Chapter 157

The full moon and the blood-red comet hung side by side in the eastern sky, casting enough light to keep King’s Landing’s night from being completely shrouded in darkness. With his escort detail in tow, Aegor departed from the eastern part of the city. They chose back alleys and narrow streets, descending from the affluent neighborhoods along Flour Street, winding down the gentle slopes of Rhaenys’ Hill, and plunging into Flea Bottom.

This was King’s Landing’s slum, nestled between Rhaenys’ Hill and Visenya’s Hill. Its altitude, living conditions, and the economic and social standing of its residents were the lowest in the city, even worse than the shantytown and tent camps outside the city walls. Normally, a young woman like Nina walking through this maze of alleys, overrun with thugs and lowlifes, after dark would be inviting disaster. However, with her brother and twelve fully armed soldiers clad in black at her side, the scene was quite different. The residents, passersby, and even the streetwalkers hastily moved aside, afraid of unintentionally blocking the way and being cut down by this determined and hurried group.
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“Someone’s been following us this whole time. If this goes on, we won’t be able to shake them,” Jaqen said, playing his role as a Night’s Watch logistics officer with surprising professionalism. Keeping pace with Aegor, he constantly glanced back, quickly arriving at a conclusion. “We need to leave someone behind to stop or kill our tails.”

“Havie, Meryn, Paddy, Lyon—stay behind and block the intersection,” the squad leader barked before Aegor could reply. “Stop anyone following us from the north along this street.”

“But, sir, what if they’re just passing by?” one of the soldiers hesitated.

“I said stop everyone! Draw your weapons and let no one through until daybreak!”

“Yes, sir!”

The crisp sound of four swords being drawn rang out in the night. The guards, trained in the discipline of a new kind of professional army, demonstrated remarkable obedience and resolve. Without further objection, the four soldiers stood their ground in the middle of the street, weapons ready, barring the path of any pursuers.

In the distance, atop Visenya’s Hill, the ever-lit Great Sept of Baelor stood in stark contrast to the darkened city. Guided by the faint glow, the remaining ten made their way through the labyrinthine alleys, avoiding the main streets and the City Watch patrols. After what felt like hours of breathless running, the southern wall of King’s Landing finally came into view. Standing just above it was the outline of Mud Gate, its torches illuminating the night.

They emerged from the alleys onto a larger road, quickening their pace as they approached the gate. Soon, they entered the Mud Gate garrison.
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“Slynt went after you?” Inside the garrison, after the soldiers and Nina were settled, Aegor was brought to the office of Ser Jacelyn Bywater. The knight raised an eyebrow in surprise as he listened to Aegor recount the attack. “How can you be sure it was him?”

“Do you think a gang of over a dozen armed men, including two with crossbows, were just robbers?” Aegor replied dryly. Crossbows weren’t common weapons in Westeros, and seeing them in the hands of street thugs was as unlikely as machine guns showing up in a gang fight. The implication was obvious.

“Crossbows, huh... that does point to Slynt. Most of the City Watch are equipped with longbows. Only the eastern barracks have a handful of crossbows gifted by Myr.”

“Now’s not the time to discuss how many crossbows the City Watch has or whether you’d like some for your men. If you do, the Night’s Watch enterprise could sponsor a few in the future. But for now, I need you to open the gate and let me out of the city. Every moment I stay here, the danger increases!”

“King’s Landing’s seven gates do not open after dark without the express orders of the king, the Hand, or the Commander of the City Watch. Opening them would be tantamount to treason.”

Aegor bit back his frustration. The knight wasn’t wrong. “Then lower me over the wall in a basket. That’s not technically opening the gate.”

“That’s still against regulations,” Bywater said, donning his iron hand and stifling a yawn. “Calm down. Stay here. I’ll ensure your safety.”

Had Aegor not known for certain that Bywater wasn’t in Slynt’s pocket, he might have suspected he’d walked into a trap. “And how exactly do you plan to guarantee my safety? Slynt has already made his move; he’s past caring about consequences. If he gets his hands on me, I’ll either ‘die resisting arrest’ or ‘hang myself out of guilt.’”

“You think I’d let that happen?” Bywater exhaled through his nose. “Mud Gate’s garrison doesn’t just guard the gate; we’re also responsible for maintaining order in the port outside. To balance both duties, we have the largest contingent of any gate garrison in King’s Landing—nearly two hundred men. That’s more than Slynt’s eastern barracks. I guarantee your safety with their lives. Is that enough for you?”

“But Slynt is your superior. If he comes here with orders to hand me over, will you refuse?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Bywater shot back.
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Aegor blinked, taken aback by the unexpected answer. Where was the cautious, pragmatic Bywater who had vowed not to act until seeing clear signs of support? Had the man undergone a sudden change of heart?

“Have you forgotten what I said before, or do you take me for a coward?” Bywater stretched, and the weariness faded from his face, replaced by a resolute determination. “I told you: ‘Once I see your allies move, I’ll fully cooperate.’ Well, now I’ve seen it. Your allies are acting, and I’ll do everything in my power to help—including protecting you and your people. The more desperate Slynt becomes to kill you, the more trouble he’s in. That gives me all the more reason to defy him. Understand?”
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Aegor understood. Bywater was ready to confront Slynt directly. Though the Commander of the City Watch still nominally held authority over King’s Landing’s forces, Aegor was no longer defenseless within the city.

The assassination attempt had caught him off guard because he had believed Tyrion’s swift political offensive would leave Slynt no time to react. But somehow, the mad dog had learned of their plans by the second day and launched a desperate counterattack. While the ambush had shaken Aegor, the tide had already turned. With Tyrion’s coalition of Crownlands lords leading the charge and Eddard Stark’s firm commitment to a thorough investigation, Slynt’s days were numbered. Those who had long harbored grudges against him were no longer hesitant. They were stepping forward, ready to strike.

All Aegor needed to do now was stay safe in Mud Gate’s garrison until dawn. Once the Red Keep opened and Eddard Stark intervened, the power struggle would come to a definitive conclusion.

“I understand. Thank you, Ser Bywater, for your support... but is it really worth taking this risk? If I leave the city, I’ll be safe. But staying here risks turning Mud Gate into a battlefield. If Slynt leads an assault, it could escalate into a bloody internal conflict.”

Bywater shook his head. “Slynt will know you came here. My men stopped your pursuers, but dozens of people saw you arrive at Mud Gate. If I let you leave, Slynt will still find out, and I’ll face consequences for disobeying protocol. Worse, he’ll likely chase you out of the city, forcing your guards to fight him. Open conflict with the City Watch is rebellion, and neither you nor I can justify that.”

“But will your two hundred men really stand against him?”

“At least a hundred and fifty will,” Bywater said confidently. “Slynt commands two thousand men on paper, but do you think all eighteen hundred outside Mud Gate will come? Even if he orders an assault, how many will truly fight fellow gold cloaks? Let me tell you: not a single one. Unless Slynt leads the charge himself, tonight will be all noise, no bloodshed. By morning, the Hand and the king will intervene. Once they arrive, I’ll hand you over to them, and Slynt won’t be able to touch you.”

Bywater leaned forward, his tone firm. “Sending you out of the city would break the rules and cost me my head. But protecting you here? That’s perfectly legal. We’ve already won, Aegor. Why risk unnecessary sacrifices?”

Aegor fell silent. Bywater’s reasoning was sound, and his confidence unshakable. After a moment of thought, Aegor nodded. “Very well, Ser Bywater. Tonight, I’ll entrust my life to you.”