Capítulo 66: Grag?
300 AC, Riverrun…
It took nearly a moon for all the nobles to arrive at the castle. From North came the Umbers, Glovers, Manderlys and Karstarks. Even some mountain clansmen did come to show their respect to their liege after the battle at the Wall.
Swann, Estermont and Errol were amongst the houses which came first from the Stormlands. Their show of support was apparent as they represented the bulk of the Stormlander lords.
However, the biggest support came from the Riverlands as they were hoping to contribute their support for a peaceful era. Riverlands always had been a battleground between Lord Paramounts and the lords hoped to win this war so their children and grandchildren could have peace. Thus, from Blackwoods to Rygers all lords came down with their heirs to the Riverrun. Though their purpose was not to show support but to feast, even more then half of the Freys were present.
Nearly seventy thousand soldiers were camping before Riverrun. These were forces of Riverlands and the North. An additional nine thousand was at the Harrenhall but they were Stannis's forces and his remaining forces were at the southern side of the King's Landing, waiting for the final attack on the city.
Everything was going perfect but it did not stay that way for too long as the Lannisters stirred down the Crownlands and arranged a marriage between King Joffrey Baratheon and Margaery Tyrell. Tyrells' promise of staying neutral did not last long as they broke their promise and sent newly raised green levies and food to the city show their support.
As a result, from the ten thousand men Stannis led to Riverlands, at least a thousand of them were arrested and sent deep down to the Harrenhall's dungeons. Though many of them professed innocence, their words held no weight in the eyes of the Blackwood commander.
…
Grag was a strong lad who was born in a village near Riverlands. His father and mother died in the Greyjoy Rebellion and it was his grandfather that raised him. They lived in the Longsister, one of the Three Sisters. However, after the death of his parents, his grandfather came to Riverlands to look after him. He would always tell Grag about the Lady of the Waves and Lord of the Skies whenever a storm brew in the skies. He dearly dotted on him because of the mark he was born with. There were webbing between Grag's hands and many called him a freak because of them.
Grag hated those marks and even tried to cut them but whenever he sliced them with a knife, they always went back to their old self in a week. His grandfather always told him that they were a blessing from the gods but Grag did not think so. Indeed, they were helpful when he went swimming with the other boys from the village. However, he was always ostracized because of them as even the ugliest girl in the village did not want to marry him.
Someday, when he was on the field swinging the scythe, one of the boys from the village came down the field running and told him that his grandfather fell from a tree while picking apples for the lord.
Grag threw down the scythe and run with all his might. When he arrived at the site and saw his grandfather's state, his heart was broken as both of his legs were broken and he was unconscious. Grag carried him to their home called upon the old healer lady from the village.
She told him that his grandfather would wake up soon but he might never walk again as his bones were too old and they couldn't mend themselves. However, she advised him to go to a maester as they may have some methods to help him. Grag's face went white at those words as they were not a rich family and were even living in debt so going to a maester and even being able to see them was not something they could do. However, Grag still decided to go to a castle and beg the lord to see the maester.
Grag tied his grandfather to an old inn signboard and begin pulling it towards the nearest castle. The journey took nearly two days and Grag was near collapsing but still kept on as he thought about his grandfather. When he neared the gates, the guards looked at him weirdly as he requested entry.
Grag told them that he requested entry to see the maester as his grandfather needed help but the guards did not let him in as they told him that the maester would only serve the lord and the other nobles.
Grag did not sleep for two days and his legs were shaking due to the distance he travelled so his voice came out a bit too loud as he spoke because of his anger.
The guards frowned at his words and told him to go back or he would face punishment due to breaking rules. Though what were those rules was a mystery to Grag as he snorted and turned around with his grandfather who was on a signboard. His grandfather was already awake from his slumber on the first day of their journey and he insisted many times for Grag to return to the village. However, Grag knew that his grandfather already surrendered to his fate and did not want to become a burden to him.
Grag was not a man to yield in the face of hardship and his grandfather was the only person who supported him at his hard times and raised him until this age so he couldn't let him die just like this. He camped before the gates of the castle yelled all day and night for help. On the seventh night, three guards came out and told him that they would help him but he needed to talk with someone.
Grag left his grandfather with one of the guards and went with the other guards happily but what was awaiting him was three more guards. They beat him into a bloody pulp and threw him to the side of the river. Grag woke up the next morning at the first light. All of his body was aching as he tried to stand up.
