65: Lady Stark [Part 1, Selene]

                                    

                                          
"A few more houses have declared for us, My Queen," Davos informed me in the morning as I sipped on some tea Loras had the stewards of the Night's Watch brew. My men had brought my table and chairs into my room, with the battle plan now laid out on it. It was just me with a sleeping Renly in my arms, and Davos of course, in the room that morning. "House Caron of Nightsong, and House Errol of Haystack Hall."
I nodded, rocking Renly in my arms. The sight of it made Davos smile. "How many men between the two of them?" I asked. 
Davos sighed, "Between the two of them..." He paused before telling me the bleak news, "less than two hundred Your Grace."
"Less than two hundred..." I repeated, sarcastically commenting to hide my stress, "Now we have two thousand two hundred men, then? The Boltons have six thousand at their disposal, how on earth are we to defeat them?"
"You mustn't despair," he reassured, "With your adoption of the Lord of Light and having your husband of the Seven at your side, houses of both the faith of the Seven and the Lord of Light are flocking to you. And naming your son Renly has caused other houses that had declared for him and not for Stannis join you." He stopped when I gave him a look as if to say 'stop flattering me and speak to me plainly'. So he did, "It's not enough now, I know, but it's a start."
"I refuse to believe that these larger houses of the Stormlands don't have more men at their disposal," I said as I placed the sleeping Renly in the crib I had gotten for him, walking back to my table with determination, crossing my arms, "Which means that even the ones who have already declared are waiting to see if I'll succeed before sending more men to die for me." 
"A sorry excuse of loyalty, your Grace, but not an illogical one," Davis admitted, "King Stannis, may his blessed memory never be forgotten, alienated many men that you will not. Besides, with Jon Snow at your side you can rally Northern houses to your campaign for Winterfell as well." 
I have him an incredulous look, "The Northern houses who wanted to cecede from the Seven Kingdoms I seek to rule?"
"Under Joffrey and Tommen, yes," Davos corrected me, "Under you, perhaps not."
I thought for a while. Stannis was a great commander, yes, but he was also fiercely devoted to making his life harder through his piety and stubborness, which had left me with a small army of loyal but few men. Half of them fiercely loyal to House Baratheon, and the other half fervently loyal to the Lord of Light. Now, I had to keep the trust of the Baratheon men who followed Stannis because they believed him to be the true King and also the Queensmen who followed Stannis and Melisandre who believed Stannis had been Azor Ahai. And, on top of that, I had to find a way to attract the men who supported my father but not Stannis, my uncle Renly but not Stannis, Stannis but not the Red God, the Red God but not Stannis, and neither Stannis or the Red God - without alienating Stannis' original men. 
It felt almost impossible. How could I possibly be destined to be Queen, and on top of that possibly be the promised 'hero' that would kill the White Walkers and save the world, if I couldn't figure this mess out? I could not do this only through sheer fear of survival against the Army of the Dead which haunted my nightmares. The fear of the Others certainly helped me motivation-wise, but it couldn't possibly be enough. 
"There is one more thing, My Queen," Davos mentioned, breaking me out of my troubled trance, "The matter of Stannis' last command to me."
"Which was?" I asked. 
Davos took a deep breath, seemingly not wanting to even say it. "He asked me to marry the former Queen Selyse and take care of Shireen as a father," then clarified, "It's not something I would've ever dreamed of doing, but it's his final command."