Editing Stannis Baratheon (section)

===Early life===
Born in {{Date|264}},<ref name=Cal /> Stannis is the second son of Lady [[Cassana Estermont]] and [[Steffon Baratheon]], [[Lord of Storm's End]] and head of [[House Baratheon]]. He has an older brother, [[Robert I Baratheon|Robert]], and a younger brother, [[Renly Baratheon|Renly]].{{Ref|AGOT|Appendix}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|Appendix: Targaryen Lineage}}

When Stannis was no more than four years old, his father took him and Robert to the [[Red Keep]] in [[King's Landing]]. Stannis believed he saw King [[Aerys II Targaryen]] on the [[Iron Throne]], holding court. Stannis was impressed, and he and Robert agreed that the king had been as noble as the [[skulls of the Targaryen dragons]] were fearsome. It was years later that Steffon told him that it had been the [[Hand of the King]], Lord [[Tywin Lannister]], whom they had seen, as King Aerys had cut himself on the throne earlier that day and Tywin had taken over for him.{{Ref|ASOS|54}}

[[File:Cressen Stannis by Lu.png|thumb|left|Young Stannis and Maester [[Cressen]], art by [https://lupotterdraws.tumblr.com/ Lupotterdraws] ]]

As a lad, Stannis found an injured goshawk and nursed it back to health. He named the bird [[Proudwing]], but his brother Robert called it Weakwing, as it would never fly higher than the treetops and never soared. In contrast, Robert owned a gyrfalcon named [[Thunderclap]] which never missed a strike. Eventually, Stannis's great-uncle, Ser [[Harbert]], convinced him to abandon the bird, stating that Stannis was making a fool of himself with it.{{Ref|ACOK|10}}

Growing up, Stannis always stood in the shadow of his older brother. Whatever Stannis did, Robert had done first and better.{{Ref|ACOK|Prologue}} These feelings remained until adulthood.{{Ref|ADWD|42}} [[Cressen]], the [[maester]] at [[Storm's End]], came to care deeply for Stannis, moreso than for his brothers, as he felt Stannis was the one who needed him the most, as the most unloved of the three.{{Ref|ACOK|Prologue}} Even in his youth, Stannis had been an introverted child, who was mature beyond his years, solemn and joyless.{{Ref|AWOIAF|Stannis Baratheon}}

In {{Date|278}}, Stannis's parents were sent on a mission by King Aerys II to [[Volantis]] to find a bride for [[Rhaegar Targaryen]], Stannis's cousin and the crown prince, but they were unsuccessful.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aerys II}} Maester Cressen remembers how Lord Steffon had written to him a fortnight before his return, stating that he had found a splendid [[fool]] in Volantis who would delight Robert and who might even teach Stannis how to laugh, in time.{{Ref|ACOK|Prologue}} Stannis and Robert were both present at [[Storm's End]] when Steffon and Cassana were expected to return from their voyage, looking on from the parapets of the castle. When the ''[[Windproud]]'' came in sight of Storm's End, the two brothers witnessed how the ship was smashed against the rocks in [[Shipbreaker Bay]] and swallowed by the sea, with Steffon and Cassana drowning.{{Ref|ACOK|Prologue}} According to Stannis, he lost his faith in the [[Faith of the Seven|Seven]] that day.{{Ref|ACOK|10}} The only survivor of the wreck was the fool, [[Patchface]], who washed up on the shore on the third day.{{ref|ACOK|Prologue}}