Chapter 147: The Queen of Thorns Reflects
Cersei glanced at the filthy, foul-smelling poor scattered across the open ground with obvious disgust, then walked up to the pot and asked, "You're the one they call the High Sparrow?"
The middle-aged man was clearly stunned for a moment when he saw her noble attire. He set down the ladle and replied, "I don't know anything about a High Sparrow. I'm just a servant of the Seven."
Cersei ignored his answer and continued, "I heard the High Septon was seized by the Sparrows and paraded through the streets. Do you know about this?"
"He lived in excess and had long strayed from the will of the Seven. Being paraded was already the lightest punishment," the High Sparrow replied calmly, unfazed by her tone.
"I've already had him thrown into the dungeons. The position of High Septon is now vacant. Would you be willing to take on greater responsibility and spread the will of the Seven?" Cersei suddenly changed the subject.
The High Sparrow, who was ladling porridge for a frail old woman, paused slightly. Looking at Cersei's scrutinizing gaze, he frowned faintly, not quite understanding her intention.
"This isn't the place to talk. If you're interested in the position, come to the Red Keep."
After saying that, Cersei glanced once more at the surrounding poor, covered her nose, and left the alley under the escort of the Gold Cloaks.
Three days earlier, the High Septon, Orrich, had been captured in a brothel once owned by Petyr Baelish. He was stripped naked and paraded through the streets by a group within the Faith known as the Sparrows.
After receiving his complaint, Cersei had ordered an investigation and learned that the Sparrows were a small group formed by the poor within the Faith, widely supported by the common people.
The High Sparrow was their leader. His real name was no longer known.
According to reports, his footprints could be found across the Seven Kingdoms. He often traveled barefoot to remote villages, preaching the Faith, naming newborns, redeeming sinners, and treating minor illnesses.
He advocated a life of frugality, opposed extravagance, and wore the same worn wool robe year-round. He was deeply loved by the poor.
Cersei normally had no interest in the affairs of the Faith.
But after hearing what the High Sparrow had done to Orrich, she suddenly thought of a way to deal with that little bitch who kept trying to climb over her—Margaery Tyrell.
At first, she had some reservations.
But after seeing House Tyrell repeatedly delay sending troops to the Vale, she made up her mind to use the Faith.
The very next day after visiting the slums, the High Sparrow came to the Red Keep.
He was still wearing the same worn wool robe and still barefoot—
Only now, the robe had clearly been washed, and his feet were no longer as filthy.
Seeing this change, Cersei felt satisfied.
It seemed he did care about this meeting with her, the Queen Regent.
After Cersei sought him out, the High Sparrow himself had been somewhat surprised. He did not covet the position of High Septon, but he understood that if he sat in that seat, he could help far more of the suffering poor. For that reason, he came to the Red Keep.
After negotiations, Cersei agreed to support him in ascending to the position of High Septon, and even permitted him to restore the Faith Militant—the armed force of the Faith that had once been abolished by Jaehaerys I Targaryen.
To further cement the arrangement, Cersei ordered a hundred knights to join the Faith Militant, placing them entirely under the High Sparrow's command.
In return, the High Sparrow annulled the Crown's massive debt—over a million gold dragons—and pledged full support to her son, Tommen Baratheon, to uphold his rule.
Two days later, with Cersei's backing, the High Sparrow was successfully elected High Septon.
Once in power, he immediately sold off the Faith's valuable treasures and luxurious garments—even the crystal crown of the High Septon. All the proceeds were distributed among the poor of King's Landing, earning him unprecedented devotion.
To purge the city's decadence, he ordered the Faith Militant to shut down every brothel in King's Landing. During the raids, they captured Loras Tyrell—heir of Highgarden and brother of the "Little Rose," Margaery Tyrell—in the midst of an indecent act.
In order to save her brother, Margaery whispered repeatedly into King Tommen's ear, pleading for Loras to be granted a chance to defend himself.
But during the proceedings, a brothel manager—once under Petyr Baelish—accused Margaery herself of having witnessed her brother's conduct and failing to stop it.
Unable to refute the claim, Margaery was also seized by the Faith Militant and thrown into the dungeons.
Upon hearing the news, the Queen of Thorns, Olenna Tyrell, rushed from the Reach to King's Landing. She sought out Cersei and demanded that the Faith release her grandchildren.
Seeing the usually composed Olenna so anxious and unsettled before her, Cersei felt an immense sense of satisfaction. Even she had to admire her own brilliance in using the Faith as a weapon.
She deliberately stalled Olenna for two days before laying out her condition—
Highgarden must immediately send troops into the Vale, capture the Eyrie, and bring back Sansa Stark and Arya Stark.
Only after the Tyrell army reached the Bloody Gate would she have the High Sparrow release Margaery.
With her grandson imprisoned and her beloved granddaughter suffering in a cell, Olenna had no choice but to agree.
She immediately sent word back to Highgarden, ordering Loras's cousin—who commanded the army—to march on the Vale without delay, while she herself remained in King's Landing to continue dealing with Cersei.
After sending the message, Olenna sat alone beneath a vine-covered arbor, quietly reflecting on every decision she had made since the death of Robert Baratheon.
First, she had married her cherished granddaughter to Robert's short-lived brother, Renly Baratheon.
She had believed that as Lord of Storm's End, commanding nearly all the Baratheon forces, Renly would be a decisive contender in the War of the Five Kings.
Instead, he had been mysteriously assassinated before the war had even truly begun.
Fortunately, Renly had never touched Margaery, allowing her to remain a maiden and later be wed into House Lannister—elevating her to the position of queen.
But then she learned from Sansa Stark of King Joffrey Baratheon's monstrous nature.
Left with no choice, she conspired with Petyr Baelish to poison Joffrey—only to be later threatened by Varys.
Before she could even deal with Varys, she found herself facing the mad Queen Regent, Cersei—who, unable to defeat her and Margaery directly, had revived the long-abolished Faith Militant.
Did Cersei not understand the devastation that conflict between crown and faith had once brought upon the Targaryens?
But what was the use of thinking about that now?
Cersei had gone mad—for her son, and for power.
With both her grandson and granddaughter imprisoned, marching on the Vale was the only way to save them.
Yet the Vale was no easy prize.
Breaking through the successive defenses of the Bloody Gate alone would be a monumental task, let alone capturing the Eyrie—long hailed as an impregnable fortress.
Even with over twenty thousand Tyrell troops, and even if reinforced by Lannister forces, success was far from guaranteed.
And if Highgarden's army were exhausted in the attempt, what would remain of them?
Without their strength, Highgarden would be nothing more than clay in Cersei's hands.
A thought began to form in Olenna's mind—
Perhaps it was time to contact Varys again, and finally learn whom he truly served.
She had speculated many times in secret, narrowing it down to Stannis Baratheon… or the distant queen across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys Targaryen.
But one had vanished from Dragonstone without a trace, and the other remained far away in Slaver's Bay, with no telling when she might arrive in Westeros.
Meanwhile, Olenna was locked in constant struggle with Cersei—she could not afford to rely on distant hopes.
Her original plan had been simple: strengthen Margaery's bond with young King Tommen, and through him secure greater power for Highgarden.
Everything had been proceeding perfectly—
Until Cersei made this move, catching her completely off guard and leaving her powerless to respond.
Now, she found herself placing her hopes in an unseen player—the one Varys served.
For now, however, there was only one course of action.
Send the army to the Bloody Gate as quickly as possible.
Rescue her granddaughter first.
As for that disappointing grandson, Loras… that would have to wait.