Eagle of the Valley of Ice and Fire

Chapter 181 Stannis’ Strategy

Stannis rubbed the smooth surface of the battlements, and the sky in the distance was covered with clouds, with heavy rain and thunder brewing.

"That bastard," Stannis said, his calm tone incompatible with the sudden thunder in the distance, "Have you placed Robert's seed?"

"Place him as a servant by my side," Justin Marseille replied quickly, with a smile on his face. "I promise, he will not appear under the influence of the seven divine lights."

"Seven gods." Stannis repeated Count Justin's words. Davos knew very well that there was probably disdain in it.

Ever since the ship of Lord Stephen Baratheon and his wife sank in Shipbreaker Bay, Stannis has hated the Seven Gods who took away his parents. This attitude has not changed much to this day. In Davos' view, , King Stannis only maintained the most basic etiquette towards the Seven Gods, and did not have much piety other than that.

Although the king trusted Davos very much, this heart-to-heart conversation only happened for a moment, and Davos's judgment was also based on hearsay.

But the attitude of the Church of the Seven Gods towards Stannis is real. Renly's coronation has the support of the Oldtown Church, but it is difficult for Stannis to even invite the monks of the Seven Gods for his coronation.

The Onion Knight stood aside, staring at Justin Marseille's pink cheeks. Davos always thought that if Count Justin had the red nose prop of the troupe, he would definitely become famous in the trading city-states of the Eastern Continent.

"Anywhere, I guarantee, he will just do odd jobs and work in the dark kitchen without seeing the light of day." Justin had a slight sweat on his forehead, but his smile made him look very calm.

Wrong thing to say again, Davos thought regretfully as he looked at the incoherent Count Justin.

"That's not a squire, but a cook who works as a handyman. A squire should receive formal knight training, not what you said. It's not in line with the rules at all. You are a count after all. Have you forgotten the rules of knights? Even if he is an illegitimate son, He is also Robert's true species, different from the incestuous lions on the Iron Throne." Stannis replied coldly, his face as stiff as if it were made of iron.

Justin's smile became less calm at this moment. His mouth was slightly open, and there was a hint of panic in his blue eyes.

"Ahem, of course a squire must be trained as a knight to do odd jobs. However, the squire must also know how to handle food for the knight."

Since he is regarded as a squire, he should follow the normal rules, Davos thought to himself. He knew that the king had always regarded this illegitimate son named Edric Storm as a shame to his wife's family and a shame to himself, but Justin obviously only interpreted this, but did not know the king's true inner thoughts.

This Robert's illegitimate son may be regarded as a shame by Stannis, but he will not bother to target a boy who has nothing to do with the throne. Justin's arrangement will most likely be regarded as flattery by the king.

King Stannis called him Earl, which was actually correct, but Lord Justin's Stone Dance City had long been destroyed by the Lannister army and was ruined by the Lannister army. This small castle in the king's territory was destined to be this fate.

"I'll leave this boy to you. I don't want to interfere with him anymore. The shame of being called an illegitimate son is destined to be with him for the rest of his life." Stannis left his arrangement lightly, raising his head slightly and looking at the rolling clouds in the distance.

Justin left in embarrassment, and Davos stayed where he was.

The king was silent for a moment and then said to Davos: "You were the first to take down Storm's End Castle."

Davos seemed a little ashamed when he heard this. He lowered his head slightly and said, "This may not be glorious."

"This place belongs to me, who cares about how the master gets his things back from thieves?" Stannis said disdainfully, obviously scorning the glory of Davos' emphasis on the means. "There is no need to blame yourself, Davos. Si, your identity is different from before, you are no longer a smuggling criminal, you are a glorious noble and my hero."

Davos frowned. He knew that Stannis did not promise rewards easily. Even Stannis, a meritorious person, would regard this as a manifestation of fulfilling his obligations in most cases.

"What do you think about the future situation?" Stannis turned to look at Davos. The thunder in the distance became louder and louder. The rain accumulated in the black clouds was swept away by the hurricane, and struck from the boundless sea towards the walls of Storm's End. Come on, "What do you think?"

