Chapter 154
Chapter 154 The Regent
Dong -Dong
The bell struck Lord Renly Baratheon heart.
Of course he knew the meaning of the bell—his brother, King Robert, was dead.
He thought that he would not be sad at all, but when this moment really came, Lord Renly still felt a sense of grief and panic from deep within his heart.
Yes, panic.
The master of Justice was wearing a gorgeous velvet gown today, with a gleaming golden sword around his waist and a huge ring on his right thumb that symbolizes the status of a duke. His chin clean-shaven and carefully combed hair .
The whole person looks handsome and extraordinary.
But when he came to the throne room, waiting to preside over the trial for the murder of Jon Arryn, he found no one there.
The Red Viper was gone, Littlefinger was dead, and Grand Maester Pycelle was dead too.
Now even the king is dead.
Lord Renly felt that the gods must be joking with him. This should have been a glorious day for him, but it was suddenly shattered by death one by one.
He stood alone next to the Iron Throne, the iron chair made of a sharp sword, covered with ferocious spikes and strange twists, seemed to suddenly become more terrifying than ever before.
"Lord Renly." The Guard walked over and reminded, "It is time for you to attend the imperial meeting."
Yes!
Council meeting!
Lord Renly came to his senses at last.
When the king is dead, it is time for the will to be read by the kingdom council.
And he will become the regent and guardian of the whole realm!
Until Joffrey comes of age, the country will be in his hands!
Thinking of this, Duke Renly regained his energy and strode out.
Stepping on the soft red carpet , like walking on the clouds.
Lord Renly's spirits jumped again.
But as soon as he walked out, he met a group of people coming towards him.Headed by Queen Cersei, she was wearing a black dress with a teardrop-shaped ruby hanging on her chest, her curly blond hair was scattered on her shoulders, and her green eyes had a faint arrogant smile.
She led Prince Joffrey by her right hand, and behind her were the seven Kingsguard, and Ser Janos Slynt, Commander of the City Garrison , and a host of palace guard's ..
Mighty and menacing.
"Lord Renly, where are you going?"
"The Council meeting." Duke Renly had a bad feeling in his heart, but he still said politely, "His Majesty passed away, and the couno meeting should be held immediately to read out the will."
"That's fine, let's go together." Cersei didn't hide the smile on her face.
The smile made Lord Renly angry.
"Queen Cersei if I remember correctly, there should be no place for you at theCouncil meeting ."
"But there is a place for my son." Cersei stepped forward slowly, and came to Duke Renly and stared at him .
Duke Renly's tone became a little stiff: "There is no place for the queen mother in the council meeting ."
"What about the queen regent?"
Duke Renly clenched his fists suddenly, but then he saw the king's guard behind Cersei.
He squeezed out a smile:
"This depends on how his majesty arranged in the will..."
"His majesty is dead." Cersei revealed mercilessly, "and the new majesty is my son Joffrey."
"But Lord Joffrey is not yet of age..."
"His Majesty!" Joffrey interrupted Duke Renly arrogantly, and shouted, "You should call me, His Majesty!"
Duke Renly looked at the undisguised hostility in Joffrey's eyes, and his heart grew more and more reatless.
"Little Joe, don't be rude to uncle." Cersei turned her head to confront her son, then hooked her fingers at Duke Renly, "Come on, Lord Renly, let's talk alone."
After she finished speaking, she swayed and stepped towards the throne room.
Lord Renly hesitated, but followed.
Cersei didn't speak any more, but walked straight along the red carpet to the Iron Throne.
Lord Renly followed her, full of thoughts.
"Want to sit?"
Cersei's words echoed in the empty throne room, awakening Lord Renly.
He came back to his senses, followed the Queen's gaze, and looked at the terrifying iron chair.
no answer.
"Heh—" Cersei let out a sneer full of sarcasm, actually lifted the hem of her skirt, stepped straight up the steps, then turned around and sat high on the Iron Throne!
Like a queen.
"You!" Lord Renly glared at her.
"I know you want to sit, Renly, but you don't dare." Cersei carefully avoided the spikes on the armrest with her hands, "and I dare."
Lord Renly snorted coldly: "Cersei, you crazy woman! No lord in the Seven Kingdoms will submit to you, you are a joke!"
"If it was a joke, why are you so nervous?" Cersei stood up from the Iron Throne, looking down at Duke Renly, " But don't think I don't know what's going on in your mind?"
"Don't you think I don't know your little secret, Cersei!" Lord Renly shot back.
"What little secret?"
"What about you and your brother!" Duke Renly said. He tried to find the panic on the queen's face but failed, which made him flustered instead.
"He's not Robert's seed!"
Cersei still didn't panic, she smiled coldly: "Where's the evidence? Renly, where's your evidence?"
