The Gathering Storm. Part : II

 69 AC

Red Keep, King's Landing

3rd Person Perspective

The throne room of the Red Keep was filled to the brim. Lords, ladies, and nobles from across the Seven Kingdoms gathered, their faces tense with anticipation. For the past six days, the capital had been in turmoil. The trial of the High Septon, summoned by the King himself to answer for the crimes of his septons, had shaken the very core of Westerosi society. Whispers of rebellion, treason, and heresy had spread like wildfire, and today, the fate of the Faith of the Seven hung in the balance.

Shops in King's Landing had been shuttered for days. The streets, usually bustling with merchants and smallfolk, were eerily quiet, as though the city itself was holding its breath. Traders had halted their activities, fearful of a violent uprising should the Faith and its followers take arms against the Crown. Thousands had gathered outside the Red Keep, eager to catch even the slightest glimpse of the proceedings. Rumors ran wild — would the King truly dare to challenge the Faith, the most powerful religious institution in Westeros? Would the High Septon, the voice of the Seven, stand trial as any other common criminal?

Inside the Red Keep, the tension was palpable. Even the Royal Family had taken extreme precautions. Every meal and drink served to them had been tested for poison, every guard doubly vetted. The memory of Maegor's burning of the Sept of Remembrance still lingered, and many feared that Jaehaerys Targaryen's reign, which had so far been marked by peace, might soon be consumed by chaos. Today's trial was pivotal — it could change the course of Westerosi history.

As the murmurs in the throne room grew louder, the doors creaked open, and the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard entered.

"His Grace, Jaehaerys Targaryen, First of His Name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Protector of the Realm," the Lord Commander announced, his voice booming across the hall. "And Her Grace, Queen Alysanne Targaryen."

A hush fell over the room. All eyes turned toward the grand entrance as King Jaehaerys and Queen Alysanne entered, resplendent in the black and red colors of House Targaryen. The King's presence was imposing, his long silver hair framing a face that was both regal and fearsome. His dark red cloak billowed behind him as he made his way to the Iron Throne. Queen Alysanne, beautiful and radiant, walked beside him, her gaze sharp and perceptive as she surveyed the assembled crowd.

The only notable absence was that of Prince Aemon, who had not been seen in public for the past six days. His absence added yet another layer of unease to an already fraught situation.

King Jaehaerys ascended the Iron Throne with the practiced grace of a ruler long accustomed to the burdens of power. His face was unreadable as he settled into the throne, his fingers lightly tapping the armrests. Queen Alysanne stood beside him, her expression calm but serious. The gathered lords and ladies bowed their heads in respect, though many couldn't hide their nervous glances.

Jaehaerys cleared his throat, and the room fell into complete silence.

"We are gathered here today," the King began, his voice steady and commanding, "to address grave accusations against the Faith of the Seven."

He paused, letting his words hang in the air.

"For too long, certain members of the Faith have sought to undermine the Crown," he continued. "Their treasonous words have incited rebellion, sown discord among the people, and dishonored this royal family. Today, we shall hear from the man who leads them. The High Septon."

At the King's nod, the massive doors at the far end of the hall swung open once more. An old man, dressed in flowing white robes trimmed with gold and silver, entered the room. His face was a mask of calm, though there was an unmistakable air of arrogance about him. His hands were adorned with heavy rings, and he walked with the authority of one who believed himself beyond reproach. Behind him, a small retinue of guards from House Hightower followed closely, along with three other septons.

The High Septon moved toward the throne. Many in the crowd knelt as he passed, their devotion to the Seven evident in their reverence. The High Septon, after all, was said to be the voice of the Seven on Realm, the man chosen to speak on their behalf.

When he reached the base of the Iron Throne, the High Septon gave a slight bow, his movements careful and calculated. "Your Grace," he said, his voice deep and smooth, "it is an honor to stand before you."

