The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Chapter 513: The Small Council is Perfectly in Place

(3 chapters completed, 13,000 words)

*

Since it's armed, and they're warriors, then there must be fighting.

Margaery's people moved first, the chivalry of the Reach is very strong.

However, four unarmed people against densely packed poor people's assembly of monk warriors, it is obvious that the bravery of these four knights is equivalent to stupidity.

Margaery was taken by Lancel to the High Septon's tower.

The High Septon was sitting on a long wooden bench, reading a book.

He was wearing clothes with patches on the shoulders but washed very clean, with bare feet, and calluses all over his big feet.

The High Septon's hair was also newly cut, very short.

His old face was very dark, and his skin was rough.

"Queen Margaery, please sit down," the High Septon stood up, his height much taller than Margaery.

Margaery had calmed down, her dress still stained with blood. It was the blood of her four knights.

"High Septon, am I under arrest?" Margaery said calmly.

"No, Queen, this is not an arrest until you admit your guilt. I am just asking you to verify something."

"What is it?"

"Ser Osney has testified: you like to sleep with your handmaidens?"

"Yes!"

"You are very close to them?" The High Septon pointed to the row of handmaidens.

"Close? Of course, they are all my sisters."

"Your brother, Loras Tyrell, the Knight of Flowers, is very close to Renly, and you are very close to your handmaidens, this violates the laws of 'The Seven-Pointed Star'."

"High Septon, what do you mean by close?" Margaery narrowed her eyes slightly with contempt.

"What I mean by close is intimate."

"Only the most depraved would think that being close to someone means being intimate," Margaery said coldly, "High Septon, I am willing to confront anyone."

"Good, bring Ser Osney."

After a long while, Ser Osney was brought in, his legs broken, sitting in a wheelchair, so emaciated that Margaery couldn't recognize him.

Margaery gasped, in disbelief.

The High Septon dared to torture a high-ranking officer of the city watch into this state, where did he get the power? Even if he had armed forces, how could he resist the royal family and the nobles' armies? When the three thousand knights of the Reach arrive, this place will be turned to dust.

"Queen Margaery, I accuse you of having a very intimate relationship with your handmaidens," Osney said mechanically. His eyes were empty, and his chivalry was gone. His face and hands, wherever visible, were covered in bloody marks. It looked like he had been severely whipped.

"Ser Osney, did you see it with your own eyes?"

Osney was stunned!

He hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he had only heard everyone talking about it.

"I didn't see it with my own eyes, but I know that the handmaidens in the palace all know."

"Know what?" Queen Margaery said coldly, "Why are rumors called rumors? It's because everyone hears it from someone else, and anyone you find can't produce evidence."

Osney was speechless.

He had indeed heard people chatting about it, but he had no evidence.

Anyway, that's what everyone was saying!

"High Septon, please, Ser Osney, or you, produce evidence of my intimacy with my handmaidens."

"I will find it," the High Septon said calmly, "The Seven are all-knowing, no one can lie before the Seven."

"Then where is the evidence?" Queen Margaery looked at her dozen or so handmaidens trembling with fear below the steps. She was only sixteen years old, but she had remarkable courage and boldness, and her eloquence was also above Osney's, "High Septon, if you torture me, even without breaking my legs, if you just give me a little suffering, I think I will confess. My handmaidens also live a noble life and have never suffered. If you torture them, they will say whatever you want them to say, but now, healthy and awake, I solemnly swear in the name of the Seven: any crimes confessed by me and my handmaidens under any torture are lies."

"No need to torture, if you want us to confess to any crimes, first teach us what to say, tell us what crimes to confess, and we will confess. The Seven are above, we weak women have no choice but to bow to violence. But before we are subjected to violent torture, we swear to the holy Seven with our souls and lives that we and Queen Margaery are innocent," a close handmaiden said cleverly and sensibly.

The five High Septons were blocked outside the High Septon's tower by the warriors of the poor people's assembly. They and the monks and nuns gathered a large group of people, all in white monk robes, completely different from the gray-robed monk armed personnel full of hostility.

Everyone was worried that Queen Margaery would be subjected to inhuman torture.

Under torture, even Ser Osney couldn't resist, let alone the delicate Queen Margaery and her handmaidens.

The High Septon stared at Margaery, who was fearless. His gaze shifted to the dozen or so handmaidens, most of whom dared not meet his gaze.

"Queen, you are very clever, taking me down with words first."

"In the name of the Seven, I am telling the truth. Ser Osney couldn't withstand your torture, let alone us. It's just a forced confession, the eyes of the Seven are watching you."

"Good, well said. The eyes of the Seven are not only watching me, but also watching you, watching all of us. Queen Margaery, we will not touch you or your handmaidens until we have conclusive evidence. You are the Queen, there will be no forced confessions here." He looked at Lancel, "Ser Lancel, in the name of the Seven, please protect the safety of Queen Margaery and her handmaidens, do not allow anyone to coerce them with force, I want them to sincerely repent of their sins in the glory of the Seven."

