Daenerys Webber and Stannis Osgrey [TSS Spoilers]

[Ckram]

   This theory advocates that "The Sworn Sword" foreshadows the forging of an alliance through marriage between Daenerys and Stannis in TWOW or ADOS.
 

Tabe of contents
1. TSS five-paragraph summary
2. Parallels and foreshadows
3. A question before we continue
4. The clash and harmony of Baratheon and Targaryen
5. Further (and half-baked) specullation

1. TSS five-paragraph summary

   TSS tells the history of an enduring feud between House Webber and House Osgrey, now sparked by the damming of the "Chequy Water" stream during a drought in the summer of 211 AC.

   Both Houses are willing to take the fight to the last consequences, when Dunk (a knight in the service of House Osgrey) tries diplomacy and, at the end, appeals to single combat against Coldmoat's Castellan, as a way to save the life of Osgrey men (ie. a few green peasants).

   We learned throughout the story that House Webber's current seat, Coldmoat, was ripped off from House Osgrey by King Dareon II because they supported the Blackfyres during the first rebellion. However, we also learn that what led both the heads of the two Houses to such violence was the fact that their lordship was counting the days.

   On one hand, Eustace Osgrey was old and had no descendants to inherit his lands. On the other hand, the will of Rohanne Webber's father determined that if she didn't marry within two years of his death, Coldmoat would pass to her cousin (and the story takes place a month before this deadline runs out).

   Thus, even after Dunk has won the combat and the dam issue is settled, their lordship issue is still open. What put an end to the matter is the sudden marriage of Eustace and Rohanne, which allows the restoration of the lands that were previously under the domain of House Webber to House Osgrey.

   For the full summary, click here.

2. Parallels and foreshadows

• Eustace-Stannis

EUSTACE: Supported a failed rebbelion against the Targaryens. STANNIS: Supported a successful rebbelion against the Targaryens.
EUSTACE: After the rebellion, held less land than before. STANNIS: After the rebellion, held less land than he thought he deserved.
EUSTACE: Lost his whole family, is the last surviving Osgrey. STANNIS: There's a good chance that he'll outlive his daughter, then he will be the last true Baratheon.
EUSTACE: A widower, wife committed suicide. STANNIS: There's a good chance that Selyse will die on the Wall (mutinies, wildlings, wights, white walkers or simply due the winter).
EUSTACE: Wanted to take back his family old seat (Coldmoat). STANNIS: Wants to take his seat (Iron Throne).
EUSTACE: Had less miitar power than Rohanne. STANNIS: Have less militar power than Daenerys.
EUSTACE: Roughly twice the age of Rohanne (25 yo). STANNIS: More than twice the age of Daenerys (16 yo).
EUSTACE: A Knight and a seasoned warrior. STANNIS: A Knight and a seasoned commander and admiral.
EUSTACE: Holds a towerhouse (Standfast). STANNIS: Currently in Crofters' Village's watchtower.

• Rohanne-Daenerys

ROHANNE: Four times a widow. DAENERYS: A widow just once, but both her new husband and her new lover are imprisoned and with their life in danger
ROHANNE: Long braided hair (TSS was realease after ASOS). DAENERYS: Dothraki style braided hair (ACOK and ASOS)
ROHANNE: Accused of poisoning her husbands and of witchcraft. DAENERYS: Accused of murdering her husband and being bloodthirst, promiscuous and mad (ADWD, The Windblow)
ROHANNE: Desired a hedge knight instead of her current husband. DAENERYS: Desires a mercenary instead of her current husband
ROHANNE: Acts with strenght and fury to show no weakness to her men and neighbors. DAENERYS: "If I look back I am lost."
ROHANNE: Gave birth to weak child who died soon after and is said to be barren. DAENERYS: Gave birth to a stillborn monster and thinks to be barren

• TSS-ASOIAF

TSS: Coldmoat is roughly south (and west) of Standfast. ASOIAF: King's Landing is south of both Dragonstone, Winterfell and Fortnight (southwest, in Dragonstone's case).
TSS: Long drought in the summer. ASOIAF: Long night in the winter.

3. A question before we continue

   Why would Daenerys marry Stannis if she has more to lose than him (currently)?

