The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Chapter 515: Negotiation: The High Sparrow's Vow

(2 more chapters; starting tomorrow, there will be four consecutive days of bonus chapters to thank several students for their rewards.)

*

Loras Tyrell was the Captain of the Kingsguard, with the authority to command any army in the Seven Kingdoms and to mobilize the legions of any noble.

With him present, even Ser Bonifer Hasty, the Commander of the City Watch, could only act as an assistant.

The Captain of the Kingsguard possessed many unique privileges.

In the absence of a Master of War, the Captain of the Kingsguard held the power of the Master of War. Even with a Master of War, the Captain of the Kingsguard's privileges remained unaffected.

The three thousand knights of the Reach were arrayed in a dark mass on the Great Sept of Baelor's plaza. On the high steps of the plaza, every level was packed with the green-eyed members of the Poor Fellows.

The knights of the Holy Swords held the flanks and the core position in the middle.

Lancel Lannister stood on the third step, with a dense formation of Poor Fellows' Starry Warriors in front of and behind him.

Directly opposite Lancel, on horseback, was his father, the new Hand of the King, Kevan Lannister.

The City Watch and the Reach's army had surrounded the Great Sept of Baelor.

However, what made the soldiers uneasy was that the enemy showed no fear. Their eyes gleamed with fanaticism, and they did not consider bloodshed a terrible and frightening thing.

Loras Tyrell rode a tall white horse, galloping back and forth in front of his troops, shouting loudly, "Listen to my command! Do not fire arrows or charge until you see Queen Margaery Tyrell. Hold steady, hold steady!" Loras Tyrell would not launch an attack without confirming Margaery's safety.

"Hoh!" The soldiers roared in unison.

Rescuing Margaery Tyrell was the priority.

This was also part of the High Sparrow's plan. As long as Margaery Tyrell was in his grasp, Ser Loras and Lord Mace would not dare to act rashly.

The Mountain had foreseen this situation as well.

*

On the other side, Kevan was trying to persuade Lancel.

"Lancel, are you alright?"

Lancel wore only light, close-fitting leather armor, covered by a monk's gray robe.

"I am well. I am experiencing a peace and joy that I never knew before. This is the mercy and grace bestowed upon me by the High Septon," Lancel's words were as cold as ice. Perhaps he himself did not realize that he had grown accustomed to being hostile to the world.

In his eyes, everyone was guilty, including himself, of course.

"Come home," Kevan said tentatively. "If you have any problems, we can talk about them openly in the Hand's study."

"My thoughts are only for the Seven Gods," Lancel snorted, his affection for his father Kevan having faded to that of a stranger.

"Come home. The family castle and lands are yours." In truth, Kevan no longer held any hope for this eldest son. Lancel Lannister's eyes were frighteningly cold; he was no longer the eldest son Kevan knew.

"Lands and castle?" A glimmer flashed in Lancel's eyes. "Does that mean I have the right to sell the castle and lands?"

"Why would you sell them?"

"My new life was given to me by the Seven Gods. My High Septon has healed the wounds on my body and also healed my soul, forgiving my sins. He is the Son of the Seven."

"Then please have your Son of the Seven come out. I want to see him."

Lancel noticed the Hand of the King's golden badge pinned to his father's chest. "Lord Hand, in the filthy and defiled Red Keep, who is in charge now, you or Cersei?"

"The Queen Mother will arrive shortly. If she hadn't insisted on seeing your High Septon first, I would have already ordered an assault," Kevan said, his words containing a threat.

"With what? You can try," Lancel sneered. "Look at the people here. Are there more of you or more of us? I have already sent word that before long, our brothers and sisters will return to receive the Seven Gods' cleansing."

"Lancel, let your High Septon see our forces. Tell your High Septon to immediately and safely release Queen Margaery Tyrell and Ser Osney, or else, when blades clash, you will all face only death."

"Queen Margaery is reflecting in the silent cells. She has not been harmed in any way," Lancel said indifferently. "When she admits her sins and accepts our judgment, we will naturally return Her Grace the Queen to the Red Keep."

Lancel was telling the truth.

The High Sparrow intended not to harm the royal family, but this had to be based on complete repentance, acknowledgment of sins, and a vow to correct past mistakes.

If Margaery refused to admit her sins, the High Sparrow would certainly keep her imprisoned until the day she died.

Kevan had followed Tywin for decades but was unable to persuade his eldest son to return. Nor did he try hard to persuade him; he was waiting for the arrival of Her Grace Queen Mother Cersei.

On his first day as Hand, Kevan made a concession, allowing Cersei to act according to her plans.

