Author's Notes: The final chapter! I can't believe I actually finished a fic…

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Honor's Mistress
The Start of Impossibility (Part II)

True to his word, Robert showed Catelyn around Storm's End the next day. She had extended the offer to Stannis, but he'd declined, saying that Robert knew more about the castle than he did (which was a lie) and that it was Robert's duty to give her the tour (which was more or less the truth). Robert was supposed to be the one to befriend and eventually woo her, not Stannis. His big brother and maybe even his parents would've been disappointed and even angry if they knew that Stannis had shown her around first. Of course they wanted the Baratheons to appear to be an open and welcoming family, but it was clear to everyone that Robert was the prize, not Stannis, and that he would be the one that Catelyn would be offered to.

Stannis hated the sound of that. It was like Catelyn wasn't even a person with her own wants or choices. What if she didn't want to marry Robert when everyone decided that she was going to? And what if Robert didn't want her? Stannis knew what Robert was like. When he didn't like something, he didn't even bother showing any interest in it, even if it saddened or displeased their parents. So far though, he seemed plenty interested in Hoster Tully's eldest daughter, too much for Stannis' taste, but he said nothing on the matter.

While Catelyn spent the day with Robert touring the castle, Stannis decided to go outside and practice hawking with Proudwing. Even though everyone told him to give it up, Stannis wouldn't. He knew that the bird would be capable of great things, if only someone believed in it; and Stannis was the person to believe and never give up. Though the bird almost always flew to a branch and looked down, seemingly hopelessly, Stannis would just call her back down and try again. His mother had taught him that you had to get back up, no matter what, and keep on fighting after he'd fallen down and skinned his knee badly when he'd been three.

After spending what felt like hours of trying to coax Proudwing into flying for longer than a few seconds, Stannis huffed and lied down on the ground. It was clear that he was getting nowhere today; and it was just going to put him in an irreparably bad mood. He didn't care that he was lying in the dirt; he just stared up at the blue sky and white, puffy clouds and hoped things would get better. Of course Proudwing glided to him and landed on his shoulder.

Stannis glowered at the bird. "Lord Tully is going to want to go hawking soon; and I'm going to be made a mockery if you don't fly," he said out loud, even though he knew that Proudwing would not respond. The bird merely tilted her head, as if confused about why he'd be made fun of. She hadn't flown properly in so long. "Or I'll just have to pick a different hawk. How would you like that?"

"I don't think she'd like it very much." Catelyn's face appeared above him, blocking his view of the sky. She wore a smile on her face and her red hair in a braid that fell across her right shoulder.

Stannis jerked up in the sitting position so fast that it startled Proudwing, making her caw and fly over to a boulder near them. "My lady," he managed, feeling utterly foolish at having been caught lying in the dirt.

Catelyn didn't seem to mind though. She carefully held her skirt and sat down on a patch of grass near him. Why hadn't he lied in the grass instead of the dirt? Now he was all dusty on his back. "Robert's tour lasted a lot longer than yours," she announced, "though I'm glad I went with you first or I never would have learned anything about Storm's End itself."

It was easy to picture how Catelyn's day had gone. Robert took her around the castle, showing her the little hiding places that Stannis had skipped, but also not really talking about the castle. He had most likely spent the time talking himself up, so that he looked and sounded like the most glorious boy in Westeros. From what Stannis had seen, most girls (highborn and lowborn) their age already giggled like brainless saps when in Robert's presence. Catelyn Tully didn't seem like a brainless sap though; she seemed to be smarter than most children.

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it." Stannis was more than glad that she had preferred his tour over Robert's. This was perhaps one of the first times that Stannis could immediately recall someone taking a preference of him over his older brother. There were things that Stannis knew he was better than Robert at, but there were far fewer things that other people said Stannis was better at.

Catelyn pointed in the direction of Proudwing. "What's her name?"

"It's Proudwing." Stannis didn't want to tell her why he gave the bird that name. It was embarrassing now that he thought about it; and the last thing he wanted was for Catelyn to think him childish or silly.

Instead though, she nodded her head. "I like that name. It's strong." She placed her hands in the dirt and leaned closer to him, a quietly excited look on her face. "Could you ask your father about taking a ship through the Bay? I know it is not much, but I would love to sail on the sea." She blushed prettily in a way that Stannis would never be able to replicate. Whenever he flushed, Robert said he looked like a lobster. "If I ask my father, he will just dismiss me, but if the idea comes from your father…"

"I don't think he'll listen to me either," Stannis admitted.

"Why not?" Catelyn asked, sitting back. A frown appeared on her face. To be honest, Stannis wasn't sure if his father would dismiss the idea or not, but it wasn't his place to come up with ideas about what Catelyn did during her time here. It would look strange if Stannis asked, but he did not want to tell this to Catelyn, who undoubtedly knew of the real reasons why she had been brought to Storm's End with her father. Neither one of them seemed intent on bringing up the prospect of a betrothal between her and Robert, so they just pretended as if it didn't exist. "Well…what about if Robert asked?"

Stannis shrugged his shoulders. "Then father would probably set up a ship for you to sail on." He paused, thinking of how he'd told Catelyn the day she had arrived that he would go with them should they sail the sea, but it wouldn't be his place to go with them, no matter how much he loved sailing. And he didn't think he wanted to be stuck on a ship with Robert and Catelyn anyways, as much as he enjoyed her company already. "If you asked my brother, I'm sure he would–"

"I don't want to ask Robert," Catelyn interrupted, shaking her head. "He doesn't even like the sea; he told me as much. Besides, he wants to take me on a hunting trip with him tomorrow. A hunting trip! I'd much rather go sailing."