   The purpose of this theory is not to explain this. I have come up with some possibilities in the next paragraphs, but only for the sake of argument. This theory simply exams the parallels and foreshadows I have found in "The Sworn Sword" and speculate a little over them, which may provide a satisfactory answer to this question or not.

   If you are interested in developing arguments against the marriage of Daenerys and Stannis, I recommend reading this thread.

4. The clash and harmony of Baratheon and Targaryen

   There's a general impression that Stannis will survive the battle of Winterfell and that Daenerys will arrive at Westeros in TWOW, which makes much sense in the books (in short, Stannis is "the man [who] will fight the bitter end and then some" and Daenerys is the Chekhov's female pretender to the Iron Throne).

   In addition of their natural enmity (ie. Robert's Rebellion), Daenerys and Stannis will be competing for the same lands and titles, what apparently makes a pact unfeasible. Unless they have a dangerous enemy in common and there is a way for them both to get the lands and titles they want, without having to eliminate one another.

   Indeed, if on the one hand they may have more than common enemy (Lannisters, Euron, Aegon and the Others), on the other hand, by marrying, Stannis and Daenerys would continue to hold their claimed titles of King and Queen of Westeros (similarly to what occurred with Rohanne and Eustace in Coldmoat).

   Moreover, the existence of a king, even if as consort, would inspire more legitimacy to the monastic power and would allow lords attached to the rule of the male line heredity to vow fealty to the Crown with little hesitation. 

   Not that I think Stannis or Daenerys will accept being a mere consort. I believe that Stannis's idea of saving the kingdom before gaining the throne will and Daenerys' willingness to protect the weak will delay their differences to, let's say, a post-Long Night period.

5. Further (and half-baked) specullation

   What seems to be the biggest obstacle tp the marriage is the memory of Robert's Rebellion. 

   I say "memory" because if Stannis's contribution is scrutinized, somebody will notice that he didn't fought in any battle after the Battle of Ashford (as he was besieged in Storm's End) and we have good reasons to believe little blood was shed during the Assault on Dragonstone. So is very likely that Stannis can't be personally blamed for any significant death.

   However, this scrutiny will probably not matter to Daenerys at all, since, ironically or not, she shares Stannis' opinion about the guit of her enemies' allies by the events they didn't took part:

Quote

• (ACOK, Catelyn III)

"My sister Lysa accused the queen of killing her husband in a letter she sent me at Winterfell," she admitted. "Later, in the Eyrie, she laid the murder at the feet of the queen's brother Tyrion."
Stannis snorted. "If you step in a nest of snakes, does it matter which one bites you first?"

• (ADWD, Daenerys II)

"Lannister or Stark, what difference? Viserys used to call them the Usurper's dogs. If a child is set upon by a pack of hounds, does it matter which one tears out his throat? All the dogs are just as guilty.

   Having this in mind, one of the things that could help building a bridge between Daenerys and Stannis may be Jorah's dragonriders husbands idea.

   Since I suspect that Viserion has a fall for people with "dragon blood" as seen in Ben Plumm's case (who claims to have only "two drops" of it, due to a distant kinship with Targaryens), I think this dragon may well end up demonstrating affinity for Stannis, whose own grandmother was a Targaryen.

   So, among other plausible solutions, I believe that bonding one of Daenerys' dragons to Stannis would persuade her to accept an alliance through marriage.

[Daendrew]

I think you are onto something with the Stannis parallel. But I find it hard to swallow that Dany would marry the brother of her usurper who is going after her crown via Robert the usurper’s claim.

Stannis has a tiny army and isn’t the kind of person that would give his wife the latitude that Dany would require.

[Ckram]

@Daendrew

I hope you understand that I also do not know how that would work out in ASOIAF.

I didn't invent a marriage between Daenerys and Stannis and then tried to fit it in eventes of TSS. In fact, it was quite the opposite. I was reading TSS and seeing great similarities between the personal and political situation of Daenerys and Stannis with those of Eustace and Rohanne, and then, all of a sudden, they got married.

Daenerys marrying Stannis is very unlikely, but not impossible.

[Daendrew]

In all the instances he did the opposite. So Stannis and Dany May go to war.

i think Stannis will be dead before ADOS which is when I expect Dany to land on Westeros mainland. 

