Chapter 63

- Red Keep -

Aegon stood in front of the open window, gazing down at the city below him with a small smirk on his face. Even now, he easily sensed the Faith Militant were doing exactly what was expected of them when the High Sparrow had successfully recruited enough men to the cause of "cleansing" the city of sinful things. Of course, the target was taverns and brothels within the city, which didn't bother Aegon for the most part, even if the damage done to them would have to be fixed using the Crown's funds. Not that he didn't have enough, but it would still be expensive all the same. He would have to put more coin into funding each establishment in order improve their overall appearance. By doing this, the people would want to visit and spend more coin and thus allow each place to easily pay the slightly (and temporarily) raised taxes that would be owed to the Crown.

And thus, getting more from the investment of rebuilding them.

"Is everything all right my love?" asked Margery while she saw Aegon with a smile on his face and saw him turn to look at her.

"I am fine my dear. Your plan worked. I had thought to wait and let the two sides of the Seven Faith lose face with the people by letting them strike first. But your plan was by far the better one. With the sins and deeds of the various Septons, including the High Septon himself exposed, the High Sparrow will use this to hid advantage," said Aegon smirking at her and Margery smiling back.

"I can't take all the credit my love. Grandmother helped in suggesting it when I wrote to her for advice about this issue. So long as these two sides oppose your rule, we cannot be wed, even if we were to arrange a wedding be performed under the Old Gods or R'hllor," said Margery with Aegon giving her an apologetic look.

"I know you wish to be married Margery. I do apologize for it. I am not trying to delay or postpone anything. I swear it on the Old Gods and the New," said Aegon while Margery hugged him close.

"I know Aegon. I do. My Grandmother does too. Everyone who knows you also knows it is not your fault. The dragon has sadly obtained many enemies over the years. Ambitious enemies, who seek the power that comes from ruling the Seven Kingdoms. Both within the city and without. High Lords. Maesters. Even the Faith of the Seven seemed aimed at bringing the dragons low. Even after showing those who took the power from the dragon were not fit to rule in its place. Dragons need to rule because only they have the power to rule over the Seven Kingdoms and hold the weight of the crown on their heads," replied Margery with Aegon holding her tightly too.

"And roses with thorns to press against us from time to time in order to help remind the dragon to stay alert and awake when required to face off impending danger," commented Aegon with Margery slapping his side and gave him a mock glare.

"Careful my love. Or you may just get hurt at the hands of my thorns," warned Margery and Aegon laughed.

"Such an act would be well worth it," said Aegon before they kissed passionately while holding each other.

- King's Landing - Sometime Later -

The High Sparrow had indeed done what he set out to do in removing his fat rival for a High Septon, who had faced divine justice by his followers. In the end, the man easily confessed to his sins before being struck from behind by a blunt object hard enough to kill him. His body stripped of his jewels and robes before being dumped into the street naked with the words "SINNER" branded on his from and back. Commanding the Faith Militant to take the sinful men hiding in religious robes had been easy. The men recruited to his cause were true followers, had been poor, living poorly under the Stag's rule, and felt they could no longer stand by while things progressed as they did.

Even with the return of the new King was a dragon sitting on the Iron Throne, it was an afront to the faithful due to the fact this King had an actual dragon and had the ability to use magic. The Faith of the Seven denounced had magic for years, had demanded it be purged and the source behind such things be destroyed to ensure no such power could rival their Gods. They had tried so hard to destroy it, destroy the dragons, and any means of them returning when the Stag took the Iron Throne.

But now they had returned. Not one dragon, but three. Three of them to be precise. Not only that, but magic returned with them and had been used by the King himself to further implement his authority over the Seven Kingdoms.

Even worse, the lowborn did not seem to care. Despite the Seven Faith denouncing it and saying it was evil. The people of King's Landing embraced the new King and it currently made the High Sparrow frown in frustration since the Faith Militant could not go after the Targaryen simply on that alone. Oh, the High Sparrow could easily try to justify his men acting on such orders by quoting from the book of the Seven Star, chapter and verse that denounced magic in all its evil.

But who was to say Aegon would not counter his words by reminding people of his deeds since he had been King? Of the deeds he did in bringing them food, housing, a means of earning honest coin to help put a roof over their heads and food in their bellies? How the dragon had weeded out the evil and corrupt men within the Stag King's Court and those who were ambitious enough to end the lives of innocent people to get what they wanted?

