"I don't know how Ned Stark does it." Renly's voice was full of awe. "How did he convince Robert to make Luthor Tyrell a royal squire? And to get rid of that wretched Lannister boy. Always scurrying around, that one. Do you know, I half-suspect him of spying for our dear sister-in-law. Not just spying on Robert, but on us too. The way that boy looked at me sometimes. And at you too."

Too many questions from Renly was worrying. Stannis was not yet ready to share the secret with him. Renly could be reckless and impetuous. Who knew who he would tell, or what he would do.

"Perhaps Robert was just ready to make Lancel Lannister a knight. Nothing to do with what Ned Stark said or did," Stannis snapped.

Renly laughed. "Oh Stannis, still not ready to accept that Robert would rather listen to Ned's counsel than to your own?"

He ignored the jibe. "I suppose Lord Tyrell is very pleased?"

"Very pleased indeed. He had given up hope on it ever happening, in fact."

The thought of Mace Tyrell being very pleased turned Stannis' stomach. It had to be done, he reminded himself. A Tyrell was preferable to a spying Lannister.

"And is there anything else the great Lord Tyrell would like from the king?" Stannis asked pointedly.

Renly looked clueless. Ned had asked Stannis, merely as an aside during one of their conversations planning their next step, if Renly was planning to wed soon. Stannis was shocked, he had not heard anything about that.

"No, he has not said anything to me. But I suppose I am not the first person my brother would confide to. Why? Have you heard anything?"

Ned seemed to regret bringing up the subject. "No, not anything in particular. Only, I assume … because, well, he showed me a picture of a girl. And asked me if she resembles my sister."

"Do you know the girl?"

"A sister of Ser Loras Tyrell, according to Renly. A beautiful girl, but no, she does not look like Lyanna at all."

Ned seemed to find the whole thing strange, but Stannis only found it enraging. Renly married to a Tyrell? A Tyrell as the lady of Storm's End? The daughter of the man who feasted within the sight of their walls while good people were starving inside, giving orders to the servants at Storm's End? It was perverse.

"Are you planning to wed Mace Tyrell's daughter?" He asked Renly directly now.

Renly looked at him incredulously, before breaking into another laugh. Louder and longer this time. "What in the name of the Seven gave you that idea?"

"Mace Tyrell's unbridled ambition, for one," Stannis replied contemptuously.

"Oh let it go, brother. It's been fourteen years since the war ended. Robert pardoned them a long time ago." He paused, before continuing. "I don't think I'm the marrying type, to be honest. But I suppose I have to, don't I? Marry someone, I mean. To sire an heir for Storm's End."

Renly's voice was tinged with a melancholic edge, something Stannis never associated with his brother. And he was looking at Stannis with a strange expression on his face. It reminded Stannis of Renly's face as a boy, pleading and begging Stannis to write to Robert one more time, to ask him to come home for a visit.

"I can't force him to come if he doesn't want to!" Stannis had finally snapped, after Renly had kept at it for days. Stannis had already written two letters, another one was not likely to sway Robert any better. "The Eyrie's his home now. And this is our home."

Renly had burst into tears. "Liar!" He had shouted between sobs. "You don't want him here, you're the one keeping him away."

He had hated Renly looking at him with that expression then, and he still hated it now. He had no clue what Renly wanted or needed from him most of the time. And even when he did know, even when Renly did tell him what he wanted or needed, more often than not, he was powerless to give it to him. He could not make Robert come home to Storm's End more often. He could not stop the Tyrell and the Redwyne forces from besieging Storm's End. He could not stop people from starving to death within their walls.

What does he want from me now? What does he want me to say? What does he need me to tell him?

The truth was the only thing Stannis could always give his brother. "Of course you have to marry, and father an heir. It is your duty."

He did not miss Renly's look of disappointment, very brief as it was. Renly scoffed at the mention of duty. "Duty. It's always about duty for you."

"We all have to do our duty," Stannis replied.

"You have always done your duty. Tell me brother, what has that gotten you? Not Storm's End, certainly not the position of Hand. You did your duty and wed that ugly wife of yours because Robert needed to appease the Florents after he pardoned the Tyrells. Did that make you happy? You didn't even get a son and heir from that."

"Enough!" His hand was halfway to Renly's cheek before he realized it. He struggled to bring it down again. Renly was watching him, fascinated.

"You've never tried to strike me before, not even as a boy, when you were always complaining about me, and yelling at me."

