The fact that Janos Slynt became commander of the City Watch was actually the result of an accidental compromise among multiple factions.

The City Watch of King’s Landing serves as the administrative and enforcement force in the largest city of the Seven Kingdoms. It is an incredibly lucrative position. The royal lords, especially those with local influence in King’s Landing, all competed fiercely to gain control. How could they possibly allow a lowborn butcher’s son to become its commander?

During the 300-year history of the Targaryen dynasty, the City Watch traditionally maintained a structure where “half were appointed by the king, and the other half deployed by various noble houses.” The commander was usually a member of the royal family. The royal faction, being the king’s direct vassals, naturally aligned their interests with the Iron Throne. Although this arrangement appeared to undermine the king’s authority, it never posed a threat to the stability of the realm.

After Robert’s Rebellion, Robert Baratheon took the Iron Throne from House Targaryen, and the houses of the Crownlands became his vassals. Scarred by the war, these families had no thoughts of vengeance or restoration for the Targaryens. To consolidate his rule, ease the nerves of the former Targaryen loyalists, and save himself the trouble of major reform, Robert did not tamper with the “traditions” of the previous regime. Instead, he turned a blind eye to the City Watch’s existing structure.

The new king was “forthright and easygoing,” but the royal lords were full of guilt and “judged others by their own standards.” Instead of fighting overtly and covertly over the command of the Watch, as they had done for over two centuries—moves that might have unsettled Robert—they decided to perform a show of loyalty. Representatives were sent to Jon Arryn, declaring that the lords would not interfere with the appointment of the next Commander of the Watch, and that the candidate would not come from any noble house, but instead from the ranks of commoners born in King’s Landing—someone who would be directly loyal to the new king.

According to custom, the commander was chosen from the captains of the seven gate garrisons. Of the seven, only two were commoners, and one had died in battle when the Lannisters stormed the city. Thus, Janos Slynt, the sole surviving gate captain who fit the criteria, became the only viable candidate. Once in office, he quickly gained favor with his new master by doing the royal family’s dirty work and cleaning up their messes, thus beginning his rapid rise.

Janos Slynt often claimed he had “many friends at court,” but Tyrion’s simple description exposed his true nature perfectly: merely a dog of Robert’s. If not for the king’s favor, what noble would even glance at such a crude man born to a butcher’s family? Now that he had unknowingly offended a rising interest group, those “friends” who had once helped him climb to the top had, under Tyrion’s persuasion and increased “dividends,” turned into his gravediggers overnight. With their approval—and even cooperation—the entire city began to stir beneath the surface… and the garrison commander who had run rampant in King’s Landing for over a decade was finally standing at the eye of the storm, with his days numbered.

—

While the campaign to remove the City Watch commander surged forward, another struggle between the high lords was unfolding within the stone walls of the Red Keep. Both sides quietly began mobilizing their forces. The Starks’ cooks, stewards, and soldiers began to take control of the kitchens, storerooms, and major gates of the Red Keep. The Kingsguard, accompanied by a small group of Red Keep guards, were ordered to remain near the royal chambers to protect the king. Though Cersei was queen, she held no authority while Robert lived. She could only remain by her children’s side day and night, refusing to return to her own chambers, hoping her children could serve as both shield and talisman. At her request, the Lannister red cloaks stood guard over the princes and princesses…

…

…

Under the surface, unrest simmered throughout King’s Landing. Those with a keen sense could already smell the coming change. And as if guided by fate, the twin conflicts, one among the nobility and one among the common folk—both converged on the king’s “hound.”

…

“Robert, what sort of man is this commander of yours?” Eddard sighed in the Hand’s Tower and tossed a stack of documents onto the table in front of the king. “Take a look at what he’s done.”

“What, someone wants to get rid of him?” Robert was drinking less these days than he had in the past ten years. His face was no longer red, and he carried himself with a rare air of dignity. “Don’t worry, it must be that woman Cersei’s doing. She’s brought over a hundred red cloaks to her side. If she had nothing to hide, why would she need to do that? We’re outnumbered in the Red Keep, and her soldiers are well-trained. If the City Watch turns against us right now, we’ll be out of options.”

“Oh, Your Grace, you believe the queen orchestrated these reports? I disagree. I’ve gone through the contents—every report is signed with a real name. The complainants range from common folk and merchants in King’s Landing to nobles from the Crownlands. Even the Night’s Watch is involved. If the Lannisters could control all these people from afar, then I might as well pack up and return to Winterfell for good.” Eddard’s expression didn’t change as he continued, “And I can tell you plainly, after a full day of preliminary investigation, every one of these accusations is well-substantiated and doesn’t appear fabricated. One of the attempted assaults was even witnessed by Arya. Do you think my daughter would lie to me?”

“Assault? You always exaggerate… That fool Slynt might’ve flirted with girls on the street, taken some gifts from his men, maybe skimmed a bit off the top from merchants—oh, fine, let me see…” Robert snatched the documents, pulled them close, and began to read.