[Universal Sword Donor]

How is Dany going to marry him with Hizdahr still alive? The Faith doesn't look kindly upon polygamy, even when one has dragons. Just ask Maegor. Dany's dragons are not nearly so fearsome and the HS is currently making the crown dance to his tune.

/god we need WoW here so bad

[Lollygag]

So full disclosure, Stanaerys is my favorite crackship just because I think I'd be rolling on the floor laughing trying to see these two do anything together. 

These are thought-provoking parallels. Chequy Waters has always struck me as a very deliberately chosen name though I couldn't place it. Now I think of "checkered past" and "troubled waters" possibly being the source of the name. Like the Chequy Waters, water likewise ceases to flow in Winter.

You might consider Viserys as a dead "husband" as they were to marry until a better offer came along. 

Stannis is one of Dany's lies to be slain, so I have to think they'll have significant interaction along with the other 2 lies. Slaying the lie is not slaying the liar. As Dany is to spend the majority of TWOW in Essos arriving in Westeros in very late TWOW or early ADOS, I have difficulty seeing time to take care of these lies and take on the Others along with other problems inevitably to arise. Due to time constraints, I'm inclined to think that the slaying of lies, at least some of them, will involve alliances and not war. 

[Ckram]

@Universal Sword Donor

All Daenareys' supporters want Hizdahr XIV killed immediately, except Barristan, who wants him dead after trial. Judging by Hizdahr's reaction, I would say that if he is not the poisoner, at least he conspired with them. Therefore, I think Hizdahr is the least of the problems in this theory.

The discontentment of the Faith doesn't seem to me as a major problem for anyone outside of King's Landing. Daenerys' dragons will still grow until they reach Westeros. HS manages to control the Lannisters, who are surrounded by enemies and losing men in the Riverlands, but we have seen that Mace Tyrell already openly proposes to challenge him.

In deed, we need TWOW, but not as much as the prisoners in Lucky Logan did.

@Lollygag

In my defense, I say that if Eustace and Rohanne had drowned in Chequy Water rather than got married, this topic would be a thread about the theory that TSS foreshadows the death by drowning of Daenerys and Stannis.

I do not know about the name of the river, but as for the parallels, they seem solid to me. I just wished that instead of focusing on the impossibility of a Staenerys in ASOIAF (which have several good arguments, as in this post), people would comment on the likelihood of the proposed parallels.

I would feel like cheating if I considered Viserys to be a dead "husband" of Daenerys.

Maybe Stannis is one of the lies. But that's for another thread. 

[Universal Sword Donor]

18 minutes ago, Ckram said:

@Universal Sword Donor

All Daenareys' supporters want Hizdahr XIV killed immediately, except Barristan, who wants him dead after trial. Judging by Hizdahr's reaction, I would say that if he is not the poisoner, at least he conspired with them. Therefore, I think Hizdahr is the least of the problems in this theory.

I happen to agree re Hizdahr and the poison plot. However he still needs to die or be divorced for a legitimate marriage to occur.

18 minutes ago, Ckram said:

The discontentment of the Faith doesn't seem to me as a major problem for anyone outside of King's Landing. Daenerys' dragons will still grow until they reach Westeros. HS manages to control the Lannisters, who are surrounded by enemies and losing men in the Riverlands, but we have seen that Mace Tyrell already openly proposes to challenge him.

In deed, we need TWOW, but not as much as the prisoners in Lucky Logan did.

Right but you're also forgetting the Faith Militant are back. The Targs with full military support of dragons and vast majority of their vassals couldn't put them down. Dany would have a terrible time even fighting back, especially with foreign unsullied and dothraki (if she takes them with her). On top of that, the 6-12 months (WAG) she needs to get from SB to KL is great for the faith militant to recruit but not much good to Dany in getting bigger dragons. It's stacked pretty hard against her.

[Bloodraven's Spider]

@Universal Sword Donor the green grace is the harpy and hizdar is one of her pets... I don't foresee Stannis and Dany hooking up in any kind of fashion. I do think Stannis will come out victorious in the upcoming battle but will suffer extreme losses. Stannis may not even come out of this alive. I think House Manderly and specifically Wyman Manderly take over the remaining northern forces and re-unite the northern lords together. If Stannis does survive I still think he loses a majority of his influence as the remaining knights and soldiers will be members of northers houses. What does Stannis bring to the table other then a few more soldiers and a incredible amount of military experience. Is that enough to keep the alliances he's made in check? 

