The sudden argument instantly froze the atmosphere.
A cold sea breeze swept across Dragonstone as dark clouds gathered overhead, threatening a storm. The air felt heavy and oppressive, filling everyone present with an uneasy sense of foreboding.
For several moments, neither man spoke.
Seeing that Stannis Baratheon remained as stubborn and immovable as stone, Eddard Stark finally lost his patience.
"Stannis," he said firmly, "if you insist on defying both the laws of the realm and Robert's final wishes, then as Hand of the King, I must make a choice."
His sharp gaze locked onto Stannis.
For the first time since arriving, his words carried a clear threat.
Yet Stannis had already committed himself to this path.
How could he possibly retreat now?
He let out a cold snort.
"Lord Eddard Stark, I believe you have forgotten something."
"According to the laws of the Seven Kingdoms, I am Robert's rightful heir."
"This was acknowledged by the Small Council and by Robert himself."
His voice rang with confidence.
Seeing Stannis remain so unyielding even after he had traveled personally to Dragonstone, Eddard's expression darkened.
However, hearing Robert's name reminded him of his old friend's final request.
"I do not deny that," Eddard replied.
"But at that time, Karl Baratheon had not yet been legitimized."
"That is why you were considered the first heir."
"Stannis, have you forgotten that Robert exercised his authority as king until his final breath?"
"I don't want this discussion to become a conflict."
"You understand what I'm trying to say."
Remembering Robert, and the fragile state of the realm, Eddard still hoped to prevent matters from spiraling out of control.
His tone softened slightly.
He was making one final effort to pull Stannis back from the edge.
Unfortunately, mentioning Robert only ignited a fury that Stannis had buried for years.
"A bastard?"
"A bastard whom Robert named his heir on his deathbed simply because of personal affection?"
Stannis's face twisted with anger.
"And what about me?"
"I was his brother!"
"The lawful heir!"
"Yet from the day he sat upon that cursed Iron Throne, he barely spared me a glance."
Years of resentment erupted from him all at once.
"Storm's End should have been mine!"
"I never wanted Dragonstone."
"I never asked for this cursed island."
"I accepted it only because Robert ordered me to clear out the Targaryen loyalists who remained here."
"I built fleets for him."
"I defeated his enemies."
"I fulfilled every duty expected of a brother."
"And how did he reward me?"
"He gave me Dragonstone and handed Storm's End—the ancestral seat of House Baratheon—to Renly!"
"For three hundred years Storm's End belonged to our family."
"When Robert became king, it should have passed to me."
His voice grew louder with every word.
"What I am doing now is merely reclaiming what is rightfully mine."
"I will not surrender the Iron Throne to some bastard who gained favor through sentiment and luck."
The outburst stunned everyone present.
Even Eddard looked surprised.
Realizing he had revealed more emotion than intended, Stannis took a deep breath and regained control.
"Forgive me."
He shook his head.
"I can acknowledge Karl's legitimized status."
"But I will never acknowledge him as king."
"He is unworthy."
With that, Stannis finally lost all patience.
Turning his back, he began to walk away.
"If you came merely to discuss this matter, I will overlook the offense for the sake of the realm."
"But if you came to threaten me..."
His voice turned icy.
"Then know this."
"I am the rightful king."
"And when the time comes, I will consider you a traitor."
"Return to King's Landing."
"And await my arrival."
Without another word, Stannis departed.
He didn't even offer hospitality to the man who had traveled all the way from King's Landing.
Watching him leave, Eddard's thoughts drifted elsewhere.
He remembered Robert's death.
He remembered Karl Baratheon attending the funeral alone.
He remembered how Karl had refused to sit upon the Iron Throne even once during his stay in King's Landing.
Instead, he had departed for the Westerlands immediately afterward.
Most importantly, Eddard remembered the trust Karl had placed in him.
Karl had asked him to continue serving as Hand of the King.
He had even entrusted Eddard with ruling in his absence whenever the king was away from the capital.
That trust carried weight.
And Eddard Stark never betrayed trust.
Personal feelings could not outweigh duty.
Not for a man like him.
"Lord Stannis Baratheon."
His voice echoed across the courtyard.
"If you persist in violating the laws of the realm..."
"If you continue down the path of rebellion..."
"Then I will be forced to take military action against you in the name of King Karl Baratheon."
"Do not deceive yourself."
At this moment, Eddard abandoned conciliation.
If Stannis remained unchanged even after this meeting, then stronger measures would be necessary.
This was his promise to Robert.
And it was his duty to Karl.
Stannis stopped walking.
His shoulders stiffened.
Slowly, he turned around.
"I already told you."
"You are the traitors."
"I offered mercy."
"You rejected it."
His eyes hardened.
"In that case..."
"You will not be leaving."
The temperature seemed to drop instantly.
Jory Cassel and the northern guards immediately drew their swords and stepped forward.
At the same time, Dragonstone's soldiers lowered their spears.
The situation exploded into open hostility.
One wrong move could trigger bloodshed.
At that critical moment, Ser Davos Seaworth stepped forward.
