Black ravens arrived at the Red Keep even before King Robert's coffin.
On this day, all the bells in the city tolled slowly, their heavy peals echoing throughout the vast King's Landing for a long time.
Hundreds of thousands of citizens stared at the bell towers in bewilderment, unable to believe what the booming sound in their ears represented. The King is dead?
The looks in people's eyes at each other confirmed the truth.
The King is dead!
The Great Sept of Baelor quickly arranged a mourning ceremony for the people to pay their respects. The High Septon, in front of everyone, announced that he and the seven Archbishops would pray for King Robert in a private chamber for seven days, seeking blessings for the King from the supreme Seven.
The square in front of the Sept was instantly packed with people. The sorrowful statue of Baelor the Blessed and the tolling bells and drums declared their feelings.
What mournful bells.
People would forever remember the peace and stability under King Robert's reign, as well as the King's laughter and the spectacular tourneys.
Are these days also going to fade away with the tolling bells?
Many citizens spontaneously went into mourning for King Robert. Merchants who had black clothes and fabric in stock made countless coins because of this. Their two hands couldn't keep up, so they could only simply throw the coins they received into piles of money, which clinked and sounded crisp and pleasant.
People's joys and sorrows are just that disconnected.
But no one dared to show a smile at this moment. Not even if they thought of the happiest thing, not even if they secretly missed the rule of House Targaryen, not even if they hated the Iron Throne and all nobles.
After all, the King was dead.
The bells continued to toll. People dressed in black and wearing black armbands poured out of the Great Sept like a tide and then dispersed like a flood.
The flood then differentiated into individuals who were at a loss. What should I do now?
People either stood stunned for a while, or shed some tears, sobbed and sighed a few times, lamented for a moment, and finally had no choice but to quietly return to their positions and continue their day-to-day lives.
What else can be done? People have to live.
In just half a day.
King Robert's era, along with people's mourning and departure, gradually became an irreversible past, becoming an increasingly old piece of history.
The King's death was both sensational and quiet.
King's Landing seemed to have changed a lot because of it, and yet nothing seemed to have changed. It still seemed to be operating as usual, but secretly, undercurrents were surging.
The Red Keep, of course, remained the center of all whirlpools and undercurrents.
All the courtiers were praying for the beloved King Robert in the Sept of the Red Keep, asking the Father to judge His Majesty Robert justly, asking the Mother for mercy, and asking for a hundred blessings.
Their prayers were more formal, more prolonged, but they were no more devout or sincere than anyone else's.
They secretly exchanged glances, trying their best to hide their true thoughts, while curiously probing the hearts of others. The transition between friend and enemy was just a thought away.
Under the afterglow of the setting sun.
Hannah, temporarily acting as Master of the Household, announced the end of the mourning ceremony and simultaneously conveyed the first decree of His Majesty Joffrey I:
Prepare fully for the funeral of the late King Robert Baratheon;
Prepare for the coronation ceremony;
Appoint Tyrion Lannister as Master of Coin;
Appoint Hannah as Master of the Household;
Appoint Sandor Clegane as Commander of the King's Landing City Watch;
Inform the Seven Kingdoms that Regent Duke Tywin, Queen Mother Cersei, and Regent and Hand of the King, Lord Eddard, will handle state affairs until the King comes of age.
All the courtiers knelt and respectfully said, "Long live His Majesty Joffrey I!"
Renly forced himself to kneel and offer congratulations. His lifeless expression was not due to sadness, but to hide the fear and anxiety in his heart.
Stannis is dead, Robert is dead, and I'll be next, right?!
Despite the lack of evidence, Renly was already convinced that the deaths of both men were inseparable from the Lannisters. Isn't it obvious? Who benefited the most?
The Lannisters!
Tywin and Cersei were Regents, The Imp had also become a Hand of the King, and The Kingslayer could advance at any time. The Red Keep was about to completely belong to the Lannisters.
Renly sadly saw the near future.
