"How about having the two ministers return to their residences and remain behind closed doors, then sending guards to watch over them outside? That shouldn't count as disobeying the secret decree, right?"
Renly consoled Hannah.
"Besides, my brother has already reached the Riverlands. Sending a letter won't take many days."
He smiled. "I wonder, does saying this make me one of those so-called 'objectors and petitioners'?"
"I agree." The Steward of the Red Keep cut in. "Ordinarily, His Majesty's decree should be delivered by me. This time is unusual, so we should be more careful."
Renly was surprised. The fairly influential Steward of the Red Keep had actually stated his position so directly.
But that was no longer important.
He knew his elder brother's temperament. If The Gallant Robert learned of this, he would probably have rushed back with his hammer long ago and smashed the two traitors into mincemeat.
So this was not a secret decree at all. It was a coup launched by the Lannisters!
In this whirlpool, what could the Steward's verbal support amount to? Renly had no interest in such trivial details.
He only felt deeply uneasy.
Was this coup targeting only Varys and Petyr? Or did the Lannisters intend to break with everyone completely?
How foolish and arrogant!
Was this Lord Tywin's decision? Had he left Casterly Rock? How many troops had he brought?
Renly could only prepare for the worst.
If fighting really broke out, facing more than a hundred and fifty Lion Guards and three hundred Gold Cloaks, Renly's own twenty-odd soldiers from Storm's End clearly would not be enough to protect themselves.
Therefore, he had to win over the support of the Royal Guards, as well as the courtiers and attendants present.
Two hundred Royal Guards would be enough to turn the