The King’s decision

The King's decision

Davos POV

It was clear that Stannis wasn't satisfied with the progress. It took too long to siege King's Landing for his or anyone's else liking. The lords started to become restless. King Stannis didn't budge from his decision. He was adamant about not risking his chance or the lives of his men by storming the city.

What I feared the most was the Red woman. She is getting allies, especially soldiers who are starting to believe in her god. She was persuading men from the lowest ranks, but soon enough, she will move to their lords too. King Stannis already has too much on his plate to be worried about her, but I knew I needed to keep an eye on her.

The Red woman could not be trusted. She was probably using King Stannis to spread her gospel. When she is done, and people are inclined to believe in the Red god than in the Seven, she will have no use for King Stannis. She might try to dispose of him in favor of his wife and daughter.

"Ser Davos," a man crossed my path while I was walking around the camp.

"Lord Dondarrion," I greeted the Lightning lord. "This must be Edric Dayne?"

"Yes, my trustworthy squire. Anyway, it is good we met. I wanted to talk with you."

"Will gladly talk with a renown lord as yourself, Lord Dondarrion."

"Not here. I don't want others to hear," I stepped away from people into an isolated place with Lord Dondarrion. "This place will do."

"What do you want to talk about, my lord?"

"I don't like the Red woman spreading her lies among my men," He said. "It has already become tense with the situation we are in. I don't want the Red woman to use it to spread her gospel and manipulate my men."

"What would you like me to do?"

"I don't want to make trouble for the King, but I will not tolerate her."

"I heard you were friends with a red priest. I didn't think another would cause you trouble."

"Thoros of Myr is different from that woman. That woman uses people's weaknesses to manipulate them. She puts her believers against their friends if she thinks that it would hinder her in any way. She is creating a rift between people, making the nonbelievers enemies to them and the King."

"Still, I don't know what you want me to do."

"If I start complaining to the King, other lords will do the same and support me. The Red woman will use this to further her agenda."

"Nobody would dare to support a low-born like me," I understand why Lord Dondarrion spoke to me.

"Yes, but the King still would listen to you."

"I will try my best, but I can't promise anything," I hoped my words would be enough.

"Tell the King that if she keeps doing as she wishes, I will not risk my men's lives and leave."

"You can't. Stannis is your King."

"I will fight for my King and my Lord, but I will not fight for a religion."

As I thought, the Red woman was a danger to the King. I must convince the King to take action against her before it is too late. I must dispose of her if he doesn't listen to my words. I will take all the responsibility for my actions in the hope that it will help Stannis.

…

The King sat silently as he listened to me. Even after I spoke of everything I had in my mind, he still didn't talk to me. He was silent and only looked up from his desk when someone came into his tent. It was a young man, probably a messenger. He looked distressed and restless.

"Your Grace, we spotted a host moving in."

"Where?"

"They are using Goldroad and moving fast."

"Lannisters?"

"It seems so, your Grace."

"How many?"

"A bit more than five thousand, maybe six, but no more than seven. Only cavalry, without any foot soldiers."

"Ser Davos bring me the map."

I did as the King commanded and brought the map. Stannis cleared his table by pushing everything to the ground and spreading the map on top of it. With fingers, he traced the major roads leading to King's Landing and murmured to himself.

"Your Grace, what are your orders?" The messenger asked.

"Go, inform of it everyone else, and tell them to prepare for a battle."

The King's eyes didn't leave the map when the messenger left. I could only imagine what he was thinking. Soon enough, one lord after another came into the tent and greeted the King, but he only looked at the map.

"Your Grace, everyone is gathered. We heard the news. What are your orders?" Lord Florent spoke in a loud voice to attract the King's attention.

"It is only five thousand. Give me the same number, and I will meet the Lannister," Lord Monford Velaryon said.

I wondered what King Stannis would do. Lord Monford Velaryon was more loyal to the King than anyone could have anticipated. He lost part of his fleet to the Wildfire, but he didn't complain about it. I don't think he would disappoint anyone if he is given command of a small host.

"There could be seven thousand," King Stannis said. "It is fourth of all my men. Does Tywin Lannister not know we are sieging the King's Landing?"

"The last we heard of him was from Theon Greyjoy's letter asking for support," Lord Beric Dondarrion replied. "Not that Theon needed any support. He held Tywin for quite a long time. Tywin might not have gotten any news about the city."

"Do we even know if Tywin leads the host?" I asked.

"Who else could it be?" Lord Florent dismissed my question.

"A diversion," King Stannis suddenly exclaimed. "It is a diversion, the question for what. Lord Dondarrion, I will give eight thousand cavalries. You will face the host, but if they retreat, do not chase them."

"But your grace, if we manage to capture Tywin Lannister, the victory would be at our hands," Lord Florent said.

"Lord Velaryon, I want you to prepare the ships for retreat."

"Retreat?" Everyone, even me, exclaimed.

"Tywin Lannister won't fight a battle he knows he can't win," King Stannis explained. "It is clear that it is a trap."

"But your grace, we are so close to taking King's Landing," Lord Gulian Swann said. "Please reconsider."

