Chapter 370 Sacrifice
Dragonstone Island, Hall of Tables and Tables.
"Onion Knight" Davos Seaworth pushed the door in, and saw Stannis Baratheon standing behind a huge wooden table.
The king was wearing a gray woolen coat and a red gold crown in the shape of a flame, but compared to before, he seemed to be ten years older. His hair was already gray and gray, his eyes had become deep blue hollows, and even under his face The shape of the head can be seen.
Davos sighed to himself. That hellish battle at Blackwater Bay nearly destroyed the king.
For more than a year, he shut himself in the chamber at the top of the tower, seeing no one and giving no orders—except that Lord Alister Florent, Hand of the King, should be thrown into the black cell.
Because Earl Alister had persuaded Stannis to marry his daughter Princess Shireen to Tommen Lannister to reach a settlement.
And Stannis' furious reaction also proved that even in this near-endless situation, the king did not think about surrendering.
But he couldn't stop his men from surrendering...
"Davos," Stannis said, "they are leaving me, why are you still at Dragonstone?"
"Because of the oath, and because you raised me from a lowly smuggler to a knight." Davos replied without hesitation.
Stannis nodded expressionlessly:
"If everyone in the world kept their oaths like you, maybe there would be no war. But alas..."
After a pause, he gritted his teeth and continued:
"The lord of Crab Island, Earl Celtiga, has also joined Lannister, did you know?"
Davos nodded silently.
Stannis said coldly:
"Someone suggested that I lead an army to attack Crab Island, execute Earl Tigar, and burn his castle to warn the traitors. What do you think of this idea?"
"This is a stupid idea." Davos said without hesitation.
"Why? You don't think I can't even capture Crab Island now, do you?"
"Of course not." Davos knew that although the last battle of Blackwater Bay suffered heavy losses, there are still more than a thousand soldiers on Dragonstone Island. It's easy to get off. But I want to ask you, why is Crab Island in such a state?"
Stannis didn't answer, he was grinding his teeth.
Davos didn't seem to care that his words would anger the king, and continued:
"Because when you issued the call-up order, Earl Celtiga brought his fleet and soldiers to support you without reservation. In Blackwater Bay, they fought and died for you."
"But now they're defecting!" Stannis said, raising his voice, angrily.
"People are different, some are strong and some are weak." Davos said, "Earl Celtigar is an old man who has lost almost everything. Even if you can't forgive his weakness, you shouldn't kill him. That one will make you appear…”
"What does it look like?" Stannis said coldly. "It is the duty of every lord to be loyal to the legitimate king. Celtigar forgot his responsibility and deserved it."
Davos knew that he would regret it, but he still contradicted almost crazily:
"Why didn't you remain loyal to the rightful king, Aerys Targaryen, when your brother Robert rose up?"
There is an eerie silence in the room.
Stannis had a swollen vein on his forehead, and the sound of grinding his teeth became extra loud.
"Smuggler, I can shorten your tongue too."
"I am your man, Your Majesty, and the tongue is also yours, and it is up to you to dispose of it." Davos said, "But I still want to tell the truth, although it is often very bitter."
Stannis calmed down a bit, but the anger in his eyes remained undiminished. After staring at the Onion Knight for a while, he squeezed out a word:
"explain."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Davos breathed a sigh of relief secretly, "No matter how angry you are, the reality is that we have suffered heavy losses in Blackwater Bay, and we are no longer able to fight against Lannister or other predators, even if you kill Earl Celtigar, burning Crab Island to the ground won't change that."
"Then what should I do? Surrender to the Lannisters?"
"No. Lannisters are nothing more than jesters who stole the throne."
"What about Caesar? I heard that he has returned to Westeros and brought back the girl from the Targaryen family. She is of the blood of a true dragon."
"The blood of the real dragon is full of tyranny and madness." Davos still shook his head, "In my opinion, only you are qualified to rule the Seven Kingdoms."
Stannis showed a wry smile:
"But with the people I have now, how can I compete with Lannister and Caesar for the Iron Throne?"
"People's hearts."
