Within Maegor's Holdfast…
Daveth massaged the small bandage wrapped around his head. His mother-in-law Catelyn asked to see him, though by the time he was walking back to his room – his earlier temper had seemingly simmered down, though the Young Stag was still overall determined to wipe out the Sparrows for their recent transgressions. Ser Barristan walked alongside his former squire, never taking his eyes off him—whether it was due to the blow on the head he received, or fighting to suppress his inner demons once more.
Pushing the door to his chambers open, Daveth noticed his children playing with each other as Catelyn gently reminding them in a grandmotherly tone to be careful. Their candied plums remained untouched due to Catelyn herself determining they were not yet ready for sweets yet. In her hands she was a woven wooden circle bound together with twine; Tyrion watched with amusement as he drank his goblet of wine. Lyonel and Cassana stopped playing with their toys when they saw Daveth entering the room.
"Daddy!" they rushed him.
Catelyn and Tyrion turned towards him, though they both the bandage with dried blood on his head.
"By the Gods, what happened?" the Tully-turned-Stark matriarch asked.
"Sparrows tried to capture Tommen and Myrcella," Daveth calmly explained. "One of them ended up hitting me in the head with a club."
"Are you in pain?" asked Tyrion.
Daveth shook his head 'no'. Cassana looked up at her father and pointed at his head.
"Daddy go' e boo-boo," she piped up.
"I'm fine, Cass," he reassured his daughter.
"I kiss betta'?"
Daveth was amused at his daughter's gesture and felt a bit more relaxed. 'I swear she's just like you, Sansa,' he speculated before bending down at Cassana's eye-level. He watched his daughter hold his head with her small hands and felt Cassana plant a kiss on his bandages.
"Betta'?" she asked innocently.
The Young Stag nodded. "Better. Thank you, little firefly," he said appreciatively.
Cassana smiled sweetly and returned to playing with her dolls. Lyonel returned to playing with his wooden toys. Tyrion chuckled at the sight.
"She's showing herself to be quite the daddy's girl, nephew," he pointed out.
Daveth ignored his uncle's remark and stood back up. "Cat, Ser Barristan said you wanted to see me?"
Catelyn looked at her son-in-law. "We both did," she stated, referring to herself and Tyrion. "Our two houses have always been close, which is the reason why Sansa asked me to look after you in her stead until she returns."
"There's more going on than meets the eye. With trouble brewing in the North and here in the capital, even the rest of us can notice that the crown's heavy burden often weighs down on you when something becomes personal," Tyrion explained. "As such, Lady Stark and I have determined… that the situation is now a lot more complicated. But then, we all live complicated lives, don't we?"
"So why not tell us. I can see some wear and tear."
Daveth opened his mouth to speak but clamped it shut. 'Don't even think about lying to your family; they'll end up finding out eventually if you do,' he told himself. "There have been some rough patches," he said. "But with everything going on with these Sparrows, I feel myself slipping."
"Slipping? How bad is it?"
"When they went after Tommen and Myrcella, I really let loose."
"So you did what any other older brother would've done and defended—" Tyrion said before being cut off.
"It gets worse from there. I found myself starting to hum The Rains of Castamere under my breath moments after I killed them," Daveth interrupted. He spoke quietly so his children couldn't hear him. "Such dark and impulsive thoughts I could barely keep under control whenever I get this worked up."
The dwarf Hand of the King paused while sipping, looking surprised and somewhat concerned. Tyrion set the goblet aside and just stared at his nephew in the eyes, detecting a dangerous mix of inner turmoil and ruthless satisfaction butting heads with one another. Adept at playing the game of thrones, Tyrion knew that any further impact would eventually cause Daveth to snap when push comes to shove.
"But do you know the thing that does bother me?" he continued. "There's not a day goes by where I don't think about subjecting the Sparrows and every single people like them to every horrendous torture they've dealt onto others before ripping them out root and stem. It'd be too easy. But if I did that, if I went down that road again like I did with the Iron Islands, I'll never come back."
Tyrion and Catelyn sat there listening to Daveth opening himself up like this; Ser Barristan noticed too. The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard stood at his side when he placed his hand under chin, scratching his white-haired beard.
"These are disturbing words, Your Grace," he noted. "But sometimes it is better to answer injustice with mercy. Show them that there is another way."
Daveth looked up at his former mentor. "I've tried that, Ser Barristan. I really did. But after what they've just done… they've left me no choice. The Sparrows are beyond redemption, and must be dealt with before more innocent people get hurt or worse."
