Chapter 22 - The 28th day of October, 298 years after Aegon's Conquest
They refuse to look at us Eddard thought, starting to grow alarmed. Why won't they look at us?
The column of riders proceeded through the city. Most of their passage was uneventful. Even Fleabottom seemed more subdued than usual. As they started to ascend the hill and approached within half a mile of the Great Sept at its top however, that changed. Men took one look at them only to hasten to cover their eyes. Some simply remained where they were, waiting for the column to pass. Others ran away. Some ran off shouting, for the mother's mercy or the father's justice or some other divine plea. Eddard slowed his horse a little and fell back in with Lord Royce.
"What is with this behavior?" he asked the old Vale lord in a low voice.
"They refuse to look upon you" Lord Royce said grimly. "I sent men to listen to the High Septon just yesterday, when he preached to the crowd. He has said that all those who pass through the uh…Stranger's Ring are now tainted. That one should not look upon their faces. That they have been cursed and had their minds twisted and that, through their gaze and their poisonous words, the corruption of the Flying Men will spread further."
Eddard looked at him aghast. How could someone spread such drivel? Eddard had been in the city for some months, yet he had not had chance to meet the High Septon. He did not even know the man's name, though supposedly they renounced all names but their official title upon taking the office. Could the man truly be so mad? So gullible?
Or perhaps corrupted by Lannister gold.
"Do you believe these things?" he asked Lord Royce evenly.
"You do not seem cursed to me, Lord Stark" he said, giving him a casual look up and down. "Though I don't know the truth of what happened to the king either."
"The king did not die. He was never dead. I have seen no evidence of necromancy. Ser Barristan was with the king the whole time as well and swears the same."
"Indeed? If that is so why did you not bring the man?"
"Someone must remain by the king's side while he recovers."
They rounded another corner. The tops of the Sept's spires had come into view. The street leading to it, however, was crowded with figures. Only a minority wore the dull, roughspun wool of the begging brothers, but the rest of the crowd seemed to be with them. Men raised their hands again to shield their eyes. Some wore actual blindfolds. There was shouting and jeering. Those voices which didn't sound aggressive seemed to be calling out prayers for mercy and justice. This time the crowd refused to part before them.
"Make way!" a Stark guard shouted. "Make way for the Hand of the King!"
"Savages!" someone shouted. "Northern savages! Servants of the Flying Men!"
"Cursed! Cursed! Go back to the Stranger!"
"Do not look at them! Children, do not look!"
"Out of the way! Let us pass!" boomed Lord Royce, his voice carrying clear over the crowd. They pushed forward a few yards, but the press was closing in on them. Eddard stopped, turning to Humfrey Waters.
"Can your men clear this crowd?"
"Aye, my lord!" The new city watch commander shouted. He started yelling out orders. The mounted gold cloaks advanced forward, sweeping ahead with the butts of their spears. The volume of the crowd doubled however. Men and women fell before the gold cloaks. Objects were being thrown now. There was screaming. Hands grabbed for the mounted men. One was promptly torn off his horse and fell into the mob.
"My Lord!" called a voice to Eddard's left. It was Robar Royce, the younger of Bronze Yohn's sons. "Perhaps we should find another way? There will be blood here!"
Eddard looked back at the crowd. The youth was right. Reluctantly, Eddard wheeled his horse around. He shook his head at Humfrey and waved him back. The commander complied, shouting more orders. The gold cloaks backed off, pausing momentarily to retrieve their fallen comrade, who managed to remount his horse despite the blood on his face. The crowd jeered at them as they retreated.
They went back down the hill and tried a different road but also found their way blocked, and on the one after that. There seemed to be a solid mass of people all around the Great Sept. The crowd was huge, it must have numbered in the tens of thousands. Eddard could not recall the last time he had ever seen such a great throng of smallfolk, or one so aroused. He eventually called for a withdrawal, and the column retreated to the city's central square. It was almost dusk now. Humfrey Waters and Lord Royce came alongside.
"What are your orders now my lord?" Humfrey asked softly, so the rest of his men wouldn't overhear.
"It seems the High Septon has no desire to talk to us" Eddard growled, with mounting frustration. "Still, the crowds must disperse at some point. We could try later tonight or at dawn tomorrow."