[chrisdaw]

Rohanne is the female Lannister (westerwoman) archetype, she's Sansa foreshadowing.

[Ckram]

20 minutes ago, Universal Sword Donor said:

It's stacked pretty hard against her.

In deed. But we would have to compare the numbers of the Faith Militant in Maegor's time to those of today to see if this is not just a matter of scale. I did a little research on the matter and didn't come up with an reliable answer.

On the other hand, Faith Militant may suffer several casualties for distinct reasons even before Daenerys arrived in Westeros, like: deaths due to severe winter, deaths caused by the armies of Tyrell and Tarly resisting an eventual conviction of Margaery, a possible grayscale epidemic, casualties caused by Aegon (if needed be to assault the city), the displacement of forces to fight an eventual invasion of Euron to Oldtown (to protect the Starry Sept, I mean), etc.

[Ckram]

25 minutes ago, Bloodraven's Spider said:

What does Stannis bring to the table other then a few more soldiers and a incredible amount of military experience.

Currently, almost nothing. But I ask you to realize that Eustace also had nothing to offer but himself.

Rohanne was the one who had much to lose if she didn't marry right away (and she didn't want to marry the available suitors).

So I believe the best analysis of the parallels I proposed in this thread have to consider a scenario where Daenerys needs to marry someone outside her circle. Before you ask me: I have nothing but some half-baked speculations.

[Ckram]

54 minutes ago, chrisdaw said:

Rohanne is the female Lannister (westerwoman) archetype, she's Sansa foreshadowing.

I keep reading this on some old threads in the forums, but nowhere have I found a person who cared to explain why Sansa stands out among all the candidates.

[Lucius Lovejoy]

I love the Staenerys crackship mostly because it is something new (for me) and unexpected, but there is no way I can see it happening.  I don't think I'd like to see it either.

The only way the series gets finished in 2 books in a satisfying way (for me) that gives enough time for the battle with the Others is for Stannis to defeat the Boltons and unite the north under a Lord Paramount Rickon, yet for Stannis to die in battle against the Others, creating great despair.  Rickon likely dies as well, and Jon Snow (whether resurrected on undead) rises to prominence when he goes south to beg the warring southern leaders (Aegon vs. Euron vs. Daenerys) to come north and only Daenerys responds.  In this way, Daenerys is the savior that Stannis was supposed to be and slays the lie without killing him.  The two major battles run simultaneously, and after Daenerys saves the north she returns south to find it ravaged before claiming the throne.

[Universal Sword Donor]

1 hour ago, Ckram said:

In deed. But we would have to compare the numbers of the Faith Militant in Maegor's time to those of today to see if this is not just a matter of scale. I did a little research on the matter and didn't come up with an reliable answer.

On the other hand, Faith Militant may suffer several casualties for distinct reasons even before Daenerys arrived in Westeros, like: deaths due to severe winter, deaths caused by the armies of Tyrell and Tarly resisting an eventual conviction of Margaery, a possible grayscale epidemic, casualties caused by Aegon (if needed be to assault the city), the displacement of forces to fight an eventual invasion of Euron to Oldtown (to protect the Starry Sept, I mean), etc.

There were definitely more in Maegors time for sure. We see numbers of hundreds and thousands at various places over the years of Aenys' and Maegor's reigns. I'm thinking ~10,000 (aka NW size) prolly isn't too out of line, especially considering the support they got from some of the pious lords. I'd honestly imagine the level of opposition Dany would encounter would have to be similar to Aenys at the very least.

[Light a wight tonight]

2 hours ago, Universal Sword Donor said:

I happen to agree re Hizdahr and the poison plot. However he still needs to die or be divorced for a legitimate marriage to occur.

