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Chapter 44 - Silver Makes Five
🕑 Added 2025-08-08 19:47:53 +0000 UTCStormlands
Storm’s End
Stannis stood before his soon-to-be wife, mesmerized, and Alistar Florent left his niece, taking his seat so the ceremony may begin.
As usual, the Septon started by praying to the Seven, and once he was done, it was time for the cloaks to be exchanged.
Next were the wedding vows, with Septon leading again. “In the sight of the Seven, I hereby see you two souls, binding them as one for eternity. Look upon one another and say the words.”
“Father Smith. Warrior. Mother. Maiden. Crone. Stranger. I am hers, and she is mine, from this day till the end of my days.” Stannis spoke first, followed by Delena repeating the words.
Colin Florent removed his daughter’s cloak before Stannis took the cloak that was carried forward by Renly and clasped it on Delena’s shoulders, signifying she was now out of her father’s protection and would be under the protection of the groom’s family.
“She came to you cloaked in the love of her family; now she stands cloaked in your name, your colors, and your protection.” Septon Yorn’s voice broke the silence in the sept, and Robert could hear more than one person sniffle in happiness.
“With this kiss I pledge my love and take you for my lord and husband.” Delena leaned forward to seal the marriage with the kiss.
Stannis met her halfway with the same words. “With this kiss I pledge my love and take you for my lady and wife.”
It was almost over, and the Septon raised a crystal used in the ceremonies, speaking the well-rehearsed words. “Here in the sight of gods and men, I do solemnly proclaim Stannis of House Baratheon and Delena of House Florent to be man and wife, one flesh, one heart, one soul, now and forever, and cursed be the one who comes between them.”
The cheers were deafening.
—
Robert was happy for Stannis, but the wedding was boring, and he could not just excuse himself early as the elder brother of the groom.
So there was no choice but to endure the countless maidens trying to catch his eye.
“Thank you, Lord Gulian, but I am not entertaining marriage at this time.” The whole situation was so repetitive. Robert didn’t even remember how many times he had said the same sentence.
Lord Swann left with a nod, and Robert returned to his cup, thinking about drinking himself to a stupor.
That way, he wouldn’t have to deal with people.
But he had gifts to give and did promise Stannis a trip for tomorrow, and he couldn’t get too drunk.
He would go towards the end to outshine everyone.
Never let it be said Robert Baratheon didn’t know how to give generous gifts.
“Greetings, Lord Robert.” Bryce Caron was next, and he had to force himself not to groan.
“Lord Bryce, so good to see you.” Perhaps another time, though with that young woman following the Lord of Nightsong and making eyes at him, it really wasn’t.
This night was going to be so fucking boring.
—
Eventually, it was his time to give gifts, and most of the guests focused on Robert, wondering what he would give.
Robert walked to stand before the newly wedded couple. “Brother, good-sister, I wish you both a happy and prosperous marriage, filled with children, laughter, joy, and good health.”
“Thank you, brother/good-brother.”
“Now, my words may not be creative and unmatched, but my gifts will be in their value.” Robert made a “come on” motion to the servants, who dragged the wheeled armor stand forward and pulled the cloak covering it off, revealing the Valyrian steel plate armor set he had promised to Stannis.
Voices of awe rose from the hall. The gold Robert earned from just selling ten swords was already way beyond what the Seven Kingdoms had, and the armor he had just gifted was worth a fortune. “You already have a Valyrian steel sword; it is only fair you get armor to match it.”
The armor was reworked to fit Stannis and had a great prancing stag on the chest, with antler reliefs on both sides of the helmet, rather than actual antlers, which, while fearsome, were also a liability on the battlefield.
Stannis already knew about the armor but still got up to hug Robert. “Thank you, brother; this is a gift I will never forget.”
“Don’t mention it.” Robert let Stannis go before turning to Delena. “As for you, good sister.” This time, the servants brought rolls of silk with a variety of colors and a chest full of jewels.
“Silks come from all over Essos, but the jewels were all taken from Valyria.” Rings, bracelets, and necklaces of ruby, diamond, emerald, and many other valuable gems, with gold metalwork, except a select few that had Valyrian steel.
It was worth more than what some lords had in their coffers.
Delena curtsied as expected of a lady of her station, all regal and gentle. “Now I understand why your generosity is so famous, good brother.”
Robert gave a small bow for flair before returning to his seat, just in time for murmurs of bedtime to rise from the guests. Delena’s look told him she was as willing as a lamb heading to slaughter to have her clothes taken off by foreign men, where some would try to cop a feel.
Looking at Delena and Stannis, Robert winked, and they both picked up what he meant.
“My lords and ladies, may I have your attention, please?” Robert’s voice alone was enough to silence the hall, but there was no need to be rude to the guests.
“Today is my brother’s wedding, yet I received more attention with all those betrothal offers.” Robert moved away from the tables to the mead barrels before taking a small one.
