The negotiations ended in complete failure.
Neither side was satisfied with the outcome, and with no room left for compromise, war became inevitable.
Before sunrise the following morning, the two brothers would settle their dispute on the battlefield.
After returning to Storm's End, Renly Baratheon immediately gathered the forces brought by Ser Loras Tyrell from the Reach, along with the Stormlands soldiers who had once again answered his call after learning that he had abandoned his claim to the Iron Throne and pledged his loyalty to Karl Baratheon.
Although these troops did not represent the full military strength of the Stormlands, they were more than enough to confront Stannis's army, which had attracted little support.
Following a brief war council, Renly announced that the battle against Stannis Baratheon, who continued to besiege Storm's End, would begin at dawn.
Orders were quickly issued, and every commander departed to prepare their respective forces.
Renly understood that he could not simply remain inside Storm's End and fight a defensive battle.
Only by taking the initiative and crushing Stannis swiftly could he welcome King Karl Baratheon to Storm's End with victory already secured.
Without further delay, the entire fortress came to life.
The temporary encampment outside the castle was established within the forest beneath Storm's End.
By sunrise, however, it was obvious that many of those trees would have been cut down to support the coming battle.
---
After the negotiations collapsed, Eddard Stark chose not to interfere further in the conflict between the Baratheon brothers.
He simply could not understand why Stannis still refused to acknowledge reality.
Despite the overwhelming circumstances, Stannis stubbornly believed he could still win.
Faced with such determination, Eddard could only accept the truth.
In the end, he had failed to fulfill Robert's final hopes—even though Robert had never specifically asked him to protect his brothers.
Standing once again atop the walls of Storm's End, Eddard watched Renly's soldiers preparing for war.
Beside him stood Ser Barristan Selmy.
"What should we do now, Lord Stark?" Barristan asked.
"Should we send word to King's Landing and request reinforcements?"
"I'm not convinced this battle will end quickly."
"Stannis is acting far too confidently."
Barristan had known Stannis for many years.
The Stannis he remembered had always been rigid and uncompromising.
But never irrational.
In truth, Stannis was an exceptionally intelligent man.
That was precisely what made his current behavior so unsettling.
Eddard considered the suggestion carefully.
"It would be better to rally the remaining Stormlands lords."
"But that would take too much time."
"For now, the fastest solution is to dispatch troops from King's Landing."
He sighed softly.
"We can't expect His Majesty to solve every problem himself."
Barristan nodded.
"According to our latest reports, His Majesty remains in Oldtown at the Citadel."
"House Hightower has already pledged its loyalty."
"After defeating House Tyrell, Jon Snow—the White Wolf—has begun consolidating the northern Riverlands."
"Meanwhile, House Hightower is securing the southern Riverlands."
"I believe it won't be long before His Majesty turns his attention to Storm's End."
"The fact that he hasn't answered our earlier message likely means he expects us to resolve this ourselves."
Before Barristan could continue, Eddard smiled bitterly.
His desire to resign as Hand of the King after this crisis only grew stronger.
"I'll send a letter to King's Landing immediately."
"I'll ask Lord Varys to gather every available soldier."
"Some troops remained after the war against House Lannister."
"They can be organized into reinforcements."
He paused thoughtfully.
"Actually..."
"Lord Varys's earlier proposal deserves serious consideration."
"He suggested establishing a royal army directly loyal to the Iron Throne."
"If it's built upon these remaining forces, it shouldn't be too difficult."
"The Gold Cloaks aren't suited to represent the king's military authority."
"And the collapse of the Royal Fleet exposed another weakness."
"If possible, strengthening the royal family's direct military power would greatly benefit the realm."
"As for the expense..."
"We'll find a solution later."
Mentioning the subject reminded Eddard of an earlier Small Council meeting in King's Landing.
During that meeting, Varys had proposed creating an independent royal army in addition to the City Watch and the Royal Fleet.
His reasoning had been straightforward.
Since the decline of House Targaryen and the rise of House Baratheon, the Crown's direct military strength had become increasingly inadequate.
The recent War of the Three Kings had proven exactly that.
Had Karl Baratheon not repeatedly turned impossible situations into miraculous victories through his own extraordinary strength, the rightful king might already have fallen victim to ambitious rivals.
Varys's proposal had impressed nearly everyone present.
Even Grand Maester Pycelle had considered it carefully.
Still, Eddard had postponed the discussion.
The expense was enormous.
More importantly, he didn't yet know the king's opinion.
During the Targaryen era, dragons themselves had served as the Crown's ultimate military force.
However, dragons belonged to individual riders rather than the throne itself.
Their immense power had eventually led to tragedies such as the Dance of the Dragons and the Blackfyre Rebellions.
Now, after serving as Hand, Eddard had personally witnessed the weaknesses of the Gold Cloaks.
Although Karl had significantly reduced corruption within the City Watch, the Royal Fleet had nearly collapsed during the recent conflict.
Considering everything together, creating a permanent royal army now seemed more reasonable than ever.
Previously, Eddard had opposed the proposal because of political concerns.
The balance between the great houses was delicate.
Creating another royal military force would inevitably affect that balance.
Then came the Citadel's announcement that summer had ended.
Preparing the kingdom for winter became the highest priority, and the proposal quietly disappeared beneath countless other matters.
Now, however, it seemed impossible to ignore any longer.
Barristan found himself agreeing.
"The Kingsguard protects the king himself."
"A royal army would protect the Iron Throne."
"The two would complement one another rather than conflict."
"Personally..."
"I fully support it."
He continued thoughtfully.
"House Tyrell has already lost its lands, titles, and honors."
"The Lannisters have been defeated."
"Storm's End, Dragonstone, and much of the realm are changing hands."
"When this war ends, the political landscape of the Seven Kingdoms will be completely transformed."
"And with winter approaching..."
"There may never be a better opportunity."
The more Barristan spoke, the more convinced he became.
A royal army would not only strengthen the Crown but also create a healthy balance between the City Watch, the Royal Fleet, and the monarchy itself.
For the first time since the negotiations had failed, a faint glimmer of hope appeared.
Eddard's mood noticeably improved.
"I'll write to King's Landing immediately."
"I'll request reinforcements for Storm's End."
"I'll also inform the Small Council so Varys can begin preparing."
He smiled faintly.
"I truly believe the Seven Kingdoms will know peace under Karl's reign."
"When winter finally ends..."
"House Baratheon will welcome a brighter future."
At least... I've fulfilled part of Robert's final wish.
For the first time in many days, Eddard smiled genuinely.
Without another word, he hurried toward his chambers.
Every minute saved now might spare countless lives later.
Watching him disappear, Barristan scratched his head in confusion.
"My lord..."
"What should I do?"
Eddard called back over his shoulder.
"If you have time, go speak with Lord Renly."
"I'm sure he'd welcome your company."
With that, he disappeared into the castle.
---
Time passed quickly.
Day faded into night.
Storm's End transformed from a fortress preparing for defense into an army preparing for attack.
Even without considering supply lines, organizing thousands of soldiers outside the castle had occupied the entire day.
Darkness settled across the land.
The black walls of Storm's End swallowed the moonlight.
Only the distant campfires of Stannis's army flickered across the plain.
Inside Renly's encampment, however, everything remained brightly illuminated.
The warm glow of countless lanterns made the silk command tent resemble a magnificent emerald palace.
Two former Rainbow Guards stood silently outside.
Since abandoning his claim to the Iron Throne, Renly had also relinquished every symbol of kingship.
The crown House Tyrell had crafted for him—decorated with golden roses and an emerald stag—had already been melted down.
Its gold and gemstones had instead been forged into the decorations adorning a magnificent warhammer.
Renly intended to present it to Karl Baratheon as a gift.
Inside the tent, Ser Loras Tyrell helped Renly put on his armor.
Several iron braziers filled the room with comforting warmth.
Once Renly's green silk cloak trimmed with squirrel fur rested upon his shoulders, Loras leaned close and whispered softly.
"I've always believed you would have made the finest king."
Only the two of them were present.
Loras gazed at their reflections in the polished mirror.
His eyes were filled with affection.
Despite everything House Tyrell had lost, his feelings had never changed.
Renly froze for a moment.
A trace of guilt appeared in his eyes.
"I'm sorry..."
He gently reached up and touched Loras's cheek.
Loras immediately shook his head.
"No, Your Grace."
"You've done nothing wrong."
"This isn't your fault."
To Loras, Karl Baratheon had simply become too extraordinary.
His rise resembled that of Aegon the Conqueror.
Perhaps it was even more legendary.
Born a bastard...
He had captured the attention of the entire realm from his very first appearance.
He defended his honor by killing a Kingsguard.
He saved Bran Stark and exposed the Lannister conspiracy.
He carved his legend across the Riverlands before ultimately saving the Seven Kingdoms from collapse.
Single-handedly, he preserved House Baratheon's rule over the Iron Throne.
As a knight, Loras deeply admired Karl.
Had circumstances been different...
Perhaps he might even have loved him.
But his heart already belonged to someone else.
The best king in his eyes.
Running his hand gently across Renly's emerald-green armor, Loras quietly reassured him once more.
Renly simply closed his eyes and cherished the brief moment of peace.
He couldn't help wondering whether Karl would still allow him to remain Lord of Storm's End.
If their positions were reversed...
Even he might hesitate.
He could only hope their shared blood would earn him a measure of mercy.
Just then, a guard outside announced,
"My lord."
"Ser Barristan Selmy has arrived."
The two men immediately stepped apart, quickly composing themselves as though nothing had happened.
"Show him in."
"Dawn is approaching."
The tent flap lifted.
An elderly man dressed entirely in white stepped inside.
His white hair, white beard, and white cloak seemed to blend together.
As he entered, a sharp gust of cold night air swept into the tent with him.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)