Chapter 172

Aegor stood outside the gates of the Red Keep, frozen on the sloping hillside of Aegon’s High Hill. For a few seconds, he couldn’t move. He’d thought he had no power to intervene in this game of thrones and had no intention of getting involved. Yet here he was, not only drawn into the chaos but actively risking his neck—working against the side that had already won. What a way to die.

“What are you standing around for? Take that horse, quickly, before Lady Arya ends up in danger!” Ser Jacelyn Bywater clapped him on the back and shoved the reins of a City Watch officer’s horse into his hands. The Ironhand gave him a subtle wink. “Hurry there and back.”

Now wasn’t the time to dwell on the absurdity of his actions. Aegor took the reins, swung himself into the saddle, and gave Bywater a curt nod before spurring the horse westward, away from the city.

The City Watch wasn’t equipped for external warfare, and the number of horses available to them was pitiful. Meanwhile, the Lannisters had no shortage of family members and assets scattered throughout King’s Landing. Rounding them all up and confiscating their property would take time—time Aegor hoped to use to his advantage. Still, relying on the slowness of others wasn’t an option. Pulling the reins tight, Aegor leaned forward in the saddle, urging the horse to pick up speed.

The sun had climbed high into the sky, nearing noon. It was the quietest time of day, with most people off the streets for their midday meals. For the first time, Aegor rode like one of the reckless lords’ sons who sped through the city without a care. The horse, accustomed to King’s Landing’s narrow and uneven streets, moved swiftly, narrowly avoiding several collisions with pedestrians and carts. In under half an hour, Aegor had reached the King’s Gate.

The King’s Gate looked as busy as ever, with people coming and going freely. As the largest city in the Seven Kingdoms, King’s Landing couldn’t afford the disruption of a sudden lockdown. In Eddard Stark’s plan, controlling Cersei and Jaime in the Red Keep would render the Lannisters in the city powerless. This confidence—and the secrecy of his plan—meant the gate guards had received no prior warning. While it caught Cersei off guard, it also gave Aegor the chance to slip out and warn Tyrion.

At the gate, Aegor was immediately recognized—there was no avoiding it. His face had become far too familiar in recent days. Just last night, he’d been a wanted criminal, hunted by the City Watch. By morning, the charges were dropped, and the commander of the City Watch himself was behind bars. Now, Aegor rode freely through the streets on horseback. What soldier wouldn’t look at him with a mix of reverence and fear?

Unchallenged, Aegor slowed his pace to a casual trot, passing through the gates without incident. Once outside, he spurred the horse forward, galloping at full speed toward his destination along the banks of the Blackwater.

At the gates of the Watch’s compound, the guards greeted him nervously. Aegor brushed off their offers to announce his arrival or accompany him and headed straight for Tyrion’s office without wasting a moment.

Sure enough, Tyrion was still there, seated behind a desk and furiously scribbling a letter. It was meant for Aegor—a letter explaining everything. Around him, Jack and Morris rummaged through the office, hastily packing.

“Aegor! What are you doing here?” Tyrion looked up, setting down his pen. “Well, no matter. I suppose it’s better to explain things face-to-face—”

“Forget plans and explanations! Get out! Now!” Aegor hissed, glaring as he cut Tyrion off. “Jack, Morris—leave the packing. Take only food and water for a day or two and get moving immediately!”

“What happened?” Tyrion demanded, already on edge.

“Jaime attacked King Robert in the Red Keep. The City Watch is coming for you right now.” Aegor stepped aside, leaving the doorway clear. “Get to the stables, take two horses each, and avoid the main roads and settlements. Ride west at full speed—make it back to Casterly Rock alive. We’ll worry about the Watch’s future another day!”

It took Tyrion only half a second to grasp the gravity of the situation. Without hesitation, he leaped from his chair. Before leaving, he clasped Aegor’s hand firmly, no words exchanged but everything understood. No goodbyes, no formal farewells. The two figures who had built the Night’s Watch’s burgeoning enterprises together parted abruptly, with Aegor watching as Tyrion and his guards bolted toward the stables. Only after they were gone did Aegor compose himself and head toward the training grounds.

Feigning breathlessness and urgency, Aegor asked about Arya’s whereabouts, knowing full well she hadn’t left the Red Keep that day. After making the appropriate inquiries and receiving the expected answer, he pretended to relax, casually explaining away his earlier panic. He spent a short while chatting with the guards and overseers before the arrival of the City Watch.

Ten Gold Cloaks rode into the compound, led by a grim-faced officer. They searched Tyrion’s office and quarters but found nothing. Naturally, they sought out Aegor for answers.

Simply helping Tyrion escape wasn’t enough; Aegor needed to buy him time. Tyrion, short as he was, needed a special saddle for speed, and his escape wouldn’t be fast. Thinking quickly, Aegor gave them a lead. “He just left,” he lied. “Said he was taking a ship. He’s planning to sail around Dorne and return to Lannisport that way.”

“A ship? Around Dorne?” The officer frowned, clearly skeptical. “Are you sure?”

“I don’t know if it’s true. That’s just what he told me.”

The officer’s face twisted with frustration. Confronting Aegor directly wasn’t an option—he was too prominent a figure now, backed by the Hand of the King. Muttering curses under his breath, the officer exchanged words with his men before they rode east, toward the Blackwater’s docks—in the wrong direction.
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Thanks to Aegor’s intervention, Tyrion temporarily evaded capture. Meanwhile, chaos engulfed King’s Landing. As residents gathered for lunch, many discussed the previous night’s “mutiny” among the City Watch at the River Gate or speculated about the wights delivered to the city by the Night’s Watch. Their meals were interrupted by the noise of shouting in the streets. Peering out their windows, they saw the city erupting into action.

For the first time since Robert’s Rebellion, the City Watch mobilized in full force. Soldiers poured out of their barracks, a wave of gold flooding the streets. All seven gates of the city slammed shut. The Lannisters, facing their greatest crisis since the Conquest, were caught off guard. Many of their kin, who had treated King’s Landing like a second Lannisport, now found themselves rounded up, their homes raided, their assets seized.

But while the once-mighty Lannister family was thrown into chaos, they were far from defeated. Eddard Stark led over three hundred City Watch soldiers to sweep through the Red Keep, capturing or killing the Lannister forces within. Yet, despite their efforts, Jaime and Cersei were nowhere to be found. Worse, news arrived that the captain of the Lion Gate had betrayed them, escorting the Lannister siblings out of the city.

“Send out riders immediately!” Eddard roared, his fury reminiscent of Robert’s own rages. “Have Grand Maester Pycelle send ravens to every noble along the Gold Road. Order them to intercept and capture the Kingslayer and the Queen!”

The City Watch, still disorganized from last night’s mutiny and this morning’s upheaval, scrambled to gather a pursuit force. With few horses at their disposal, they eventually managed to send out a ragged column of riders through the Lion Gate, chasing west toward the Gold Road and Casterly Rock.

By mid-afternoon, ravens flew out from the rookery atop the southeastern tower of the Red Keep. Each bore a message bearing Eddard Stark’s official orders. But among them, two ravens originally meant for Stokeworth had been redirected—flying instead toward Casterly Rock. Only the maester who sent them knew the truth.