"You're not a boy now."

"No, I am not. And I will not be treated like one."

"Then stop behaving like a spoilt child!"

Renly opened his mouth to answer, but seemed to change his mind suddenly. He smiled. "I'm going to be the adult in this conversation, and end the pointless bickering. But tell me this, why did you ask me about marrying Margaery Tyrell? What have you heard?"

Stannis did not reply. Renly spoke instead. "It's Ned, isn't it? Ned Stark. I showed Margaery's picture to him. He must have told you about it."

Stannis stayed silent. Renly continued. "Varys was right after all, you and Ned are getting close. Going around everywhere together, secret meetings in his study and your study."

"What?" Stannis asked sharply. "When did Lord Varys say that?" This was dangerous territory.

"After a small council meeting one morning, after you and Ned had left. We were all laughing, not believing him. "Everyone knows Lord Stannis would rather Lord Stark be catapulted back to Winterfell this instant, if such a thing is possible," Littlefinger said. Robert was not laughing though. You should have seen the look on Robert's face. He was not pleased, I can tell you that."

Renly was watching Stannis' face carefully. Stannis struggled to maintain a blank expression. Renly continued. "Well, whatever it is you and Ned are up to, just be careful. You are not the only one capable of envy and jealousy. Robert would not be happy to find himself replaced in Ned's affection by his own brother."

Stannis snorted. "That's ridiculous. The things you say sometimes. Do you ever actually listen to yourself?"

Renly's expression was grave. "Don't say I didn't warn you. You may think me silly and frivolous, Stannis, but I know more about human nature than you do. I understand people better. I like people, you see, I like being around them. You don't. You keep away from everybody and hold yourself back from everyone."

"You like being admired and praised, that is all," Stannis snapped.

Renly chuckled. "That too, of course. And loved. I also like being loved. What's wrong with all that?"

Stannis was exasperated. How to even begin to explain how wrong it was? He brought the conversation back to the important question. "If you're not going to marry Margaery Tyrell, then what is the plan? Who is Mace Tyrell planning to wed his daughter to? Joffrey? Joffrey is already betrothed to Sansa Stark, you know that. And Tommen is too young still."

Renly looked evasive. "You and Ned have your secret, and I have mine." He took his leave before Stannis could ask any more questions.

Stannis paced back and forth in his solar, trying to figure out Mace Tyrell's plan. And yet his thoughts kept going back to that look on Renly's face. In truth, he knew what Renly wanted him to say. Had known it for a while now. That look he had seen passing between Cersei and Jaime, which had clued him to their secret; he had seen it passing between Renly and Loras Tyrell on more than one occasion.

But there was no choice. Renly was Lord of Storm's End. It was his duty to marry a woman and father an heir. Stannis would have told him the same thing, even if the other man had not been Mace Tyrell's son.

He wondered if Renly knew. Knew that Stannis knew. And was hoping that Stannis would say … what, exactly?

Even if I tell you what you want to hear, it will not change the facts. I cannot change the world for you, brother. Our duty remains our duty.

He was interrupted by Devan telling him that his wife and daughter had arrived, with Davos. The journey was faster than expected, he was not expecting them to arrive until the next day. Selyse had written to him saying that Shireen was missing her father. And since Davos was sailing to King's Landing, she and Shireen would join him. Stannis had not been back to Dragonstone for months, there was too much to do after Lord Arryn's death.

"Well, we should greet them then," he told Devan. The boy must be excited to see his father, even though his expression was inscrutable. An inscrutability carefully maintained, Stannis decided. He could still detect the excitement lurking underneath.

That's the normal reaction, excitement about seeing loved ones after a long separation. Why then did he feel only dread at seeing his wife and daughter? Thinking of all the awkwardness to come, how uncomfortable they would be around him. And he around them. They are probably dreading it too, he suddenly realized.

They were already walking inside when Stannis got to the courtyard. His wife was holding Shireen's hand, Davos and one of Selyse's lady's maid were walking behind them. Selyse stopped walking when she saw Stannis. "My lord husband." She nodded to Shireen, and Shireen spoke. "My lord father."

Stannis nodded, and replied, "My lady." And after a slight hesitation, "Shireen." Shireen had been looking down at the ground, but lifted her head slightly hearing his words and smiled. But she quickly brought her head down again, as if afraid her father would see the smile and disapprove.

