Let's see how things are in King's Landing.


DAVOS V

"Any sign of fires starting again?"

"No, Ser Davos. The rain from the last days helped us. It's now been a week since we last saw something burning in the city. I would say this is over," said the new commander of the City Watch, ser Garibald Foote.

"Keep an eye open all the same. A single spark is enough to unleash hell upon us. What about the number of crimes in the streets? Tell me there are fewer."

"Ser, you ordered me to always tell you the truth. Do you want me to lie now?"

He could hope, but it seemed hoping was useless. Ignoring the condescending tone on which the commander spoke, Davos told him to follow orders.

"The number of thefts, brawls and murders keeps increasing. The price of bread tripled since we arrived. People are eating rats when they're not eating human flesh."

Ser Axell showed his disdain and revulsion both verbally and non verbally. The old Grand Maester did the same. Davos was the only man sitting at the table today who didn't show disgust, because unlike the two noblemen here, he experienced this in another life, before Stannis knighted him. Lack of food was a constant threat for the people of King's Landing, even in times of prosperity. Davos would rather not tell the others assembled here what he was reduced to eat sometimes in his childhood. That was another reason why he accepted so eagerly to be at Stannis' service. He didn't want Matthos to experience this.

However, the current situation was another deal. Lands were ravaged in the Crownlands and the Riverlands by the war, and both the Goldroad and the Roseroad were shut, cutting the supply lines the city needed so badly. Just when things started to get better with fire ending, now famine threatened the whole people of the city. Worse, although flames were gone, it left half the city in ruins, mostly the overly populated areas like Flea Bottom. This meant that dozens of thousand people had no shelter just when the temperature started to decrease and rains began to flood the low sectors. Everything was in place for the people to suffer a great deal. Something that would matter to no one here.

"There are also those fanatics," the commander resumed. "They preach everywhere that the king brought fire upon the city, that the king was bewitched by the Stranger showing himself under the image of false gods. The followers of the Lord of Light are preaching as well. Riots have happened quite a lot already between the two sides. Some have used the situation to ransack trading places and houses."

"You're the Commander of the City Watch. This is your job to deal with these heretics," Ser Axell declared.

"There are too many. We don't have enough men. Some of the gold cloaks themselves took part to the ransacking. There were even brawls inside the City Watch."

"Then maybe you're not the right man for the job."

Davos decided it was time to put an end to this.

"Ser Axell, that's enough. The king named you Master of Coin. If he had wanted you to name the commander of the City Watch, he would have named you Master of Laws instead of your uncle."

"My lord uncle is not here, Onion Knight." Since he was appointed Hand of the King, Ser Axell made it his duty to call Davos by this nickname whenever it was possible. He refrained while Stannis was still in the city, but now that the king was gone, his tongue was set free.

"And since that's the case," Davos added, "the Hand of the King is dealing with all matters relative to the City Watch that are under the responsibility of the Master of Laws. So unless you have financial matters concerning the Watch to bring to our attention, I invite your good ser to let this meeting proceed."

The Florent knight looked at the Mistress of Whisperers. The only woman in this room, she was the only other one aside Davos that hadn't showed disgust or surprise that the common people were eating dead bodies. She did return the gaze the knight sent in her direction, but she said nothing. She seldom said anything at those meetings. Davos brought back his attention on the commander.

"Do you think a curfew and a decree forbidding public meetings would help?"

"If we had enough men to enforce it, then yes, it might work. But we must act quickly. For now, we only have to manage disorganized crowds. But there are already groups taking shape, with leaders. Most of the time the men who gather people around them are nothing more than guys with a big mouth and a foul tongue, only looking for an opportunity to impress the smallfolk, or men shouting out of despair. But lately more and more are identifying themselves to a group. They call themselves Sparrows, even claim to have a leader, a High Sparrow."

Around the table, it elicited laughs and scoffs of mockery. Davos himself couldn't stop himself from allowing a small one to escape, but he was afraid the joke might turn short as ser Foote resumed his report.

"They claim to follow only the teachings of the Seven-Pointed Star. They don't only preach against the Lord of Light, they also condemn the High Septon and his allies, claiming they betrayed the Seven by collaborating with the king. They say the king was corrupted by the Red Woman." He didn't say the latter without hesitation. "And the followers of the Lord of Light don't make things easier. They're calling these Sparrows servants of the Great Other and traitors to the one true king."

"They are," Ser Axell pointed out.

"That's not the matter. It is more difficult each day to control them. If we allow for the situation to get worse… I don't want to imagine how it could end. We need more men, Ser Davos."

Again, Ser Axell took the liberty to speak. "I will lead the garrison of the Red Keep and deal with these Sparrows myself."

