The Iron Throne of Ice and Fire

King's Landing, the mansion of Matus Rowan.

In the chapel, Margaery Tyrell, wearing a gray coarse robe, prayed devoutly with the old nun.

The old nun, who was also wearing a gray robe, opened her eyes: "My child, the morning prayer is over. May the gods bless you."

After a pause, Margery slowly opened her eyes, her elk eyes gleaming with water: "I want to pray for a while longer and ask the Seven Gods to hear my confession as soon as possible."

The old nun stood up and said with a kind expression: "Very good, but the sisters outside have already brought the food. If you make them wait too long, it will be an additional sin. Come, let me help you up, child."

After saying that, without waiting for Margaery to respond, the old nun pulled her up roughly.

Margery let the old nun drag her away without showing any strange expression: "Thank you for your teaching, Sister Moller."

The scrutiny in the old nun's eyes dissipated, and she nodded gently: "Although there is only water and bread, they are gifts from the gods."

"Yes, thank the gods."

…………

Margery calmly ate the dark bread in small bites, while Sister Moller stood unabashedly watching her every move.

She picked up the wooden cup, took a sip of water, and said, "Sister Mohler, please forgive me, has the time for my trial been set?"

The old nun's pointed face was like an axe. She looked at Margaery who asked the question, and then said: "My child, if you are tired of praying, I can reduce the time appropriately."

Margaery shook her head: "My heart has never been so peaceful, and I have never felt so close to the seven gods in heaven."

There was a hint of excitement in her voice: "Even after the trial is over, I will pray every day as I do now. I am curious to prove my innocence to the gods in the sky as soon as possible."

The old nun's thin lips curled into a thin line of denial: "...The Archbishop has not informed me of the specific time yet."

Hearing this, a look of regret appeared on Margaery's face, and she frowned slightly: "Please forgive my offense, is it because my father stopped sending rose bread to King's Landing? Oh, gods forgive me, He loves me, that’s why he’s so impulsive.”

"A father loves his daughter, and the gods will not blame him."

After a moment of silence, Sister Moller looked at Margaery and continued: "The Queen Mother Lannister is still unwilling to repent to the Seven Gods. The Archbishop hopes that you will accept the judgment of the gods together."

Margaery's pupils couldn't help but shrink slightly, and she had to admit that the lioness was surprisingly...strong.

Margaery clasped her hands together, closed her eyes for a while, and blessed: "Oh, may the old woman (one of the seven gods) give her guidance."

"The gods will hear her confession soon. It won't take many days. Now, finish the remaining bread quickly and don't delay your noon prayer."

When Margaery swallowed the last bite of black bread, there was a sudden movement outside the door, and then the door of the chapel was pushed open with great force.

The figure of Lord Matus Rowan, Lord of the Sea, appeared at the door. He was wearing a white tight-fitting jacket with the Rowan family's tree emblem embroidered in gold thread on his chest. He held the sword on his waist lightly in his left hand. hilt.

Behind him were a dozen tall and strong green-robed guards of the Tyrell family, two of whom were holding up two young nuns guarding the door.

Sister Moller angrily stopped in front of Count Matus: "What are you going to do? Let them go! They are nuns of the Seven Gods. You are blaspheming the Seven Gods!"

Count Matus glanced at the old nun coldly, first nodded towards Margery behind her, and then said: "Sister Mohler, please leave. I want to talk to Miss Margery for a while."

Sister Mohler's voice was harsh: "According to the order of the Archbishop, her every word and deed must be supervised by me before the trial."

Count Matus snorted contemptuously: "If the High Sparrow has any objections to this, you can directly express it to the Duke of Metz. If necessary, I can also convey it to you."

Seeing that Sister Mohler continued to protest, Count Matus made a gesture, and two men in green robes stepped forward and dragged her away forcefully.

After the door of the chapel was closed, Margaery, who was sitting on a worn wooden chair, chuckled: "Count Matus, you may make the sparrows feel fear."

Count Matus shrugged: "They are madmen who like to dance on the tip of the sword."

His eyes swept over Margaery's bare feet and the old robe she was wearing. He hesitated for a moment and sighed: "Miss Margaery, although the army in the Reach is attacking Storm's End, the Duke of Mace can attack Storm's End at any time. Return to King's Landing with the army. Even if I expel all the nuns here, the High Sparrow will tolerate it. If you are worried about the trial in the Great Sept of Baelor, we can negotiate with the High Sparrow directly. After all, Queen Cersei has been imprisoned. Yes, our purpose..."