"That's because they can't see your determination and courage." Davos said loudly, "Your Majesty, you can't stay on this island anymore, you have to do something."
"What else can I do? You don't agree to attack Crab Island."
"You can go to the Great Wall."
"The Great Wall?" Stannis frowned, "You also think there are real ghosts?"
"Regardless of whether there are White Walkers or not, at least the wildlings are going south. If they are allowed to break through the Great Wall, it will cause great disaster to the North and even the whole of Westeros. You should march north to save this country."
Stannis was silent.
Davos said again: "Just as it is foolish to put the carriage before the horse, it is putting the cart before the horse by winning the Iron Throne. You should save the kingdom to win the Iron Throne."
"Sir Davos is right!" A loud voice came from the door, "Your Majesty, compared with the real battle to come, the fight for the Iron Throne is nothing more than a fight between children. The ancient alien gods of Dao are gathering strength, and with the cold wind blowing and winter coming, unbelievable horrors will also come outside the Great Wall."
Davos turned his head and saw Soros, the red robe monk, standing at the door, accompanied by Queen Selyse Florent.
"My lord, Your Excellency Soros is right." Queen Selyse walked to the king and took his arm, "The White Walkers are coming, Westeros must unite, and in the name of the only legitimate king, also It is you, the Prophet's Prince, Lord of Dragonstone, Chosen of R'hllor."
Stannis showed a painful expression:
"Since the true **** chose me, why did my fleet be engulfed by fire in Blackwater Bay? Now I have only 1,300 people left under my command. Can this power alone stop the invasion of the aliens?"
"Three hundred years ago, the soldiers under Aegon the Conqueror were almost as small as this." Soros said.
"But he has dragons."
"You can have too."
Stannis narrowed his eyes and said:
"Where did I get the dragon?"
Soros opened his arms and said loudly:
"Your Majesty, the ancient prophecy has long predicted that you will wake up the sleeping dragon from the stone. They are right in front of your eyes, but you just turn a blind eye."
Indeed, Dragonstone is littered with statues of dragons.
But it's just a statue, it's a stone.
However, these are statues cast by Valyrians, and it is said that they contain the witchcraft of blood and fire.
Maybe it can really hatch a dragon...
"How to wake up?" Stannis asked patiently.
"King's blood." Soros said, "Only death can buy life. Your Majesty, you need to sacrifice a person with the king's blood to R'hllor, so that the dragon in the stone can be awakened. Back then That is what Caesar did in heaven and city."
"King's blood?" Stannis seemed to realize something, staring at Thoros with cold eyes, and asked, "Who do you want to sacrifice?"
Soros lowered his head: "Your daughter, Shireen."
"You're crazy!" Davos blurted out.
Stannis suddenly turned his head to look at his wife:
"He told you about this?"
Queen Selyse's lips trembled, but she still gritted her teeth and nodded, and said frantically:
"Sacrifice is required for redemption! In order to quench the 'Lightbringer', Azor Ahai used the painstaking efforts of his wife Nissa Nissa! Your Majesty, if you want to awaken the dragon, you must also sacrifice!"
"Shireen is my only daughter." Stannis said coldly, "and your only daughter!"
"Shireen has greyscale, which is a polluted blood." Queen Selyse hugged the king tightly, "I am still young, and I can give birth to more children for you!"
"Your Majesty!" Davos shouted, "I don't know dragons, and I don't know R'hllor, but everyone knows that kinslayers will be cursed by the gods forever! You can't hurt your own flesh and blood!"
"Winter is coming." Soros said, "Your Majesty, if you can't stop the White Walkers, your daughter will eventually die in the long night and cold winter, and thousands of Westeros will die at the same time. A great redemption requires a great sacrifice, and you must make difficult choices, Your Majesty."
"Your Majesty..."
"Husband..."
"Enough!" Stannis roared. "Get out, you all! I need quiet!"
"Yes." The three retreated in response.
Stannis was the only one left in the room. He took off the red gold crown on his head, threw it on the table, and walked to the large French window to the north.
Outside is the starry sky at night and the deep sea.
Stannis stood for a long time, silent, as if he had become a stone statue.
(end of this chapter)