"I believe its more than just smallfolk, my lord" Royce interjected. "Word is the queen has given permission for the return of the Faith militant. Poor fellows have been gathering from across the city, a few noble born warrior's sons even arrived to pledge their swords. The High Septon may have hundreds of armed men by now and growing every day."
"Enough to overwhelm the gold's cloaks?" Eddard asked, alarmed.
"No my lord" Humfrey replied. "Not yet anyway."
"What follies will the queen think of next? Even the Targaryens struggled to quash the faith, and that was with dragons."
"I agree my lord. But now night is falling, where shall we go?" Humfrey asked.
"I must see the state of the palace. We shall ride to the gates of the Red Keep."
"Pardon my lord but is that wise?" protested Lord Royce. "We were staying at the Red Keep until three days ago, when the queen expelled, very politely mind you, but nonetheless expelled all those in the court she seemed to suspect of disloyalty. Since then we've simply stayed at an inn along the Muddy Way. Last we saw, the walls are manned by Lannister guardsmen."
"What off the gold cloaks in the Red Keep?" Eddard asked. "One of their barracks lies within, beneath the tower of the Hand in fact." He turned back to Humfrey. "You have three barracks in the city, do you not?"
"Yes my lord, the west barracks by the Gate of the Gods, the east near the Dragon Gate. Each holds eight hundred men. The last four hundred are at the Red Keep itself."
"Where would their loyalties lie?"
"I will have to find out my lord. The common soldiers had no great love for Slynt. Many of the officers were only promoted due to bribes. Half of them are paying him a share of their salaries to maintain their position."
Eddard frowned. "I suspected there may be corruption in the watch. I did not realize it was so blatant."
"Few would speak out, for fear of losing their heads."
"Well you are the commander now, Ser Humfrey. Who works with Janos in his corruption?"
"He has a few close followers. Allar Deem, Theodore Flowers, Luthor Farring…"
"I want a list of names, then I want you to send out parties to arrest them, tonight. Promote new commanders to their positions if need be. Competent men. Promise them gold or titles or whatever if you have to, but I need the watch ser."
"Yes my lord. What of those in the Red Keep?"
"If we can't gain access to them, so be it. They will be trapped there with the queen's men, anyway."
"As you say, my lord."
Eddard reconsidered the situation. "Very well then, presuming the Red Keep is barred to us for now, my men, yours Lord Royce's as well, will need to bunk down somewhere. You were commander of the Dragon Gate, were you not Ser Humfrey? Do you feel confident you have control of the east barracks at least?"
"I do my lord. Slynt is tied up there now with a dozen men I trust guarding him."
"Then let us ride there. We secure the watch tonight. Once we are confident of that, we consider a confrontation with the queen tomorrow."
"Aye my lord."
######
Eddard slept fitfully that night, dreaming of people long gone and promises long broken. He eventually managed a few hours' sleep before dawn. As the first rays were penetrating through the wooden slats of the barracks roof one of his guards gently nudged him awake.
"What news?" Eddard asked immediately, blinking back sleep.
"My lord, Ser Humfrey reports he sent several parties off to effect your arrest orders in the night. Some were successful. Theodore Flowers, Luthor Farring, Dywen Rollingford…Other parties did not return. Apparently one group were seized at the west barracks. The men there did not recognize your authority. They claimed Robert was dead and you were no longer Hand, therefore Humfrey Waters cannot be commander of the watch. The commander of the Old Gate says he's with us. Allar Deem was nowehere to be found. There are rumours the queen has appointed him acting commander until Janos Slynt is freed…"
The report went on at some length, a very mixed bag, Eddard though. He hastily dressed and went for a quick tour of the barracks. Half a dozen Stark and Royce men were up, standing guard over their own little wing of the complex Humfrey had given them. Gold Cloaks were in their usual posts at the main entrances. They nodded and gave a quiet milord as he walked past. It seemed to Eddard he had the East Barracks at least. The Red Keep was presumably closed to them, but he had hoped for the West Barracks and as many of the city gates as possible. How much of the watch was his? A third? Two fifths? It was not encouraging, plus the mob still camped out around the Great Sept.
