Game of Thrones: The Wrath of the Sleeping Dragon

They were eventually surrounded and captured by the guards of Windbreak Fortress, and tied up.

...

The assassination of Stannis in his bedroom was undoubtedly devastating news, especially for those in Storm's End, who would find it impossible to sleep all night.

Upon hearing this, Maester Cresson burst into tears, even though he had long anticipated this day ever since receiving the devastating news of the Battle of Bronze Gate.

But he still couldn't accept that House Baratheon was heading towards destruction. He watched his three grown-up boys die one after another, and now only Robert was imprisoned in King's Landing, but his death was only a matter of time.

Stannis's most trusted advisor, Davos Seaworth, was thunderstruck upon hearing the news and rushed over immediately.

Baron Sven was bound hand and foot and pinned to the center of the hall, where all the nobles, instructors, and scholars of Windbreak Castle were gathered.

"This is murder!"

"Baron Swann murdered Lord Stannis! He deserves to die!"

Davos rushed to the scene and, looking at the murderer pinned to the center of Storm's End's Hall, spoke angrily.

The Onion Knight is now filled with regret, for he had actually met Baron Sven before the Battle of Bronze Gate.

As the least established noble family in Stormlands, the Seaworth family had little background and no connection with other noble families. Therefore, he only felt that the other party looked somewhat familiar, but did not recognize Baron Sven.

If he had discovered sooner that the other party had infiltrated the military and harbored ill intentions...

But now, no matter how much Davos regrets it, it's too late; Stannis is already dead at the hands of his enemy.

His body had been cleaned and his appearance arranged. Two cat's-eye stones were placed over his eyes. He was dressed in magnificent armor with a crowned stag emblem, his hands clasped over his abdomen, and he lay quietly on the long dining table in the center of Storm's End's Hall.

Baron Swin, the murderer, was forced to kneel beside Stannis's body.

Currently, there are still several nobles from the Stormlands in Windbreak Keep. Alexander Steiner, the Earl of Longarch Keep, nicknamed "The Gold-Digging Earl," sits in the center, wearing a dagger-pierced heart emblem on his chest.

Beside him were Countess Mary Maitaling of Mistywood, with a white longhorn owl emblem on her chest; Earl Coster Morrigan of Raven's Nest, with a raven emblem on his chest; and so on...

Upon hearing Davos's furious words, the Stormland nobles exchanged bewildered glances before their eyes returned to him.

"cough."

Count Alexander Steiner of Longarch Castle, seated at the head of the table, coughed lightly and then spoke.

"Lord Davos, please don't act rashly."

"Please sit down."

Countess Mary Metyl of Mistwood, who was standing beside him, did not speak, but a look of disdain flashed in her eyes.

"Humph--"

The fact that they addressed Onion Knight as "Sir" was already a great honor for him.

Davos was just a lucky smuggler who happened to be appreciated by Stannis and rose to prominence, transforming from a smuggler into the lord of a territory on Windfury.

As the youngest noble family in Stormlands, the Seaworth family had lands but no castle of their own. Now that Stannis was dead and Davos's biggest backer had fallen, these traditional nobles naturally looked down on Davos, who came from a smuggling background.

Upon hearing the Earl of Longarchs' words, the Onion Knight took a deep breath and calmed his anger.

He glanced at Stannis's body lying quietly in the center of the hall, a look of sorrow in his eyes, before sitting down in a chair to the side.

Regardless, as a member of the Stormlands nobility, Davos was entitled to a chair in this hall.

Everyone had arrived, and the hall of Windbreak Castle fell silent. Then, Earl of Longbow Castle coughed lightly and spoke first.

"Sir Baron Swin".

"Lord Davos accuses you of murdering Lord Stannis. The evidence is conclusive, and you deserve the death penalty. Are you willing to plead guilty?"

Alexander Steinman gave a signal to Baron Sven, who was kneeling on the ground with his shoulders pressed down.

Although Baron Sven was muscular, he was not stupid either. He immediately understood and struggled to stand up, shaking his head and loudly denying it, but was pressed down again by the soldiers of Storm's End.

"I plead not guilty!"

"Oh?"

"Baron Sven, you won't admit that you murdered Lord Stannis?"

Lord Coster Morrigan, seated in another chair, narrowed his eyes and spoke.

"No, I admit that I killed Stannis."

“But I do not accept the charge of murder. Stannis killed Lord Renly, and he also killed my brother!”

"Our Father has given us the power to judge, to avenge, and to uphold justice! I am doing this to seek justice for Lord Renly, to avenge my brother's death, and to bring Stannis to trial!"

Baron Sven was very strong. Although his hands were bound, the two soldiers could not hold down his shoulders and forced him to stand up again, speaking loudly in the hall of Storm's End.

Chapter 529 Trial by Combat

As soon as Baron Sven finished speaking, an uproar erupted in the hall of Storm's End. How dare a murderer be so arrogant in Storm's End?

"Damn barbarians!"

Fuck him!

"I'm going to kill him!"

"I'm going to pull his tongue out!"

