A Mother’s Grief II (ACOK)

The busting on Dragonstone with the remaining men just arriving after the hear retreat because of the vanguards consisting of reinforcements sent by Lord Tywin Lannister and Lord Mace Tyrell, and all his bannermen.

Queen Selyse Baratheon's eyes were around most of the recent arrivals, as her heart sank of hearing about her brother Imry dying on the battlefield.

"He was a loyal man, loyal to his king and the Lord of Light." The Queen thought, trying to push down the feelings and the tears wanting to come out.

Her daughter Shireen was by her side, alongside Uncle Axell, who was charged with running the island and keeping his queen and princess safe.

Most of the men barely survived the Battle of Blackwater, as most of the Florents were responsible for the rear-guard of the king and his commanders escaping with their lives intact.

She knew the battle was lost, but the war was not won.

Selyse was told her husband King Stannis had locked himself up, wanting to be away from the other men a part from Maester Pylos to treat his wounds, he had sustained from the battle.

Her eyes wondered around, and thoughts turned to her son and heir. She hadn't seen him, since he and his father left for Storm's End.

"Mother, is father alright." Princess Shireen asked.

"Of course, sweetling. He is just tired and wounded, he had just escaped from the field." Queen Selyse replied.

"Did we lose the battle?"

"Sometimes in life, my daughter. We win things and then we lose them at the same time, best of all is having the strength and courage to fight for another day."

"Where's Jacob, I haven't seen him with the other men?"

The question haunted the Queen's mind, with her thoughts wondering where he was and why he didn't arrive with his father.

Maseter Pylos came out from the Stone Drum, where the king kept himself secluded from all his men and people who were still loyal to his cause.

"Maester, how is my husband?" The Queen questioned, in a tone of iron.

"Your Grace. The king's wounds are healing nicely, but he keeps himself away from many people." The young maester replied.

"Take the princess to her lessons, I must look for my son."

"Of course. Your Grace."

Selyse allowed Shireen to be taught by Maester Pylos, alongside the Seaworth boy Devan, who was her son's squire and the bastard Edric Storm.

The Queen loathed the boy; he was the walking and living product of the shame her cousin Delena Florent had conducted with the late King Robert, and was his only acknowledged bastard being of two highborn parents.

"Where is my son, he hasn't arrived with his father and I am worried. I trusted my family's men to protect him and make sure he gets out of the field alive. If he is harmed in anyway, the men of my husband will not be spared of my wrath, as a mother."

Queen Selyse was alone, looking out of the windows of the island to see more men arriving by the small contingent of ships provided by some pirate the Onion Knight brought to her husband's cause.

Also, the Onion Knight has not been seen, since the battle. Rumour has it that he was killed among the ships destroyed at their fleet.

It must have been the reason why Stannis locked himself away, as he must be grieving for his smuggler turned knight friend.

The Queen never cared for Davos Seaworth, but her son Jacob loved him, as if he was a common uncle and spent most of his time with him.

Selyse was dressed in the colours of new faith of red, yellow and orange. she wore a crown of flames around it, signifying her as the rightful Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and her worship of the god Melisandre brought to the island.

She saw her Uncle Alester arrive with a few men by his side, as he had a worried look on his face. He had the large ears and was quite good looking, even though most members of their family inherited the ugliness of their house.

"Your Grace, you shouldn't be in this area." Uncle Alester commented.

"Have you seen my son, uncle. Your Prince?" Selyse asked, her fingers were shaking. Fearing what might have happened to her son.

"The prince hasn't arrived. The men are searching all over the island for him."

The Queen's tears were flowing from her eyes, with her heart aching. "I will not give up, until he is found and safe. He saved my marriage from becoming an existence of unhappiness and discontent, he gave Shireen a brother to defend her honour, and gave his father hope of saving the Baratheon trueborn line."

"Dear niece, if the worst is to happen, then it will be hard news to give to the King."

