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Riverrun, 288 AC

Ill at ease, Stannis watches his wife, wrapped against her brother's chest, crying her eyes out. The fortnight is over, and they need to leave back south, where her new life awaits her. Her sisters are around her, Catelyn gently stroking her shoulders while Ned is waiting for her as well. Stannis glances at Lysa, cold as ice, not looking even sad to leave her father and brother again, rather…relieved, weirdly. He looks back at his wife, still closely embracing her brother, and Hoster, standing by their side, looks up at him and smiles slightly:

"Come on, Aylis, your husband is waiting for you."

Stannis says:

"We have time, my Lord. No need to hurry her."

What could he do? Wrest her from her brother and puts her on her horse by force, when they all know here that next time she will see him will probably be when Hoster will be close to die? He cannot do this. She has to grieve over her life in Riverrun, over her childhood, as he had to grieve over the loss of Storm's End. She has to take her time. Aylis ends up moving away from her brother's arms, and kisses her father before getting on her horse quickly. She gives a last long look at him and Edmure, his eyes filled with tears going on running on his cheeks. He forces himself to smile, as he watches his family riding away. Edmure has never been alone in Riverrun, and he feels he is saying goodbye to his childhood as much as Aylis has said goodbye to hers the night Stannis has taken her. When they cannot see them anymore, he and Hoster sadly get back in the castle.

They leave Ned, Cat and the boys just outside of the castle, as they head north and Lysa, Aylis, Jon and Stannis head south, to King's Landing. Aylis bids farewell to them, still crying, and she keeps on mourning as they go on riding. Lysa has exasperated sighs and starts telling her, very coldly, that there is no need for her to cry, that she is the Lady of Dragonstone, and a lot of other things Aylis does not even hear. Stannis does, though, and quickly rides to Jon to ask him that he makes his wife quiet. Jon whispers something in his wife's ear, and she indeed shuts it. Riding by Aylis's side, Stannis hears her sobbing, trying to stifle her cries: he would like to solace her, to comfort her, to ease her pain, but he has no idea how to do this. Hesitantly, he makes the reins pass in his left hand, and his right hand goes on Aylis's one, clenched on her reins, and he strokes her as softly as he can. Aylis stares at his hand, then at him, but he doesn't look at her, he stares at the road in front of him. She moves her hand away, takes his and brings his hand to her lips, laying a long kiss on it.

As they end up getting in King's Landing, after several weeks, Aylis is officially introduced at the Court as Lady Aylis Baratheon, Lady of Dragonstone. On a night while they were travelling south, Stannis has asked her if she wanted to keep the name of Tully. He would not have mind, as the Tullys and the Baratheons are both great Houses of Westeros. But Aylis has almost seemed shocked by what he has said and she had sat up slowly, staring at him. "I love you", she has said, "and I am so proud of being your wife. You have…no….idea how proud I am. I want to bear your name. I will always be a Tully, but being called Aylis Baratheon, it is…" She has paused a few seconds. "The greatest honor of my life." Stannis has been speechless for a few seconds, unable to react correctly. He has just nodded and pulled her closer.

Robert and Cersei have not travelled with them, and are already back in the capital when Stannis reaches it. They welcome Aylis, Robert warm as usual, Cersei more cold. Stannis takes her to what will be their apartments now. Aylis beams and looks around with marveled eyes, coming from the first time in King's Landing. Stannis and she keep visiting the Red keep, from the gardens to the Tower of the Hand, and Stannis explains to her she will be a part from the Queen's court. Aylis nods, feeling a bit weird suddenly: Cersei freaks her out, and she really hopes she will not have to spend too much time here with her. They stay for two days in King's Landing, before sailing to Dragonstone.

Aylis spends the trip bent over the rail, spewing all over the sea. She has never been on a boat and Stannis stares at her with a raising eyebrow: the sea is very calm, he does not understand why she is so sick. Or maybe she is already pregnant, he thinks with a slight smile. Maester Cressen stays at her side, trying to make her drink something against her sickness, but she refuses everything, saying she is going to get used to it. When they get to Dragonstone, she is the first one to touch the sand of the beach. She lets out a loud sigh of relief and blushes when she realizes Stannis is observing her. The day is sunny, and she admires the view as she walks on the wall leading them to the castle, very impressive in its own way. Compared to Riverrun, she thinks it is pretty ugly but she does not really care. She is home, with her husband. That is the only thing that matters. She slips her arm under his as they walk, and he introduces her to the castle and the servants, the knights, the serving girls and so on. She smiles at all, and Stannis takes her to a room. When he opens the door, she steps in a cozy chamber, with a bed, a wooden desk, quills and ink, parchments. She turns to her husband:

"What is this place?" she asks curious.

"Your chamber, my Lady", Stannis replies as if it is obvious, showing the Tully flag pinned on the wall. Aylis gapes a bit:

"Won't we sleep together?!"

"I thought… Most ladies have their own chambers", he retorts, disconcerted.

Aylis looks like she is about to cry:

"I do not want to be like them"

She gets closer and wraps her arms around his neck, before running her hands all over his chest:

"I want to spend every night with you, in OUR chamber. Not yours, not mine, OURS", she insists.

Stannis restrains himself from slipping his tongue in her mouth, and nods calmly:

"As my Lady wishes."

Aylis smiles and walks out.

"I wish to meet the small folk now."

Stannis nods and gives order to the servants first, ordering to turn this chamber into an empty room, ready to be transformed again when the Lady will be pregnant. They nod, and leave. Stannis joins Aylis and, together, they ride away from the castle, meeting the people of Dragonstone, the peasants, the smiths, the tailors. She nods at them and smiles, giving the poor money, shaking hands and kissing babies' heads. Stannis stares at her, admiring her, so young, and already so accustomed with her duty. Lord Hoster has raised her well, he thinks, or maybe it is her, and solely her. Her grace, her beauty, her charm, her sweetness and kindness, make her loved by anyone she meets. The Lord has noticed how Ser Davos and Maester Cressen have been towards her, all smiles and bows in front of her. And him, he remembers how he has reacted when Robert has announced their marriage, how ashamed and humiliated he has felt, and how Maester Cressen has tried to reassure him. His legs have been shaking when he has stood up, and his face red with the shame he has felt. Has Robert ever thought they would truly be a good match? Has it always been political? Or, worse, has he meant this marriage as another humiliation for his brother, so the whole realm would mock him? If so, Robert would soon be disappointed. The girl is revealing herself a true Lady, a Lady Stannis could never be ashamed of. And this night, as she joins him and undresses in front of him, Stannis looks at her, hangs on every movements she does, on every part of her body she reveals. She joins him in bed, and he strokes her face, gently, softly, when his heart is already racing. He dives in her body, as he dives in her soul, allowing himself to feel at least, to feel how it is to love and to be loved.