Aldric's fingers traced the brass buckle on his saddle, the rough texture grounding him.
Two years ago, when he'd left White Harbor, he'd felt nothing but disdain for that so-called bustling port. He'd looked at the crowded streets and the ships in the harbor and thought, It's nothing special.
But now, after two years of wandering through Westeros's vast, war-torn lands, through its backwaters and battlefields, he found himself missing that kind of crowded energy.
As he led his column into King's Landing, a complex smell hit him: sea salt, animal dung, and human sweat all mixed together.
The streets were packed with people, shoulder to shoulder. The sounds of haggling, shouting, and arguing rose and fell without end. A vendor held up glistening roast quail, pushing through the crowd and calling out his wares. Barefoot children chased each other at a street corner, their laughter sharp and clear. Merchants pushed wooden carts loaded with goods, the wheels groaning over uneven cobblestones.
Aldric looked at the familiar yet foreign scene. The weariness of the long march began to lift.
Theodore Wells rode a chestnut warhorse beside him, back straight, eyes scanning the crowd warily. His chainmail glinted cold in the sun. "Lightbringer," he said, his voice low and firm. "Shall we go to the Great Sept first, or get the brothers settled?"
Aldric frowned. "Where will the brothers stay?"
Theodore's face showed a flicker of helplessness. "The Great Sept is full. After the High Septon took his seat, he opened it to refugees. I think if you bring a few personal guards, Brother Brown can still find you some rooms. The rest... they'll have to stay in Flea Bottom." He paused, a proud smile tugging at his lips. "Flea Bottom isn't bad, actually. It used to be the filthiest, most chaotic part of the city. But since our people moved in, the sanitation and order have improved a lot. Best of all, we have plenty of empty houses there to quarter the men."
Aldric nodded. "A guest follows the host. I'll follow your arrangement."
With Aldric's approval, Theodore immediately waved over a servant. The man was thin, with clever eyes, wearing a worn but clean leather jerkin. "Ashton," Theodore said sternly, "take the brothers from the Gods Eye to Flea Bottom. Find a few houses close together to quarter everyone."
"Yes, Captain!" Ashton replied loudly. He saluted Theodore, then turned his horse to leave. Before he went, he stole a few glances at Aldric, his eyes full of curiosity and awe.
Aldric assigned a squad leader to coordinate with the local brothers, then followed Theodore toward the Great Sept with six or seven men.
Hooves clattered on the stone streets.
"Theodore," Aldric said, studying the buildings on either side, "how many men do you have now?"
Theodore thought for a moment. "Over a hundred knights. They're second sons from noble houses across the Seven Kingdoms, sellswords, or minor lords who lost their lands after making mistakes. Then there are a few hundred from the Poor Fellows. But they've had little training. Their fighting ability is poor."
"Supplies? Enough coin?" Aldric pressed, his expression serious.
"Enough," Theodore said firmly. "The Church has always had plenty of holdings. Farms, vineyards, lending operations, trading ships across the Seven Kingdoms. Before, the corruption meant the clergy embezzled it all for their own pleasure. But after the High Septon took power, he sold the Church's gold and silver vessels to the merchants to raise a pile of gold dragons. He also seized the coin and ledgers hidden in the private mansions of the corrupt archbishops and bishops. With our numbers small, we can still afford it."
Aldric's face was grave. "Good. I've come to help, but I can't stay forever. You must build a loyal force you can call on at any time. Otherwise, I worry for your safety."
"Safety..." Theodore weighed the word, hesitation flickering in his eyes. "Safety isn't a big problem now. Our numbers are small, but since the High Septon took his seat, he's opened free food and healing to King's Landing's poor. The common folk are mostly on our side now. Many nobles also come to the Great Sept to pray and receive the High Septon's teachings. I only have a few hundred men, but protecting the High Septon isn't a problem."
Aldric felt a quiet worry. The hearts of men are unreliable. He wanted to warn Theodore that nobles and commoners living in the capital wouldn't care whether you were a god's representative when their lives were at stake.
But Theodore and the High Sparrow had been among the first to receive the Seed of Light after the Great Council at St. Maur's Monastery. They'd left the monastery with only a dozen men and carved out a foothold in King's Landing through sheer faith and effort. Aldric didn't want to interfere with their work.
After all, do I know King's Landing better than they do? If I come in and start criticizing their methods, I'll be disrespecting the authority of the High Septon and Theodore.