"Then remind them of what truly matters. We squabble amongst ourselves and blame each other for our troubles while the people who matter suffer most. No life is worth living if we cannot be true to our better nature, Daveth." Barristan turned to leave the room before looking over his shoulder. "I'll oversee the plans to rescue the Knight of the Flowers. But try to find solace in what brings you joy. Spend it wisely, and with those who care for you."
Daveth watched Ser Barristan leave the room – most likely to arrange for the local security forces in organizing a search and rescue mission. By now Tyrell, Arryn, Lannister and Baratheon troops had already arrived in King's Landing as reinforcements against the insurgent Sparrow heretical movement. The Young Stag felt wearier upon expressing what he felt; all while Catelyn placed her prayer wheel for the Faith of the Seven down on her lap – sewing on the finishing touches before hanging it up on table.
"Making those lately, Lady Stark?" Tyrion asked.
Catelyn shook her head. "You wouldn't understand, Lord Tyrion. Only a mother makes one for her children to protect them. Only a mother can make them."
"Didn't you make one before when Bran had his accident?" Daveth asked.
"Twice. I prayed for my son to survive—which he did after quite some time passed us by. I imagine Cersei told me the same thing when she mentioned how sick you were; almost died if I remember right."
The Young Stag had faint flashbacks, but each one was more distant than the other.
"Gods be good, I wasn't an ideal mother," she said.
"What do you mean?" Daveth asked curiously. He hadn't heard Catelyn say that before and pictured her as the ideal embodiment of House Tully's words Family, Duty, Honor.
Catelyn sighed. "Many years ago, one of the boys at Winterfell came down with the pox. Maester Luwin said if he made it through the night, he'd live. But it would be a very long night. So I sat with him all through the darkness; listened to his ragged little breaths, his coughing, and his whimpering."
"Who's?"
"Jon Snow."
Tyrion was suddenly interested. "Jon Snow? Ned Stark's bastard?" he asked.
Catelyn nodded. "When Ned brought that baby home from the rebellion, I couldn't bear to look at him. I didn't want to see those brown stranger's eyes staring up at me. So I prayed to the Gods, 'take him away. Make him die.' He got the pox. And I knew I was the worst woman who ever lived. A murderer. I'd condemned this poor, innocent child to a horrible death all because I was jealous of his mother. A woman he didn't even know."
"So what did you do?"
"I prayed to all Seven Gods, 'let the boy live. Let him live and I'll love him. I'll be a mother to him. I'll beg my husband to give him a true name, to call him a Stark and be done with it, to make him one of us.'"
"And he lived?"
"And he lived," she confirmed. "But I didn't keep my promise. I couldn't love a motherless child."
Daveth shook his head as he listened to Catelyn lamenting on her failures; this would explain why she treated Jon Snow terribly—he never knew him that well, other than the occasional glance or two when the royal party arrived at Winterfell five years ago. But then again, after spending some time with Eddard Stark during his tenure as Hand of the King and his Regent, the Young Stag concluded his deceased father-in-law was an honorable man—it didn't match his character as someone who'd randomly have sex with some random woman in his youth.
"It's not too late to amends, Cat," Daveth suggested.
She looked uncertain. "Sometimes I wonder."
"Only if you give up on yourself does it become that much more complicated." The Young Stag places a hand on Catelyn's shoulder. "Things will never easy for us anytime soon, but holding on to the past like that isn't healthy."
That last remark seemed to make Catelyn chuckle a bit. "You've grown since last time," she mentioned.
"Must've been Sansa's doing," he remarked and sighed.
Lyonel whined. "I wan' ma' mommy."
Daveth turned to his son. "I know you do, pup. I miss her too."
"Daddy?" Cassana looked up at her father and stretched her arms out. "Uppie!"
The Young Stag rolled his eyes and lifted his daughter up before placing her on his lap. Cassana hugged her father and buried her face in his chest. Lyonel pouted and demanded he be picked up too; much to Catelyn's amusement. Daveth lifted his son with one arm, but even then the young Prince would still be playing with his toys—often hitting the Young Stag on the arm of chest.
"Ow! Lyonel, that wasn't nice!" He turned to his mother-in-law. "Seriously, how is it that you and Sansa are both able to make this look so easy?" Daveth complained.
Catelyn smiled. "It takes time and practice, Your Grace. And especially patience."
