Eideard Baratheon (Lord Tywin's Gift)

## Eideard Baratheon

Ser **Eideard Baratheon**, also known as the **Mad Stag** or **Flaming Stag**, is the only son of Lord Robert Baratheon and Lady Lyanna Stark and is the heir of House Baratheon to Storm's End and the Stormlands. He is the twin brother of Floris Baratheon, and is named after his fathers best friend and his mother's brother, Eddard Stark.

## Appearance and Character

Eideard is often described as a powerful man who closely resembles his father Lord Robert Baratheon when he was younger and his nuncle Ser Renly Baratheon. He is seen as being highly attractive, sharing the typical Baratheon look of thick black hair and blue eyes. At the age of sixteen he stands nearly as tall as his uncle Renly, who himself is only slightly shorter than Eideard's father.

Unlike his father and nuncle Renly, Eideard's personality more closely resembles his other nuncles, Ser Stannis Baratheon who is far more stoic than his brothers. Many believe this is due to his birth causing his mothers death, something he was never able to move past all his life. On top of this as Eideard grew older his personality began to see dramatic shifts with a certain madness and obsession with fire setting in. Some said he had more of his Targaryen great-grandam in him than his direct Baratheon lineage.

In his teenage years, as well as developing a general madness, Eideard became increasingly obsessed with fire. The court of King's Landing had two red priests in attendance - Thoros of Myr and Melisandre. Both came to be important in Eideard's upbringing and would eventually convert him to the faith of R'hllor.

One of the few aspects of Eideard that he shares with his father is a passion for fighting. He is an adept fighter who takes part in tourneys whenever her can, being a well-trained jouster. Much like his father he also wields a warhammer when he trains, though hasn't had much cause to put his skills to the test in a real battle.

## History

Eideard was born in 283 AC to Lord Robert Baratheon and Lady Lyanna Stark and was their only legitimate son. Eideard was born shortly after his twin sister Floris. Lyanna died giving birth to him and his sister, an event that drove his father to depression and alcohol.

Growing up in Storm's End was a relatively lonely experience for Eideard, his father preferred to drink himself into stupors early in the day, his older uncle Stannis was a cold and brooding man, and his other uncle Renly was a squire away from the castle. Only his twin sister Floris and aunt Shireen kept him company, and they were of a similar age. Despite this Eideard found great comfort in martial pursuits, constantly pestering the master-at-arms in Storm's End, Ser Gawen Wylde, to teach him swordsmanship and how to wield a warhammer like his father.

At the age of six his father arranged for Eideard to be sent to the Vale to become the page for Lord Denys Arryn, who Robert had also been fostered to in his youth. Though his father never explicitly stated it, Eideard believed it was an excuse to send away the reminder of his mothers death. The move to the Eyrie was particularly devastating to Eideard, as he had to leave his twin sister behind who he was incredibly close to.

As Eideard grew up in the Eyrie he came to know a young girl who lived in the Gates of the Moon, his bastard half-sister, Mya Stone. Initially neither knew of their relation to the other and as they became increasingly close despite their differences in social rank they slowly developed childish romantic feelings for one another. Eventually the blossoming romance became common knowledge in the Eyrie and Lord Denys Arryn took charge, forbidding the pair from seeing one another. This enraged Eideard who could do little but accept it. While Mya moved on from their childhood crush Eideard became increasingly obsessed, believing he and Mya were meant to be together, despite knowing she was his half-sister Eideard simply believed his Targaryen blood meant he had a right to wed her.

When Eideard discovered Mya was romantically involved with Mychel Redfort his anger got the best of him and he challenged the young squire to a duel. In the eventual fight he severely injured the squire, even after Redfort had yielded. The boy was only saved when Ser Vardis Egen, captain of the househole guard at the Eyrie, pulled Eideard away from his broken opponent. When news of the assault reached Lord Arryn he was appalled, leading to Eideard's father moving the boy to King's Landing where he would squire for Prince Viserys Targaryen, newlywed husband of Robert's sister Shireen.

The move initially calmed his growing madness, though before long the paranoia and anger would take root once again. His mania only grew as Melisandre, a red priestess took advantage of his malleable mind to convert him to R'hllor, even convincing him he was Azor Ahai - though Eideard had little idea that Melisandre was merely using him.