Devan was bowing his head to Selyse and Shireen. "My lady." Selyse studied the boy carefully, and said nothing. Shireen smiled, a longer smile this time. Devan greeted his father with practiced courtesy too. "Father." But after Stannis and his wife and daughter started walking inside, Stannis glanced back and saw Davos embracing his son, as if he never wanted to let go. He saw Devan's look of pure joy too. He thought of Ned Stark smiling at his daughter across the dinner table, and Arya Stark winking at her father. He suddenly wanted nothing more in the world than to take his daughter's hand and hold it while they were walking. But he had never done that before, he was worried that it might alarm her, or frighten her even.

Stannis had wanted to speak with Davos as soon as he arrived, but thought he should give Davos some time with his son. Stannis had paid off the brothel owners, with disgust, and the mothers and babes were now hidden at an inn close to the port, guarded by two of Ned's household guards. Ned trusted them completely, and Stannis distrusted them less than the other possibilities, since they were not from King's Landing. Ned was still working on convincing the boy Gendry to leave King's Landing as well.

He would have to tell Selyse to stay longer at King's Landing and not leave with Davos. He did not want her asking questions about the woman and children Davos was escorting to Dragonstone.

They retired to his solar after dinner. He had asked his daughter about Maester Cressen and Patchface, and she was telling him about them. He was only half-listening however, still obsessing about Mace Tyrell and his plan for his daughter Margaery. And how was Renly connected to it? After a while, he realized the room had gone quiet. He did not know how long it had been since his daughter had stopped speaking. He was shocked to see that he was alone with his wife in the room. She was staring forlornly out the window.

"Where is Shireen?"

She turned to face him. "I have sent her to bed. She is tired, poor child."

All at once, she started talking about this red priestess he had heard so much about from Cressen. Cressen's last few letters had been full of tales about the priestess, and his fear about the spreading of her religion.

Your lady wife and many of her family, including Ser Axell your own castellan have converted, my lord. Abandoned the religion of our forefathers for this foreign god.

Why anyone would go to the trouble of exchanging one god for another when they were all worthless was something Stannis could not understand. And yet he had to read Cressen's dire warning about the dangers of abandoning the Seven, and listen to his wife prattling on about this Lord of Light. All pointless. Pointless talk about pointless gods.

He interrupted her. "I don't want to hear about this god, or any god. I don't believe in any of them. Is that the reason you wanted to come to King's Landing? To prattle about this new god?"

"No, I came because our daughter misses her father. And your wife misses her husband."

Stony silence from Stannis. She continued. "We need to try again, for a son. Dragonstone might be lost to our family otherwise."

The change of subject baffled him. "Dragonstone will be Shireen's after my death," he snapped. "That's the law, if she has no brother."

"But your brother could take it back, to give to one of his sons, with the excuse that it will be lost to the Baratheons otherwise. It will not be truly hers, but her husband's. Her husband will rule as Lord of Dragonstone, not her. Your brother could use that as an excuse to take Dragonstone away from her. Unless … unless of course Shireen weds one of Robert's son. Not Joffrey, he's already betrothed, but Tommen, perhaps? That will secure her legacy. And Tommen is kind to Shireen, he does not mock her or make fun of her the way Joffrey does."

Stannis was aghast. Shireen married to Tommen? His daughter married to the product of Lannister incest? He would never allow it.

"No!"

"Why not? Do you think our daughter is not good enough for a prince?"

Their chilly courtesy phase had ended. This was the heated argument phase. He was used to the cycle now.

He's not a prince, he wanted to say. Instead he said, "This is not a good place for her, King's Landing. People are false and cruel here."

"What will happen to her, after you're gone? After we're both gone? If your brother does take away Dragonstone to give to his own son? Or if Joffrey is already king then. That boy has never liked Shireen, or me. Shireen will have to leave her home, the only home she has ever known." Selyse sounded desperate, and angry.

"She will marry, be the mistress of another castle. You left your home too when you married me."

"Will she? Marry and be the mistress of another castle? When even her own father does not think her good enough for his nephew?"

"That is not what I said!" He shouted.

"And when she will have inherited nothing from her father to bring to her marriage. How many suitors will come knocking at her door? Have you spent even a minute worrying about our daughter's future?"

He had not. Shamefully, he had to admit that he had not. When he thought of his daughter, he thought of her as a girl forever, running around Aegon's Garden with Patchface, taking her lessons with Maester Cressen, whispering to her mother and laughing at her reply. Dragonstone was Shireen's home, he could not imagine her elsewhere.

