History Characters / TheYoungStag

->'''Steffon''': "You can fucking try, you little shit, but I will never, ''ever'' see Arya in chains. Not your chains, not mother's and certainly not grandfather's. She is to be my wife. If you lay a finger on her, you lose that finger."

** With Arya. Both of them feel like outsiders from their family. With Steffon, it's due to his appearance and idealistic morals. With Arya, it's due to her pursuit of unladylike interests.
** With his uncle Tyrion. Both of them are considered the black sheep of their families and are hated by their siblings. However, they are also kindred spirits and exceptionally intelligent.

* BewareTheNiceOnes: Arya may be a sweet girl once you get to know her, but Arya is no pushover and can be a force to be reckoned with when angry.
* BirdsOfAFeather: With Steffon. Both feel like outsiders in their families, Steffon being the black sheep son who feels like a disappointment to everyone, while Arya is a daughter who wants to pursue un-ladylike interests.

->"I'm sorry, Arya. It was my fault and-" a sharp crack echoed through the small corridor. Steffon raised his hand to his stinging right cheek.//

->''"My lords, my lords! Here is what I say to two of those Kings." He spat on the ground, eliciting laughter from the Northerners. "Renly Baratheon means nothing to me, and Joffrey the Bastard doesn't neither. We may not like being ruled by the south, but Steffon Baratheon is a different lad altogether. A man who is actually willing to fight and defend those under him; a rarity among his type." He said. Again, the Northerners laughed. Some of the Riverlords looked mildly offended. "And he has a good Northern girl at his side; the daughter of Eddard Stark! A man who's honor is unquestionable. Why shouldn't we follow him?" He asked. Silence. "I'll bend my knee to no King but Steffon Baratheon!"''

* BreakTheCutie: As usual, the death of her father does her no favors.
* DaddysGirl: Arya was very close with her father and is grieved by his death.

* BerserkButton: Insulting, threatening or trying to harm Arya is guaranteed to put you on his bad side. This becomes more prominent over the course of the story as he and Arya become closer and more intimate. [[spoiler: In chapter 6, when Joffrey draws his sword against Arya, Steffon intervenes and calmly asks for a peaceful compromise. In chapter 8, he quietly threatens Septa Mordane for calling Arya a "beast". In chapter 17, Steffon straight up punches Joffrey in the gut when he threatens to make Arya his hostage.]]
** Harming his family also serves as an example. When Steffon learned that Tyrion had been arrested on falsely charges of murder, Steffon locked himself in a room for two hours to keep himself from taking his anger out on anyone he cared for.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: Deconstructed. Steffon is honestly one of the kindest people in Westeros. However, his capacity for violence mostly stems from his temper, which gets him into trouble more often than naught.

* HotBlooded: Very much so. Even worse than Arya. Steffon is very passionate with his beliefs and feelings. When he gets angry, he gets ''really'' angry, often letting his anger get the best of him which leads to trouble.

* IAmNotPretty: She considers herself this, much to Steffon's dispute. It's thanks to him Arya feel more confident in her appearance and more like a classic beauty.

* SlapSlapKiss: Arya has made it clear that she cares about Steffon very dearly and is willing to slap some sense into him when needed.

* BigBrotherInstinct: Steffon is everything to Tommen and Myrcella that Joffrey isn’t. He cares for his two siblings dearly, even submitting himself to his older brother’s sadistic habits in order to spare them.

* BigBrotherWorship: Steffon views Gendry as a big brother, which is fitting, seeing how they share the same father.

* ButtMonkey: Both Shireen and Arya seem to make a habit of playfully teasing him.

* WideEyedIdealist: Steffon strongly believes that everyone is born equal regardless of sex, race, color, position, or sexual orientation. This is fitting, seeing how he always makes time for Myrcella, Tyrion and Gendry, each a woman, a dwarf and a bastard. Unfortunately, he lives in a sexist, homophobic, xenophobic CrapSack world that has no place for idealism.