"We have no sins, what is there to repent?"

"Be careful, Queen," the High Septon said calmly, "You will voluntarily admit your sins, for doing so much charity and distributing so much food, as long as you are willing to confess, the Seven will save your soul. I guarantee I will not harm you, confess your sins, Queen."

"My handmaidens and I have no intimate sins," Queen Margaery said coldly, "High Septon, my soul has always been and always will be pure. I must also remind you that if I do not return to the Red Keep before dark, three thousand knights of the Reach will surround the Sept."

"Then let them come!" The High Septon didn't care, and said calmly, "If the knights of the Reach attack the Great Sept of Baelor, they will only get the corpses of you and your handmaidens."

The High Septon's words made Margaery shudder!

This guy wasn't stupid, he was using Margaery as a hostage.

Lord Mace Tyrell dared not let Margaery suffer any harm, the political power that the Tyrell family was plotting for all rested on Margaery.

It was because of the marriage that the Tyrell family got the opportunity to enter the palace. Lord Mace is now the Master of Laws, and his brother Loras is the Captain of the Kingsguard, the highest honor for the knights of the Seven Kingdoms. And the one who can truly control the king is the queen.

If Margaery suffered any harm, the foundation of the alliance between Lord Mace and Kevan would be shaken. Supporting Margaery to become Queen to King Tommen was one of the conditions offered by Lord Kevan.

*

Margaery Tyrell was locked in a cell with a small window, the cell was on the ground, and sunlight could shine in through the small window.

The ground was covered with dry grass, and the floor of the cell was very dry.

Her handmaidens were not so lucky, they were locked in a dark room, and only when the cell door was opened would light shine in.

The ground was also damp, and there was no dry grass, no bed, nothing but a foul-smelling chamber pot.

When tired, they could only lie down on the ground with their clothes on. Even if they weren't tired, if they wanted to sit, they could only sit in the darkness, on the cold and damp ground.

They had indeed not been subjected to any beatings or torture, but in such a dark room and a cell without even a bed, how long could these girls last? It was estimated that in a few days, someone would confess according to the answer that the High Septon wanted in order to get out.

The Faith Militant 'cultivated' by Cersei, although they arrested Cersei's man, Osney Kettleblack, they also completed a major task for Cersei: arresting Margaery Tyrell.

Queen Margaery was placed under house arrest.

*

Red Keep. The Throne Room.

Small Council meeting.

Kevan Lannister was unanimously elected as the Hand of the King, the First Minister of the Seven Kingdoms.

King Tommen personally put the Hand of the King badge on Lord Kevan, which was a delicate golden Hand of the King, the shape of which looked like a pistol in the eyes of the Mountain. ——The big thumb is raised like a trigger, the index and middle fingers are the gun barrel, and the little and ring fingers are curled up as the gun handle.

Kevan had his own Hand of the King necklace made——the badges of the Hands of the King of the past were different, the styles were mostly designed by the First Minister himself, and the material was always pure gold.

One Hand of the King connected to another, is a Hand of the King necklace. When Kevan designed the Hand of the King, he designed a necklace, hung around his neck, instead of wearing it on the left chest lapel.

In order not to be privately said by his colleagues that Kevan had been planning this position of First Minister in advance, Kevan did not take out his designed Hand of the King necklace, and he would take it out and wear it in a few days. In order to show that he only found someone to design and make it after being elected as First Minister.

Kevan was elected as the First Minister, and applause rang out in the Small Council meeting room.

Cersei did not applaud, but nodded slightly to express her congratulations.

The Mountain said: "Lord First Minister, the position of Master of Whisperers is vacant, I propose that Bronn be the Master of Whisperers, his ability is like his ventriloquism talent, I believe he will not lose to Varys."

Kevan did not want Bronn to be too powerful, because Bronn was the Mountain's man.

Mace Tyrell and others showed fake smiles on their faces, and they all laughed secretly at the Mountain's high profile, not taking it seriously.

The Mountain so praised Bronn, but although Bronn was dressed well, his temperament was really wretched. Although he was a little taller than Tyrion, he did not have Tyrion's confidence and arrogance at all, but rather a bit more cunning and evil.

Tyrion was knowledgeable and liked to read, but whether Bronn knew how to read was still a question.

Bronn did not know how to read very well, but that was in the past. After he took over Varys's 'little birds' legacy, there were teachers in the orphanage who specialized in teaching literacy and calculation, and under their teaching, Bronn had become a 'cultured person'.

Lord Kevan praised Bronn's humility and noble qualities of being willing to work for the country, and then it was the voting session. Except for King Tommen and Dowager Cersei, the Small Council members attending the meeting all voted in favor of Bronn.

