especially on Myrcella and Tommen. Both had been withdrawn and untalkative. Tommen had barely uttered a word all week and been so sullen, Jaime was afraid to ask what was wrong...the dread over him remembering his last leap gnawing at his psyche. Myrcella...was just as quiet, her eyes betrayed her anger and shock over his actions and she shot accusations at him whenever their eyes met.

Jaime sighed, focus! Shelter first, ruminations second!

He pushed open the door to the inn and entered, hand on his sword hilt. His entrance didn't go unnoticed, hard to do that with golden armour and a white cloak. Silence descended quickly on the inn as eyes turned towards him and he was recognized as a Kingsguard.

Many of those eyes turned outright hostile as his golden armour and blonde hair was recognized. The inn seemed to be filled with more than its fair share of sellswords. Quickly counting the scattered men, there was ten maybe eleven of them. The rest of the occupants looked to be farmers and merchants.

The sellswords were exchanging glances and quiet quick words, setting off every survival instinct Jaime had as he took a couple of steps towards the proprietor's bar. Some of the sellswords started to turn and adjust their weapons, the first signs that they were willing to start a fight with him.

Then Ser Barristan stepped into the Inn, the sellswords stopped moving. These sellswords apparently had more sense than Loras Tyrell. Ten to one against Jaime Lannister was one thing, Five to one against Jamie Lannister and Barristan the Bold was another thing entirely. The Hound came next and all fight went out of the sellswords, like a candle in a rainstorm. A couple more of the Redcloaks stepped in behind the Hound and the sellswords quickly turned back to their drinks and meals. Any notion of violence banished from their minds.

Jaime looked around for a moment before putting on a smug self-assured smile that he cast around at any man that met his gaze.

He closed the distance to the waiting proprietor, who had been eyeing the growing situation with growing trepidation and confusion.

"Barkeep, we need rooms worthy of a Lannister," Jaime said in the most arrogant tone he could summon. He threw a bag of silver at the proprietor.

The proprietor was a large round man with a bushy beard and smelled like horse shit. The odious man nodded enthusiastically, "Of course my Lord! The best rooms in all my humble establishment!" he gave Jaime a wide smile, showing his rotted and broken teeth, avarice filling his eyes. The man began shouting for one of his wenches to prepare the rooms and came out from behind his bar to personally guide them to the rooms.

The bowed and nodded, the flesh of his neck jiggling, as he beckoned, "This way my Lords..."

Jaime turned around and shared a glance with Ser Barristan before casting a another arrogant and dismissive look at the watching patrons.

The sooner we're back in the Westerlands the better...

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Myrcella Baratheon

Her rear was numb, they'd been riding hard for days. They'd run from the Red Keep and King's Landing. And now they were in this rundown and dirty inn, their only recourse for shelter from the storm.

Fear, confusion and anger ate at her. Her rear wasn't the only thing that was numb. She'd been numb since they'd rode out of the Red Keep leaving mother behind with a knife at her throat.

Her heart had stood still as not-Uncle Renly had threatened mother.

She could hear her heart beating in her chest but deep down she'd known that Father would save her...and then he'd said those awful words before leaving mother to not-Uncle Renly's mercy. She couldn't even cry out after that, she'd been too shocked...and then they were gone, out of the Red Keep and galloping into the chaos that was engulfing the city.

They'd escaped, and continued galloping or miles and miles, till the horses had been too exhausted to go further. They'd set up a rough camp, much rougher than Myrcella had ever slept in. And she still couldn't speak to father, she'd remained quiet and distant from the man she told she was glad he was her real father.

If that wasn't enough, after a tearful reunion, Tommen had been clinging to her, tears rarely leaving his eyes and with a sullenness filling every action he took. She knew he remembered but he wouldn't speak about what happened, all she knew was her sweet innocent brother was gone.

The events in the Red Keep haunted her thoughts, mother foremost but the impossibility of the entire situation..she'd been dead! Then there was Ser Barristan and father claiming loyalty to House Targaryen. That she couldn't understand at all, never mind what father said about Jon Snow....no, Jon Targaryen. There had even been whispers that the Hound had killed Joffrey...she didn't mourn him but it was all too much, too quickly.

The days of riding flowed into each other, merging and becoming indistinguishable from each other...and still her mind didn't settle. She avoided father, held Tommen as they slept in the rough camps that mother would have never allowed them to stay in and kept riding stiffly.

The sudden storm that came brought them to the inn they were in now. A dirty and rundown thing that would have had mother screeching and screaming her unhappiness at all around her. Their room had a big bed that she would share with Tommen.

A part of her chose to not question what such a large bed was usually used for in such an inn...

Tommen was sitting on the edge of the bed and while her septa was sitting at the only table in the room, quietly keeping an eye on them both. But she couldn't sit, she paced the room, willing sensation back into her rear.

The door to the room opened and in walked father, a grim expression on his face, the septa rose and bowed to him, with a gesture he dismissed her from the room. She obeyed and then he just as quickly shut the door behind her.

He turned around and gave her a long look, then he gave a similar look to Tommen, his eyes were unreadable, but she knew that this was the conversation she'd been avoiding. He still in his armour, he hadn't shed his armour once since they'd started the journey, the grim look on his face only enhanced his overall haggard look. The strain was showing on him...the tiredness was overcoming him.