Right but you're also forgetting the Faith Militant are back. The Targs with full military support of dragons and vast majority of their vassals couldn't put them down. Dany would have a terrible time even fighting back, especially with foreign unsullied and dothraki (if she takes them with her). On top of that, the 6-12 months (WAG) she needs to get from SB to KL is great for the faith militant to recruit but not much good to Dany in getting bigger dragons. It's stacked pretty hard against her.

A, Meereen is under attack, Victarion is intent on marrying Danaerys, and the Pale Mare is running loose. Lots of opportunity for Hizdhar to die.

B, right now the Faith Militant is little but a rabble armed with clubs and farm implements plus Bonnifer Hasty's Holy Hundred, all 86 of them including the semi-worthless Lancel.

[chrisdaw]

1 hour ago, Ckram said:

I keep reading this on some old threads in the forums, but nowhere have I found a person who cared to explain why Sansa stands out among all the candidates.

What needs explaining? Pawn to player - they've made me a Lannister Sansa. And starting out with a tower and a stream, five husbands later Rohanne Lady of the West Lannister is the original player.

[Universal Sword Donor]

9 minutes ago, Light a wight tonight said:

A, Meereen is under attack, Victarion is intent on marrying Danaerys, and the Pale Mare is running loose. Lots of opportunity for Hizdhar to die.

B, right now the Faith Militant is little but a rabble armed with clubs and farm implements plus Bonnifer Hasty's Holy Hundred, all 86 of them including the semi-worthless Lancel.

Which is why the 6-12 months is critical, and when the Faith hears the Targs are coming back with dragons, they will not be super stoked about it. If Dany and fAegon (or Jon) come across each other and marry, well that only exacerbates it.

[Bloodraven's Spider]

11 hours ago, Ckram said:

Currently, almost nothing. But I ask you to realize that Eustace also had nothing to offer but himself.

Rohanne was the one who had much to lose if she didn't marry right away (and she didn't want to marry the available suitors).

So I believe the best analysis of the parallels I proposed in this thread have to consider a scenario where Daenerys needs to marry someone outside her circle. Before you ask me: I have nothing but some half-baked speculations.

Eustace didn't have much to offer but more land/closure. Remember rhoanne loved his son. Their marriage also stops any future bad blood against them. Dany has absolutely nothing to gain except having the best military commander by her side. And not hooking up with Stannis she's in the same place she is now. Ilyrio and Varys will do there very best to get her to take Aegon. He has the Golden Company currently. And after he takes Storms End to who knows who else he will have. Dorne maybe? Though i think Doran is to cautious to side with Aegon unless Dany is there. Sending Arianne and co to scope out Aegon does nothing as everyone she's traveling with has never met connington.

[Lost Melnibonean]

Daenerys isn't going to wed Stannis. She is going to have Drogon melt his face. 

When Asha is taken by Stannis outside Deepwood Motte we learn a bit about the Ironmen's view of death...

A trumpet blew. 

That' s wrong, she thought. There are no trumpets in the Drowned God' s watery halls. Below the waves the merlings hail their lord by blowing into seashells.

She dreamt of red hearts burning, and a black stag in a golden wood with flame streaming from his antlers.

And then we hear from Patchface shortly before Jon is attacked by Bowen Marsh...

Patchface jumped up. "I will lead it!" His bells rang merrily. "We will march into the sea and out again. Under the waves we will ride seahorses, and mermaids will blow seashells to announce our coming, oh, oh, oh."

Jon XIII, Dance

The author is telling us that Stannis will march under the sea, that Stannis’s host will be defeated, and that Stannis will be killed. 

But what happens to drowned men? They are resurrected, and they rise harder and stronger. Patchface himself apparently drowned but washed ashore and was resurrected, albeit softer and dumber. (Davos was too.)  

Stannis has just obtained the backing of the Iron Bank of Braavos, and we have reason to suspect that

Spoiler

he intends to effect a ruse in the battle against Houses Bolton and Frey in which he will feign defeat and death.

Moreover, we know that House Manderly, which has completed a small armada, has pledged to aid Stannis if Stannis's man Davos recovers Rickon, and we know that Manderly is associated with mermen. 

Word of Stannis's defeat and death will spread, thus marching into the sea, but Stannis and Manderly will triumph over Bolton. 

A lot of Freys and some traitorous northmen are gonna get whacked in battle for the carrion feeders. 

