On the terrace, the cold wind of late autumn blew.
Selyse Queen's body lay quietly on the ground. Stannis took off his cloak and covered her, hiding his wife's face.
The instigator of all this, Davos Seaworth, was firmly held down by two royal knights, and he knelt down a few steps away, his gray hair messy in the wind.
He lowered his head and stared blankly at the students on the floor, his weather-beaten face looking increasingly weathered.
His lips moved, but no sound came out.
"Kill him!"
"I should have known this damn fellow had no honor at all. He must have taken Lannister money."
"Execute this traitor to avenge Queen!"
The knights shouted angrily.
Several times, someone tried to rush directly towards Davos to kill him, but was stopped by the people around him.
However, Stannis stood in silence between Selyse's body and Davos for a long time.
"Everyone shut up!"
After an unknown amount of time, the king shouted coldly, drowning out all the noise.
He took a step forward and looked down at the familiar face on the ground. "Why?"
Stannis's voice was hoarse, as if every word was soaked in the pain of betrayal.
He pointed to Selyse Shangwen's body on the ground, his fingertips trembling slightly. "Why is it her, Davos...
.. What on earth do you want to do?"
"Why did you attack my Queen!!!"
As Stannis roared, everyone's eyes focused on Davos again.
The surrounding knights unsheathed their swords and surrounded Davos. As soon as the king gave the order, they would chop him into pieces immediately.
Davos turned his neck with difficulty, and his empty gaze seemed to finally have focus, falling on Stannis' face.
His lips trembled and his Adam's apple rolled up and down, but he only made a faint sound.
He lowered his head and looked at his blood-stained hands. The huge pain and self-blame seemed to overwhelm him.
"Speak!" Seeing that he didn't say a word, Stannis's voice became more severe. "We all know that you are not mute, Davos!"
"In front of me, you will always have endless advice and endless loyalty!"
"Now, tell me, what is the hatred between Selyse and you that makes you come here to kill her even if you escape from prison!!"
After the heavy words fell, Davos trembled all over.
He closed his eyes, and two lines of turbid tears rolled down from the corners of his eyes, washing away the blood and dust on his face.
When he opened his eyes again, his dull gaze finally had some emotion, but it was still ashen.
"Your Majesty...
He choked with sobs and could hardly utter a complete sentence. "I... I never wanted to hurt Queen, and my target... was never her."
He turned his head and looked across the crowd, staring at Melisandre as if the blood in front of her had nothing to do with her.
"It's her!" Davos's voice suddenly rose. "It's that Red Woman!"
He struggled violently, and the guard holding him down used more force to hold him down.
"I escaped from the dungeon for no other purpose, Your Majesty!"
"Because I heard them say on the road that the blood of the true king must be dedicated to the flame of the King of Light, and that Princess Shireen's sacrifice is the necessary price for victory"!
"I can no longer watch you being deceived, Your Majesty!"
"I follow you because you represent the law and justice. You raised the army to restore order to this land, not to hand it over to a... witch who rules with human blood and bullshit prophecies!"
"She will destroy you, Your Majesty!"
Davos struggled and roared at Stannis. This was the first time he was so excited in front of Stannis since he swore allegiance to him!
"She will drag this the Seven Kingdoms into an abyss more terrifying than the long night!"
"She used those vague illusions to confuse you and make you deviate from the path you insisted on. From the beginning to now, how many people have we burned to death? Those are also your people!"
"Now, she won't even let go of your only bloodline. This is not salvation at all, this is madness and stupidity. I can't sit back and watch you become a mad king like Aerys Targaryen!!!"
"Shut up! Blasphemer!" As soon as these words came out, the members of the rear party roared angrily. Some even wanted to rush up and beat Davos, but they were reluctantly held back by their companions.
Faced with such accusations, Melisandre herself remained calm, but in the depths of her red eyes, the flames seemed to beat a little more violently.
She didn't even look at Davos, and said calmly, "Ignorance cannot block the path of the Lord of Light, and the flame will purify all fallacies."