The Onion Knight positioned himself directly between both groups.
Jory's sword nearly touched his chest.
"Stop!"
Davos raised both hands.
"Everyone, stop!"
"Lord Stannis!"
"Lord Eddard!"
"Violence will solve nothing."
Maester Cressen, slower because of age, hurried forward as quickly as he could.
Relief flashed across his face.
He had expected this meeting to end poorly.
But armed conflict was the one outcome he desperately wanted to avoid.
Dragonstone was isolated.
Weak.
Surrounded by enemies.
If Stannis imprisoned or killed Eddard Stark, war with the North would become inevitable.
Perhaps even the Vale would join the conflict.
It would be a disaster.
As Cressen worried, his gaze shifted toward Melisandre.
The red priestess stood calmly to one side.
A faint smile rested upon her lips.
She appeared completely unconcerned by the possibility of bloodshed.
Everything had changed since her arrival.
Stannis's obsession with the throne.
His growing fanaticism.
The kingdom's current crisis.
Her influence could be found in all of it.
As if sensing his stare, Melisandre glanced at him.
Her expression remained unreadable.
Meanwhile, Eddard felt some relief.
At least someone had intervened before disaster struck.
Stannis, however, was furious.
His eyes settled upon Davos.
"Arrest him."
The command stunned everyone.
Even Dragonstone's soldiers hesitated.
Yet they ultimately obeyed.
Davos offered no resistance.
His expression carried only bitterness.
Looking at his oldest supporter, Stannis's face filled with disappointment.
"Davos."
"Since the beginning, you have opposed me at every turn."
"I named you Hand because I trusted your loyalty."
"And all you have given me is disappointment."
Davos lowered his head.
"My loyalty has never wavered, my lord."
"It is precisely because I am loyal that I cannot watch you walk toward ruin."
His words only deepened Stannis's frustration.
"Take him away."
"Hang—"
"Lord Stannis!"
Cressen interrupted before the sentence could finish.
Stannis glared at him.
"I do not wish to hear any more opposition."
"Not even from you."
The old maester gritted his teeth.
Ignoring the pain in his legs, he knelt.
"Maester..."
Davos stared in shock.
Stannis frowned.
"Ser Davos's loyalty is unquestionable," Cressen pleaded.
"He merely wishes to prevent matters from becoming worse."
"He acts out of concern for you."
Looking at the elderly man who had raised him like a father, Stannis closed his eyes.
He knew Cressen spoke the truth.
That only made the situation harder.
Finally, he looked toward Melisandre.
"His loyalty is beyond question, Your Grace," she agreed softly.
Even she spoke in Davos's defense.
After a long silence, Stannis relented.
"Very well."
"Imprison him."
"No one is to speak with him."
"Give him neither food nor water for three days."
The death sentence became imprisonment.
Davos said nothing.
He had already achieved his goal.
No blood had been spilled.
That was enough.
Before leaving, he nodded respectfully to Eddard Stark.
Then he exchanged one final look with Cressen before allowing himself to be led away.
Silence followed.
Finally, Eddard spoke.
"So."
"You have chosen war."
Stannis met his gaze.
Neither man needed to say more.
Their positions were clear.
Eddard turned to leave.
Then Stannis spoke again.
"Eddard Stark."
"I have not given you permission to depart."
"You will remain here."
"As my guest."
Eddard's patience finally snapped.
"Guest?"
He drew his sword.
"Your behavior resembles that of the Mad King."
His eyes narrowed.
"Tell me, Stannis."
"Will you become another Aerys?"
"I suppose Karl was right."
"I should never have expected better from you."
Surprisingly, Stannis did not lose his temper.
Instead, he laughed coldly.
"I am not the Mad King."
"Because I will prove that I am the true king."
Then he glanced toward Melisandre.
His expression became calmer.
"Davos reminded me of something."
"Hospitality should be observed."
"In the name of the rightful king, I invite you to remain at Dragonstone for three days."
"If after those three days you still refuse to acknowledge the truth..."
"Then we shall settle our disagreement on the battlefield."
Without waiting for a response, Stannis departed.
This time he did not look back.
Eddard frowned.
Something about the situation felt wrong.
Very wrong.
Yet he could not determine Stannis's purpose.
As Dragonstone's soldiers closed in around them, Jory Cassel prepared to fight.
Eddard raised a hand.
"Stand down."
"If Stannis truly wished to imprison us, resistance would accomplish nothing."
He looked toward the castle.
"We will stay."
"Three days changes little."
"If there is still a chance to make him abandon this madness, then it is worth trying."
And so Eddard Stark remained at Dragonstone.
Three days.
That was all.
Yet before dawn on the second day, Dragonstone's steward arrived with an unexpected invitation.
Eddard and his men followed him outside the castle.
What they saw left them stunned.
The statues of the Seven Gods had been gathered together.
A massive fire burned before them.
One by one, the sacred images were thrown into the flames.
Above, the red comet blazed across the sky.
Below, black smoke rose from the burning gods, staining the morning heavens gray.
Eddard stared in disbelief.
"Gods above..."
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)