"Trust me, Cat, Sansa is much more patient with these two than I am. Has been since the day they were born."
At the Small Council chambers…
"Unbelievable," Ser Kevan bemoaned. "To think they'd even attempted such a feat. These Sparrows would've never dared set foot in King's Landing when Tywin was alive."
"We're here, he's not," Randyll reminded them. "And when we're faced with sedition, it's best to rout them out before more chaos ensues."
Just then, Margaery pushed a set of doors open, entering the Small Council chambers and angrily puts her hands on the table. She heard of Loras's capture by the Sparrows and went to confront the King's advisors.
"Why is my brother in Sparrow captivity?!" the Princess Consort demands.
Mace, Randyll, Trystane, Olenna, Varys, Pycelle, Yohn, Tommen and Myrcella all turned to look at her. Lord Tyrell was more concerned and worried for both his children; Randyll remained stern and strict. Varys was still mysterious; the Grand Maester a bit apprehensive as was Prince Trystane. Myrcella thankfully maintained her composure while Tommen seemed more surprised at his wife's reaction than anyone else.
"We-we're doing everything we can," he tries to calm her down. "The Sparrows caught us all off-guard. Don't worry, Margaery. We'll get Ser Loras back. I promise."
Margaery pinched the bridge of her nose. "Your brother is the King of the Andals, the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, the Protector of the Realm. And you let a band of fanatics take you all by surprise? My brother could be rotting away in some grimy, bygone cell at who-knows where."
"Hey!" Myrcella balked. "We both know who's to blame for this outrage, Margaery, but don't even think about blaming my brother for what the Sparrows themselves did. Not in front of me."
Yohn decided to play the role of mediator. "My lords and ladies, Your Highnesses, let us see reason. The High Sparrow and his followers have been planning this for quite some time: to get us fighting amongst ourselves instead of standing together as a united front."
"Lord Royce is right," Ser Barristan arrived with Ser Jaime in tow. "We both came here for the same reason: to free Ser Loras of House Tyrell and repelling the Sparrows from terrorizing those we are sworn to protect."
"Just recently additional troops from the Westerlands and the Reach have arrived through the city gates and will maintain constant vigilance," Jaime explained. "Since the City Watch is stretched real thin, we though they could use a little bit more reinforcements while we narrow the search for the High Sparrow and the Sparrow's location."
Margaery sat down, burying her face in her hands in exasperation. "How long can we expect word on the search?" she steadily asked a bit more calmly.
Varys chimed in. "My little birds are scouring through every corner of the city as fast as they can. When they find out where the Sparrows have taken Ser Loras, we will know at once."
Tommen takes his wife's hand and kneels down to look at her tenderly. "See? We've got a plan… well, it's a start but something's better than nothing right?" He turns to his father-in-law. "Lord Tyrell, I may not speak for my brother but our houses are bound by blood too. I'll take full responsibility for this. You'll all see Ser Loras again. I promise."
Mace looked grateful. "Thank you, Prince Tommen," he sighed with relief.
Olenna, however, was more skeptical—not too eager to get her hopes up prematurely. "And what of the aid?" she requests. "You know, I didn't trust Lord Tywin. I didn't particularly like him. I didn't trust your brother King Daveth when we first met, either. But I respected them. He was his grandfather's protégé just as my granddaughter was mine. They both understood that sometimes we must work with our rivals rather than destroy them."
"That time is now," Barristan said. "Together, the combined Lannister and Tyrell armies are among the largest in Westeros. We'll bring them into the city, restore the King's peace and bring Loras back into our custody."
"You know I never thought of you who'd include himself into such affairs of this council, Ser Barristan the Bold."
The old Kingsguard shook his head. "I always hated the politics. Robert did not include me, which I didn't mind. But Daveth on the other hand insisted I take part in it. 'You're the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. As such, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, you have a seat on the Small Council,' he told me. So like it or not, this is much bigger than our own wants."
Myrcella overlooked a detailed structural map of King's Landing. "These marked entry points have been Sparrow sightings," she pointed. "Our men should be able to narrow the field here, here, and here while the City Watch close off any potential means the Sparrows could use to escape or pop up anywhere. Uncle Kevan, you're the commander of the Lannister armies. What do you think?"
Kevan looked deep in thought. "A sound strategy, but we must always be prepared should the worst come to pass. We could post sentries right… here, atop the ramparts. That way they could warn our men on the ground and the City Watch of potential sightings."
