King's Landing.
The sun had already set, and the towers of the Red Keep stood black against the twilight. The noise and bustle of the streets gradually faded, giving way to the curfew imposed by Regent Aemond's decree.
In a room in King's Landing, Monstead Hightower wondered why he had come to this meeting. The letter contained only one line: "A matter of Oldtown concerns Hightower's survival." But the signature was the symbol of the seven-pointed star. The symbols of the Faith.
Monstead was not easily fooled. He was the head of the family from Oldtown, the patriarch of House Hightower, and one of the most important supporters of the Greens. But he was not the Regent, nor was he Aemond's trusted man. He knew this. Queen Alicent—no, the Queen Mother Regent—had once been the Hightowers' most reliable ally at court, but after King Viserys's death, the Queen Mother had neglected all affairs. Now that His Grace was grievously wounded, true power lay in the hands of her son, Aemond, and Aemond's attitude toward House Hightower...
The lord strongly suspected that if Hightower stood in Aemond's way, his family would be cast out. He had grown up in House Hightower, one of the oldest houses in Westeros—older than the Targaryens. Hightower was the guardian of Oldtown, the protector of the Citadel, and a faithful servant of the Seven. But none of this mattered in the face of the Targaryens. The Targaryens had dragons. The Targaryens could do whatever they wanted.
Monstead pushed open the wooden door of the underground passage and entered a small stone chamber. Candles flickered in the stone chamber, casting distorted shadows on the walls. In the center of the chamber stood several figures in black robes, their faces hidden by hoods, only their chins and lips visible.
"You have arrived." The leader in black removed his hood, revealing an old, wrinkled face. High Septon Owen. The High Septon of King's Landing, one of the most influential men in the Faith of the Seven.
Monstead's heart tightened. He vaguely understood that the Faith was secretly discontented with Aemond.
"High Septon Owen," Monstead said quietly, "what brought you here to meet with me?"
Owen did not answer directly. He walked to the square table in the stone chamber, poured a glass of wine, and offered it to Monstead. Monstead did not respond.
"Lord Monstead," Owen began, "do you know what day it is today?"
"I do not know," Monstead said, "and I do not want to know."
Owen smiled. It was a gentle smile.
"Today is the Stranger's Day," Owen said. "It is the day when the Seven patrol the world of men. On this day, lies will be exposed, and evil will be condemned."
Monstead's expression remained unchanged.
"Did you summon me here only to preach to me?" Monstead asked, a hint of impatience in his voice.
"No," Owen shook his head. "I called you here to save your soul, Lord Monstead. And also to save all the Seven Kingdoms."
He drew a scroll of parchment from beneath his black robes and spread it on the square table. In the candlelight, Monstead saw that it was a map—a map of King's Landing. It marked the Red Keep, the Dragonpit, Flea Bottom, the Iron Gate... All the important locations were marked with numerous signs.
"What is this?" Monstead asked.
"A plan," Owen said. "A plan to make you Regent."
Monstead's eyes suddenly widened.
"You are mad," he blurted out.
"I am not mad," Owen replied calmly. "I am merely doing what a devout believer in the Seven should do. I have witnessed the wars these Targaryens have started... I have seen the tyranny of the Targaryens, I have seen their oppression. And our king, Aegon the Second, is a puppet—a puppet controlled by his brother. The true tyrant behind the scenes is Aemond Targaryen."
He raised his head; his grey eyes looked directly at Monstead.
"It is time to rid ourselves of him."
The air in the stone chamber seemed to freeze. The candle flames flickered. Monstead stared at Owen, his throat dry. He knew the Faith was discontented with Aemond, but he had never expected them to dare such a bold act as assassinating the Regent.
"Have you all gone mad?" Monstead, utterly bewildered, stared at the bishop opposite. "He is a dragonrider! He rides Vhagar! The largest dragon in all of Westeros! How do you plan to kill him? With prayer?"
Owen smiled.
"Lord Monstead, have you ever considered this? What happened to Maegor? Dragons may be invincible... but even he was only mortal."
He stood and walked to the corner of the stone chamber. There stood a wooden box. He opened the box and took something out.
It was a crossbow.
Not an ordinary crossbow. The bowstring was made of some kind of silvery metal wire twisted together, glinting coldly in the candlelight. The bolts were not ordinary either; their tips were black, with a shiny surface, as if coated with some kind of poison.
"What is that?" Monstead asked.
"A gift the Citadel has prepared for the Regent," Owen said. "The crossbow's arms are made of weirwood. The paint on the bolt tips..."
He paused.
"It is manticore venom..."
Monstead stared at the crossbow, feeling a chill run down his spine.
"You..."
Owen unhesitatingly interrupted him.
"A dragon is only a beast; without its rider, it is just a larger wild animal. Aemond Targaryen is the key. Once he dies..."
Owen lowered the crossbow, returned to the square table, and stared at the lord.
"Lord Monstead, have you ever wondered why the Targaryens' first act after conquering Westeros was to convert to the Faith of the Seven? Why did they abandon the Valyrian gods they had worshipped for millennia? Because they knew that without the Church's support, Targaryen rule would be nothing but a castle in the air. As long as our Faith does not recognize the Targaryens, they are heretics and invaders. But unfortunately, the Targaryens have dragons, and even our Faith must bow to them."
Monstead was silent.
Owen approached him, reached out, and placed his hand on his shoulder.
"Lord Monstead. Hightower has done much to help the Greens. But how has Aemond repaid you? He treats you as a servant, as a tool. Do you think he will not harm you? Who do you think will be his next victim after the Blacks are destroyed?"
Owen removed his hand from Monstead's shoulder and stepped back.
"This concerns all of us," Owen said.
Monstead's body trembled slightly.
"All you need to do is one thing," Owen said. "On the day the uprising begins in King's Landing, stand with us and with your men. You do not need to do it yourself. After Aemond's death, we will elect you as Regent of the Council. House Hightower will become the most powerful family in the Seven Kingdoms."
Monstead looked up and met Owen's gaze.
"You lot truly have mad ideas," Monstead said quietly. "The Regent has dragons."
"Maegor had dragons too," Owen said. "The Black Dread, Balerion. Larger and stronger than Vhagar. And what happened to Maegor? He bled out on the Iron Throne. No one remembers Maegor's great deeds, only his atrocities. No one sings of his merits; everyone curses his name."
In the candlelight, Owen's grey eyes shone with a certain fanatical gleam.
"We can overthrow him, Lord Monstead. As long as we have faith, courage, and a plan, the Seven are on our side."
Monstead was silent for a long time. But in the end, he said, "I will not bet on Hightower. I will not stake my family's fortune on such a gamble. Besides... Aegon, Aemond, Daeron, Helaena—they are all my family. I would not help outsiders kill my family."
"Family?" Owen's lips curved slightly in a smile as he looked at him meaningfully.
Monstead drew a deep breath and finally spoke. "Today, I know nothing of this, and I will not participate..."
Then Lord Monstead opened the door and left.
Owen watched the lord's departing figure and sighed. Then Owen opened a scroll containing a secret letter sent by the Faith.
Leonor Hightower, Monstead's eldest son and heir to Oldtown. His relationship with his stepmother, Samantha Tarly...
Monstead, you brought this upon yourself. For the sake of the Faith, I have no choice...