It was just after dawn.
The square before the Red Keep's Throne Room was already packed with guards.
One or two hundred wore armor or cloaks bearing the Crowned Stag. More than a hundred others wore dark red armor in the Lannister style.
Varys and Petyr exchanged a glance. They both knew the time had come.
Clank, clank, clank...
Two long files of Gold Cloaks marched past them toward the Throne Room, their armor in perfect order.
They were the City Watch detachment stationed at the Red Keep, some three hundred men strong. Ordinarily, no more than a third attended a Small Council Meeting. Today, every last one had turned out.
At their head was Janos Slynt, Commander of the King's Landing City Watch.
The lowborn commander was short and stout, with an appetite for gain even bigger than his barrel-shaped belly. But he knew how to be loyal to the king.
"Haha! Lord Petyr, Lord Varys, rest easy. My boys can keep everyone safe. When His Majesty the King returns, he'll find the Red Keep just as he left it!" the commander promised, thumping his chest.
Littlefinger chuckled. "Shall we go in together, Lord Varys?"
Varys sighed. "I can't imagine what could be so important that it must be announced now. I was up terribly late last night keeping His Majesty's Red Keep running as usual."
"Who knows?" Littlefinger agreed.
Neither of them understood it.
Investigating the ministers, bribing or assassinating the Gold Cloaks in the city, then calling a Small Council Meeting at nearly the same time to spring their accusation—the forces in the Red Keep and the city could suppress any resistance afterward. The plan looked perfectly workable. At the very least, it would be enough to seize the two of them.
But what made their enemies