"Look at her!" Such indifference made Davos more certain of his thoughts.
He looked at Stannis, his eyes full of final pleading and despair. "Your Majesty, look at her eyes!
Is there any reverence for life there?"
"As long as she is by your side, your bloodline will never be safe, and this the Seven Kingdoms will always be walking on the edge of the cliff!"
As he spoke, he hung his head slumped and his voice lowered, full of endless self-blame and pain. "I wanted to..." I wanted to get rid of this scourge... I didn't expect... Queen will pounce on me... I... I am guilty..."
After he said the last word, he seemed to have exhausted all his strength, and his body completely softened. He no longer struggled or spoke. He just stared at the ground blankly, letting his tears flow silently.
There was a brief silence on the platform.
However, the angry knights did not calm down because of Davos' explanation, but became even more angry.
"No matter what the reason, the murderer must die!"
"Execute him!"
"Revenge for Celis Queen!"
"Treason! Murder Queen! Cut to pieces by a thousand cuts!"
"Your Majesty, please give the order! The law must be upheld!"
The knights roared in anger.
After all, Davos' behavior is irrefutable under any law. Although his target was Melisandre, he accidentally directly led to the death of Queen.
This is not only a felony, but also the most direct insult and challenge to the Baratheon royal family and Stannis himself!
Not to mention, he was already a "criminal" before this.
The guards pinned Davos to the ground, and someone had already torn off the collar at the back of his neck, exposing his neck, just waiting for the king's order.
All eyes are on Stannis again.
Davos closed his eyes. He did not defend himself, nor did he look at the angry faces or the gleaming swords.
He straightened his back, even though he was kneeling, he had obviously accepted his fate, whether it was out of guilt for the manslaughter of Queen, or acceptance of the failed assassination.
Stannis Baratheon stood there, looking at Davos, looking at the man who had been his most trusted confidant, looking at his gray hair, rough face, and broken fingers.
That was the price paid for supporting Storm's End, and it was a symbol of the punishment and reward given by one's own hands.
Anger burned in my chest.
Davos's actions undermined his authority, led to Selyse's death, and brought division and chaos at such a critical moment.
But something more complex is also stirring.
He remembered the first time he met Davos.
In the darkest moments when Storm's End was besieged and starved to death.
The smuggler risked his life and suffered huge losses to bring him life-saving food.
Isn't it the almost stupid quality in Davos that he likes that is not mixed with any profit calculations?
This guy who hasn't read much, doesn't know any advanced politics, doesn't know how to be tactful, he will only use the most direct way to do what he thinks is right, even if it violates the law, even if it offends authority.
Only this time, the consequences were too tragic.
Execute him?
According to the law, there is no doubt that he should do this.
But... Stannis' lips tightened.
He saw the familiar stubbornness in Davos's eyes, the stubbornness that refused to stand on "principles" even in the face of death.
The courage to step back half a step.
It was this toughness that made Davos one of the few people who dared to say to himself, "We were wrong, but we are still alive, and we must move on" in the decadence behind the Blackwater River.
Killing him means killing the voice that once reminded me not to forget "why we fight."
Especially now, when Celis has just died unexpectedly, the castle is in danger, and the way forward is confusing.
Stannis was in an unprecedented struggle.
As time passed, the knights' shouts gradually became lower.
Your Majesty Hesitating?
Why?
Melisandre's red eyes stared at Stannis quietly without urging him.
After looking around and looking at the indignant faces of his trusted knights, Stannis finally closed his eyes slightly and raised his arms to give orders.
The crime Davos committed this time is really unforgivable. No matter what his purpose was, killing Queen is a fact.
If he doesn't kill him, Stannis's "just" persona will instantly collapse, which is truly unacceptable.
But just as Stannis was about to wave his hand, the knights watched eagerly.
"Kill!!!"
A violent and chaotic shout of murder suddenly sounded not far from the terrace.
The sound was so close!
Everyone in the hall was horrified!
"Protect Your Majesty!" Gerard·Gower was the first to react and shouted sharply.
