A Mother’s Grief III (ASOS)

The voyage to the North was a tireless journey, as most of the men King Stannis had left from the Battle of Blackwater, as it was most of the men from House Florent and some others.

Queen Selyse was aboard Fury, the main ship on the King's remaining fleet, as it was the one the royal family and other vital lords and bannermen were on.

Sounds of the sea crashing against the ship made the queen feel strange. She was born a southern lady and never dreamed of sailing across the seas of the kingdoms. The smoke from Dragonstone made her think for her traitor uncle.

Uncle Alester was a traitor for even thinking of committing treason against the king, and almost ruining their cause for the Iron Throne.

"It's his fault, the traitor could have been a good hand, but because of his treason, the smuggler was placed in the position. That smuggler has influenced my son, stolen the Storm boy away from Lady Melisandre, the world could have been saved, if it wasn't for him."

The man deserved to be burned alive, for his treason and for withholding information from the king about the troubles at the Wall, as it was told by her son the Prince.

She looked at her daughter, as Shireen was happily playing with her brother Jacob, making his sister laugh at some jape he made. Her children were together, as it was the only thing that mattered to the Queen.

Selyse was surprised, when she saw her son return. With a new hair colour and a new sworn sword by his side. Sorrell of House Grimm made her feel threatened, as the Grimms of Greyshield and the Florents disliked each other for years.

Nevertheless, the man was capable of protecting her son, unlike the men at the Battle of Blackwater.

All of the king's men, remaining bannermen and knights were upon other ships on the galleys. Her eyes glared at the Seaworth smuggler, who was beside her son and he was comfortable with him being around.

Selyse never liked the man, but her son and husband defended him against those of their own family members, when they made snide comments about his lowborn beginnings and reasons why the king keeps him around.

The man tried to murder the great Lady Melisandre, which should have gotten him executed for treason, but the king kept him around and made him Hand of the King.

The Queen's Men were her men, as they followed the religion of Melisandre. They grumbled snide things about her son Jacob returning, which could give those seven worshipping fools power in the king's court.

"Idiots, these men hate those of the King's Men, but Jacob is my son and they will do no such thing to him. Their rightful Prince and the king of the Seven Kingdoms, after his father. They should show him respect, even though he worships the Seven."

Selyse would protect her son, as it was R'hllor who brought him back to her. He must have planned something for Jacob, as he returned him for a reason.

The Queen never questioned R'hllor, as he was the god she believed in now. The god who inspired many of her men to follow in the worship of this deity Melisandre brought from the East.

Her Uncle Axell stood by her side, as the self-proclaimed Leader of the Queen's Men and her representative on the King's war council.

"Uncle, what are you complaining about this time?" The Queen asked bitterly.

"His Grace, the Prince's return is a blessed token of his truly." Ser Axell replied.

"Those simpering fools loyal to Stannis think they might get something over our men, using my son as their figurehead."

"The Prince is strong willed; he would never want to be used for someone else's ambition."

"He has changed, Uncle. Something happened to him in the south, he would not talk about it, it must have been terrible for him to keep silent on what happened."

"He never told who was responsible for kidnapping him."

"I think it was allies of the Tyrells that took him, and tried to hand him over to the Lannisters as their show of faith. Luckily, this Sorrell Grimm protected him and helped him come back to us."

"That man scares me, Your Grace. The Grimms never liked us, and sit on their island of the shields, laughing at our rightful claim to the Reach."

"He is nothing like the rest of his family."

"The man chose a worthy cause, to serve the rightful king and be the prince's sworn shield."

"The smuggler has too much influence over Jacob, he keeps him by his side. Just like his father in that regard."

"What if the King makes His Grace, the prince marry a woman from the North?"

"I wouldn't allow it, but Stannis said it was what must happen, if we were to gain another army again."

"The king's word is law, it's one of the only reasons why he agreed with us moving North. To save the Night's Watch and to find a northern wife for the prince."

"I will speak with the king about this."

"Dear niece, the smuggler hand suggested it towards the king, and he agreed with it. The prince spent time in the North, and knows the noblewomen there."

"If I had a hand in it, Jacob will marry a southern woman. I don't want my son to be married to a woman with the coldness of the North in her blood. I want to see my grandson or granddaughter at the end of this war.

"I hope so too, my queen."

With Uncle Axell leaving the side of the queen, Selyse walked on the deck of the big ship, which belonged to her husband, and it hadn't been ruined at the course of this war.

