Chapter 212 - Chapter 342: The Pact of Kings

Stannis's expression shifted between gloom and anger. "If you leave," he asked, "what happens to the Wall?"Dany shrugged. "I'll send word to the Citadel and let them know about the White Walkers. I'll inform every noble house in the Seven Kingdoms. With living proof—and dead proof—they'll have to believe."After I take Dragonstone, I'll fulfill a prince's duty and supply the Night's Watch with gold dragons and dragonglass weapons. But in Westeros I have no sworn bannermen; I can't station soldiers on the Wall.""Your Grace," Jon said, "compared with freeing slaves, the coming Long Night is a far greater threat to humankind. Why not end the fighting in Slaver's Bay and send the Unsullied to the Wall?""Yes," Bowen Marsh echoed earnestly. "Your army swept aside hundreds of thousands. If they're that strong, bring them north. Perhaps they could clear every White Walker beyond the Wall in a few months."Dany looked at them both and asked in return, "Would you abandon the Wall to fight the slave-masters in Slaver's Bay?""We are the Night's Watch," the red-riding pomegranate began, then faltered. "Guarding Westeros is our charge. We cannot meddle in another land's wars."Dany smiled. "Exactly—as the Watch has its calling, the soldiers of Slaver's Bay have theirs: to defend the newly freed.""But guarding the Wall protects more than Westeros!" Jon protested. "White Walkers are the enemy of all mankind; the Long Night will not stop at our shores. The sooner we end them, the sooner night ends—for everyone."Such noble conviction, the savior."You're right," Dany agreed, then addressed him solemnly. "All peoples should set quarrels aside and form one united front against the dead."If the coalition lifts its campaign against Slaver's Bay and allows my forces safe passage through their lands, I'll be the first to answer the call. I'll raise a volunteer host there, cross the sea, and march to the Wall."The Dragon Queen's reason pleased no one from Westeros. Deep down they wanted her to abandon Slaver's Bay, forget her crusade, and throw every spear she had into saving their homeland.Westeros, after all, was the heart of the world, the beacon of its civilization—and they were proud Westerosi. Wasn't Dany herself striving, however desperately, for the Iron Throne?To be queen, should she not first serve the Seven Kingdoms—throne or no throne?"We can't sway the Free Cities," Jon admitted with a helpless smile, "and we haven't the strength to forge a grand alliance against the Walkers.""Remember," Dany sighed, "the warriors of Slaver's Bay have kin of their own." She rolled her shoulders. "Forget shortcuts—summon aid from the Seven Kingdoms. I risked my neck to capture a White Walker so you'd have proof. Convince the Citadel—wait, where's Perestan?"Only then did she realize she hadn't seen the red-nosed maester all day."The maester is ill," old Aemon said."So ill he misses two kings' feasts?""Since he saw the Walker last night, his wits have wandered," Aemon explained. "He keeps muttering, 'The dragons are gone yet the Walkers return—magic will never leave this world,' 'What comes next?' 'The Real World ideal is dead.'""The real world?" Melisandre asked sharply."I've no idea. The ravings of a fevered man." Aemon kept his visage calm, though pity flickered there. "He was fine atop the Wall, but when I visited his chamber this morning, he lay on the floor barefoot in a thin nightshirt, fire out, shaking, hair in his fists. Pale as a corpse, burning with fever; the arrow wound on his rump had opened again and bled through his breeches. I dosed him with a great bowl of poppy milk and, before coming here, set seven or eight leeches on him for bleeding.""He's fevered and losing blood, yet you bleed him more?" Dany's mouth twitched. "Maester, do you hate the Citadel that much?""Fever is not the worst of it. Bloodletting may clear his mind," Aemon said gravely."All right—only keep him alive. We need him to sway the other maesters.""If they accept the Walkers are real, they'll warn every lord in the realm. Hundreds of earls—if each sends a hundred men, that's tens of thousands, far faster than I could bring troops from Slaver's Bay. That's half a world away; even by ship the voyage is a year or more. And unless the coalition lifts its blockade, a fleet can't leave the bay at all."The others nodded—her army was mighty, but far too distant."Until the true king appears," Stannis said, setting down his fork, "the lords of Westeros will never stand together. Why do I claim the Iron Throne? For power?" He sneered across the table at Dany."Isn't it?" she asked, brow arched."Duty," he said, voice hard. "Duty. In the flames I saw the Long Night. The Lord of Light showed me that ancient prophecies are unfolding, and peril is at hand.""I need the Iron Throne solely because the King of the Seven Kingdoms can unite the realm's strength against the coming Long Night. I will wage war only because I know the true nature of the Seven Kingdoms' nobles.When they learn of the approaching Long Night, they'll be afraid. They'll hide, raise their castle walls, hoard food like madmen—but few will send soldiers to guard the Wall. Unless a strong king leads them to do so.""That king is you?" Daenerys asked with a laugh."It certainly isn't you," Stannis replied solemnly."I possess virtue, ability, and legitimacy," Daenerys said."From the moment the Targaryen dynasty fell, you lost your claim to legitimacy. You