The knights and guards immediately shrank their formation, surrounding Stannis, Melisandre and the bodies on the ground in the center. Their swords were swiped towards the outside, as if facing a formidable enemy.
Everyone's heart sank. They knew very well that this terrace was located at the highest point of Dragonstone Island. The terrain was difficult and there was only a narrow passage to access it.
What does it mean if the enemy can reach outside this door?
This means that all the defense lines below may have collapsed, and they were forced to the last desperate situation!
"Go and have a look!" Gower ordered hurriedly to a young knight beside him.
The knight swallowed, gripped his sword tightly, and moved cautiously towards the closed door.
Outside the door, the sounds of fierce fighting and screams could be clearly heard.
With trembling hands, he reached for the heavy iron door.
Just then.
Boom!!!
A deafening bang!
The entire door panel seemed to have suffered a huge impact and broke open!
The young knight bore the brunt of the attack and was hit hard on the chest by the half door that suddenly exploded inward!
"Pfft!!!"
He didn't even have time to scream, and he flew backwards, spurting out a large mouthful of blood mixed with broken internal organs in the air, and fell heavily on the edge of the platform. His body fell softly, and he became silent for an instant.
The door is open!
In the smoke and dust, several figures rushed in first.
They wore shiny bright red armor and worked together to carry a small battering ram!
Immediately afterwards, more soldiers wearing the same red armor filed in. They moved quickly and well-trained, and instantly occupied a favorable position at the door. Their bows and crossbows were cocked, and their spears were like a forest, semi-surrounding the remnants of Stannis's men on the platform.
There were dozens of them, and they were murderous.
Finally, a tall and straight figure stepped across the broken threshold and stepped onto the platform.
He wears exquisite red full-body plate armor with a gorgeous style, and the seven-gold star emblem on his chest is shining brightly!
The helmet was tucked into the crook of his arm, revealing a face of about forty years old, with long blond hair combed back and a neatly trimmed short beard on his chin.
His sharp eyes swept across the messy scene on the platform. When his eyes fell on Selyse's cloaked body, a cold and happy smile slowly appeared on that serious face.
There was no warmth in that smile, only the happy feeling of venting hatred.
"It seems I missed a good show."
"Leo·Sanglas!"
Listening to the playfulness in the man's tone, Gerard·Gower cried out the name, his voice full of shock and rage.
The other knights also gasped, their faces full of astonishment.
Leo·Sanglas Ser!
Sweetport Sound Earl, House Sunglass Patriarch, one of the oldest vassals of Dragonstone Island, a knight known for his devout faith in the Seven Gods and his bravery.
Although Stannis converted to Queen of Light and House Sunglass was obviously alienated from Dragonstone, no one expected that he would appear in this way at this moment!
"Traitor!"
Ser Gerard pointed his sword at Leo and shouted angrily, "How dare you wear this armor and board Dragonstone Island!"
"Where is your oath, where is your loyalty to Stannis Your Majesty!"
Listening to his accusation, Leo Sanglas did not answer immediately, but continued to play with the taste, "Oh, Ser Gerard..."
"Long time no see, you are still so angry."
Gerard was stunned by his untimely calm tone, and then became even more angry. "Stop talking nonsense!"
"Look at you like this! Isn't your hair brown? How did it turn into gold? Also, what the hell did you do to your beard!"
Sanglas raised the corner of his mouth into a smile that was not a smile, raised his hand and gently touched the unusually neatly trimmed beard on his lower jaw. "This?"
"Ser Gerard, this is Casterly Rock-style short beard", the generals and personal guards under Lord Tywin all look after themselves in this way, clean, neat and particular.
"I forgot to tell you that I am now loyal to Lord Tywin Lannister!"
As he spoke, he clapped his hands, and the knights behind him took out a few bags. There was a clatter, and countless Gold Dragon jumped on the stone floor, making a crisp and harsh sound.
"Ser Gerard, everyone."
