YEAR 283
The Battle of the Bells was over, and Lord Hoster Tully was not pleased. With Brandon Stark dead and Eddard Stark married to Ashara Dayne, who would he marry his beloved and perfect Catelyn? She couldn't be content with a minor lord, none of them were worthy of Cat, she had to marry a Lord Paramount.
"Come on, Hoster, you'll find a marriage for Cat", said elder Jon Arryn.
"And risk an opportunist getting the best match for his daughter?" said Hoster. "No, my friend, I will demand that Robert marry his brother Stannis to my Cat. Robert will be King; someone has to rule Stormlands and that someone is Stannis."
Jon Arryn fell silent, as if he was meditating on the words of the lord of Riverrun, then nodded and went to talk to Robert, who had already recovered from his wounds. Soon after, before leaving to meet Prince Rhaegar Targaryen's army, Hoster saw his Lysa marry widower Ser Denys Arryn, while his Cat would remain chaste waiting for her fiancé, the future lord of Storm's End.
YEAR 300
CATELYN I
The noise of the waves was loud, capable of driving weak-willed men crazy. But Catelyn was not a man, nor was she weak, she was a strong woman, she was the lady of Storm's End. Some called her the Red Lady for her hair, a nickname that she did not end up liking, but that she did not dislike either, after all it was her hallmark in that old castle.
Five children she had given to her husband. Two beautiful girls and three strong boys, offspring that would make any parent proud. And while Stannis was not the husband she dreamed of, she fully fulfilled her marital duties and never showed interest in a woman other than herself. Unlike her brother-in-law, her husband had never fathered a bastard.
"Mother!" said Edric, her firstborn.
"Tell me, dear", Catelyn replied.
"A letter from King's Landing. The Hand of the King is dead, Aunt Lysa is now the new lady of the Eyre."
Jon Arryn's death didn't sadden her. The old lord had been a good man, but he was never close to her or her husband. She had been like a father to the king, nothing more, yet his death took her by surprise. Not long ago she had walked the streets of King's Landing on secret missions in the company of Stannis.
Despite being an old man, he was full of vitality. Although it was also not strange, her own father, a man much younger than Jon Arryn, had been a vigorous man until illness gripped him and he eventually died. Such was the will of the Seven and she could do nothing to prevent it.
"Should we write to father?" asked Edric.
"Maester Cressen will take care of it, dear. Now tell me, how are your sisters?"
"Minisa is walking with Ser Steffon Estermont, Shireen for her part is in the library."
"When will that little girl stop reading like a maester?" complained Catelyn.
"Father says that knowledge is admirable", replied Edric.
"For men, son, or for septas. If Shireen read Seven-Pointed Star, I would be delighted, but she prefers to read the same volumes that maesters read, as if she could attend the citadel."
"Don't be hard on her, mother. The Crone blessed her with wisdom, don't you think you would be questioning the Seven by wanting to change her?
Catelyn pondered her son's words. He was right, the gods were not wrong to bestow their gifts. Edric was the Warrior, Minisa was the Maiden, Shireen was the Crone. Hoster and Davos on the other hand were still small and didn't necessarily have to look like any of the Seven.
She just hoped they were good men. One of the two could join the Kingsguard while the other would be a knight in the service of Edric, just as Renly was for Stannis; or as her uncle Brynde was for her father.
That night, during dinner, the main hall was decorated with the sigils of the Baratheon and Estermont houses. The House Estermont was not only the home of Stannis' mother, but one of the most faithful vassals of Storm's End. In addition, they were one of the most powerful families since King Robert granted his uncle Lomas the lordship of Dragonstone, creating a cadet house in the former seat of the Targaryen heir.
Catelyn liked the Estermont, they were an old and prestigious family. And the young Steffon was the perfect match for her Minisa, after all, since Robert became King the stormlanders lost their lord, leaving Stannis with the hard task of winning over those who were his brother's standard-bearers. A task that had taken him seventeen years.
"My lords", Edric announced. "We gather here to announce my sister Minisa Baratheon's engagement to Steffon Estermont. I hope that this commitment will foster unity among all stormlanders."
Edric continued to speak and as he fell silent, he was cheered. In many ways he was more like his uncles than his father, counting on that innate ability to make friends. Without him, her Stannis would be an unpopular and barely bearable lord. Thanks to Edric, the lords toasted in honor of Stannis.
Edric would one day be a great lord, married to Argella Caron, thus strengthening the Baratheons' dominance in the Marches. And if her husband Stannis finalized the marriage between Renly and Arianne Martell, her husband's dominion would be indisputable.
"Maric", Catelyn said when she was tired.
"Yes, my lady?" he replied.
"Squeeze me into my rooms, but first I would like to see Shireen."
Ser Davos' son nodded and guided her to the maester's office, where Shireen was reading a gigantic book. Maester Cressen was sleepy in a chair and when he heard noise he woke up and offered his obeisance."
"Mother!" announced Shireen.
"It's late, my dear. You know that reading at night is bad for the eyes."
