Sunlight struck the flaming stag banner of House Baratheon of Dragonstone, making the fabric dance in the wind like actual fire.
The heavy fog had finally lifted, and Dragonstone was blessed with rare, clear weather.
Stannis's courtiers, who had been gloomy just days before, now gathered in the Stone Drum for a heated discussion. Stannis sat at the head of the table, with Queen Selyse by his side.
The hall was packed with members of both the King's Men and the Queen's Men. Davos and Melisandre stood at the very front.
Even Alester Florent, recently imprisoned for suspected treason, had been released and reinstated as temporary Hand of the King until a suitable replacement could be found.
Stannis simply didn't have enough capable men. And since the Florents had a bloodline claim closer to House Gardener than the Tyrells did, keeping them close could at least cause some trouble for Highgarden later.
The main topic of discussion was rewards. And when talking rewards, Jon Snow was the unavoidable first subject.
Without Jon, they would have eventually been forced to flee Dragonstone and set up a government-in-exile.
And Jon's reward had to be substantial. If the hero of the war got scraps, how could these defeated generals have the face to ask Stannis for anything?
Stannis, sitting high on his throne, wasn't sure what would be appropriate either. At the very least, a simple earldom seemed too low.
Davos and Melisandre had returned from King's Landing singing Jon's praises. Davos, in particular, made it sound like Jon was Ned Stark reborn—impeccable in both morals and ability.
Granting Jon the Stark name and legitimizing him was just the icing on the cake; it couldn't be the main course. If that was all he gave, the realm would laugh at Stannis.
"Your Grace, I suggest granting Harrenhal to Jon and naming him the Lord of Harrenhal," proposed Alester Florent, eager to prove his worth after being released.
Harrenhal was massive, situated next to the Gods Eye lake, with fertile lands. It was a significant fiefdom.
But objections came quickly, led by Davos. "Your Grace, Harrenhal is grand, but it is cursed. Three houses have gone extinct there. It is an ominous place, unworthy of Jon's service."
Davos liked Jon more than anyone else on Dragonstone. He wanted to secure a truly good lordship for the boy so he wouldn't keep talking about going back to the Wall.
"Then where do you suggest I grant him land?" Stannis asked.
Although Davos and Melisandre both vouched for Jon—Melisandre even claiming he was a champion sent by R'hllor—Stannis still couldn't trust him completely. Nor did he blindly accept his counselors' advice.
"Your Grace, I..." Davos stammered, unsure.
Rewarding Jon was genuinely difficult. He needed a castle of significant size. The Stormlands had declared for Stannis entirely, so he couldn't just strip a loyal house of their ancestral seat to give to Jon.
The Riverlands and the North were still held by Winterfell.
The Reach was out of the question. Stannis wasn't crazy enough to provoke the Tyrells—who commanded nearly eighty thousand troops—into rebellion just to give Jon a castle.
It was a bind. Stannis had lost militarily, and he didn't hold the Westerlands either. He was in the awkward position of having nothing tangible to give his greatest hero.
Should I give him Dragonstone? Stannis dismissed the thought. Dragonstone was the ancestral seat of the Targaryens. With rumors of Targaryen remnants across the Narrow Sea plotting a return, he couldn't hand such a strategic location to an outsider.
Finally, Stannis made a decision. "Put the matter of the fiefdom aside for now. I will grant Jon Snow the name Stark. I will also personally knight him. Once he is a knight, I will ensure he becomes a Duke, at the very least."
Since Stannis had spoken, the debate ended. But then Queen Selyse spoke up unexpectedly. "Your Grace, perhaps we should also consider arranging a marriage for Jon."
"A marriage?" Stannis turned to look at his wife. Though she spoke softly, many heard her.
Compared to land, a marriage alliance had a much bigger impact on their political interests.
If Jon were to marry, the bride would likely come from one of Stannis's vassal houses.
Stannis's vassals were divided into the "King's Men" (Faith of the Seven) and the "Queen's Men" (Lord of Light). Whichever side Jon married into would see a massive boost in power and influence. He could easily become the leader of that faction.
Selyse watched Stannis's expression carefully. Their relationship was cold, to say the least.
Stannis never allowed public displays of affection. Once, at a banquet, when Selyse tried to take his arm, he had snapped, "Unhand me, woman!"
Selyse believed his coldness stemmed from her failure to give him a son—only a daughter, Shireen, who had suffered from greyscale as an infant.
So, Selyse walked on eggshells around him, constantly trying to please him. She was the one who had introduced Melisandre to her husband.
Seeing that Stannis didn't immediately object, she continued. "Your Grace, my family has many eligible maidens. Perhaps we could..."
"Forget the women of your house. Have you forgotten your cousin?" Stannis cut her off with a sneer, not even looking at her.
Selyse's face burned.
On their wedding night, Selyse's cousin Delena had gotten "acquainted" with Robert Baratheon in the wedding bed. Robert, being Robert, got her pregnant on the first try. Delena gave birth to a healthy, strong bastard boy, Edric Storm, who was raised at Storm's End.
Both Selyse and Stannis felt that boy should have been Selyse's son with Stannis. Since they couldn't blame Robert, all the shame fell on Delena for being "loose."
Stannis wasn't a fool. The Florents bore at least half the blame for the disaster at the Blackwater.
He and Davos had explicitly ordered Imry Florent to send scout ships upriver to check for traps. Imry, arrogant and complacent, had ignored them.
Not to mention Alester trying to sell Shireen to the Lannisters just days ago. Stannis was thoroughly disgusted with his wife's family.
He would never allow Jon to get tangled up with the Florents.
Jon was to be rewarded, but Jon himself was also a reward to be distributed carefully.
Now, other vassals began clamoring for a marriage alliance with Jon. The King's Men and Queen's Men argued back and forth, each claiming their daughters were the most beautiful and deserving.
Watching them bicker annoyed Stannis to no end. Suddenly, a squire ran in to announce: "Your Grace, an envoy from House Tyrell has arrived. They've also brought back some of our lords who were captured."
"Tyrell..." Stannis thought darkly. If not for the Tyrells, he might have taken King's Landing himself. He clenched his fist, then forced himself to suppress his anger.
"Let him in."