Chapter 143: King Renly's Farewell
The Reach, Rose Road, an unnamed location
"Kill!"
"Bang... Crack..."
"Go to hell! Ugh..."
After cutting down a knight who had charged him on horseback, Renly Baratheon panted heavily.
His armor was covered with countless sword marks, and the helmet he had hastily put on had long since been knocked away, revealing a blood-stained face that made his handsome features appear twisted and exhausted.
"Neigh—!"
Just as Renly prepared to continue his breakout, his warhorse suddenly let out a painful whinny before stumbling violently and throwing him from the saddle.
"Boom... Thud! Thud..."
After being flung away, Renly rolled several times across the ground before finally coming to a stop. His head spun violently, as though someone had struck him with a heavy hammer.
"Urgh... Cough... cough..."
After lying unconscious for some time, Renly slowly woke up. As he shifted his body with difficulty, he smelled dry straw around him.
Only then did he realize that after being thrown from his horse, he had landed directly inside a haystack loaded onto a supply wagon. If not for the cushioning from the hay, his neck might have snapped on impact.
Renly had lost.
He did not even know how he had lost.
He simply could not understand how his enormous army had been defeated by his brother.
When Ser Loras Tyrell, the Knight of Flowers, had rushed into the command tent earlier, Renly had still been drinking with Margaery Tyrell.
To celebrate their expected victory in advance, the King and Queen had enjoyed a few extra cups of wine.
Margaery had also drunk quite a lot.
For reasons difficult to explain, she had been feeling conflicted and distressed. After all, anyone would feel uncomfortable knowing their own brother was competing with them for their husband.
Because of the delay, Renly had not even finished putting on his armor before members of the Rainbow Guard hurriedly helped him onto his horse.
Afterward, Renly's main camp was plunged into chaos by Stannis's cavalry charge and the flood of disorganized routing troops.
Although Renly's Rainbow Guard and the Gemstone Brotherhood fought desperately to protect him, the sheer number of panicked soldiers was simply overwhelming.
Their appearance smashed through the hastily assembled defensive lines.
Amid the confusion, Renly's crowned stag banner naturally became the enemy's primary target.
Countless mercenaries charged toward him like starving wolves, and his escorts were scattered over and over again.
By now, there was no one left beside Renly.
He was completely alone.
If anyone approached now and gave him a single sword strike, the king would undoubtedly die.
"Huff... Huff..."
After adjusting his posture and regaining a little strength, Renly slowly moved his body.
The smell around him made him extremely uncomfortable.
After struggling out of the haystack, a burst of blinding sunlight immediately shone into his eyes, causing his vision to blur.
Even so, he stubbornly crawled outward.
Whether he lived or died, Renly did not want to die in this godforsaken place.
"Huff... Huff..."
After crawling for a while, Renly finally dragged his exhausted body onto the dirt and gravel of the Rose Road.
Turning onto his back, he stared up at the blue sky while gasping for breath.
Even now, he still could not understand why things had ended this way.
Why had he lost?
The sound of distant hoofbeats gradually faded.
Perhaps they were his own men.
Or perhaps they belonged to the enemy.
Although Renly wanted to shout for help, he could not be certain whether that would bring salvation—or death.
Clang...
Just then, the faint sound of armor echoed beside him.
Sensing danger, Renly somehow found the strength to roll over and scramble to his feet.
He still had a long dagger bearing a stag-head emblem hanging at his waist.
Crouching low, his left leg tensed and his right hand gripping the dagger, he prepared himself to deliver a fatal strike against whoever approached.
But after seeing the newcomer's appearance clearly, Renly froze.
The figure was completely clad in armor.
A black pointed helmet.
Heavy armor engraved with a crimson dragon-wolf emblem across the breastplate.
The pauldrons and gauntlets carried elaborate dragon decorations.
The accessories around the waist looked exquisitely crafted, and the lower armor fit perfectly, clearly the work of a master armorer.
Behind him, a blood-red cloak snapped violently in the wind.
The entire figure radiated a suffocating killing intent.
"Renly Baratheon. I never expected to see you in such a miserable state after our parting in King's Landing."