He looked around at his former colleagues, with a kind of arrogance in his voice. "This is Lord Tywin's goodwill. As long as you lay down your weapons and surrender, Lannister guarantees that you will get more Gold Dragon!"
As soon as these words came out, instead of being greedy for Gold Dragon, the knights pointed at Sanglas very angrily and cursed, "Okay, I didn't expect you Sanglas to rebel too!"
"Sober up, Sanglas Ser, you believe in the Seven Gods, and the Seven Gods will not forgive betrayers!"
"Betrayal?"
Hearing this, Leo Sanglas's smile suddenly disappeared. He took a step forward and pointed to the body of Celis Florent on the ground. His fingers trembled violently with excitement. "Because of this damn bitch, this poisonous woman whose heart was burned crazy by the flames of paganism!"
"She personally ordered that my brother Gunther Sanglas, a knight who devoted his life to serving the Seven Gods, be burned alive!"
As soon as this statement came out, many knights on the platform who were not members of the rear party showed a look of surprise.
Gunther Sanglas, Leo's brother, formerly Sweetport Sound Earl, because he insisted on believing in the Seven Gods and publicly condemned the fanatical behavior of Selyse and Melisandre, Selyse Queen ordered him to be burned at the stake for "inciting rebellion and blaspheming the true God".
The burning that took place in Dragonstone Square chilled the hearts of many vassals and soldiers who believed in the Seven Gods.
At that time, Stannis acquiesced to the verdict on the grounds of "maintaining royal authority."
But no one expected that House Sunglass's revenge would come so quickly.
Looking around, Leo's chest heaved violently, his eyes were bloodshot, and he continued to roar, "For her nonsense evil god of fire, she has defiled the temple of the Seven Gods and defiled my brother's pious soul!"
He turned his head sharply and looked at Stannis, his eyes no longer showing any awe as before. "From the moment you betrayed your oath to protect your vassals for this crazy Queen and that red-robed bitch, Sanglas's loyalty has drifted away with my brother's ashes!"
"So, I took refuge with Lord Tywin. I took the Lannister's most elite Assault Team, bypassing your defeated troops in front, and inserted myself directly here through the secret passage!"
As he spoke, he suddenly pulled out the Longsword from his waist and pointed it directly at Stannis and Melisandre beside him. "Today, I am here to repay the blood debt for my brother and the honor of House Sunglass!"
Following his words, dozens of scarlet-armored Lannister elites all stepped forward, their weapons shining with cold light, completely forcing Stannis and his party to the edge of the cliff Star Tower.
In front are elite soldiers led by a hateful traitor, behind are hundreds of feet of cliffs and raging waves crashing on the shore, and below is the falling castle.
Desperate situation, real desperate situation.
Stannis Baratheon slowly glanced around.
Internal troubles, external troubles, betrayal, death...
Everything seemed like a cold tide, completely submerging him and his remaining the Seven Kingdoms dream in the rocks and blood of Dragonstone Island.
However, he said nothing.
He didn't even scold Sanglas, nor did he try to persuade the other party to give up revenge.
Stannis Baratheon, the King of Dragonstone, just untied Longsword from his waist under the gaze of people, then pulled it out and threw the scabbard aside casually.
Since the battle is unavoidable, then... let's fight!
"Ugh!!!"
"Kill!!!"
After a moment of silence, both sides simultaneously erupted into deafening shouts of death.
Leo Sanglas's Assault Team suddenly ran into Stannis's bodyguard!
The space on the terrace usually seemed open enough to accommodate dozens of people, but at this moment when swords were raised and life and death were at stake, it seemed extremely crowded.
The roar, the sound of metal hitting, and the sound of sharp blades piercing flesh became the main theme on the platform.
Blood was splashed on the ancient stone slabs, quickly forming a small stream and flowing along the gaps.
Gerard·Gower Ser stood loyally in front of Stannis, swinging a broad sword with great force, each blow bearing the killing experience of many years of war.
An elite Lannister stabbed him with a spear, but he used the blade of his sword to swing the spear tip away. He then stepped forward and broke through the opponent's mail and ribs, causing blood to spurt out.
