Storm's End, 284 AC
Stannis is examining his newly built fleet, ready to sail to Dragonstone and to take the castle. Walking on the beach, he turns around to give a last look on his home, before getting in a small boat and his men rowing him to the Fury. He gets on the deck, walks around and nods at Ser Davos, standing on the ship by his. He sees Cressen on the beach, bidding farewell to them and they sail away.
Dragonstone is very close from Storm's End and they get here before the end of the day. The Targaryen forces are standing in the tower of Dragonstone, and Stannis notices pieces of wood floating on the water: there must have been a terrible storm, and their fleet has obviously been destroyed. Stannis commands the assault on the castle and it soon appears the Targaryen loyalists are not numerous enough to stop the Baratheons. Most of the men assaulting the castle are men who had shared Stannis's life during the siege of Storm's End and their hatred for the Targaryens has just increased with this. The castle is taken before dawn, and Stannis can walk in the Great Hall as a winner.
He walks in this room, carved in the shape of a dragon lying on his belly, looking around, thinking how grim this place is. The few survivors have been assembled here, and a soldier comes to Stannis:
"We could not find the Queen, my Lord"
"The previous queen", Stannis corrects him and the soldier stammers:
"Ye-yes, my Lord. Forgive me, my Lord."
Stannis turns to the defeated men:
"Where are they?"
They all look down, except for one, staring defiantly at Stannis:
"Ser Darry smuggled them out. You would have been proud", he turns to Davos.
The whole Westeros knows about Davos's past, but why would he care? He knows what he has done, and he is not ashamed of it. He has paid the price for his crimes and he slyly smiles at the Targaryen soldier. Stannis stares at him as well, not showing anything, but deep inside, terribly disappointed. What will Robert say? The first soldier, who came to tell him the previous royal family have not been found, gets closer:
"What do we do with them?" he asks.
"Chain them, and take them to the galleys. We leave for King's Landing tomorrow."
He wishes to let the men rest and, as he stands by a window, staring at the sea, the men slowly leaving the room, he realizes this war will never totally be over, now that the Targaryens are still alive. He sighs, and leans his head against a cold stone.
King's Landing, 284 AC
He stands straight, his hands leaning on his thighs, his fingers nervously fidgeting. Robert is staring at him, his face red with anger and too much wine. A few hours after dawn, and already drunk… The kingdom can be happy to have Jon Arryn as the Hand of the King.
"How could you let them escape!" the growling voice of Robert rings out in the Great Hall. The court is here; even Cersei is, glaring at Stannis with a half smile. Robert would not have missed the opportunity to humiliate him and has barely congratulated him for taking Dragonstone. The only thing that mattered to him was to kill every Targaryen he could find.
Stannis calmly retorts:
"They left before we even got there. How could I know, Robert?"
"Your Grace! I am your king, you ungrateful brat!" Robert spits.
Stannis recoils slightly:
"Forgive me, your Grace", he grinds his teeth. "I am not ungrateful. I am sorry I have failed you, but I could not know they had already left."
Both stubborn, he knows there is no use to keep saying the same thing. If Robert does not want to hear, he will not hear. But Stannis is no man to be humiliated and be happy about it. Robert turns around and pours himself another glass of wine, going on provoking Stannis:
"I give you the hand of the Tully girl, one of the most respected family of this Kingdom, I give you money to build another fleet and this is how you thank me?!"
Stannis needs all his energy to remain calm and not beat him up like he did years ago, when he had mocked Proudwing. Still calm, but deep inside boiling with anger, he retorts:
"I have never asked for this marriage. And you wanted a fleet, so I think it is normal you pay for it. I don't thank you? Why should I thank you for, your Grace? Letting me and men loyal to you starve for a year in your home castle? Sending a Northerner to free us, when you were feasting in King's Landing?"
In a few strides, Robert reaches him and grabs his collar, his face a few millimeters from his, Stannis disgusted by the smell of wine, but not scared at all. Robert hisses:
"You think being my brother allows you to disrespect me? You are nothing without me, Stannis, nothing! You have taken Dragonstone, keep it! This is my gift to you!"
He brutally lets him go and asks for wine again. Stannis has not moved and stares at him:
"Dragonstone? I am the Lord of Storm's End."
"Not anymore. You are my heir, as long as Cersei has not given me a son. You will have Dragonstone, and Renly will stay in Storm's End, with a castellan, until he is old enough to rule it by himself."
Robert downs a cup and turns to Stannis, unable to say whatsoever. He ends up muttering:
"I held our home because you told me to. I was born here, I have defended it… You cannot take it away from me. Storm's End is mine, by right! I am your younger brother!"
"I don't care about your rights. You can refuse to have Dragonstone. Why would I care? Now, leave. I have enough of you", Robert replies, suddenly calm again.
Stannis grinds his teeth so hard he feels he is going to break them and he swiftly turns around and walks out, hearing them laugh as he passes the door. Will he live to be the butt of everyone's jokes? Hardly holding back tears of frustration and humiliation, he rushes to his chamber and slams the door behind him. He sits at his desk, grabs a quill and parchment and writes down everything he thinks of Robert. He uses the worst words he knows, to take it out on something. When he is done, he throws the text in fire, but, at least, he feels calmer now. He would like to confide in someone, to hear comforting words. He thinks about Aylis but she is too young to understand such things and he does not wish to bother her with his problems. He though writes to her, as an answer to her last letter: she is always sweet and caring in her words, repeating all the time how much she is eager to marry him. Slowly, Stannis gets more and more used to the idea, but would like her to grow up all of a sudden, to feel less ill at ease. Most girls bleed at fourteen or fifteen. By then, he will already be twenty five. Most Lords are already fathers at this age. As he keeps writing, he wonders if she will give him children. Her sister Lysa seems to be in trouble with having children, But Catelyn had already has Robb. And their mother gave Lord Hoster four children. He hopes she will take after her. As he seals the letter and walks out to the aviary, he realizes he has forgotten to tell her about Dragonstone. He decides they will be there as little as possible. Aylis will probably be happy to live at court, and no one could like Dragonstone. He watches the raven flying away to Riverrun, sighs and gets back to his chamber to organize his new life, in the castle he will have to call "home".