Chapter 110 Black news
(Vol. 2 Blood and Fire)
Different from the scorching sun in the south, the summer in the north is still cold and howling.
Here, it is difficult for delicate flowers to survive, and only the most tenacious vegetation such as sturdy oaks, old iron trees, and hard feather grasses can adapt to this icy and snowy climate.
Also unacceptable, there is also the belief in the south.
Different from the seven gods who have names and surnames and have kind faces, people in the northern region believe in those ancient gods who have neither name nor appearance. The earliest aborigines in this continent - the ancient beliefs of the children of the forest.
Therefore, it is also called "Old God".
The Old Gods had no preaching priests, no pious prayers, no carols of praise, and even no unified worship ceremony. Some of them were just weirwood trees carved with human faces.
Northern people believe that the weirwood is the incarnation of the gods. They can look at the world through the faces on the weirwood, listen to prayers, and shelter believers.
It is said that the oldest weirwood tree in the northern region is in the godswood forest in Winterfell, and it has experienced tens of thousands of years.
Guardian of the North, Duke of Winterfell, Ed Stark was kneeling in front of this weirwood, praying silently.
This is the routine homework he has to do every day.
The huge canopy almost covered the entire yard. The deep red leaves were like thousands of blood-stained palms. A melancholy and deep face was carved on the trunk, full of vigilance and weird smell.
Its eyes shed red tears—the sap of the weirwood, as if lamenting the misery of the world and the impermanence of fate.
The sound of footsteps behind him startled Duke Eddard, and he turned around to find his wife Caitlin Tully walking.
"What's the matter, Caitlin?" He noticed that his wife looked very bad.
Katelyn stepped on the thick humus that had accumulated for thousands of years and came to her husband, and took out a letter:
"Ed, the raven has brought bad news."
"Black wings, bring black news." Duke Eddie sighed in a low voice, and at the same time took the letter from his wife and opened it.
Caitlin held her husband's hand, and soon, she felt his grief.
She knew that her husband had been an adopted son in the Eyrie when he was young, and that the then childless Lord Jon Arryn treated him and another adopted son, Robert Baratheon, as if they were his own sons.
When the "Mad King" Aerys Targaryen II asked Duke Jon to hand over his two adopted sons, the Duke of Eyrie City, who valued glory above all else, would rather rebel than betray the people he swore to protect. .
Biological father and son, maybe that's all.
"How could it be?" Duke Eddard held the letter firmly, "Jon...how did he die suddenly?"
Caitlin hesitated for a while, and finally took out another letter: "This is a letter from my sister Lysa, she said...Prince Oberyn poisoned her husband to death."
Duke Ed took the letter in a hurry, and after a quick scan, his body trembled even more.
Caitlin couldn't help reminding: "Ed, Lysa has been hit too hard, and her spirit is not stable, so what she's telling may not be the truth."
Duke Ed stood up suddenly, and suddenly pulled out the giant sword [Ice] in his hand.
This two-handed giant sword made of Valyrian steel has been passed down by the Stark family for more than four hundred years, but it is still as sharp as ever. The name of the sword.
At that time, Stark was still King in the North.
"I want to find out the truth!" Duke Ed's voice was as cold as iron, holding the giant sword tightly.
Caitlin opened her mouth, but said nothing after all.
Duke Ed stared straight at the weeping eyes on the weirwood, remained silent for a long time, and finally asked a question full of sadness and resentment:
"The gods are not fair!"
—————
"Damn the gods!"
In the meeting hall of King's Landing Red Castle, angry roars echoed,
"And you, all damned!"
King Robert Baratheon, who has not attended the imperial meeting for many years, unexpectedly appeared in front of all the cabinet ministers today.
However, the attitude is extremely bad.
The stomach of the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms was as big as his voice, and a thick black beard as thick as wire wire covered his fat double chin. Thick dark circles and sagging skin were signs of excessive wine, you know, just Fifteen years ago, the king was a handsome and handsome knight who roamed the battlefield.
When he was wearing armor, wearing a huge helmet with antlers, and holding a hammer with iron spikes, he was a veritable invincible **** of war.
Although he no longer has the size and bravery of the past, his momentum is still there.
Under the roar, all the cabinet ministers were silent.
"Varys!"
"Your Majesty." Intelligence Chief "Octospider" Valas's fat body trembled, and he responded hastily.
"Tell me, did the Red Viper kill Jon?"
"Your Majesty..." Varys said with a bitter face, "I don't know about this..."
"Crap! Don't you know everything? Crap! It's all crap!" Robert growled again, spraying all the spittle on Varys' face, but he didn't dare to wipe it.
After cursing, Robert panted heavily, and it took him a while to regain his composure, and ordered:
"Let the 'Red Viper' come to King's Landing immediately, and I will personally preside over his trial!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"And the nobles who were present at that time, let them all come to testify!"
"yes."
Afterwards, the chamber fell into silence again, only the sound of Robert's heavy breathing was heard.
Duke Stannis Baratheon of Dragonstone finally broke the silence:
"Your Majesty, the top priority should be to appoint a new king."
Robert's eyes slowly swept across everyone's faces: "What do you think?"
After another brief silence, Pai Sear, who was in college, took the lead in saying:
"Your Majesty, I think Duke Tywin Lannister is the most competent. After all, he has been the Hand of the King for twenty years and has a wealth of experience..."
"What experience?" Robert interrupted coldly, "The experience of making a 'Mad King'?"
Paycell defended in a low voice: "Your Majesty, you cannot blame Lord Tywin for the fault of King Aerys II..."
Under Robert's icy gaze, Pycelle's voice became smaller and smaller, and finally he lowered his head, not daring to speak any more.
Just as the atmosphere in the chamber was stagnant again, a crisp voice suddenly sounded at the door:
"Your Majesty, why can't my father be the Hand of the King?"
When everyone turned their heads, they saw Queen Cersei walking in slowly.
She has golden curly hair and emerald green eyes typical of the Lannister family. Although she has given birth to three children, she is still slender and graceful. The "Light of the West" woman has just turned thirty, and she is the most attractive age in her life. The gods also love her very much, and there are not many traces of time left on that beautiful face.
But even so, she still couldn't get her husband's favor.
"Woman." Robert snapped angrily, "Is the Imperial Council the place you should be?"
"Your Majesty, I just happened to pass by and heard you discussing..."
"Then keep passing by."
"Your Majesty..."
"Damn it! Didn't you understand a word I just said?" Robert's voice rose again. "Get out!"
Cersei's body trembled slightly, her eyes stayed on her husband's face for a moment, and finally she lifted her skirt and self-esteem, and strode away.
"Go on," said Robert.
Several ministers exchanged glances, and finally Petyr Baelish, Minister of Finance "Littlefinger" said:
"Your Majesty, the Hand of the King manages the country on behalf of the King, so it should be the person you trust the most."
This seemed like nonsense, but Robert was lost in thought.
After a while, the king got up and ordered:
"Get ready, I'm going to Winterfell."
(end of this chapter)