Chapter 152: Black Materials
"You aren't the first person who has wanted to topple Slynt." After a moment of silence, the Captain of the Mud Gate spoke. "But do you know who stands behind him?"
"King Robert. I also know that the reason His Majesty likes him is because he executes orders without asking questions or saying a word, and he never uses his service as leverage for boasting afterward. Am I right?"
"It seems you've done your homework. Since you understand that, what gives you the confidence to go after Slynt?" Captain Bywater shook his head. "You'd be better off just hiring an assassin to finish him. Clean, swift, no lingering threats."
The assassination of the Commander of the City Watch would be a grave matter. If Robert were to pursue the killers in a rage, he could turn King's Landing upside down. That was a last resort to be used only when pushed to the brink, and Egger hadn't been pushed that far yet. He didn't rise to the bait, instead answering the previous question: "Our confidence lies in the fact that we aren't framing Slynt; he is irredeemably filthy on his own." Much like Robert himself—the fish rots from the head down, after all. The Night's Watchman paused. "Furthermore, we have a Hand of the King who is just and stern. It so happens I am the sword instructor for his daughter, Arya Stark."
"Don't think that connection makes you invincible. The previous Hand, Jon Arryn, was also just and stern. A year ago, he wanted to dismiss Slynt and found two soldiers willing to testify against him, but both men died in 'accidents' shortly after. Not long after that, even Jon Arryn himself died." Bywater was unimpressed. "Though everyone now believes Lysa poisoned him, who knows the truth? Slynt doesn't have much talent, but when it comes to being ruthless, none of us can match him."
"This time is different. When Jon Arryn wanted to dismiss Slynt, the Hand was in the light while Slynt was in the dark; the plan failed because word leaked out. This time, we are in the dark, and Slynt is in the light." Egger adopted a confident smile and flipped into persuasion mode. "My partner, Tyrion Lannister, has already gone to negotiate with the major powers in King's Landing. Lord Giles Rosby, Lord Bukwell, the son of Lord Rykker... the Crownlands nobility and the merchants and shopkeepers they support will all be joining in soon. At that point, do you think Slynt has the ability to kill them all?"
"Oh? If what you say is true, then I might believe you've come prepared. But how do I know you aren't just posturing, trying to trick me into being your vanguard?"
"Trick you? I didn't come to you, Ser Jacelyn, to ask you to lead the charge. We will begin by building momentum and filing formal complaints. All you need to do is stand up and testify—or have one of your soldiers do so—once Lord Eddard begins his investigation. If you see things going poorly, you can simply pretend this meeting never happened. How does that sound?"
"Since Lord Egger is so blunt, I'll give you a straight answer—I can help, but my condition is simple. For my own safety and that of my brothers, I will not stick my neck out until I see signs of those 'great figures' you mentioned making their move. Conversely, the moment I see your allies in action, I won't hesitate to cooperate fully. How about that?"
"Deal." Egger smiled. With this result, he could boldly tell the next officer he visited that Ser Jacelyn had already agreed to join. "Now, let's discuss what kind of material and evidence the brothers of the Watch can provide for this struggle."
...
As time ticked by, the conversation continued until the moon rose to sit side-by-side with the red comet. Egger eventually found that the harvest from this trip far exceeded his expectations. The problems surrounding Slynt went far beyond what he had previously known; the man's methods of amassing wealth were so arrogant they were jaw-dropping.
Tyrion had mentioned that half the manpower in the City Watch was provided or planted by the powers of the Crownlands and King's Landing, a fact Ser Jacelyn confirmed. Aside from those with backers and a few like Ser Jacelyn who were personally promoted by Robert for battle honors, every other officer—from the captains of the seven gates down to the lowliest serjeants leading a few men—had bought their positions from Janos Slynt!
"If it were just buying and selling positions, that would be one thing. The disgusting part is this: the brothers who get their posts from Slynt not only have to pay a kickback upfront, but once the deal is done, they have to hand over half their monthly officer's salary to Slynt." Bywater looked like he was grinding his teeth. "Consequently, an officer's pay is barely higher than a commoner's. Many good lads have quit because of it. After a few years, the City Watch doesn't look like an army; it looks like Janos Slynt's personal pig farm. Aside from those with patrons and the King's own men, the rest are just his meat pigs, slaughtered every time the moon turns and pay is issued!"
