Winter Rose.

xxvii.

Her eyes turned to Ser Barristan again. "And this so-called view I have, do they have the potential to improve the lives of the Unsullied?"

"Undeniably." Rhaenar sat still, thinking. She could improve the lives of Unsullied, she could grant them freedom once she had them. Barristan had provided her with more wisdom than she had, had in months with a simple conversation. She could feel his belief in her. "Pardon me for what I say, Khaleesi; but your sister..."

Rhaenar tensed. "Tread carefully, Ser Barristan. Even here on this ship, there are ears."

His eyes swept the deck around them before leaning in, his words low. "You let her take some of your power, why?"

Rhaenar pondered. "She's the true heir of Westeros, Ser Barristan. When we cross the narrow seas, they won't be chanting my name but hers; I am but a worthless bastard to them."

He frowned. "The people of Westeros are fickle; they'll chant the name of whoever is on top." Rhae shook her head. "If you provide them with hope and opportunity, they'll chant your name too."

"I couldn't do that to her." Rhaenar dismissed, cautious of who walked past them.

"You're scared of her." He noted, frowning. "Scared of what she could do because you've seen the glint of madness."

Rhaenar stood from her seat. "I refuse to discuss this matter, Ser Barristan. She is my sister and you are a stranger who happened to know my brother. Goodnight."

"Forgive me, Khaleesi." Rhaenar paused, willing to listen as she sat back down; perhaps too harsh in her response. "It's just that I've been around enough Targaryens to understand when one has madness in them and one doesn't."

She gazed off to the shore, taking in the city of Astapor. "Some say Rhaegar had it."

Barristan shrugged. "Perhaps he did, perhaps that is why he did what he did. What do you believe?"

What did she believe? Not a lot these days. "I'd like to believe there's more to the story than we believe; what Rhaegar did to Elia was wrong, but that doesn't mean he's made. It wasn't Rhaegar who declared war, but it's his name they put the blame on when they remember it." Rhaenar didn't want to fall into her brother's position; she didn't want to be remembered as the one who caused the war. It was all about free choice. "What was Lyanna like? She had to be beautiful if Rhaegar was willing to risk everything to love her."

"There was something wild about her; something that made her seem so desirable. She didn't care about her titles, only her brothers, and toying with them. Lyanna was a small thing, no bigger than you; with a long face, and these wild grey eyes. She was a Stark wolf, through and through." Rhaenar smiled as Barristan described her, the curiosity filling her even more. How could a person be a wolf?

"What are the Starks like? Are they all like Lyanna?"