The full moon and the blood-red comet hung side by side in the eastern sky, casting a faint glow that kept the night in King's Landing from total darkness. With the guard squad in tow, Aegor set off from the east side of the city, taking a narrow street in the dark. They followed Flour Street, descending the gentle slope of Rhaenys Hill from the high-end residential district, then plunged into the depths of Flea Bottom.
This was the slum of King's Landing, wedged between Rhaenys Hill and Visenya Hill. In elevation, living conditions, social standing, and economic power, it ranked lowest in the city, even worse than the shanty tents outside the walls. Under normal circumstances, a young woman like Nina would be in great danger walking through this maze of alleys after dark, a place teeming with thugs. But with her brother and twelve fully armed men in black beside her, it was a different story. The locals, passers-by, and street prostitutes along the way all scattered to avoid the group, fearing they'd be cut down simply for being in the way of such a grim, hurried formation.
…
"My lord, someone is following us. We won't lose them at this pace." Jaqen, playing his role as a Night's Watch employee with practiced ease, followed Aegor closely while keeping a keen eye behind them. He quickly came to a conclusion. "Someone must stay behind to stop or kill the tail."
"Harvey, Myron, Pedi, and Leon, stay here and block this intersection. Stop anyone following us from north or south along this road," the guard squad leader ordered without hesitation before Aegor could respond. "The rest of you, come with me and escort Lord Aegor to the River Gate."
"But sir, what if it's just a passerby?" one soldier asked uncertainly.
"I said everyone. Draw your weapons. No one passes until dawn."
"Yes, sir!"
Four steel swords were drawn in the night, ringing clearly. Trained in the methods of the new army, these men had developed into true soldiers. Their full combat effectiveness had yet to be tested, but their discipline and obedience were already apparent. No one hesitated. The four men stayed behind, weapons in hand, taking position in the middle of the road to block the pursuers.
…
At the summit of Visenya Hill in the distance, the Great Sept of Baelor glowed softly with light spilling from its windows, lit day and night. The remaining ten men continued along Muddy Street, slipping through alleys between houses to avoid the main roads and patrols of gold cloaks. After running breathlessly for over an hour, the dark southern wall of King's Landing finally came into view. The wall was a bit higher here, and the River Gate, lit by torches, was clearly visible. They emerged from the alley, quickened their pace, and entered the River Gate garrison.
---
"Did Slynt attack you?" After the evacuees entered the River Gate garrison and the Neil-Nina siblings were settled, Aegor was brought to the squad leader's office. After listening to his account, Jacelyn Bywater raised his eyebrows in surprise. "How do you know it was him?"
"More than a dozen armed men chased me through the streets. Two of them had crossbows. You want to tell me those were just bandits trying to rob me?" A crossbow wasn't like a bow. In Westeros, a few thugs carrying crossbows was like street gangs wielding machine guns. The implication was clear.
"Crossbows, huh? That must be Slynt. Most of the garrison uses longbows. Only the East Camp armory has a dozen crossbows, a gift from Myr."
"This isn't the time to argue about how many crossbows each garrison has. If you want them, the Night's Watch can sponsor a few later. But for now, Ser Bywater, please open the city gate. The longer I stay here, the greater the danger."
"The seven gates of King's Landing may not be opened at night without an order from the King, the Hand, or the Commander of the City Watch. Opening the gates without authorization is a felony, tantamount to treason."
Why stick to rules at a time like this? But the man wasn't wrong. Aegor held back his frustration and tried a different approach. "Then lower me from the wall using the hanging basket."
"Same reason. That would also violate the rules." Bywater fitted on his iron hand and yawned. "What's the rush? Just stay here. I'll guarantee your safety."
If Aegor hadn't been sure that Ser Ironhand wasn't one of Slynt's men, he might have thought he'd walked into another trap. "How can you guarantee my safety? Slynt's already made his move. He's not thinking about consequences. If I fall into his hands, I'll end up as someone who 'died mysteriously' or 'committed suicide out of fear of punishment.'"