Then he slashed the knee of another enemy with his backhand sword, and in an instant another person was crippled.
However, there are too many enemies.
Crimson armor continued to pour in from the gate, seeming to form a suffocating tide in the dark night.
Gerard has to deal with attacks from all directions at the same time, and soon it will be impossible to take care of both the left and right.
His shoulder armor was dented by a mace, and the sword light passed over his thigh, bringing out a shower of blood. Although he gritted his teeth to hold back, his steps became staggering.
"Protect Your Majesty! Shrink toward the crenel!" Gerard roared, his voice appearing quite weak in the melee.
Stannis Baratheon is also swinging his sword vigorously.
His swordsmanship was inherited from the orthodox training at Storm's End, but unfortunately, he was not as physically strong as his brother since he was a child, and he was never known for his extraordinary courage or sturdiness.
Surrounded by four or five of the most loyal Kingsguard, they fought and retreated, trying to rely on solid crenels to reduce the direction of the enemy.
But even so, the pressure is staggeringly high.
One guard was stabbed through the abdomen with a spear and fell down screaming, while another had his helmet split open by a battle axe, and his brains were split.
Several deep cuts were added to Stannis's plate armor, and his faceplate was also deformed by the blows. A stream of blood flowed from his forehead, blurring the vision of his left eye.
His breathing began to become heavier, and his arms felt heavier and heavier every time he swung the sword, but there was no fear in his eyes.
The other side of the platform.
Leo Sanglas's goal is quite clear.
He barely glanced at Stannis who was fighting hard, his eyes locked on the red figure from beginning to end.
The moment the battle broke out, the red-robed priestess was protected layer by layer by her most fanatical followers.
These rear party knights and soldiers may be short-sighted in strategy, but they are extremely fanatical in their beliefs.
They formed a tight circle, surrounding Melisandre in the center, using their bodies and weapons to resist the incoming waves of enemies.
Ironically, since most of the Kingsguards around Stannis were chosen for the rear party, the number of defense forces around Melisandre at this moment was actually larger than that around the king.
But this numerical advantage cannot make up for the numerical gap between them and the enemy.
"Tear apart their formation! Capture the witch!"
Under Leo's personal leadership, the Red-cloaked Knights continued to attack Melisandre.
Leo himself has superb swordsmanship, and with the revenge of killing his brother, he is completely fighting for his life. The knights around him are also brave and cooperate with each other tacitly.
A knight from the rear party raised his Warhammer high and struck at him. Leo did not dodge or dodge. He resisted with his shoulder armor and decisively drew out his sword, piercing the opponent's throat, which was not protected by a neck guard.
Flesh and blood flew everywhere, and a gap was torn open in the formation, which was blocked by the following party members, and then was torn open again.
The battle was fierce and intense, and every step forward was covered with corpses.
Sanglas's numerical advantage was too great. They could take turns attacking, but the rear party's formation continued to shrink, resulting in heavy casualties.
Finally, after paying the price of more than ten casualties, Leo Sanglas, with the cooperation of four or five knights, cut a gap and rushed to a place only a few steps away from Melisandre!
Several fanatical believers threw themselves forward to block the attack, but were chopped down by Leo and the knights with swords.
Since then, Melisandre and the guards have been completely blocked by the swarming enemies.
Leo Sanglas, covered in blood, approached Melisandre in the corner step by step.
There was an excited look on his face as he was about to take revenge. He grabbed a nearby bronze brazier that was originally used for lighting, and splashed the charcoal fire and grease that had not yet been completely extinguished on the ground in front of Melisandre!
Hot air waves hit their faces, illuminating their faces in varying degrees of light and dark.
"Bitch! Look at me! Look at me!!"
Sanglas stared at the red-robed figure who was still standing upright through the jumping flames, looking like a madman.
"Back then, you were standing next to such a flame. You said that the Seven Gods did not protect my brother. You listened to his prayers turn into screams, and you watched his body turn into ashes!!"