"The whole thing will be over before anyone will realize what's happened," Jaime said. "And when the High Sparrow is in custody or dead, preferably, do you think people will care at the outcome?"
"But we must also take great care," Yohn warned. "There's no telling what could happen if these fanatics find themselves backed into a corner. If things don't go as planned, many will die."
"Many will die no matter what we do," Olenna countered. "Better them than us."
Randyll huffed. "So it's decided then?"
"Aye," they agreed.
"Then the hour has come to take the fight directly to the Sparrows," Mace bellowed. "Madness has plagued the streets and grasped in its claws my son. But now we must drive it back under the rocks whence it came. Madness has had its day!"
'Oh shut up, ponderous oaf,' Olenna mentally chastened her son.
Randyll must've been thinking the same thing as his liege lord's mother, but he agreed that the Sparrows had to be dealt with now. With the armies patrolling the streets, all they had to do was encircle them and pluck them out—every single one of them. Myrcella and Tommen looked at each other, nodding that they themselves had to step in on Daveth's behalf. They promised to help their brother, and now was the time to do just that.
Both were determined to demonstrate how far they've come, though one was more confident than the other.
In an unknown cell…
The room was damp and dark, with only a few dozen candles illuminating the area. A somewhat disheveled Ser Loras shifted into his chair—knowing full well that his hands were tied behind his back and his feet chained to keep him still. The Knight of the Flowers had no weapon as it was forcibly removed from him during his capture. His hair was messy and undone and he had grown matted beard.
Beside him were the chained up members of the Most Devout: Rosyn, Luceron, Raynard, Torbert, Russal, Moelle and Helicent. Each of them struggled against their restrains, but they were glared upon by several armed Sparrows. By what was new about them were dried up blood from their faces; to show their newfound devotion to their leader, each Sparrow carved the symbol of the Faith of the Seven, the Seven-Pointed Star, onto their foreheads.
"Heathens! How dare you threaten us!" exclaimed Torbert.
"Untie us this instant!" shouted Raynard.
"Be silent, sinners!" yelled one of the Sparrows.
Loras's eyes squinted uncomfortably when the light shone into his eyes, but he could see the High Sparrow approach him—smiling in an intimidating, serious and threatening manner yet sounding so reassuring and tender.
"You are aware of the rumors concerning you and Renly Baratheon?" he interrogated.
"I don't pay attention to the rumors," Loras dismissed.
"You were said to be despondent when he died. Witnesses said that you refused to leave his bedside, even as Stannis' army closed in. Even the war was already coming to an end until storming off to lay siege to King's Landing."
'Lay into me all you want, old man, but you won't break me,' he mentally warned him. "Renly was my friend. I was his squire for many years. He was my King." Loras quickly shut his mouth, realizing what he just said.
"Wasn't Daveth your rightful King?" the High Sparrow asked. "He was anointed by the Seven, not Renly."
"I only realized my mistake after the Battle of the Blackwater. I know that. Despite everything I did, Daveth forgave me and pardoned me for my crimes. I fought for him during the Second Greyjoy Rebellion."
"You were wearing Renly's armor."
"What does it matter what I wore in battle or not?"
"Do you deny all the charges against you? Fornication, buggery, blasphemy."
'That's double jeopardy, old man!' Loras wanted to scream. He kept silent because he knew one wrong step could land him in serious trouble. "Of course I deny them," he disputed. Even if everyone knew if the charges were true, the Knight of the Flowers would not admit to allegations hurled against him.
"You never lay with Renly Baratheon?"
"Never."
"Nor any other man?"
"Never."
The High Sparrow smiled. "Bearing false witness before the Gods is as grave a sin as any, Ser Loras. Our benefactor suggests otherwise."
"'Benefactor'?" Luceron said confused. "What are you talking about?"
One cue, the prison door opens up to reveal the Sparrow movement's primary benefactor—diverting funds to their cause and providing armament for each member. The individual was big-boned with callused hands holding both a beating rod and a Faith scripture and had a scowling homely face. The chained up Most Devout were utterly shocked and horrified as they recognized who stood beside the High Sparrow.
"Unella?! You—?!" Raynard exclaimed.
"Why? How could you do this to us?" demanded Luceron.
"Why?!" shouted Russal.
"Shame! Shame! Shame" yelled Helicent.