The Iron Throne was being eroded by the Lion, and Dragonstone also belonged to Joffrey. After all these years of struggle, the Stag would ultimately only have its Stormlands, its home of three hundred years, no more, no less. Fate truly liked to play tricks on people.
And even to achieve this bleak outcome, he would first have to escape King's Landing.
Renly placed all his hope on Loras.
That's right, House Tyrell is not to be trifled with. The Lannisters aren't in King's Landing. These lackeys certainly wouldn't dare to make decisions on their own. The people from Highgarden will definitely protect me, they definitely will.
Renly could only hope for this.
The courtiers gradually dispersed, and Renly followed the crowd to escape, sticking close to Loras.
He decided to act tonight.
Hannah stood in the Sept, watching Renly's receding back. She didn't quite understand His Majesty's plan.
Why let Renly go?
Even if the Hound is now too conspicuous for an assassination, others might still succeed, or at least attempt it.
But she had long since learned to remain silent, obey orders, and simply do her duty.
She turned to the Hound and said, "Go."
The night was deep.
Beneath the dim firelight, dozens of fine horses with muffled hooves quietly walked from the stables to the side gate of the Red Keep, accompanied by armored knights pulling their reins.
Click~
The sound of the side gate opening was not loud, but in the silent night, it was still startling, making one feel as though the entire city could hear it.
Renly and Ser Loras knew this was an illusion.
As long as their actions weren't exposed, they could quietly leave the Red Keep at any time now. There was only one difficult hurdle ahead – the city gate.
The plan prepared for tonight was simple: leave the Red Keep, exit the city through the Mud Gate, cross the Blackwater River by boat, and then follow the Kingsroad south all the way home.
Unfortunately, thanks to the Hound, the Gold Cloaks were now much more cautious.
The defenses at each city gate had been increased to ten squads at night, and most of the watch captains had been replaced with more stubborn individuals, or those who acted very stubborn.
Ironhand, the captain of the Mud Gate watch, was a problem.
This fellow had completely thrown his lot in with the Hound and the Lannisters and likely wouldn't let them pass easily.
Renly was prepared for a fight. As long as they could get close, dozens of elite knights would be enough to deal with those useless Gold Cloaks. Once outside the city gate, nothing could stop him from going home.
At the fastest possible speed, in the shortest amount of time, they had to get out of the city gate before everyone reacted.
After walking a few hundred paces from the Red Keep, they mounted their horses and galloped at full speed towards the Mud Gate, disturbing the sweet dreams of countless people along the way.
Hearing the sound of hooves and armor at night, people didn't dare to get up and look, only relaxing slightly after the sounds gradually faded, secretly wondering what major event was about to happen and if it would affect their lives.
The knights quickly arrived at Fishermen's Square, with the Mud Gate just ahead.
Renly saw hope. Although the city gate was tightly shut, there was only one squad of Gold Cloaks warming themselves by a bonfire, with a Gold Cloak officer standing beside them.
No!
Renly's heart sank. That officer wasn't Ironhand!
The Hound motioned for the Gold Cloaks to open the city gate. "Lord Renly is in such a hurry to leave. Why not say goodbye to everyone?"
Renly looked at the increasingly wide gap in the city gate in confusion. Am I asleep, dreaming?
The Hound then stared at Loras. "Why is the Knight of Flowers leaving the city? Does he not want to see His Majesty?"
Renly cautiously urged his horse forward a step, and the Hound didn't move.
Renly turned and met Loras's gaze.
Loras smiled sadly. "My good lord, you go. It's fine if I stay here."
Renly felt a sense of loss, silent for a moment, but still led half of the Stag Knights in his retinue out of the city gate and towards the port.
Many people watched Renly's retreating figure until the city gate closed again.
Melisandre extinguished the flame, shaking her head and sighing in disappointment. "It is not you. The blood of the king is in you, but it is not you."
The ancient books of Asshai prophesy: "When the red star bleeds and the darkness gathers, Azor Ahai shall be born again amidst smoke and salt to wake dragons out of stone."
Prince that was promised, where are you?
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