136 A.L. Sept of The Unifier

The High Septon

The one true faith, the faith of the Seven was enjoying the greatest surge of popularity and reach than it had seen since the time the Andals had been in Andalos. The Faith of the Seven had crossed over with the Targaryen conquest of the Three Daughters, Volantis, the cities of the Demon Road and Pentos. This growing influence had happened mainly through the fact that the Targaryens had allowed Septons and Septas to accompany them and their lords and men during the fighting, to spread the one true faith and to offer salvation to those Essosi who seemed to be most in need of a little faith. As such the Faith was now popular throughout most of the known world, and the High Septon himself was doing much to ensure that this popularity remained intact.

As he took a sip of his summer wine, the High Septon took a moment to think about the family that had made it possible for the Faith to spread as far as it had, the Targaryens. The Faith and the royal family had a very complicated history with one another. When the Conqueror had landed and taken Westeros by fire and storm, the High Septon at the time had submitted and accepted the fact that the Conqueror was wed to his sisters and that their children would be born through incest, which was a sin according to the Faith, and yet when the Conqueror asked you for a blessing you gave it and that was that. But once the Dragon died, and the Conqueror's sons were left to rule, the Faith began to splinter and caused headaches all around and at one point it had seemed as though either the Targaryens would die or the Faith would. Then the Old King had come and the pact had been made, and things had been good, though when the unifier had wed his son and daughter to one another there had been some murmurings of discontent largely it had been accepted. Then when King Aemon III had wed his sisters the High Septon had been the one to officiate over the ceremony and though he had had his own misgivings about it, mainly doing it behind the king's back he had gone through with it. And then when King Aemon, or Prince Aemon as he had been then had wed Baela and Rhaena Targaryen, the murmurings had grown louder and some aspects of the Faith had called for more war, but he had managed to quell them. He did not think it wise to get into a conflict with such a good and able king, after all King Aemon was young still and his taking of so many wives could simply be seen as youthful lust and pride taking over common sense. That was something the High Septon could allow considering how his own septons acted sometimes.

As the door to his room opened he found the members of the most devout entering and he nodded in welcome to them all. He knew very well why they were here and he sighed, they had grown greedy with the expansion. "Brothers and sisters, welcome, welcome to my humble abode. Please be seated. We have much to discuss today. I know that we have come together to speak of the north and how it yet remains untouched by this spread of the true faith. And so I would hear your arguments for and against pushing for a peaceful campaign there."

Brother Samuel spoke then his voice deceptively soft. "The north is the biggest of the kingdoms Your Holiness. Leaving it the worship of trees and other such barbaric practices is a sin against the one true faith, and as such it must be stopped. White Harbour and the Manderlys have always been the staunchest of supporters of the Faith in the north, and Lord Manderly has even written to say that his daughter as Lady of Winterfell has slowly been trying to convert Lord Cregan to see the ways of the faith. The time to act is now."

There was some murmuring at that and Sister Rosie spoke up. "The Manderlys are very close to Winterfell now what with Lord Cregan's marriage to Lady Manderly. I agree with brother Samuel, now is the time to act and begin a peaceful campaign to bring the north to the way of the one true faith."

"Brother Artos you, yourself are from the north. What do you think we should do? After all whom better to know how the north will react than a northman himself." The High Septon said.

Brother Artos was a grim man, solemn and hard like the land that had bred him. "I believe that the north should be left alone your holiness. The north is a big land and a proud people as well. Doing anything that goes against their instinct will make them uncomfortable. Lord Cregan will know this and as such will not act unless he feels confident that there will be no backlash. But I will you right now, if we go peacefully or hard, there will be a backlash and the Faith will suffer."

"It sounds as if you are hoping that we shall be swayed by this argument. The faith has never been stronger we have resources to call upon along the new kingdoms under the throne's command and we have the dragons as well. The King takes seriously the oath his great grandfather swore to the old High Septon many moons ago." Brother Denys said.

"Peace," he said. "What Brother Artos says is true. We do not have the pure numbers to bring a peaceful conversion. And asking for a war here now, will do nothing for us. No the North will be left to its own devices for now. Now what of the matters in Pentos. Has that been looked into as I asked?"

Brother Denys spoke once more. "It has Your Holiness. And it pains me to admit this but it is your own brother who is leading the attempted rebellions against the King there. My men within Andalos believe he is trying to crown himself a king."

The High Septon sighed and shook his head marvelling once more at his brother's foolishness. "It would seem that I was far too lenient with my brother. He is putting our faith and our plans at risk with his foolishness. We do not have the strength in Andalos to make such a thing a reality. The throne will want his head, but if there is a way to make sure that he is spared being fed to one of their dragons I want it found. He is my kin after all."

Brother Denys nodded and then asked. "What will you tell Lord Laenor should he come asking? After all the man has his spies everywhere and will likely know some extent of the truth, but he might not know the full truth. Still he will demand some action from us and the rest of the faith in Pentos."

The High Septon thought for a moment and then said. "Do as you must brother Denys, and all of you. Do whatever you think is necessary to preserve the faith and what it stands for. I will handle Lord Laenor." And like that the meeting came to an end, and once the sun had set and night was well and truly in, the High Septon met Lord Laenor under the cover of a street shop that was owned by his uncle.

Lord Laenor spoke softly dressed as a woman as he was. "What news do you have for me Borros?"

The High Septon sighed at the use of his birth name and said simply. "It is my brother who is causing the throne trouble. I will make sure none actually join him though. What is to be done with him?"

Laenor looked at him and said. "He will die. He has betrayed the king's trust and must go. I am sorry old friend but that is how it must be. Now make sure that any talk of this reaches no one."

Borros nodded and then the High Septon and the master of Whispers disappeared for the night.