iron throne of ice and fire

Chapter 604: The Sword and the Swordsman

When Eddard Stark appeared, dressed, Melisandre was the only one in the tent, while Ser Rodrik and Ser Davan were guarding outside the door.

With the help of Sir Kane, Duke Ed slowly sat down.

Melisandre came up to him and said softly, "You need to rest, Lord of Winterfell."

Duke Eddard's face turned pale: "Winter is coming."

He stared at Melisandre for a moment with his slightly dimmed grey eyes, and then said hoarsely, "The North will never forget."

"Please thank the great King of Light. I am just a servant who obeys your orders."

Melisandre's lips curled slightly as she spoke: "Of course, I also know the persistence of the descendants of the ancestors. Please don't thank me. Everything I do is for the great cause of the true God."

"Ancients..."

Duke Ed muttered, and curled his lips, as if mocking himself: "The descendants of our ancestors tend to be stubborn."

After a pause, he suddenly looked at her directly: "Lady Melisandre, are you from Green?"

Hearing this, Melisandre raised her eyebrows in slight surprise.

She seemed to have remembered something and chuckled, "I have met him three times in total, but he was wary of me every time."

"Green is an excellent hunter, that's his habit."

Duke Ed touched his chest which was aching from time to time and said, "So, you are not from Green."

Then he sat down and thought: "Kane, please let us talk alone."

……

As Ser Cain left, Melisandre moved closer to Lord Eddard and said, "The night is dark and full of dangers. The Lord of Light must have brought you back for a reason."

She placed her hand on Duke Ed's arm, stared at him with her red eyes, and asked in a low voice: "Where did you go after you died? What did you see? Please tell me."

Her palms felt comfortable and hot. Benlang saw her white fingers from the corner of his eyes, which reminded him of the almost forgotten Lannister woman (Chapter 154)...

Lord Eddard's eyes flashed with sharpness, and he suddenly asked: "Madam, have you betrayed Stannis?"

Melisandre paused in her movements, and her gaze shifted to look at the Duke of Winterfell, whose face looked extremely serious.

After a pause, she curled the corners of her mouth slightly: "I am a servant of the Lord of Light, not a vassal of Stannis."

The two of them stared at each other motionlessly, and Duke Eddard reminded him, "You have always been working for him."

"Edard Stark, I always follow the will of the Lord of Light."

Melisandre withdrew her hand from him and said, "According to the ancient language of the Asshai book, after the long summer, the stars will weep blood and the cold darkness will cover the world. At this horrible moment, the prince in the prophecy will be reincarnated, holding the Lightbringer and driving away the darkness that covers the world."

She looked at him. "It is not Stannis I serve, but the prince that was prophesied. And, Stannis is not the prince that was prophesied."

"Then this is one of the reasons why you were able to find me in time and save me."

Lord Eddard's gaze fell on Melisandre: "The shadow stabbed my heart with a knife, and I suddenly... died."

His voice was unusually calm. "But I recognized it. It's Gendry, Robert's blood."

Melisandre's red eyes trembled imperceptibly, but Lord Eddard continued in an unchanged tone: "From what I know, Renly also died at the hands of the shadow, and it looked like Stannis."

He stared at her. "Where is Gendry? Dead or alive?"

"..."

Melisandre couldn't help but sigh, "The little blacksmith is still alive. He is still imprisoned in Stannis's cell."

The truth hidden behind was directly exposed, but she did not show any panic or anything like that: "I have to leave, but Stannis has put forward a condition. He wants you to disappear completely."

After a pause, Duke Ed couldn't help but tighten his fists: "He really wants to kill me."

Melisandre slowly paced in front of him for a few steps before stopping and looking at him: "To him, you were the one who chose to betray him first."

Lord Eddard's eyes dropped slightly, and his voice became slightly colder: "He is not my king." Hearing this, Melisandre smiled softly: "This is another crime for which he must kill you."

As she finished her words, the tent fell into silence.

After a long while, Duke Ed looked up and asked, "What is his purpose?"

A trace of hesitation appeared on Melisandre's beautiful face. After a pause, she sighed and said, "Control the North and the Wall. In this way, we can defeat the invading White Walkers and drive away the power of darkness."

Duke Eddard's voice was exhausted. "When darkness falls, all living people will do the same. This is not a war for him alone."

Melisandre chuckled again: "He only believes in himself. You should know his character very well."

Then, she came to stand in front of him and said, "Now that you know that I killed you, what are you going to do with me, Benlang?"

"I was dead, and now I'm alive again."

Gray eyes met red ones, and Lord Eddard's expression returned to his usual calm: "My honor tells me that you are the sword, not the one who wields the sword. Without you, Stannis would have stabbed me in the chest with another sword."

He stood up from his chair, his tall figure looking down at her: "The North will never forget. How can I repay you?"

"The night is long and dark, and everywhere is dangerous. On one side is the true God, the King of Light, the God of shadows and flames... On the other side is the ancient alien god, the god of darkness and fear."

There seemed to be flames in Melisandre's eyes: "Light and darkness, justice and evil, judgment is about to come, and we must make a choice."

Raising her right arm, she gently placed her fiery palm on Benlang's chest: "The True God of Light hopes that you will continue to move forward and choose to submit to Green I."

Her blood-red dress fluttered in the wind. "This is a war between two true gods. Let your blood of the running wolf burn with the Lord of Light, Eddard Stark."

Finally, she said softly, "The servants of darkness are gathering outside the Great Wall. Make a decision as soon as possible, Your Excellency the Duke."

The flames in the brazier flickered, and the witch's magic made Benlang alert.

To this, he just nodded slightly: "I will."

He walked towards the leading table, and it was there that he had made his choice... and was about to write a letter when he was stabbed to death.

After sitting down, Lord Eddard picked up the quill and looked at Melisandre who followed him: "Anything else?"

Seeing Melisandre shaking her head, Lord Eddard paused and nodded slightly: "My letter will fly to King's Landing at dawn."

"May you be blessed by the Lord of Light."

Melisandre bowed slightly, and when she was about to leave, Lord Eddard suddenly called her.

"Ma'am, I have another question..."

"...Gendry was under my protection in Winterfell. How did Stannis capture him?"

.........

.........

King's Landing, throne room.

Queen Daenerys sat alone at the head of the long table in the royal council, listening to Grand Maester Pycelle's lengthy speech.

Since her return from Dragonstone, Green and Prime Minister Mace have been leaving the city almost every day to inspect the army.

As the queen, she must preside over every royal meeting.

Shalala——

As Grand Maester Pycelle turned the pages with trembling eyes, Daenerys's purple eyes gently swept over the people present.

The Lord Chancellor and Princess Arianne leaned back in a high-backed chair, her pair of distinct black and white eyes... her gaze was a little dazed, and she happened to let out a suppressed laugh.

Daenerys couldn't help but purse her lips.

(End of this chapter)