I believe the George sometimes substitutes crabs for carrion crows picking over the dead. Here is just one example...

They won many battles over the next two years, culminating in Prince Daemon killing the Myrish prince--Admiral Craghas Drahar, called Crabfeeder--in single combat.

Viserys I, TWOIAF

In between the seashell quotes in Dance, we have this...

"Under the sea mermen feast on starfish soup, and all the serving men are crabs," Patchface proclaimed as they went. "I know, I know, oh, oh, oh."

Jon X, Dance

But that was in the dawn of days, when mighty men still dwelt on earth and sea. The hall had been warmed by Nagga's living fire, which the Grey King had made his thrall. On its walls hung tapestries woven from silver seaweed most pleasing to the eyes. The Grey King's warriors had feasted on the bounty of the sea at a table in the shape of a great starfish, whilst seated upon thrones carved from mother-of-pearl. Gone, all the glory gone. Men were smaller now. Their lives had grown short. The Storm God drowned Nagga's fire after the Grey King's death, the chairs and tapestries had been stolen, the roof and walls had rotted away. Even the Grey King's great throne of fangs had been swallowed by the sea. Only Nagga's bones endured to remind the ironborn of all the wonder that had been.

The Drowned Man, Feast 19

I have to wonder whether those tapestries of silver seaweed might have been entrails. The First Men made offerings to the Old Gods by hanging entrails in the weirwoods...

"Then a long cruel winter fell," said Ser Bartimus. "The White Knife froze hard, and even the firth was icing up. The winds came howling from the north and drove them slavers inside to huddle round their fires, and whilst they warmed themselves the new king come down on them. Brandon Stark this was, Edrick Snowbeard's great-grandson, him that men called Ice Eyes. He took the Wolf's Den back, stripped the slavers naked, and gave them to the slaves he'd found chained up in the dungeons. It's said they hung their entrails in the branches of the heart tree, as an offering to the gods. The old gods, not these new ones from the south. Your Seven don't know winter, and winter don't know them."

Davos IV, Dance 29

Stannis will then settle affairs at the Wall. Shireen's goose is cooked...

At the top of the steps Davos heard a soft jingle of bells that could only herald Patchface. The princess's fool was waiting outside the maester's door for her like a faithful hound. Dough-soft and slump-shouldered, his broad face tattooed in a motley pattern of red and green squares, Patchface wore a helm made of a rack of deer antlers strapped to a tin bucket. A dozen bells hung from the tines and rang when he moved . . . which meant constantly, since the fool seldom stood still. He jingled and jangled his way everywhere he went; small wonder that Pylos had exiled him from Shireen's lessons. "Under the sea the old fish eat the young fish," the fool muttered at Davos. He bobbed his head, and his bells clanged and chimed and sang. "I know, I know, oh oh oh."

Davos V, Storm 54

Melisandre is old...

... Strange voices called to her from days long past.

...

... Melisandre had practiced her art for years beyond count, and she had paid the price.

Melisandre, Dance 31

Shireen is young...

Her name was Shireen. She would be ten on her next name day, and she was the saddest child that Maester Cressen had ever known.

Prologue, Clash

Shireen wants king’s blood...

Melisandre moved closer. "Save them, sire. Let me wake the stone dragons. Three is three. Give me the boy."

...

... He turned back to Melisandre. "You swear there is no other way? Swear it on your life, for I promise, you shall die by inches if you lie."

... Melisandre went to him, her red lips parted, her ruby throbbing. "Give me this boy," she whispered, "and I will give you your kingdom."

"He can't," said Davos. "Edric Storm is gone."

Davos VI, Storm 63

Shireen has king’s blood, and she is a dead girl...

"If Stannis wins his war, Shireen will stand as heir to the Iron Throne."

"Then I pity your Seven Kingdoms."

"The maesters say greyscale is not—"

"The maesters may believe what they wish. Ask a woods witch if you would know the truth. The grey death sleeps, only to wake again. The child is not clean! "

"She seems a sweet girl. You cannot know—"

"I can. You know nothing, Jon Snow." Val seized his arm. "I want the monster out of there. Him and his wet nurses. You cannot leave them in that same tower as the dead girl."