The rest of the Stark-Royce men, the twenty-odd whose loyalty he could be most sure of, were soon roused and broke their fast in the mess hall with more gold cloaks. Twenty good men Eddard thought dully. What could one possibly achieve with so few? But he knew he must persevere. If the High Septon wouldn't see him, or permit a large column of armed men through, then what of a smaller party?
Lord Royce seemed the best option. He could give him Ser Barristan's letter. Politely request an audience and explain the situation. Maybe his Holiness would realize he'd been played and call off the mob. If the faith condemned the queen, the Gold Cloaks would surely know her for a liar and switch their loyalty back to him and Robert. Then the Lannister's authority would be reduced to just the Red Keep. Maybe he would need to actively siege it? He hoped Robert would recover before Lord Tywin's arrival, or at least Renly could rouse the Storm Lords in time. The situation could get very dicey indeed.
Eddard was discussing his options with Lord Royce and his sons when another Gold Cloak walked in and took a knee by the table. "Milord, Lord Petyr Baelish is without, requesting an audience."
Littlefinger Eddard thought. Had he come down from the Red Keep? With the gates barred? He tried to work out the Master of Coin's motive here. Of everyone on the Small Council…Pycelle was clearly the queen's creature. Renly, Stannis and Ser Barristan were absent. Baelish and Varys were the wild cards. He was not sure if he trusted the eunuch, though his knowledge on the loyalties of the kingsguard seemed to have been accurate enough.
What of Baelish then? What did he aspire to? He had already risen from a minor lord to master of coin and grown wealthy besides. He was no fool at least, surely able to see through the queen's shallow lies. He had been among the first to engage with the flying men as well, asking about all manner of trade opportunities. Catelyn had vouched for him as well, and he had once been a ward of Hoster Tully…Eddard decided to hear him out. He needed every possible ally in the city he could get. He ordered the Gold Cloaks to let him in.
Littlefinger strode into the mess hall, as casual as if he had turned up for nothing more than breakfast himself. His wore his usual blue velvet tunic with puffed sleeves. A silvery cape patterned with mockingbirds hung from his shoulders. It clashed greatly with the heavily armed and armoured men all around him. Baelish walked up to Eddard and gave a deep bow, nodding also in the direction of Lord Royce. He had brought four men with him, one looked familiar to Eddard.
"My Lord Hand, it is good to see you again. You appear well, not nearly as cursed as the queen's men profess."
"Did you come from the Red Keep?" Eddard asked.
"I did my lord, slipped out before sunrise."
"How? I am told the queen barred the gates."
Baelish looked around the room lightly. "There are ways, my lord, to slip in and out of the Red Keep unseen. Is there somewhere we could talk in private?"
Eddard rose. He bid Baelish to follow him back into one of the unoccupied sleeping quarters, only Lord Royce came with them. "Who are your men?" Eddard asked him as they walked.
"A few freeriders in my service. You might recognize Lothor Brune. He rode against your guard's captain in your tourney. My sympathies again on his loss. You still intend Ser Jaime to answer for that crime, I imagine?"
"The queen worries me more at this point." They entered the chamber. Lord Royce came in last, shutting the door behind him. "What is the situation at the Red Keep?"
"Your household remains holed up in the Tower of the Hand, as they have been for the past week now. They appear to have barred the doors and so far ignored the queen's orders for them to vacate. She has her own men watching the place of course, though most of them are busy holding the outers walls, along with a few hundred gold cloaks she thinks are loyal."
"Do you think she might try and take it by force?"
"It would be difficult. How many men do you have in there?"
"Two dozen or so armed. What remains of my household guard."
"Then the queen could easily lose fifty or more trying to assault the tower. Unless she can lure them out somehow, I believe your retainers are relatively safe for the time being."
"Then I must secure the rest of the city" Eddard said. "It seems the High Septon has no interest in an audience with me. Do you believe the filthy lies the queen has been spreading about the king?"
"Tales of necromancy and lightning ears? Most extraordinary. I do not know about the former. The latter seems…more justifiable."
"What do you mean?"