"Jacob is not dead, uncle. Have you lost all faith in your prince?"

"Never, your Uncle Axell has sent some of the Florent men to search for him. He is adamant in rewarding the lucky knight who finds him."

The Queen felt light, not having the strength to balance herself with her Uncle's hands holding her still and giving some sort of comfort.

Selyse couldn't believe Jacob was dead, if he had been then everyone else would have known now.

Years of learning how to be a proper lady taught her to conceal her emotions and her tears, underneath the guise of politeness and manners.

Jacob had been Selyse's firstborn child and her son, the only boy from her duty bound marriage.

"Dear niece, the men are searching and he will be found." Uncle Alester said, giving comfort to his distraught niece.

"He better be found or someone's head will roll." Selyse seethed through her teeth.

"Hopefully not my head."

"You are the King's Hand and you have my husband's ear and counsel."

"I do as I must, since I have converted to the new faith and abandoned the old one."

"Jacob will be displeased; he still keeps to the Seven. He will not bend or change for anyone's sake."

"The boy has his uncle's strong will to do as he pleases. I hope for the king's sake the prince is found alive."

"If he is not, then Shireen will be the king's only heir left."

"Where is the princess now, Your Grace?"

"Her lessons with Maester Pylos, along with Jacob's squire boy and the bastard my husband retrieved from Storm's End."

"How is the princess coping with her brother's absence?"

"The retreat and arrival of our remaining men has caused her to worry, she is worried about her brother, uncle. It's natural for siblings to be concerned for one another."

"Alester, my queen." A gruff voice shouted, as the Queen and Hand turned around to see Ser Axell with a few men behind him.

"Have you found the prince, brother?" Uncle Alester questioned, of his brother.

"No, I haven't. We looked all over the beach and I sent two longboats to the mainland to find him."

"What if the Lannisters took my son, under Imry's considerable watch?" The Queen yelled.

"If they did take the prince, then the king would have received a warning message by now."

"How is the King?" Ser Axell asks.

"The King broods in the Stone Drum keep; he is angry brother. Of the battle being lost and most of the men butchered on the field. He is even thinking his son is dead."

"The king must pull himself together and unite us, since the battle is lost. Lord Celtigar is thinking about leaving with his men." Uncle Axell grumbled.

"The man must be silly to think such a thing, our prince is still missing and he wants to abandon his king now."

"Stupid men do stupid things to save themselves." The Queen sneered.

"The Queen speaks true, we should capture him and kill him."

"Axell, we should leave the man be, let the king think of the correct punishment for him, since he pledged himself to him."

Queen Selyse grew tired of her uncles arguing over silly matters, when they should be looking for her son and their prince. the longer it took to find him, lesser of the chance of him being alive if he was found.

"Uncle Axell, keep looking for him and do not rest until he is found." Queen Selyse commanded.

"Of course Your Grace." Ser Axell replied, sending his men to scurry the island for their prince.

"Uncle Alester, as you are my husband's hand. You and I will rule in his stead, until he finishes brooding over the lost battle and the death of his Onion Knight."

"Good that smuggler is long gone. I would be the king's best ally, if it wasn't for him." Ser Axell growled.

"He was the king's closest ally." Ser Alester said, attempting to be peaceful about such sentiments.

"My husband and son would rather enjoy the company of an upjumped smuggler, than they do their own fellow lords."

"Like father, like son." The two Florent men grumbled among themselves.

"Has he been found, who was the last to see him?" The Queen mumbled.

"My Queen, the Lady Melisandre saw him in her flames, she believes he is alive and will return to us."

"I hope for R'hllor's sake he comes back to us."

Queen Selyse wholehearted believed in R'hllor and how he would bring Jacob back to her, as she believed what the Lady Melisandre saw in her visions were true.

The lady formerly of House Florent had prayed to the flames of the castle, prayed for her son and heir back.

Her eyes looked among the scatters of the king's army seeking safety with their true king, and they will have the strength to fight for another day.