"Now! It's your turn to stand before the flames!"
His chest heaved violently, and tears flowed down mixed with the blood on his face. "Let me see... let your god appear!"
"Let a holy fire descend from the sky to protect you!"
"Hahaha!!!"
I waited for a moment with my arms open, but nothing happened. Sanglas laughed loudly.
"Don't worry, I won't kill you just like that, bitch!"
"I don't like to waste things the most. I will let my men and all the soldiers who landed on Dragonstone today play with you for a round before cutting off your head!"
"I also want to watch carefully, watching your head being thrown into this fire, burning loudly and turning into a ball of charred rotten flesh!"
"Hahahaha!!!"
Faced with this hysterical death threat, Melisandre's face flashed with panic.
It's not that I'm afraid of being tortured to death.
As the most devout believer of the Lord of Light, she has already dedicated her soul and body to the only true God in the world.
It's just that... this ending is different from all the predictions she has seen.
"My king...
Her lips moved silently, staring intently at the wall of jumping flames in front of her, as if praying. "Please give me guidance...
In an instant, Melisandre's pupils seemed to expand slightly under the firelight, losing focus, as if her sight penetrated the flames of matter and saw some kind of scene that mortals could not see.
"I saw...
She suddenly spoke, her voice not high, but just enough for Sanglas to hear clearly.
"What did you see? Bitch!"
"Did you see me pulling out your intestines and hanging them on the tip of the gun, hahaha!!"
Melisandre turned a deaf ear to Sanglas's roar, her eyes still locked in the depths of the flames. "I saw it, Warrior... came from the flames..."
"He's wearing... an antler helmet, and in his hand is Warhammer... You will die under that hammer."
"Antlered Helm? Are you fucking kidding me? Robert Baratheon has been dead for two years!!!"
Hearing this, Sanglas laughed even harder, "Hahaha, your god just showed you such a ridiculous illusion?"
"It doesn't seem to be that good. Are these your last words? Damn...
The words have not yet been spoken!
Phew~~~~woo~~~~~
A terrifying sound of wind that seemed to tear the air came from behind him without any warning!
As an excellent Warrior, Sanglas suddenly felt a cold and biting death threat!
There is no time to think, it is completely a battle instinct that has been tempered over time!
Sanglas used all his strength to throw himself to the side and roll!
The moment his body just moved away from where it was...
BAM!!!!!!
A loud noise exploded where he was standing just now!
Boom!!!
The gravel was shot out, and a shallow pit was created on the solid black stone floor, which radiated and cracked like a spider web!
An exaggerated shape, with hands stained with blood and fire Warhammer, was deeply embedded in the broken stone slab, and the hammer head was even trembling slightly!
Sanglas rolled up in shock and half-knelt on the ground.
His left arm was cut open by a flying stone, and it hurt. He suddenly raised his head and looked in the direction of the attack.
I saw a tall and muscular figure slowly pulling up the Warhammer that had just caused horrific damage from the ground. When the hammer head left the ground, it brought up more gravel!
The most eye-catching thing is the helmet on his head, with its ferocious and majestic antlers extending to both sides, casting a silhouette like an ancient behemoth under the dancing firelight.
The burning flames seemed to sway and sag due to his movements, setting a flowing golden-red outline on his tall body.
At that moment, he seemed to be born from fire and blood just as Melisandre predicted...
Warrior!!!
Under the dull eyes of Sanglas, countless soldiers shouted "Long live Robert Baratheon Your Majesty" and filed in from behind the antlers Warrior, raising their weapons to attack the Red-cloaked Knights.
The situation that was originally a sure win was reversed in an instant!
And Warrior, who was wearing Antlered Helm, glanced across the messy platform, glanced at Melisandre standing dumbly in the corner with a complicated expression, and finally settled on Leo Sanglas.
Slowly lifting Warhammer on his shoulders, a domineering voice passed through Antlered Helm's faceplate and clearly reached Sanglas's ears. "You...
"What are you going to do to my woman?"