The "king" returned to King's Landing

(Thanks to RBai Ruide for the two monthly tickets.)

(Thanks to Feng Chui Cao Di for the monthly ticket.)

Early morning.

The king's vast procession returned to the gates of King's Landing.

The corpulent Robert rode at the very front. Looking at the deserted surroundings, with only a squad of Gold Cloaks guarding the Gate of the Gods, he made no attempt to hide his displeasure.

"Hey, Gold Cloaks!"

Only upon hearing Robert's angry shout did the Gold Cloak leading them seem to react, hurrying forward.

"Oh, Your Grace, forgive me for failing to see you."

Jero stood gingerly before the king, keeping his head as low as possible in a sham show of respect. In truth, he was hiding the contemptuous amusement in his eyes.

Having learned that Robert's party would soon reach King's Landing, Arthas had asked his captains for their opinions during that morning's change of shift.

The others had all found every excuse to decline, but Jero, never afraid of making a spectacle bigger, had volunteered for the task.

"Where is your commander?"

Robert's voice boomed. Returning to King's Landing with Eddard at his side seemed to have given him more confidence.

And it was one thing for Arthas not to come, but neither Renly nor Barristan was anywhere to be seen. That infuriated him even more.

Still, the sight of Jero seemingly trembling with fear eased the displeasure in Robert's eyes a little.

He had been away from King's Landing for so long, but it seemed these lowly fellows had not entirely forgotten their king.

"Lord Arthas... he has important business."

Before coming, Jero had thoughtfully left off his Lannister sigil and donned a heavy helmet that completely covered his distinctive long golden hair, lest his identity provoke the sensitive king.

Just as Robert was about to unleash a torrent of abuse, Eddard Stark stepped forward beside him.

His manner was much gentler than the hot-tempered Robert's, but his expression remained stern, as though everyone owed him hundreds of thousands of Gold Dragons.

"What could possibly be more important than welcoming the king?"

Eddard had always valued propriety, and he had heard Robert speak ill of Arthas plenty of times along the road.

Now, seeing no procession to welcome the king at the Gate of the Gods, he was even more displeased with this Lannister commander who cared so little for etiquette.

But he had no wish to make things difficult for a lowly guard, so he questioned him in a voice only the few of them could hear.

Looking at the stern-faced Eddard, with a silver-white direwolf on his chest, Jero immediately realized who he was.

He hurriedly put on a frightened look, though amusement flashed through his eyes:

"My esteemed Lord Stark, today marks the official opening of Flea Bottom's sewage system. Lord Arthas is there conducting a final inspection."

"If you wish to see Lord Arthas, please lower yourselves to visit Flea Bottom and find him."

"A sewage system?"

"An inspection?"

"Flea Bottom?"

Robert and Eddard exchanged a glance, each seeing confusion in the other's eyes.

But with things as they were, Robert could only force down his anger for now and turn to Jaime beside him:

"Take the queen, Joffrey, and the others back to the Red Keep first. I'm going to Flea Bottom to see just what the hell this brother of yours is up to!"

At the king's command, Jaime immediately wheeled his horse and rode back, though his gaze flicked toward the seemingly frightened Jero.

Even with most of his face concealed, Jaime had recognized this distant Lannister cousin at a glance.

But Jaime had no intention of exposing his disguise. He was simply just as curious about what Arthas intended to do.

Reaching Cersei's carriage, he leaned down and whispered a few words to her, then immediately returned to Robert's side:

"Your Grace, the queen says she has been rather bored during the journey and wishes to accompany you. It would be a chance to take her mind off things, too."

"Hmph..."

Robert gave a contemptuous snort but said nothing more. He merely squeezed his horse's flanks and took the lead toward Flea Bottom.

Led by the king, the vast procession began moving forward once again.

But the moment they entered King's Landing, everyone was stunned by the sight before them.

Clean streets, orderly stalls, and, at regular intervals, Gold Cloak guards standing perfectly straight.

"Hsss..."

He drew a deep breath, and the fresh scent of earth greeted him. Even Robert, seething with anger, instantly felt his mood ease, though anyone could see the shock in his eyes.

"Is this still my King's Landing?"

He gazed in bewilderment at the land he had ruled for more than a decade. He had never expected that, after he had been gone for barely a month, she would transform from a filth-covered whore into a noble queen.

"Arthas, you bastard, what exactly have you done to my King's Landing?"

"My lords, please follow me."

A medium-built man dressed as a craftsman, his hair slightly graying, led the way, explaining in detail to Arthas and the others the work he had poured his heart into over the past days.

"We built a total of seven broad conduits here in a web-like arrangement, more than sufficient for people's everyday needs."

