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Dragonstone.

It was an imposing and dark formation jutting above the treacherous waters of Blackwater Bay. An ancient and forlorn cathedral that had been battered by salt, wind and dragon fire for centuries. The former seat of House Targaryen had a rich and long history, it was once the largest most westernmost outpost of the powerful Valyrian Freehold. When the Doom came and ended that grand civilization,it became the last standing legacy of the fallen Empire along with those survivors who ruled it, the ancestors of House Targaryen.

From Dragonstone did Aegon and his sister-wives begin their conquest of Westeros and from whence they eventually united the squabbling kingdoms under the Iron Throne. In the centuries that passed Dragonstone served as the traditional holdings of future heirs to House Targaryen.

Within the halls of this old castle did the histories of Westeros echo. The black stone was soaked in the stories of countless legends. From the Conquest, to the Dance of Dragons and more recently of his brother's rebellion.

Yet for all of its mythic grandeur. The seat of Dragonstone was a poor one. Its lands were barely fertile, it had few sworn bannermen, its smallfolk too few in number to raise any large levies. The only thing that Dragonstone possessed was a great naval force, that had been largely built under his oversight near the end of his brother's rebellion.

Yes, Dragonstone was full of symbolic wealth. A wealth that was useless to him for it was a wealth that belonged to the exiled House of Dragons.

The new King Robert seemed to think Dragonstone was a better gift than the lands of Storm End. That the seat of their House commanded less respect than the Gods forsaken rocks Dragonstone was roosted upon.

In a room within the Keep of Stone Drum. A long table around 50 feet long and about half that wide dominated the room, carved and painted in the shape of Westeros and poorly illuminated by the rays of the rising sun that managed to pierce the morning fog; this was the Painted Table, which Aegon himself used in his ambition to conquer the Seven Kingdoms. Located on top of where Dragonstone would be upon this map did a lone figure sit upon a throne.

Even seated any who witnessed him would notice immediately how large of a man he was. He was tall, broad and sinewy. His thin, pale lips were curled into a long and angry frown. His dark blue eyes were lingering over one particular section of the Painted Table with both envy and a tinge of small sadness. His face was tight, tighter than it usually was. His hair was beginning to disappear at the crown and a thick moss of hair was quickly growing across his large jaw.

The man was only one and twenty yet the stress of living here had aged him to twice that number.

This was how he spent his time ever since Robert took the throne with his pretty Stark wife; quietly smoldering over the unkind hand that he been dealt with.

Not once had Robert acknowledge his younger brother since he was "gifted" Dragonstone. Nary a single raven nor a visit. Robert was too busy whoring around even when he had finally wed the She-Wolf that he had incessantly fawned over during the rebellion against the Mad King and his son. In fact, it seemed he had become even worse in his unsavory predilections, it grew to the point that it strained his initially strong friendship with Lord Eddard Stark. Although the rumors floating around mention that estrangement started much earlier. When a weakened Lyanna Stark was rescued from the Tower of Joy. What actually transpired was closely guarded and some more daring rumors speak of a secret Targaryen bastard.

It did not concern him however. Stannis Baratheon was estranged for a far longer period of time from his brother than Eddard Stark was. He took little comfort in the knowledge that Robert's closest friends were starting to see the other side of the gregarious Stag.

He still remembered the words Robert spoke to him when he showed umbrage at how he treated his Stark wife. Those words would ever remain in his head, never going away.

Stannis Baratheon was stuck here. All but forgotten. All because he did his duty.

He had suffered in Storm's End when it was under siege by the full might of the Reach.

He bled when he was instructed to assault the very holding he was now Lord over.

He had given Robert his sweat,blood and sword as he raged against the Mad King and the Dragon Prince for taking his betrothed.

And for all of his he was given a giant hunk of rock to rule over. While his home, his birth right, was given to that mewling babe Renly.

He grabbed the armrests on his seat in an iron-strong vice. His lower jaw moved side to side as he ground his teeth in a quiet rage.

When Robert slips in his Kingly duties men are in awe of him as if he was blessed by all of the Seven. When he obeys his duties to the letter and spirit unfailing he is distrusted by men who look upon him like he was some heathen Ironborn Priest of the Drowned God.

It irritated him. It angered him.

What made worse was that he could do nothing about it. This was his duty. He was Lord of Dragonstone; he could do nothing to change that. That was the duty accorded to him and he would rather die in misery than fail in fulfilling his oath as his brothers honoured vassal.

