The Iron Throne of Ice and Fire

"Not her?" Stannis frowned, turned his head, and stared at the blazing fire in the fireplace with his deep eyes as frozen as a cold pond.

Melisandre's eyes seemed to be burning with flames, and her low voice was filled with an irrepressible enthusiasm, like an ancient spell: "Not a woman, but a man, a man sitting on the Iron Throne and looking down at the world on earth..."

In the hall with closed doors and windows, it seemed as if an invisible giant hand was stirring, and suddenly a strange hot wind appeared, blowing up Melisandre's blood-colored silk dress.

"Man..."

"That man..."

"Your Majesty Stannis, it can only be you, and only you!"

"The only true God guides in the blazing flames, and the prophesied prince will eventually ascend the Iron Throne!"

As she sang, the fire in the fireplace instantly burned more fiercely, and the flames licked everything around them wantonly.

At the same time, the braziers placed in various parts of the hall were like awakened beasts, and the flames surged out.

The torches hanging on the wall were swaying and twisting wildly, and even the weak flames of the candles were not to be outdone, jumping desperately, and the wax oil flowed like tears.

The whole hall seemed to be involved in a carnival of flames.

Melisandre slowly raised her arms, and her waterfall-like red hair spread out and floated, flying wantonly in the air: "This is the will of the Lord of Light!"

Tyrion's eyes were wide open, and he looked at such a fantastic scene in shock.

At this moment, he was deeply shocked and could only stand there blankly, watching the dance between the priestess and the flames, as if he had been in another world.

When the priestess's chanting ended, as she put down her arms, the fire, brazier, torches and candles that had been burning wantonly, jumped quietly like tamed beasts, leaving only a faint light, casting mottled light and shadows on the wall.

Stannis still stood there, his eyes retracted from the fire, his lips tightly pursed into a line.

"Believe me, Son of Fire, the Lord of Light will help you win the final victory."

"... Did you see me in the flames?"

"Tall, black-haired, he is you."

"... Woman, you didn't see the man's face."

"He must be you, I promise, Your Majesty."

Their voices finally brought Tyrion back to his senses from the shock. His eyes turned to the red priestess. He swallowed subconsciously, trying to calm his still beating heart.

Then, he looked around at the flames that were just "reveling" but now so well-behaved.

The terrifying magic of the King's witch...

Is this Stannis's biggest trump card that he is not afraid of anyone?

He couldn't help but walk into the fireplace, his eyes moved to the flames inside, looked, looked again, stared at them motionlessly, and then... cried.

When Tyrion closed his eyes to relieve the burning of his eyeballs, a soft hand fell on his little shoulder.

"Only the devout believers of the Lord of Light can be enlightened in the flames, my lovely little lion."

The priestess' voice came from above, and Tyrion, who was gently hugged by her, felt as if he was wrapped in a hot and warm flame.

Tyrion raised his head, stiffened his body, and said in a calm tone: "This is too difficult for me. Dwarfs are born mean, and no old man will like them..."

At this time, with a clang, the thick door of the hall opened as if it was knocked open, and three people strode in directly.

Tyrion turned his head and looked...

The one walking in front was Stannis's wife's uncle and his second prime minister, Sir Axell Florent (Chapter 266).

The two behind were Duke Stark and Earl Bolton.

Stannis glanced at the people who came, sat down on the chair by the fireplace, and then stared at them coldly for a while.

Seeing them saluting, he just waved his hand and said, "You should get my permission before entering. This is the etiquette of an audience with the king, Ned, and Ser Axell."

Ser Axell glanced warily at the dwarf standing next to Melisandre, and said respectfully, "King Stannis, you have ordered that the Duke of Winterfell can see you at any time."

Tyrion nodded slightly at him, as if... He was wary of everyone who approached His Majesty, except the fire-playing priestess next to him.

Stannis tapped his chin lightly: "That's why I didn't expel you."

His slightly cloudy eyes moved, and he asked Stark: "Are you looking for me in a hurry?"

Duke Eddard's eyes were a little complicated, and he nodded and said: "Stannis, I want to talk to you alone."