As much as it annoyed the High Sparrow to no end, attacking the Crown and the King now was not the best time. So long as the King was benevolent to the people, they would not raise protest or arms against him. Even the policy of letting the other faiths like the Old Gods of the North and the Lord of Light from Essos practice their religion within the walls of King's Landing was not enough to unleash the Faith Militant on the dragon.

"You should leave matters of your faith to those less…fanatical," said Aegon with his form now emerging from the shadows of the room where the High Sparrow called his chambers for prayer and sleep.

"I do what I must to protect the faithful from those who would lead the people astray with false Gods and sorcery," said the High Sparrow calmly since he had heard the stories of the King appearing in front of people, yet was not really there at the same time.

"Sometimes the people need protection not from those outside of their faith, but rather those from within it. Your actions and the actions of the fat pig calling himself the High Septon is proof of that fact," said Aegon with the High Sparrow sighing.

"I do not deny that the Faith Militant has been rather…active in their open attacks against various establishments. But it is necessary to remove such evil things. Corruption is and always shall be a boil that needs to be treated repeatedly, if not somewhat harshly from time to time, in order to prevent it from spreading. Sadly, many within the Faith Militant do not possess the finesse required in aiming the lance needed to pop it properly," said the High Sparrow with Aegon crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"And this excuses them of their actions against the people of the city? Excuses them for their dragging women in brothels out by the hair and beating them openly in the street? Destroying barrels of wine and mead in taverns and other eating establishments? Are you going to excuse these men of the faith simply because you believe its okay so long as the good book you read says so?" asked Aegon with the High Sparrow not looking shaken by his accusations.

"If required to make others see the light of the Seven, then yes. People have strayed too far from it and openly do not embrace the faith like they did in the past. A reminder is needed for them to embrace the Seven. Even if it means the reminder is a harsh one," said the High Sparrow with Aegon not looking pleased.

"You mean a faith that says obey me or be beaten into submission. Who cares if it's not by choice? Am I right?" countered Aegon with the High Sparrow smirking since it was true for the most part.

"Perhaps to a certain degree, but its for the betterment of the people that they follow the Seven over that of a tree with a face or fire of all things," replied the High Sparrow with Aegon not looking convinced.

"I didn't think the Faith of the Seven was so fragile that you would need to make others follow it over one they choose to follow," commented Aegon with the High Sparrow now frowning at the perceived insult to his faith.

"It doesn't. But it also would prefer to not contend or compete with other faiths," replied the High Sparrow with Aegon smirking at him.

"Meaning you can't stand the idea of people making sound decisions regarding which of the Gods to pray to when they wish to follow a faith. You actually make it seem like the Gods of the Seven are just like children who don't like to share what they have with their older Godly siblings," said Aegon with the High Sparrow now trying to keep his temper in check again at this particular insult.

"Your misconception of the Seven is understandable. Given your faith involves praying in front of a tree with a face on it," commented the High Sparrow.

"Better a tree with a face then in front of a High Septon who eats better over most of the people seeking his so called 'spiritual advise' when called upon. Or from a man such as yourself who is quick to judge others without getting to know them," countered Aegon with the High Sparrow not having any real defense against such words.

"So, you feel my actions are unjust because my faith, the one true faith, guides me to do what I must," concluded the High Sparrow at last.

"Tell me, which would you pardon if you had the power to choose between one of two people. The first worships from the Seven Faith who has killed men and raped women. The other who worshipped the Old Gods of the North for a simple stealing a small piece of cheese?" asked Aegon while already seeing into the man's mind knowing the answer that would be given.

"Why the first one of course. Men like that can repent for their sins under the light of the Seven. The thief would be damned for the stealing and being a Northern heathen doomed to suffer for his blasphemy," answered the High Sparrow with Aegon scoffing.

"Hardly seems fair. Punishing one for being of a different faith and pardoning another for being the same as yours. Even more so when the one of similar faith committed far worse crimes," said Aegon with the High Sparrow smiling at him.

"Unfortunately for you, it is not your place when it comes to religious matters on who is the worse offender. King or not. Such matters rest entirely with the Faith of the Seven to decide on who is worthy of the Mother's mercy," said the High Sparrow with Aegon now frowning at him.