"If we have a son, Dragonstone will be secured. Even if Shireen never marries, she will still have a home, with her brother. And that is why I was telling you about the Lord of Light. Melisandre said-"

"I am sick of hearing that name."

She retreated. "Perhaps we will speak of it another time."

Never, would be a better option, he thought.

He was thinking of their match. The Florents had been happy when Robert had suggested the marriage, as a gesture to appease them. The Tyrells had fought against Robert during the war, while the Florents had come to Robert's side in defiance of their liege lord, with the expectation that once the war was over, Robert would reward them for it and make them lord of the Reach and Highgarden. Something House Florent had always believed was their right instead of House Tyrell, through a superior line of descent.

Instead, Robert had pardoned Mace Tyrell, House Tyrell had stayed the lord of Highgarden and the Reach, and Mace Tyrell was made Warden of the South. When Alester Florent complained, Robert promised his brother in marriage to Lord Florent's niece. The Florents had believed that Stannis would inherit Storm's End now that Robert was king, and Selyse Florent would be the Lady of Storm's End. They were mollified and accepted the match. Not nearly what they were expecting, but not too bad, in their estimation.

And yet after the betrothal, Robert announced that he was giving Storm's End to Renly. To Stannis' younger brother. The Florents had taken it as a deliberate insult to them, but they had little choice in the matter, they did not dare incurring the king's wrath by backing away from the betrothal. Of course the insult was compounded by Robert's conduct during the wedding night, bedding Delena Florent on Stannis and Selyse's marital bed. Stannis was too mired in his own anger at his brother at the time to realize how angry and insulted and shamed the Florents had felt. They had insisted and stood firm, Robert must acknowledge Delena's child as his bastard.

He remembered how Selyse had cried that first night. He thought at the time she was crying out of shame, and feeling insulted by Robert, but now thinking back, he recalled his own anger and his own conduct that night.

Perhaps she was afraid of me, and my anger. But I was not angry with her, I was livid at my brother.

It was too late to ask her now, years after that night. And what would be the point anyway? He thought.

He tried to soften his tone. "Ser Davos is sailing back to Dragonstone two days hence. Perhaps my lady and Shireen would like to stay longer at King's Landing?"

Her face broke into a smile, before the smile slowly changed into a suspicious expression. "Ser Davos did not mention that. What haste has he that he must leave so quickly?"

"I have other commissions for him to perform," he said evasively.

She waited for him to say more, but he stayed resolutely silent. Finally she was the one who spoke. "Of course I will stay. I am glad to stay. A wife's place is beside her husband, I have always thought, and a daughter beside her father."

This was something she had hinted at plenty of times before, Selyse and Shireen staying at King's Landing with him.

"If Dragonstone is to be deprived of its Lord, then the Lady should be there at least."

"My dear uncle Axell is doing an admirable job as a castellan. And Dragonstone is not that far off a journey for me to make from time to time."

You have nothing to reproach me with, he thought. I have not been with another woman, or even look at one since our marriage. I am not my brother Robert.

"Perhaps it is time we retire," she said, after she realized he was not going to respond to her previous statement.

"I still have a few tasks to complete. My lady should retire, and rest."

"I shall wait for you, my lord husband."

They were back to chilly courtesy.

"No. You must be tired after the journey, I will not keep you from your rest."

"Not so tired that I would neglect my duty to my husband."

He said nothing. Avoided her gaze. After a while, she sighed and left the room.

He was staring out the window, still wondering about Mace Tyrell and his plan for Margaery, when he felt like he was being watched. He had not heard anyone coming in. He turned around to see his daughter at the door, standing quietly, watching him.

At Dragonstone, he always knew when she was in the vicinity, Patchface's bell announcing her wherever she went. But there was no Patchface here. Only Shireen. She was startled when he turned to look at her, and was about to turn around and walk out, when he called out. "What is it? Shireen?"

She walked towards him, but stopped halfway through. "I .. nothing. Only I thought Mother is still here."

"No, she has gone to her room to rest."

"Oh. Forgive me for disturbing you, Father."

She made a move to walk out, but he said, as gently as he could, "Perhaps it is better not to disturb your mother. Let her rest."

She looked chastised, as if he had accused her of some wrongdoing. "I won't disturb her, I promise. I only want to kiss her goodnight. I do that every night at home. Mother never said it was disturbing her. Is it? Disturbing her?" The uncertain look on her face was breaking his heart. He cursed himself. He should not have said what he said.

