𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐃 𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐌𝐄 | Game of Thrones

𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐘-𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄

      "Queen Malaeya!" A little girl surprised her. She was short enough to see her past Barristan's legs. "Gendry told us that it was you who organized the barracks for the war.  I saw you on the blue dragon! You're just as beautiful as the stories always said! My brother says he would have married you if it wasn't for King Robb!"

      Malaeya couldn't help but smile as they stopped. She wasn't worried for her safety. She had dragons nearby, skill of her own, and a dozen skilled warriors around. She was safe. 

      So, she lowered to the girls' height, smiling at her. 

      She had a makeshift sword at her hip, and a wooden dragon that had been painted blue. The sight made Malaeya's heart warm. Before, she'd been only a rumor in the kingdoms, and then she'd been hated. But to see a little girl look up at her with pride and inspiration, it made her feel like she'd done something great. 

      The girl touched her hair, still smiling as the pale threads fell between her fingers. "My brother says you can beat Jaime Lannister in a fight, even when he was a boy. He says that you're a fierce warrior."

     Malaeya chuckled. "I don't know if I could beat my father in his prime, but I'd like to think so." She glanced at the girl still. "Would you like to be a warrior someday?"

      The girl nodded. "But Father says girls can't."

      "Well, your father's wrong. You're living in the age of queens now dear. Girls can be whatever we want to be. We can be loving mothers or fierce fighters. We can even be both. If a fighter's what you want to be, then you wield your sword and take on anybody in your way."

      Malaeya pinched the girl's cheeks. "What's your name?"

      "Emely," the girl said. "After my mother, who died making me ten years ago."

      The queen had to suppress her smile. Children always did overshare. "Where do you live?"

      Emely shifted her eyes around at first, hesitant. But then she leaned in, whispering in the ear. "The house at the end of Muddy Way."

      Malaeya whispered back. "I'll need to come see you someday. Show you how girls can fight." Her hand lifted to her chest. "But in the meantime, I'll need a strong warrior to keep this very safe for me." She pinned the golden dragon pin to the little girl's tattered shirt. "Can you do that for me?"

      Emely smiled widely, nodding happily as she touched the cool gold. It was probably worth more than everything her family owned, a sad but true fact. 

      As Malaeya stood back up, the crowd bustled again trying to get their glimpses at the new royal family. But before they could, they were all ushered into the establishment. 

      The sudden change from booing yells to still silence made her ears ring. She swallowed, feeling the pressure leave them as she took a look around. It wasn't a large place. 

      It was simply a square room, with deep, blood red carpet, a scuffed white wooden platform in the center, and black painted walls. On all four walls, there were shelves of fabrics, needles, threads, jewels, and beads. Near the platform, there were hanging dresses, completed and marked with their prices - which were surprisingly low for how beautiful they were. 

      Malaeya walked forward, her heels making a muffled click against the carpeted marble floor as she approached the platform. Her fingers grabbed a deep purple dress, the color of her mother's eyes, and she hummed. The dresses were good quality too. Perfectly stitched, uniquely designed, and a thick lasting material. 

      They should have been worth more than three Silver Stags. So, she knew that the low price was because of Eyla's lack of business, and that there was no way she was making a livable profit.