The ashes were blown away by the wind and mixed with the dried or fresh blood on the platform, making it impossible to distinguish them from each other.
The torn red robe lay empty and exhausted on the ground, like a fallen cicada shell, announcing the end of an era of fanaticism and paranoia.
Corleone raised his eyes and looked at Stannis Baratheon.
The King of Dragonstone stood there, relying on Ser Gerard's support to barely stand firm.
His face was pale, and the wound on his forehead was covered with dark red blood scabs. The broken parts of his armor revealed the blood-soaked shirt underneath. His breathing was shallow and rapid. Every inhalation affected the pain on his body, making his already tense face even more distorted.
His dark blue eyes were bloodshot and looked very tired.
He watched with his own eyes as Corleone killed someone in front of him, ending Melisandre's miracle of immortality. However, he abnormally did not try to uphold law and justice and declare the other party guilty.
Stannis just watched in silence, watching the Red Woman that had bound him tightly with fire and prophecy, brought him hope, and also brought him endless struggle and sin, turned into ashes.
His eyes stayed on Corleone's face for a moment, with a complicated expression, and then slowly moved away, landing behind Corleone, the sturdy young man who was still wearing a helmet at the moment, but seemed a little at a loss.
Stannis took a deep breath. This action seemed to consume a lot of his strength, and he coughed again.
He raised his hand to signal Gerard to loosen up, and tried to stand up straighter. Although his body was still swaying, he still tried to maintain his image as a king. "Come here, kid."
This was said to Gendry.
Gendry was shocked, and his eyes under his helmet looked at Stannis through the slit, and then quickly turned to Corleone, flashing a trace of panic, as if he was asking for his opinion.
Corleone felt his gaze and looked at Gendry. He did not speak, but nodded.
With the tacit approval, Gendry felt a little more at ease.
He took a deep breath and dragged Warhammer step by step until he stopped a few steps in front of Stannis.
Stannis looked Gendry up and down, his gaze lingering on the pair of antlers for a moment, and an indescribable emotion flashed through his eyes.
Maybe it's nostalgia, maybe it's pain, maybe it's both.
"Take off your helmet and let me see."
Stannis ordered, his tone flat but with an irresistible tone.
Hearing this, Gendry hesitated.
This helmet seemed to have become a shell for him, not only giving him courage and a certain illusory identity, but also protecting him to a certain extent, allowing him to temporarily hide behind "Robert's Ghost" without having to directly face his complicated origins and the blood-related uncle in front of him.
Taking it off means exposing your true self and facing everything.
He subconsciously looked at Corleone again, who was still standing there, arms folded and watching without any expression on his face, as if this was just a matter between Stannis and Gendry.
Gendry gritted his teeth.
He stretched out his hands, held both sides of the heavy and cold helmet, clasped his fingers on the edge, and lifted it up hard, and Antlered Helm was taken off.
The firelight on the terrace was not bright, but it was enough for everyone to see clearly the face under the helmet.
Very young, with thick short black hair that was weighed down by the helmet and was a little messy, stained with sweat and dust.
The eyebrows are thick and black, the bridge of the nose is straight, and the line of the jaw is strong. The most eye-catching thing is the eyes, which are as blue as the clear sky in midsummer, like the narrow sea under the sun outside Storm's End, clear and bright, with a hint of nervousness and confusion.
Gerard·Gower Ser's eyes widened and his mouth opened slightly.
Several other older knights also looked shocked, their eyes fixed on Gendry's face.
So similar!
Stannis stared quietly at this young face so close to him, and time seemed to overlap and intersect before his eyes.
He saw a face that was always filled with excess energy and laughed boldly. It was the young Robert, the high-spirited Duke of Storm's End holding Warhammer beside Trident.
He saw another handsome, elegant, cynical and gentle face, Renly.
And the face in front of me, the thick black hair, the blue eyes, the vague stubbornness between the eyebrows...
Like Robert, like Renly.
Only not like Stannis.
At this thought, Stannis felt a sense of loneliness and a dull pain in his heart.
Among the three Baratheon brothers, he seems to have always been an outlier.
Robert is brave and bold, Renly is handsome and friendly, but he, Stannis, will always be the "middle child" who is serious, cold, abiding by the law, not flexible, and unlovable.
Even his appearance is not similar to theirs.
He inherited more from his mother and was not as energetic as other Baratheon.