The current Small Council, because there was a First Minister, adopted the First Minister responsibility system. The Small Council members with voting rights were: First Minister Kevan, Grand Maester Qyburn, Master of War the Mountain, Master of Laws Mace, Master of Whisperers Bronn, Master of Ships Wagstaff, Master of Coin Littlefinger (vacant, in the Vale), Lord Commander of the Kingsguard Loras, Commander of the City Watch Bronn, a total of nine votes.

For more than two years, the Small Council, which had been vacant, was perfectly in place for the first time, with all positions fully staffed.

Each Small Council meeting, must be passed by five votes, the proposed laws or government affairs will be passed. If it is four votes to four votes, one person abstains or is not present, it can be decided by His Majesty the King. If His Majesty the King cannot make a decision, it will be shelved and discussed next time.

At this point, the kingdom's Small Council was once again complete, with no more defaults.

First Minister Kevan said: "Captain Loras, the Kingsguard according to tradition is seven people, there are still two Kingsguard missing, please find suitable knights to fill them as soon as possible."

"Yes, Lord First Minister," Loras Tyrell said respectfully. He decided to arrange a family knight to enter the Kingsguard, and there was one more left, let the nobles of the Crownlands recommend a loyal and brave knight.

It was also a tradition for people from the Crownlands to be in the Kingsguard, and there could not be a Kingsguard from outside the King's territory.

*

"Lord Bronn, please organize your intelligence personnel as soon as possible, I need you to formulate a plan for developing intelligence personnel."

"Yes, Lord First Minister," Bronn said respectfully.

"Then, Lord Bronn, when will you give me the document for developing intelligence personnel?"

"Tomorrow, tomorrow I'll give it to you. Lord First Minister," Bronn said.

Mace and others knew that Kevan was deliberately making things difficult for Bronn. Bronn, a guy who was not from a noble family, certainly did not know how to make government affairs forms.

A small difficulty was already a kind act in the palace.

"Okay, tomorrow at the government affairs meeting, I want to see your specific plan, how to recruit, how to implement, how to control personnel, how to transmit information... and a plan for expenditures, how many people, how much money, every golden dragon must have a specific place to land."

"Yes, Lord First Minister," Bronn had long been familiar with the management and operation of the intelligence system. He inherited Varys's skills, and he also had one more skill than Varys: secretly managing King's Landing's ruffians. He had ten thugs and intelligence supervisors under his command, each of whom was a warrior given to him by the Mountain. The ten people used to be the Mountain's personal guards, ruffian warriors who had experienced hundreds of battles. It was also relying on the ruthlessness and martial arts of these ten people that Bronn first unified the ruffians of Flea Bottom, and then controlled the ruffians and hooligans of the entire city through the ruffians of Flea Bottom, forming a very secretive underground force.

The lowest-level ruffians and hooligans only knew that the boss above them was very powerful and was a dwarf, but who it was, they had never met or had the qualifications to meet Bronn.

Bernie's expertise was all taught to him by society. He certainly lacked the knowledge from books, etiquette, and refinement that noble children possessed.

But when it came to managing hooligans, engaging in underhanded and despicable tactics, and gathering information that shouldn't be gathered, Bernie's abilities were already superior to everyone present.

Kevan was very doubtful of Bernie's 'speed'. Could this little guy really produce a complete set of things by tomorrow? He looked at the composed Mountain, and then he understood. Mountain must have arranged for a scholar to prepare these things for Bernie long ago.

Kevan said, "Your Majesty, I will report everything that happens in the Small Council to Your Majesty on the same day from now on."

The implication was that His Majesty no longer needed to attend the Small Council. It also hinted that he would not report to Queen Regent Cersei.

Kevan's plan was to first strip Cersei of her power, leaving her with only the title, and then deceive her into going to Highgarden. After that, he would announce that she had fallen in love with Willas Tyrell in Highgarden and would not return to the royal palace. Her positions as Regent and Protector of the Realm would naturally all be gone, falling into Kevan's hands.

First seize the power, then take the title.

Cersei was not yet sensitive enough to notice Kevan's exclusion, but Mountain, Mace, and Maester Qyburn understood as soon as they heard it.

Mountain said, "Lord Hand, I have a proposal regarding state affairs."

"Please speak, Duke Gregor," the Hand said in a very amiable manner. This was a friendliness that Tywin would never have shown.

"The Faith Militant in the Great Sept of Baelor is a tricky problem. Lord Hand proposed yesterday that we should first negotiate with the High Sparrow. So, who will negotiate? When will the negotiation take place? If the High Sparrow refuses to disband the armed forces, how should we respond?"

Before he finished speaking, the door of the Small Council was pushed open, and the Kingsguard knight Osmund Kettleblack entered like a small giant: "Your Majesty, Your Grace the Queen Regent, Lords, Queen Margaery was praying for Lady Olenna in the Great Sept of Baelor and was arrested by the High Septon. The Queen's captain of the guard rushed back to report and requested that we send troops to rescue her."