His swings wouldn't stop coming. I wondered how long the onslaught would last, but every time I almost caught my breath the next one came, and it was always a strenuous effort to block it. My opportunity came when his sword caught in my shield for a moment, leaving him off balance just long enough for me to swing once, twice. He caught the first on his shield, deflecting it, and the second one he used the flat of his blade to turn it aside. Damn, was he good. I pulled my horse back a bit, the two of us circling slowly as we caught our breaths. Then I spurred my horse on, swinging the hammer. He shifted in his saddle to avoid it and I bashed him with my shield. Jaime nearly toppled, but regained his balance and strung together furious blows that forced me to back up. His attack stopped for a moment and I wound up the hammer, but it was a trick, his pommel ringing my helm like a bell before he shoved me off my horse with his shield.
I found myself dangling off the back of my destrier, my foot caught in the stirrup. I managed to free myself, landing in the dust with a grunt. When I got to my feet I found him holding the reins for me, and when he passed them off to me I nodded. "I expected nothing less," I said, and he shrugged his shoulders. I imagined he was smirking under that helm. I lead my horse off the field to the cheers of the crowd, and once I was freed of my armor I went back up into the stands to watch.
In that time I had missed a fair bit, it seemed, since the field had only a few men left. Even as I watched, Lyn Corbray's furious assault against Garth Greysteel's sword was suddenly stopped by him slamming the ornamental tower on his helm into Lyn. The high pitched ringing was soon followed by a smash of metal against metal as Lyn was toppled from his saddle. The Valeman knight seemed to consider continuing fighting, but soon enough he relented and took the reins of his horse.
This gave Garth time to turn towards the rest of the fighting - a good thing, too, since Morgan 'Silveraxe' Fell was spurring himself towards Garth, the weapon in question swinging out in a flash to meet Garth. He managed to get his sword up in time, but it had been chipped in the fight against Lyn's Valyrian steel, and splinters went flying - shortly followed by Garth. With that the melee was finished, and I stood to applaud the men below. The crowd quickly followed, cheering and whooping.
I was fairly pleased with the results overall. Morgan had lead the contingent of Fell men after his brother broke his foot during the battle of Summerhall, and he had proved a fierce warrior. It was because of his frenzied fighting that the center had held long enough for the Dornish to shatter, I recalled.
And Garth 'Greysteel' would add another Hightower to the royal regime. I had to be careful to keep enough of them in the court that the Tyrells were reminded of how tenuous their position was without actually threatening them. Both would make storied additions to my Kingsguard. As both knelt to accept their white cloaks to the roaring of the crowd, my mind continued to wander even as I offered them congratulations and the prizes. The jousting would take up most of the tournament, and already the betting was growing raucous. The economic activity would make up for the prize money quite easily, since they were fairly small. The real prize being the white cloaks that were already growing scarce - just one left.
I took my leave, since the jousting would not begin for a few hours. Moving through the crowds with my much bolstered Kingsguard, the smell of fresh bread filled my nose, quickly followed by shit. Ah, well, at least it was getting better with time - repairing the cisterns and sewers Jaehaerys had built was a complicated task made easier in some places by the burning from the Sack. It would never be excellent, but at least it wouldn't be overpowering.
My focus turned to my meeting with the High Septon. My link schools were showing some early results, with most of the success being in producing literate men, though there were now a few handfuls of half decent doctors, accountants, and scribes. Even then, it was simply too small compared to the scale of Westeros. If I wanted an advanced administrative state, I would need literate men. I had discussed church schools with the High Septon before, but hammering out the details would be key to seeing success.
Entering the Sept of Baelor was still awe inspiring, I admit. Every time I came in I noticed new details, new pieces of art. But my focus quickly snapped to attention. There were a few handfuls of men clustered around Septon Darien, listening as he expounded on some section of the Seven Pointed Star. No doubt my support of him was drawing more men to his ideas - which was good. Better than the alternative, anyway. When he spotted me he offered a grin, murmuring some words to the others before shuffling quickly to join me.
"Your Grace," he said, his tone pleasant and relaxed.
"Septon Darien. I trust your work goes well?" I asked, referring to the charities I had asked him to oversee after my assassination attempt.
"Of course, Your Grace. The children are well cared for and your support turns the ears of craftsmen, so they shall be able to find fine work in the future."
"That is good," I agreed, considering the model. Would it be worth struggling with the guilds to start getting some division of labor in the capital? Having refined products of our own would be a valuable thing when trading with the Free Cities and beyond.
"The bread dole proceeds well, I hear. It is a most holy offering for your wedding," he said, lingering on the thought for a moment. "I am reminded of Baelor the Blessed," he finally said.