"You will do no such thing," Davos opposed. "Although I agree with you on one thing, ser. The garrison of the Red Keep could be put to better use. I'll assign half of them to the City Watch."

"Half of them?" This time the Grand Maester was speaking, and in his voice Davos heard no logic nor reason. It was only terror that spoke. "Ser Davos, I advised four kings up to now for over twenty years. The smallfolk is unpredictable when facing starvation, that is the least we can say. To… to prevent unforeseen events and riots that could threaten the Red Keep itself, I think it would be wise to keep a strong garrison inside these walls."

"I would rather prevent riots than wait for us to be surrounded by an angry mob. The garrison will be more useful in the streets than it is here, guarding rooms that are empty for the most of them. The king is away and half of the men we have is more than enough to hold Maegor's Holfast and protect the queen and the princess if things get out of hand. But I would rather avoid any bloodshed if that's possible."

"With all your respect, Ser Davos, the city is already starving," the commander told him. "When people are hungry, it is impossible to have no bloodshed."

"Maybe, but we could reduce it in the very least." He turned to the Red Woman. "My lady, do you think you could reason with the people who are preaching your god and convince them to stop making trouble?"

"I could, Ser Davos, but that will not stop the Sparrows and the others from persecuting them. Many people in King's Landing are not welcoming the Lord of Light, and they do not welcome those who choose to embrace him any further. If I am to ask this from them, then the same must be expected from those who follow the false golds."

"They should embrace their true Lord instead of insulting their king and his true servants," Axell Florent spat. Davos ignored him.

"Maybe I could talk with this High Sparrow. Do you know where he lives?" he asked ser Garibald.

He shrugged. "We don't even know who he is. Maybe he doesn't even exist and he's just one of these preachers created and the others followed up."

Davos turned to Melisandre again. "You are the Mistress of Whsiperers. Could you find him?"

"I can try."

She didn't say that she would do it, or that she would inform Davos if she ever found him. He wanted to speak with the leader of the Sparrows personally. He didn't want to bring him to the Red Keep. Escorting the leader of a fanatic group could stir an uprising. Even if it did not, it would give the impression to their enemies that the Hand of the King was listening to fanatics. And if the High Sparrow was to leave the Red Keep without problem, it would give the impression that Davos was weak and reinforce their movement. Davos had to see the High Sparrow himself, in the city, somewhere he wouldn't be noticed as the king's Hand. He could easily pose as a commoner. He was one for most of his life, and in his heart he still felt like one. The other lords and knights were not entirely wrong to treat him like one of the smallfolk. Davos himself saw himself like one of the poor lads in the streets, elevated by Stannis mostly out of pure luck. He would go to the High Sparrow in secret, see what kind of man he was, and try to talk some sense into him if it was possible. Davos still worshipped the Seven, so there was some chance this man might want to speak with him. That was, if such a High Sparrow existed. Even for Davos the name itself was too strange to believe it belonged to a living man.

"Well, the first who discovers where this High Sparrow is tells me right away. You're dismissed, commander."

Ser Garibald Foote walked away on his command, leaving Davos with the Red Woman, a fanatic and an old man who slept with girls a quarter of his age.

"Now, Ser Axell, has the situation with the treasury improved in any way?"

"We seized the properties and gold of two more noblemen today. We've added all their coins and riches to the treasury and started to sell their goods along with those of all the other traitors."

"And what of the state of the treasury itself? Can we cover our expanses or not?"

"The Lannisters brought with them most of the coffers' content when they flew away like cowards. For what it was worth though. According to the people working for Petyr Baelish, the coffers were almost empty. We managed to get enough money to cover the salaries of the gold cloaks and the other officials. The gold from Dragonstone and the other islands of the Narrow Sea pays for the fleet repairs, and the gold the king ordered to be brought from Storm's End will arrive very soon and help us."

"Still no news from Littlefinger?"

"None." That was no surprise. Davos was more convinced everyday that this man was not to be trusted.

"Since we're at it, any news from Lord Velaryon and the royal fleet?" Davos asked Pycelle.

The old man answered by the negative. "By now, they should be about to circle Dorne and head for the Arbor. I must also remind you that the army the… the king sent in the Reach was defeated, and that now the Tyrells are heading to Storm's End, and there's no one to defend it."

"Storm's End held before Mace Tyrell twenty years ago. It can hold again." Though this time there would be no Onion Knight to save it if necessary. Davos thought about reaching to his old contacts among the smugglers to bring food to the fortress, but he already asked a lot from them to supply King's Landing. "I'm worried about the fact they may attack the capital now, and with their Lannister allies who are stationed at Deep Den."