Jon's voice came from within the armor.
After noticing the sigil, Renly looked confused.
"You... you're that child fostered by House Stark? The one claiming to be Aegon Targaryen?"
Renly quickly guessed the man's identity, but he found it strange because he had no recollection of meeting Jon before.
"In King's Landing, I once spoke with you."
"It's just that the body I used then wasn't my own."
After hearing Jon's explanation, Renly asked cautiously:
"What is your purpose for coming here?"
Although Renly had cooperated with Eddard Stark for a period of time, their contact had ended after Eddard publicly declared support for Jon in the name of the North.
Jon's appearance here was definitely not good news.
He might even have come specifically to kill him.
Because of this, Renly tightened his grip around his dagger, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Although Jon carried no visible weapon, Renly had heard countless rumors.
Magic.
Transformation.
Dragons.
Those legends had spread everywhere.
"I have come to send you to meet your Seven Gods."
"House Baratheon usurped the Iron Throne, broke ancient oaths, and plunged the Seven Kingdoms into endless war."
"Only blood can wash away such sins."
Jon's words sounded like the verdict of an inquisitor.
The pressure they carried made Renly, the former Master of Laws, feel as though he had already been judged.
But Renly was not someone willing to wait quietly for death.
His sexual preferences may have differed from most men, but that did not mean he lacked courage.
Hearing Jon's words, the anger buried beneath his despair instantly erupted.
"You have no right to judge me!"
"You're nothing more than a lowborn bastard!"
"Die!"
The enraged Renly lunged without hesitation.
His dagger thrust upward toward the gap beneath Jon's gorget in a killing strike.
"Screech—Bang!"
Seeing the incoming attack, Jon merely raised his right hand.
Renly's dagger produced only sparks against the steel gauntlet.
Then Jon struck with a punch.
"WAAAGH—! Cough! Cough!"
Already injured, Renly was blasted backward by the impact.
He rolled across the ground several times before finally stopping.
"If you survive, The Reach will continue searching for reasons to rebel."
"Only by forcing them toward the Iron Throne can I create conflict between them and House Lannister."
"So..."
"Please die."
Jon spoke calmly as he walked toward Renly.
He wanted this Baratheon—someone distantly related to him—to die understanding why.
"Don't... kill me... I..."
Realizing he had no strength left, Renly instinctively tried to beg for mercy.
Even if there was little hope.
No one wished to die.
Unfortunately, Jon gave him no opportunity.
In an instant, Jon rushed forward and clamped his steel gauntlet around Renly's throat.
Renly even tried to throw dirt toward Jon's eyes.
But Jon was far too fast.
Gripping Renly's throat with one hand, Jon lifted him from the ground.
Under Jon's terrifying strength, Renly's throat collapsed with a sickening crunch.
Within moments—
life completely faded from Renly Baratheon's eyes.
"How are the preparations?"
Sensing someone approach from behind, Jon casually wiped the blood from his gauntlet and asked.
"I've already lured Stannis's mercenaries over."
"The Reach knight controlled by the charm spell has also gone to find Ser Loras Tyrell."
"I still don't understand why you're going through so much trouble."
The proud and beautiful Jeyne Arryn looked at Jon with confusion.
Jon had always liked her confidence and natural pride.
"There may be hatred between Stannis and The Reach, but enormous benefits can change people's minds."
"I must completely eliminate any possibility of cooperation and force The Reach toward House Lannister."
Jeyne frowned.
"Aren't you worried they might unite and destroy Stannis first?"
After hearing her question, Jon answered calmly:
"The true players within House Lannister and House Tyrell are the older generation."
"The younger ones are too impulsive."
"One spark..."
"...is enough to set them against each other."
Jeyne nodded slowly.
She finally understood why Jon had spent so much effort arranging everything.
"Once they begin fighting each other, we'll move against Lys and Myr, correct?"
"Yes."
"Our time is limited, and our foundation is still unstable."
"So for now..."
"We'll let them continue fighting."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you like the story please give it some power stones and reviews. And if you want to read 40+ advance chapters or just want to support me please join my patreon at [email protected]/Translatingfanfics