* AffectionateNickname: She is the “Wolf Girl” to Steffon’s “Stag Boy”.

* DeadpanSnarker: She has her moments.
-> '''Steffon''': "Arya, what are you doing?"\\
-> '''Arya''': "Well obviously I’m planning on to jump off this foot and out the window, plummeting to my death."

* DeclarationOfProtection: To Steffon. She genuinely cares for her betrothed and refuses to leave his side.

* SugarAndIcePersonality: Arya remains feisty and rebellious, but becomes noticeably more sweet and pleasant when Steffon is with her.
* TomboyWithAGirlyStreak: A minor example. She still hates anything feminine. However, Arya is more self-conscious and insecure regarding her looks and doesn't like posing as a boy or having her hair cut short.

-->'''Steffon''': "You can fucking try, you little shit, but I will never, ''ever'' see Arya in chains. Not your chains, not mother's and certainly not grandfather's. She is to be my wife. If you lay a finger on her, you lose that finger."

* IdealHero: Out of all the runner ups for the Iron Throne, Steffon is probably the most ideal ruler. Joffrey is a psychotic ManChild with no clue how to rule the Seven Kingdoms, and Renly is a pompous {{Jerkass}} who believes he should have the Iron Throne simply because he's popular. Steffon, on the other hand, is an idealist who wishes to protect everyone and sees everyone as his equal.

--> '''Steffon''': "Arya, what are you doing?"
--> '''Arya''': "Well obviously I’m planning on to jump off this foot and out the window, plummeting to my death."

* {{Expy}}: WordOfGod has stated that Steffon takes inspiration from Rick Grimes from Series/TheWalkingDead, Ender from Film/EndersGame and Julius Caesar. His appearance is also modeled after Creator/AsaButterfield.

* SiblingYinYang: To Joffrey in probably every way. Joffrey has golden hair and grey eyes and is a suicidally stupid, Psychotic ManChild. Steffon has black hair and blue eyes, is a NiceGuy and WiseBeyondTheirYears. Joffrey is cruel and contemptuous to practically anyone and is doted by their mother, Steffon feels strong compassion to nearly everyone and feels like a disappointment to his family.

* WisePrince: Steffon is kind, noble and well-intentioned, but he suffers from lack of self-esteem. He cares about the common folk and can't stand to see them suffer. And while Steffon is a capable fighter who trains hard, he is more skilled as a commander.

* AllLovingHero: Steffon has strong, progressive ideals that everyone is created equal, concerns over the poor and desires to make their lives better. He also hates the idea of people dying in a war to put him on the Iron Throne.
* AmazonChaser: He falls in love with Arya Stark because she’s everything a “proper lady” isn’t.
* AnimalMotif: Steffon's personal sigil consists of a crowned stag and a direwolf as a representation of his bond with Arya.

* BerserkButton: She can become quite feisty when someone insults Steffon or undermines their relationship.

* SamaritanRelationshipStarter: While Arya was definitely very callous towards Steffon when they were first betrothed, she starts to warm up to him considerably after he presents her Needle as a peace offering.

* DefrostingIceQueen: Arya was initially very callous and disinterested when she and Steffon were arranged to be married. However, Arya becomes much nicer to him and decides to make the best of their situation before eventually falling in love with him.

* BerserkButton: Several, due to his hotblooded nature.
** Insulting, threatening or trying to harm Arya is guaranteed to put you on his bad side. This becomes more prominent over the course of the story as he and Arya become closer and more intimate. [[spoiler: In chapter 6, when Joffrey draws his sword against Arya, Steffon intervenes and calmly asks for a peaceful compromise. In chapter 8, he quietly threatens Septa Mordane for calling Arya a "beast". In chapter 17, Steffon straight up punches Joffrey in the gut when he threatens to make Arya his hostage.]]

* ClassicalAntiHero: For all his wits, intelligence and cunning, Steffon has serious self-esteem and self-worth issues. While Arya definitely helps him manage them, he still has moments of self-doubt and insecurity.