"The surest course of action would be to call back the king so he may defend the city," the old maester said.

And let the Stark boy escape? The king would never allow this.

"For now, the usurper Robb Stark is the problem king Stannis is dealing with. In his absence, we must deal with the problems of this city, which includes the threat that the Lannisters and the Tyrells are posing. We will organize the city's defenses the best we can. The king will send us help as soon he's dealed with the Starks and the Tullys."

"The Lord of Light will lead him to victory," Melisandre said with assurance.

"Maybe we should write again to Dorne. Prince Doran made an alliance with the Lannisters, but it was an alliance of convenience. He has no love for them after what happened to his sister and her children in the last war, and the Dornish have a long history of hatred with the Tyrells. If we could forge an alliance with him, we would have an ally that would devastate the lands of the Reach and occupy the Tyrells while we could deal with the king's other enemies. And they have Princess Myrcella. If we were to put our hands on her, it would give us significant leverage," Pycelle argued.

"The king already wrote to the Martells and we received no reply. Maybe they didn't have time to respond yet."

"Sure, but if the Martells were encouraged in the right way by a few small gifts, they might…"

"The offer the king made was final, Grand Maester. And I will never offer the Martells something he never agreed on, and certainly not something he would never approve to offer. That would be treason."

Davos knew very well Stannis' proposition to the Martells would never be accepted. Overall, he demanded that they surrender the Princess Myrcella and that they swear fealty to him. He told them he rewarded people who served him and, despite their former alliance with the usurper Joffrey, he was ready to forgive them since they never fought him, but required their immediate support. Davos had proposed to leave them the castles and territories the Lannisters promised them, but for Stannis it was out of the question. He rewarded people after their services, not before.

Besides, Davos didn't expect Doran Martell to be more willing to side with Stannis than he ever was to side with the Lannisters. Although the Lannisters murdered Aegon and Rhaenys Targaryen along with their mother, and even though the Tyrells and Martells had a long and bloody history, the Baratheons also played a significant role in the deaths of Princess Elia and her children. It was in Robert's name that the Targaryens were slaughtered. The Tyrells were also the only other great house of Westeros to have fought alongside the Martells during the rebellion.

"Any word from the Iron Bank of Braavos?" Davos asked to the Master of Coin.

"None."

Were these good or bad news? Davos couldn't tell.

"Well, I think we've gone through everything we could for today. Unless someone has something to say…" Only silence greeted the invitation to speak. "Very well, the meeting is over."

Davos left the room. He spent the rest of the day inspecting the battlements, making sure they were being repaired. They didn't know of the movements of the enemy, but the Lannister army stationed at the Golden Tooth and the victorious Tyrell army in the Reach could attack them any time. They had to be ready and fill the holes in the walls as quickly as possible.

He went back to the Tower of the Hand where Shireen was waiting for him, like always. And like every evening, he sat down on the steps with her.

"You're not too tired?" she asked, obviously worried.

"No more than usual, princess. You know that's always what I'll answer."

"Is it too much for you to read a chapter?"

"You're the princess. I can't really say no."

She smiled, and that made him return her smile. Together, they began the third chapter, Three Heads Had the Dragon – Governance Under King Aegon I. The relationships Aegon had with his two sisters were very different from those Robert Baratheon had with his brothers. Though if a comparison was to be made, Davos would say Stannis looked more like Visenya and Renly like Rhaenys. And just like Rhaenys died before Visenya, Renly died before Stannis. Davos thought that oddly enough, Aegon was an ancestor of his king. This meant that Stannis had some incestuous blood in his veins, and he made his claim to the Iron Throne on the basis that the queen's children were the result of incest. Davos was entirely loyal to Stannis, but that didn't stop him from realizing the absurdity of some circumstances around his reign.

Davos then went to work. Shireen insisted to stay with him, like she did more often lately. Maybe she saw that Davos felt alone. Still, Davos had to work. The days of Hand of the King were definitely very long and lonely and, despite the fact they didn't talk much, Shireen's presence was comforting. Matthos couldn't be present, working as he was on the battlements.

Late, the door opened, and Melisandre walked in. She didn't look to Davos. Instead, she went straight to the princess.

"Your mother, the queen, commands you to go back in your chambers."