"You think I'd let that happen?" Bywater glanced at him and snorted. "The River Gate garrison isn't just responsible for the city gate. We also maintain order in the Blackwater Harbor. Because of these dual responsibilities, we've always been the largest of the seven gate garrisons. Including branch camps within the city, we're not any weaker than the East Camp under Slynt. I'll use the nearly two hundred men under my command to ensure your safety. Satisfied?"
"But Slynt is your superior. If he comes with troops and demands you hand me over, would you really refuse?"
Bywater looked at him. "Why wouldn't I?"
…
Caught off guard by that answer, Aegor was momentarily speechless. Wasn't this the same Jacelyn Bywater who once said he wouldn't act first unless a major figure moved? Had he suddenly changed?
"Did you forget what I said? Or do you think I'm a coward?" Bywater stretched, the fatigue in his face vanishing as he suddenly appeared vigorous. "I said, 'Once I see your allies take action, I will cooperate without hesitation.' Now that I've seen your allies move, I'll help however I can, including protecting you and your allies. If Slynt were keeping quiet, I might still be wary. But the more desperate he is to kill you, the more trouble he's in, and the more I'll stand against him. Understand?"
---
Aegor understood. Bywater was ready to confront the commander of the garrison. Though Slynt still held nominal command of King's Landing's forces, Aegor was no longer helpless in the city.
He hadn't prepared for Slynt's desperate retaliation because he believed Tyrion's swift political assault would topple the man before he could react. But somehow, Slynt got word just a day after the offensive began and started counterattacking. The assassination attempt had indeed caught Aegor off guard, but the tide was irreversible. With Tyrion leading the charge, backed by a group of royal loyalists and the Hand of the King, Eddard Stark, who insisted on uncovering the truth, the situation had reached a breaking point. Those long harboring grudges against Slynt were now stepping up. The final showdown had begun.
If they could hold out safely in the River Gate garrison until morning, when the Red Keep opened and Eddard intervened, this power struggle would be resolved.
"I see. Thank you for your help, Ser Bywater. But is it worth the risk? If I leave the city, I'll be safe. If I stay, and Slynt gets angry and tries to storm this place to take me, it could lead to an internal conflict with casualties. That would be disastrous." Avoiding unnecessary bloodshed was crucial. This was a sensitive time, and any chaos could ruin everything. "I appreciate your kindness, but please send me out of the city. I don't want to cause trouble for the men of the River Gate."
"Slynt will soon know you came to me..."
"My men dealt with the ones tailing us."
"And that's enough? Look, I wasn't the one being hunted, so stay calm and hear me out." Bywater shook his head. "You came through the main gate. How many people saw you? Someone will report to Slynt. Whether I open the gate or lower you with a basket, he'll find out. Even if he's brought down later, I'll still face consequences, and so will you. If you flee to your territory outside the city, Slynt will chase you with troops. Do you want your security team to fight the City Watch?"
Of course not. No matter how despicable the commander might be, the golden cloaks represented the King. Fighting them would be seen as rebellion, and there would be no way to explain it.
"But out of the nearly two hundred men at River Gate, how many would defy Slynt for you?"
"At least one hundred and fifty," Bywater replied confidently. "He may still be the commander of all 2,000 City Watchmen in name, but of the remaining 1,800, how many would follow orders to storm this place tonight and capture you? Even if he tries, how many of them are willing to shed blood fighting my men, who also wear gold cloaks?"
"I'll tell you. Not one." Ser Ironhand raised a finger. "Unless that coward leads the charge himself, there will be noise at the River Gate tonight, but no real fight. Before dawn, the Hand and the King will hear what happened. When men from the Red Keep arrive, I'll hand you over to Lord Eddard or His Grace Robert. Then you won't need to fear Slynt anymore."
"If I smuggled you out of the city, I'd be breaking the law. Best case, I'd lose my post. Worst case, I'd lose my head. But keeping a 'targeted witness' under protective custody inside the garrison? That's not against any rule. Since we've already won, why sacrifice myself?"
Aegor had never served in the City Watch and didn't understand its internal politics. But now that Bywater had laid it out clearly, he saw the logic. After thinking it through, the chief logistics officer calmed down and made a decision.
"Since Ser Bywater has said this much, I'll trust you. My life is in your hands tonight."
(To be continued.)
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