Duke Renly was at a loss for words.
Cersei stepped down from the Iron Throne, came to Duke Renly, and gently stroked his cheek with her hand:
"Without evidence, why do you question Joffrey's legitimacy? Also, in Robert's will , are you appointed as Regent and Guardian of the Realm?"
Duke Renly's pupils shrank slightly.
Someone leaked!
He realized it immediately.
who is it?
"I don't know what ecstasy you gave Robert to agree to hand the Kingdom over to you," Cersei continued. "But I will not let this mistake continue. Joffrey will revoke your Regent..."
"He doesn't have this power!" Duke Renly's voice suddenly became louder, causing echoes in the empty hall, "At least he does not have this power before he came of age!"
"Power? Do you have power ? "
"I have his majesty's will!"
"It's just a scrap of paper." Cersei pointed towards the door of the hall.
" That's Power."
Lord Renly did not look back, he had already seen it.
Barristan Selmy, Jaime Lannister, Marlin Tran, Janos Slynt...
This means that the strongest force in the Red keep has sided with the queen.
And what about him...
The Tyrell family turned back, and the nobles of the Reach rejected him, and someone might have even betrayed him!
And Dorne... His plan to plot against the nobles of Dorne has become a joke.
Lord Renly knew that he had no chance of winning.
"Renly." Cersei's slender hand reached down, caressing his chest, "Don't think that a piece of paper can give you power, otherwise, your end will be miserable."
Duke Renly bit his lip , no rebuttal.
He knew that this crazy woman could really do it, she even dared to sit on the Iron Throne, and even the death of the king - he had always suspected that this woman murdered his brother!
"Don't be afraid." Cersei felt the man's trembling, and continued to lower her slender hand, bringing the most gentle hint, "As long as you take the initiative to resign as regent, I can continue to let you stay in the Kingdom council , with all the power ."
Duke Renly took a step back like an electric shock, trying his best to avoid the queen's hand.
Cersei giggled, "So you're really not interested in women? It's a pity."
Then, she strode out without looking back,
"Come on, Lord Renly, let's go to the council meeting . I believe you will make a wise choice."
Duke Renly's face changed for a while, then he finally followed her slumped, like a queen's servant .
When the group arrived at the meeting room, they found that several other master's have already arrived.
Of course, there were not many people left in the current council .
Lord Stannis, had slipped back to Dragonstone, Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish, master of couns, was dead, and so was Grand Maester Pycelle.
So when the queen walked in, there were only Duke Eddard, the Hand of the King, and Varys, the master of whisper .
When Duke Eddard saw the Queen coming in, he frowned, but then remembered something, and kept quiet.
Cersei took her son Joffrey and sat down on the main seat, saying:
"Lord Eddard,is it time to read the will?"
Duke Eddard nodded, took out the will, showed the intact sealing wax to everyone, then opened it, and read:
"The following is 'By the will of Robert I of the House Baratheon, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Warden of the Realm, hereby appoints the Warden of the Stormlands, Lord of Storm's End, of House Renly Baratheon as the Regent and the guardian of the whole realm. After I die, he will rule the kingdom affairs for me until my son Joffrey comes of age..."
Hearing this, all eyes were on Lord Renly's face.
And Queen Cersei's eyes were particularly sharp.
Duke Renly took a deep breath, and when Duke Eddard finished reading the will, he immediately said:
"My lords, I am deeply grateful and honored that His Majesty Robert has entrusted me with a heavy responsibility! But..." Duke Renly gritted his teeth and continued, "But I really... really can't take on this responsibility.
I am afraid that I will fail His Majesty's great trust.
I hereby take the initiative to resign from the post of regent and guardian of the whole realm. Please, my lords, choose someone else."
Cersei smiled with satisfaction, and-said :
"In this case, then my lords, you should re-elect someone."
As soon as the words fell, Joffrey shouted: "I will nominate my mother!"
The audience was silent.
Joffrey, who didn't get a response, suddenly became unhappy, and shouted again:
"Why don't you speak? What's your opinion? Ser Barristan?"
The old king's guard bowed slightly, saying:
"I support the Prince Joffrey."
"Very good!" Joffrey nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Varys, "Lord Varys, what's your opinion?"
Varys smiled sweetly: "I agree."
Joffrey looked at Duke Eddard one last time: "Hand of the King, what's your opinion?"
Duke Eddard looked up into Cersei's eyes, and the lioness on the opposite side met his gaze without flinching.
After a while, it was Duke Eddard who looked away first, he said silently in his heart—
'Sorry, Robert, I can only deal with one enemy at a time. '
"I agree."
"Very well!" Joffrey announced excitedly, "From this day on, mother, you are the Queen Regent!"
[END]