"Once worn by Hugor of the Hill. Lord Septon, I humbly beseech you to take your rightful crown."
"..."
Bronn dumbly stared at the crown for a long time, solemn and never revealing a hint of surprise. It wasn't the crown itself that surprised him, but it was the fact that the Golden Company was offering it to him.
And as a man who had been plotting the downfall of Westerosi nobility for so long, he understood that there was no such thing as a free gift. This crown could be a weight upon his head that would dig a hole under his feet.
"The Seven be praised, I never guessed the Golden Company still held the Faith in such regard," Bronn said.
"Not all of us, Your Holiness, no. Only the core of the company still carries the blood of the original founders, men from the great houses of Westeros. Our faith did falter; it weakened, I cannot deny that. But now, with the Faith rising again in Essos, and with your own noble coming, an angel of the Seven in the flesh, we truly long to return to the light."
"You said promised land. What do you mean by it? Do you seek nobility, titles, lands?" Bronn asked. "Seven know I'm not King, Ser Strickland."
"We seek a great purpose, Your Holiness. Golden Company roams these lands serving the coin. But there are greater causes than coin we can serve. And to serve you in Westeros is the greatest cause, for we'll be fighting where we were intended to. We'll march where we were meant to."
Bronn silently thought about it. He had no reason to refuse a well-established mercenary company like this; they had war elephants in the Seven's cursed name. However, what he feared was losing control.
"So you would join my Angelic Knights, then? Take up a place in my holy host?"
"Your Holiness, I can think of no greater duty than this."
A welcome idea indeed, but one that required much care and planning. There could be spies and more in the Golden Company. Spies of other cities, powerful and rich. So instead of letting them join him, it was best to maintain a wall between them for now.
"I will, in the Seven's name, send Ser Bonifer Hasty to the Golden Company. You will keep him as your chief advisor, second only to yourself. He will guide you in matters of faith, holy custom, and the discipline I require of my holy host. You are to remain the Golden Company for the present, and you will speak to none of my hand upon you. High lords have weak nerves. You will swell the Company in all ways open to you. I shall furnish the gold. Do this, and by the Seven I'll see you home, marching through King's Landing with flowers cast at your feet."
At last, Bronn took the crown from the man's hand and looked at it intently. He understood the weight behind it. This crown was meant for the King of Andals, the race of men that occupied most of Westeros. It was meant for the one who led the Faith.
With it, he could take over the Faith of the Seven and abolish the High Septon easily. Yet, doing that prematurely wasn't the right way to go about it. It must happen naturally, and this crown must reach his head on its own.
"Your Holiness, most holy and anointed Lord Septon, I, Harry Strickland…"
Bronn looked up again as the man knelt before him.
"...and the Golden Company, unworthy though we be, do here pledge our sword, our heart, and all the days that remain to us wholly to your sacred service. As the Seven bear witness, we shall obey your righteous commands without question, shield your holy person with our life, and strive in all things to be the humblest instrument of your divine will. No greater honour could ever be granted us. This I swear before the light of the Father and the mercy of the Mother."
It was a pledge, one that Bronn readily accepted by raising his right hand and basking him in his light magic spell. It was such a simple thing for him to do, yet the way the man gawked at it never bored him.
"Rise, Ser Strickland, brother of the Angelic Knights." Bronn set him upright. "By the Seven, may Their light guide you."
Seeing him all smiles, he then briefed the man about some long-term plans that didn't conflict with what he was doing right now. He didn't want any interference in Volantis, as using military force wasn't his choice in the first place.
The city was armed enough to keep the Dothraki away, so there was no glory to be had in a war.
"Let us not meet again, Ser Strickland. If the Seven will it that you must hear me, you shall. Soon, an opening will come for the Golden Company to set foot in Westeros. Be ready."
Harry Strickland nearly clapped his hands together. "Fantastic! I shall do that, Your Holiness."
Bronn nodded and let him go. He had other matters to deal with, mainly antagonising the Red Priests of the city.
####
Highgarden, the Reach,
For years now, Olenna Tyrell had remained unmoved. For years, she listened intently to those around her to learn of the happenings. She was quite awake and aware; only her physical state kept her from doing anything.
In that time, her love for her family had only increased as she saw them care for her. She was always a thought in their minds. The way Alerie helped her dress, the way Willas took her to the gardens and told her stories, wrote poems for her, and often talked about the realm. She loved seeing Margaery grow so delicately beautiful, yet fierce.
"Mother, the sun is quite gentle today, with the breeze smooth."
She heard her son, the shame of her life, speak from the side. She couldn't see him, and she thanked the Gods she couldn't, as it made her blood boil. The man had doomed her house alone, reduced them to being a mere servant of a septon.
She believed a decade had passed since that unfortunate visit by that septon. She'd seen both the son and daughter, the seeds that man had put inside her daughter-like Alerie. The boy had his mother's hair, beautiful beyond words could describe, blessed with high intelligence, a manner of speech that most could only dream of. The boy was as if carved for greatness. Same for the daughter, a flower more beautiful than even Margaery, she begrudgingly felt.
If only I hadn't moved prematurely.
A billion regrets lingered under the thin shape of her old frame. She just stared into the distance across the table, the flowing flower gardens of the Highgarden. She heard her family speak beside her as they all ate and drank, and the children played.
"Willas! The Lord Septon sent his blessings just now." Mace's voice boomed across the air. "I asked his counsel on your marriage, for you're nineteen and past due. He named Princess Arianne Nymeros Martell of Dorne. I thought at first the Crown might take offense, but we've pledged Margaery to Prince Steffon Baratheon already. So this puts our house in the finest place for any change that might come."
A rather wise choice, I must agree. We'll have the current crown and the possible challenger both close.
"If it's Lord Septon, I'll accept it, Father." Willas agreed right away.
Don't, my boy. Don't follow your father's blindness.
"Wonderful! I'll send a raven off to Prince Doran right away. I reckon Prince Oberyn will come along with Princess Arianne. The two of you can get to know one another when they arrive." Mace beamed. "We'll do the betrothal proper, and then the wedding won't be far behind. Soon as that's finished, the pair of you will go see the Lord Septon and get his blessing."
No! You must not!
Olenna tried to scream. Tried to refuse such an idea, for she knew what would happen. The same fate as Alerie would befall Arianne. The future bloodline of House Tyrell will forever be tainted.
"See him? I…" Willas Tyrell murmured.
Refuse him, boy! Refuse that fat oaf!
"Son, Lord Septon is the greatest blessing our House Tyrell ever got. We and the Hightowers, we're the closest to him, but those Hightowers are clever ones. They're trying to get back all their old greatness. Two of their daughters are serving him as his septas right now, and we haven't got a single girl from our house doing it. We have to stay right by his side always, the most loyal ones he's got."
"I understand that, Father. Lord Septon is nothing less than an angel who brought me back to health. My hesitation has nothing to do with him. I only wish to visit the North once I'm wed. I know it sounds… childish, but I have long wanted to see the Wall with my own eyes."
"Hah! Who doesn't want that? But you can see about all that after you've been to Volantis. It's a city even grander than the Wall. The Long Bridge is the longest in the whole world. One of the true wonders built by the hands of men!"
Willas just nodded and smiled. "Then I'll go there, Father."
Oh, Willas, you poor child. We are doomed… this house, the bloodline.
In silence, a tear slid down Olenna's face. Unable to do anything but listen.
"Ah, the sun must irritate mother's eyes." Mace chirped quickly. "Alerie, please take her inside."
"Of course."
Fools! All of you!
####
___________________
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