Disclaimer - All characters belong to George RR Martin and HBO
Chapter 14 - The High Septon
The High Septon woke up today with a clear mind and a hopeful heart. He has been granted visions by the Seven for the last few weeks. He started drinking and whoring after the first dream appeared where he dreamt he was being Judged by the 'Father above for his sins and about to be dragged to the Seven Hells when a boy came forward and asked the 'Mother to show Mercy' and begged the 'Father' to give him another chnace to prove his Faith. The Seven agreed and warned him this is his last chance to prove his faith and told him to look for the boy.
Since that day he read the Seven Pointed Star everyday and served the Poor and the needy. He roamed through Flee Bottom and gave away food and clothes to the Needy. He sold his Crystal Grown, Gold, Gemstone and Silver jewellery and brought food and clothes. He spent the rest of the money on repairing Motherhouses and resupplying their stocks and helped in teaching the new orphans the values of the Faith.
He dropped Two Stone in two weeks and he looked fitter than ever. His sudden piousness was not liked by the more corrupt Officials of the "Most Devout" and they voiced their opinions saying that he should retire. He quickly gathered supporters and booted these corrupt Members from the Faith. This cautioned other Septons from repeating the Sins and as a result more smallfolk came to pray and participated in the Sermons and Teachings.
One day while he was going over the reports from the 'Most Devout' regarding construction of a new Sisterhouse when a acolyte came with a "Message" that the new hand "Brandon Stark" wish to talk to him and he himself is coming to meet him. He has mixed feelings about the Young Hand, he heard many say that the northern boy worships the Old Gods and is a sorcerer who has unnatural abilities to talk to animals, they also say that he offers Human Sacrifices to the Weirwood Trees and the is deemed responsible for the dissapearances of some of the corrupt goldcloaks. He knew many of them are gross exaggerations.
He also heard that the hand is Just and Merciful. He is raised in the Faith of the Seven as well due to his mother and often heard praising the New Gods. He donates food, clothes and money to the poor. His sister Lady Sansa is said to be very Pious and sings with a splendid voice and knits beautiful clothes for the Orphans at a Motherhouse. Some says she is the Maiden Herself. Then the Newly Knighted 'SerJon Stark' performed Vigil in the Sept as well as the Goodswood helped stop a Septa from being Raped by a foul man. He apprehended theives who stole from a Motherhouse. The Northmen even started patrolling the streets at night to keep Theives and Murderers at bay.
He Stood up and went to receive the Young Hand. He saw that Brandon Stark is kneeling infront of the Altar of the Father and offeering prayers. He stood there for some time as the Young Hand repeated this with altars of the Warrior and Mother as well. Then he turned around and started walking towards him. He is stunned to find that this the same boy who has begged the Father to save him from the Seven Hells. He looked again to confirm, he remembered that dream as clear as day.
"Good Day your High Holiness" wished the Hand and bowed to him. "Good Day my Lord Hand, may the Seven shine their Light on you" he said. "Can I take some of your time today your Holiness ? I have somethings to discuss with You" requested the Hand. He smiled 'Pious as well as good mannered' "Of course Lord Hand. If you will please follow me" he lead the young boy towards his Solar. He saw a young Septa looking curiously at them and started following them around. He waved her to leave and took the hand inside his room and locked the door.
"How can I assist you Lord Hand" he asked to which the boy smiled "As you well know his grace has a change of heart regarding the Small Counsil which has been corruted by Decadance of the old Regime and led his Grace to indulge in Sins and ignore his people. His Grace want to correct the mistake" the hand said. "Yes it is by the will of the Seven that his grace once again focused on his Kingdom again" he said . "Yes , His grace also wanted your High Holiness to sit on his Small Council from now on as is custom in the Conciliator's days". This news shocked him, many said that King Robert Baratheon was a chnaged man when he came back from the North. He became more involved in the training of the new Gold Cloaks as well as in the safe removal of people near the dragon pit as the wretched substance was safely removed and sent elsewhere. "Truly this is a Good Sign to improve the relations between The Throne and The Faith, Lord Brandon" he said.
The Young man nodded and continued "The Loan the faith have granted the King will be repaid in the form of building of Three Orphanages and free wood can be taken from the Kingswood along with Stone Mason's supplied by the Crown free of any charges. Furthermore in the coming "Meetings of the Great Lords , the King requested your presence as several of Key Policy Changes and Rules will be made which needs your Blessings . If all goes well the King with the help of the Other Lords will be contributing to build a New Sept which can act as a shelter for the Poor as well as an Orphanage for the poor , of course with the choice of appointments left to your Holiness and the 'Most Devout'".