"Baelor the Blessed was a pious man indeed," I said. "But charity must be temperate - better to feed the most needful year after year than to feed everyone for a day and ruin yourself." I explained. While I held human life as inherently valuable, the agricultural surplus of a medieval society simply wasn't enough to feed all the mouths of King's Landing. Constantinople had struggled to do so with the breadbasket of Egypt paying in grain, after all. "I believe it best to use that much money for projects which put men to work and benefit the whole realm long after. Bread will last a man a day; good roads will last him years."
"I see," he said, sounding a little disappointed but otherwise unsurprised. "But your grace would support helping the most needful?" he asked, raising a brow.
"Indeed. Why, have you any in mind?" I asked.
"There are thousands of folk in what used to be Flea Bottom whose only focus for the day is finding food and a place to shelter for the night. Many of them are children," he said.
I ran my fingers through my beard. "Indeed? Perhaps my proposal shall help those children. But that is for the long years ahead. Have you any thoughts for the nearer days?"
"I do, your Grace. Septon Merris tells me your soldiers practice making camps and fortifying quickly, and Novice Jerren told me of your church schooling idea," he said, producing a rolled up piece of parchment from his sleeve and unrolling it for me to look. Sketched roughly in charcoal was a campus complex. He pointed to several rectangles. "Here would be rooms for the children, and over here would be the homes of the teaching septons and septas. They would teach here," he said, tapping a larger square. "It could be refined in time, but it would serve to give your Grace his church schools and house these children," He explained.
Bloody hell. I wished suddenly that this man had been the high septon the first time around instead of Oswell. "An interesting point. It would give my men practice in creating winter quarters if we find ourselves in the field… Very well, see about gathering these children and I will set my men to work. They shall be sponsored scholars of the King - I shall pay the costs to see them educated," I said, nodding my head. Darien smiled widely, nodding his head.
"I am pleased to hear it, Your Grace. Truly, the Crone has granted you wisdom."
Once he had said his goodbyes, I found someone to lead me to the High Septon. Once I arrived in his office he beckoned me in, looking paler than before. "Your Grace will have to forgive me for not bowing - I'm not sure the crown wouldn't slip from my head," he said, offering a small nod instead.
"No matter. Formalities in private are no great issue - better you save your strength for the matter at hand."
"Indeed. Has Darien already spoken to you of his idea?"
"He did, as a matter of fact. I found it interesting and supported it."
"He thought you would. Spent days reworking the plan to appeal to you," the High Septon said, grinning softly before coughing wetly into his handkerchief.
"Well, it certainly worked. With your support I think it would aid both the Septry and the Crown."
"Consider it supported, then. Darien's a good man, and disagreeing with him now would undermine him - right when the Stranger has come knocking."
"Surely not." I murmured.
"It's true, I'm afraid. No matter. Your ideas… Do you know why our schooling is not widespread, Your Grace?"
"I'm afraid not," I admitted.
"No matter. Few learn the history of the Faith these days. In the centuries before the Conquest, the Faith was split. King Lucos Durrandon and King Mychel Arryn both claimed High Septons to challenge our own at the Starry Sept, you see. The Gardeners were still seeking to closely tie the Hightowers to their side, so they fought the Stormlanders for ten years to topple him and take choice lands east of the Mander."
"The Wrath," I said, nodding my head. It had led the Durrandons to bring themselves closer to and eventually conquer the Riverlands in order to challenge the Reach. I - or rather Robert - had not known of the religious aspect, though.
"Indeed. This strengthened the line of the Starry Sept, which would be important in the coming years. You see, a hill clansman united the tribes for a great raid on the Vale. He managed to capture a fair portion of the north, but was routed below the Gates of the Moon. Before he was fully stamped out, though, he burned much of the Vale's crops - this was not so long after a long winter. The threat of famine forced them to turn to the Reach, and their High Septon was deposed. The Vale holds strongest to the Faith, of course, and there were church schools aplenty there. But Lord Hightower was not only sponsor to the Faith."
"The Maesters," I said, stroking my beard.
"Indeed. Instead the Faith Militant was strengthened and through them our influence was kept strong," he explained, closing his eyes now. "I tell you this story as a warning, Your Grace. We shall support you in this endeavour, but the Citadel may well plot against you. Keep your allies close, Your Grace."
"I thank you for the warning, then," I said, standing slowly.
It took me a moment to realize he had dozed off in his chair. Checking to make sure he was still breathing properly, I left.
Lyanna met me close to our rooms, offering me a smile and taking my arm. "So, did your meeting bear fruit?"
"You could say so. The High Septon warned me of the Citadel, though. I think he's right to be concerned,"
"And why is that, husband?"
"If I make enemies of them, who knows how many of their chained number will whisper poison in their lords ears?" I asked, stroking my beard thoughtfully. "I will need to work to undercut them before they make their move."
"I wonder," She said before pausing for a moment, tapping her chin.