"Of course not. I only meant, she is tired after the long journey. You must be tired too."

He motioned for her to come closer. She walked slowly towards him. He took a seat on one of the chairs in front of the fireplace, and pointed her to the other one. She hesitated at first, before sitting down. She was not looking at him, but at the fire. He wanted to talk to her, but did not know what to say. He had asked her a question earlier in the night, and then ignored her answers. He wondered if that had made her angry.

"How was the journey?" He finally asked.

"It was windy," she replied. "More than usual."

He was shocked, and worried. Was there a storm? Selyse had not mentioned it.

"Was it a storm?"

"No, just the wind."

Silence once more. She turned her face away from him to look at the fire again. The light from the flame illuminated her scarred cheek. From the greyscale. From the time she nearly died. He grasped at things to say, things to ask her. It was her who broke the silence. "Patches wanted to come with us, he followed us to the beach, but Mother said he can't come."

"Your mother is right. This is not the place for him."

"Are we staying here long? Mother and me?"

"For a while, yes." He would have to send them back to Dragonstone before he and Ned told Robert the truth, when things might get dangerous at King's Landing.

"Patches will be lonely. No one will play with him except me."

And she will be lonely too, without him. "Did you get the letter from Arya Stark?" He asked.

"Yes, two letters. But I've only replied to one, the last one arrived just before we sailed. She said she wants to be my friend." Her expression was full of wonder. "No one ever said that to me before."

"Patchface is your friend," he said gravely.

"He's not a friend, he's just Patches," she giggled.

"Do you want to be her friend? Arya Stark, I mean."

"Would you like me to, Father?"

"It's up to you, not me."

"She sounds lonely too. Arya. But she has three brothers and a sister. And a half brother too, she wrote. How could she be lonely?" Shireen sounded very puzzled.

"They're not here, except the sister," Stannis replied.

"She must miss them very much." Shireen was looking at him with eyes as big as saucers.

"I don't know, you will have to ask her that."

"Can she come and play with me? Here?"

"Would you like that?"

"Yes, Father. Very much."

"You can write her a note, to invite her. Devan will send it over tomorrow."

"Thank you," she said gravely. She continued after a pause. "Arya said … should I call her Lady Arya?"

"I don't think that's necessary, you're both still children."

"She said you're teaching her about Baratheon history. Our family history."

He could not decipher her expression, or her tone of voice. There was a strange note in it, something he had never heard from his daughter before.

"It was only one lesson, because her father requested it," he replied.

"Oh." She sounded almost relieved. But why? It was a mystery to him. Children were a mystery to him, his own daughter the biggest mystery of all.

"Will you give me a lesson too?" She was looking at him straight in the eyes, bolder than he ever recalled her being in his presence.

"But surely Maester Cressen has taught you everything? More than I could."

She looked away, eyes downcast. What have I said wrong now? He had only told her the truth.

For some reason, his thoughts turned to Great Uncle Harbert, spending days and months teaching Robert to train his hawk, and yet telling Stannis to give up on Proudwing after only a few lessons. He still remembered to this day how he had felt at the time. He was jolted into a sudden recognition. That expression on Shireen's face, that strange note in her voice. But surely that could not be. It seemed incredible to him. And yet-

He finally decided what to say to his daughter. "If you would like me to, I can give you a lesson. Or a few. But not tomorrow, I have a busy day tomorrow. Perhaps the day after?"

She smiled, a radiant smile. "Yes, I would like that very much, Father. Thank you."

"And now it's time for bed."

She stood up, hesitated for a moment before rushing towards him, moving so fast he did not realize what was happening at first. It was as if he blinked and suddenly his daughter's arms were wrapped around him. He moved his own hands awkwardly to return the embrace. She must have sensed how uncomfortable he felt, however, for the hug ended all too quickly. She looked embarrassed and guilty suddenly, as if she had done something she should not have.

Say something! Reassure her. Tell her she has done nothing wrong.

But his mind failed him, his voice failed him, and he failed his daughter. She was already walking out of the room.

"Good night, Father," she said at the door.

"Good night, Shireen," was his reply.

Forgive me, was what he was thinking, but did not manage to say.

It occurred to him that he had failed thrice that day. Failed as a brother. Failed as a husband. And most unforgivably, failed as a father.