Chapter 219: The Affront
"Regardless of whether this Aegon Targaryen is real or a pretender, the moment he chose Storm's End as the starting point for his rebellion against the Iron Throne, he stepped into a deathtrap." Stannis looked at the map, a look of contempt crossing his features. "They likely only heard that Storm's End is the strongest castle in the world, yet they forgot—no one in this world knows better than I how to break it."
"No one disputes that, Your Grace," Robb Stark said. "However, according to intelligence, the Reach has regrouped its forces at Bitterbridge and is moving east. Their vanguard has already reached the Kingswood. We must take countermeasures immediately to avoid being caught off guard."
"Heh... the Reach. Of course. I would do the same if I were them." Stannis's face flared with anger, which quickly settled into an expression of grim logic. "If this so-called Young Aegon hadn't suddenly appeared to cause chaos in the Stormlands, we would be on our way to subdue Highgarden by now. The Tyrells don't want me settling my own backyard too quickly only to turn and deal with them next... naturally, they have to interfere in this battle. How many men have they gathered?"
"Approximately thirty thousand."
Laughter erupted instantly. "Ha! Significantly fewer than before, isn't it? No one is a fool. After suffering defeat after defeat, the lords of the Reach must have lost the enthusiasm they once had for crowning Renly."
Davos shook his head. "Fewer men does not mean a decrease in combat effectiveness. Last time, Highgarden supported Renly's claim to the throne, so they needed to send more men for show. This time, however, they are fighting to prevent the extinction of their House... they will surely send their finest elites. And the commander is Randyll Tarly. Your Grace, if you had followed my advice and announced a pardon for House Tyrell immediately after taking King's Landing, enduring this slight for a moment, the Seven Kingdoms would already be at peace."
"Pardon House Tyrell? They supported that boy Renly's conspiracy to usurp the throne and poisoned Lord Eddard Stark in an attempt to murder him! Even if the King agrees, the Northmen will not!"
Karstark was a blunt, coarse man. Stannis disliked his boisterous and disrespectful nature, yet on this point, he shared the same opinion. "The law is the law. Someone must pay the price for treason. If I forgive them this time simply because the Reach is powerful, the next person who wishes to defy the Iron Throne will act with impunity, hoping for the same luck. The law must be executed with iron resolve. I may allow the ringleaders to take the black and spare their lives due to their noble status, but they must come before me, kneel, and beg for it. There will be no talk of a pardon!"
"Your Grace," Greatjon Umber volunteered, "let us deal with Randyll Tarly. The Northmen have defeated him twice already; the third time will be no exception!"
"Robb, you shall lead the army to intercept them once again. But remember, under no circumstances are you to underestimate the enemy because of your previous victories. Randyll Tarly's reputation as a soldier was not built on hot air." Stannis nodded. "I shall personally take Storm's End. Give me a month, and the Iron Throne will drive this so-called Golden Company back into the sea, just as it has done every time in the past."
"As you command, Your Grace."
"Speaking of which... how is your father, Lord Eddard, recovering?"
"After consultation and discussion, the maesters have determined it was poison—and it seems to be more than one kind. The dosage wasn't large, but it is proving very difficult to treat. He is currently being kept alive solely by medicine." Robb Stark spoke with a furrowed brow. "Right now, it would be best if we could find Margaery Tyrell as soon as possible to find out exactly which poisons were used, so we can formulate a specific antidote."
"That treacherous woman! When I saw her in the Vale last, she looked like a sweet and lovely young girl. I never would have guessed she possessed such a poisonous heart!"
The Northmen were extremely indignant, chiming in with their agreement. Margaery Tyrell was instantly transformed into an incarnation of a viper, a synonym for a demon.
Amidst the clamor, Davos remained skeptical. Was this poison truly administered on Margaery's orders? What would she gain from it? The only effect of poisoning the Hand of the King, Eddard Stark, would be to ensure that House Stark and House Tyrell remained locked in a blood feud until the end...
Had Eddard Stark not been poisoned, it was unlikely the Northern army would have remained in the south after helping Stannis take King's Landing. Without the support of the three Northern kingdoms, Stannis would certainly not be acting so stubbornly toward the Reach. In that case... there might still be a chance for peace talks between the north and south. But now... Davos shook his head. His intuition told him there was a conspiracy at play. However, since King Stannis was determined to use the Northern army to reclaim the Stormlands and punish the Reach for their rebellion, accepting the narrative that House Tyrell poisoned Eddard Stark was the best choice for now.
