Supported by the new Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Criston Cole, Viserys made his way toward the cabin, one step at a time.
Yes, Ser Harrold Westerling had died after all, one year later in 112 AC, unable to escape the year in which the Stranger had called him away in the original story.
Yet fate had played a cruel joke-although both men set out on the Stranger's path in the same year, Grand Maester Runetell, who had already been gravely ill and bedridden a year earlier, had somehow outlived the seemingly hale and hearty Ser Harrold.
Maester Mellos succeeded Runetell as Grand Maester, while Cole, whose martial skills had grown ever sharper after he shut his heart to love, succeeded Ser Harrold as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.
The white cloak Harrold left vacant also passed to Willem Fell, just as Harrold had predicted during the joust at the tourney celebrating the fifth anniversary of Viserys and Alicent's marriage.
The position Willem vacated as a captain of the City Watch's Gold Cloaks was taken by Aegon's attendant, Alyn Celtigar. Although Willem's white cloak and Alyn's gold cloak meant they could no longer be called Aegon's retainers or attendants, Aegon had certainly gathered plenty of attendants over the past two years.
But we would come to that later.
The party traveling to Driftmark was truly illustrious. Of the seven Kingsguard, only Ser Lorent Marbrand and Ser Rickard Thorne had remained in King's Landing, leaving five to escort them-Lord Commander Criston Cole, Willem Fell, Steffon Darklyn, and the brothers Alek Cargyll and Erryk Cargyll.
The scene returned to Viserys, who was making his way toward the cabin with Cole's support. The king's back looked somewhat stooped beneath the blazing midday sun. The sea breeze had rumpled his rich black robes, embroidered