Chapter 83: Blood and Fire Are Coming
Afternoon.
The Priestess of the Lord of Light had retreated, draped in white robes.
King Joffrey I summoned his attendant, straightened his attire, and took the true Daenerys to the Throne Room for deliberation.
Joffrey was in a good mood.
This meeting with Melisandre had been fruitful.
Just her illusions alone were incredibly realistic, making one's appetite soar.
Although, like the patterns seen in the fire, the two patterns that appeared when the Priestess performed her illusions were still something to be observed from afar and not touched.
But he could feel that these two patterns must be related to Light Runes and Mind Runes.
The appearance of three patterns, both familiar and unfamiliar, one after another, and all unobtainable, was by no means a mere coincidence.
Evolved versions of Runes?
World rules nurtured by heaven and earth?
Joffrey vaguely understood: he must have seen the deeper source code of the world, the power of the gods, the cornerstone of A Song of Ice and Fire.
The existence and power of the true god, the Lord of Light, had been completely verified.
More crucially, the Lord of Light had shown no reaction despite the extent of his actions, indicating that He either paid no attention or did not care.
This was incredibly good news.
Joffrey only hoped that His attention to the mortal world would come as late as possible.
It would be best if the Lord of Light arrived late, only after Westeros had become a Heaven on Earth, an era of magic, the master of the world.
By then, even a true god might fall to the mortal realm and become an experiment subject on the empire's path forward.
Renly and the Lords of the Stormlands were the first stepping stones.
The empire rose from this moment.
Joffrey stepped into the Throne Room, where a crowd of courtiers had already gathered, all with their eyes welcoming the King and the girl beside him.
Silver hair, purple eyes, exquisite features – it was clear she possessed pure Valyrian blood.
Those with good information had already learned the truth.
The new Master of Whisperers, Elin Lantel, had risen because of this girl. After all, she and her brother were the last descendants of the direct line of House Targaryen, the biggest challengers to the Baratheon Throne.
The King sat on the much rounder and better-fitting Iron Throne high above.
Many couldn't help but recall the scorching iron that day, and the giant who radiated infinite light and heat during the King's coronation.
"It is with regret that I inform you all that Uncle Renly sent a declaration of war this morning, claiming that I am not my father's son and that by all laws, he will reclaim his rightful Iron Throne with sword and steel."
The courtiers standing below were all dumbfounded, acting as if they had heard of the coming of Doomsday.
"The Gods, how dare Lord Renly do such a thing?"
"The Seven Kingdoms are about to face disaster again!"
"King Robert loved him so much, and this is how his brother repays him!?"
"Alas, why didn't we see it before."
"Could it be that King Robert and Duke Stannis..."
The ministers sitting at the council table were relatively calm, merely looking at the agitated and indignant courtiers with serious expressions.
The King was expressionless, contemplating the timing to completely replace the Iron Throne.
The Iron Throne could be just a chair, but it could also be seen as a symbol of royal authority and rule. Replacing it would be equivalent to rejecting the legitimacy of the regime inherited from the Targaryen Dynasty, no less than a great revolution.
But which matter from now on wouldn't be a revolution?
Joffrey secretly arranged the steps: first defeat Renly, the Reach, and Dorne, replace the Iron Throne, resist the Others, and elevate to an empire.
By then, the seat he sat upon would not be the Targaryen Throne, nor the Baratheon Throne, but an Emperor's Throne belonging solely to him, which no one could question in the slightest.
The uproar gradually subsided after a long while.
The Master of Coin, The Imp, shook his head and chuckled, "Lord Renly is truly out of luck. If he had left a few days later and witnessed the Divine Grace His Majesty received during his coronation with his own eyes, he would not have written such ridiculous slanders. Could it be that The Gods would favor a bastard?"
Even Loras below couldn't help but feel confused. Was Lord Renly merely making an excuse, or did he truly believe this?
Everyone nodded in agreement, their eyes constantly scanning forward.
The three Regents' faces were as still as water; no one could tell that two of them already knew the answer.
Only Hand of the King Eddard's heart was in turmoil.
He didn't know if he should be suspicious. Joffrey wasn't Robert's son? What a terrifying hypothesis.
If so, many things that had happened this year would completely change. The marriage alliance, Bloodraven, the Miracle, the war, Hand of the King Jon, the deaths of Stannis and Robert...
The vortex was too dark for Eddard to see clearly.
Who harmed Robert?
Setting aside all honor and emotion, not just Bloodraven, Joffrey, and Renly, but almost anyone could have harmed King Robert.
Look at the chaos created by Robert's death. Renly is about to approach the Iron Throne with blood and fire. Regardless of victory or defeat, how many people will die because of this, and how many will be promoted?
The only thing Eddard could do was protect his eldest son. Robb must stay in Winterfell; the South is not suitable for him, nor for any proud Northerner.
Regent Tywin said solemnly, "Thanks to Lord Eddard's timely message, the North, the Riverlands, and the Vale have answered the Royal Family's call. Twenty thousand elite soldiers in Lannisport are already prepared for battle, and more are gathering."
The Hound said, "The King's Landing City Watch has begun expanding. The young men will all be bathed in Divine Grace and be able to fight a hundred with one."
"The Royal Fleet is on standby at all times."
Queen Mother Cersei's tone was resolute, "Want to bully my son and me? Renly's ambition will not succeed!"
Such ample preparations! The atmosphere in the hall became even heavier.
Master of Whisperers Elin stood up, "Lords of the Stormlands and the Reach, contact your families as soon as possible. To be honest, Renly, who is destined to fail and be scorned, is not the True King. The more you work for him, the more tragic the outcome will be."
The Courtiers gradually became restless. Yes, who would dare say that His Majesty would lose?
Creak
The door of the Throne Room was pushed open a crack.
Everyone looked towards the doorway. A thin man with silver hair and purple eyes walked in, leading a pure white Stag.
The man kept his head bowed low, his steps slow, until he reached the center of the hall and his legs gave way, kneeling on the ground. "Your, Your Majesty, the Gods protect you. This white deer in the Kingswood is truly a Miracle. It should be, your mount."
The King looked slightly confused, "Is it a deer? Viserion Targaryen, why does it look like a Dragon to me, a Dragon that breathes Fire?"
The white deer appropriately breathed out a puff of flame, illuminating the entire Throne Room.
Everyone's gazes were like sharp blades stabbing at Viserion, almost driving him mad, but in the end, he just humbly kowtowed and corrected himself, "Your Majesty, pardon me, it is a Dragon, a Dragon that breathes Fire. I saw it wrong, it is a Dragon."
This Viserion is the last hope of the House Targaryen? People couldn't help but show expressions of pity or mockery.
The Dragon House is completely finished.
The King yawned lazily, "That's all for today. Everyone go back and rest. Don't be nervous, Uncle Renly will not see King's Landing again, unless he surrenders."
"Long live Your Majesty!"
Everyone knew. Although there was no clash of swords, no armies facing each other, the war had already begun.
This is war. At first, it came too slowly, almost as if it didn't exist, making people unable to resist complaining and even anticipating it, but when it truly arrived, it was too violent and sudden.
Regardless, Blood and Fire Are Coming.
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