Chapter 301: Kingsguard

Aegon’s hand hovered before that massive skull, his fingertips nearly touching the cold, smooth, bony surface.

After a moment of hesitation, his hand finally descended, his palm resting upon the hideous skull.

It felt cold to the touch.

He gazed into Balerion’s empty eye sockets, and through the silence of the centuries, he could almost see Aegon the Conqueror riding it, trampling the banners of the Seven Kingdoms one by one beneath its dragon claws.

The Targaryens rose because of dragons and stand because of them.

Yet, with the passing of the dragons, royal power withered as well.

The lords of the various realms ceased to obey, ambition festered, until the War of the Usurper broke out, the dragon dynasty was completely overthrown, and House Baratheon took its place.

Aegon slowly withdrew his hand and turned to face the flickering candlelight in the dim space.

“The tide of magic has returned,” he said, his voice echoing in the underground chamber. “Dragons have returned to the world. And so, the Targaryens should also return to the high position they were meant to occupy.”

He looked at the guards behind him. “Gather men, and have this skull, along with all the other dragon bones in this underground area—the complete skulls, the shattered vertebrae, the wing bones—all cleared out and transported to the Cathedral of the Dragon God.”

“Dragons are the symbol of the Targaryens, the embodiment of Targaryen majesty. They should not be forgotten in this sunless underground, keeping company with dust and rats.”

Upon hearing this, the guards looked at one another, their expressions troubled.

A moment later, an older guard stepped forward as a representative, bracing himself as he bowed and said:

“Your Grace, this… is likely difficult to manage.”

“Hmm?”

“This skull is simply too large; it is impossible to transport it out through the existing gateways.”

He pondered for a moment, then said slowly, “Perhaps… the original gateway used for transport was sealed off during later renovations.”

Aegon scanned the vast underground space.

Aside from the thick stone pillars supporting the dome, the surroundings were all heavy stone walls; indeed, there were no doorways or ramps visible that would allow the dragon skull to pass through.

“Then find craftsmen,” he said. “Survey the walls of this underground space carefully and search for traces of the large passageways that may have existed in the past.”

Since they were sealed, there would always be traces of the filling or renovations.

Follow those traces and reopen a gateway large enough to transport the dragon bones out.”

He paused, his gaze deepening. “Additionally, take advantage of this survey and construction work to thoroughly investigate all the unnecessary secret passages within the Red Keep.”

“Those that can be sealed, seal them as well.”

He did not state it explicitly, but the guards who had followed him for a long time understood.

For Aegon, the network of secret passages within the Red Keep, built by Maegor I, was no longer a safeguard but a hazard.

“Yes, Your Grace!” The old guard’s expression tightened, and he accepted the order solemnly.

Aegon did not linger, turning to walk back to the surface along the spiral staircase.

The sunlight dispelled the chill of the underground, but it could not fully dispel the thoughts in his mind.

Simply sealing the secret passages could not completely eliminate his security concerns.

He possessed a power unmatched in the world: Ghidorah.

But he could not remain on dragonback forever.

When man and dragon were separated, when he was in the court, in his study, or in his bedchamber attending to state affairs, he likewise needed to guard against a fatal strike from the shadows.

His own martial arts were top-tier across Westeros and even Essos, and through his connection to the Faith of the Ancient Dragons, he could borrow a portion of Ghidorah’s power when necessary.

But he could not handle everything himself or remain on guard at every moment.

He needed trustworthy people to form a solid barrier.

He thought of the Faceless Men, those untraceable and elusive assassins.

Kingsguard.

This thought surfaced in his mind once again.

He walked to the window; from here, he could see that low, circular tower within the walls of the Red Keep… the White Sword Tower.

That was the residence of the white knight.

The system of the Kingsguard itself, as a system for the King’s personal protection, was meticulous and effective.

Seven knights who swore lifelong allegiance, renounced their lands and families, and lived only to protect the King, should theoretically be the most reliable barrier.

The problem lay not in the system, but in the people.

There was the “Kingslayer” like Jaime Lannister, the “good old man” like Barristan Selmy who was loyal but served two opposing monarchs in succession, and even worse, good-for-nothings like Meryn Trant.

The Kingsguard system needed to be restored, but it must never repeat the mistakes of the past.

He needed a brand-new force of guards, one absolutely loyal to him personally, rather than to any tradition or oath.

This matter, he needed to discuss thoroughly with Jon Connington.

A flurry of hurried footsteps interrupted his contemplation.

An attendant walked over quickly, looking somewhat flustered, and knelt on one knee.

“Your Grace! There is… some unrest in King’s Landing.”

Aegon frowned slightly. “What is it?”

“It concerns the matter at the Cathedral of the Dragon God this morning. Your actions outside the cathedral have spread throughout the city.”

“Many devout followers of the Seven, upon hearing the news, became fearful and began packing their belongings to leave King’s Landing. At first, it was only a trickle of people, which did not attract attention.”

“But as the day passed, more and more people began to leave, and it seems someone is organizing and inciting them. Now, several city gates leading to the south, such as the Lion Gate and the King’s Gate, are severely congested. The crowds are pushing each other, and small-scale conflicts have even broken out; order is somewhat spiraling out of control.”

Aegon showed no expression.

He climbed to a nearby higher platform, from where he could overlook most of King’s Landing.

To the south, in the area near the Lion Gate and the King’s Gate, a vast, dark mass of people had gathered, like a swarm of frightened ants, slowly and chaotically surging toward the city gates.

A guard stepped forward. “Your Grace, should we order the city gates closed to prevent them from leaving? To keep the situation from escalating, or to prevent anyone from taking the opportunity to incite a larger disturbance?”

Aegon watched the crowds surging toward the gates like a tide, remained silent for a moment, and then shook his head slowly.

“No need. These people’s faith in the Seven is deeply rooted; even if we force them to stay, their hearts will be unsettled, which is harmful and of no benefit to the implementation of the new order.”

“If they want to leave, let them leave. King’s Landing will not miss this small number of people, and the spread of the new faith will face less resistance.”

He turned to the guard. “Pass on my order: the city gate guards are not to stop any commoners who wish to leave voluntarily. However, troops must be mobilized immediately to the Lion Gate, the King’s Gate, and other congested areas to direct the flow of people and maintain order.”

“Tell them that those who leave in an orderly fashion will not be pursued. But if anyone dares to take advantage of the chaos to loot, fight, or spread rumors to create panic… execute them without mercy.”

“Yes!” The guard acknowledged the order and turned to leave quickly.

Aegon turned his gaze back to the city, which appeared both magnificent and chaotic under the autumn sun.