On the grassy fields outside Wolf's Den, Gendry looked at the will Robert had left behind, neither pleased nor grieved. Anguy, Greywolf, Qyburn, and a few others stood a short distance behind him.
The will still bore the bloodstains and seal of his father, King Robert. Though Robert had only been his father by blood, he had still left him a gift in his final moments.
"So this is why you came?" Gendry looked at Barristan, one of the greatest knights in the history of Westeros. He had slain Maelys Blackfyre and rescued the Mad King single handedly, earning countless honors.
Ser Barristan, together with Jon and several Northerners, had found a ship at Massey's Hook. They had left the Kingswood by a back road, then sailed to Myr.
The old knight was tall, with blue eyes that seemed to carry a sorrow many could sense. Though advanced in age, he still looked strong and graceful. Because he had come in haste, Ser Barristan had even removed his Kingsguard armor and come in disguise.
"Yes. Perhaps I should call you Your Grace," Ser Barristan said. "You are the rightful king."
Ser Barristan studied the young man before him. Dark hair, blue eyes, tall and powerfully built, a born warrior. At around six feet five inches, about 1.96 meters, he stood out from any crowd. To Barristan, he looked like the king in his youth. Tall, fierce, and full of spirit.
On the way here, Ser Barristan had already heard many rumors. The most shocking was Khal Drogo's death. From that alone, it was clear that, like Robert, this was a warrior who could look down on all others.
"You are king now, Prince," Anguy said in astonishment. For a bastard to seize the power of the Iron Throne, that step was no easy one.
"Ser, how many people would believe it? As you said, only you and Lord Eddard witnessed this will. It does not even bear the royal seal," Gendry said.
Ser Barristan faltered for a moment. "That... even so, what I carry is truly the king's will. I swear it on a knight's honor."
"What you say is fair, but not everyone is like you." Gendry smiled and handed the will to Master Qyburn.
"Lord Eddard could have borne witness as well, but he was worried about his two daughters and insisted on escorting the king's coffin back to King's Landing..." Ser Barristan let out a sigh.
Gendry said nothing. He had already guessed that Eddard's chances were grim. In a matter like this, even a moment's hesitation could mean near certain death.
"I will save him, so please rest easy. Lord Eddard is a great man of the realm," Gendry said to reassure Ser Barristan. It might be time to set his pieces in King's Landing into motion.
Whatever Eddard's level of political skill, he always put the greater picture first and had clear political bottom lines. That alone was something many nobles lacked.
Barristan saw the confidence on Gendry's face and suspected he had already made some move in King's Landing.
"Your uncle, Lord Stannis, should have received Lord Eddard's letter as well. I did not go there myself, but I entrusted it to reliable hands and had it delivered to Dragonstone," Ser Barristan said.
Gendry caught the meaning in the old knight's words. He had sent someone else rather than going himself. It seemed he was not entirely at ease with Stannis either. "You do not trust Stannis?"
"Lord Stannis was loyal and dependable in the past, but this concerns the throne and power. I cannot fully trust him," the old knight said. "If I were detained on Dragonstone, I would not be able to complete my task."
"Lord Stannis has only a small number of men, though he does have a strong fleet. Let him think it over himself," Gendry said.
"Lord Renly is even less worthy of trust. After the king met with disaster, Lord Renly fled, and he will surely raise his own banner as well," Barristan said, sounding a little embarrassed. House Baratheon was already falling apart.
"So Lord Renly wants even more."
"My task is not yet finished. King Robert's final wish was to see you ascend the throne. So, please allow me to serve you, Your Grace," Ser Barristan said, then dropped to one knee.
"You came at the right time. According to the news from King's Landing, your position as commander of the Kingsguard is gone, and you have also been declared a traitor," Qyburn said, looking at the old knight.
"That is my honor," Gendry said as he helped the old knight to his feet. This was the most renowned knight of them all. Whoever had him at their side would share in that glory. "I appoint you to my Hammer Guard."
Gendry draped a cloak over Barristan's shoulders. The four vivid emblems on the black cloak seemed almost alive. A warhammer, a red dragon, the Wolf Pack, and the freed slave.
"You should change to the Baratheon banner now," Barristan said.
Gendry smiled and said nothing. It was only one part of the emblem.
"When King Robert died and the false king declared me a traitor, I realized I had to find the true king," Barristan said. "You know, your father had some foolish ideas too. He wanted Princess Daenerys killed. But is the princess really with child?"
"Who spread that rumor? She is still just a girl," Gendry said, looking at Barristan.
"It came from Varys's intelligence. We all believed it," Barristan said.
"Varys... very good..." Gendry replied with a cold smile.
"A true king. The Seven Kingdoms need a true king," Gendry said. "But what comes next will be a child king, a traitor king. This seat will not be easy to take. Bring Jon here."
"Your Grace." Greywolf brought Jon over, his face full of grief. With all three Starks trapped in King's Landing, Jon was naturally in low spirits, just as he had feared.
