Gendry looked at Jon. What Jon had guessed, Lord Eddard might not have been able to foresee, but the situation was already so.
"I will find a way to rescue Lord Eddard," Gendry assured him.
"Then I will be eternally grateful," Jon bowed his head.
"Alright, good Child, you should rest first. The King has more important matters to attend to," Ser Barristan said to Jon.
"The dwarf on the iron throne has probably already announced the list of oaths. He commanded them to immediately attend court and swear allegiance. If they refuse, they will be considered traitors, and their lands and titles will be reclaimed by the Crown," Ser Barristan said.
"The list is indeed long, Lord Barristan, and it includes you," Qyburn said. "Duke Stannis Baratheon and his wife and their daughter, Lord Renly, Lord Royce and his brothers and their sons, Ser Loras Tyrell, Duke Mace Tyrell and his brothers, uncles, and sons, Thoros the Red Priest of Myr, Lord Beric Dondarrion, Lady Lysa Arryn and her son Robert, Duke Hoster Tully and his brother Ser Brynden and his son Ser Edmure, Lord Jason Mallister, Lord Bryce Caron of The Marches, Lord Tytos Blackwood, Marquis Walder Frey and his heir Ser Stefflon, Lord Karyl Vance, Lord Jonos Bracken, Lady Shella Whent, Prince Doran Martell of Dorne and all his children... Lady Catelyn Stark, Robb Stark, Brandon Stark, Rickon Stark, Arya Stark."
"This means Dragonstone, the Stormlands, the Vale, The Reach, Dorne, and the North have not submitted," Ser Barristan said in a deep voice.
"You must prepare quickly. All these forces need to be won over, especially the North and the Stormlands. House Stark will not give up easily, and the Stormlands is the foundation of House Baratheon. If you do not give orders, these people will eventually be swayed by Lord Renly," Barristan said.
Although Barristan was reluctant to engage in politics, as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard for decades, his vision and intuition were still top-notch. Such a high-level talent was very rare.
"I will order the same people to pledge allegiance to me. My longships will spread the will," Gendry said. A public opinion offensive was essential, and his actions this time were even faster than Stannis's.
"Let it be known to all that I am the King of the andals, the rhoynar, and the first men, Ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, firstborn son of King Robert of House Baratheon, betrothed and protector of Princess Daenerys of House Targaryen, First Regent of Myr, Tyrosh, and the Stepstones, and Commander-in-Chief for life.
I hereby swear by my personal and family honor that my late King Robert, blessed by the old gods and new gods, at the time of his passing, declared his divorce from the traitor Cersei Lannister and legitimized all his children. The boy Joffrey, the boy Tommen, and the girl Myrcella are bastards born of the incestuous union between Cersei Lannister and her brother, 'the Kingslayer' Jaime. In accordance with the laws of succession and bloodline, I declare today that I am the rightful owner of the iron throne of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. I shall raise a great army to denounce the treacherous villains, and loyalists should immediately swear allegiance. By the glorious inspiration of The late King, Gendry seals this written decree."
"Here is also my preliminary list of traitors," Qyburn continued to read.
"Tywin, Cersei, Jaime of House Lannister, harboring evil intentions, committing treason, and murdering the King and the royal bloodline. Grand Maester Pycelle, conspiring with evil, brazen and shameless. Petyr, the master of coin, ambitious and harming his benefactor..."
"Aren't you going to be crowned?" Ser Barristan asked in surprise.
"I will be crowned, but there's no need to rush," Gendry smiled faintly. Whether he was crowned or not, once the letter was sent, it would be a life-and-death struggle.
Gendry planted his longsword in the ground, looking up at the blood-red comet in the sky.
"The dead are gone, the living remain." Gendry thought of many people: Lord Arryn, King Robert, the rigid Eddard, the deceased Khal Drogo, Viserys, and his blacksmith Maester Tobho.
"King Robert had power but indulged himself, dying by assassination and a wild boar.
Jon Arryn held power but failed to notice the darkness, dying by his wife's poison.
Eddard Stark struggled, but was powerless to turn the tide, defeated by honor, his dilemmas, and the foolishness of his wife and daughters.
Khal Drogo was invincible and powerful for a time, but died by my hand, due to carelessness and recklessness.
Viserys Targaryen craved the crown but lacked the strength, destined to become a laughingstock." Gendry looked at the blood-red sky. Power was destined to be accompanied by blood.
"They all failed, but they are not the last losers. Only one person will ultimately triumph." Gendry took Qyburn's letter and looked at it again.
"Power, power is at the highest point. Only a higher person, a better person, a stronger person is qualified to obtain it, and qualified to use it."
"Father, since you bestow upon me honor and gifts, I will avenge you." Gendry looked at the sky, thinking of the fat man riding his horse, a foolish king, a proud warrior, a pitiful loser.
"I am the Storm, I am the Glory, I am the Victory, I am the Conquest, I am the Power."
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