I made a soft noise of amusement, a wry grin crossing my face as I raised my brow. "A miracle."
She swatted my elbow. "Enough, you. The Hightowers are being drawn to the court. They shall have influence over you, no doubt. But the reverse is also true. They're tying themselves to you and your dynasty,"
"Yes, that's true."
"And they're the main sponsors of the Citadel. If you could get Lord Leyton to join you in sponsoring these alternatives, that would be a major blow to the Citadel. Their focus would have to turn towards regaining that repute instead of scheming against you, would it not?"
"I can see some sense to that. Though the best path to regaining it would be to defeat my alternatives and shame me for trying."
"You want these alternatives to be better regardless, right? Then don't lose," she said with a wolfish grin, offering me a peck on the corner of my mouth. "I must freshen up before the joust," she explained, unraveling her arm from mine.
"I'd offer to join you, but we're cutting things finely as it is," I said with an easy grin.
"Best not to," she agreed. "It's difficult enough taming my hair without you messing it up," she said, poking me in the chest.
"I think it looks better that way," I said, but she rolled her eyes and turned. I chuckled at her back and then made my way to a spare bathing chamber.
Once I was freshened up for the jousting, I found myself with a bit of spare time. I used it to find my councilors in the stands, Lord Wyman and Lord Damon being the easiest to spot. Both were speaking of their sons and jousting - apparently this would be Addam's third tournament to Wendel's first. At my interruption, though, they greeted me with a bow.
With that out of the way, I set to business. "My Lords," I greeted them with a pleasant smile.
"Your Grace. Your battle against Lord Jaime was most fierce," Lord Damon said.
"Indeed. Perhaps Wendel shall face him in the lists and earn vengeance for you, your Grace."
"I do not think that is necessary, Lord Wyman." After all, Jaime had been teamed up on while I was removing my armor - I had heard the hissing and jeering from the crowds without knowing the context.
"Even so," he said, bobbing his head.
"I did come with a purpose, my Lords. I should like for you to gather reports for me - Lord Wyman, I would be interested to hear the latest news from Braavos. Lord Damon, I would be interested in yours and Lord Hightower's thoughts on a reduction in Tariffs on Braavosi ships. Enough so that it would be a good bargaining chip without harming our own merchants too much," I explained.
"Is your Grace planning something?" Wyman said, cocking his brow and stroking his already graying beard.
"I have plans for the Stepstones. Having the most powerful of the Free Cities on our side would help to prevent those plans going to ruin if my attention gets distracted elsewhere," I explained. "And I would prefer not to be killed by a faceless man for trying to compete with the Iron Bank."
"Indeed," Wyman said, shivering a bit at the thought. "With the attempts against you, your grace would be wise to do so. My men are getting better with every day at warding off hostile plots, but even they would fail against the Faceless men."
"I would exercise caution when dealing with the Free Cities, Your Grace. My cousin Edwyn traveled to Volantis, and he said they keep a close eye on the Braavosi ships in particular." Another potential enemy, then. Perhaps I could bribe a Dothraki Khal into turning their eyes east while I conquered the Stepstones. I realized he was still speaking. "... benefits are not to be denied. The tariffs from the Stepstones would easily make up for those lost to the Braavosi," he murmured, stroking his beard.
The bugler sounded his call. Gallant men in shining armor crossed my path, saluting the royal box before returning to prepare for their jousts. The first round of jousting was always the weakest, admittedly. There were plenty of easy wins, though there were also a few upsets. Ser Richard Horpe managed to unseat Ser Kyle Fossoway, the favored of the two.
That was interesting. Horpe wanted to be on the Kingsguard and enjoyed killing. You could do worse in that regard, though I wondered if he would be best for the image of my Kingsguard. I would keep an eye on him, but he would still have to make it through the many rounds of jousting if he wanted a white cloak.
Soon enough, the day's jousts ended. The city seemed tense with anticipation, as innkeepers and food stands prepared for the night ahead. As we rode we passed several patrols of Gold cloaks, policing the streets. Well, after a fashion. No doubt many of them would return home with fatter purses, but rooting out their corruption was progressing under Stannis' watchful eye.
Of course, as we entered the Red Keep, I saw his real focus gathered in the yard in parade display. Over the past months their numbers had swelled to eight hundred, with the eventual goal of two thousand. From there I would need to wait for my efforts to pay dividends. All in due time, of course.
The trade fleet was nearing completion and undergoing drills every day to get the crew used to the new designs. Twenty caravels in all would set sail, and even accounting for provisions, they should have enough space for about sixteen hundred tons of cargo. The tricky bit would be trading up to fill those cargo bays and fending off the pirates that tried to prey on them. It would take some time for the fleet to make it down and back again, but given a couple years I should see a major windfall.