Grag, suddenly, remembered his grandfather. He stood up forgetting his wounds and run before the gates. His grandfather was still there but his old coat and coppers at its pockets were gone. Luckily, they did nothing to his grandfather but he cried when he saw Grag. He told him harshly that it was enough and they were going back to the village but Grag ignored him and continued to do what he did for the last seven days.
The looks of the guards were more menacing and if looks could kill, Grag would have been dead by now. However, Grag continued to yell for help all day and at last, an old noble on a horse neared the castle but stopped near to them.
Grag did know it but this old man was the lord of the castle. He asked Grag why he was yelling before the castle and Grag told him his story. The old man frowned at his story and looked towards the guards at the gates. The guards lowered their heads in fear and stayed still.
The lord took Grag and his grandfather to his castle and called upon his maester while he talked with his steward. The maester was soon in the great hall and was diagnosing Grag's grandfather but his face did not have a happy expression as he was frowning all along.
The maester turned to his lord and told him that there was nothing he could do and the legs of the man were already rotting due to necrosis. The lord shook his head and looked at Grag who had the face of a ghost.
In the end, Grag had to go back to his village with his grandfather on a signboard. All the journey and hardship were for nothing. Each passing day, his grandfather was getting more sickly and each passing day he was sleeping more deeply. Grag did everything he could do and even went to a wood witch to find a cure but even they couldn't do anything.
Grag even tried to find salvation with prayers in the local sept but it was no avail. While he was working in the field, he heard talks about a small temple that would be built in the village. Apparently, they were searching for builders and workers on the building site.
Grag did not know why they were building a temple as all the people here worshipped the Seven. However, extra coins were always good as he needed coins to buy herbal salves for his grandfather.
Two days after Grag began working in the building site a man came who said that he was going to reside in the village and preach in the temple. Many looked at him with distrust and contempt as local Septon was telling everyone he could see that this man was the embodiment of the stranger. However, local Septon was not known as a holy man because of his previous deeds.
Local Septon was a man who would spend the charity coins on a cup of beer so many did not believe his words and Grag was one of them. Though he went to pray to the sept, his prayers were not answered. Thus, he wanted to try his chance with this new religion.
Grag had many talks with the new priest in the coming days and the things the priest said left him in disbelief. However, when Grag brought the priest to his house so he could look at his grandfather's situation, he was surprised to find that his grandfather was a lot healthier after the strange words the priest uttered.
Grag showered the priest with thanks and even tried to give him all his money but the priest did not take even a copper and only wished for him a good life. Later, Grag went to the temple to show the priest his hands as after his grandfather's treatment, he hoped that he could find treatment in the temple.
Though the priest told him there was nothing he could do about it, he told him that only the Prophet could do it. Grag did not know this man called the Prophet so he asked him where he could find him. The priest smiled and began telling him about his religion. A few days later, the priest called Grag to the temple and told him that he spoke about his and his grandfather's problem to a Bishop and the Bishop wanted to see him and his grandfather.
Grag did not understand why this man wanted to see them so he asked the priest. The priest told him about the miracles done by the Bishop and told him that maybe he could find a cure for his grandfather.
Grag took out all the coins he saved and borrowed some from his neighbours. He bought a cart and a horse and placed his grandfather into the cart. After that, they set onto the road with the priest. Three days later, they arrived at the Riverrun and went to the local temple. Grag was flabbergasted at sight before him as this temple was three times bigger than their village temple.
However, what surprised Grag, even more, was the number of people who were in the temple. Many people were praying and it was obvious that they were frequenters. In the village temple, besides him, there were only three or four people and they were a family so he was not expecting to see many people here.
Grag waited for a few hours until the bishop finished his prayers and then the priest introduced them to him. Grag felt like he was finally seeing a proper holy man as even the sight of the man was a privilege to the eyes.
The bishop took them to a private room as Grag laid his grandfather upon a bed. Bishop went to Grag's grandfather's side and examined him. Then, he uttered a few words in a strange language which Grag felt came out from the mouth of sirens.
It was a miracle! Grag saw his grandfather moving his legs for the first time after that accident. Tears were flowing out of his eyes as witnessed this miracle. He went down to his knees and began thanking the bishop.
