With that, Viserys turned and left. He had no desire to stay here playing along with this band of slippery old men. Everyone in the Council Chamber watched until his back disappeared through the doorway, then slowly breathed a sigh of relief.
Duke Clinton and Duke Arthur exchanged a glance and agreed to leave together, discussing the upcoming arrangements for the troops along the way.
Both men had been friends of Rhaegar, so they had already become quite close during their time in Valyria.
After Viserys left, Varys's perpetually smiling eyes began to gleam with thought.
He gently stroked his smooth chin, turning things over in his mind. Their young king kept his thoughts well concealed. The impulsiveness he had just displayed contradicted the "reason" he had always shown before, making him truly difficult to read.
Today, it seemed that Viserys had compromised and accepted his suggestion, but who could say this was not what Viserys had wanted all along?
Perhaps Viserys had only intended to use Cersei's punishment to test their individual reactions from the very beginning.
Just as Varys said his farewells to Alliser and Pycelle, who were still in the room, and prepared to leave, Earl Alliser hurried after him. The two then spoke in low voices about the details of Cersei's procession route and its security.
Grand Maester Pycelle was left alone at the rear. As he gazed at the empty Council Chamber, a barely perceptible trace of weariness and uncertainty flickered through his clouded eyes.
The old man had served several generations of kings and should long since have grown accustomed to changes in power. Yet his heart was filled with conflicting emotions, for every upheaval made him feel one step closer to the grave.
Pycelle sighed softly. He knew that, at his age, he