This difference invisibly created a barrier between him and his closest brothers.
Now, at this critical moment, looking at yet another piece of evidence of his brother's bloodline left in the world, this feeling is even more complicated and difficult to describe.
"It's so similar..." Stannis sighed in a low voice, "No matter how many times I see it.
As he spoke, his eyes slowly moved down and fell on the bloody Warhammer in Gendry's hand.
Of course Stannis recognizes the hammer.
"Is it useful?"
Hearing him ask this, Gendry tightened his grip on the hammer handle.
He glanced down at the hammer, then up at Stannis, and replied honestly, "It goes very well, Your Majesty."
Gendry's voice was a little dry, and his eyes met Stannis's inspection with complicated eyes.
He already knew that he was the illegitimate son of King Robert, so the man in front of him was, in a sense, his uncle by blood.
But this uncle used to treat him as a livestock to draw blood...
The experience was not pleasant.
He didn't know what mentality to face Stannis with, he just stood there holding the hammer and looking back at Stannis.
The two people, both of whom were not very good at words, stared at each other. The wind on the platform seemed to be getting colder.
"I think it's best for us to put aside the touching drama of family reunion now and think about how to solve the current predicament, such as how to escape alive from this island that is about to completely fall."
Seeing that these two uncles and nephews couldn't fart for a long time, Corleone took the initiative to break the deadlock.
His words were direct and practical, instantly bringing everyone back to reality.
Stannis turned to Corleone. Although he was tired and weak, his stubbornness was still engraved in his bones. "Dragonstone has not yet fallen."
"The soldiers of Baratheon will still fight to the end under the banner of their king and win."
He spoke very firmly, but anyone could hear it. It was more like a declaration, an insistence on one's own beliefs, rather than a calm judgment of the objective situation.
"Really?"
"Just how you are now?"
As soon as he said these words, Stannis's self-light swept across the remaining soldiers on the platform. After a great battle, there were only less than twenty people left at this moment.
Below the castle, the Redwin fleet's offensive seemed to have slowed down a bit, but everyone knew that this was just a brief calm before the storm.
"With all due respect, Lord Stannis."
Corleone shook his head and continued to analyze calmly, "Arbor's Redwin fleet has no less than two hundred large and small warships. In this raid, at least thousands of elite soldiers landed."
"And Dragonstone...
As he spoke, he spread his hands. "The defense line has been broken, the command is in chaos, and the soldiers have either died or surrendered or are fighting independently."
"What you call fighting to the end", apart from letting the last bloodline and loyal ministers of the Baratheon family be completely destroyed today, I really can't see any other meaning."
Corleone's words are very ruthless, but they express the cruelty of reality.
Ser Gerard's expression changed, and several old knights lowered their heads.
They all know these facts. The fleet of the Redwyne family is famous in the Seven Kingdoms and is the largest and best-trained fleet in Westeros.
Since the outbreak of the war, they have never really gone into battle and have been Arbor recuperating their energy. They are definitely in their prime at the moment!
Stannis's expression did not change, but his hand holding the sword hilt tightened significantly, and a trace of fresh blood oozed from the wound on his forehead due to the tight muscles, slowly flowing down his temple.
He didn't refute because he couldn't refute.
The king of Dragonstone Island had a solemn expression, showing a hint of powerlessness at this moment.
How could he not know that the situation was critical?
It's just the pride and responsibility of being a king that makes Stannis unable to easily say the words "retreat" or "failure".
The atmosphere on the terrace was even more subdued.
Even the most loyal Ser Gerard clenched his fists at this moment, despair flashing in his eyes.
They are not afraid of fighting to the death, but if given a chance to live, no one would really be willing to die easily.
After a long silence, Stannis finally raised his eyes and looked at Corleone again.
This time, his self-reflection was a little less guarded and less condescending than before.
"Is there any way, Vito·Corleone?"
He knew very well that the man in front of him was Emissary of Lannister, but Stannis also knew that when the Redwin fleet launched a general attack at this moment, it meant that Tywin had obviously abandoned Corleone.
Moreover, the other party had saved himself just now, even though he also killed Melisandre in front of him.
More importantly, the calmness and disregard for conventional thinking that Corleone has shown since arriving on the island may be the only opportunity to bring about changes in this desperate situation.
But he was standing here now, not choosing to run away.