"I am willing to swear loyalty to you," Jon said. "But Lord Eddard and my sisters are trapped in a prison. My heart feels like it is being cut apart."
Gendry looked at Jon. What Jon had guessed, Lord Eddard might not necessarily have failed to foresee, but things had already reached this point.
"I will find a way to save Lord Eddard," Gendry promised him.
"I would be deeply grateful," Jon said, bowing his head.
"All right, good lad, go and rest. The king has more important matters to attend to," Ser Barristan said to Jon.
"The little king on the Iron Throne has likely already announced the list of those summoned to swear fealty. They have been ordered to come to court at once and swear allegiance. If they refuse, they will be treated as traitors, and their lands and titles will be taken back by the Crown," Ser Barristan said.
"The list is indeed a long one, Barristan," Qyburn said. "It includes you as well. Great Lord Stannis Baratheon and his wife and daughter, Great Lord Renly, Lord Royce and his brothers and their sons, Ser Loras Tyrell, Great Lord Mace Tyrell and his brothers, uncles, and sons, Thoros of Myr, Lord Beric Dondarrion, Lady Lysa Arryn and her son Robert the Younger, Great Lord Hoster Tully and his brother Ser Brynden and his son Ser Edmure, Lord Jason Mallister, Lord Bryce Caron of the Marches, Lord Tytos Blackwood, Lord Walder Frey and his heir Ser Stevron, Lord Karyl Vance, Lord Jonos Bracken, Lady Shella Whent, Prince Doran Martell of Dorne and all his children... Lady Catelyn Stark, Robb Stark, Brandon Stark, Rickon Stark, Arya Stark."
"That means Dragonstone, the Stormlands, the Vale, the Reach, Dorne, and the North have yet to submit," Ser Barristan said gravely.
"You must make haste with your preparations. All of these powers need to be won over, especially the North and the Stormlands. House Stark will not let this go, and the Stormlands are the foundation of House Baratheon. If you do not act, sooner or later these people will be drawn over to Great Lord Renly," Barristan said.
Barristan might not have liked politics, but after serving as commander of the Kingsguard for decades, his judgment and instincts were still first rate. Talent of that caliber was exceedingly rare.
"I will send out the same call and have them swear loyalty to me. My longships will spread the will," Gendry said. A war of words was essential. This move of his would be faster than Stannis.
"Let all men know that I am King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, eldest son of King Robert of House Baratheon, betrothed to and protector of Princess Daenerys of House Targaryen, First Lord Governor of Myr, Tyrosh, and the Stepstones, and Lord Commander for life.
I hereby swear on my personal and family honor that the late King Robert, blessed by the old gods and the new, declared before his death that he had divorced the traitor Cersei Lannister and legitimized all of his children. The boy Joffrey, the boy Tommen, and the girl Myrcella are in truth bastard children born of incest between Cersei Lannister and her brother, the Kingslayer Jaime. In accordance with the laws of inheritance and blood, I hereby declare that I am the rightful holder of the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. I shall raise a great host and punish the traitorous villains. All who are loyal to the king must swear allegiance at once. Inspired by the glory of the late king, sealed and written by Gendry."
"And here is the preliminary list of traitors I have drawn up," Qyburn continued reading.
"Tywin, Cersei, and Jaime of House Lannister harbored evil designs and committed treason, plotting against the king and the royal bloodline. Grand Maester Pycelle acted in concert with them, shameless to the core. Master of Coin Petyr is full of ambition and harmed the very lord who favored him..."
"You will not be crowned?" Ser Barristan asked in astonishment.
"I will be crowned, but there is no need to rush it." Gendry smiled faintly. Crowned or not, once these letters were sent out, it would become a struggle to the death.
Gendry planted his longsword in the ground and looked up at the blood red comet in the sky.
"The dead are gone. The living go on," Gendry said, thinking of many people. Lord Arryn, King Robert, stiff necked Eddard, the dead Khal Drogo, Viserys, and his old smith master Tobho.
"King Robert gained power, then gave himself over to indulgence. He died to assassination and a boar.
Jon Arryn held power, yet failed to notice what lurked in the shadows. He died by his wife's poison.
Eddard Stark struggled to hold everything together, yet had no power to turn the tide. He was defeated by honor, by hesitation, and by the foolishness of his wife and daughters.
Khal Drogo was unmatched and mighty for a time, yet he died by my hand, undone by carelessness and recklessness.
Viserys Targaryen longed for a crown, but had no strength to claim it. He was destined to become a laughingstock."
Gendry looked at the blood red sky. Power was always bound up with blood.
"They all failed, but that does not make them the final loser. In the end, only one man will truly win." Gendry took Qyburn's letter and looked it over once more.
"Power. Power stands at the highest place. Only the higher man, the better man, the stronger man is worthy to possess it, worthy to wield it."
"Father, since you have given me honor and this gift, I will avenge you." Gendry looked at the sky and thought of that fat man galloping on horseback, a foolish king, a proud warrior, a pitiful failure.
"I am the Storm. I am glory. I am victory. I am conquest. I am power."