So Aldric let the matter drop. He decided to mention it to the High Sparrow when they met, just to keep them alert.
"By the way," Aldric said, "I received the High Septon's letter. It was short. The details weren't clear. Can you tell me now?"
Theodore looked around. Seeing the others were far enough away, he lowered his voice. "Alright. But I don't know all the details. Queen Margaery and Queen Cersei are both women, so the whole affair was handled by the septas. I only know the outline..."
Then Theodore told Aldric what he knew. But he had no gift for storytelling. The dramatic events came out dry and brief:
About twenty days ago, Ser Osney Kettleblack had come to the High Septon to confess. He confessed to having an affair with Queen Margaery and begged the Father's forgiveness.
The High Septon had him locked up. Then, when the young queen came to the Great Sept to pray, he had her and her attendants seized and handed over to the septas.
After Septa Moelle examined her, she confirmed Queen Margaery was no longer a maiden. The Church detained them. Septa Moelle went to the Iron Throne to accuse Queen Margaery of adultery and treason before Queen Cersei.
Cersei was delighted. She arrested the men Margaery's cousins had named, then came eagerly to the Great Sept. She handed the judgment of the case over to the Church. Then the Church detained her too.
Because after torture, Ser Osney not only refused to confess to his affair with Margaery, but instead revealed his affair with Queen Cersei. He also confessed that Cersei had ordered him to murder the previous High Septon.
"But isn't the High Septon being a bit..." Aldric frowned, stopping himself.
"Too aggressive?" Theodore finished.
Aldric nodded. "Queen Margaery has the entire Reach behind her. Queen Cersei has House Lannister."
Theodore shook his head. "The High Septon has his own reasons. You can speak with him directly when you meet."
By now, Aldric could see the white spires of the Great Sept of Baelor in the distance. They shone with a holy light under the sun, surrounded by a white marble plaza where people came and went. Some knelt in prayer. Others stopped to watch.
The Great Sept was named after King Baelor the Blessed. It sat atop Visenya's Hill, surrounded by a white marble plaza. In the center stood a towering statue of Baelor the First, solemn and majestic, looking down on the land.
Baelor the Blessed, Baelor Targaryen the First, was King of the Seven Kingdoms and the ninth Targaryen to sit the Iron Throne. He was a devout man, both a septon and a king.
During his reign, he had acted as both king and septon. Through his piety, the Faith of the Seven and House Targaryen had truly merged. After the Great Sept he commissioned was completed, it replaced the Starry Sept in Oldtown as the seat of the High Septon. From then on, the Faith had become a complete vassal of the crown.
For over a hundred years since, the statue of Baelor had stood peacefully on its pedestal, silently watching the world change. No matter how the throne changed hands, it stood still, ignoring it all.
Beyond the statue and the main building, there was a garden that could hold hundreds of brothers. The Sept itself was a magnificent marble dome with seven crystal towers rising from it. The bells in the towers only rang on major occasions, such as when a king died.
The Sept had many doors. The brothers entered through the Father's Door, the septas through the Mother's Door, and the silent sisters through the Stranger's Door. Outside the Sept was a marble pulpit, used to draw more people when the brothers preached.
To enter the Sept from the main gate, one had to walk a long corridor called the Hall of Lamps.
As Aldric followed Theodore through it, he saw colored lead-glass balls hanging from the ceiling. Sunlight passed through them, casting colorful patterns on the floor that swayed gently in the breeze, like a dreamlike painting.
Through two more doors, they reached where the brothers prayed. Here, the seven altars of the Seven stood beneath a dome of glass, gold, and crystal.
The floor was polished marble, smooth and cold. The huge windows were made of colored lead glass, filtering sunlight into brilliant colors. Before the altars, candles flickered as the faithful lit them in prayer. The flames danced, reflecting on their devout faces.
Different ceremonies were held before different altars. A young couple in simple clothes were exchanging vows between the gilded statues of the Father and the Mother. Their faces were full of happiness and nervousness. Their voices trembled slightly. Their eyes held hope for the future.
The ceremony was being conducted by a brother who had heard Aldric speak at the Great Council. When he saw Aldric, surprise lit his face. He paused his work and nodded to Aldric. Aldric nodded back, then turned a corner and followed Theodore up to a spacious meeting room on the second floor.
