As the sun gradually set in the west, the chaos in King's Landing had yet to fully subside.
However, the situation was now firmly under the control of human forces. Without the magical support that had animated them, the wights no longer posed a significant threat and were being systematically eradicated.
The Southern army, torches in hand, flooded into King's Landing like a surging tide. They seized key locations and worked to stabilize the city.
The Northern forces, showing unusual tact, withdrew from critical areas to avoid conflict with their southern counterparts.
At last, the bronze gates of the Red Keep creaked open. Under the command of Janos Slynt, the City Watch formally surrendered to the Southern army.
Above the Red Keep, the massive white dragon circled, its crimson eyes surveying the red castle below. With a resonant, low-pitched roar, it descended and landed upon the battlements.
Janos Slynt stood frozen, staring at the white dragon. His eyes brimmed with a mixture of terror and awe.
Anyone seeing such a mythical creature for the first time would undoubtedly react the same way.
As Samwell leapt from the dragon's back, Janos hurried forward, dropping to one knee.
"Honorable Storm King, please allow me, on behalf of the City Watch, to pledge unparalleled loyalty to you."
Samwell regarded the short, stout knight kneeling before him with a twinge of disdain.
He already knew Janos Slynt's reputation—a man infamous for corruption, bribery, and the buying and selling of titles. Slynt had been a close ally of Petyr Baelish, "Littlefinger," back in the day.
Opportunistic and faithless, Slynt was the epitome of self-interest and a loyal lapdog of House Lannister.
Samwell loathed such men but understood that now, having just entered King's Landing, it was best to project an air of magnanimity. Any rash action might provoke unrest among the old nobility.
Once his rule was secure, he could address these issues.
"I accept your loyalty," Samwell said flatly.
Relieved, Janos Slynt stood, plastering a sycophantic smile on his face. His voice dripped with obsequiousness:
"Your Grace, rest assured. The Red Keep is in perfect order. While a few wights did manage to infiltrate earlier, they've been thoroughly dealt with."
"And the nobles?" Samwell asked.
"They're all in Maegor's Holdfast, awaiting your arrival. I'm certain they'll pledge their loyalty without hesitation—"
"Caesar! You think I'll surrender to you? I'd rather die than bow!"
Cersei Lannister's shrill voice echoed from within the castle, cutting off Slynt's flattery.
"Not everyone is so eager to pledge their loyalty, it seems," Samwell said with a faint smile, moving in the direction of the voice.
Janos Slynt, unfazed, scrambled to follow.
"Your Grace, that's merely Cersei Lannister's foolishness. You needn't concern yourself; she's incapable of causing any real trouble."
Descending the tower stairs and crossing the courtyard, the two arrived at Maegor's Holdfast. There, they found Cersei restrained by Osmund Kettleblack and Sandor Clegane. She thrashed and screamed, utterly defiant.
Standing nearby were the Stark sisters.
Arya's eyes lit up when she saw Samwell. She stepped forward and exclaimed:
"Sam! This evil Lannister woman tried to use wildfire to burn down Maegor's Holdfast. Luckily, we stopped her!"
Samwell cast a sideways glance at Janos Slynt.
"And you said she wasn't capable of causing trouble?"
Even Slynt's thick skin couldn't withstand the embarrassment. He stammered:
"Your Grace… I… I was too preoccupied fighting the wights. I didn't notice…"
Samwell called over one of his aides.
"Noah, take over the defense of the Red Keep. Ensure no further incidents occur. Understood?"
"Yes, Your Grace!"
Janos Slynt lowered his head, swallowing his indignation as he watched Samwell strip him of his authority.
"I curse you, Caesar!" Cersei screeched, continuing her tirade.
Samwell waved a hand dismissively, signaling Noah to have her taken away.
Turning to the Stark sisters, Samwell said:
"You've done well. You stopped a disaster and saved this city. You're heroes."
Sansa blushed deeply and lowered her gaze.
"Your Grace, you flatter us. You're the true hero of this city. Without you, we'd have all been devoured by those monsters."
Arya, on the other hand, placed her hands on her hips and declared proudly:
"I'm the one who stopped Cersei! Thanks to me!"
She then launched into a lively recounting of the events in the dungeons, emphasizing her critical role in catching the torch before it could ignite the wildfire.
Samwell chuckled and ruffled Arya's hair.
"Yes, all thanks to the brave and clever Arya. But how did you end up in the dungeons?"
"I followed the fat spider through the secret passages," Arya said, grinning conspiratorially. "You know the ones."
Recognizing the reference to their shared secret, Samwell nodded. Encouraged, Arya continued:
"He was acting all sneaky, so I thought he was up to no good and followed him. But after he disappeared in the tunnels, I wandered around and somehow ended up in Maegor's Holdfast."
"Varys disappeared?" Samwell turned to Noah.
"Send someone to find him."
At that moment, a young man named Mario, who had previously served as a messenger between Varys and Samwell, stepped forward. He bowed and said:
"Your Grace, Lord Varys asked me to inform you that his mission is complete. There's no need to look for him."
Samwell frowned.
"Varys fled?"
Mario coughed lightly and explained:
"Your Grace, Lord Varys knew that his past actions might leave you wary of him. To avoid troubling you further, he chose to leave quietly. He hopes that, in light of the assistance he provided during your entry into King's Landing, you'll overlook his past deeds and allow him to depart in peace.
"Rest assured, Your Grace, Lord Varys has crossed the Narrow Sea and will not return to Westeros. You need not worry about him posing any future threat.
"As a parting gift, Lord Varys has entrusted his intelligence network to you."
Mario handed Samwell a rolled parchment.
"These are Varys's 'little birds.' They're now yours."
Samwell ran his fingers over the soft leather cover of the parchment, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Varys's decision to vanish at this critical juncture was unexpected.
But upon reflection, Samwell couldn't help but admire the spider's foresight. It was a shrewd move.
Even Samwell had to admit that he wouldn't have forgotten Varys's role in Tywin Lannister's assassination attempt on him. If Varys had stayed, still holding the reins of Westeros's intelligence network, Samwell would have slept uneasily.
He would've undoubtedly found a way to strip Varys of his power—or worse.
By leaving and offering his network as a gift, Varys had defused the situation.
Unrolling the parchment, Samwell saw hundreds of names and their corresponding contact methods.
These were Varys's "little birds," the backbone of his intelligence web.
"Very well," Samwell said with a faint smile. "Send word to Varys: I wish him a peaceful life in distant lands."
(End of Chapter)