章節 149: I'm a Stark

They were alone.

Bereft of any aid from their respective armies and followers.

Two men, alone and exposed to their enemies and allies alike, easy pickings for any would-be man with ambitions.

Yet both remained firm and undeterred, faces calm and relaxed as they gazed upon one another from atop the back of their horses. Neither said anything for a time, just quietly observing the other, placing a face to the name of the enemy they had been preparing to fight against for some time. Whether the face of the enemy matched with the one they had conjured in their heads was not clear, both men letting nothing showcase upon their faces.

"You accepted my offer." It was not a question, but a statement of fact.

They were both here, meeting alone and without any allies.

That was proof enough.

"I have." Stannis responded, voice rough and unyielding.

Robb kept his gaze upon Stannis, noticing that though he was the first to speak, it was Stannis who was the first to gaze upon the army he had brought with him. The cool, wintery mist had begun to dissipate ever so slightly, a few thousand in plain sight to see, flags of the Westerosi houses displayed proudly, but a fraction of the men he had brought with him. "Are you curious, why I asked to negotiate with you?"

"You will lose." Stannis' answer was odd, but not unexpected. "My fortifications are solid. My armies are loyal and prepared to give their lives in service of R'hllor. You wished to not face me upon battle and so, you came to surrender to me."

Robb smiled ruefully. "A mistaken belief." He replied. "I came to see if there was not a way for us to solve the problems between us without bloodshed. This war has gone on long enough." Here, Robb's gaze narrowed, one hand resting upon the handle of his blade, Stannis mirroring him. "However, do not doubt that I am prepared to take the Wall if war is your choice. I have fought this war for four years now, defeating all my foes no matter what stood in my way. You will be just another name in the history books who was foolish enough to stand in my way also. Another fool who did not learn that most valuable lesson."

"Fool?" Stanns murmured dangerously. "You, a boy dare call me a fool?"

"Then prove me wrong." Robb interjected. "Let us negotiate here as Kings. Solve this crisis before it must develop into war and costs many more thousands of lives. You and I both know that Westeros cannot sustain a war for much longer. The damage that will result from this conflict will be felt for many years and if we choose to pursue the path of war, we will make Westeros feel it for many years more."

"Unlike you, boy," Robb did not so much as bat an eye at the way Stannis referred to him. "My God is the one true God and R'hllor shall guide me through those harsh times. Under his guidance and protection, I shall lead Westeros to a new era of prosperity."

Robb frowned momentarily, realising that this would not work. "What of our family's history?" He wondered. "The Baratheons and Starks need not be enemies. Renly was willing to negotiate with me. My father and Robert were more than friends, they were brothers. That in some ways makes us akin to family also."

"Did you not proclaim me to be a Kinslayer?" Stannis pointed out. "If I murdered my brother by birth, what makes you think that I would not kill others? Including a boy I have never met? Tell me, boy, did you really come here, send many messengers to negotiate simply to prattle on about such fanciful and meaningless things? If so, you have disappointed me."

Robb sighed. "...I suppose such things are pointless to men like you and I." He replied, looking to the sky, unable to see the sky, the mist and clouds that had rolled in over the course of the last few nights plunging them into darkness, their respective torches the only thing giving them light. "So, I suppose I should speak of something meaningful, something we both know to exist and the biggest threat to Westeros. One greater than any man or army could ever be."

"Such as?" By the look in Stannis' eyes, he was curious.

Curious to see if Robb knew the truth as he did.

"The Others."

That spark of curiosity grew at that moment. "So, you know of them?"

Robb nodded his head. "I do." He said. "And I know of the threat they pose to all of Westeros. I know of why you are desperate to become King of Westeros and unite the Seven Kingdoms. I know why you believe yourself to be the only one capable of defeating them."

"Desperate?" Stannis questioned. "I am not desperate to become King. Desperation implies the possibility of failure and I will not fail. Our war has only just begun Robb Stark and it shall be you who falls and I who rises."

"Our war has only just begun, of that, I have no doubt." Robb replied. "But what if I offered you a temporary truce."

Stannis rose a brow. "Your meaning?"

"Being King is something I have never held much desire for." Robb explained. "It was my bannermen who proclaimed me as such for their own reasons. I accepted purely because it gave me the power I needed to not only fight the war but win it. It is still something I do not wish for. However, with every enemy I defeat, new ones appear that force me to seek more power in order to defeat them, lest I be the one to fall."

"Then surrender to me." Stannis stated. "I cannot deny the brilliance in which you have fought in this war. A man of your calibre by my side in the fight against the Others would be invaluable."

"The problem with that Stannis, is you have no support." Stannis frowned deeply. "The people do not love you following your actions in the Stormlands. The nobles do not respect you, they only fear you and will forever plot to kill you. Your desire to be King is being threatened by your own popularity, which is precisely why Renly was able to battle you for the throne. He had support where you did not."

"They shall follow me." Stannis warned. "Or they shall die."

Robb shook his head. "And that is why Westeros will fall to itself long before the Others come." Robb moved closer, Stannis partially drawing his sword as a warning, but he was undeterred as he grew closer. "Which is why you should listen to my offer. What is it you desire most in this world, the power of a King, or simply the title? I offer you this, a truce on our conflict till a time that the Others have been dealt with. An alliance between you and I until a time that the Others have been dealt with. I shall bear the title of King, taking with it all the risks and bare the target upon my back, yet it shall be you who holds the power of a King, as my Hand."

A figurehead.

A puppet.

A target.

Stannis would be free to rule Westeros while Robb would be the one under constant threat from enemies all around. Their armies united, and their kingdoms were brought together for a common cause.

"You would simply hand me the power of a King while bearing all the risk?" Stannis asked dubiously. "And when the Others are defeated, we what? Continue our war?"

"I have no interest in being King. If the arrangement suits you, I shall remain the King and you remain the true ruler from the shadows." Robb answered simply. "If not, I can surrender the title of King to you as I return North, back to Winterfell and rule there as a loyal vassal, as will my children and my children's children."

"Why not simply hand me the title of King now and be done with it all?"

"Because you have no support, as I said." Robb responded curtly. "No noble besides those in support of you will follow you the way that is necessary to defeat the Others without us falling to in-fighting. However, I can control them. My reputation speaks for itself and I have close allies in many powerful noble families that will be able to keep the others in line long enough for us to deal with the Others once and for all. You cannot."

That reminder made Stannis scowl, the whole deal not sitting right with him.

"You expect me to believe that you would simply give up all that power so easily?"

"I'm a Stark, am I not?"