The room had soft light and a faint scent of incense. The High Sparrow was kneeling on a soft cushion, praying before a painting of the Father. He wore a plain wool robe. His hair was still white and thin. But becoming the leader of the Faith had made his spirit stronger than before.
His back was straight. His hands were clasped. His lips moved slightly, as if he were speaking devoutly.
"High Septon," Theodore said softly, "the Lightbringer is here."
The High Septon slowly rose from the cushion. He turned and saw his comrade. A kind smile spread across his face. "Lightbringer. It has been too long."
"Yes, Your Holiness. Too long." Aldric smiled back.
They stepped forward and embraced tightly, patting each other's backs hard. Joy was written on both their faces. In that moment, all the weariness and worry seemed to dissolve in that embrace.
After a moment, they each pulled up a stool and sat down. Aldric told the High Septon about the current state of the Order of the Golden Dawn in the Riverlands. The High Septon's eyes went wide. His voice was full of surprise. "The Golden Dawn can mobilize five thousand men now?"
"Yes. Two thousand standing mobile troops. And over three thousand militiamen scattered across villages and towns. Their fighting ability is weaker, but under the leadership of local septons and militia captains, they can handle local defense without issue." Aldric explained in detail.
The High Septon made the sign of the seven-pointed star over his chest, his face full of joy. "That is wonderful. If this is true, the atrocities of the War of the Five Kings will not happen again."
Aldric shook his head, his expression turning serious. "If the Iron Throne threw the full weight of the realm against us, it would be different. What is the political situation in court now?"
"A tangled mess." The High Septon sighed. "After Lord Tywin died, Queen Cersei became Regent again. She not only gave the position of Hand of the King, which Lord Tywin had promised to Mace Tyrell, to Lord Orton Merryweather, but she also sent Lord Mace to Storm's End. The Queen's uncle, Ser Kevan Lannister, was driven out of King's Landing and sent back to the Westerlands. Ser Jaime Lannister was also expelled. In short, she drove away everyone who could help her and had any sense, just so she could control the court alone."
"That's not bad for our cause, is it?" Aldric asked curiously. "The more foolish the person on the Iron Throne, the more they drive the people toward us, don't they?"
The High Septon nodded, but a trace of worry showed in his eyes. "That is true... but in the process, the people will suffer."
His voice was low and hoarse, full of endless sorrow. "After Lord Tywin died, Queen Cersei put a bounty on Tyrion Lannister. Every dwarf within hundreds of miles of King's Landing was hunted down. The sellswords and thugs chasing coin didn't care who they killed. As long as it was a dwarf, they would cut off its head and bring it before the Iron Throne. Our brother Hagar—he only left the refugee camp to go outside the city and hold a funeral for a devout old man. They killed him and cut off his head. When our people went to collect his remains, among the pile of heads, there were not only dwarves, but also the heads of children whose bellies had swollen from hunger."
Hagar of the Sept of Fitz in Saltpans. Aldric remembered the name. He had escaped the bandits' slaughter, but not the Iron Throne's bounty. Anger and grief surged through Aldric. He clenched his fist. "You are in King's Landing. You can decide matters here. House Lannister's power has weakened. Even if they lash out like cornered dogs, I will keep the Church safe."
Then Aldric told the High Septon about Jaime Lannister's actions in the Riverlands. "The Riverlords have all disbanded. He only has about two thousand soldiers now. If he tries to do anything with that, it won't amount to much."
"But what about Queen Margaery? She has House Tyrell behind her. I ran into Lord Randyll Tarly outside the city..." Aldric said, his voice worried.
The High Septon shook his head, his gaze firm. "Queen Margaery is just a young girl. My target is Cersei Baratheon. But since Margaery's crimes have been exposed, I cannot simply let her go. Otherwise, people will interpret this trial as the Church becoming a political tool of House Tyrell."
"Is it worth taking such a risk?" Aldric asked again, frowning.
"Of course it is." The High Septon looked Aldric in the eye. "Lightbringer, the Church has regained the right to bear arms, but that is not enough. By law, the Church's armed forces can only defend themselves. Three hundred years ago, the Church not only had the right to bear arms, but also the right to judge. Only by regaining the right to judge can the Church truly suppress the power of the secular lords. King Tommen is too young, and he has no crimes. So what better way to demonstrate the Church's God-given right to judge than by putting a queen and a queen regent on trial?"
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