Her mind was rattled by the thought of Stannis plotting to marry Jacob off to a northern woman, but she knew why he was doing it, to secure an alliance with the cold region, to provide more men in his fight for the Iron Throne again.

Any northern lord would be lucky to have a daughter, who could possibly be a Princess and the next Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.

"Jacob must marry, Selyse. It's time. He has been unmarried for too long during this war, he is still young and at seventeen years of age. Any man of the North would the foolish enough not to want their daughters to be Queen."The words of her husband spoke two days before the voyage.

Selyse was saddened, by the thought of Jacob's wedding not being the joyous occasion she wanted it to be, as he was her only son and she wanted the best for him. The world was at war, and recently it's known for weddings to be more dangerous than the battlefield.

The Queen didn't like it, as her son was worth more than some savage northwoman in his bed, and possibly birthing his children in the future.

Her eyes wondered on her son, who was alone. Without the Grimm sworn shield behind him, as he must have sent him away to have time on his own.

Selyse remembered the day she brought her son into the world, he was a quiet baby and never cried loudly. It was the silent trait he inherited from his father.

Jacob was different, more stern and hardened. He wanted to prove to his father, that he was a capable leader and wanted to lead a host of men into the battle against the savage wildings.

"My boy was born a leader, he has qualities of both his foolish Baratheon uncles, but that drunken Robert knew how to lead men into war and kill people. It's what my son wanted to inspire towards, to be more battle hardened than his late uncle."

The Queen walked on the deck, as she flinched at the sea crashing against the ship with the waters overboard. It was her first trip aboard a ship, and she was uncomfortable with the long voyage towards the Wall.

The Prince turned around to see his mother standing beside him, watching the haves of the sea flowing alongside the ship, steering the course towards the north and towards Eastwatch by the Sea.

"Mother, I thought you were not speaking with me." Jacob said solemnly, fiddling with his hair.

"Your hair, I don't like the colour, it's terrible." Selyse replied.

"The colour will fade out, I did it to protect myself from people who would know my face and my colouring."

"What happened to you, when they kidnapped you?"

"Mother, I was taken by bannermen of the Tyrells. I was lucky to escape with the help of a maester, who healed by wounds from the battle. It was when I found Sorrell, who was the captain of my ship, and he helped me get home."

"The man saved your life, and has talent with a sword." The Queen said, in a lighter tone.

"It's why I wanted him to be my sworn shield. Mother, I know the man's family has had problems with the Florents in the past, but he is a different man to his lord cousin."

"Your father is planning on marrying you off to a woman from the North."

"It's my king's will, Mother. I cannot disobey father, or otherwise he will never trust me again."

"Why are you against the Lady Melisandre? She has brought goodness to our cause, your father's cause." The Queen pleaded.

"The woman is untrustworthy and a liar, mother, the fact that Edric Storm was gone should tell you, that he is not the one."

"You and that smuggler committed treason, against your father, the king. I don't know what has gotten into you, I think this prolonged stay in the North will be good for you and will make you a better prince for the kingdom."

"Mother, your men have been saying bad things about me. About how I should be disinherited from the throne because of my part in the treason."

"Don't listen to them, they only think of what R'hllor and Melisandre thinks. You are my son, and I forgive you. You had a reason to send the boy away, and I don't blame you. The smuggler influenced you to do so."

"Mother, you should stop insulting Davos. He is Hand of the King and father's most trusted confidant; he should be treated with respect. From you and those idiots of the Queen's Men."

"I may not like the man, but I will try. For your sake, as I will do anything for your happiness and wellbeing." The Queen said, enveloping her arms around her son, and bringing in him close to her.

Selyse felt the warmth of her son with her. Jacob leaned against the shoulder of his mother, and embraced her. Her hand brushed against his newly greyish hair, as he began to pour the outcry of tears, which were on her shoulder.

"I want to be a leader, mother. I want father to see me as being capable, as being more than just his son and heir." The prince said, sadly in the arms of his mother.

"Your father has a lot to think about." The Queen replied.

This was the first time, the Queen felt a closeness and nearness with her son, even though her has a lot of weight on his shoulders. Being the Prince and the heir to the Iron Throne, it was a lot of pressure and expectations to exceed.

The Queen missed her son, and was happy to have him back. Even though, the Queen's Men were not so glad because of the protection he provided for the King's Men against them.

Selyse had faith in her son, even though he didn't believe in the same god she did. She knew he could be a skilled leader, if Stannis gave him the chance and let him prove himself, to be more than the son of Stannis Baratheon and be a man in his own right.