This means he has a solution.
Or, at least, he thought he had a way.
Faced with Stannis' question, Corleone did not answer immediately.
He turned around, his eyes fell on Gendry, and then looked at Gerard and several old knights.
"Battle of the Blackwater Rush, how did you lose at the last critical moment?"
As soon as these words came out, the expressions of everyone on the platform changed.
It was a nightmare they didn't want to remember.
Ser Gerard His breathing suddenly became rapid. He closed his eyes and seemed to see the scene of that day again.
Wildfires burned on the Blackwater River, and the green flames swallowed up most of Stannis' fleet. On the city walls, soldiers fought desperately to break the city.
But the fatal blow that truly shattered the morale of Stannis's army was when Garlan Tyrell put on the gorgeous and dazzling armor of the late Renly Baratheon!
At that moment, the rumor that "King Renly came back from the dead and led an army of ghosts to fight for his nephew Joffrey" spread like a plague among Stannis's army.
Countless vassals and soldiers who were originally loyal to Renly, but turned to Stannis after Renly's death, their faith suddenly collapsed, and they defected or fled on the battlefield, leading to the final complete collapse.
Because the nobles of the Stormlands were originally dissatisfied with Stannis's harsh and indifferent rule, they followed Renly out of love and followed Stannis only because he was the "legitimate heir".
The knights turned their lances, no longer charging towards the walls of King's Landing, but towards their former allies.
Chaos spreads like a plague, and Stannis' carefully organized offensive falls apart in an instant.
In the end, he had to retreat and watched the victory he had almost achieved slip away from his fingertips.
And all this is just because a person puts on a suit of armor.
"You want him..." Ser Gerard couldn't help but say.
He looked at Gendry, at the face so similar to Robert's, and at the bloody Warhammer.
A bold and crazy idea took shape in my mind.
Seeing this, Corleone smiled.
"It works pretty well, doesn't it?"
"Since Tyrell and the Lannister can use Renly's ghost to break your morale, now is the time for them to also have a taste of fighting against the ghost army."
"Especially, our ghost is "more powerful and more orthodox!"
As soon as these words came out, the eyes of everyone present were focused on Gendry again!
This time, the meaning in the eyes is completely different!
If news really comes out that Robert Baratheon has come back from the dead... the effect will definitely be a hundred times better than Renly's "rebirth"!
After all, before proclaiming himself king, Renly was just the Duke of Storm's End. Although he was deeply loved by many nobles, his influence was mainly limited to the Stormlands and part of the Reach.
And Robert...
Robert·Baratheon I!
He is the king recognized by all the seven the Seven Kingdomss, the hero who overthrew the Targaryen dynasty, and the most heroic Warrior on the Trident side!
What would the soldiers think if they saw Robert's "ghost" fighting for Stannis?
Ser Gerard's breathing suddenly became extremely rapid. He turned to Stannis suddenly, a trace of fanaticism ignited in his eyes, and his voice trembled slightly with excitement. "Your Majesty!"
"Maybe... maybe it actually works, if word gets around and those landing soldiers see...
.. Their military morale must be shaken!"
"We may be able to buy time, or even take advantage of the situation to create chaos and fight back!"
As soon as these words came out, several other knights also nodded, and the fire of hope rekindled in their eyes.
Everyone turned their attention to Stannis, waiting for him to make a decision.
Because he is the king, the embodiment of the law, and the only one who can make decisions at this moment.
The sea breeze blew across the platform, bringing with it a biting chill.
Stannis stood there, his face paler than before. He looked at Gendry, at the Warhammer, and then at the expectant eyes of the knights around him.
Finally, he said coldly, "You plan to let an illegitimate son wear my brother's helmet, pretend to be the king, and lead my army?"
Stannis's eyes pierced Gendry sharply, then swept over everyone, and categorically shouted, "There is no honor in this!"
Sure enough, Stannis is still as stubborn as ever, adhering to his harsh and inhumane rules.
These words instantly extinguished people's newly raised hopes.
Ser Gerard and others showed unconcealable disappointment and frustration on their faces. They knew their king too well. Once he denied something based on "principle", it meant that there was almost no room for change.
It seems that we can only fight to the bitter end.
Gerard silently clenched the sword, preparing to fulfill the oath he had made and follow the king to death.
However, just when this desperate atmosphere was about to solidify.