* FatalFlaw: His [[HotBlooded Anger]]. Steffon may be outwardly kind and naive, but when he gets angry, he gets ''really'' angry. It's justifiable, however, given how dysfunctional his family is and the environment he grew up in. Steffon can be very hotheaded and impulsive when pushed too far, often letting it get the best of him and getting him into trouble.

* HeroicSelfDeprecation: Even if he's a skilled tactician and rightful heir to the Iron Throne, Steffon suffers from self-esteem issues and feels like a disappointment to everyone.

* HumbleHero: Steffon never brags and shows no strong amounts of pride or arrogance. See HeroicSelfDeprecation above.

* LikeFatherUnlikeSon: While Steffon does indeed care about his father, he doesn't romanticize him like Joffrey does and is afraid of ending up like his father. This is the main reason why he focuses more on being a commander than an actual fighter and doesn't indulge in wine or whoring.
* MyGreatestFailure: [[spoiler: His very first military operation which resulted in the death of Eddard Stark.]] It's fair to assume things are only going to get worse.

* AdaptationalPersonalityChange: While Arya is still feisty and rash at the start, her character development has her become more cool-headed and in control thanks to Steffon's influence. She is also more outwardly pleasant towards her friends and allies.

* BirdsOfAFeather: With Steffon. Both feel like outsiders due to one being the black sheep son and the other a daughter who wants to pursue un-ladylike interests.

* DeclarationOfProtection: To Steffon. She genuinely loves him and refuses to leave his side.

* LivingEmotionalCrutch: To Steffon. Without her support, he's a self-hating, insecure wreck.

* {{Foil}}: To Joffrey in probably every way. Joffrey has golden hair and grey eyes, is a suicidally stupid, Psychotic ManChild. Steffon has black hair and blue eyes, is a NiceGuy and WiseBeyondTheirYears. Joffrey is cruel and contemptuous to practically anyone and is doted by their mother, Steffon feels strong compassion to nearly everyone and feels like a disappointment to his family.

* TheIdealist: Steffon strongly believes that everyone is born equal regardless of sex, race, color, position, or sexual orientation. This is fitting, seeing how he always makes time for Myrcella, Tyrion and Gendry, each a woman, a dwarf and a bastard.

* NiceGuy: Steffon is genuinely kind, caring, brave and probably one of the easiest people to get along with.

* SurvivorsGuilt: '''Oh, absolutely'''. [[spoiler: After Ned Stark gave up his own life to save Steffon's, he spent hours alone in self-loathing before finally being consoled by Jon and Stannis.]]

* WeakButSkilled: Downplayed. Steffon is described as someone of average build and is a competent fighter who trains hard. However, Steffon's greatest asset is his cleverness and strategic thinking.

!! Prince Steffon Baratheon

* FatalFlaw: His [[HotBlooded Anger]]. Steffon is honestly a very kind and naive boy, but can be hotheaded and impulsive when pushed too far, often letting it get the best of him and getting him into trouble. He's also very emotional, getting easily angered or irritated.

* HumbleHero: Steffon never brags and shows no strong amounts of pride or arrogance. See Heroic Self Deprecation above.

!! Princess Arya Stark

* AdaptationDeviation: Instead of being smuggled out of King's Landing and wandering Westeros as a fugitive, Arya instead accompanies Steffon, Jon and Barristan to Dragonstone, prior to her father's imprisonment, before returning to king's landing to rescue her father.

* BecauseYouWereNiceToMe: One of the reasons she falls in love with Steffon is that he is one of the first boys to treat her like a classic beauty while everyone else called her "Arya Horseface". He has also supported her wishes in learning how to fight and treats her as an equal.

* DeclarationOfProtection: With Steffon. She genuinely loves him and refuses to leave his side.

* RedOniBlueOni: PlayedWith. Arya is usually the feisty and impulsive Red to Steffon's more intelligent and rational Blue. However, there are moments where they switch roles.

