(Stannis)
I relaxed as much as I could in the thick plate armor my paranoia forced me to wear at all times. In my quarters of the 'Hydra' my personal war-galley and flagship of the Westrosi war fleet, I was as safe as could didn't stop the felling of powerlessness that invaded my waking and sleeping hours.
I thought about the past and what would come next.
When I first came to King's Landing as a child, I had formed an opinion of the city. That opinion made me overlook the things that bothered me now. I was sickened by this city that neared the population of the ancient city of Rome.
I had seen the sickness of old and ancient Rome.
The depravity and moral disregard coupled with starvation of the poor and the rich's over-opulence.
This was worse than Rome. There were not sewers. Waste was thrown into the streets. Not one public thermae on the entire continent. Even their priests are corrupt and perverse.
Orphans and poor starve in the streets. Crime is rampant. It was one of the worst large cities I had ever seen. I did what I could with such a corrupt system in place in this country and Robert's court. I used my position to station many a cabin boy and girl onto every ship owing fealty to me come into King's Landing.
Around 2,000 had left that way. Especially when it became known that I would pay a silver in apprentice fee to each of the captains for every recruit from King's landing of my men or I's choice of orphans.
Robert is going to die.
He will be in much pain from the wrapped ribs. His breath will become more and more shallow. He will begin to cough green slime and then blood. He will waste away slowly over a couple of weeks. Too many ribs were broken for the King to survive.
He had fathered no living legitimate heir as of last week when Cersei had a still-born son. I was sure she had not recovered enough for the quickening to occur again as of yet. She was attractive and had seemed like a good wife before her wedding. Robert made the woman cruel. Perhaps she could be redeemed. It would be expected for me to marry her soon.
It was custom to marry a brother's widow. Especially if she is a Queen.
Ten of the Baratheon ships from Storm's End of my own ownership had made their way to King's Landing at my order last year.
They were under-crewed fishing ships.
Not under-crewed for long.
I heard the foundlings were were working well and getting skilled with net and sail. The fish were sold at low price to lower the price of food further in King's Landing.
Some nobles try to feed the poor with free food.
They don't understand that it only makes the problem worse.
I used the fish mongering money to buy more ships over the last year. Nearly Identical, they were the last years product of the ship-wrights in King's Landing. Eight triple masted trade galleys. I had sent them to Tyrosh and Lys, full of trade goods for weapons and wine.
A crash and banging on the deck.
Shouts and screams.
"My sons and daughters...
(The mumbles in the crowd quieted)
My friends...
I was visited by the Stranger last night" He finished solemnly to the grubby little snotty faces trying to catch a peek at his Holiness. High hat and gold glistening on all fingers.
A robust and healthy specimen of humanity. Covered in the finest silks and richest jewels humanity may offer.
Shocked gasps and soft squeaks rang out.
The sun is nearing it's end for the day. The shimmering cream clouds fade to pink as the sky shifts to orange.
Atop the steps of the Great Sept of Baelor stood the Servant of the Faith, Protector of Truth and Justice, Savior of the Faithful, The Most Holy High Septon. He continued the speech.
"He gave me warning..." he trailed off and looked around at the crowd with a sad expression.
"Dire Warning!"
Babies started crying as the gasps and shouts rang out louder. The sun finished It's cycle as the orange shifted into dark blue and then to gray.
"A great and powerful evil is among us, bringing about the end of the world."
The torches lining the steps of the Holy place cast a giant glowing figure of the High Septon onto the Sept behind him. As the flames cast their light upon him they portrayed him differently than in the sun.
As the flames flicked over his figure sinister figure on the top step, his blue eyes glowed.
-
Blue eyes led the mob into the twilight.
Coercing and enticing it's way through the streets, the mob grew.
Thousands uncountable made their way to the harbor.
TO SMITE EVIL!
Or watch a good lynching.
The night is young still...
"Get your arms!" I yelled down below as I climbed the stairs to the top deck of the Hydra. Ax and shield in hand, helmet tied to waist. I shouted the command often for pirate drills.
The meaning is obvious.
"FIGHT!"
The screams and shouts were louder up here. I beheld before me the greatest fear of Rome or any other city. A seething writhing mass of countless frenzied lunatics.
A mob.
An angry one.
Excrement splattered on my chest-plate. Harder objects were also being gifted at high speed. The boarding ramp was being overrun. The long board was never meant to hold the hundreds that tried to swarm up it like ants.
"Fire!"
We are riding high in the water right now with light cargo. Larder is always stocked and the only real weight on the Hydra were me, my men, their sons and nephews(foundlings). Too high to be stormed effectively, They were using other means to escalate the disorder.
Torches.
Luckily, few had used oil as of yet. Difficult to smother quickly, the heat remains smoldering.
"Cut ropes, More sail!" I shouted another couple of orders.
I shifted to the side as a wooden torch nearly caved my chest-plate in.
A cracking sound beside me.
"Arruouu" Came another sound like a hoarse dog giving a chocked, wounded squeal. I heard it even over the racket of the mob.
I stood transfixed to the sight before me.
A neph.
My nephew had dropped his bucket as the torch struck him on the head. The water flowed over the the torch, extinguishing it. Spreading from there, it brought out the color of my nephew's blood into a puddle around him.
He was looking at me with wide confused eyes and blinking away building tears in the corners of his eyes. A pink and red slurry began to leak from his shattered little skull.
I had found him behind a brothel where truly awful things were bought from starving children. I helped him get honest work here on this ship. I remembered him. Thousands of others had died like this in front of me. Thousands more would. I treated him like any other little ship-runt. Go get this, tell them that, ect.
In my minds eye, I saw my son's face contort in an expression of agony I cannot describe. His little body began to twitch and shake as his guts gave out the last sickness. His little twisted face started gnawing at the air and his eyes rolled back.
My boot came down with a splatter onto his broken face.
No need to make him suffer more.
The helmet at my waist was upon my head and buckled by the time I reached the first boarder.
His guts showered my feet with gore.
The next lost his head as he stepped up to the top of the ramp.
Hissing sounds as boys and men cut ropes quickly.
I took the arm off another man before the main sail dropped.
TOO SOON!
Horrible fucking sailors do guards make.
The ship jerked as the sail caught wind and pulled the anchoring ropes to the dock tight.
I was in the thick of fighting.
The men in front of me bent and broke like twigs before me as a large rope snapped.
In flashes I see the images of men cut in half in an instant. The feeling of pain around my abdomen and chest.
Red stinging in my eyes as blood clouded my vision with the spots floating above me.
Hands around my neck, squeezing.