"Myrcella..." he began.

She steeled herself and gave him her best imitation of mother's glare.

He wavered and frowned, he approached her and "I know there's much you don't understand...why I left Cersei behind..."

Her glare intensified and her lips thinned, "I don't understand anything! Except I'm really angry!"

Father faltered for a moment and actually looked lost for a moment.

"...Why did you leave mother behind?!" she demanded letting her anger and hurt boil forth.

Father winced and it took him a moment to find his words, "I couldn't save Cersei not this time...and not the last time. You can't imagine what happened with....everything. You didn't see the depths that she descended to after you were all gone."

Her anger intensified, "She's Mother! She's your sister! She loved us! She loved you! What could she do that would change all that!"

Father bit his lip, but didn't reply immediately. He just stared at her for a long moment. She just glared back in response, waiting for whatever weak excuse he would give.

"You did...the right thing," Tommen added weakly, breaking the stare down.

Myrcella's head jerked so fast towards Tommen, she thought it was going to come off. She stared at him, dismayed and shocked, her anger evaporating. Sweet Tommen couldn't be condemning mother as well!

She realised that her mouth was hanging open, she closed it quickly.

More words started to come from him, each word seemed to be exquisitely painful for him to say, "Myrcella...mother was worse than Joffrey. She was a monster...but even monsters love their children."

This can't be happening...he can't be saying these things! He can't mean it!

She cast a glance at Father, he was pale now, she could see actually see fear in father's eyes. "Gods...You remember, don't you, Tommen?" Nervousness filled his voice and he stammered, "Why? Why...did you do it?"

Tommen snuffled, "I wanted to stop mother...if I was gone she couldn't hurt anyone else. Her power would be gone. She couldn't hurt anyone anymore..."

Father closed his eyes in pain, after a long moment he revealed, "She took the throne Tommen..."

"Gone?! What do you mean gone? What did you do?!" she blurted out.

Tommen's eyes were down cast and he was slouching in defeat, he suddenly looked up and said quickly, "I Killed myself...I jumped from my window."

Myrcella paled and wavered on her feet, feeling faint. Tommen killed himself? She felt wetness on her cheek, for a moment uncomprehending, she touched her cheek and it came away with drops of water. Tears, a part of her said.

She found herself moving and sitting next to Tommen, and after a moment they were hugging, he was holding her tight and she was doing the same, her tears were still coming and Tommen was shaking, sobbing silently.

Gods...what madness is this all? Mother...what did you do? She held him for so long, taking comfort from each other. Finally, as his shaking subsided, she took a shuddering breath and broke the embrace. Tommen looked a little better now after the cry, though father looked despondent now.

She steeled herself, she had to know what happened, she turned to father, "What did she do?"

"She burned the Great Sept with Wildfire," it was Tommen who answered her, "...she burned so many people there. Great Uncle Kevan was there...the Tyrells...Margaery was there..." he said sniffling.

She heard the words but the words were so shocking she couldn't understand, Tommen wasn't finished, "She did so many things and it ended there...and after that....after that I knew what I had to do." The finality in his tone...that disturbed her, she'd never heard it from him before.

Father found his voice, "That...that was just the beginning," he came and sat down next to them, the bed creaking with his armored weight. He sighed before continuing, "She had Qyburn make more like Mountain...among other things."

More like the Mountain? How did someone do that? She thought, as she shuddered at the thought of Grandfather's monstrous Knight

Tommen's eyes were very wide and he swallowed nervously.

Myrcella watched his fear appear and asked, "Qyburn?"

"He's an odd little man, who also happens to dabble in necromancy and other perversions. But otherwise, he's quite nice," father said in a deadpan.

Necromancy? She paled in fear.

Father started talking again, the words spilling out like a torrential rain and her fear intensified with every earth shattering revelation, he explained everything that happened after they were gone, each and every disturbing event, all of mother's perversions laid bare and the further chaos that beset the Seven Kingdoms. Euron Greyjoy and Dragons. And...in the end, how father had ended...had ended mother, after she'd sent the Mountain to end him.

That...that had...strained her heart, she'd seen the unshed tears in father's eyes, the nearly unbearable pain he'd tried to hide from her as he'd admitted what he'd done.

Then the true magnitude of what was coming was explained, and all thought of mother fled from her and Tommen.

She was happy that Bran was alive and unharmed but...this was a nightmare! The Long night? Wights and White Walkers? The Others?

The plan was quickly explained and who they had to thank for this second chance but it had all gone wrong somehow, why they were heading to the questionable safety of Casterly Rock, which would hopefully be under Uncle Tyrion's control by the time they arrived.

Father finally stopped talking. They sat in silence for so long, getting to terms with the new reality of their situation. Eventually father said he had to see to their guards. He left them, leaving them alone for a while before the septa returned, food came after that. She ate sparingly of the meal and afterwards the time for bed came. She tried to sleep, but she didn't sleep well that night.

Or any of the coming nights.

Too many monsters plagued her mind now, especially the one that wore mother's face.

Notes:

I just want to take the time to thank everyone that has written me a constructive review. Thank you all for the positive feedback! And I'm glad you're all enjoying my tale:)

As for the trolls, it's been a long time since I've been trolled., I'd forgotten my cardinal rule.

From henceforth, all trolls will be ignored and shunned.