Duty was the great chain that binds them all. If that chain were ever severed, all of Westeros would suffer for it.

It was a harsh mistress. One that could take everything you loved and desired and leave you destitute. Yet without duty they would be no better than the wildlings living beyond the Wall.

It enraged him, the injustice of it all;but, lately it was also driving him into a maddened despair.

"My lord Stannis." A wizened old voice snapped him out of his gloomy thoughts. Maester Cressen had entered the chamber without him noticing. He cursed inwardly for his laxity.

"Why do you disturb me Maester?" His voice was like of stone striking iron. It rang with a deep reverberance that one could attribute to echo; however, it was intimidating all the same.

"Forgive me, but a letter from King's Landing has arrived." The Maester was old. Cressen had served faithfully underneath Stannis' own father. He continued to serve after the deaths of his parents and instead of serving under that summer child Renly he had chosen to serve him. Stannis would not openly say it; but, he saw in Cressen a second father.

Stannis took roughly from the Maester's shaky hands a letter that bore the seal of the King. He broke it and read through its contents.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

Then a final fourth time.

The more he read the more he did not understand. Eventually after a tense quiet pause Stannis' jaws clenched tightly. It seemed Robert had made it his life's duty to commit deeds that served to embitter him further than he already had.

"What's wrong my lord?" Cressen was concerned. He had known Stannis long enough to know that look only came when ever Robert intentionally or otherwise slighted his brother.

Stannis placed the letter on the painted table with a large echoed thump. His eyes narrowed in obvious fury.

"I have been betrothed to Cersei Lannister." Stannis spat out the word betrothed like it was a Essoi poison. Cressen finally understood.

"Did your brother order you to do it?" Stannis had a single moment of insight as he looked through the letter once more. Looking for any sign that Robert had invoked his full authority as King.

He did not.

"No, it is only a mere suggestion. It speaks of how he had been approached by Lord Tywin Lannister of an advantageous union between their houses. A union formed through the marriage of his eldest daughter to the heir-apparent of the Iron throne." Stannis quoted the letter with a bitter and grim tone.

"Yet you remain upset? I hear Cersei Lannister is the most beautiful woman within Westeros." Maester Cressen said in a futile attempt to mollify his angered lord.

"She is also the sister of the Kingslayer. What use do I have for beauty? It fades away like words in the wind. This Cersei does not matter to me at all. No, what is important is the sheer audacity of my brother to insult me in such a brazen manner." Cressen knew much of the conflict between Stannis and his brother. It saddened him to see it whenever it surfaced.

"How did he insult you?" Maester Cressen was sure this would give cause to Stannis to rant out his woes.

"He nary sends a raven nor a single acknowledgement of my existence. Ever since I was made Lord of this crumbling ruin not once did Robert send word for me. Too busy with attending to his 'duties'. Now months hereafter he sends me this letter. Telling me now that a betrothal between me and some Westerlands tart is being considered without even bothering any sort of council from my end. I am his vassal. The tone of this letter is ignorant of my station as Lord. He writes as if I was not Lord of Dragonstone,but his young brother who remains unwed and unlanded." Cressen raised his bushy white brows.

"Are you sure you might be seeing insults where it was not intended?" Cressen bowed his head as Stannis' head whipped at him like an eel in a stream

He thought he was going to be chastised until he heard a tired sigh.

"You might be right Maester. It might be my mind playing tricks on me. The King could be simply talking of a potential marriage proposal with his usual glibness and nothing more. Still, I ask of you to bring the ink and parchment." Maester Cressen bowed his head, scurrying back to his quarters so that Lord Stannis would pen his response.

As he walked on Cressen was lost in a reverie.

'Something's wrong with him.' His worried thoughts spoke out.

'For the first time I fear Stannis is slipping. He is losing his will.' He tried to banish them but yet they continued to linger.

'How can he be so blind? Why does he let himself suffer like this?' The thoughts were getting stronger.

'Stannis, be strong. Strong as you always are. You cannot let this melancholy take you.' Tears were slowly forming in his eyes. Though old and bogged down by the chains around his neck, Cressen did not feel fatigue for himself. For he was too much concerned with the burdens bogging his lord.


It had been two days since he responded to the King's letter. In that time, he continued what he usually did. Quietly skulking within the Chamber of the Painted table when he was not busy attending to his duties as Lord of Dragonstone.

