Late at night, Dragonstone Island, Picture Table Hall.
The salty sea breeze wrapped in the roar of the waves, never stopping against the black cliffs of Dragonstone.
Stannis Baratheon stood tall at the stone table carved with the terrain of Westeros.
Under his deep eye sockets were heavy shadows, and his gaze passed through the long and narrow stone window to the midnight ocean outside that devoured the stars and moon.
The flickering candlelight fell on his sparse black hair, faintly outlining a circle of dim crown outlines.
Not far behind him was his most trusted confidant, Lord Davos Seaworth.
They returned to the fort from King's Landing a month ago.
As soon as he returned from Telossi, Stannis did not alarm anyone and searched for evidence alone in King's Landing.
When he followed Ed Stark's hints that night, secretly searched for Robert's illegitimate sons scattered in the flea nest, and confirmed the striking black hair, Stannis realized that Ed's suspicions were most likely true.
He immediately found the former Prime Minister Jon Allin and confided Ed's speculation and his initial findings.
Two important ministers of the kingdom, one known for their fairness and strictness, and the other with the law as their benchmark, immediately began a deeper joint investigation.
In the end, it was Jon Arryn who found the key book "Genealogy and History of the Major Nobles of the Seven Kingdoms" in the dusty pile of old papers.
On the yellowed pages, the cold and conclusive genealogical record shows that of all known descendants of the Baratheon family who intermarried with other families, black hair was an unshakable feature.
Ironclad evidence!
Robert Baratheon's three children, Joffrey, Messi, and Toman, are the wild species of Queen Cersei.
Just as Jon Arryn was sorting out the evidence and preparing to reveal it to King Robert, he died.
This bad news shocked Stannis, and without a moment's hesitation, he secretly escaped the dangerous King's Landing with Davos that day and returned to Dragonstone.
"My lord—"
An old voice broke the oppressive silence in the picture table hall.
Scholar Christensen of Dragonstone, an old man nearly eighty years old, moved into the hall with a mite.
He squeezed a small scroll of letter tightly in his thin hand.
"The letter just sent by the raven has no wax seal and no family crest stamp———"
Lord Davos immediately stepped forward, respectfully took the letter from the trembling hand of the old scholar, and turned to present it to Stannis.
Stannis lifted his cold and hard chin slightly and opened the simple roll.
His eyes fell on the letter, which only had a few lines of text on it.
He read in silence, time seemed to freeze, only the crackling of candles and the roar of the waves.
After a long time, he handed the letter to Davos beside him expressionlessly.
Sir Davos took the letter with a slightly embarrassed face, he was illiterate.
He looked at the old bachelor Christensen for help, and the bachelor Christensen approached tremblingly, narrowed his dim old eyes, and slowly read out in a hoarse voice:
"Lord Stannis, I suppose you have found out the truth, and I would like to ask you whether the Prime Minister's death is related to this matter?
If my guess is correct, I will be your loyal ally no matter what, don't forget that night. "
After reading it, Scholar Christensen did not know why:
"My lord, this—"
Davos also heard it in the clouds and couldn't grasp it at all.
Stannis' eyes suddenly sharpened, and the corners of his mouth curled down almost imperceptibly.
"It's Ed Stark, only I can understand these secret words, speculation about the king's heir being not his biological - in the first place, he told me."
Sir Davos's face was instantly filled with incredible shock.
"Master Ed actually has such a keen sense of smell?"
Davos communicated with Ed in Tellosi.
In his opinion, Ed is a restrained and upright northerner who pays attention to honor, and he is not even willing to kill the Targaryen brothers and sisters.
But when he learned that the letter was written by Ed Stark, his impression of Duke Edd was instantly shattered.
The corner of Stannis' eye captured the shock on Davers' face: "I know what you're thinking, Sir Davos, you're thinking that Ed Stark is a northerner who values stale honor more than his life, but do you think that relying only on the so-called 'integrity' and 'honor' can stand in the north for thousands of years?" Can you make those vassals and mountain clans bow their heads? Don't underestimate that Lord Stark. "
Although Stannis said this, he was actually full of vibration in his heart.
Ed Stark's guess was proven to be right, which is amazing enough.
What shocked him even more was that after having such a terrible suspicion, Ed was able to keep it a secret, endure it, and only selectively reveal it to him as the "legitimate heir".
Ed Stark What exactly does he want?
"Don't forget that night."
Stannis whispered the key words at the end of the letter.
Every detail of Telossi's night was clearly imprinted in his mind.
Ed Stark told him that if the truth about Robert's heir was revealed, then he, Stannis Baratheon, would be the undisputed first line to the Iron Throne.
Ed's intention could not be more obvious in choosing to tell him about such a deadly secret as the "heir".
This is a nominal statement.
Ed Stark wants to ally with him to form an alliance of power against the Lannisters and possibly other competitors in the future.
What he fancy is the greatest benefit that Stannis can give to the North after ascending to the Iron Throne in the future.
For a time, Stannis had a subversive understanding of Ed Stark.
This silent northern direwolf is not as upright and wooden as it seems.
He has a deep city, knows how to hide in the shadows, and shows his deadly ape teeth at the most critical moments.
Hehe·· What a hidden Stark!
It's really impressive.
Stannis sneered in his heart, however, he found that he could not refuse this "surrender".
He looked around himself, living on the isolated island of Dragonstone, and his power was weak.
However, he couldn't refuse Ed's request for an alliance.
At present, he is weak.
The Stormlands and River Bends have the alliance of Lanli and Tyrell, and the Lannisters are watching the Tiger Eye in the West.
In particular, if he wants to compete for the throne, he must be sure that the three children are all wild seeds.
In this way, Lannister must be on the same level as him.
Facing so many strong enemies, Stannis must unite with Stark.
His gloomy gaze once again turned to the dim waves outside the window, but his thoughts had already drifted...