Davos took a deep breath. He had been waiting for this question for a long time. "We captured Storm's End, and most of the stormland lords surrendered to us," Davos said. "The royal fleet did not suffer any losses, and it seems that Tywin has no intention of attacking Dragonstone or the southern stormlands. We have turned the tables for now." He thought again of the Battle of the Hills commanded by King Stannis, which must surely go down in history.

"For now," Stannis repeated his words, no emotion audible.

Davos nodded slightly, "Lannister and Arryn unite, Renly is destined to withdraw from the stage of fighting for the throne."

"It's not a fight for the throne, it's a fight between the true king and the usurper. There's no such thing as a fight." Stannis corrected, not smiling.

Davos nodded and said: "After Renly withdraws, Highgarden will find another way." He paused slightly, with hesitation in his tone, "We need to try to win over Highgarden. If the Tyrells join forces with the Lions again, I'm afraid our chances It’s just minuscule.”

"How to win over him?" Stannis's blue eyes were like the deep ocean. He looked at Davos. "Mace even married his daughter to Renly and became a queen in vain."

Davos pursed his lips hesitantly. He was not sure what conditions would satisfy Highgarden.

"At least," Davos said, "we must ensure that Tyrell will not support King's Landing before heading north to King's Landing."

Stannis chuckled slightly, "If Garlan Tyrell's army was still at Bitterbridge, I might consider this issue, but the southern army is in disarray and has returned to their respective castles. They are just a group of cowards and a rabble." .”

"Recruit the scattered armies and gather them together again." The heavy rain has swept over the city wall. Stannis and Davos's clothes were stained with rainwater. They walked towards the tower. Stannis continued, "This It will take a long time. If we head north to King's Landing now, I'm afraid the most troublesome thing will be the lion's tens of thousands of troops and the eagles who are killing and looting in the Riverlands."

Davos took a deep breath, "No matter what, our army is still not enough. We can only protect ourselves, and it is difficult to seek kingship." He spoke very slowly. Davos knew that this was not good news to cheer people up. Over and over again, there are still these clichés of insufficient military strength and insufficient strength, and before King Stannis regained the Stormlands, such remarks were everywhere around the king.

"Tywin is sure that I dare not go north," Stannis said, with determination in his eyes. "His army of the West is wandering the Golden Road, deliberately pretending to be suspicious."

"Deliberately?" Davos frowned, not sure what Stannis was emphasizing.

His king thrust his right hand out of the tower window and let the rain wet it. "He needs time to recuperate. The self-proclaimed king in the north has almost wiped out the Western Territory." Stannis breathed in the chaotic wind under the heavy rain. "He is just trying to force his army on the Golden Road, pretending to be powerful."

"If I were Tywin, I would just move the army back to the west, let Tyrell contain us in the south, push Arryn to the front, and use the high and thick walls of King's Landing to delay time and wear down my strength." Stannis His eyes blinked as he looked at the rainy scene, seemingly disturbed by the rain streaks.

Davos roughly understood what the king meant. "Going north to King's Landing means falling into the lion's mouth and making someone else's wedding dress. It's not cost-effective at all."

Stannis's eyes moved slightly, and he looked at the Onion Knight, "The lion is waiting for the opportunity. At this time, the army in the valley is returning to the valley to reorganize. It is destined that there will not be too much power left outside the Blood Gate. As long as Dorne is persuaded If they continue to harass the Reach, then Highgarden will not be able to set foot in the north." There was a hint of meaning in his eyes. He had not considered how to use the Florentine family's variable, but it would not be difficult to temporarily restrain the Tyrell family from moving north.

"Half of the tens of thousands of the Lion family's army are mercenaries, and they cannot be truly loyal to Tywin. This kind of bluffing action cannot defeat his arrogance without exposing it. Several of Cersei Lannister's bastards are there, and in one fell swoop After taking it, the Seven Kingdoms can only regard me as their king." Stannis withdrew his hand, an icy chill spread through his fingers, and he even trembled a little.

Davos looked at Stannis's always determined expression and felt slightly uneasy, but he couldn't explain it.

"Work in the Stormlands first," Stannis said. "Trouble the South, and then take advantage of the opportunity when the Valemen return to the Vale to reorganize, and attack King's Landing directly."

　There is basically no time to update in the past two weeks, and the quality is difficult to guarantee. You should wait until mid-January to see it. It will be updated around the 15th.

　　

　

(End of this chapter)