The bishop raised him to his feet and told him to show him his hands. Then he asked him if he was from the Three Sisters. Grag answered positively and told him about his grandfather. However, his wishes were not granted as the bishop told him that this was not an illness but a sign of his ancestry.
Grag frowned and asked about this ancestry thing. Bishop told him about people who rode the waves and spoke with fishmen and people who were massacred when the star came to Westeros. He told him that people like him were hunted in the past but after the star began ruling the lands, they were ignored and left alone. Grag gawked at Bishop's words as they were similar to what his grandfather said but it was also different in many ways.
The bishop also offered him a job in the castle due to his hands as he told him the job was only perfect for him. Grag was a bit hesitant at first but after hearing about the payment he pounced on it. They were going to pay three silvers every month and this was not a scantling he was offered in the village.
When Grag accepted the job, he wasn't expecting to open clogged drains under the river. It was true that he was being paid greatly but cleaning shit was not something to be proud of. Nevertheless, he did various jobs in the coming years and got recommended to various places by the bishop. His grandfather was getting old each year but thanks to the bishop, he was healthy as much as a lord.
Grag and his grandfather bought a house in the town and the bishop even introduced him to some women so he can settle down and have a family. Grag was grateful to him as he was the one who raised him up from a small villager to a respected member of a town. He even spoke for him when the war broke out between the Starks and Lannisters so he didn't need to be amongst the raised levies.
Now, another war was looming on the horizon and a restless air was spreading around the town. Grag was sent to work in the castle as men needed for the wedding of the Stark and Baratheon. He did not know any of these lords and ladies but extra payment was always good. He needed lots of coins to pay the dowry of the girl he wanted to marry. The girl's father was demanding a hundred gold coins which were pure robbery but Grag's eyes were already set upon the girl and he would even give his house to marry him. Thus, this wedding job was a great opportunity for Grag and he did not want to miss it.
One night, while he was carrying the wine barrels, he saw a great number of people going into the temple but these people did not seem, ordinary men, as some of them had swords on their belts and stood like knights of the great lords.
Later, Grag sighted a hooded man coming out of the lord's keep and going into the temple. He was worried about the bishop as these men looked like shady people so he went behind the temple entered from the secret door. He moved with silent steps and went to the door of the bishop.
As he looked throughout the doorway, he saw three men but he only recognized one of them and he was the bishop. His face was different from his usual gentle one as the only thing on his face was a respectful and stoic expression. One of the other men had a long face and grey eyes but his eyes were hollow as the darkness of the night.
The other man was the youngest amongst them. His eyes were like the stars in the dark night. And he had the most beautiful face Grag ever seen. However, what surprised him about the young man was the respect shown to him by the bishop and the other man.
"Your Holiness, as you have ordered the crystals have been placed in wine barrels and right now, they are being transported into the cellars." said the long-faced man.
"You should know that this is very important for our plans. Sacrifices must be made for the greater good. Our alchemists improved the recipe and the crystals will melt as soon as they touch the substance. Your very person will allow us to reach greater heights in Westeros." The youngest man looked at the long-faced man's eyes and then turned to the bishop, "Did you speak with your men about the arrangements?"
The bishop nodded his head, "Yes, Your Holiness. I spoke with every one of them but to make things certain I will add one more person to the plan."
"Do it discreetly and be sure that each of them is disposed of after the deed. This deed will be the biggest move in the game and it will ensure that we will be victorious." said the youngest man.
Grag was stunned at the words he was hearing. They were talking about killing people and the bishop was in this plan. Grag did not know what to do but he was sure that this was something he should be telling to the lord of the castle so he tried to move silently but his foot made a bit too much sound while he was moving.
Suddenly, the door of the room opened and a hand extended from inside. It grabbed Grag and pulled him inside.
"What do we have here?" said the youngest man.
The bishop frowned and said, "He is the one I was going to use in the plan."
"Looks like he is not a person that could be trusted. Look at him, found while listening to the doors." said the long-faced man.
"There is no need to trust." the youngest man smiled, "There are other methods to ensure his loyalty."
Grag tried to free his arm but the long-faced man was strong. Grag looked at the youngest man with fear in his eyes and his whole body shook when he saw his eyes.
…
Grag.
….
Put them into the wine barrels…
…
Grag.
…
Serve them to the lords…
…
Grag.
…
Use them to cleanse yourself…
…
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