"You're too smart for him then."

Catelyn stuck her tongue out at him, which was not lady-like at all. It startled him at first, but he found that he liked how at ease she was with him. It made him feel more comfortable. "Your brother is supposed to be the one filling with me with false flattery. You don't have to do that as well." She stared at him for a bit, her light blue eyes locked on his. He had blue eyes as well, but they were a darker color than hers. It occurred to him that their eyes matched the water surrounding the places they lived. Suddenly, she sat up straight, as if struck by an idea. "I know! What if you put the idea in his head? That way, he'll feel like he came up with the idea himself and he'll ask your father."

"I don't know," Stannis said, frowning slightly. "It seems like an awful lot of work for something simple. And I'm not that… I'm not a trickster."

"You don't have to be a trickster," Catelyn told him, her voice and face filled with excitement. "All you have to do is start telling Robert how I've been talking about wanting to sail on the sea and how it's all I've ever wanted and it'll make me so happy if I do get to do it. He'll get the idea about the rest. He's not that thick."

Stannis smiled a little. "You don't know Robert then. If you can't beat it with a hammer, it's not worth his time."

"Catelyn, there you are!"

Both children looked up to see Ser Brynden Tully striding toward them. He was no longer wearing his black armor and was instead wearing a red and blue tunic with a black trout sigil on it. Stannis liked the way he'd taken his family's sigil and made it into his own. Some people might look down on him changing something that had been around for centuries, but Stannis thought it was a good idea; Bryden Tully would always be known as the Blackfish in the histories.

"Hello, Uncle," Catelyn replied, a bright smile on her face. Stannis could tell that she loved her uncle dearly. He didn't really know any of his relatives, but she was clearly close to hers. Most men might have a disapproving look on his face, but Ser Bryden wore an indulgent smile instead. She pointed at the bird. "Stannis was just showing me his hawk, Proudwing."

"Seizing up your opponents already, I see," Ser Bryden said with mirth in his voice. Stannis glanced at Catelyn. He'd forgotten that her father had said that Catelyn enjoyed hawking. He suddenly began to wonder how good she was and then further began to think that he didn't know too much about her. She was always the one asking questions about him. It made him feel a bit idiotic and not like a gentleman at all. Whether either of them seemed to notice, all he did was talk about himself when around her, just like Robert, even if it was Proudwing, the sea, or Storm's End. They were all a part of him; and he knew next to nothing about her besides the basics. "Lord Robert has been looking for you."

"Oh, has he? I thought he was going to train with his Master-at-Arms." She clearly paid attention to what people told her, unlike many people who only pretended to listen.

Ser Bryden looked somewhat amused as he said, "He wanted to know if you would like to join him on a picnic."

Catelyn shot Stannis a grin, one that seemed to convey the things that only they knew. They both knew that the idea of Robert taking her on a picnic was ridiculous. "A picnic?" She suppressed the grin, not very well, when she looked back to her uncle. "It sounds delightful."

A picnic with Robert sounded absolutely dreadful to Stannis. He was more than certain that Robert hadn't come up with the idea and that his mother had probably had the kitchen staff put everything together. It would be just like her to ensure that the two spent quality, intimate time together. She always thought that was important, which was why she had Robert and Stannis have all of their lessons with Maester Cressen together and tried to get them to do all sorts of activities together as well. She wanted the family to be close. Stannis didn't have the heart to tell her that he didn't think those times would ever work.

"Robert will be at the front gates when you are ready," her uncle told her.

"You can tell him that I will be with him shortly," she responded, even managing to sound excited. Stannis wasn't quite sure how she did that. Though many times he tried to act pleased or excited to make his mother happy, it was all sorts of difficult for him and he gave up. Besides trying to please her or his father, Stannis didn't see the point in faking how he felt. He knew that Catelyn had to please her father though and now Robert and their parents as well. Her uncle nodded his head and walked back in the direction of the castle, leaving the two of them alone again. Catelyn sighed. "I do not know your brother very well, but he does not seem like the picnic type."

"Not unless he can hunt the things he's going to eat," Stannis piped up.

That brought a small smile to her face again. "So you'll bring up the idea of sailing to Robert?"

Stannis did not see how he could say no. She looked somewhat desperate and she was incredibly nice. When he'd been told that Hoster Tully and his daughters were coming to Storm's End, Stannis had never once thought that he'd actually find their visit and company enjoyable. He never once thought that anyone could prefer his company over Robert's. And for that, he felt like he owed Catelyn Tully quite a bit, even if she wasn't doing any of these things on purpose. "Of course I'll tell him. I wouldn't miss a chance to sail on the sea."

Without warning, Catelyn leaned forward and threw her arms around his neck, pulling him into an awkward hug. To say that Stannis was startled would be an understatement. No one really hugged him, especially not ladies. It was Robert they all wanted to hug. The only person that really hugged him were his parents and even those were far and few in between. To be honest, he wasn't that much a hugger. But a warm feeling settled in his stomach nonetheless and he hugged her back slightly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" When she pulled away, her cheeks were slightly pink, but her smile was large and bright. It was like she had lit up. Carefully, she pulled herself to her feet, smoothing on her skirts and dusting away any dirt or grass on her dress. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a picnic to attend. I shall see you later, yes?"

"Of course, my lady."

"Good," Catelyn said, nodding her head. "You can regale me with your brilliant hawking adventures."

Stannis thought he could get used to the sound of her laughter. It wasn't mocking or anything like Robert's.