“And so, I shall give you this one chance. Until I finish this barrel one mug at a time, you may challenge me to an arm wrestling contest, and I’ll marry the young lady chosen by the victor, if you can beat me, that is.”
The hall exploded into screams and shouts, with lords running over each other to reach the table Robert put down.
“What is he doing?!” Steffon hissed at the chaos in the hall before his mother shushed him. “Helping his brother and good-sister. Believe me, Steffon, no woman enjoys the bedding ceremony.”
Alistar Florent was aiming for a double match for his house and, to the shock of the guests, seemed to be pushing Robert’s arm through sheer willpower.
Robert seemed unbothered. “Come on, Alistar, you can use both hands.” Alistar did not take that as an insult and began to push Robert’s arm with both of his, almost succeeding in beating the man.
Putting down his empty mug, Robert pushed back and slammed both of Alistar’s hands on the table, turning defeat to victory in an instant.
“Goddamn it, you’re strong like an ox.”
“Hah! Next.”
None noticed Stannis and Delena sneaking out of the Round Hall.
—
Robert defeated his fifteenth opponent in a row and slammed his empty mug down. “Well, that’s it, the barrel’s empty. Nice try, though.”
The nobles groaned and grumbled about the unfairness of it, but victory never lies.
—
Next Day
Robert woke up with a small headache, and it was thanks to his size and condition. Anyone else would have been worse off.
After breakfast, he went to find Stannis, who was still asleep in his room with his wife.
Someone must have enjoyed his night.
He banged on the door. “Stannis, get up, we are going on that trip. Get dressed and break your fast.”
There were grumblings from the room, and having done his duty, Robert left.
—
“What is so important that we need to leave now?” His brother yawned, half-asleep and grumpy, most likely from having to leave the bed and his wife.
Robert fastened the belts of Obelisk’s saddle. “I have a lot of work to do, Stannis, so I can’t stay for long.” He opened the bag and pulled out the dragon egg. “Unless you don’t want a dragon of your own, stop complaining.”
The remark woke Stannis up immediately. “A dragon for me?”
Robert put the egg back into the bag. “Yeah, not like that egg is doing anything good locked in a box, and who else can I give a dragon to?” His father had grown up in the court and still had amicable relations with the Targaryens, unlike Robert.
Stannis, on the other hand, saw the Targaryens less as family than as the rulers of Westeros, meaning there would be no conflict of interest.
And he didn’t need his father going around with a dragon telling him what to do.
“Father?” It would have been the right thing to do, offering their father the last egg, but Stannis wouldn’t say anything if Robert chose him.
Robert shook his head. “Nah, he’d probably fall off his dragon because I made him angry or something. Get on; we are going to Stepstones.”
“Stepstones? Why there?” What could be important about the pirate-infested islands to hatch the egg there?
Checking the area, Robert leaned closer to whisper. “We’ll need a human sacrifice to hatch the egg, and who better than pirates and slavers?”
“Won’t it take long?” His experience riding a dragon was limited, but even with that, it would take at least a day to go and return.
“Obelisk is much faster now; we should be back before the sun sets.”
“Very well, just let me inform the family.” He didn’t want to leave Delena, but she would understand.
—
Stepstones
Robert might have threatened Lys, Tyrosh, and Myr into backing off; the pirates figured they could increase their presence without the intervention of the Free Cities.
As he had decided to ensure the security of Stepstones for uninterrupted trade, Robert needed to send the pirates to the bottom of the sea, and if they happened to help him in hatching a dragon, all the better.
The journey took five hours by his estimation, which depended on the sun’s position, and the chain of islands was soon ahead.
“Ignis!” Robert ordered, and the first three pirate ships ahead were engulfed in searing flames, turning men and wood to charcoal.
It was a rather quick death, even by dragon fire standards, so Robert just moved to target the next vessel. Any ship without the banner of the Free Cities or of the Westerosi Houses was burnt to ashes.
Which left the pirates on the land, running for their lives as if there was any place to shield them.
The obelisk landed right in front of the running pirates, roaring at the terrified ragtag of buccaneers.
“Ah, the oldest and noblest of pirate traditions, running. Unfortunately, it’s not going to work against me. Robert took the bag with the dragon egg and threw it right in the middle of the pirates and gave the order “Ignis.”
There were no screams from the pirates, only because the heat of the dragonfire melted their throats before the flames incinerated the rest.
A painful but instant death.
The telltale sound of the egg popping was drowned out by the sound of the crackling flames, but eventually, a silver dragon walked out, looking adorably confused.
Stannis almost fell in his haste to get off Obelisk and rushed to the hatchling, stopping just a couple steps away from it. He reached hesitantly, and the dragon must have liked him because it nuzzled his hand before crawling over him.
His brother looked taken aback as the dragon made itself comfortable on his wide shoulders, drifting off to sleep.
“What do I do?” Stannis stood still as a statue and whispered to not disturb the dragon.
“Just take it in your arms.”
Stannis did so with tenderness unexpected of a man his height and stature and cradled the dragon on his chest. Robert pulled his brother up, and they left the island.