"Kneel down."
Stannis's voice sounded again, still commanding, but something seemed different.
Gendry was stunned and looked at Stannis in confusion.
Stannis did not look at him, but slowly raised his Longsword, held the hilt of the sword with both hands, and stood the sword upright in front of him, with the tip of the sword pointing downwards and pointing to the ground.
He raised his eyes, stared straight at Gendry, and repeated, "Kneel down, child."
"Face your king."
Hearing this, Gendry's heart skipped a beat!
He seemed to have a premonition of something, but he couldn't believe it.
He subconsciously looked at Corleone again, trying to seek guidance.
I saw Corleone standing a little far away with his arms folded, without any unexpected expression on his face, as if he had expected it.
He met Gendry's gaze, tilted his head, and motioned for the other person to follow suit.
Seeing this, Gendry took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
He looked around and saw the eyes of Ser Gerard and the others igniting a brighter light again, and then met Stannis's dark blue eyes.
No more hesitation.
Clang.
Place the Warhammer in your hand gently on the ground and make a dull sound.
Gendry then stepped forward and knelt down in front of Stannis.
His movements were a little stiff, he looked a little nervous, and he lowered his head.
There was silence on the platform, with only the whistling of the wind playing the background music for this impromptu ceremony.
Stannis held his sword in both hands, the tip of the sword just inches away from Gendry's lowered head.
He straightened his body, but his voice was extremely stable and loud, carrying the majesty of a king. "In the names of the gods, old and new."
"I, Stannis Baratheon I, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Warden of the Realm."
"I hereby declare...
His eyes fell on Gendry's lowered head, and his voice was slightly lower, but clearer. "Gendry, flows with the veins of Robert Baratheon, my brother, the first King's Blood."
The sword in his hand was pressed down slightly, and the cold sword spine gently touched the top of Gendry's head, symbolizing the granting of protection and responsibility.
"Here today, in the presence of all loyal knights and fearless soldiers...
At this point, Stannis's voice suddenly rose. "With the authority of the king, I will erase the mark of your illegitimate son!"
"I will classify you as the orthodox member of the Baratheon family. After today, I will send someone to write a letter and take it to the Seven Kingdoms from Ravens to announce your identity!"
"From now on and until eternity, you shall bear the surname of your father, King Robert Baratheon I, inherit the rights and honor of his bloodline, and bear the important responsibility of defending the family, the Seven Kingdoms and the law!"
After the words fell, Stannis took back Longsword and pointed the tip of the sword to the ground again.
He panted slightly, the declaration just now consumed a lot of energy from him.
"Get up, Gendry Baratheon."
Gendry·Baratheon!
This name rang in Gendry's mind. He slowly raised his head, his blue eyes full of shock and confusion, but seemed to carry a heavy weight.
From a nameless blacksmith apprentice struggling at the bottom of King's Landing, to a livestock being used and sold, in a short period of time, he experienced prisoners, Warrior, and impostors. Finally, on this Jedi platform where the smoke had not cleared and the bloodstains had not dried, he was personally given the once out-of-reach surname Baratheon by a king who was known for his harshness.
He stood up and seemed to feel that the ground beneath his feet was different.
The Antlered Helm was lying quietly at his feet. Looking at it now, it was no longer just a prop for pretending, but seemed to have some kind of blood connection with him.
Stannis sheathed Longsword, swept his light across Gendry, then over Corleone, and finally threw it towards the island where the battle was still taking place below.
His face was still tired, but some kind of desperate flame seemed to have been rekindled in those dark blue eyes.
"Now."
"Let's talk about how to get "King Robert Baratheon" to fight for his the Seven Kingdoms again."
Arbor Queen.
In the huge cabin, candlelight casts swaying light and shadow on the pearl-inlaid panels.
Paxter Redwin Earl sat on the carved oak chair, his shoulders sagging slightly as usual.
He has a slender figure, and the few remaining orange-yellow hairs on his bald head have been carefully combed, but they still cannot hide the traces left by time and the sea breeze.
"Father, the third batch of landing troops have all landed."
The speaker was his second son, Hobb Redwine, a young man about twenty years old.
He has a mediocre appearance, with orange hair and a square face covered with freckles. He doesn't look very smart. He is standing in the center of the cabin at the moment, his armor shining brightly, and his face with the rosy luster of victory in the first battle.
