The Night is Dark... (Torin)
Feb 24, 2013 11:51:19 GMT
Post by Halaevia Baratheon on Feb 24, 2013 11:51:19 GMT
Tensions still ran high at Dragonstone. Halaevia Baratheon had left the castle today for the first time since the news of Stannis' defeat had reached them. The black stone walls of the keep had suddenly seemed not a comfort to her but a confinement, and so in the early evening she had left, gone down to the coast, stood on the stony shore to watch the dying of the light as the sun disappeared over the horizon.
Kirilen was with her. The little girl, heedless of her elders' distress, ran and shouted and threw pebbles into the surf and waded into the water until her kirtle was soaked to her knees and near-tripped her. Hallie had nearly dismissed her daughter's nurse that morning, after a report from a maid that she had slapped her young charge for some minor disobedience. It was only the knowledge that all their tempers were fraying that had made her wait, consider it. Whatever she did now needed to be properly considered, she had to set an example. For now, Kirilen stayed with her.
She was not unaware that giving her attentions to such a minor matter was only a way of avoiding the more important decisions that lay before her: those concerning what was to be done now that her brother was dead. Her young nephew was going to need support; more than that he was going to need protection. A child lord of a house sworn to a king who - in spite of all their efforts - had lost what should have been a certain battle? It was a precarious position. Perhaps she needed to return to Driftmark.
Perhaps focusing on those decisions was enough to keep her from thinking of what happened to Monford. Him and Selyse's brother Imry and young Maric Seaworth - poor loyal Davos, all of his sons that had sailed out! She could scarcely imagine the grief of it. Not to mention all those others left unaccounted for, lost somewhere between the conflagration and the cold deep waters.
Defeat was bitter, and all the moreso for being so utterly unexpected. Halaevia walked along the shore, and as the wind picked up her light cloak billowed out behind her and her lantern swung. Kirilen ran ahead, past a small rocky outcropping. Hallie watched her go, and again her thoughts wandered. There had to be reason to this, something more than she could see. Stannis was R'hllor's chosen, his eventual victory was assured, but this? Was it a trial of some kind? He had refused to take Melisandre who was their priestess along with him, did that mean-
'Mama!'
Her thoughts were broken abruptly by the sight of an alarmed-looking Kirilen flying back over towards her, as fast as her little legs could carry her. Hallie winced inwardly. She had thought that all that would be washed up on the shore already had been, and far from here at that, but she should have been more careful, she should have stayed ahead-
'Mama, you have to come and look.' The dark-haired little girl tugged at her mother's sleeve.
Hallie pulled her close. 'Don't be frightened,' she said, reassuring. 'We'll go back the other way.'
'I'm not scared,' stated Kirilen, indignant. 'Come and look!'
Kirilen was with her. The little girl, heedless of her elders' distress, ran and shouted and threw pebbles into the surf and waded into the water until her kirtle was soaked to her knees and near-tripped her. Hallie had nearly dismissed her daughter's nurse that morning, after a report from a maid that she had slapped her young charge for some minor disobedience. It was only the knowledge that all their tempers were fraying that had made her wait, consider it. Whatever she did now needed to be properly considered, she had to set an example. For now, Kirilen stayed with her.
She was not unaware that giving her attentions to such a minor matter was only a way of avoiding the more important decisions that lay before her: those concerning what was to be done now that her brother was dead. Her young nephew was going to need support; more than that he was going to need protection. A child lord of a house sworn to a king who - in spite of all their efforts - had lost what should have been a certain battle? It was a precarious position. Perhaps she needed to return to Driftmark.
Perhaps focusing on those decisions was enough to keep her from thinking of what happened to Monford. Him and Selyse's brother Imry and young Maric Seaworth - poor loyal Davos, all of his sons that had sailed out! She could scarcely imagine the grief of it. Not to mention all those others left unaccounted for, lost somewhere between the conflagration and the cold deep waters.
Defeat was bitter, and all the moreso for being so utterly unexpected. Halaevia walked along the shore, and as the wind picked up her light cloak billowed out behind her and her lantern swung. Kirilen ran ahead, past a small rocky outcropping. Hallie watched her go, and again her thoughts wandered. There had to be reason to this, something more than she could see. Stannis was R'hllor's chosen, his eventual victory was assured, but this? Was it a trial of some kind? He had refused to take Melisandre who was their priestess along with him, did that mean-
'Mama!'
Her thoughts were broken abruptly by the sight of an alarmed-looking Kirilen flying back over towards her, as fast as her little legs could carry her. Hallie winced inwardly. She had thought that all that would be washed up on the shore already had been, and far from here at that, but she should have been more careful, she should have stayed ahead-
'Mama, you have to come and look.' The dark-haired little girl tugged at her mother's sleeve.
Hallie pulled her close. 'Don't be frightened,' she said, reassuring. 'We'll go back the other way.'
'I'm not scared,' stated Kirilen, indignant. 'Come and look!'