Dragonstone, 298 AC

Cressen walks upstairs in the aviary to feed and take care of the crows, one coming back injured, when he sees a black crow flying to him. He frowns slightly but, lately, a lot of messages have reached Stannis and Aylis. He clumsily takes the message out off the crow's leg and reads it. His heart skips a beat and tears start rolling down his cheeks without him being able to hold them back. He immediately runs to Stannis. The Lord of Dragonstone is in the Great Hall, surrounded by his family. Aylis is smiling sadly as the twins are chasing each other around, and Shireen is calmly sewing. They all look up at Cressen when he storms in the room. Stannis looks at the parchment, quivering in Cressen's hand, and looks up at his face, notices the tears. This is when he knows what the parchment is saying. A shiver runs up and down his spine and, for a moment, he wonders if he will be able to stand up. Leaning his hands on the arms of his chair, he does so, calmly, and walks to Cressen. He hears Shireen asking what is wrong, but he is unable to answer. Indeed, her voice seems far, so far away. He locks his eyes with Cressen's tearful ones, and he feels a hand on his shoulder, knowing it is his wife. His eyes read the few words hastily written down. He immediately recognizes the handwriting, and it is not his sister-in-law's. Ned Stark wrote the words telling him his brother has died. Behind him, he hears Aylis gasp loudly, and realizes she has read above his shoulder. Exasperated by her behavior, he walks away, holding the parchment. As he turns around to face them, he sees Aylis hugging Cressen tight, and the two of them weep silently. Shireen has stopped sewing, the twins have stopped playing, and they are all staring at him, turning him very ill at ease. Aylis pulls out of Cressen's arms, and whispers something in Shireen's ear. The little girl walks to her father, and curtseys elegantly in front of him. "Your Grace", she greets him. Stannis would have felt better if she had thrown in his face a bucket of frozen water. He tries to smile, but only manages to wince, and he softly strokes Shireen's hair, before scowling at his wife. Aylis, surprised, looks down embarrassed, and Stannis walks out of the room quickly. He gives her a look ordering her to follow him and she obeys, wiping tears away. She loved Robert, and feels so sad he passed away. From what Ned has written, he has been injured by a boar during a hunt but there is something with the words he has chosen to write, which makes her think there is something else behind all this. She does not forget how Bran fell from a tower when Robert has gone to Winterfell to ask Ned to become his Hand. She is drawn out of her thoughts by Stannis grabbing her wrist firmly.

"What have you said to Shireen? What have you said to my daughter?!" he hisses, nastily. Aylis does not understand his reaction and does not answer. He shakes her violently, ordering her to answer him.

"What… what's wrong?" she stammers, trying to move away from his grip.

"Have you told her about Cersei's children?" he asks again and Aylis stares at him, quickly nodding. Stannis pales much, and brutally frees her, punching the wall by her. Crying out with fear, Aylis instinctively protects her face with her arms, crossed in front of her head. Stannis paces up and down in front of her, and she shakes with fear as she looks at him.

"When have you told her this?" he asks, without looking at her. Still shaking, she does not answer and he yells the question again. She violently startles and mumbles:

"When we have left King's Landing."

The sudden absence of noises lets her think he is staring at her, but she does not dare look up:

"Do you realize how dangerous it was to reveal her this? She is a child, seven hells! A child! Imagine that she would have said it to an enemy?"

"She promised to keep the secret", Aylis argues but Stannis snorts. She gives him a hurtful look: does he trust them so little? Aylis knows her daughter; she knows she would never ever betray her father. She sees him shaking his head slowly, sadly. She takes a step to him, he hears her, but does not react. Thinking it is a sign from him; she walks closer to him, and carefully wraps her arms around his waist. My husband, she thinks. My Lord… My King… A brutal belly pang makes her swallow hard, and she suddenly feels nauseous. Closing her eyes, she whispers:

"What is going to happen now?"

"Lord Stark will not stay the Hand much longer, I fear", he says, and all anger seems to have vanished in him. He sounds…sad, indeed, almost afraid. Aylis swallows hard again as he goes on talking: "No one knows about Joffrey being a bastard. He is going to be crowned, and he will probably choose Lord Tywin as his Hand."

"You need to tell Westeros that you are the rightful heir, that Robert has not fathered these children", she softly says.

He nods slowly:

"And who will support me? Who will believe me?"

She looks at his eyes:

"I will. My sisters will. Your brother will. Your vassals will."

He smiles a bit, and strokes her hair:

"You are so young, my love… Please, forgive my anger. I fear for you all", he looks down, as if he is ashamed of his own feelings. Aylis strokes his cheek, the soft skin warm under her strokes.

"There is nothing to forgive", she whispers and gently kisses his lips.

They are interrupted by Cressen, walking in the room:

"Forgive me, my… your Grace", he quickly corrects himself. "Renly is here", he says, his eyes shining with emotion.

Stannis looks at Aylis, and they quickly walk out, joining Renly in the Great Hall. He is smiling as he is watching the twins, and he has not come alone: Loras is with him. They look like they hastily ran away, and Stannis walks to Renly, who hugs him tight. After some seconds, Stannis pats his back awkwardly. Physical contact is still difficult to him.

"I have come here as soon as Robert has died", Renly says. "I want you to be assured of our full support."

"Our?" Stannis raises.

Loras looks at him and nods quickly:

"You are the rightful king. But the Lannisters will not abandon the throne easily. You need men, you need an army. I am at your command", he kneels and sheathes out his sword, presenting it to Stannis. The King looks at Renly, then Loras, and tells him to stand up.

"I accept your service. Serve me well, and I will reward you. Betray me, and I will punish you. Now", he turns to Cressen, "I need to write a letter."

Cressen nods and walks upstairs, and Aylis smiles warmly at Renly and Loras, who follow the one they now call King.