The power of the people

"Oh, my dear Your Grace, welcome back."

The king's party stood in orderly ranks along the streets of Flea Bottom. Arthas emerged with Renly and Barristan, spreading his arms in an exceptionally enthusiastic greeting.

"And, of course, the esteemed Lord of Winterfell, our new Hand of the King, Lord Eddard Stark."

While greeting Robert, he did not forget to politely greet Eddard beside him, whose deeply furrowed brow seemed as though it would never relax:

"Welcome! The people of King's Landing have been eagerly awaiting your arrival!"

His pleasantries were so impeccably delivered that even someone of Eddard's disposition could find no fault with them, and his brow visibly relaxed.

"Please forgive me, Your Grace."

Before Robert could speak, Barristan, clad in white armor, walked straight up to him and knelt on one knee:

"I received no word of your return to King's Landing, so I did not go to the gates to welcome you."

"Dispense with the formalities, my loyal old friend."

Robert had no intention of pursuing Barristan's apology.

The old knight's loyalty and integrity were known to all. Robert was no fool; even an idiot could have figured out that someone must have intercepted the message.

However, after Barristan rose and came to his side, Robert shot a disappointed glare at Renly, who still stood behind Arthas.

It was bad enough that the fellow had not even greeted him upon his arrival, but worse still, he showed no intention of moving, as though he had already become Arthas's lackey.

He had utterly failed Robert's expectations in appointing him acting Hand of the King to keep Arthas firmly in check.

Faced with his royal elder brother's glare, Renly let his gaze wander from side to side, refusing to meet his eyes, utterly shameless.

"Commander Arthas."

With an angry snort, Robert decided to deal with the immediate trouble first.

"Why did you sentence the Faith's former High Septon to death on your own authority, without notifying the Small Council?"

Seizing upon a pretext, the king, a consummate actor, began his performance once again.

In truth, he had been very pleased with the changes he had seen in King's Landing along the way. After all, its stench and public disorder had been notorious throughout the Seven Kingdoms for years.

To transform King's Landing into its current state in just one month under such terrible conditions-Arthas's abilities had indeed left him very satisfied.

But ability was one thing; whether he could be put to use was another.

These earthshaking changes had nothing whatsoever to do with him, the king. He had not even gained a good reputation from them.

All along the way, he had heard only Arthas's name from the people of King's Landing. Some even spread rumors that he was the Seven reborn. This was far too dangerous!

"Oh, my dear Your Grace."

Faced with Robert's questioning, Arthas calmly stepped aside, fully exposing Renly behind him.

"I reported this matter to Lord Renly before taking action, and he personally agreed to the Fat Bishop's trial."

"Moreover, the man resisted arrest with violence first, so my men sentenced him to death on the spot before the Seven."

"Isn't that right, Lord Renly?"

As Arthas spoke, he gave Renly a discreet wink.

The stag family's Master of Laws had already been talked into obeying his every word. He could hardly have made a better shield.

"That's right!"

Seeing that Arthas trusted him so much, the hot-blooded Renly stepped forward, standing ramrod straight as though he had done something exceedingly glorious:

"The former High Septon took bribes and perverted justice, committing acts that defiled the Seven in a place as sacred as the Great Sept. He more than deserved to die!"

"Commander Arthas had my permission in this matter."

Renly's expression was solemn, and his words were full of righteous conviction.

Seeing how quickly his younger brother had defected, Robert first shook his head helplessly, then restrained his anger as he demanded:

"So my former commander, Janos, was arrested on your instructions as well?"

"That's right!"

One more debt made little difference. Although Robert's eyes nearly spat fire as he looked at him, Renly still steeled himself and answered loudly:

"Janos, the former commander of the Gold Cloaks, extorted the people and fleeced the guards, bringing disgrace upon the City Watch."

"Under my instructions, Commander Arthas swiftly assembled his men and struck decisively, catching this cancer upon King's Landing with the evidence of his crimes."

"He himself freely confessed to the crimes and has now been imprisoned in the dungeons, ready to be sent north to guard the Wall at any time!"

Renly held firm, thinking that at worst, he would take a scolding and run back to Storm's End, never to return to King's Landing.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Robert trembled all over with rage at the fellow, the fat on his face quivering, his skin flushed crimson.

"Lord Eddard Stark, my Hand of the King!"