"I know, mother", she apologized, "but I wanted to learn more about our family. Did you know that almost all of us have had black hair and blue eyes?
"No, I didn't know", lied Catelyn, who always regretted that none of her children looked like her.
"Except Uncle Robert's children," she added. Perhaps the blood of the lion is stronger than that of the stag.
Catelyn silently pondered her daughter's words. He remembered the princes well; they were Lannister from head to toe. Their sons on the other hand had nothing of Tully, only the cheekbones of the Whent seemed to be present in their daughters. But the Whents weren't the Tullys and she knew it all too well.
She then forced her to bed, thinking of the words she would say to her husband to convince her not to read at night. Although he was not the most affectionate of the lords, she missed him, after all, he was a good man. Hopefully, the king would appoint him Hand and they would return to the Court, although deep down she would prefer to stay in Storm's End, away from the viperine Queen Cersei.
She dreamed then of princes and black-haired children, all resembling Renly. She also dreamed of children with indigo eyes and a lot of snow. Dreams she couldn't comprehend and tormented her, waking up several times in the early morning, waiting for the morning.
Genealogies other than the canon
STORMLANDS
House Baratheon of Storm's End: Lord Stannis Baratheon, Lord of Storm's End and Lord Paramount de Stormlands. Master of Laws in King's Landing.
Married to Lady Catelyn of House Tully, their children are:
To be Edric Baratheon, his heir: Born in 284. Engaged to Argella Caron.
Minisa Baratheon: Born in 286. Engaged to Steffon Estermont.
Shireen Baratheon: Born in 289. No marriage commitment.
Hoster Baratheon: Born in 293. No marriage commitment.
Davos Baratheon: Born in 296. No marriage commitment.
Ser Renly Baratheon, his brother. No marriage commitment.
House Estermont of Greenstone: Lord Eldon Estermont, an oldman.
Their children are:
Ser Aemon Estermon, his heir. Married secondly to Sylvia Santagar. From his first marriage were born:
Annabel Estermont. Married to Gulian Swann. She's the mother of Ser Donnel and Ser Balon Swann.
Ser Alyn Estermont. Married to Jocelyn Dondarrion. From their union were born:
- Steffon Estermont, a young knight. Engaged to Minisa Baratheon.
-Alise Estermont. No marriage commitment.
-Taner Estermont. No marriage commitment.
Lord Lomas Estermont. Lord of Dragonstone.
Casanna Baratheon: Mother of King Robert, Lord Stannis and Ser Renly. Dead at sea.
Ser Dayron Estermont, his brother, died in the War of Ninepenny Kings. His only begotten:
Ser Trevor Estermont. Dead at Siege of Storm's End. His only dauthger:
Mellina Estermont. Married first to Bryen Penrose, who died in the Siege of Storm's End. With King Robert she had:
-Orys Storm. A squire.
House Caron of Nightsong: Lord Bryce Caron. Unmarried and childless. His siblings are:
Argella Caron, his heir apparent: Born in 286. Committed to Ser Edric Baratheon.
Rolland Storm: His bastard brother.
CROWLANDS
House Estermont of Dragonstone: Lord Lomas Estermont, Master of Ships in King's Landing. Married to Shela Tarth. His children are:
Ser Andrew Estermont, his heir. Married to Breyna Hayford. Their children are:
Ser Wyllam Estermont. A young man in his twenties.
Duncan Estermont. King Robert's squire.
Dyanne Estermont. Married Lord Monford Velaryon. Mother of Monterys Velaryon.
House Rosby of Rosby: Lord Gyles Rosby, a sick old man. Married to Mellina Estermont after she fathered King Robert's bastard. Their children are:
Robert Rosby: A ten-year-old boy. Rayford's twin.
Rayford Rosby. A ten-year-old boy. Robert's twin.
THE NORTH
House Stark of Winterfell: Lord Eddard Stark. Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North.
Married to Ashara Dayne, his children, all with indigo eyes, are:
Vorian Stark, her firstborn. Born in 283.
Dyanna Stark. Born in 285.
Brandon Stark. Born in 288.
Arya Stark. Nacida a 290.
Edwyn Stark. Born in 293
Clarisse Stark. Born in 295.
Eyron. Born in 298.
- Benjen Stark, his brother, member of Night's Watch.
- Arthur Sand, nephew of Lady Ashara. Bastard son of the legendary Ser Arthur Dayne.
THE VALEY
House Arryn of Eyre: Lord Jon Arryn. Widowed and childless.
Lord Denys Arryn, Keeper of the Gates of the Moon. From his first marriage to Laryss Waynwood were born:
Ser Osric Arryn, his heir. Born in 280. Married to Ysilla Royce.
From Lady Lysa Tully, his second wife, were born:
Brynden Arryn, squire of his uncle Ser Brynden Tully in Bloody Gate. Born in 283.
Celia Arryn. Born in 287
Robert Arryn, a sickly boy. Born in 290.
Petyr Arryn, born 293.
RIVERLANDS
House Tully of Riverrun: Lord Edmure Tully. Married to Desmera Redwyne. From their union have been born:
Elston Tully. Born on 299.