In the pitch-black night, only a few stars dotted the boundless sky, casting a faint starlight.
The small black-sailed boat moved silently, leaving behind shallow ripples.
Davos Seaworth loved flowing water... He could easily fall asleep on the swaying deck, and the "sighs" of the sea breeze on the rigging sounded to him far sweeter than the melodies plucked by a singer on the strings.
Davos frowned deeply; even his beloved sea could not comfort him tonight.
The Red Priestess's gentle voice rang out. "I smell fear in you, Onion Knight."
Davos turned to look, and beneath his hood, Melisandre's face was deathly pale.
After a pause, Davos continued, "That's because people often say, ' The Long Night is dark and treacherous.'"
He added, "Besides, tonight I am not a knight; tonight I am once again the smuggler Davos, and you are my onion."
As Davos finished speaking, the Red Priestess laughed, her laughter tonight carrying a hint of hearty joy.
Melisandre spoke first, "Mr. Smuggler, are you afraid of me? Or are you afraid of our current job?"
Davos denied it, saying, "Mrs. Melisandre, this is your own business, it has nothing to do with me."
Melisandre's tone was gentle. "No, you set the sail, you steer the rudder."
Davos: "..."
The Onion Knight remained silent, turning his attention to the ship he was piloting.
After a moment of silence, the Red Priestess spoke, "Are you a good person, Davos Seaworth?"
Would a good person do such a thing?
Davos seemed to be lamenting, "I'm a man. I've been good to my wife, but I've also been with other women... I try to be a good father and fight for my children's place in this world... Yes, I've broken many laws... I can only say I'm a complex person... Mrs. Melisandre, I have good and bad qualities."
The Red Priestess looked up at the Onion Knight and said, "Neither black nor white, but both. You are a gray person... Is that so, Sir Davos?"
Davos shrugged slightly. "Even if that's true, so what? In my opinion, most people in the world are like that."
In the shadow of her hood, Melisandre's eyes shone like pale red candlelight. "If an onion is half rotten and black, it's a bad onion. A man who isn't a good man is a wicked man."
The ship suddenly rocked, the sails billowed, Melisandre calmly held onto the gunwale, while Davos calmly pushed the rudder.
The small black-sailed boat headed towards the coast, a forked ripple following behind.
"You just mentioned men and onions..."
Davos asked, "And what about the women? Aren't they the same? Mrs. Melisandre, are you a good person or a bad person?"
After hearing Davos's words, Melisandre chuckled, "Good question... My dear Sir, from my perspective, I am also a knight in some way; I am a fighter for light and life."
Light and life? Davos raised an eyebrow and said slowly, "Tonight, I only smell death."
Melisandre laughed again, "Sir Davos... you're lost in darkness and chaos..."
Davos shrugged. "I've always been skeptical."
"Servants of the other gods often conceal their dark hearts within magnificent light, therefore R'hllor granted the cardinals the ability to see through their disguises."
Melisandre sighed softly, then said, " Davos, you are a kind and good knight, whose honesty and integrity remain unchanged even when lost in darkness and chaos."
Davos said calmly, "I am merely a servant of King Stannis."
Melisandre, blood-red eyes surveyed the Onion Knight, and she said, "My dear sir, a fiery passion burns within you... If you are willing to serve your king, please visit my room one night, and I will bring you unprecedented pleasure."
The priestess's words were full of temptation, but Davos felt a chill run down his spine.
Davos had no desire to have anything to do with her or her god, so he abruptly changed the subject. " Melisandre, the destination you've chosen is very close to the enemy. You... what are we going to do?"
Melisandre's lips curled upwards. She remained silent until Davos's body stiffened like ice before she spoke, "Shadows are servants of light, children of flame. Only the brightest fire can illuminate the darkest shadows, Sir."
Although Davos was completely confused, he stopped talking and silently began to row, moving forward in the undulating black waves.
After reaching the shore, the Red Priestess surveyed the surroundings and then took the lead, with Davos following behind her.
Melisandre and Davos walked through the dense forest, moonlight filtering through the leaves and casting their shadows on the ground, making them appear and disappear like ghosts in the darkness.
Melisandre stopped in front of a cave, stood silently for a moment, and then her deep voice rang out. "This will do."
The priestess moved toward the cave, and Davos glanced at the faint, flickering light in Renly's camp before following her in with a solemn expression.
Inside the cave, Davos felt as if he were swallowed by darkness; he could only hear the priestess's low chanting.
As the chanting ended, a dazzling light suddenly appeared in the darkness, and Davos raised his hand to shield his eyes.
Melisandre pulled back her hood and shook off her tight-fitting dark red cloak.
The priestess was naked, the large ruby around her neck seemed to be burning, and her belly was swollen, as if it were about to burst.
Fear froze Davos in place, and he murmured, " The Gods help me..."
Melisandre smiled faintly, her voice low and husky. "The blessing of the Lord of Light..."
"Uh..." The suggestive voice sounded strangely eerie.
Melisandre's eyes burned like flames. She gasped for breath, squatted down, and parted her legs... A black, inky liquid kept gushing from between her thighs.
Melisandre cried out, it was hard to tell whether she was in pain or in a frenzy.
A moment later, Davos saw the crowned child's head struggle to emerge from the priestess's body, followed by two hands that twisted, grasped, and entangled... Finally... the shadowy figure stood up, taller than Davos.
The shadowy figure was incredibly fast, disappearing almost instantly, but Davos recognized it immediately.
In the darkness Dawn, the king's tent at Renly's camp was brightly lit by candlelight, making the silk tent seem to glow, like a magnificent, magical castle emitting green light.
