Stannis walked in the Great Hall of Gadhis. There at the center he found a portrait of his long deceased daughter, Shireen. He stared for some time. He loved his daughter. Dragonstone was always dark and gloomy. His Rh'llor days made it even worse, for "the night is dark and full of terrors". But Shireen, she was the ray of sunshine on that grey island of flaming stone and dragonglass.

His granddaughter Aglantine invited Stannis to tour his lands in Slaver's Bay. She was the Lady Paramount of Astapor and Yunkai, and one of the most powerful vassals in the realm. She looked out for the Iron Throne's interests in far away Slaver's Bay, keeping the Ghiscari masters in check. It was not difficult. There were many new lords of Westerosi origin given lands in Slaver's Bay. Massey, Florent, Estermont, and Stark, to name a few. They all played a part in keeping a firm grip on this newly acquired land of Ghiscar.

It was certainly unusual how Astapor, Yunkai, and Meereen became part of the realm. Daenerys Targaryen reigned over the three as Queen. Her sudden death due to illness changed quite a lot. Her realm should have folded and broken apart when the native Ghiscari rebelled following her passing. The Queendom would have been lost if not for the sound leadership of Ser Baristan Selmy and Ser Jorah Mormont.

Mormont died in battle keeping the Queendom together. Ser Baristan Selmy sent official envoys to Stannis Baratheon, the King on the Iron Throne and Daenarys's closest living kin. By law, her queendom was now his kingdom. For his service, Ser Baristan was offered a vacant position in the Kingsguard. He did not serve King Stannis long though, dying a few months after rejoining the order.

Stannis still stared at the portrait of his daughter. He won the Iron Throne by selling her hand. He wed her to Prince Oberyn Martell, a man whose very lifestyle of debauchery disgusted Stannis, but he was a man whose pragmatic brother had armies fresh and unblooded. Oberyn was older than Stannis himself, but it had to be done. Ser Davos Seaworth urged him. Bringing the Dornish into the war would change the playing field completely, and it did.

The Martells gained much from that alliance too. Prince Doran Martell served as Hand when Ser Davos passed. Prince Oberyn, Stannis's good-son, served him as Master of Whisperers. Stannis also gave him lordships in Yunkai and made him its Lord Paramount. In neighboring Astapor, Shireen was made Lady Paramount. It is from the two that Lady Aglantine inherited Yunkai and Astapor.

Aglantine. She had the olive skin of the Dornish but the black hair and blue eyes of a true Baratheon. Her mother died when was she was young. Shireen was in her twenties when she passed on. Her husband, Oberyn did not remarry but continued to father bastards. Aglantine was his only legitimate child. Throughout the years, Stannis was wary of Oberyn but Shireen always said that he treated her well with kindness and love.

Stannis finally spoke, "I always imagined your mother would become queen. I had taken oaths from my senior commanders to ensure they serve her loyally after my death in war. I even had a crown made for her, one that is light on her head. I still have it at Dragonstone in her old chambers."

Aglantine listened attentively whenever someone spoke of her mother. She has few memories of her mother; all of them sweet but few nonetheless. If her grandfather was capable of tearing, it would have happened right then. But this was Stannis Baratheon, the man who executed a boy king to prove a point. He was ruthless. Age has softened him, yes, but not to point of shedding tears.

"No death has hit me harder than hers. To this day, I see shadows of her in the halls of Dragonstone. I dream of her, reading to me her books of history and legend. She was taken from me too early. I loathe the day my uncle Lomas brought me news of her demise."


Notes: The geography and names of places (the Astapori castle of Gadhis for example) that will be used will be from the CKII mod for A Game of Thrones. Kudos to the modders for fleshing out the universe. It is through playing the mod that I got inspired to write.

"Uncle Lomas" is Ser Lomas Estermont, a relative of Robert, Stannis, and Renly Baratheon through their mother, Cassana Estermont. He is either their uncle or their cousin, but I prefer to believe that he is their uncle. Lomas is a canonical character, but he neither appears nor is mentioned in the TV Show. He does exist in the Books, however.