King's Landing, 292 AC
The quill runs quickly on the parchment, leaving behind it thin and neat letters. Once the letter is finished, a strong hand grabs its seal, and applies it on the wax, sealing the letter. Then the same hand scratches the scruff of the man, and lies on the table, by the letter. Stannis is about to stand up when loud noises and laughs makes him change his mind: Robert is walking to his office. He knows it. He recognizes the heavy steps, the noisy laugh, and he hides the letter under other parchments as Robert opens the door violently. He freezes, stares at Stannis with a nasty look and suddenly bursts out laughing:
"Here he is, the father to be!"
He gets close to him and violently slaps Stannis's back.
"Robert", Stannis muffles a cry of pain. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" he asks, having trouble hiding his sarcastic tone. Robert is not fooled:
"Come on, brother! Why are you always so unhappy to see me?"
Stannis notices a cup in his hand, and Robert looks around.
"There is no wine here, you know it. Every time you come to see me, it is to mock me, or ask me to risk my life in a war serving your own interests. My apologies for being defying every time you storm in", Stannis stands up and walks to the window, leaning on the cold stones by it.
Robert gives him almost a hurt look, but quickly smiles:
"I wanted to congratulate you. Cersei told me about your wife. Let's hope it's a boy, this time."
Stannis grinds his teeth and politely nods.
"Thank you."
"Why has she left so quickly?" Robert asks again.
Aylis had left with her sister to join Riverrun and have her baby there. Stannis would join her later, when the birth would be close. He knows Robert and her are pretty close, which surprises everybody. People who usually love Robert cannot stand Stannis, and vice versa. But Aylis loves how her brother in law is always so joyful and laughing, how dirty his jokes are. Stannis thinks she can show Robert a side of herself she cannot with him.
"She told me to say goodbye to you, and that she will come back soon", he looks at his brother. "Lysa wanted to leave quickly, and Aylis could not stand staying there without her. The masters say they should give birth at the same time."
Robert nods absent mindedly: he has never been fond of pregnancies and babies, but he really wishes his brother has a son. Tommen is only one; they could play together when they are older, just like Stannis and Robert used to before sorrow and tragedy tear them apart. Remembering the nights spent dueling in a silent Storm's End, and how he was pushing Stannis to come play with him when the only thing his younger brother wanted was to finish a book, the King gets to his brother and, as gently as he can, lies a hand on his shoulder and squeezes it. His eyes fill with tears, suddenly, not really knowing why, and he says with a voice deformed by emotion:
"I wish you a son, little brother."
Stannis frowns hugely when he sees his brother is about to cry but, when he opens the mouth to thank him; Robert has already left, leaving the door wide open. Confused, Stannis stares at the door for a while before grabbing the letter he has written and walking to the ravens to send it.
Riverrun, same time
Since they have reached Riverrun, Lysa and Aylis only think about themselves. Their father has insisted that they should not do anything that could be a risk for her or the babies, especially Lysa, as she has known many miscarriages. Aylis receives many letters from Stannis and spends her days sewing for her future baby. Today, Cressen comes on the balcony, where they are enjoying the warmth of a sunny afternoon. Aylis grins when she sees him. Cressen bows in front of them:
"My Ladies. Lady Aylis, if you want, I can examine you now."
Aylis nods and stands up, following him to her chambers. She has insisted that Cressen goes with her and Shireen to Riverrun. Stannis has argued Lord Tully had a maester too, but Aylis wanted Cressen. He had delivered Shireen, and she didn't intend it to be otherwise with this baby. He smiles gently at her and asks her to lie down on the bed. Used to it, Aylis takes her undergarments off, and lies down. Cressen is always careful and respectful; still she wonders what Stannis would say if he saw them like that. After a few minutes of silence, Cressen goes and washes his hands.
"Everything looks good, my Lady", he smiles. "Does the baby move a lot?"
She nods fast:
"Just like Shireen did."
"And her father before her", Cressen smiles huge. "Where is this child, by the way?"
"With my father, probably. She spends all her days with him."
"That's good", Cressen approves with a nod. "The Gods know when they will see each other again…"
Aylis agrees sadly, knowing the maester is right. They could be apart for years, and maybe not see each other again before one of them die. Hoster has been so happy to see them coming, but has slightly recoiled when he had seen Shireen's cheek. It has hurt Aylis, deep inside her, but she knew Shireen would always have to live that kind of awkward moments.
"You can go back to your sister, now", Cressen says and they both leave, Aylis to Lysa, Cressen to Riverrun's maester.
In the evening, they all gather for dinner, Hoster, Lysa and Aylis. Lord Tully sits at the head of tha table, one of his daughters on each of his sides. Lysa is tired with the pregnancy, when Aylis has never felt better. Even physically, their pregnancies are totally different: Lysa has been very sick for a long time, Aylis has not. Lysa's belly is tiny and discreet, Aylis's one is round like a balloon and imposing. Shireen does not eat with them: she is already asleep, by her mother's bed, in her castle's chambers. Aylis turns to Hoster with a smile:
"Have you been with Shireen today, father?"
"Aye", he replies. "I have. She is a sweet child, curious. A shame you will have trouble marrying her", he sighs.
Aylis almost chokes on her food:
"Father, she is just a baby. I have time to think about that."
"I know, but she has greyscale. This is going to discourage a lot of Lords, believe me", Hoster stares at her.
Hurt, Aylis looks at her plate and feels her appetite vanishing.
"I do hope her husband will be interested in who she is, and not that she has greyscale…"
Lysa eats silently, observing them, and Aylis looks at her sister for support, but Lysa does not say anything. Hoster bursts out laughing:
"Aylis… Dear Aylis, when will you understand you got lucky with Lord Stannis? And lucky… I may choose the bad words."
He stares at her and says again:
"He may love you now, but he did not want to marry you, Aylis. You wanted him, and you have been lucky enough that Robert proposed to me that you would marry his younger brother. In our marriages, at least one of the spouses is unhappy with the decision. But we obey, because we respect our fathers, and because the family is important for us. We have the duty of making the family survive and we swear on our honor to respect our vows. Family, duty, honor. Our words have not been chosen by accident. Our ancestors have thought about them, about what they meant. Your husband will choose a husband for your daughter, if he finds one, and she will marry him without arguing. I intend you to raise her this way."
With that, he swallows a big piece of meat and remains silent. Aylis is shaking with anger and humiliation, and she feels the baby kicking her violently. She wants to say something; she wants to protest, but why? Her father is right. Stannis has never wanted to marry her. He treats her well, but she does not even know if he loves her. She glances at Lysa, sipping quietly her cup of water. Which support could she expect from a woman who clearly not love her husband, not matter how nice he is to her. Sometimes, she pities him, sometimes, she understands. Love cannot be controlled. Acts can, however. And Lysa has always acted well towards Jon, accepting that, if their baby is a boy, she would call him Robert, as a tribute to Stannis's brother. Aylis, her, has secretly chosen two names for her baby. She stares back at her plate, and slowly eats. No words are spoken until the end of the dinner, and Aylis leaves quickly when their father dismisses them. She joins her daughter, lies down by the small bed standing by hers, and strokes the smooth hair, breaking down in tears.