"And it is exactly that kind of blatant stupidity that has people seeking a different faith to believe in where they can feel loved by their Gods and know the judgement of them is not tainted by rigid interpretation," replied Aegon with the High Sparrow's smile leaving him.

"Of course, you would say that about my faith. Coming from the man descended from a House that practices incest," countered the High Sparrow.

"A practice I have neither performed nor will I allow for future generations to do when I am gone from this world. So, I suggest you quit your attempts to besmirch the honor of my House. And as for the Faith Militant, you will see to it is disbanded," replied Aegon with the High Sparrow frowning at him even further.

"And why would I do that? Afraid you will be seen as the evil vile creature the Faith says the dragons and magic represent?" asked the High Sparrow with amusement in his voice.

"No. I am commanding you to disband it because if you don't, I will kill you, all of the Faith Militant, reveal your true intentions, and cast down the Faith of the Seven until it is just a whisper in the wind," said Aegon with the High Sparrow now looking at him in a new light of sorts.

"You would really kill all of the Seven's faithful?" asked the High Sparrow.

"Not all. Just those who would take up arms against innocent people, other faiths, and the Crown as a whole just to bring back the dark times when the Seven was very…fanatical about things. Or have you forgotten the Seven's history with 'The Faith's Cleansing', as the history books call it?" asked Aegon with the High Sparrow now looking nervous.

The Faith's Cleansing wasn't so much of a cleansing as it was a purging. A purging of all things deemed sinful in the eyes of the Seven. Food, drink, and even people regardless of who they were or their religion. The Faith Militant had been vast in those days. Religious at a fanatical level, believing it was their duty in the eyes of all the Seven to remove the things that would offend their Gods. They had burned down wineries to prevent the flow of wine. Food deemed sinful by the Seven-Pointed Star was banned or destroyed. People were tortured, killed, brutally with no regards for who they were or status in life. Worse, those who carried out the "The Faith's Cleansing" were not all pious either. Some raped women deemed whores or foreigners before killing them. Some men secretly drank the very wines or food ordered to be destroyed. In the end, the Faith Militant had done their own bit of sinning, hiding actions behind their so called "righteous beliefs", and trusting those leading the Seven Faith to protect them.

Unfortunately, the High Septon and his associates at the time, saw the writing on the wall with people overall not being happy with the actions of the Faith Militant. Eventually, the people fought back against them, backed by the Crown, and punished the religious army for its crimes despite many among their ranks protesting that they had the right of it due to being followers of the Seven Faith.

It was one of the reasons the Faith Militant never rose again or came back to rise up until now with so much chaos running around the Seven Kingdoms the King had only recently brought to heel. Just before Aegon took the Iron Throne, the High Sparrow had seen this as a chance to bring the Faith Militant back to help bring the Faith of the Seven back into a position of true influential power. The issues and problems with the King Stag letting the Seven Kingdoms fall apart was being used discreetly to get people to rally behind the faith. Then the brief war happened where the dragon came out of nowhere and ended it before things could truly escalate. After the King allowed the faith of the North and the one from Essos being allowed to setup in King's Landing, the High Sparrow thought he could obtain a large contingent of followers.

Sadly, all the good deeds the new King had done when ascending the Iron Throne had stopped it, followed by the intended marrying of Margery Tyrell, which had garnered many supporters in that area since many knew the woman cared about the smallfolk. The same smallfolk the High Sparrow was trying to commission into being Faith Militant members or supporters.

And if the King could prove he was exploiting the smallfolk to restore the Militant Faith to take over the Seven Kingdoms through religious fervor, it would spell disaster to him. Oh, the High Sparrow did believe in the Seven Faith. He really did. But he also knew that the people would not flock to him without cause and raise him up to be the new spiritual leader. His eventual plan was to use this to make himself THE leader in all things related to the Seven Kingdoms would be put in jeopardy.

But it seemed the King was one step ahead of him. Multiple steps it seemed. Was it due to the man's sorcery? Surely not. Still, the High Sparrow was not about to cross the man if he could ruin things.

"It will take some time to convince my fellow brothers of the Seven Faith it is necessary to disband from the Faith Militant. Simply ending it so soon would raise suspicion," said the High Sparrow with Aegon nodding.

"So long as you do it, I could care less. And do not stall or delay the disbandment. You will not like my response if you do," growled Aegon before he was gone from the High Sparrow's sight.