Stannis knocked on the armrest of the chair with his hand with age spots, looked at the wolf, and said: "I thought you were eager to find me to meet your king, Eddard Stark."

Duke Eddard looked at his brother Robert, who looked like a withered man, paused, and suddenly He said in a deep voice: "Since we met, I have always had doubts. Is this what the God you believe in has given you, Stannis?"

After the voice fell, Sir Axell immediately said angrily: "Stark, you dare to blaspheme the great Lord of Light, this is a capital crime!"

Earl Bolton stopped him and said expressionlessly: "Drawing the sword is to declare war on the North, Sir Florent."

Axell's short and fat body like a meatball was in a posture of drawing the sword, and he said sternly: "How dare you threaten the king?"

Then he shouted: "Guards!"

Following his shout, the door was opened with great force again, and dozens of soldiers poured in. Most of them wore the flaming red heart emblem, and the rest were in the gray robes of the Stark family.

The sound of dense footsteps came from far to near, two groups of people faced each other, and the hall suddenly became tense.

Finally, Stannis, who was sitting upright, broke the suffocating silence: "Ser Axel, retreat with the guards."

"But………"

"Don't make me repeat the order."

Sir Yaser glared at Benlang hatefully, waved his hand, and led the people away.

Stannis looked to the other side: "Ed Stark, since you don't trust me, let's talk here."

Duke Eddard turned his face sideways, nodded silently, and signaled the gray robes to retreat.

Seeing this, the Stark family guard captain, Sir Kane (Chapter 161), caressed his chest and turned around to leave with the guards.

Tyrion was about to sneak away quietly with everyone, but Stannis called him to stop him: "You don't have to leave. Since you are already the king's advisor, I will give you enough trust."

Tyrion forced a decent smile and bowed: "Thank you for your trust. This is a great honor for me, Your Majesty."

Stannis stared at Stark for a while and said coldly: "Why are you so eager to find me? Don't let me ask you again."

Lord Eddard took a step forward, stared at him closely, and said, "Tell me, did you kill Renly? I want to hear the truth, Stannis."

After Ben Lang finished speaking, there was a deathly silence in the hall.

After looking at each other for a moment, Stannis raised his hand to stop the red-robed priestess who was about to speak. His thin lips opened slightly: "Renly, he has rebelled."

A look of disbelief flashed across Duke Ed's tense face. He clenched his hands into fists and struggled to speak from his throat: "You actually killed your biological brother."

Stannis's voice was emotionless: "Renly has committed a capital crime. As the king of the Seven Kingdoms, I have the authority to deal with him."

Duke Ed took a deep breath and said in a hoarse voice: "He is your brother."

"But he never considered me his older brother."

Stannis stood up slowly: "What he thinks of me has nothing to do with his crime. I punish him according to the laws of the kingdom."

He paced with his hands behind his back and added: "Bloodline is not a reason for pardon. Regardless of your identity, anyone who violates the laws of the kingdom must be punished."

Duke Ed's face was full of deep disappointment: "He can wear black clothes, and he still has the power of trial by combat."

Stannis stood in front of the fireplace, looking at the fire in silence for a while, and his cold voice came over: "At that time, he was not my prisoner. He had an army of a hundred thousand, and I only had a few thousand soldiers."

Duke Ed said sadly: "So, you used evil magic to assassinate him."

Stannis turned his head and looked over, his eyes deep: "So, do you now have enough reasons to betray your legitimate king, Lord Eddard Stark?"

"I will not fight alongside a parricide."

With a cold word, Duke Ed turned around and strode away, followed closely by the Earl of the Dreadfort.

With a bang, the door was closed. Melisandre approached and put her hand on the king's arm: "Your Majesty Stannis, I killed Renly."

"A lie is always a lie, it's my order."

Tyrion wanted to cover his ears to show that he heard nothing, but this could only be a wonderful and unrealistic dream.

"Send the messenger from the wildlings beyond the wall to see Lord Stark."

"And then there's the blood of kings..."

………

The next day.

After the messenger from the wildlings outside the wall left, Duke Eddard's expression became solemn.

"Horn of Winter......"