u/axaxo

Shireen has a pretty miserable and lonely existence with Patchface as her only friend. I half-remember something about how Selyse didn't approve of her playing with children of lesser birth, but why wouldn't they foster some noble girls on Dragonstone to become her ladies-in-waiting? Stannis certainly had the rank and pull to arrange this. It's such a solvable problem that it seems cruel to let her grow up all alone. But it's been a while since I read the books and I can't remember if it was ever explained.