My attention turned towards the party joining me in heading toward the Red Keep. Even as I watched, Lord Leyton finished congratulating Garth on making it into the Kingsguard. When he realized my eyes were on him, he nodded graciously and moved next to me.
"Your Grace," he greeted, letting it hang in the air for a moment.
"Our families grow ever closer, Lord Hightower. Your son will make a storied addition to the Kingsguard."
"Just so. I believe my daughter Alysanne shall take up the Queen's offer and join her as a lady-in-waiting." He said, before looking to me. His hair was already growing gray, I realized. "And of course Lord Damon informed me of your plan. I believe we can lower the tariffs by three percent without harming our own merchants."
Three percent wasn't much, but it would act as a fair bargaining chip. It wasn't a Venetian situation where I desperately needed their ships, just their agreement to prevent the other Free Cities from moving into the Stepstones if my attention was turned away. Especially Myr, Tyrosh and Lys. There were other sweeteners I could add to the deal. Higher tariffs for ships carrying slaves, perhaps. Strangling the trade that way would be like boiling a frog slowly. If boiling them slowly worked, that is. Bah, bad metaphor.
"We shall have to see. Negotiations will be a slow process. I would like to hear your input on something else, however."
He cocked his brow, waiting for me to continue.
"I am planning on expanding the administration. For that, I'll need literate men - I have plans for such a thing already in motion, but another source of them could come from the Faith. Having the benefactor to the Starry Sept on my side with regards to that would be much appreciated."
He stroked his beard. "You put me in a tricky position, your grace. I am also one of the Citadel's greatest supporters, and the Archmaesters will be most displeased to see men drawn away from their venerable order."
"No doubt," I agreed with a nod. "Is there some way I could sweeten the deal to make such an issue easier to face?"
"I would be very appreciative if your Grace would grant Oldtown exemptions from taxes on certain industries for ten years," he said, with a sly grin.
"That's very nebulous. I will allow exemptions on four industries for five years," I said, countering his offer.
"Anything less than eight would simply not be enough, Your Grace,"
"Seven years, and young Humfrey will squire either for me or any of my Kingsguard."
"I could simply ask Garth to take him as squire," he said, yawning performatively.
"And miss out on the chance to have Barristan the Bold serve as his knight?" I asked.
"Hmm… you'll also take Lynesse into your court and see her married well," he said.
"That I can do." I offered my hand, and we shook on it.
"Then I shall throw my support behind Your Grace's idea, whether the Citadel likes it or not," he said, though we both knew which was more likely.
The next day a page delivered the document to me. Shipbuilding, wine, steel, and printing. The last was most fascinating to me, but I signed off on it. Presumably that demand was from the Citadel, and if it reduced their pressure, I could live with it. The shipbuilding, though… would I have competition for trade? Oldtown was the richest city for a reason.
Regardless, having the support of the Hightowers would be valuable. I signed off on the document. Then I turned my attention once more to the tournament. The rounds passed and the fields narrowed until the final day, when Richard Horpe managed to unseat Lyn Corbray. Of the two, I had to admit I preferred Richard. Both enjoyed killing which was kind of unsurprising for a martial society like Westeros, but Lyn's other habits seemed more dubious.
Regardless, Richard got his wish, kneeling before me and rising a knight of the Kingsguard. I supposed he would be the Mandon Moore of my Kingsguard. Competent at killing, but not as storied as the others. Oh well, you couldn't have it all. I clapped him on the shoulder once he was standing before me. "Good to have another Stormlander protecting me."
He smiled. "We may be few, but every one of us is fine steel," He said, and I pretended not to notice the excited shiver that came over him.
With the seventh Kingsguard found, the tournament came to an end. The roaring of the crowd was especially rowdy when the new additions passed, holding up the tail end of the parading knights. Things were good, in that moment.
I would have my hands full soon enough with Braavos, the Stepstones, and the Citadel, but for now I luxuriated in the cheers of the crowd and the salty smell of the sea coming with the breeze.
A/N and that's another chapter complete! Sorry for the extremely long delay on this one. We're getting into finals season and most of my writing is spent on essays and the like, I'm afraid. That'll be finished soon enough, though, and I'll be able to get back to this properly. The Kingsguard is found! I admit I kept considering Lyn Corbray, but he's very tricky because it's hard to tell one way or the other if the boys Littlefinger is providing him are kids or young men (GRRM has used the word for both) but there's definitely something dubious going on with him that tipped me against him. Richard's not fantastic, but honestly you need a Mandon Moore kind of guy who's in it for the killing. Not everyone can be kickass knights with cool nicknames. I think from here on things will speed up and we'll cover a lot more time per chapter - we're definitely out of the thick of it with the coronation and power struggles there, though I did want to have a few chapters respite before going once more into the breach. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed the chapter - if you did, please leave a review!