Only then did he finally remember the ally he had brought back from the North, and he asked loudly before everyone:

"Tell me, were Commander Arthas's actions in accordance with the laws of the realm?"

"Your Grace, since he had the Master of Laws' permission, I believe Commander Arthas did not overstep his authority in any way."

Eddard Stark's familiarity with the laws of the realm was no less than that of any maester in the Seven Kingdoms.

Moreover, his fairness and strict impartiality were known to all, leaving no one with the slightest doubt about his words.

But just as Robert's brow began to furrow almost as deeply as his, Eddard seemed to remember something and said gravely:

"If there was anything improper, it would be a flaw in the trial proceedings."

"Under the laws of the realm, a trial must involve a jury of seven, and Commander Arthas seems not to have considered this."

Eddard's words instantly stirred Robert's excitement. Having finally caught Arthas in an error, he pointed at him, refusing to let the advantage go:

"Did you hear that, Arthas? Your trial procedures did not follow the proper process!"

"In other words, your trials of both the High Septon and Janos were unlawful!"

Eager to strip Arthas of his authority, Robert gave him no chance to speak and proclaimed loudly before everyone:

"I, Robert Baratheon, King of the Andals and the First Men, Protector of the Realm!"

"Hereby declare Arthas Lannister dismissed from his post as Commander of the City Watch and sent back to the Westerlands!"

At these words, the entire street erupted.

The poor who had originally come to watch the inauguration ceremony for the Sewage System began talking among themselves upon hearing the decision to dismiss Arthas.

As time passed, quiet discussion gradually became loud protest, and countless obscenities were hurled at the king.

Arthas merely stood calmly where he was, as though the man just dismissed had not been him.

Standing tall before Robert, he fixed his golden eyes upon the fellow who called himself Protector of the Realm:

"Do you hear it, Your Grace?"

Tilting his head back and closing his eyes, Arthas seemed to listen intently. His voice was quiet, yet seemed filled with strength:

"This is the voice of the people!"

"Your decision has already gone against the will of the people!"

His face livid as he listened to the curses around him, Robert felt, for the first time in his life, that his throne was truly threatened.

Reaching to one side, he drew Eddard's sword and shouted:

"Gold Cloaks, drive all these ignorant wretches back to their homes!"

For a moment, sword in hand, Robert felt as though he had returned to his old, invincible, valiant self.

He had expected the Gold Cloaks to act immediately at a rallying cry from their king, but they merely looked at one another, not one of them moving a step.

"Will you damned bastards refuse even the king's orders?"

Robert flew into a fury. The Gold Cloaks' indifference made him, their king, look like a prancing fool.

But before he could vent his anger, an egg flew from somewhere and struck him squarely in his fat face.

Then countless eggs and small stones rained down upon the king's party, throwing the entire procession into chaos.

Barristan immediately pulled Robert from his horse and dutifully shielded him beneath his body. The eggs and stones striking his armor did him no harm at all.

Eddard, meanwhile, snatched the sword from Robert's hand and swung it continuously. Though nearly forty, his swordsmanship remained superb, and he knocked aside every projectile flying toward him.

"Enough, Arthas Lannister!"

As he swung the sword, Eddard shouted at Arthas:

"Have the Gold Cloaks disperse them at once! Do you want to be charged with organizing a rebellion?"

Seeing that the situation was about to spiral out of control, a trace of amused laughter flashed in Arthas's eyes. Then he signaled Lancel, who stood guard beside the street.

Upon receiving the signal, Lancel immediately led the Gold Cloaks in swiftly forming a human wall, forcibly pushing back the crowd that was about to break through the cordon around the party.

"Do you see, Your Grace?"

Arthas bowed slightly with elegance, spreading his hands as though embracing the sky:

"This is the power of the people!"

"Arthas, don't you dare threaten me with these commoners!"

Robert forcefully wiped the egg off his face and roared in anger. Since ascending the Iron Throne, he had never been so humiliated.

"I will never rescind the decision I just made. You are no longer Commander of the Gold Cloaks."

"Get back to your Westerlands!"

Shaking his head indifferently, Arthas turned and walked away with easy grace, as though he felt not the slightest attachment.

"Three days..."

Under Robert's wary gaze, Arthas walked slowly toward the crowd, but his assured voice rang clearly in his ears:

"I will remain in King's Landing for only three days."

"If, after three days, you still haven't come to see me in person, my dear Your Grace."

"I cannot guarantee what will happen then!"