Inside the tent, coal briquettes burned in a dozen small iron basins. Brienne of Blue Guard, one of the Rainbow Seven, was dressing Renly Baratheon in armor... The deep green armor was the color of leaves in a summer forest, so deep that it seemed to absorb the flames of candlelight... Golden light shimmered on the armor's buttons and ornaments, like will-o'-the-wisps flickering in the woods.
Horn Hill Randyll Earl of House Tarly Fortress and Mathis Earl Rowan Goldengrove discussed deployment and tactics.
"King Renly..."
Earl Mathis stepped forward, saluted, and said, "Our army is ready. Why wait until dawn? Sound the horns and march!"
Brienne was fastening the dark green backplate and breastplate to King Renly's padded coat. His eyes flickered slightly as he said, " Earl Mathis, what I want is a glorious victory, not one won through a sneak attack devoid of chivalry. Dawn is the appointed time for the battle."
Earl Randyll approached and said, "King Renly, Dawn is the time Stannis chose; he intends to ride the rising sun to attack us. At that time, our soldiers will be almost blind."
King Renly was confident. " Stannis's small force can only cause a moment of panic at most."
Brienne tightened his green belt and fastened the gold buckle. Renly turned around, smiling, and said, "After my brother's death, no one is allowed to desecrate his body. He was my blood brother, and I will never allow anyone to put his head on a gun and flaunt it."
Earl Mathis smiled and gave a slight bow.
Randyll Earl frowned and asked, "King Renly, what if he surrenders?"
King Renly lifted his chin, letting Brienne fasten her throat guard. "Surrender? My brother would rather eat rats than surrender."
Earl Mathis smiled and said, "Our Lord of Highgarden knows a lot about this."
King Renly chuckled, gathered his hair, and Brienne tied it with velvet ribbons and placed small padded hats by his ears to lighten the weight of his helmet.
Brienne then draped the cloak over King Renly's broad shoulders, which was adorned with the House Baratheon Crowned Stag crowned with black jade.
King Renly put on his golden antler helmet, stretched his neck, and suddenly said, "By the way, if Barristan Selmy is in my brother's camp, remember to capture him alive."
Earl Mathis hesitated for a moment, then said, "King Renly, Ser Barristan Selmy has disappeared since he was driven out of the Red Keep by Joffrey."
"I understand that old man. He needs a king to protect him, otherwise what is he?"
King Renly slipped the lobster-shaped, gold and green glove onto his Left Hand, while Brienne knelt down to fasten his belt, which appeared heavy due to the presence of his longsword and dagger.
King Renly shifted in his seat and continued, " Robb Stark, though he claims to be king, is not worthy of inheriting the Iron Throne. Since he hasn't sided with me, that leaves Stannis."
"As you wish, he will be harmed in no way, Your Majesty." Randyll Earl Earl Mathis bowed in unison and took their leave.
Not long after they left, a gust of wind suddenly blew open the tent flap, revealing only King Renly and Brienne inside.
Brienne immediately gripped the hilt of her sword, her usual dull expression vanishing, her eyes sharply fixed on the doorway.
Brienne, who had assumed a sword-drawing stance, frowned slightly. She clearly felt something move in, but couldn't find anything.
King Renly noticed Brienne's movement and casually asked with a smile, "What's wrong, my Blue Guard?"
Brienne's heart pounded, as if it would burst from her chest. She turned her head... Though there was no basis for Brienne report, it was her duty to inform her king of the inexplicable danger she sensed.
Turning around, Brienne's pupils contracted sharply... A black shadow loomed over the green tent, the candlelight flickered and trembled, Renly's sword was properly tucked at his waist, but his swaying shadow raised the sword.
King Renly's bewildered voice rang out. "It's so cold..."
Brienne's pupils dilated instantly... The steel plate protecting King Renly's throat was gently sliced open like cotton cloth by a non-existent shadow sword. He only had time to let out a small, rough breath before gushing blood blocked his throat.
"No!!!" Brienne cried out in anguish, like a frightened little girl.
The candles went out one by one, and King Renly staggered into Brienne's arms, large amounts of blood flowing in front of his armor. He struggled to speak, but was choked by his own blood.
Brienne tilted her head back and cried out, but she was too overwhelmed with pain to utter a word.
The night air smelled of rain. King Renly's tent was completely ablaze, flames shooting straight into the night sky. People rushed past, shouting about fire, murder, and witchcraft.
"I never held him until the moment he died... I will kill him with my own hands and avenge him with his sword... I swear! I swear! I swear!"
The morning light caressed the fields of Storm's End with its slender fingers.
Beneath the thin mist, the Warrior rode steeds, their spears gleaming indistinctly. The tips of ten thousand spears gleamed with a cold golden light, and the boundless fluttering battle banners displayed shades of red, pink, and orange, interspersed with blue, white, and brown, all bathed in a noble golden hue.
An hour ago, they were Renly Baratheon's army, but now they all belong to Stannis Baratheon.
Crackclaw Point, Whispers.
In the study, Gryn Crabb brandished his quill pen. "Dear Ned..."
The quill paused, Gryn's eyes trembled slightly... Robb Stark had, after all, declared himself King in the North, so Eddard Stark's title needed to be reconsidered.
This relates to political stance... Gryn for a moment, then added at the end --- Uncle.
Gryn continued wielding his quill, "It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter... Jon earned the respect of all on this unfamiliar continent through his integrity and courage..."
He paused, dipped his brush in ink, and continued, "Jon had a sweet love affair, and he found the warmth he had longed for... As commander, he led his troops to wipe out several bandit gangs... He did it for his duty... He did it for his honor... May the New and Old Gods bless him..."
After writing the letter, Gryn put it in an envelope and sealed it with Marsh Marigold stamp.