"The gifts the flying men gave us. Many were found to contain devices within that…how do I put it? They were listening to us speak, to our every word even when no other people were present, and then no doubt relaying them to their masters." Littlefinger explained at some length. Eddard listened, frowning.
"I have not heard any mention of these devices."
"I can imagine why, my lord Hand. The flying men are unlikely to speak openly of their deception."
"Even if there is some truth to what you say, what of it? Ever since I arrived here, this city has always revealed itself as a nest of liars and spies. Varys has his little birds. I'm sure you have some of your own. Who are we to judge the flying men to do the same?"
"Still, you can imagine the concerns this raises, if they have been deceitful about this…"
"Then what? That means they can practice necromancy? We accuse them of every foul sorcery rumored to exist? I have seen the city of the flying men for myself, Lord Baelish. It is beyond anything we could build, far beyond. I do not think even old Valyria built towers so high. If they wanted to invade and rule over us, they could have done so at a moment's notice and we would have been powerless to stop them. It would not be wise to attribute some great malevolence to them, when so far I have seen no sign of it."
"If they are so powerful, then why haven't they done more?" Lord Baelish objected. "Why not demand we bend the knee to them? Why not strike the queen down where she stands?"
"I have spoken with their ambassador at length about this. You were there too, in the council chamber, when he was advising us on the ways of his people. They renounced conquest a long time ago. If anything because their weapons grew too terrible and the slaughter too great. Now they rely on peace, trade and diplomacy."
"So you believe they will not interfere here?"
"From what Fifield has told me…they consider Robert the rightful king and the queen a mere usurper, spreading lies about them. They do not recognize her authority to demand that they leave, not while Robert lives, so their embassies remain and their warriors as well. I hope the queen is not foolish enough to try and evict them by force. There would be no surer way to draw their ire."
"I fear even Cersei is not that stupid" Littlefinger replied. "She will not attack the embassies, not directly anyway. Why else do you think she has stirred up the High Septon and his mob?"
"You think they would actually attempt such a folly?"
"A mob this large and this aroused? Eventually it will need a target for its anger."
There was a pause while Eddard considered his options further. Littlefinger was looking at him closely.
"So my Lord, what for our next move?"
Our move Eddard thought. It was starting to grate on him, how Littlefinger always presumed to be his friend when he had never been quite sure of the fact. "We must secure the Gold Cloaks and tame this mob, then deal with the queen."
"Secure the Gold Cloaks?" Littlefinger said drily. "And how might we do that, my lord? In the absence of Robert, it seems the power play here is between you and the queen. A Lord Hand, and a Queen, both proclaiming their authority. In such a struggle, who do the Gold Cloaks follow?"
"Enough riddles Baelish" Lord Royce interjected. "Are you with us or not?"
Littlefinger smiled. "I am merely pointing out, my lords, the man who matters most at this juncture. If I'm not so very mistaken…it is the man who pays them."
"You talk of bribery" Eddard pointed out.
"Indeed, are you so above that, my lord? Is it mere rumor you have promised a knighthood to Humfrey Waters in return for his loyalty?"
Eddard gritted his teeth. Could nothing in this city remain unknown for more than a day? "I will always reward loyalty to the king and punish treason accordingly. So where do you stand, my lord?"
Littlefinger smiled. "I will go back to the Red Keep before Cersei cares to notice my absence. I will make the necessary preparations. A hundred gold dragons to each of the gate commanders should do it, fifty to the other officers, one each to the common men to make sure. About five thousand all up. Allar Deem and the rest of Slynt's lackies will be yours, to pardon or condemn as you please, if you give me until tomorrow."
"The sooner the better Baelish" Lord Royce declared. Littlefinger nodded, opened the door and strode casually from the room. When he was gone, Eddard turned back to the Vale Lord.
"If the High Septon won't see me, what about you? You are not…tainted. You have not gone through the Ring."
"I have not seen the king with my own eyes either, my lord."
"Then give him this" Eddard said, pulling Ser Barristan's letter out of his pocket. "The testimony of the lord commander of the kingsguard should have some weight. Take your sons. Can you leave half your men here? I'll wait for your return. Ask his holiness I seek audience with him next."
"Very good, my lord" Lord Royce said pocketing the letter. "I will do as you ask."