The Starry Sept gained its name from the black marble walls that was used to build it. The marble, although black as sin in colour had an odd imperfection to it. The marble wasn't completely black. White veins and dots littered it, giving the impression of stars in the night sky.
And that is why the greatest of all the Septs in the lands was called the Starry Sept.
The story had always been somewhat amusing for Willis. When he had been nothing more than a young novice who knew no better, he thought there was always more to the name than some dumb rocks. His teacher at the time had laughed at his naivete.
Ah, youth.
Those times had been simpler.
Back then, he knew what he wanted with his life, to serve the gods and to shepherd their flocks wherever they maybe. Times had been so simple, but nowadays, that simplicity became more difficult and harder to find.
"Your excellency."
Willis turned his head to the side for a moment to glance at the young septon that had fallen in line with him as he walked, his cane making sounds as it tapped the ground beneath him. "Hugh." He greeted warmly. "It has been some time."
The young septon smiled at the older man as they walked. "Not so long, I think, your excellency."
The Most Devout chuckled gently. "For an old man such as myself, time passes by swiftly, not so much for you, young ones." Surely, he was not long left in this world. Still, he had several more years in him yet and he would pass on when the Stranger came to take him with a life filled with no regrets. "Anything I should know?"
Hugh's demeanour dropped by some, becoming more serious as he looked around to make sure that they were not being listened upon. "No, your excellency. I have yet to learn anything new. This meeting of the College caught me unawares. I apologise for failing in the task that you set upon me."
"It's fine. Nothing to worry about, you have been invaluable to me whilst I have been away."
"Thank you, your excellency."
If Hugh had not been able to learn about the summoning of the College, then he truly doubted that any of his other informants would have been able to learn of this. This either meant that the High Septon had gone to great lengths to hide the subject of the summoning or it was merely a spur of the moment summoning for him.
He doubted the reason would be something of the latter. This High Septon was too deliberative, less prone to act irrationally like that of his predecessor. There was a reason that he had been voted as the newest High Septon when the previous one had finally been embraced by the Stranger.
The last one had been somewhat...troubling for some of the Faith and many a high lord to stand for too long.
"How many other of my station have arrived?" The Most Devout asked.
Hugh grimaced. "All of them, your excellency. You are the last to arrive."
Willis held back a wince. That was not good. That meant some of his opponents and the High Septon himself had a chance to sway the more moderate Most Devouts to their cause in the coming council.
"I suspect my summoning was the last one to be sent."
Hugh sighed. "Most likely, your excellency."
The Most Devout snorted. "No matter, I shall have to merely deal with it as it comes." It was not as if he lacked friends among the lower orders of the Faith, even if he lacked less in the true halls of power and influence in the higher chambers.
Even the likes of a simple septon like Hugh could prove to be useful in the coming future and his loyalty was unquestionable. After all, if it wasn't, he would have sought patronage from another Most Devout to see his elevation throughout the Faith.
The great doors that led into the inner chambers of the College of Devouts were large and had been made from the last true standing weirwoods that had not been torn down millennia. He wondered if the northmen and followers of the old gods were to find out about this, would they find it sacrilege? Would it truly matter?
The north men kept to themselves in their frigid lands, the faithful kingdoms more than willing to let them be.
When the Most Devout neared the doors, they slowly slid open without a sound, allowing him to pass through, Hugh leaving him as he knew that the College of Devouts was not his place. When he passed the doors, they slid to a close behind him, leaving him to bask in the rainbow of colours that basked the college from the stained-glass windows that hanged high above them.
The chamber was not cavernous. It had no need to be.
It was merely a chamber made to fit so that seven men and women along with the High Septon could be sat inside. Nothing more, nothing less.
"Ah, Willis," The High Septon cried out joyfully as he rose from his gilded throne. "You have finally made it. Thank the gods, I prayed for you, for this is something that I'm surely you will agree with it."
Willis looked around the room and noticed his fellow Devouts sitting in their assigned seats. He then made to move to join them. "Thank you, Your eminence. I admit, long travel does not do well for someone as old as me."
"Perhaps another Devout be sent to oversee the flock of the riverlands?" Most Devout Florian Tyrell suggested, though he wore a smile on his face, his eyes did not reflect the warmth.
That suggestion was simply unacceptable. Florian would more than likely stamp on many of the hands of the smallfolk and the lords as well in a bid to stamp out the heresy that arisen there over the years. It was best that a certain gentle touch was taken with the riverlands as of now.
It would take time, but it was better than the rivers of blood Florian would most likely bring with him.
And that wasn't even taking into consideration that he would also try to stamp out the old gods as well. Something that had been tried once in the history of the riverlands and something that had seen the death of several kings in one day.
A Most Devout didn't hold as much worth as a king, but it was good enough.
He smiled at the much younger man. "No thank you, my brother. A kind offer, but this is a task that I have taken upon myself and I shall see it through."
"What do you make of this King Edmyn anyhow, brother?" Most Devout Sandra Beesbury asked. "You have spent the most time with the young king, perhaps you can share some insight of him to us."
Willis raised a single eyebrow at the question. Why would they need to know about the King of the Trident?
"Young, noble and protective of his people."
Florian Tyrell nodded his head but he seemed to hold a certain impatience as he spoke. "Yes, quite appreciative traits in a young king, but is he faithful?"
Something was at play here and the High Septon had been quiet for longer than he liked. "What do you mean, brother?"
The High Septon was quiet no longer. "Some moons past, the Seven-who-are-One spoke to me." He said as he slowly rose to his feet. "They spoke to me, of Hugor of the Hill, of the promise made long past. A promise of a home for the Faithful. A land. Westeros."
What was this uneasiness he felt?
The High Septon looked around the room, taking a moment to look at each and every one of the Devouts in the eyes. "Your excellencies, I think it is time that promise is fulfilled. Time for the message of the Seven-who-are-One to be embraced from the most southern lands of Dorne to the wall itself!"