The High Sparrow appeared, standing on the highest step, looking down at the dark mass of the army, as calm as a mountain. As soon as he appeared, the Starry Warriors and Holy Swords knights erupted in shouts, no different from the army's angry roars of military might.

*

Cersei had dressed herself carefully, so naturally, she was a step slower than everyone else.

She arrived in a sedan chair.

She appeared in the plaza, possessing the majesty of the Queen Mother.

The Reach's army and the City Watch were arrayed on the Great Sept of Baelor's plaza, their dark mass of military might as tangible as substance.

Red cloaks, gold cloaks, and blue cloaks formed square formations, their swords gleaming with a cold light.

But a disturbing phenomenon appeared: more and more poor people throughout the city began to gather nearby, filling several streets.

King's Landing had a population of one million, and refugees and the poor accounted for the majority, numbering in the hundreds of thousands.

The High Sparrow had his own unique way of notifying people. The royal forces and the Reach's forces had surrounded the Great Sept, but outside, more poor people and commoners were counter-surrounding the five thousand soldiers.

Moreover, along the way, Cersei encountered more and more groups of commoners carrying wooden sticks and heading towards the Great Sept of Baelor.

These people were not Starry Warriors; these people were genuine poor people and commoners, and they were believers in the Seven Gods.

The High Sparrow's prestige was supreme in their hearts.

Only the High Sparrow, after entering King's Landing, had been distributing large amounts of food every day to relieve the poor and commoners.

After the High Sparrow sold the Seven-Pointed Crown to obtain grain to distribute to the large number of refugees, his prestige reached its peak in the hearts of the common people.

The so-called 'a call to arms brings a multitude of responders!'

The appearance of more and more poor people affected the morale of the gold cloak, red cloak, and blue cloak armies.

*

"Your Grace the Queen Mother," Grand Maester Qyburn followed beside Cersei, along with two Kingsguard.

There were only five Kingsguard now. Jaime had gone to Dorne, and Arys Oakheart was also in Dorne escorting Myrcella Baratheon. Only three Kingsguard remained in King's Landing.

The Kingsguard protecting Cersei were Ser Balon Swann and Ser Osmund Kettleblack.

Two hundred dazzlingly white cloaks guarded the Queen Mother.

"Maester Qyburn, go and see the High Septon. Tell him that I want to speak with him."

"As you command, Your Grace," Maester Qyburn replied obediently.

*

Maester Qyburn arrived at the steps lined with Starry Warriors and called out to Brother Lancel, "Ser Lancel, I am Qyburn. I wish to see the High Septon. Her Grace the Queen Mother wishes to speak with him."

Lancel gestured, and the Starry Warriors parted, creating a passage just wide enough for one person to pass through.

Qyburn walked up the steps, with hostile gazes staring at him from both sides, densely packed. Qyburn noticed that these Starry Warriors were all holding large wooden sticks and had a short knife with a seemingly good scabbard at their waists. The short knife inside the scabbard must also be extremely sharp.

If even one of them suddenly attacked, just one wooden stick would be enough to end Qyburn's life here. He knew he would definitely be smashed to pieces by the wooden sticks. Looking at the terrifying gazes of these Starry Warriors, these people were no different from thugs.

Qyburn's back was already soaked with cold sweat.

Below the steps, in the plaza, the formation of five thousand soldiers stood silently, all eyes focused on Qyburn. He was unarmed, walking among a group of absolutely ruthless Starry Warriors, which required Qyburn to have extremely strong psychological fortitude.

Qyburn realized he had arrived before the High Septon, but he didn't even know how he had gotten there. The plaza, the steps, the inside of the church doors were all filled with people, each with unkind eyes.

"Your Holiness, I am Maester Qyburn." Qyburn found that his voice was very steady. He was surprised by his composure, but he knew that his underwear was actually wet.

"Grand Maester, greetings."

"Your Holiness, greetings. Her Grace the Queen Mother does not understand why you have detained Queen Margaery. She hopes to speak with you."

"The Seven Gods are just and impartial. I am willing to meet with Her Grace the Queen Mother openly and honestly."

"But the current situation makes me uneasy." Qyburn looked at the menacing Starry Warriors and Holy Swords knights around him. "I dare not let Her Grace the Queen Mother speak with Your Holiness." Qyburn expressed his concerns. He did not trust the High Septon. If anything happened to Her Grace the Queen Mother, he had not yet figured out how to shirk the responsibility.

"In the name of the Seven Gods, I swear that I will not do anything rash to Her Grace the Queen Mother. Her Grace the Queen Mother is the most respected royalty, the most honored guest. Everything we and my followers do is in accordance with the teachings of *The Seven-Pointed Star*. I guarantee Her Grace the Queen Mother's absolute safety."