Unella, one of the Most Devout, was revealed to be the High Sparrow's benefactor and inside source. She remained undeterred at the screams and shouts her former fellow clergymen directed towards her and smacked Loras on the head with her rod.
*BAM!*
"Gah! Hey!" Loras shouted, unable to massage his head.
"Confess," she demanded.
"I've told you what you wanted! Now let me go! Let us go!"
"Confess."
"Do you have cobwebs in your ears?"
*BAM!*
"Ow! Cut it out!"
"Confess."
"I am the heir to Highgarden. My sister is Princess Consort and I demand you let us go!"
*BAM!*
"Gnagh!"
"Confess."
Loras was getting more pissed. "STOP HITTING ME THIS INSTANT!" he yelled.
Septa Unella slams the scripture book closed and approaches the Knight of the Flowers aggressively. Loras was ready tear her out with his teeth and jumped in his seat, but the wooden legs became loose and he fell onto his side.
"Septa Unella can be overzealous at times," the High Sparrow explained. "But together we'll wipe the slate clean and right the wrongs and injustice caused by sin as it was before the Faith was broken."
"'Right wrongs and injustice caused by sin'? All you're doing is twisting and perverting our Holy Faith's tenants!" Rosyn balked. "Your followers attack the people blood and harass them relentlessly. This is not what the Faith teaches!"
"We are an army that defends the bodies and souls of the common people. By allowing perversion, corruption and sin go unpunished, all of you are sinners in the light of the Seven. When Ser Loras here atones for his sins, so will the rest of you."
Torbert's face twisted with fury. "You are the sinners! And you, Unella, you will burn in the Seven hells for what you've done!"
"You all broke the sacred laws and will be punished accordingly."
Loras lifted his head up from the mud. "Others will hear of this," he warned them. "They will come for you eventually."
The High Sparrow did not appear concerned in the slightest. A small child entered the room holding a tray of water and porridge.
"Seven blessings, mister," the child said.
"Seven blessings, young one," the High Sparrow patted his head and gave him a piece of candy.
The child placed the tray down and left the room. Behind him he could hear more beatings and demands of 'confess' before finally turning the corner and out of sight. He couldn't risk any of the Sparrows spotting him until he was absolutely certain he was alone. Turning the corner, the child bumped into a tall woman with short black hair, blue eyes and dressed masculinely with leather clothes. Her friend, other hand, was a short, buxom woman.
"Sorry, lady," he apologized.
Myranda patted the child's head. "No apologies are necessary, dear child. Are you hurt?" she asked.
He shook his head.
"Were you followed?" Mya asked.
He shook his head again. "No, but I was told to find anything and deliver it to you so it can be sent to Lord Varys," he handed over a rolled piece of paper.
Myranda took it and examined the contents. Mya nodded her head and ushered the boy away so he'd blend in the crowd. The lady Royce looked towards her friend.
"Well, this is something," she said seriously. "We found them. Everything we could possibly need is right here. Time to pay the King a little visit, don't you think?"
"Indeed," her friend agreed. "Time to report our findings to Lord Royce… and my brother."
Chapter End
Author's Note: Daveth cools himself off with his uncle, mother-in-law and two children whilst his royal councilors plot their next course of action. In the meantime, the Sparrows' benefactor is revealed and the Most Devout themselves were apprehended by the fanatical movement. Sometimes simply talking to someone about how you're feeling can relieve some stress, though others do things differently – so how was the interaction between Daveth and Catelyn Stark? Myrcella takes a bold step in strategizing. Tommen decides to get himself involved. The intensity between the Crown and the Sparrows are heating up. Thoughts? Let me know.
Zurver: Really love this chapter. Can't wait until when Daveth finally meet his bastard siblings
Oi Teme: Yeah he definitely needs some relaxing family time away from all that king stuff and sparrows. He may be King but he's a father and a husband as well and that's a nice conversation with his mother in law might be the start of her treating Jon better.
And it's nice that Mrycella and Tommen having his back in times like this. And it's fun to see the Tyrells getting some screen time I'm a fan of em except for Margaery manipulating a little boy.
RHatch89: Awesome update :)
GREAT CELESTIAL-DRAGON: Wonder if the sparrow awake or ven slightly bothered about the te Walkers? They are a bigger problem to deal with.
birdy: WOW WHAT A READ I CANT WAIT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER PLEASE UPDATE AS SOON AS YOU CAN PLEASE
10868letsgo: Awesome!