The Baratheon dynasty had only been established for a dozen years, and the capital's armed forces were already this rotten. And about such a man, Robert actually said the next might be worse. Egger was truly seeing firsthand what a disastrous ruler could do to a country. "With him acting so lawlessly, haven't the brothers of the Watch thought of resisting?"
"Who would organize it?" Bywater smiled bitterly. "Slynt isn't stupid. He doesn't touch the half with backgrounds, and the rest mostly rose through bribery. If he falls, wouldn't the officers involved in buying their posts be implicated too? Moreover, he has cultivated a core of henchmen—the soldiers and officers stationed at the East Barracks. He doesn't harass them; those hundred or two, simply because they get their full, un-docked pay, are pathetically grateful and loyal to Slynt. Also, rumors say he regularly sends gifts to Lord Renly, the Master of Laws, so Renly turns a blind eye to his deeds. That's why he's been able to stay at large until now!"
So Renly and Slynt had a connection too... As the Lord of Storm's End and the King's brother, Egger didn't believe Renly took Slynt's bribes to act as a protector. However, Renly Baratheon, much like Margaery Tyrell, was a calculating fellow whose guiding principle was making friends and avoiding enemies. He spent his days thinking about how to project charm and kindness to the world. He was fine for diplomacy, but as Master of Laws, he was a non-entity. Expecting this peacock to impartially handle his brother's man was a pipe dream. This was why Egger and Tyrion never thought to use the normal channel of the Master of Laws, deciding instead to bypass him and go straight to the Hand. It was clearly a wise decision.
With the armed forces and legal system of the capital in such a mess, it was no wonder the Baratheon dynasty was doomed. The Night's Watchman sighed inwardly. "Any other dirt?"
"Yes. Since you've looked into Slynt, you must know he doesn't love his wife. Her family has no power, and she has no control over him now that he's Commander." A meaningful smile appeared on Ser Jacelyn's face. "After she bore him four children, he grew weary of his wife. He bought houses in multiple locations across the city to keep three young, beautiful girls, two of whom have already bored him bastards."
...
If the rebellion in the Vale hadn't ended in time for him to return to the city, Nina might have been forced to become the fourth. Egger felt a lingering fear; he could imagine how helpless a common girl would be against the threats and lures of the Commander of the Watch. "How are you so familiar with such private matters? Have you already investigated him?"
"Private? It's only private if Slynt hides it! This bastard relies on the King's backing and the Master of Laws' inaction. He is reckless; he doesn't hide a thing!" Bywater grew angry just thinking about it. "Slynt used unsavory means to get those three girls, but once he had them, he didn't just abandon them. He treats them as minor wives. He doesn't just send them stipends; he frequently orders City Watch soldiers to go to those homes to deliver supplies, move furniture, and clean. Sometimes they even have to go outside the city to help the girls' parents and brothers with farm work! Because my relationship with him is bad, my brothers at the Mud Gate get the most of this dirty work. He does it to gloat and show off his power over me!"
"Such arrogance... but that works perfectly for us. Evidence will be easy to find. Heh... Ser Jacelyn, could you compile the names and addresses of Slynt's three mistresses and his bastards for me?"
"Not yet. I haven't done those chores myself; only my subordinates know the details. The moment I start gathering that information, everyone will know I'm moving against Slynt. The Watch is crawling with officers who rose through his channels, even among my own men. If word leaks, there will be hell to pay. Slynt has ties to both the law and the underworld." Bywater shook his head. "I can only promise you this: if the Hand truly comes to investigate Slynt, I can quickly deliver every piece of useful evidence to him."
He thought he was being careful, but he had managed to find someone even more cautious than himself. Egger wanted to laugh but understood, so he nodded. "Very well. Is it a deal, then?"
"I always do what I say." Bywater tapped the table with the iron hand attached to his right arm. "But as for you and your friends, be extremely careful these next two days. When Slynt goes mad, he doesn't care about the consequences."
He and Tyrion were reporting directly to the Hand; Egger didn't believe Eddard Stark would leak the whistleblower's identity to Slynt. Of course, just in case, he still had Jaqen by his side. "Thank you for the concern. I'll take my leave then. The operation will begin within a day or two; please keep it in mind, Ser."
"Since I lost a hand, my memory has become quite excellent. I won't see you out!"
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