"The largest main conduit leads straight to the sea, allowing household wastewater to drain directly into it."

"The other branch conduits lead to collection points outside King's Landing, where designated workers handle it all."

Watching Crawford speak with such assurance, Arthas thought to himself that he had indeed chosen the right man.

He had specially invited this professional designer from the Westerlands. Generations of the man's family had designed Casterly Rock's sewage system, which had never suffered a single mishap to this day.

And since Casterly Rock and King's Landing were both coastal cities, he could hardly have been better suited to designing a sewage system for the capital.

"This is truly astonishing, Arthas."

Looking at the broad main sewer, Renly could not help praising it aloud. The interior was so spacious that one could even tour it in a small boat.

It was precisely because he disliked King's Landing's stench that he, the Master of Laws, had chosen to remain in his own domain of Storm's End.

Had Robert not left King's Landing, leaving it urgently in need of someone to oversee matters, he would never have wanted to come to this foul-smelling place.

Renly had witnessed all the changes in King's Landing over these past days, and he felt increasingly thankful that he had not stopped Arthas's King's Landing Purge.

"Indeed, Lord Arthas."

Barristan, who was about Crawford's age, also remarked with heartfelt admiration:

"The skill of the craftsmen you invited is truly admirable."

From Jaehaerys II to the Mad King Aerys, and then Robert, he had lived in King's Landing for decades as a member of the Kingsguard.

The moment one stepped outside the Red Keep, an unbearable stench assailed the nose.

The slums of Flea Bottom and the shantytowns outside the walls were filled with all sorts of people, and bodies were carried out every day.

Yet not one of the monarchs he had served had ever thought of improving the lives of the people under his rule. All day long, they cared only about their own eating, drinking, and pleasures.

Now, at last, someone had emerged who could truly improve King's Landing-and he was a boy of only fourteen.

Perhaps he would make a better king than Robert.

Looking at Arthas standing beneath the broad curve of an archway, Barristan actually found such a thought rising in his mind.

Immediately coming to his senses, he hurriedly shook his head and cast that treasonous thought from his mind.

Listening to their praise, Arthas gave a warm, heartfelt smile.

Though King's Landing belonged to Robert, from the day he became Commander of the City Watch, he had already regarded the city as his own domain.

In the prince of Lordaeron's view, doing something practical for the people under one's rule was a duty every monarch ought to fulfill.

Rather than behaving like these fellows who took turns sitting on the Iron Throne, treating the common people as lambs they could exploit and oppress at will.

The three followed closely behind Crawford, walking along a conduit as broad as a corridor in the Great Sept of Baelor, with companionable laughter ringing out from time to time.

As for Varys, another member of the Small Council...

Sorry, but he had received no invitation from Arthas.

The Lich King maintained that he had been too busy these past days. He had been so occupied with cleaning up King's Landing that he had yet to find time to deal with this Master of Whisperers who was so skilled at carrying tales.

Thinking of the bodies collected a few days earlier, a trace of amusement flashed through Arthas's golden eyes. He believed the Spider would certainly be pleased with the "gift" he had prepared for him.

"Lord Arthas!"

Just as they were about to finish the entire route, the dutiful Lancel hurried over, his chest heaving:

"The king... the king is waiting for you with his procession at the entrance to the passage!"

"What?"

"The king has returned?"

Hearing Lancel's report, Renly and Barristan exchanged startled glances, then looked at Arthas.

They had received no word whatsoever!

Renly was one thing. He was the Master of Laws, the lord of Storm's End, and even Robert's brother. Even if he failed to greet him at the gates, Robert would, at most, curse at him a little.

But Barristan was different. As Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, not even knowing that the king had already reached King's Landing was a grave dereliction of duty!

Facing their startled, uncertain gazes, Arthas merely smiled calmly and offered no explanation.

Yes, he had done it deliberately.

As Commander of the Gold Cloaks, with every squad captain a Lannister knight who had already sworn allegiance to him, not even a fly could enter King's Landing without his consent.

He had deliberately kept the news of Robert's return from the two men to sow discord between them.

After all, unless Robert first drove Barristan from his side, how could Arthas make his move and turn him into a Death Knight?

Arthas coveted this battle-hardened old knight.

Whether for his superb swordsmanship, horsemanship, or ability to command, Arthas had long since earmarked him as Commander of the Death Knight Army.

"Ha ha ha!"

Laughing heartily and ignoring their gazes, Arthas swept his robes aside and led the way out, as though he were the one in charge here.

Striding boldly forward, he even thoughtfully reminded the two men still standing where they were:

"What are you standing around for?"

"Hurry up and welcome our 'king' back to King's Landing!"