More pressing issues needed resolution than chasing the true culprit. "The Dornish army is also moving north along the Boneway; they are currently 'sieging' Griffin's Roost. If this Young Aegon is real, he should be the nephew of Princes Doran and Oberyn. Doran Martell changing his usual style to be so proactive in helping Your Grace suppress a rebellion is highly suspicious. We must be on guard."
"Hmph. I have already sent orders to the Dornish army, telling them to clear the minor castles captured by the Golden Company around Cape Wrath. There is no need for them to come north to Storm's End to assist me." Stannis's tone held a coldness like ice. "If they move north without permission, there is no need to guess; we shall treat them as enemies. I will arrange a sufficient number of scouts to keep watch, ensuring no one can launch a surprise attack from the rear while I deal with Storm's End."
After reclaiming King's Landing, Stannis had punished the Gold Cloak officers who had opened the gates for the rebels during Renly's siege with thunderous severity. At the same time, using a mix of intimidation and grace, he won over the Stormlands and Crownlands troops who had previously been loyal to Renly. Once the purge of King's Landing was complete and his rule solidified, he led a combined force of over fifty thousand men from the Crownlands, Stormlands, and the three Northern kingdoms south in a grand procession.
Renly was dead. As the last male of House Baratheon, Stannis became the only choice for the lords of the Stormlands to swear fealty to. As he marched from the Crownlands into the Stormlands, the lords along the way surrendered at the mere sight of his banners, providing grain and supplies. This time, whether in terms of the quantity or quality of his troops, Stannis held the advantage. Riding the momentum of the Northern alliance's consecutive victories and with no worries about logistics...
The possibility of quelling the internal strife and uniting the Seven Kingdoms had never felt so real and within reach.
The commanders of the Royal Army gathered around the table, putting the final touches on the military arrangements before the march on Storm's End. Suddenly, the tent flap was lifted, and a woman in red robes walked in.
The tent grew significantly quieter. Many looked up, staring at the woman who had interrupted the King's war council without being announced.
Melisandre questioned him with an expressionless face: "Your Grace, the Night's Watch has sent you several pleas for help in succession, yet you have kept them from everyone?"
Everyone turned their gaze back to Stannis.
The King's face instantly turned incredibly grim. Regardless of anything else, he was now the King. To be questioned so publicly—especially by a woman from across the Narrow Sea—was a massive blow to his dignity.
"Kept them from everyone? Whom have I kept them from?" Stannis looked at Melisandre coldly. "Everyone seated here knows the Wildlings are invading the Wall. I have already made an agreement with the lords of the North: as soon as this battle is over, they may return to the North to deal with the Wildling crisis. We have even discussed and formulated a series of plans to assist the defenders of the Wall. Does that qualify as keeping it secret?"
"Indeed, you did not hide the fact that the Wildlings are invading the Wall, but you buried the most recent plea for help—the one detailing the current situation—under a pile of letters on the Maester's desk. The defenses of the Wall are hanging by a thread, yet you bring the realm's finest elites to the south to engage in a war of rebellion that is not at all urgent!" Melisandre's beautiful eyebrows arched in anger. "You stay far away from the true battlefield to participate in a mere skirmish?"
"A skirmish? Is that how you evaluate this campaign to exterminate the remnants of the Targaryens?" Karstark stood up. "Wait... when did you, a woman, gain the right to participate in a war council? And to lecture the King?"
Melisandre turned her head, her gaze sweeping over Robb Stark and the other Northern lords. She narrowed her eyes at the speaker. "Northmen, the cold winds have already begun to blow. The Great Other, whose name must not be spoken, is gathering strength in the Land of Always Winter—a terrifying, evil, and powerful strength that ordinary men cannot withstand. If righteous men do not find the courage now to spread the faith of the Fiery Heart and fight against the enemy of all life, an endless Long Night will soon descend. Your lands and your people will be the first to fall, the very first sacrifices of this catastrophe!"
Everyone present knew what Melisandre was talking about. They were annoyed that a priestess was disrupting the war council, yet after having seen a wight with their own eyes... none dared to accuse the woman before them of speaking nonsense or fearmongering. They could only become silent spectators, quietly watching to see how Stannis would handle the affront he faced as King.
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
On Patreon, you can explore Extra Chapters in advance!