A Game of Thrones 4-Book Bundle

clean garb, and find a maester to see to their hurts. They
are not to set foot inside the city, is that understood?” It would never do to
have the truth of conditions in King’s Landing reach Robb Stark in
Riverrun.
    â€œWell understood, my lord.”
    â€œOh, and one more thing. The alchemists will be sending a large supply of clay
pots to each of the city gates. You’re to use them to train the men who will
work your spitfires. Fill the pots with green paint and have them drill at
loading and firing.

Any man who spatters should be replaced. When they have mastered the paint
pots, substitute lamp oil and have them work at lighting the jars and firing
them while aflame. Once they learn to do that without burning themselves, they
may be ready for wildfire.”
    Ser Jacelyn scratched at his cheek with his iron hand. “Wise measures. Though
I have no love for that alchemist’s piss.”
    â€œNor I, but I use what I’m given.”
    Once back inside his litter, Tyrion Lannister drew the curtains and plumped a
cushion under his elbow. Cersei would be displeased to learn that he had
intercepted Stark’s letter, but his father had sent him here to rule, not to
please Cersei.
    It seemed to him that Robb Stark had given them a golden chance. Let the boy
wait at Riverrun dreaming of an easy peace. Tyrion would reply with terms of
his own, giving the King in the North just enough of what he wanted to keep him
hopeful. Let Ser Cleos wear out his bony Frey rump riding to and fro with
offers and counters. All the while, their cousin Ser Stafford would be training
and arming the new host he’d raised at Casterly Rock. Once he was ready, he and
Lord Tywin could smash the Tullys and Starks between them.
    Now if only Robert’s brothers would be so accommodating.
Glacial as
his progress was, still Renly Baratheon crept north and east with his huge
southron host, and scarcely a night passed that Tyrion did not dread being
awakened with the news that Lord Stannis was sailing his fleet up the
Blackwater Rush.
Well, it would seem I have a goodly stock of wildfire,
but still . . .
    The sound of some hubbub in the street intruded on his worries. Tyrion
peered out cautiously between the curtains. They were passing through Cobbler’s
Square, where a sizable crowd had gathered beneath the leather awnings to
listen to the rantings of a prophet. A robe of undyed wool belted with a hempen
rope marked him for one of the begging brothers.
    â€œCorruption!”
the man cried shrilly. “There is the warning! Behold
the Father’s scourge!” He pointed at the fuzzy red wound in the sky. From this
vantage, the distant castle on Aegon’s High Hill was directly behind him, with
the comet hanging forebodingly over its towers.
A clever choice of
stage,
Tyrion reflected. “We have become swollen, bloated, foul. Brother
couples with sister in the bed of kings, and the fruit of their incest capers
in his palace to the piping of a twisted little monkey demon. Highborn ladies
fornicate with fools and give birth to monsters! Even the High Septon has
forgotten the gods! He bathes in scented waters and grows fat on lark and
lamprey while his people starve! Pride comes before prayer, maggots rule our
castles, and gold is all . . . but
no more!
The
Rotten Summer is at an end, and the Whoremonger King is brought low! When the
boar did open him, a great stench rose to heaven and a thousand snakes slid
forth from his belly, hissing and biting!” He jabbed his bony finger back at
comet and castle. “There comes the Harbinger! Cleanse yourselves, the gods
cry out, lest ye be cleansed! Bathe in the wine of righteousness, or you shall
be bathed in fire!
Fire!
”
    â€œFire!”
other voices echoed, but the hoots of derision

almost drowned them out. Tyrion took solace from that. He gave the command to
continue, and the litter rocked like a ship on a rough sea as the Burned Men
cleared a path.
Twisted little monkey demon indeed.
The wretch did
have a point about the High Septon, to be sure. What was it that Moon Boy had
said of him the other day?
A pious man who worships the Seven so fervently
that he eats a meal for each of them whenever he sits to table.
The memory
of the fool’s jape made Tyrion smile.
    He was pleased to reach the Red Keep without further incident. As he climbed
the steps to his chambers, Tyrion