'A Skilled Negotiator as well as a Politician' he thought "Of course let us pray to the Seven that this Great Mission succeds Lord Hand" he said. "There is one more thing that the crown needs from the Faith your Holiness" said the Hand "Anything your Handship" he piped.
"When the Dragon Pit was Stormed all those Years ago, Ser Willam Royce lost his life along with his family's Valyrian Steel Sword Lamentation. While we are recovering the WildFire caches one of the buried sections revealed Ser Willam's Bones but the sword was still missing." The hand said "The Crown heard a rumor that the Sword came into the posession of the then High Septon who in his anger hid the sword in a secret Vault of the Old Sept" , he was stunned to hear this news.
"Lord Hand I have never heard of a secret vault in the sept , we only have the vault where the valuables are stored and I can assure you there is no Valyrian Steel sword among them" he said. The hand said "The Vault was hidden to protect other valuables also your Holiness , but we found there is a valult below the Dungeons of the Old Set below. With your permission I have a few men escort us there , ofcourse they will be discreet and any Valuables belong to the faith".
"You say you know the location of this vault, how Lord Hand ?" he asked. "I was given a vision in my dream last night where an old woman with a light has lead me to the chamber and showed me how to open it. I did not believe it until the Old Woman turned around and disappeared when I knew it was the Crone herself leading the way." Said the Hand. "Fascinating, Truly you have been blessed if this is true. Then let us go find the Vault" he stood up and lead the hand outside.
The Hand had Three of his men follow him and once they went past the old dungeons. The Hand went to an old wall and from inside a Statue's hand pulled a large Key which amazed everyone. The Hand then proceeded to press an Old Brick wall in a select pattern and removed a brick and turned a lever . Suddenly a section of the wall groaned and opened like a Door. The group found it to be dusty and started clearing the webs. They are lead to a Large locked Metal Door shaped like the Smith and once the Hand pressed the lock into the Smith's hand and pushed the metal door opened with a creak.
The High Septon entered a huge Vault and was flabbergasted by all the Riches , Statues, Tomes a, Scrolls and Weapons stored there. "By the Seven , this has been here the whole time. How could we not Know this" he croaked. "it was hidden for a reason your Holiness the young Hand said showing him a Full Tome which was well preserved and he read the Title and his eyes went wide "THE UNNATURAL HISTORY OF DRAGONS,WYVERNS AND WYRMS by Septon Barth , I thought these were destoyed by King Baelor the Blesssed".
"Yes Baelor feared his Kin would continue their obsession with Dragons and dive into Madness especially his Nephew Aegon IV so he has ordered the Other copies destroyed and asked the then High Septon to preserve this copy" explained the Hand. He was still surprised by all the objects around him when Lord Hand and his men brought a Long Sword and another Sword to him.
He saw the Long Sword being drawn and the Dark Smoky Grey colour of the Valyrian Steel rippled Blue and the Pommel have Runes ingrained on it with a Rune Stone below them. "By the Seven" he said "So Lamentation was with the faith all along" he mused. The hand pulled the other sword out of it's Blue Coloured Pomell as well and found it to be Vayrian Steel as well but the ripples were Green in colour ,it's hilt was Dragon Bone and the pomell was simple Steel finish.
"Your Holiness this was a sword which was taken by a Warrior Son when he slew an Ironborn raider and was used during the Faith Militant's attack on the Crown. When the Militant disbanded the Knight took the vows of a septon and gave the sword to the High Septon to preserve" said the Young Hand. "I request you to gift this blade to a worthy Knight to defend the faith. It was named 'Salvation' by the Knight" said the Hand. "Your Holiness I have to show you something as well".
Still Baffled , the high septon took the sword and followed the hand to find a metal chest . the hand opened it and the high septon nearly fainted , there lay a "valyrian Steel candle , a glass candle and finally what seemed to be a Dragon Egg". "The seven have truly blessed you lord Brandon. These items are truly invaluabe" he spat giddy with excitement.
"They are gifts from Jahaerys and Baelor your Holiness" said the hand taking the Glass Candle and inspecting it . He placed the candle back in the Chest and close it. "Please use these treasures and Valuables carefully your Holiness they may prove Vital in the days to come" said the Hand as he gave me the Key and took Lamentation with him back to the Sept. After locling the room the hand said "Your Holiness please keep this a secret, the Maesters are known to steal powerful artifacts any way they can". He nodded and lead the hand out thinking what purpose the Seven has given him to serve them diligently. He willed to assist the Lord Hand no matter what and bring prosperity to the realm.
Note: Thank you for all the support and Reviews. I saw that some are confused by the change in Tone of the last chapter. That is just a small glimpse into the Self –Insert's attitude. Next up will be a Cersie, varys, Baelish and Stannis POV's.