Chapter 300

STANNIS BARATHEON POV

DRAGONSTONE CASTLE

"My lord. A letter from Kings Landing." The maester said and passed the letter to him.

He checked the letter for any sign of tempering before he opened it and read through it's contents, he face contorting in anger the further he read.

"What does the letter say my lord?" Ser Davos Seaworth, one of his most trusted adviser asked.

He took a deep breath and looked out of the balcony at the sea and at the ships being readied in the harbor.

"We're late Ser Davos." He said and crushed the paper in his hand "My brother is dead. Poisoned most likely. And Joffrey Waters has been declared as the King."

Ser Davos remained quiet for a long moment. It was not everyday that you heard about the death of your King.

"What are we going to do now my lord?" Ser Davos asked.

"When I brother asked me to hold Storms End no matter what, I held it. For an entire year. Against an army 100 times larger than my own. I held it because it was my duty. When my brother asked me to build a Fleet and go after the remaining Targaryens, I did. And when I failed and my brother exiled me to Dragonstone, I accepted that as well. Because my brother was the king. And it was my duty to serve him." He turned an looked at Ser Davos "My brother died, with no legitimate children of his own. By the rights of the Seven Kingdoms, I am the rightful King of Westeros. And I'll take what is mine."

"I take it that I should call for the banners?" Ser Davos asked.

"Yes." He said "Do that Ser Davos. I'll write a letter to the Lords in the Seven Kingdoms. See if they take their oaths as seriously as I do."

Ser Davos nodded and left.

Once Ser Davos had left the room, he turned around and looked at the view of the sea once again.

He controlled the shaking of his hands and took a few deep breaths to calm himself down.

People might not expect it because of the hard front he puts out but he was slightly scared of the future.

He had the Royal Fleet but it was nothing compared to the Redwyne Fleet or the Bolton Fleet. And all the banners under his command won't give him even 10,000 thousand men.

Even with all his military experience, it was very likely that he might lose this war.

But such hurdles had never stopped him before and it wasn't going to stop him now.