"Swear in the name of the Seven Gods and *The Seven-Pointed Star*!" Qyburn repeated this sentence specifically.

"In the name of the Seven Gods and *The Seven-Pointed Star*! I swear to guarantee the safety of Her Grace the Queen Mother. None of the followers here will harm a single hair on Her Grace the Queen Mother's head."

Qyburn was relieved.

He himself did not believe in oaths. He himself had made many oaths without any binding force, but the High Septon swore by the Seven Gods and *The Seven-Pointed Star*, which was the most important oath for the High Septon. Believers would not blaspheme their faith, that was certain.

*

When Qyburn returned to report, he felt much lighter.

He walked down the steps, came to Cersei, and told Cersei in a low voice about the High Septon's oath.

Cersei and her attendants were relieved.

The two white-cloaked knights were also relieved.

The High Septon had sworn in the name of the Seven Gods and *The Seven-Pointed Star* in front of his thousands of followers, guaranteeing the safety of Her Grace the Queen Mother. This could not be false.

Cersei, accompanied by Qyburn, the two Kingsguard, and several red-robed attendants, stepped onto the steps.

The entire place fell silent!

The five thousand uniformed soldiers were silent, but everyone felt uneasy.

Cersei, however, gained confidence from the countless gazes.

She and her attendants did not understand the High Sparrow. He acted strictly in accordance with the teachings of *The Seven-Pointed Star*. He guaranteed Cersei's safety, and since he had said it and sworn it, he would definitely do it. But everyone had overlooked one thing: imprisonment!

Imprisoning Cersei would not cause the High Septon to break his oath!

This was exactly the situation the Mountain had predicted!

Inside the Red Keep, only the Mountain had foreseen what would happen next.

Cersei dared to go to negotiate, which would allow her to gain glory and prove her unparalleled courage in front of all the subjects and royal courtiers. If the negotiations succeeded, she would gain remarkable political achievements and prestige. However, she did not understand the High Sparrow well enough.

The Mountain, who was plotting inside the Red Keep, received news that Cersei had entered the Great Sept of Baelor to negotiate, and the five thousand soldiers were surrounded by the High Sparrow's followers. The poor people throughout the city were gathering towards the Great Sept of Baelor. The Mountain and his men did not appear, which made Lancel and others who had revenge in mind slightly disappointed.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Cersei entered through the Mother's Gate of the Great Sept of Baelor. She and the two Kingsguard, Grand Maester Qyburn, and several red-robed attendants disappeared inside the gate.

The passage from the plaza into the Great Sept closed, and Lancel directed the Starry Warriors to resume their confrontational stance.

And on the periphery, outside the plaza, more and more poor people poured in, like flowing water, endlessly.

The streets through the Great Sept of Baelor began to be overcrowded. The fanatical believers blocked the roads, and any street leading back to the Red Keep was occupied by the believers.

A perfect counter-surround.

After being slaughtered by the Mountain, the High Sparrow promptly modified his strategy, ordering thousands of Starry Warriors and monks to mobilize all the believers and have them await the Seven Gods' summons. As long as the royal forces dared to move, he would mobilize the power of hundreds of thousands of poor people throughout the city. It was time for those believers to express their piety and faith to their Seven Gods and the High Septon.

The mobilization of the poor people throughout the city by thousands of followers who were both monks and warriors was successful. They didn't even need to mobilize them; they only needed to send out information, and the poor people responded one after another, emotionally excited, pious, and fearless.

The Warrior of the Faith, who had been driven away by the High Septon, deeply understood this point. His plan was: a surprise attack!

A surprise attack, not a head-on confrontation!

The Mountain's first slaughter caught the High Sparrow off guard. The High Sparrow suffered a great loss once and would not allow it to happen a second time.

Cersei entered the Great Sept of Baelor at noon, and she did not reappear until the sun set.

The five thousand soldiers waiting for the results of the negotiations were all uneasy. Countless people outside had counter-surrounded them. They were at a disadvantage, while Queen Mother Cersei and her attendants had not shown their faces.

Kevan could no longer hold back. He was the Hand of the King, and everyone's eyes were on him.

"I'll go check the situation," Loras Tyrell offered.

The captain of the Kingsguard taking the lead is tradition.

The Kingsguard are the royal family's personal guard, loyal only to the royal family, and always ready to give their lives.

As it stands, a military solution is impossible. The Queen Mother and Queen are in their hands, and there are too many poor believer followers surrounding us. We don't know how many tens of thousands have come. Our five thousand soldiers will be outnumbered. Once a melee breaks out, the royal courtiers will suffer heavy losses. Many courtiers and generals, including important ministers of the court, may not be able to return to the Red Keep.

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