Davos I

The wind picked up as Dragonstone finally came into view on the horizon. The flagship Davos was on would've spotted the island first, being in front of the rest of the fleet. But Lord Stannis had them moving in tight formation all the way from King's Landing in case the Targaryens surprised them with their own fleet. Prudent, Davos thought. Perhaps risking my life for this man is only half as foolish as Marya puts it. Which still left it pretty foolish, Davos admitted to himself.

Gilbert of the Vines, flying the burgundy banners of the Redwyne fleet followed their flagship most closely, though Lord Stannis had trained the rest well enough that they weren't lagging behind either. King Robert had convinced the Redwynes to leave some galleys to capture Dargonstone while the rest of the fleet returned to drive the Ironborn out of their homes, Davos had learnt. He didn't understand how he had done that when the Redwynes were recently fighting against him and starving his brothers. Not understanding only served as a hammer to drive in the nail that he didn't belong here among the high lords. It doesn't matter. My sons will never have to smell the sewers of Flea Bottom and their sons will be knights as high as these lords.

Looking at the reddening sky, Davos muttered the words he'd learned on the Cobblecat from Uhoris. "Red sky at night, a sailor's delight; Red sky at morning, a sailor takes warning." The huge and thick clouds gathering swiftly only confirmed his suspicions and he went to the captain to inform him of it. The burly man simply brushed him off, like the commoner he was. Davos went to the Quater Deck next, if a bit hesitantly. He was not willing to die in a storm for the captain's pride but he also didn't know how much stock Lord Stannis would put into his words. The king's brother simply gave a curt nod in response as the barrelman cried out from the crow's nest.

"Island spotted! No ships in the harbour!" What? Did the Targaryens escape already? Davos questioned with growing unease.

Stannis spoke out before anyone could respond. "Set course for the southeast. Dorne is the only kingdom they can hope for hospitality from. Leave Dragonstone as it is for now."

They did and found the royal fleet by evening, Stannis having had them pursue it bloody relentlessly. A storm found them as well and as the washes started rising like giants of water, Lord Stannis started issuing orders to those under his command. As the wind rose to new speeds, Davos could see his planned trick while some of the lads looked on in confusion. Comes with experience, I suppose. Lord Stannis planned to use the incoming storm to his advantage, by letting the Targaryen fleet bear the brunt of the storm's fury while their galleys were positioned to only bear the least. Mother's Mercy, let it work, he prayed, clutching the pouch hanging from his neck for luck. He was a smuggler, not a warrior and the more men that drowned, the lesser would be able to board their ships. The Davos of Flea Bottom would not have prayed so for the poor men aboard the ship that were common folk like him but the Onion Knight did not want his wife to wear a widow's black.

One of the larger and more ornate ships of the enemy fleet disengaged then, going southeast and abandoning the rest to their mercy. The storm had none to offer though, as the rest of the ships continued to be battered by it. Lord Stannis commanded them to chase it, with the Gilbert of the Vines, Sunset Sailor and Bloodstone following their lead, as a handful of other enemy ships began fleeing. The three galleys caught the ship, the Amythest Lady and inside it, a valuable prisoner as Davos understood it. His lord's hunch had proved correct.

The Seven had answered his prayers and let them win, though the newly-built fleet was destroyed. Days later, Davos sat at a feast, surprisingly invited by Lord Stannis and listened to the stories that were being told of his lord's victory already. They said Lord Stannis had created a storm simply by his will and unleashed its fury upon the Targaryens. Some sailors were already boasting of fighting leviathans in the storm as well as the human enemy. It was the worst storm in living memory, men said and for all his years at sea, he could not disagree. The tales would be even more outrageous in the seedy taverns by the dockside, Davos knew. I've spread many a tale there myself, after all. King Robert sat at the head of the feast, drinking alongside his brother and looking cheerful for the first time in weeks, he had heard from servants. Stannis had been forced by the king to drink rather too much if the way he swayed was any indication. He did not look like he had his brother's tolerance for drink.

Davos, sat in a position to hear both the high lords and the lower knights, could sense unhappy mutterings from the merry crowd too, though they were few enough to be ignored. He had heard what them: the Lannisters were getting too many rewards, the original rebels said. They had a queen made, an heir returned and housed a fallen queen, all signs of royal favour, despite being the last to join the war. Foolish, rash, and proud, Davos thought the whisperers to be. It was never a good decision to speak against a king, especially in his own hall.

