Board Thread:TV Show Discussion/@comment-5014364-20150610221653/@comment-95.42.73.80-20160404140008

you fail to consider that stannis is "all in".

if he dies because his attack fails, so will - by extend - shireen and therefore his entire house.

so sacrificing only the heir to have a chance to win in an otherwise lost situation makes absolutely sense in an "all-in-situation".

if the boltons kill or capture him, they just need to send a few riders to kill wife and child, as the entire army, down to the last man fighting for Baratheon, will be defeated. Better burn her now and maybe gain a profit, than have the Boltons flay her for months.