Although this time he was not alone. For accompanying him was the old Lord of House Velaryon. Lucerys Velaryon had been the Master of Ships under the reign of the Mad King. Indeed, he and his House were among the first he fought when Stannis assaulted Dragonstone to drive out the last survivors of House Targaryen. Lucerys though a loyalist had found a certain respect for Stannis that he did not have for King Robert at all. Stannis left Lecery's position untouched, he had served dutifully to his lord after all and that is something that Stannis couldn't fault him for. He didn't even punish Lucerys the way he did to his friend Daavos for Lucery committed no crimes save for loyalty to a deposed king.

"So we are to expect the arrival of Lord Tywin's daughter?" Lucerys was an aging man with surprisingly average looks for one who had the Valyrian blood in them.

"Yes, I had rejected the betrothal that my King-brother suggested; but, I doubt greatly he would let the matter rest at that." Lucerys nodded his clean shaven head. The only clue of his Valyrian heritage being his weathered violet eyes.

"That is wise of you my lord. The Lannisters are a deceitful lot, unlike many houses they had elected to wait and only threw in their support for the rebellion at the very end. When it was certain that King Robert Baratheon would come out victorious." Lucerys was still bitter over the rebellion. He had lost many a kinsmen to the conflict and was especially sore over House Lannister for Lord Tywin was once a good friend of King Aerys II.

"I have heard many tales of this Cersei as well. The stories of her beauty are true, but so are the stories of her poor character. She is spoiled." Stannis wasn't surprised, the Westermen with their wealth in gold and silver were no doubt a vain people prone to floundering and ostentatious boasting. The Lannisters especially so.

"I doubt she would survive in Dragonstone without her fancy dresses and beautiful courts." Lucerys gave him a toothy grin as he said that.

"Are you suggesting she would have cause to find this marriage a deplorable one?" Well it seems misery loves company then.

"I assure you my lord. She is no doubt fretting over a marriage to you. That is to say there is nothing wrong about your character." Lucerys sheepishly rectified as he realized he was quickly breaching the courtesy needed as a vassal.

"Lucerys I do not indulge in your council because you are some sycophant. I am fully aware that many a maiden would find me and this place a hellish ordeal to bear children in. That in part explains why I have received so few a wedding proposals." Stannis said with anger.

This was what Lucerys found endearing in his new lord. He was honest to a complete fault. It was both his greatest curse and his greatest blessing.

"How soon mayhaps this new Lady of Dragonstone will arrive?" Stannis raised his hand.

"I will tell you when the raven returns. In the meantime, I ask of you to only prepare and notify the other bannerman. If she does come, I wish for her to arrive in Valeyron ships. Let her gauntlet within this place begin at the castle proper." Silence reigned for some time, Lucerys looked pensive; as if he wished to speak more.

"Is there something that troubles you lord Lucerys?" The Valyrian lord looked at him with his violet eyes. A worried frown on his face.

"I hear other rumors as well, about this Lannister girl. They say she seems no different from Aerys II." Stannis blinked.

"She's mad?" Lucerys shook his head.

"I truly do not know. This might just be simple hearsay, the gossip of insipid milkmaids. They say she indulges in curious and sacrilegious relations with her twin brother the Kingslayer. That she bursts in anger and possess a fiery temper. They might be rumors or they might be not." Stannis realized then the reason for Lucerys' discomfort.

"You worry for my safety, that she might poison me in slumber or in banquet?" Lucerys scowled. He obviously did not like that accusation.

"Why would I care for a Stormlands brute whose brother usurped the throne? Do not flatter yourself my liege." Stannis fought the urge to smile.

"Worry not lord Lucerys. If I were so easily felled by a Westermen maiden I daresay you just might have been saved a terrible fate of serving such a poor liege."

Lucerys frowned at that even if it was a mere jibe.

Stannis Baratheon was not the worst lord to be seated in Dragonstone. If given enough time he had the ability to be the greatest lord of Dragonstone in a long time.

Just then the doors to the chamber were opened and entering unannounced was a familiar face.

"Davos glad to see you've finally decided to return." Davos Seaworth was a slight man with plain looks. He had brown eyes and brown hair that were slightly graying. The smuggler turned knight flashed him a smile. Only catching himself when he noticed the presence of Lucerys.