King Jaehaerys did not return the bow. He studied the High Septon for a long moment, his piercing gaze assessing the man before him. When he finally spoke, his voice was cold and direct.

"You stand accused of allowing treasonous words to be spoken by your septons," Jaehaerys said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "What do you say in your defense?"

The High Septon straightened, his face carefully composed. "Your Grace," he began, "the actions of one man cannot condemn the entire Faith. The septon you speak of acted alone. How could I have known of his words, when I have been attending to the duties of the Faith in Oldtown? The words of one misguided septon do not reflect the will of the Seven."

His voice was confident, even mocking, as though he were above reproach. A few nods of agreement came from the more devout lords in attendance, but most of the room remained silent, waiting to see how the King would respond.

His dismissive tone earned murmurs of approval from some in the audience, but Jaehaerys's eyes darkened as he listened. "So, you are claiming ignorance of the treasonous acts committed in your name?" the King asked.

"Yes," the High Septon replied with feigned humility. "I cannot control every member of the Faith. "

There was a subtle, mocking undertone to his words as if he were humoring the King. He seemed confident that his position, as the leader of the Faith, would protect him from any real consequences. Mocking telling the King to end this farce now, clearly happy at his pre-thought-out answers.

Hearing this King didn't respond for a few moments. Tension in the room grew thick seeing the fury in the king's eyes.

The queen who has been silent till now asked, "So, His Holiness did not have any communication with this Septon, whatsoever."

High Septon replied, "Yes, The Good Queen speaks the truth, even though I try to know each member of our faith, it is not possible, maybe I am not as good at my duties as the queen. I suggest the Crown hand over the guilty to me. I will see to it that they atone for their sins."

This comment sends everyone present to wonder about the underlying meaning of those words.

But didn't get any reaction from the king or queen. Then the king started laughing, it almost sent a wave of dread over everyone present as they felt the anger under that laugh.

Jaehaerys laughed then—a bitter, chilling sound that echoed through the hall. "You must be joking," he said, his voice laced with anger. "The Septon, you speak me to pardon of, called for the Crown to be cast down. Who wished the Doom of Valyria upon us? He called my sons sinners, heretics, and my sister-wife a harlot for bearing my children."

The crowd gasped audibly at the mention of such slander. No one had known the exact words of the septon's insults until now, and the gravity of the accusations sent shockwaves through the room.

"You expect me to believe that the man who called the Crown heretics, who wished the Doom of Valyria upon us, and who dared insult my sons and my sister-wife, acted alone?"

The High Septon, undeterred, simply shrugged. "As I said, Your Grace, the words of one man do not reflect the will of the Faith."

Jaehaerys' lips curled into a cold smile. "One man?" he repeated. "and His holiness had no talk and communication with him or even didn't know him?"

The High Septon gave a slight nod, his arrogance evident. "Indeed, Your Grace. I didn't know him."

The King's smile widened, though it held no warmth. "And yet, despite your claim, I find it curious that when you say you don't know this Septon. How can you be so certain that you didn't know him when we have never even revealed his identity?"

The High Septon's face faltered for the briefest of moments, a flicker of uncertainty passing through his eyes. The room, which had been filled with murmurs moments before, fell into a stunned silence. The implication of the King's words hung heavy in the air. How could the High Septon claim ignorance if he did not know who had been accused?

"Or simply high septon simply doesn't know anyone in King's landing?"

This line of question sent shock in Lords and ladies present both as witnesses and observers. The firm believer of faith almost lost footing at the implication of this. The meaning of this was clear.

The high septon has just lied.

Jaehaerys pressed on, his voice sharp and unyielding. "You would have us believe you know nothing of what happens within your Faith? That you are unaware of the actions of your Septons in King's Landing?"

"or you just decided to always say you didn't know the accused man, to hide your possible involvement."

The High Septon's composure began to crack. "I am not a mind reader, Your Grace," he said, his tone defensive. "And you have no proof of my involvement. Your wordplay means nothing."