should know that. Look south from the Wall—how many enemies do you see? The North, the Riverlands, the Vale, the Westerlands, the Stormlands—they all have irreconcilable conflicts with you. They will never support a Targaryen.""Hearing that from you is rather strange," Daenerys said with a wry smile. "Aren't you even more unpopular than I am? You should walk among the common folk more, see what the people and the nobles say about you."Stannis pressed his thin lips together and said seriously, "I know there are misunderstandings about me because of the faith in the Lord of Light, but that's only temporary.When the Long Night comes, when the Seven fail to answer their believers, and the Lord of Light's brilliance shines upon the world—then everyone will understand: in the long darkness, only the Lord of Light can drive it away."As the Long Night approached, Stannis's thinking was not without merit. The Seven would never respond to the people. The Lord of Light, on the other hand, had already begun to show miracles.Human beings are pragmatic. They believe in gods in hopes of receiving something in return.When the Seven can no longer satisfy them, their devotion will quickly turn into resentment and curses.It's foreseeable that the Faith of the Seven will suffer a heavy blow in this Long Night. It might even vanish from Westeros completely, just as it did in Essos.In contrast, the Lord of Light—who had planned for the Long Night and the prophesied savior for thousands of years—stood a good chance of becoming the greatest victor of this struggle.If the Red God's doctrine becomes the mainstream faith in Westeros, then Stannis—under the blazing heart banner—will rightfully be seen as the most legitimate king.Daenerys glanced at Stannis, whose eyes were deep and face resolute, and couldn't help but feel a bit of admiration. It seemed she had misunderstood him before. Stannis was not devoid of political shrewdness, nor was he merely brainwashed or deceived by the Red Woman. He was fully aware. Most likely, he had long seen the true nature of faith and guessed the bright future of the Lord of Light's religion.Stannis wasn't completely out of the game yet.He might just be a late-stage hero... assuming he survived that long."Stannis, with the Long Night approaching and the world on the brink of destruction, isn't it petty of us to go on like this—awkwardly coexisting while constantly wary of each other? It doesn't suit our stature as kings," Daenerys said, her eyes shining like stars, full of confidence and pride. "Why don't we sign a king's pact—an honorable contest for the Iron Throne?"The hall fell silent. Everyone stared blankly at the Dragon Queen, at a loss for words. Even the wildlings paused mid-bite, mouths open, waiting for what she would say next.Stannis leaned forward, gritting his teeth. "What kind of pact?""Whoever ends the Long Night shall be king," Daenerys leaned back in her chair, smiling calmly.A collective gasp filled the room.A glint flashed in Stannis's eyes. "How do we determine who ends the Long Night?""I suspect there's a Night King who commands the White Walkers," Daenerys replied. "Whoever kills him shall be king.""The Night King? Your Grace Daenerys, are you certain?" Jon's face changed."The White Walkers are intelligent—we've all seen it. Intelligent, social creatures always have a leader. Humans and beasts alike are this way.""Right, since the White Walkers move as a group, they must have a leader." The crowd nodded in agreement."What if, like humans, when one king dies, another takes his place? Then what?" Stannis asked."Simple. Whoever kills the most Night Kings takes the throne.""What if the number is the same?" Ser Florent asked."Then count the number of White Walkers killed.""You have dragons. That's a huge advantage," Florent shook his head.Daenerys smirked. "Fine. If anyone matches my number of Night King kills, I'll withdraw from the fight for the Iron Throne.To be honest, I already find crowns too many and too heavy. Slaver's Bay and the vast, wealthy Free Cities are enough to keep me busy.""Ugh." The Baratheon faction's expressions twisted, and their hands unconsciously clenched their spoons."Alright, I will sign this king's pact with you!" Stannis stood up, both hands on the table, and declared loudly."No—not just you and me. All kings of the Seven Kingdoms and anyone aspiring to the throne. This agreement will be sent via ravens to every noble and must receive their consent.""Everyone?!" The crowd exclaimed in shock."Do Free Folk count?" Val asked."Are you citizens of the Seven Kingdoms?" Daenerys rolled her eyes. "This is a contest for the Iron Throne—for rule over the Seven Kingdoms.""What if a commoner happens to kill the Night King? Will the nobles accept them as king?" Maester Aemon frowned."After last night's duel, we all have a clear idea of the White Walkers' strength. They're magical beings, and the Night King must be far more terrifying—no mere straggler could kill one.If a soldier under a certain king manages to slay a White Walker, the credit naturally goes to that king. As for commoners, they'll hardly have the chance to face the Night King.But if someone like that really appears—someone akin to Azor Ahai, a legendary hero—why not let them rule the Seven Kingdoms?Anyone who objects will be denounced and executed by all the kings. This will be written into the sacred pact.After all, a Targaryen's word is ironclad. I will abide by it."(End of Chapter)