Though he claimed disbelief, Robert’s expression slowly darkened as he flipped through the letters Eddard had given him. The initial sneer on his fat face faded, replaced by unease. After reading five or six of them, his surprise and annoyance turned into anger. He stopped reading and slammed the stack down on the table. “This is outrageous. Is this King’s Landing mine or his? I’d say Slynt’s career has just come to an end!”

“Didn’t Your Grace say before, ‘I know him better than you do’?” Eddard folded his arms and looked at Robert, completely unfazed. “It seems your understanding of the people around you isn’t as thorough as you thought. Maybe Janos Slynt really was a fool sixteen years ago, but so many years have passed. People change, especially when they hold power and command troops in a city like this.”

“Alright, I admit it. Slynt’s problem is more serious than I thought. I was fooled by his honest face in front of me.” Robert’s fury subsided, replaced by suspicion. “But don’t you think the timing is too convenient? Why would all these reports surface just when I need the Watch the most?”

“Are you blaming me? Isn’t this supposed to be the responsibility of your brother, the Master of Laws? If he had done his duty sooner, people wouldn’t be coming to the new Hand to bypass him and report directly to me.” Eddard shot back without hesitation and sighed. “That said, I can guess why these complaints all ended up on my desk, Night’s Watch Industries. You remember granting its founder tax exemption not long ago, don’t you?”

“Yes… I remember. I was a little drunk when I agreed to that.” Robert looked annoyed. “But I already said it, and there’s no taking it back. What’s the harm in letting him keep a few coins?”

“You always act this way. But this time, I think your decision was sound. The Night’s Watch is in dire straits, and it’s good they’re trying to solve their own problems. The Iron Throne already fails to provide them proper support. Waiving a bit of tax isn’t too much to ask. But your commander is so greedy he tried to squeeze money from an industry you don’t even tax. That’s madness… The Night’s Watch isn’t under my jurisdiction, but when trouble comes, they still turn to me first. It breaks protocol, I admit, but the North has always been the first beneficiary of the Night’s Watch. I know many of them personally, including that boy, Aegor West. As long as he tells others I, Eddard Stark, am willing to get involved, every report that had nowhere to go before naturally found its way to me.”

Robert muttered gloomily, “That bastard Slynt. I’ll give him a good thrashing when I get back.”

“A good thrashing?” Eddard was genuinely surprised this time, his voice rising. “Didn’t you read the letter I just handed you? You actually want to keep the man who turned King’s Landing into a cesspit?”

Robert looked guilty and didn’t reply. “Even if we do deal with him, we should wait until we’ve handled Cersei and her brother first, right?”

“What gives you the confidence to say, ‘He’s rotten, but loyal to me’?” Eddard would not back down. “A man with no principles can’t be trusted with anything. Only by giving command of the Watch to someone loyal and reliable can we safely carry out the next phase of our plan.”

“You’re always fighting me! Do you believe that if I order the Watch to storm the Red Keep and arrest Cersei and Jaime now, there’d be no problems afterward? Then you can appoint whoever you like as commander—even Arya, if you wish. Why do you always have to oppose me?”

“You want to arrest Cersei now? Because of some rumor that she’s having an affair?” Eddard couldn’t believe Robert was abandoning their plan. “And because nothing’s happened yet? If Lord Tywin leads the most ruthless, elite sellswords and armies in Westeros against you, will you still call that ‘nothing happened’?”

“If he dares raise an army, I’ll destroy the Lannisters the way I destroyed the Targaryens!”

“Robert, you’re not a boy anymore. Stop talking nonsense!” Eddard finally lost his temper. “You just used your feudal rights in the Vale. For a whole year, your bannermen have no obligation to fight again! So how will you pay an army? Or are you just so desperate to divorce Cersei and marry that Tyrell girl who’s been parading around the Red Keep lately?”

“Watch your tongue. You’re speaking to your king!” Robert roared out of habit. “I told Margaery Tyrell to leave me alone and go find Robb. It was your son who begged me to arrange a marriage with the Freys!”

“Yes, yes, I didn’t raise my son properly. Let’s not talk about that. You are the king, and it’s your right to make the final decision. But I must remind Your Grace—rumors are still just rumors. Without proof, they’re meaningless!” The hair color of the prince and princess was certainly suspicious, but Eddard had always been cautious. Had he uncovered the truth himself, he would have believed it. But now, this “evidence” had been forced into his ears by Littlefinger through gossip. Driven by distrust, Eddard felt uneasy. “If Your Grace insists on acting, I won’t oppose it but allow me to resign first, and then you may carry out your ‘swift and decisive’ plan.”

“Fine, fine!” Robert slammed the table in frustration, but there was nothing he could do against someone immune to his wrath. “Go ahead and investigate this damned Slynt. But remember, the next commander of the Watch must be ours… ah, you damned northerner! You don’t know what it’s like, just thinking about the rumors out there makes me sick. How can I even imagine having another child with Cersei? If I die before you uncover the truth, it’ll be your fault. And I’ll come back from the grave to haunt you, remember that!”

(To be continued.)

***

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep