Luke's voice continued to spread far and wide. Every word was transmitted clearly through the city-wide sound system into the ears of every listener.
"People of Westeros, the one standing before you today is not an ambitious man, not a usurper, but a witness."
He floated in mid-air, his dark imperial robe fluttering in the wind, the red dragon patterns seeming to co alive.
"From today onward, I am no longer rely the lord of one house. I am the protector of the Seven Kingdoms."
"From today onward, every light in the long night belongs to my people."
His voice grew increasingly solemn, carrying an unquestionable power:
"All under heaven is the king's land; all within the borders are the king's subjects!"
"I crown myself king in the na of the Seven Gods and in the na of the magical bloodline of the Celestial Dragons."
He paused for a mont, then declared word by word:
"From this day forward, I am the King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First n, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm!"
The mont these words fell, the entire plaza erupted.
Tens of thousands gathered in Draco's Grand Plaza let out earth-shaking gasps.
Even many mbers of the Jaqenion Family Guard looked at each other in shock — especially the new recruits, who had never imagined their lord would say such words.
The rchants who had traveled from afar and the spies lurking in the crowd were dumbfounded.
Declaring himself king?
No — not just declaring himself king.
He directly declared himself "Protector of the Realm"!
He openly claid to be the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms!
This was a hundred tis crazier than the four other "kings" — Renly, Stannis, Robb, and Balon!
Luke paid no attention to the uproar below. He continued:
"I swear to the Seven Kingdoms:
"The Riverlands shall no longer be a battlefield!"
"The snows of the North shall be guarded by the people of the North themselves!"
"The ships of the Iron Islands may sail freely, but they shall no longer plunder the innocent!"
"The sun of Dorne shall shine equally upon every house!"
His voice grew louder and more passionate:
"I will lead all mbers of House Jaqenion and all the armies that submit to to defeat the demons from the lands of eternal winter!"
"I swear that any heretic who defies the will of the Seven Gods will face the harshest punishnt! Anyone who sells their soul to evil gods is a heretic! I will fight them to the death!"
Finally, his voice beca low and sincere:
"I do not ask you to love . I only ask you to believe in once — to believe that in this chaotic world, there is still soone willing to die for his vows…"
He floated high in the air, arms spread wide as if to embrace the entire city.
The plaza fell silent.
Then it erupted in thunderous cheers.
"Lord Luke!"
"Lord Luke!"
"Lord Luke!"
"Protector of the Realm!"
"Protector of the Realm!"
…
The sound was like a tsunami, wave after wave, as if it would overturn the heavens.
Everything that happened at Draco's military parade and every word Luke spoke spread across the Seven Kingdoms as if on wings.
Ravens flew through the night sky. ssengers raced along the Kingsroad.
Three days later, the entire Riverlands was in uproar.
Ten days later, the Crownlands, the North, the Vale, the Westerlands, the Reach, and Dorne — the whole of the Seven Kingdoms was shaken.
Soone actually dared to make such an outrageous claim, openly calling himself the "Son of the Seven Gods" and the "Incarnation of the Seven"?
Others rely declared independence and called themselves kings, but Luke directly declared himself "Protector of the Realm"?
All the great and minor nobles of the Seven Kingdoms were stunned by this "thunderous" news.
They laughed until they nearly fell over.
"Where did this clown co from?"
"Who is Luke? Is he a Targaryen or a Baratheon?"
"A man who has only been a baron for less than two years dares to call himself ruler of the Seven Kingdoms?"
"Hahahaha, this is the funniest joke I've heard in my life!"
However, before the noble lords could finish laughing, their servants ca rushing in, faces pale.
"My lord! Sothing terrible has happened!"
Winterfell.
In the early morning, the guards at the city gate yawned as they suddenly noticed sothing floating down from the sky.
White pieces, fluttering like snowflakes.
Was it snow?
One guard reached out and caught a piece, then looked down.
It was a sheet of paper.
On it were exquisite images: a magnificent city, a man wearing a dark imperial robe, and rows of soldiers who looked like heavenly warriors.
There were also words:
"Luke Jaqenion, Son of the Seven Gods, receives the Mandate of Heaven."
"Jaqenion rules with virtue."
"All under heaven is the king's land; all within the borders are the king's subjects!"
White Harbor.
On the docks, fishern pulling in their nets found them tangled with these white sheets of paper.
Riverrun.
Edmure Tully picked up one of the leaflets and stared at it for a long ti. His expression shifted from mockery to shock, then from shock to bewildernt.
Casterly Rock.
Guards picked up the leaflets and looked at each other in confusion.
The Eyrie.
In the mountain valley, the falling papers were like snowflakes.
King's Landing.
The courtyard of the Red Keep was covered in these leaflets. Guards hurriedly gathered them and brought them to Cersei.
Cersei looked at the images: the man who had humiliated her at the tourney, the man who had not given her the crown, the man rumored to possess magic.
Her face turned extrely ugly. That damned man had used this "charlatan trick" to ruin her reputation!
Highgarden.
The old rose Olenna Redwyne took one of the leaflets, looked at the heroic man on it, and her eyes flashed with surprise and curiosity.
Oldtown.
The maesters of the Citadel gathered together, studying these exquisitely printed materials.
Storm's End.
Renly held a leaflet, his smile frozen on his face.
Sunspear.
Prince Doran Martell sat in his wheeled chair, looking at the leaflet in his hand, lost in thought.
God's Grace City.
Chaos erupted in God's Grace City. The devout believers did not know how to react to these "divine decrees" falling from the sky.
The leaflets were only the beginning.
Soon after, wandering singers appeared all across the Seven Kingdoms. Carrying harps, they traveled from street to street, singing of Luke Jaqenion's deeds.
"Have you heard? That magic baron can fly!"
"He defeated a coalition of over a thousand n without a scratch!"
"He built a city blessed by the gods in Draco — a place with no hunger, no poverty!"
"He is the son of the Seven Gods, sent to save us!"
The singers perford with great emotion, moving all who listened.
Even more terrifying was the book.
The Seven Gods Bible.
Exquisitely bound, with crystal-clear printing, thick pages, and substantial weight.
Every believer could receive a free copy.
In the Riverlands, Westerlands, Crownlands, Vale, and Reach, this Seven Gods Bible spread at an astonishing speed.
Not just among the nobility — farrs, rchants, peddlers, thieves, and hawkers all had a copy.
The first page began with:
"The Seven Gods love the world."
Large sections detailed "Luke is the Son of the Seven," "Luke is the Incarnation of the Seven," and "Luke is the Seven, and the Seven are Luke."
There were also prophecies about "the Others from the lands of eternal winter invading Westeros."
And "Luke is the only savior who will lead humanity to defeat the demons and create a brand new era."
The entire Seven Kingdoms was in upheaval.
While the nobles were still mocking that presumptuous little baron, they discovered that those "divine decrees" were already spreading in their own lands.
While the farrs were still working in the fields, they began discussing the "Son of the Gods" who could fly.
While the rchants were still doing business, they found more and more custors holding copies of The Seven Gods Bible.
While the soldiers were still training in their camps, they began quietly asking where Draco was and how they could join the Jaqenion Family Guard.
And the kings:
Joffrey raged in King's Landing, ordering all leaflets and books to be burned.
Stannis brooded on Dragonstone, gritting his teeth. Another ambitious upstart who didn't know his place!
Renly forced a smile in Storm's End, but a hint of wariness flashed in his eyes.
Robb sat silently in the Northern camp, staring at the Seven Gods Bible in his hands.
Balon snorted on the Iron Islands, but began calculating in his mind.
And Sansa Stark, at this mont, sat in her room in Draco, holding a copy of The Seven Gods Bible, turning to the pages describing "Luke is the Son of the Seven Gods."
Her heart beat rapidly.
She rembered how he had looked flying in the sky.
She rembered the words he had spoken.
"All under heaven is the king's land; all within the borders are the king's subjects."
She suddenly felt that her brother's letter… perhaps wasn't such a lowly match after all.
--------------------------
Support us on P@tre0n and gain access to 100 chapters in advance!
[email protected]/inkshield
User Comments
0 comments from readers