As the Kingdoms spiral into chaos, Steffon is forced to become the leader Westeros needs, going from a king, but naive, prince, into a tough, yet benevolent, king.

[[folder:Prince Steffon Baratheon]]

As the Kingdoms spiral into chaos, Steffon is forced to become the leader Westeros needs.
----

* BerserkButton: Insulting, threatening or trying to harm Arya is guaranteed to put you on his bad side. This becomes more prominent over the course of the story as he and Arya become closer and more intimate. In chapter 6, when Joffrey draws his sword against Arya, Steffon intervenes and calmly asks for a peaceful compromise. In chapter 8, he quietly threatens Septa Mordane for calling Arya a "beast". In chapter 17, Steffon straight up punches Joffrey in the gut when he threatens to make Arya his hostage.
** His family also serves as an example. When Steffon learned that Tyrion had been imprisoned and falsely accused of murder, Steffon locked himself in a room by himself for two hours to keep himself from taking his anger out on anyone he cared for.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: Deconstructed. Steffon is honestly one of the kindest people in Westeros. However, his capacity for violence mostly stems from his temper which gets him into trouble more often than naught.

* DeclarationOfProtection: With Arya. He cherishes her and refuses to leave her side.

* {{Foil}}: To Joffrey in probably every way. Joffrey has golden hair and grey eyes, is a suicidally stupid Psychotic ManChild. Steffon has black hair and blue eyes, is a NiceGuy and WiseBeyondTheirYears. Joffrey abuses and mistreats Sansa in horrible fashion and felt no compassion or attraction to her, while Steffon cares for Arya greatly and earns her respect and love.
* GoodIsNotDumb: While Steffon has a kind heart and slightly naive, he is highly intelligent and not easy to manipulate.
* GoodIsNotSoft: While he is good enough to spare his dipshit older brother, he is by no means a pacifist.
* HeroicSelfDeprecation: Steffon has serious self-worth and self-esteem issues. While Arya definitely helps him overcome them, he still has moments of self-doubt and insecurity.

* ReluctantRuler: Steffon ''really'' doesn't feel capable of leading armies, [[spoiler: mostly due to his botched attempt at rescuing Ned Stark]. And Steffon's even less thrilled about becoming king. He hates the idea of people losing their homes and lives to put him in the iron throne. By chapter 20, however, [[spoiler: Steffon finally accepts his responsibility as the rightful heir claims kingship]].
* SurvivorsGuilt: '''Oh, absolutely'''. [[spoiler: After Ned Stark sacrificed his own life to save Steffon's, he spent hours alone in self-loathing before finally being consoled by Jon and Stannis.]]

[[folder:Princess Arya Stark]]

The {{Deuteragonist}} of the fanfic and Steffon's LoveInterest. She is the second daughter of Eddard and Catelyn Stark and the third child and is arranged to marry Steffon. Reluctant and displeased at first, she soon makes due with the situation and eventually falls in love with him. As the threat of war grows, Arya remains faithful to Steffon, not wanting to leave his side.

!Prince Steffon Baratheon II

!Princess Arya Stark

* ReluctantRuler: Steffon ''really'' doesn't feel like he's meant to lead armies, let alone Westeros.

* RedOniBlueOni: PlayedWith. Steffon is usually the more rational and intelligent Blue to Arya's feisty and headstrong Red, however there are moments where the two ZigZag between roles.

* BecauseYouWereNiceToMe: One of the reasons she falls in love with Steffon is that he is one of the first boys to treat her like a classic beauty while everyone else called her "Arya Horseface". He has also supported her wishes in learning how to fight and treats her as his equal.

* RedOniBlueOni: PlayedWith. The Red to Steffon's Blue. Arya is feisty and impulsive while Steffon is more intelligent and rational. However, there are moments where they flip roles.

* BlackSheep: Although he is loved by his family (except Joffrey), he can't help but fear that he is a disappointment to everyone. His fighting skills don't impress his father, his appearance displeases Cersei, and his idealistic belief that everyone is born equal has made him a laughing stock among the small council.