Although Stannis was not very popular due to his personality and the reputation of being a 'kinslayer', he still had many supporters, especially the lower-ranking soldiers and sergeants.

After all, this is Storm's End, a castle that the Baratheon family has run for nearly three hundred years. Countless servants here have served the Baratheon family for generations.

They were all furious when they heard Baron Sven's words, and they all expressed their desire to have intimate contact with his mother and buttocks.

Moreover, Baron Sven was a frontierman, and the Sven family of Stonehelm was a powerful lord in the frontier. Therefore, when Stannis summoned him, he could ignore the matter, and Stannis could do nothing about it.

However, due to the complex geographical discrimination between the Stormlands and the Reach, the most economically developed and wealthy areas are the Reach, where people look down on those living in the Frontier and Stormlands, while the Stormlands look down on those in the Frontier.

Even if they live on the same land.

Therefore, they called Baron Sven a "barbarian," and the burly frontier men glared at him without flinching.

Come on!

"Let go of my hands, and I'll let you pull my tongue out!"

The Storm's End soldiers, loyal to Stannis, and Baron Sven exchanged passionate insults, while the Stormlands nobles seated in the central seat exchanged glances once more.

"All right."

Then, Count Alexander Steiner of Longarch Castle once again played the peacemaker, stopping the flame war below, and then spoke up.

"Everyone, please don't act rashly. The most urgent task is to solve the problem at hand."

"Lord Stannis is dead, what should we do next?"

Meanwhile, Countess Mary Mettal of Mistwood City also spoke with a cold laugh.

"Keep in mind that tens of thousands of Targaryen troops are heading this way, a hundred miles away from Storm's End."

As the saying goes, "If someone plays the good cop, someone else will play the bad cop." With a combination of coaxing and intimidation, Countess Mary Maytail's words fell silent instantly, and everyone shut their mouths, creating a somewhat oppressive atmosphere.

Stannis was the backbone of everyone, but he is dead, and their enemies are still advancing towards Storm's End. What should they do?

“I have heard what Sir Baron Swan just said.”

"That makes some sense."

Countess Mary Mettal's words silenced everyone present. The Earl of Longbow Castle, playing the good cop, looked around at everyone with satisfaction before stepping forward again to speak.

"In any case, Lord Stannis did kill Renly, committing patricide."

"Furthermore, Stannis killed Ser Baron Swan's brother, so it's only natural that Ser Baron would seek revenge on Stannis."

“To avenge our loved ones is a sacred right given to us by our just Heavenly Father.”

Alexander Steinmon, holding onto the table, stood up from his chair and began to speak.

This time, everyone in the main hall of Windbreak Castle looked at each other in silence, and no one voiced any objection.

Ultimately, it all comes down to the formidable strength of the Shiwen family of Stonehelm City. They have a long history and great power, and are a powerful and influential lord in the border region, known for their arrogance and strictness.

Renly did not recruit Lord Gullian Swan of Stonehelm to Storm's End during his lifetime, but only sent one of his sons. Stannis's killing of his son further prevented the Lord of Stonehelm from sending troops to his aid.

The three dishes in front of them, even if tied up together, are not as powerful as Stonehelm City, so naturally they dare not execute Gurian Sven's only son in Storm's End.

Furthermore, Stannis is now dead, and the Baratheon family's power has waned. There's no need for them to offend the Sven family just to avenge Stannis...

These families with long histories naturally have a well-thought-out plan, which is the rule of the game that has allowed them to survive for so many years.

"but."

At this moment, the taciturn Earl of Raven's Nest spoke up.

"Although the Father has granted us these divine powers, Ser Baron Swan ultimately murdered Lord Stannis."

"He should be judged by combat, and let the gods decide whether he will see the sun rise tomorrow, or..."

Earl Morrigan shrugged, his attitude clear.

However, Baron Sven below took a deep breath, feeling much more at ease. A duel? He was never afraid. He then nodded.

“I confess that I killed Stannis.”

“I am willing to accept trial by combat and let the gods decide whether I should live.”

The hall of Storm's End was silent as the performance by the three actors and the murderer continued.

A straightforward murderer seeking revenge for his brother, and three nobles unwilling to offend the Sven family.

Davos Seaworth, the Onion Knight, who sat beside the three Stormlands nobles, remained silent throughout, not uttering a single word.

His face was serious, and his eyes kept scanning everyone's faces.

Although Davos was not good at military campaigns, his original profession was smuggling. He was eloquent and had a great talent for understanding people's hearts.

The atmosphere in the halls of Storm's End is eerie now; everyone has changed since Stannis's death.

Whether it was the soldier who had just been filled with righteous indignation and wanted to fight Baron Sven, or the three Stormlands nobles, each with their own distinct persona, everyone's face showed a certain undisguised panic.

In addition to the Clement's Bachelor of Arts degree.

Davos could hardly bear to look at the old maester's expression—dull, lifeless, and even allowing these three Stormlands nobles to stir up trouble and make a scene in Storm's End, in their master's house, and in front of Lord Stannis's corpse.

"Sir Davos, are you willing to fight for Lord Stannis?"