"I will not risk it. If another host is coming while the Lannister men distract us, we will be fighting with the walls of King's Landing against our back," The King explained. "Lord Florent, I want you to prepare the rest of our men and secure the path of our retreat."

The King's words were final. Everyone went out to do as he commanded. King Stannis still looked at the map, trying to see something. He traced his finger to Kingsroad, then his finger went to Kingswood and finally stopped at Roseroad. He started to grind his teeth in anger.

"Your Grace, why did you not summon me," I didn't hear or see the Red woman coming inside the tent.

"Did you see anything in your fires?" The King asked.

"I warned you before, your Grace, you should have taken King's Landing then."

"You might have many magical talents, but you lack the insight for tactics. It was impossible to take King's Landing then as it is now. So don't try to patronize me again. If you have nothing else to say, leave," The King replied to the Red woman calmly, and she turned to leave. "And don't disturb any of my soldiers again. I will let you preach your nonsense to other camp followers, but the soldiers have enough on their minds without your gospel."

It seemed I had nothing to worry about. King Stannis was a firm and steady man. He knew what was best for him and his men at any moment. I should have never doubted him. The Red woman only smiled at King Stannis' words and then looked at me with blazing eyes. I got shivers all over my body.

…

I stood next to King Stannis as we watched King's Landing's walls. The men were busy preparing for a retreat or battle around the camp. King Stannis feared that if commotion started in the camp, the Lannister men inside the city would react and maybe even strike them.

"Tell me, Davos. Will the throne give me the crown?" The King asked.

"I don't understand," I had no clue about the Iron throne or the crown. "But I don't think either will make you the King. I believe you will become the King of the Seven Kingdoms once you win the people's trust, as you have won mine and the men of Stormlands."

"How can I win the trust of the rest of the Kingdoms without the throne and a crown?"

"I don't think many will care about either. Joffrey has both, yet not many claim him to be their king."

"Not many claim me their King."

"The Stormland has, as has the Vale."

"The Vale is far away, and it will take too long for them to join me. The North won't accept me readily, either. I hope the Riverlands will not follow the North in denying me."

"King Robb Stark has asked for an alliance, your Grace."

"Alliance? Robb Stark wants to marry his brother to my daughter. He expects to take the rest of the Seven Kingdoms if I don't have a son."

"It works in the other way, too, your Grace. The North will belong to Bran Stark if Robb has no son. I don't want to start another war when one can be avoided, and it would be hard to find a better match for princess Shireen."

"Maybe I made a mistake denying him so adamantly, but I need to be firm in my decisions. I can't accept his condition without a good reason. What I am most worried about is that he has more allies than I do. His grandfather and aunt rule the Riverlands and the Vale. They won't fight their blood. Theon Greyjoy is close to Robb Stark too."

"Do you think you can convince the Iron Islands to side with you, your Grace?"

"I will be lucky if the Iron Islands stay neutral; I more worried about Theon Greyjoy. Nobody had even heard of him before the war. Now he is not only a better swordsman than the Kingslayer but a better commander than Tywin Lannister. His archery skill is to be feared, too, and he is immortal if the rumors are to be believed."

"Surely the rumors are nothing but fairytales, created to put fear into his enemies. He is only a couple of years older than Robb Stark."

"Some stories will be false, but not all. He has fought many battles and lost none. Once he returns to Iron Islands, he might take the men's lead. I have no idea what he will do with them. Attack the Westerlands? Proclaim the Iron Islands' independence like the North? Or try to destroy the fleets that could be dangerous to him."

"Your Grace," We were interrupted by a messenger. "Your Grace, a host from the Reach, is approaching."

"How far away are they?"

"Four to six hours away."

"What? How could they get so close? What happened to my scouts?"

"It seems they were killed before they could report to you, your Grace."

"How many?" Stannis quickly calmed down.

"At least fifty thousand, your Grace. What are your orders."

Fifty thousand? How could they get so close without anyone noticing? The King was right. The Lannister host was a distraction all along. Was everything lost? We were so close, yet it seemed we would have to abandon our victory.

"What about Lord Dondarrion?"

"He has engaged in battle with Lannister host."

"So, Mace Tyrell will deny my rights to the end," King Stannis said while grinding his teeth. "Inform Lord Velaryon to take all foot soldiers to his ships and retreat to Dragonstone. Get me, Lord Florent."

I could see it was a hard decision from King Stannis shaking fists. He was furious yet stayed calm and didn't panic. I wouldn't be able to do so. Even now, I don't know what we should do. I needed King Stannis to tell me.

"Your Grace, you called for me," Lord Florent came running.

"Prepare all the cavalry. Tywin Lannister thinks he can beat us with numbers. I will prove him wrong. While the foot is retreating through the ships, we will strike Lannister forces and crush them."

"What about the Reach, your Grace?"

"Mace Tyrell is a fool, he will come straight to the city, and he will not find us here. We will take Gold road and strike Casterly rock. If I can't have King's Landing, I will make sure that Tywin will lose his home."

With the decision made, the orders flew to the lords. Everyone ran to do as they were commanded. Nobody would expect King Stannis to strike the Westerlands and not retreat to Stormlands. The throne and a crown don't make one a king, indeed.