"My lords!" King Robert's voice boomed and easily brought attention to its owner. "We are here to celebrate the great victory of my brother, who defeated the Targaryen fleet at sea despite being outnumbered, and captured their last queen who tried to flee." He had failed to capture the children, though no one spoke that out loud, whether out of fear of the king or his brother. Besides, it was not his fault; the queen had cleverly arranged for them to chase her while the ship carrying the children escaped to Essos. Davos could not help but be glad at this, though it was a feeling shared by few. They were children and he did not like to think about what would've happened to them if they were caught. "To Stannis, the new Lord of Dragonstone!"

Stannis ground his teeth at the title, so loud that the former smuggler could hear him over the feast. When Stannis stood to leave, Davos joined him, partly to steady him as he swayed and partly because his place at the high table was on his lord's insistence. He knew it was not his place to sit there when Lord Stannis was gone. The king's brother took his first step and, influenced by the wine, leaned so heavily on his chair he thought he would fall into it. The king noticed his brother's state as well and rose, steadier than Storm's End, offering an arm to his younger brother.

"Don't want any hepl... elp...anything. Nay, I don't want anything from you!" Stannis hissed.

"Stannis?" The king merely looked confused as they both led the drunken lord to a more secluded corner.

"I gave you leyal...loyal service and you gave a dissa...diappoin... a bad thing. I was hungry for a year in Store...Storm's End! And you give me Dragons...the island. The insult." The resentment in the words was not lessened by his inability to say the words and Davos tensed minutely. Brothers should not have this sort of resentment between them, Davos thought. It will rot their bond till no kinship is left.

King Robert for his part simply looked puzzled. "I did not mean to insult you, Stannis. You captured the last grown Targaryen, which merits a reward. You, with all your love for legal work, ought to like that! It is the heir's traditional seat, is it not?"

"It is small and poor, the size of...damn small." Lord Stannis, for all his maturity and high birth, sounded like a sullen Allard when he complained of having too few sweets. From what he knew of his lord, he'd melt like wax from mortification if he saw his own actions.

"I'll return Storm's End to you if that is what you wish for, Stannis." King Robert offered generously but Stannis had already dozed off. The king snorted and clasped a hand on Davos' shoulder. "Pissy drinker, he always was. Ser Davos, isn't it? You were the smuggler who got into Storm's End, while the poor sots I sent failed miserably. Good man; better, now that you live honourably. Take my brother to his chambers, I'll arrange for him to get a giant castle to match with his giant hangover for tomorrow." Then, with the speed and grace of a warrior and practised drinker, he was gone, leaving a slightly stunted Davos with a passed out lord.

As he all but dragged Lord Stannis to his chambers, Davos let his thoughts wander, but they ultimately settled on Queen Rhaella's first—and if he was any judge, last—meeting with King Robert. Davos, as an orphan in Flea Bottom, had chanced to see the Queen when she was still a princess, riding into the better parts of the city with her ladies. One of those ladies had brilliant golden hair, but it was the princess that glowed like the moon when she laughed. Now, any joy was gone from her face, and age had taken its toll. Her beauty was still there, though obscured by the marks of suffering on her face. The queen had stood straight, unwavering, with her face as serene as the surface of a calm sea. In her place, Davos would not have been so brave or so restrained when facing the man who killed his son. King Robert had made his announcement in front of all, that due to their crimes, the lines of Aerys and Rhaegar were attained and removed from the succession. The queen had not objected, and was allowed to spend her life in Casterly Rock, as a noble lady. As the rest left the room and the king reached for some wine, Lord Stannis had invited him to the feast and he had accepted, with some hesitancy.

The silver-haired woman spoke to the king then, and what she said, Davos would never forget. "You're not as bad as I expected. It's a pity you weren't born a girl though. You would've made a lovely bride for Rhaegar." The king choked on his wine at that, which was enough to let the former queen escape, with a faint smirk on her face. Lord Arryn's eyes looked fit to bulge out of his head and Lord Stannis worked his jaw, whether controlling his anger or laughter, Davos couldn't say. His lord's elder brother had not stopped drinking since then and Davos was certain that if he couldn't forget the words, he would certainly try his hardest to.

—

In the OTL, Dany was born in this storm. Since Robert managed to get Redwyne galleys to attack Dragonstone, Stannis' fleet was ready sooner. (Ned didn't have the charisma or the wish to pull that off in canon. He just wanted to find his sister and go back home while Robert was still looking at the war tactically.)

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