Jaehaerys' smile faded, replaced by a look of cold calculation. "No proof?" he repeated. "So you are not even defending yourself now. Just hiding behind the lack of proof."

These words cleared the non-existent fog from the minds of all. They knew the High Septon had been captured in a web of careful question by the wise king, it didn't matter now whether the king had evidence or not or whether the High Septon was involved or not. Kings will paint Faith as responsible for this crime.

This also shocked three septon accompanying behind the high septon. The situation which was favorable just now, seemed bleak.

The crowd shifted uneasily. The King's words were a trap, and the High Septon had walked right into it. Panic flickered across the old man's face, but he quickly masked it with indignation.

"You…" The High Septon sputtered, his voice rising. "You will pay for this disrespect! Your accusations are baseless!"

The throne room fell silent as the King's voice dropped to an icy calm. "Who says I have no proof?"

Jaehaerys stood then, his towering presence filling the room with dread. "We did not act hastily when we first heard whispers of rebellion. We watched. We listened. And we found thirteen Septons preaching treason across the capital."

He turned to the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, who stood at attention beside the throne. "Ser, bring in the prisoners."

The massive doors of the throne room swung open once again, and a line of ragged, broken men was dragged into the hall. Their clothes were torn, their bodies bruised and bloodied from days of torture. Chains clinked as they stumbled forward, their faces pale and gaunt. The sight of them caused several lords and ladies to avert their eyes, some looking nauseous at the spectacle before them.

The High Septon's face twisted in anger and disgust. "Your Grace, this treatment of the Faith is unacceptable!" he declared, his voice rising with fury. "These men are Septons, servants of the Seven!"

"This treatment of men of the Faith is barbaric!" said someone from the crowd.

Jaehaerys' gaze remained cold and unflinching. "Unacceptable?" he repeated, his voice low and dangerous. "These men are traitors. They have confessed to their crimes, and they will face judgment. But first, they will tell this court who gave them their orders."

One of the prisoners, barely able to stand, lifted his head. "I will confess," he croaked. "Please, I will confess. Just kill me."

Jaehaerys nodded. "Then tell the realm—who commanded you to preach against the Crown?"

"High Septon," the man muttered through cracked lips. "We received ravens… eight moons ago…"

"Who incited the rebellion?"

"High Septon…" The word echoed like a death knell through the room.

The High Septon's face drained of all color. His followers stood frozen in disbelief as the truth unfolded before them. The revered leader of the Faith was revealed as a liar and a traitor.

The High Septon scoffed, his arrogance returning in full force. "Tortured men say whatever they believe their captors want to hear, Your Grace. Their words are meaningless."

Jaehaerys ignored him, turning his attention to the prisoners. "Who ordered you to spread treasonous lies against the Crown?" he asked, his voice steady and commanding.

The septon, broken by days of torture, were eager to comply. "The High Septon!" they cried, their voices hoarse and desperate. "It was the High Septon who commanded us!"

Gasps echoed throughout the throne room. The lords and ladies in attendance exchanged shocked glances, their eyes wide with disbelief. The High Septon's face drained of color, his once-arrogant demeanor crumbling in an instant.

"You lie!" the High Septon spat, his voice shaking with rage towards the kneeling septon. "These men are liars, tortured into false confessions! Their words mean nothing!"

One of the septons moved towards the High Septon, grabbed his leg, and begged, "Your Holiness, it's me, Rosar... Rosar! You remember me, right? You preached to us in Starry Sept. How can you not recognize us? We did as we were told. You told us to slander the Princes and queen, and we did that. I did everything I was told. Please save us, your grace, from this pain." The cries of the chained septon made the hearts of the men present tremble.

"Who are you? I don't know you. How dare you slander me?!" The High Septon, disgusted by the man holding his clothes, kicked the man away.