Jon XI, Dance 53

Melisandre cannot burn Edric Storm, but she is going to burn Shireen with Sylese's blessing, since both of them will be desperate having seen Jon Snow betrayed and wounded or dead, and having come to believe that Ramsay has defeated and killed Stannis.

And the old fish will eat the young fish... poor Shireen. Stannis is gonna be pissed, and Melisandre is gonna end up like Serala, the Lace Serpent of Duskendale...

The queen's men might remain fervent followers of the Lord of Light, but the lesser folk of Dragonstone were drifting back to the gods they'd known all their lives. They said Stannis was ensorceled, that Melisandre had turned him away from the Seven to bow before some demon out of shadow, and . . . worst sin of all . . . that she and her god had failed him. And there were knights and lordlings who felt the same.

Davos V, Storm 54

"In Duskendale they love Lord Denys still, despite the woe he brought them. 'Tis Lady Serala that they blame, his Myrish wife. The Lace Serpent, she is called. ... The Lace Serpent filled her husband's ear with Myrish poison, they say, until Lord Denys rose against his king and took him captive. ...

... "Once Lord Denys lost his hostage, he opened his gates and ended his defiance rather than let Lord Tywin take the town. He bent the knee and begged for mercy, but the king was not of a forgiving mind. Lord Denys lost his head, as did his brothers and his sister, uncles, cousins, all the lordly Darklyns. The Lace Serpent was burned alive, poor woman, though her tongue was torn out first, and her female parts, with which it was said that she had enslaved her lord. Half of Duskendale will still tell you that Aerys was too kind to her."

Brienne II, Feast 9

I suppose being burned alive would be a fitting end for Melisandre. Stannis, of course, will burn, but not at a stake...

After settling affairs at the Wall, Stannis will then march south to threaten Aegon and/or Daenerys, or possibly Euron. 

And they'll be joined by the river lords still allied with North...

"Under the sea, men marry fishes." Patchface did a little dance step, jingling his bells. "They do, they do, they do."

Jon XIII, Dance

Stannis's host of Nothmen and Rivermen will array for battle at the Trident. Their numbers will be swollen by Northern childless and homeless men, unwed men, old men, and younger sons coming for war, for adventure and plunder, and for a glorious death to spare their kin beyond the Neck one more mouth to feed (just like Creegan Stark's host in the Dance of the Dragons). Daenerys will meet them...

That night she dreamt she was Rhaegar, riding to the Trident. But she was mounted on a dragon, not a horse. When she saw the Usurpers rebel host across the river they were armored all in ice, but she bathed them in dragonfire and they melted away like dew and turned the Trident into a torrent.

However, I think rather than burn this host she will take it for her own to fight Aegon. Recall how Stannis took Renly's power for his own...

"I beg you in the name of the Mother," Catelyn began when a sudden gust of wind flung open the door of the tent. She thought she glimpsed movement, but when she turned her head, it was only the king's shadow shifting against the silken walls. She heard Renly begin a jest, his shadow moving, lifting its sword, black on green, candles guttering, shivering, something was queer, wrong, and then she saw Renly's sword still in its scabbard, sheathed still, but the shadowsword . . .

"Cold," said Renly in a small puzzled voice, a heartbeat before the steel of his gorget parted like cheesecloth beneath the shadow of a blade that was not there. He had time to make a small thick gasp before the blood came gushing out of his throat.

Catelyn IV, Clash

We know that the North fought on the black side in the Dance of Dragons. And I seem to recall an SSM where the George said the North tended to be loyalist after Torrhen knelt (or perhaps it was a post by Ran). We know that Daenerys is going to slay the lie that is the blue-eyed king as he glows like the sunset but casts no shadow. Perhaps Drogon, the shadow, will remove Stannis, and Daenerys will claim Stannis's forces the way Stannis claimed Renly's...

It were the black one, the man said, in a Ghiscari growl, the winged shadow. He come down from the sky and and...

Daenerys I, Dance 2

"I know the cost! Last night, gazing into that hearth, I saw things in the flames as well. I saw a king, a crown of fire on his brows, burning . . . burning, Davos. His own crown consumed his flesh and turned him into ash. Do you think I need Melisandre to tell me what that means? Or you?"

Davos V, Storm 54