Chapter 589: Banished to the Frontier

One after another, witnesses stepped forward, publicly exposing the seemingly kind and benevolent Archmaester Pycelle for the hypocrite he truly was.

Nobility from the Seven Kingdoms and common folk of King's Landing who were in attendance displayed expressions of disgust. Some couldn't hold back and spat at Archmaester Pycelle, while others threw rotten eggs and fruit.

"Disgraceful!" "Scum!"

They were shocked at the extent of the Archmaester's actions. Despite being old enough to be a girl's grandfather, he had violated their trust and innocence.

"Execute him!" "Execute him!"

The first calls for his execution echoed, with more and more voices joining in, demanding that the just Minister of Justice, Prince Oberyn, sentence this treacherous Archmaester to death. They believed he shouldn't be allowed even a gasp of life.

During this period, Oberyn had openly and justly tried numerous cases. With his sharp wit, he ensured that justice was swift and accurate. As a result, he gained increasing admiration from the people, reversing the infamy he had earned from his previous massacre in the Westerlands.

After all, humans are forgetful. Months ago, he was seen as the savage from Dorne. But now, after executing nobles and redistributing their wealth to the plundered citizens of King's Landing, Oberyn was hailed as a hero.

Archmaester Pycelle, currently the target of public ire, was in a sorry state, his forehead bleeding from a thrown apple.

"I... I..."

He hadn't anticipated this wrath, and even his once noble "friends" avoided his gaze, unwilling to plead on his behalf.

The elderly man with white hair and beard held his head, blood staining his cheeks. Pycelle, realizing he wouldn't walk away unscathed, pleaded with the judges, hoping for a chance to don the black and join the Night's Watch.

However, not everyone is granted such an opportunity. The prestigious House Velaryon, for instance, required the King's consent to join the Night's Watch. Unfortunately, the esteemed King was currently away, recuperating in the royal gardens of Highgarden.

Thus, the chief judge and two deputy judges were left to decide.

Below the Red Keep, in the plaza of King's Landing, three judges presided over the public trial each day. Prince Oberyn was always the chief judge, while the other two seats were rotated daily among the governors and court ministers.

"This damned scum," War Minister Khal Cago, struggling with his Westerosi Common Tongue, remarked.

While his command of the language was limited, he understood the evidence presented. Among the first words he learned in Common were various expletives, which became his favorites.

"In the Dothraki culture, we only take foreign women, never our own!"

Children held special significance for the Dothraki. Even when raiding and pillaging, they wouldn't harm children smaller than a wagon wheel. This cultural difference set them apart from other civilizations.

Khal Cago's words left Prince Oberyn momentarily speechless. To the Dothraki, were foreign girls not considered girls?

Petyr Baelish, Lord of the Vale, dressed in a black cloak with a mockingbird pinned to his chest, spoke up, "Archmaester Pycelle betrayed his king, leading to tragedy. He should be held responsible for the disaster in King's Landing years ago. I propose the death penalty."

Baelish subtly nodded at Khal Cago, attempting to bond with the Dothraki, but to no avail. Cago, unfamiliar with courtly manners, merely continued to pick at his teeth.

"Lord Oberyn," interjected Jeor Mormont, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. "Maester Aemon's age has caught up with him. Perhaps Archmaester Pycelle could assist him in the North?"

Aemon had been offered a chance by Viserys to break his vows and retire in King's Landing, but he declined, choosing to fulfill his lifelong commitment to the Night's Watch. As such, he would accompany them to fend off the remaining White Walkers, reclaim the North, and the Wall.

However, Aemon's advanced age meant he might not have many years left. With the Night's Watch now over a thousand strong but only one maester, Mormont hoped to add Pycelle.

Oberyn considered the proposal. Sending the old man to the icy North seemed a fitting punishment, especially knowing that the Night's Watch would soon be instrumental in reclaiming the North.

With the consent of the deputy judges, it was decreed: Archmaester Pycelle would join the Night's Watch as a maester.