Chapter 113: R48
Chapter 48
Three Kings
Edmure POV
The mornings were getting colder with each day. It was the end of summer and the end of the dynasty. After this war, I will need to concentrate on strengthening the Wall. It was time to start preparing for the winter.
"What are you thinking of, Lord Edmure?" Lady Margaery asked as I looked at the rising sun.
"The winter is coming," I told her. "Before the cold of winter, no one's status matters. I don't care for your games, my lady. Remember that I will smile as you talk to me, but I won't be listening to you."
"Do you hate our house?" She asked.
"No, I hate that you aren't worth much with all your power and influence," I answered. "I hate the incompetence of your father. I hate your little games and that I can't do anything to stop them."
"My lord," Ser Alan come to me yelling. "We got the news that Storm's End has fallen. Stannis is now marching to the King's Landing."
"I surprised by how fast you got the information, Lord Edmure," Lady Margaery commented.
I ignored her and walked to the Pavilion where ser Garlan was staying. Garlan looked similar to his younger brother, but he was taller and more broadly built. He looked like a great warrior. Too bad he wasn't too interested in glory and fame.
I knew it would be hard to control someone like him, so I didn't try. He was an excellent ally to have, better than his father and younger brother. Still, I was not too fond of House Tyrell. If they don't get what they want, they might jump to another ship. They are too fickle.
"How are the men? Are they ready to move?" I asked ser Garlan.
"Everything is ready."
"We will be moving soon," I told him. "Stannis has the Storm's End, so there is nothing to hold him anymore."
"Do you want to move on him straight away?"
"No, Stannis knows the Kingswoods better than I do," I explained. "If we don't move carefully, Stannis will use it against us. He might already be in the way of setting an ambush in the Kingswood."
"Then I will send scouts first to see where Stannis men are at all times."
"Do that. I will send a rider to inform the King of the situation. He should be ready to siege King's Landing."
"Very well," Ser Garlan agreed.
"I wanted to ask, where is Willas Tyrell?"
"He leads some men to protect the Reach from the Dorne raiders."
So that was where he was. Willas was even more dangerous than Garlan. My informants had trouble spying on him. Highgarden is well secured, so few spies get inside, and fewer manage to get out. Willas was very adept in information warfare, so he knew how to defend himself from spies.
I had no idea that he was leading a separate host. Good thing that Doran didn't try to invade the Reach. For once, I am glad for his caution. Still, I would like to know what Doran is doing. He won't even inform his daughter, so it is hard to predict him before he takes action.
…
The host of twenty thousand cavalries and thirty thousand foot followed me to the Kingswood. We used the Roseroad, so the journey wasn't difficult. The road was well maintained, and it was plains from both sides, so there was a minimal chance for us to be caught off guard.
I stopped when we reached the Kingswood. I didn't want to risk it. It was all too easy to get ambushed there. Stannis was a good commander. He would fight us in the woods if he knew of us coming.
"Ser Garlan, what your scouts have told you?"
"King Stannis is already at King's Landing."
"How many men does he have?"
"About twenty thousand."
"Isn't that a bit too little?" I asked. "Shouldn't he have gathered more men from the Stormlands?"
"He didn't have time. King Stannis mostly took cavalry, and the rest of his men were from Dragonstone."
"Stannis is no fool. He should have known that he would need more than cavalry," I said. "He wouldn't have left without foot soldiers."
"I will send more men to scout the woods then."
"Do that. Lord Tarly, I will leave you with foot soldiers. Once we reach King's Landing, I want you to set up a camp as fast as possible. Lord Bolton, I want you to be with me. I might need to send you to command a force if the situation demands it."
After giving the orders to everyone and organizing the host, ser Garlan's men returned. It seems I was partially correct. Stannis left his foot at the entrance of Kingswood at Bronzegate. If he needed to retreat or call for reinforcements, it was a good position.
"Lord Edmure, my scouts, noticed that King Jaehaerys is nearing King's Landing with thirty thousand men," Ser Garlan informed me.
"We will take the cavalry and meet with the King," I told him. "Lord Tarly, I want you to set up a siege at Bronzegate. Leave a portion of the men to your discretion. I don't want any more men joining from the Stormlands."
"As you wish, my lord."
"Ser Garlan, you will be responsible for the left-wing, Lord Rowan, you will take the command of the right-wing."
With orders established, I led the men through Kingswood. It was time to end this war. Still, we couldn't relax as, after this battle, there would be plenty of lords who would resist the new rule.
…
Once we emerged from the woods, I could see the situation around King's Landing. Stannis occupied the Blackwater, and he held the Iron and Dragon gates of the city. King Jaehaerys arrived not long ago but was already set his men to The Lion gates and Gates of the Gods. He took the Tourney Grounds to set up his camp.
The west of the city was besieged by the forces of The Riverlands and the North. Stannis surrounded the east. Between them stood only the Old Gates. Both parties didn't try to take those gates.
"My lord, a rider is approaching," Ser Alan informed me.
"I see. Let him through."
The rider came from Stannis. He brought a message to meet with Stannis and King Jaehaerys. I replied that we should do so at the Old gates. After the messenger left, I sent my rider to the Old gates to invite the Lannisters.
"We could attack Stannis now," Lord Bolton suggested. "We have the men to win. If King Jaehaerys joins us, Stannis won't have any place to go."
"Lannisters have at least thirty thousand men," I replied. "If we don't want to allow Lannisters a chance to strike us from the behind, we would need a quick victory."