These cruel actions of the Faith didn't go unnoticed by the attendees. Even a few commoners in attendance, believers of the faith, knew what this meant. The moment this trial ends, words of the High Septon's nature and behavior will spread, and people's faith will shake.

"Did the High Septon just lie?"

"Yes, he doesn't ever care for his followers."

Murmurs filled the room, but the High Septon was not able to retort to any of them, except feeling helpless as he thought, 'But I don't know this man. What's happening here? How can there be 13 septons in King's Landing when we have only sent 9 in the past few moons?'

Jaehaerys' eyes narrowed but didn't give High Septon a chance. "I anticipated such an excuse," he said, lifting a hand, and putting the final nail in the coffin. From the corner of the throne room, a guard stepped forward, holding a letter sealed with the sigil of the High Septon.

At the King's signal, a maester stepped forward, holding a sealed letter in his hands. The seal on the letter bore the unmistakable sigil of the High Septon.

"We found this letter in the residence of one of your septons," Jaehaerys said, his voice cold and precise. "It bears your seal and contains orders to spread treasonous words against the Crown."

The High Septon's face turned ashen. He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came. The silence in the room was deafening as the weight of the evidence bore down on him. The once-powerful leader of the Faith now stood exposed, his lies unraveling before the court.

"Do you have anything to say in your defense? His Holiness." Says the king's emphasis on his title.

"I… I don't…" The High Septon stammered, clinging to the last shred of his arrogance. "I am the Chosen of the Faith! You cannot punish me! I answer only to the Seven!"

Seeing the shocking demeanor change of High Septon who stood at the pinnacle of the faith they worshipped, shocked many in the audience.

This chain of events sent a wave of dread in every believer of faith, sparking Anger at this stupid high septon, whose foolish action has led to this moment. This moment will be most pivotal in the faith of the seven history, religion thousands of years old.

The King, unimpressed by the delusion, turned to the audience. "It seems the High Septon has lost his senses. But the Faith's crimes are clear. The Faith of the Seven has overstepped its bounds, challenging the authority of the Crown. The men, women, faith, lords and ladies, and everything in this realm serve the crown. It is about time people start understanding this, the royal family has been tolerant long enough."

Jaehaerys's voice grew louder, filling the room. "From this day forward, the Faith of the Seven will no longer be the dominant religion of the realm. The Seven Kingdoms will be a secular land, where all may worship as they please. The royal family will return to its Valyrian gods and customs, as For too long, it has wielded power unchecked by the Crown. From this day forward, the royal family will no longer be bound by the Faith of the Seven."

A stunned silence fell over the room as the full meaning of the King's words sank in. The Faith, which had held such a powerful grip over the people of Westeros for centuries, was being cast aside by the Crown. The implications were staggering.

But King wasn't finished, "For the crimes against the realm and crown, His holiness and Faith of the Seven is found guilty. These 13 culprits will be burnt in Dragon Fire and compensation will for the crimes will be claimed by the Faith of the Seven. Let this serve as a warning to all who would defy the Crown."

"No…no. I demand a Trial by Combat, you can't burn us alive." One of the chained Septons shouted, as they at least wanted a peaceful death.

" There will no Trail by Combat. I request the attendees here today to let the realm know this was a fair trial. And you seem to forget something, crown no longer follows the customs of Seven. This will apply to all justice law, the justice will be in King's Court and the district will be served as per Law, no customs of a religion. Any dissent will be answered by Fire & Blood."

And with those words, the reign of the Faith of the Seven began to crumble.

The pronouncement hit the crowd like a hammer. Gasps of disbelief filled the room. The High Septon's face twisted in shock and rage, but he didn't even get a chance to speak as the King marched down his throne, followed by all the lords and ladies. Nobody paid any heed to his thoughts. He couldn't believe the disrespect he has faced today.

'I will make them pay. All of them, this King, Wait till he hears news of his son. I will make him beg beneath my foot for mercy to his child, then I will kill his son in front of him.'

To be continued...

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