A Mother’s Grief (ACOK)

Selyse Baratheon, formerly of House Florent and now the rightful Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.

She was stuck on the island of Dragonstone, as she and her daughter Princess Shireen had to stay behind, whilst her king and her boy go to war.

Her mind fretted about her baby, as Jacob was only a boy and her only boy, from her duty bound marriage to the king.

She was brushing her daughter's hair, as she knew she was surrounded by majority of her men, whom named themselves the Queen's men.

It was after she had converted some of the men into worshiping R'hllor and the religion Melisandre brought to the island.

"My boy will ascend to his rightful place, as Prince of the Seven Kingdoms, all usurpers will bow to him."

Uncle Axell was responsible for keeping the Queen and Princess safe, while the King and Prince go to battle against the Lannisters.

"The Onion Knight was foolish, suggesting my only boy be married off to some rich girl, with powerful relatives, and seeks to have my son taken away from me. My daughter's place as Princess will be usurped."

Queen Selyse didn't like it, the thought of her only boy being married off, like a common livestock.

She knew he was the prince, and a grand match had to be made for him, or else they would lose the war and all be dead.

"Will Jacob come back, mother?" Shireen asked.

"Of course, he will. When he and your father win the war." Selyse replied, not knowing what to say to her daughter.

"I didn't want him to go away again, we just got him back."

"Your brother is a man grown, he has duties and has to fight with your father."

"Will he be a leader?"

"Of course, my princess. Your brother will lead our soldiers into the battlefield, sail like a great sea captain."

It was the first time Selyse had been truly happy, since she had discovered the religion of R'hllor.

Jacob was the bane of her joy and happiness, and will be damned if anyone took it away from her.

She was saddened by not being able to have other sons or daughters, but she was content in having a son, who will be ruler.

Selyse remembered what Uncle Alester had told her, about how Jacob being a prince and her only son meant advancement for House Florent.

She scoffed at such a suggestion, because her house had sided with the pretender Renly Baratheon, rather than a boy born of their own blood.

"Idiots, they should remember their own blood, rather than place their loyalties behind a false king. My son will make those, who oppose us pay, either it's by the sword or his mind."

The doors were opened for her Uncle Axell to enter, as the Queen sent her daughter away to her lessons with Maester Pylos, a fine replacement from the feeble Cressen.

"Your Grace." Her uncle said, bowing before his Queen rightfully.

"The others of our family have changed sides. Good, they should see the error of their ways." Queen Selyse replied.

"The prince needs to marry, if we win or lose the war."

The Queen stood up, standing gracefully and her eyebrow raised. "I will not have my son taken away from me again, not by the drunken king sending him to Highgarden so the Tyrells can poison his mind nor he sent my son so far into the North."

"My queen, with all due respect. The only way we are going in the war and maintain the throne is to give the prince a wife, from a suitable family."

The Queen soured at the suggestion, not even her Uncle Axell would agree with her because he was preaching what Stannis had told him days ago.

She couldn't blame him for agreeing because he was loyal to his king, and his queen to extension.

"The men and I plan on destroying the small sept, as any traces of false faith will be wiped out." The large eared man suggested.

"You will not touch it, for it belongs to my son. Destroy everything else, as you will, but you will not touch anything belong into your prince, understood." The Queen said sternly.

"You must allow the prince to do his duty, dear niece."

"I must be a part of this decision, the king cannot decide without me being the queen and the prince's mother."

"Of course, you will be a part of such a crucial decisions, which will determine the future of the kingdom."

Uncle Axell left her sight, as he was busy in running the island and was placating to the Lady Melisandre.

Long ago, Queen Selyse would be proud of whether her son had achieved something or had gained a skill, in which was nothing like his foolish Baratheon uncles.

She remembered the first time Jacob killed a man, the reason was the man insulted her daughter, calling her deformed, tainted and cursed.

Selyse knew her son was not for the battlefield, for his mind was suited for court intrigue and politics.

Tonight was vital, as she and Lady Melisandre were to execute those prisoners, who wrongfully protested against the Red Priestess.

Even thought, the Queen disapproved of her son's forever loyalty to the Seven, the gods she had abandoned from her girlhood and family life.

However, Selyse was willing to protect the sept that belonged to him, because she will not allow any of those belligerent men to upset her son again.

Her eyes watched out of the windows, to see the seas crashing with the rocks on the sore. The sounds of drums played in the background.

Matrimony was a dreaded subject for the queen, as she didn't want her only boy to be in a loveless marriage, just like his drunken uncle was.

Selyse was reminded of her own wedding, and she knew how tirelessly her Uncle Alester worked to find her a decent husband.

Marrying the late king's brother was the best match she received, as she was not the most beautiful maid in the kingdoms.

"The drunk king was smart, he wanted a nephew with the old blood of House Gardener in his veins, as a threat to the Tyrells and their security of Highgarden. If they shall rebel again, my family would have taken Highgarden and Wardenship of the South."

The Queen stood by the torched flame and started to wonder of the great things Lady Melisandre brought to her life.

The Lord of Light was great, love and restored her belief in following a religion again.

It was the Lady Melisandre, who treated her like a person, a human being and the queen she rightfully was.

Even though, there are men loyal to her husband, who still kept to the Faith of the Seven, and so did her son.

Before Jacob was born, her marriage to Stannis had been an enduring existence and they were not so happy together.

The Queen was thankful of her son being brought into the world, it not only saved her marriage from becoming an unhappy existence, and it gave her daughter a knight in a brother, who will defend her from the cruelty of the world.