"The east wall of the castle has been breached, and the defenders have retreated to the inner courtyard."
"Much easier than expected."
Hearing this, Paxter raised his eyes, as calm as the sea.
"Don't be too happy, son."
"Things that are too easy tend to cause variables."
His voice was dry and calm. "Stannis Baratheon is not someone who collapses at the first line of defense."
"Battle of the Blackwater Rush, he lost three-quarters of his army, but he was still able to regroup and defend Dragonstone for several months. This person is very difficult to deal with."
However, Hobo waved his hand indifferently. "That was in the past, but now he has betrayed his relatives and left his relatives, and the soldiers are hungry and fighting. What kind of fighting spirit can they have?"
Regarding his son's evaluation, Paxter did not comment, but there was a smile on the corner of his mouth.
Although Stannis Baratheon is difficult to deal with, he has absolute confidence in his fleet.
You know, he brought nearly 6,000 people to the island this time, but where is Stannis?
Up to two thousand people.
Six thousand versus two people, I have the advantage!
"Where's the guy named Vito·Corleone?"
Suddenly, Paxter asked abruptly.
As soon as these words came out, Hobo's face immediately became serious. "There is no news yet."
"Our people searched the captured area and found no trace of him. Perhaps he was hiding deep in the inner fort, or he was dead and his body was thrown away unknown where."
That's what he said, but his increasingly lower tone showed that even he himself didn't believe it.
"Let the soldiers continue searching."
Paxter did not blame his son, but gave an unquestionable order, "The Prime Minister has issued a death order, and this man must die."
"Yes, father." Hobb nodded, and then asked doubtfully, "Why does Lord Tywin attach so much importance to such a person?"
"Because he is the son of Farmer, but in just a few months, he established a very stable force in King's Landing."
Paxter stood up and walked to the porthole.
Through the window, he could clearly see the outline of Dragonstone Castle, and several firelights illuminated the night sky.
"Tywin Lannister can tolerate useful tools, but not tools with a will of their own."
"And that Vito·Corleone, he not only wants to control that slum, but also transforms it according to his own wishes.
"He established order there, distributed food, opened Clinic, and even established a strange loyalty system where people no longer obeyed him just out of fear, but also out of gratitude."
Hobo frowned. "What's wrong with this? A stable King's Landing is good for everyone."
"Good for King's Landing, but not good for Lannister." Paxter slowly walked back to his seat and looked at his son calmly. "Tywin wants absolute control. He wants everyone to know that all order in Westeros comes from Lannister and him as prime minister."
"And the order established by Corleone in Flea Bottom is the order of Corleone", which hints at another possibility. Perhaps the world can function without Lannister."
He paused and continued, "What's even more dangerous is that in just a few months, Corleone turned the most chaotic and dirty place in the seven the Seven Kingdoms into the most disciplined area in King's Landing."
"If he continues to live and continue to expand his influence...
As soon as these words came out, Hopper finally understood. "So Tywin must kill him."
"Not just because he could be a threat, but because he's a bad example."
"That's right." Pax nodded. "So remember, Hopper."
"We have to fight this battle not only for the Redwines, but also for the Lannisters. Corleone must die and the body must be identified, otherwise, your brother will be in danger in the Red Keep."
"I understand, father." Hopper replied honestly, lowering his head.
Since the beginning of the war, his brother Li Sheng, Horas Redwyne, has been held hostage in King's Landing. Therefore, the Redwyne family did not join Renly Baratheon's army together with other lords of the Reach.
After Renly's death, Hobb was allowed to accompany Petyr Baelish to Bitterbridge to negotiate with the Tyrell family, while Horas remained in the Red Keep as a hostage.
This trick worked so well that Paxter had to do his best for Lannister.
But...
A trace of unwillingness flashed in Hobo's eyes. He and his brother were obviously born on the same day. Why is the other the heir of the Redwin family?
Just because that guy came out ten minutes earlier than me?
Hum!
Dad is too partial!
The good-for-nothing eldest son of the Tully family next door was forced by Randy Tully Earl to become the Wall and become Night's Watch, and he made it clear that he would pass the position of Earl to his second son.
Why can't I?
Just when Hobo was dissatisfied, there were rapid footsteps outside the cabin.
A herald rushed in without permission, his face pale.
"Earl-sama... the frontline... there is an urgent report from the frontline!"