"Lord Lucerys, that answers why there ware sigils of the seahorse billowing outside." Davos bowed deeply, a bit forgetful that he was a landed knight now and no longer of the smallfolk.

"Rest easy Ser Davos. I have just finished my discussions with Lord Stannis. I shant keep you two waiting." Lucerys stood up. He was frail but that did not prevent from walking unaided towards the door.

As Lucerys and his retainers left did Davos now divulge the reason for his entrance.

"I have a letter from King's Landing."Davos said in seriousness.

"You intercepted the Maester?" This was odd.

"Not exactly. I was given this letter by King Robert himself." Stannis' jaws slightly clenched.

"So he does not even trust the ravens then?" He quietly muttered to himself.

"I was instructed to give this to you whilst I was recuperating in King's Landing. He said it was of utmost importance that I delivered this personally with the seal unbroken and that I do all in my power to convince you to comply to whatever the letter asked of you." Using Davos against him, his fears were correct.

Stannis broke the seal, and read through the second letter from his brother. This one he did not need to reread. It was concise and to the point.

"Call for Maester Cressen. You, him and I have much to talk about." Stannis said with a weary voice.


"So I take it the King has finally used his authority to make this betrothal a reality then?" Maester Cressen said with hands in his Maester robes.

"No, in fact he has made a compromise." This surprised both the Maester and Davos, compromise was not something they expected from Robert when it came to family.

"I am to entertain Lady Cersei as a guest in Dragonstone for six months. Only after those six months cam I even given the chance to reject the proposal. This an order by the King himself." Davos rubbed his chin in contemplation.

"He is trying to sway you. I doubt six months with her would be a sufficient amount of time for you to change your mind." The Onion knight said with mischief.

"If what the rumors of Lady Cersei say are true then I doubt this arrangement would last a week." Cressen said with worry.

"Even so this is what the King has ordered. Only by the end of six months can I have the right to confirm or reject this proposal. In that time I have to accommodate Lady Cersei as if we were already wed. These are the rest of capitulations within the letter." Damn that Robert, damn him for taking advantage of his sense of duty.

"I suppose she will have her own entourage to ensure no loss of her 'virtue'?" Davos said the word virtue as if it was something of a point of contestation.

"Yes, she will be accompanied by a retinue consisting of several handmaidens and a small contingent of guards headed by Ser Ilyn Payne." Cressen perked up at the mention of Payne.

"I've heard of him. He had his tongue torn out for speaking against the Mad King. He is a skilled and deadly knight." Stannis has heard of Ilyn Payne; but, that was not what concerned him however.

"What of Lady Cersei herself? What news do you bring of her?" Davos blinked unsure if he was going to answer.

"I've … heard talks that the young Lannister maiden made a tremendous scene when the betrothal was announced. Her father has done much in his power to suppress them; but, it was shameful enough that many still speak of it." Davos spoke carefully, not trusting much on hearsay.

"This is merely another piece of gossip concerning your potential wife. I fear she might not have her famed beauty in the inside as it is outside." Maester Cressen warned.

Stannis spent the longest time figuring out this Lady Cersei. After hearing what rumors spoke of her he was confident what she was about to do.

"The Lady Lannister might see it to herself to prematurely end this little arrangement through less than noble means." Stannis blurted out.

Such a grim statement brought silence unto the table.

"Do you think she's capable such a deed?"Davos said uncertain.

"Her father is Lord Paramount Tywin Lannister. She's capable of many deeds." Stannis said with a neutral tone that did not suggest he was concerned of his potential death by a woman scorned.

"Worry not my Lord. If she were to do anything than you have the right to imprison her." Stannis shook his head at Davos' words.

"Robert ordered me to treat her with utmost respect. By the full authority of the throne he sits upon. I cannot do anything to her." At his Davos blistered out incredulously.

"What of duty then? What if she shits on the gardens? What if she gives you the greatest disrespects that one could imagine?" Stannis sadly shook his head.

"By the King's order she cannot be touched." Davos palmed his forehead.

"Damn it Stannis you're being more bullheaded than usual!" Davos yelled out.

Maester Cressen himself thought similar to Ser Davos.

Stannis Baratheon's sense of duty would have made him punish Cersei regardless of the King's order.

"We must do our duty." Was all that Stannis said.

Cressen felt fear creep up in his old heart.

For he was seeing something that he long thought was impossible.

Stannis Baratheon was breaking down.