"The old lion has not left King's Landing yet," Lord Bolton commented. "He might not dare to leave the walls."
"Or he might be waiting for a good opportunity," I responded. "There is no need to rush. We have the men and resources to dwindle their strength slowly."
As I finished my talks with Lord Bolton, a messenger came back. He delivered an agreement from Stannis to meet at the Old gates. I told ser Garlan and Lord Bolton to go with me while leaving Lord Rowan in command.
We were the first to arrive, and soon enough, King Jaehaerys rode next to us. He came with Lord Karstark and Lord Mallister. After Stannis arrived with the Red Woman and ser Davos, the Old gates opened, and Tywin Lannister came with Tyrion and, to my surprise, Joffrey.
Nobody wanted to speak first, waiting for each other to start. We didn't even greet each other, as we knew we couldn't even address each other's titles. Three Kings, yet neither could acknowledge other kings, as it would justify their actions.
"I want you to lay down your weapons and kneel to me. That is the only chance I will give you."
Why Tywin brought this little shit, I don't know. He is the weakest one of all the people here, yet he has more confidence than everyone else. I took a look at his youthful face. His green eyes didn't have any fear. As wind brushed his golden hair, for fools and ignorant, he might look like a King.
"It seems the news of your father's confession didn't reach you, Joffrey Waters," Jaehaerys commented. "Surrender, and I will spare your life."
"How dare a bastard to talk to me like this? I will cut your head and replace it with your dog's head."
Even if he spoke so, I couldn't imagine the boy even managing to cut anyone's head on his own. His hands were soft. He had never been through hardships. It would be a miracle if he could hold an executioner's sword.
"Before everyone gets at each other throats, I want to pass a message to you from your brother, Tyrion," I spoke for the first time. "Would like you to hear it?"
"I would like to, Lord Edmure," Tyrion replied. "What did my brother want to say to me?"
"He wanted to apologize," I said.
"Apologize for what?"
"For lying to you," I answered. "Jaime said that what he has told you about Tysha was a lie. She wasn't a whore, and it was your father who made him lie to you. Tysha told the truth and was indeed the crofter's daughter. He knows he won't ever meet you again and wanted you to know the truth."
I could see cold settle in his eyes. He looked at his father. It took some time for me to remember this plot, and I had hired investigators to confirm it. Jaime never said anything about it to me, yet they didn't know that. If my words can create a rift between Tyrion and his father, it was all worth it.
"Are you done now?" Stannis asked.
"Done with what?" Jaehaerys asked back.
"With this madness. I am the rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms, as all of you know that Joffrey is a bastard of the Kingslayer."
"Rightful King? Who gave you this right? Your brother? If so, wasn't he the one who proved that this right could be ignored when he killed my father?" Jaehaerys asked. "All I see is one Kingdom standing behind you, Lord Stannis."
Jaehaerys' words cut deep into Stannis. I could already hear him grounding his teeth. Yet he was calm and didn't fall for the bait. Even if Stannis has the fewest men of all of us, he has some trump cards.
"What is more important to you, boy? Your ambitions or Lord Stark's life?"
I knew what Stannis meant. So, he finally will use one of his trump cards. I couldn't imagine what Jaehaerys would do. I couldn't understand what he was thinking right now. No matter what decision he made there, he would regret it. Still, before I could intervene, Jaehaerys answered.
"If it were my ambitions, I would choose my uncle's life. But I am there not because of my ambitions. I am here for the people behind me. For the North, where I grew up in. For the Riverlands that Lannisters wanted to burn. For the Dorne that experienced injustice in your brother's rebellion. I love and care for my uncle, he is like a father to me, but I have my duties and responsibility."
It was a better answer than I could have expected. I could see in Stannis' eyes that he at least understood Jaehaerys even if he didn't want to agree with him. Just as I wanted to say something, I felt that the Red Woman was staring at me. I didn't know what she was looking for.
"How touching, I give you a day. If you do not lay your weapons by dawn, don't even think of mercy from me."
"Shut up, Joffrey," I couldn't take this little shit. "You are the least important person there. All you have is a title that everyone there knows doesn't belong to you. You are nothing. You don't command even a single man. So, just shut your mouth. Lord Tywin, you at your end, surrender, and I will let you join the Wall. Tyrion can still have the Casterly Rock, but nothing more. I only give you this chance."
"Edmure Tully," Tywin calmly replied to me. "You won't have this city. As long as I live, nobody will have the Casterly Rock. I came here to tell you that you will fail."
I consider him mad if he didn't speak so calmly. Has he resigned to his death? I couldn't even respond to him because he left afterward. The Old gates closed. Now only people left were Stannis, who stared at Jaehaerys and our companions. The Red Woman still stared at me, and I felt uncomfortable.
"Before we part ways, Lord Stannis," Jaehaerys spoke before Stannis could leave. "I propose a truce until Lannisters are defeated. I don't want to allow Lannisters an opportunity to strike us while we are fighting."
"I suggest for you to retreat, bastard of Winterfell. For your father's sake."
"For what it's worth, I don't hate you or your house. But I have my duties to my subjects," Jaehaerys replied. "If you refuse to even listen to me, so be it. But there is no need for more people to die. I propose a duel. You and me, no one else needs to die."
And I was starting to think that Jaehaerys has grown up. It was too late to question him. If I told him not to do this, people would begin to speculate where the real power lay. Damn you, Jaehaerys. Please refuse, Stannis.