Without a word to the Red Woman, Shireen came to kiss him on the cheek.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

Then she left the room. Davos was now alone with Melisandre again. She often came to him when he was alone ever since Stannis rode away. She provided him with advice, which Davos didn't know whether it was useful or not. Her most useful counsels were those he already knew : follow Stannis without bearing any doubt, believe in him and his claim, perform the task he gave to Davos as good as it was possible, to not take decisions he would never agree with, and take those he wasn't willing to take. Aside from that, it was mostly religious rumbling that Davos didn't care about. Still, somehow, her words found ways to make his task easier, as if they were some form of encouragement. In the absence of men of reason like Lord Velaryon and Lord Florent, Melisandre of Asshai strangely found herself to be a more reasonable voice than most people Davos had to deal with on a daily basis.

"What do you want, my lady?"

"I may have found your High Sparrow. He's somewhere in Flea Bottom. You won't find him preaching for the overthrow of the king. You'll find him feeding the poor, comforting those who suffer, helping those in need. You will find him barefooted, unable to differentiate him from the beggars in the streets or from the common people. And you'll find him to look like everything but a dangerous man."

"From what you're saying, I'd say he looks more like a holy man than the leader of a religious group preparing a rebellion."

"Indeed, that's how he looks. But appearances can mislead us, ser Davos."

"Never mind. Tell me where he is in Flea Bottom exactly."

"I would advise you against going to him now, in the night."

"For the night is dark and full of terrors, yes, I know." A smile crept on Melisandre's lips as he said the words. From what Davos recalled, using holy words to laugh would have been considered a sin among the fanatics of his country, but the Red Woman seemed to find it funny. However, it wasn't because it looked like it that it was true. Like she just said, appearances could mislead people. "I'll go and see him tomorrow. Just tell me where he lives."

"He has no house, no roof. He lives in the streets like most of his followers."

"Very well, then tell me where he spends his time."

"It is unlikely he will be at the same place in the morning. Some men from the true faith are keeping an eye on him. They'll warn me where he is, and then you can go see him if you think it wise."

"Well, in this case there was no need to disturb me," Davos told her as he seized one of the messages that piled up on his desk. Now that Stannis held King's Landing, he received more ravens every day.

"You asked us to tell you right away if we found the High Sparrow."

True, but she was playing with his words and his nerves all the same.

"I see you are still reading all the messages we receive," she resumed.

"I do not trust Pycelle with them."

The Grand Maester served Joffrey and the Lannisters before, and Davos wasn't about to leave complete control of the rookery to a potential traitor. He had a younger master, the son of one of Stannis' bannermen, helping and watching him. Davos made it seem to the old man as an honor, a sign that Stannis had consideration for his old age just as it was a recognition of his ability to transmit his knowledge to young people. In truth, the young maester took a close look at everything Pycelle was doing, especially the ravens he wrote.

"You do well to not trust him," she commented as she seized one of the messages and broke its seal. "I do not think our king will have time to attend the wedding of one of his bannerman's eldest son."

"Certainly not. The invitation is only for the form. It's to obtain some small favor from the king, and it won't work," he replied distractedly as he opened a message bearing the seal of House Florent. "You can burn it if you want."

Another call for help. The seat of House Florent was besieged by the forces of House Tyrell. They would have to hold for some more time.

"I didn't know there were houses that used a black seal," Melisandre said out of nowhere as she took another scroll.

"I thought the Lord of Light would have told you. It must come from the Night's Watch. Probably another request for men and supplies. They've been sending a lot of them lately."

He kept reading a raven from one of Stannis' new allies in the Riverlands. On his way north, some of the bannermen of Lord Tully had sided with him, adding some men to his army. He also ordered them to send what supplies they could to the capital, to reduce the shortages. This Lord was announcing the amount of food he was sending to them right away. He expected it to be delivered within two weeks.

"Ser Davos." He lifted his eyes to see Melisandre staring at the parchment in her hands. Slowly, she looked at him. For the first time, Davos saw fear in the eyes of the Red Woman. She was very pale.

Davos deftly grabbed the small piece of paper from her hands. It took some time for him to read the words, and a lot of mumbling which Shireen always berated him for, but he understood quickly enough what was written.

To all noblemen and noblewomen of Westeros,

The Lord Commander of the Night's Watch traveled north with three hundred men from Castle Black and the Shadow Tower to face Mance Raider, the self-proclaimed King-Beyond-the-Wall. The black brothers settled camp at the Fist of the First Men, and there they faced a battle, but not against the wildlings. The White Walkers and dead men came for them, and many were killed. Their fate remains unknown for the ravens who reached Castle Black didn't say anything about it.

The Night's Watch needs your help more than ever. Dark times are ahead of us, dark times for all kingdoms and all kings. Help us, for winter is coming, and the dead come with it.

Maester Aemon of Castle Black

"Our king would be better not to come back," Melisandre said. "For the true war lies to the north. Death marches on the Wall, and only he can stop him."


Please review

Next chapter : Catelyn