Margaery shook her head slightly: "Count Matus, thank you for your love and care for me, but I will not refuse to accept the judgment of the Seven Gods with Queen Cersei."

She stood up from the wooden chair, slowly came to Matus, and continued: "Only in this way, others can't blame Tyrell, because I am also a victim."

Count Matus' eyes moved and he said: "The others... you are referring to Duke Green."

Margaery pursed her lips and smiled: "Duke Greene is Cersei's admirer after all, and Tyrell should avoid unnecessary trouble."

Count Matus frowned: "Actually, I doubt whether Duke Green will really love Queen Cersei."

Margaery chuckled again: "Perhaps only the gods know whether he loves her or not."

Then, her smile faded: "In addition to Duke Green and His Majesty Tommen, the king will grow up sooner or later. For the future of the Reach, the 'sword' that hurt his mother can only belong to the High Sparrow. "

Earl Matus nodded slightly: "I understand, I will protect your safety, Miss Margaery."

"I will remember your care for me."

After a pause, Margaery added, "You are so anxious to see me. What happened?"

"Yes, countless black crows arrived in King's Landing early this morning. They brought the claims of Archbishop Zari. Before the High Sparrow became the High Septon, he was pacifying the refugees and repairing the temple there in the Riverlands."

As he spoke, Count Matus handed over one of the letters brought by the messenger crow.

After taking the letter, Margaery read the content written on it. After a while, her brown eyes trembled slightly.

The Great Cathedral of Heron? !

After reading the letter, Margaery took a few steps back and forth and asked, "What is the attitude of the High Sparrow and the Sparrows towards the self-proclaimed Archbishop of the Heron Cathedral?"

Earl Matus shrugged: "At this time, tens of thousands of sparrows gathered in the marble square of the Great Cathedral. They raised their axes and asked the high sparrow to let them go to Harrenhal."

Margaery smiled slightly, her voice was soft and there was no mockery in her tone: "It seems they have also learned the lord's game."

Count Matus seemed to be sighing: "There are many down-and-out knights who have joined the Sparrow, perhaps from their church."

Margaery nodded, paced back and forth for a while, and said: "Count Matus, with the character of Archbishop Zari, he will not have the courage to stand up against the High Sparrow, nor will he have the strength to build a new Great Temple. "

Count Matus nodded seriously, pondered for a moment, and said, "Duke Green is gathering refugees in the Riverlands. This is no coincidence."

Margaery also nodded: "Archbishop Zari should have the support of Duke Green."

"Miss Margaery, this is a variable that often brings uncontrollable accidents. With all due respect, if we want to control the 'chaos' in King's Landing, the trial in the Great Temple needs to end as soon as possible."

After listening to Count Matus's advice, Margaery thought about it for a while and replied: "Yes, we can't let down our guard...Sister Moller told me that Queen Cersei is still unwilling to repent."

After taking a few steps, she looked up at him: "Find a suitable time and ask you to speak to the High Sparrow alone on behalf of Tyrell. Earl Matus, I will write to the Duke of Highgarden this afternoon and ask him to do it in advance. Be ready to return to King's Landing."

"Duke Green... Archbishop Zari..."

After murmuring, Margaery added: "I'd like to trouble you to inform Mrs. Olenna of what's going on here as soon as possible..."

"As commanded."

After finishing the conversation, Count Matus walked out of the chapel and signaled the green robes to let go of Moller and the other nuns.

Before evening, Count Matus had written the letter and handed it to his attendants, asking the maester to prepare the letter crow that flew to Highgarden.

After finishing the affairs in the Reach, the Sea Lord had time to think about the problem of the royal fleet. First the Redwin fleet, and the bastard commander's sudden defection with the fleet, left Blackwater Bay without the power to defend itself.

Today, in Blackwater Bay, apart from Kleb's Mermaid Harbor Fleet and Dragonstone Island Fleet, there is only a dock guard fleet composed of a small number of small boats.

Thinking of this, Count Matus's expression became strange. Could he be the first sea minister without a fleet?

Button, button, button.

There was a knock on the door suddenly, and after hearing the response, Matus's guard captain pushed the door open and entered.

"My lord, Lord Davos Seaworth has requested to see you. He is visiting in the name of Lord Greene Crab."

"Onion Knight?"