Game of Thrones: Second Son of House Targaryen

Chapter 347: I Will Crown You

"The Targaryens are not only the rightful rulers of the Seven Kingdoms but also the Wardens of the Seven Gods. The Starry Sept will follow Your Grace and fight against the godforsaken!"

"Glory of the Seven! Light of the Seven!"

The young man who had just petitioned Viserys exclaimed. Led by him, the nobles and commoners who had gathered to join the petition began chanting in unison:

"Glory of the Seven! Light of the Seven!"
"The light of the Seven! The light of the Seven!"
"The light of the Seven! The light of the Seven!"

Viserys watched the crowd, mildly amused. Some enthusiasm, at least. Whether it's the light of the Seven or simply the light of the Seven... it still feels a bit beneath the Seven's majesty.

But now, Regis had personally elevated the Targaryens to the same divine level as the Seven. Viserys knew it was time to return the favor.

"I believe that one of the Most Devout of King's Landing, Raynard, not only spends his days in brothels but also colludes with Robert. He is no longer a suitable candidate for High Septon. Only the loyal Phornas, faithful to both the Seven and the Targaryens, can serve as the rightful High Septon!"

Phornas blinked, stunned. 'When did I ever claim the church was loyal to the Targaryens?'

Before he could gather his thoughts, Quentin approached, holding a black wooden box. It was exquisitely crafted, its black lacquer exterior adorned with a red three-headed dragon emblem at the center.

Dany herself opened the box, revealing a crown made of dragonbone, gold, and precious stones. The main body was formed of dragonbone segments, connected by gold. Seven differently colored gems rested atop the dragonbone, each representing one of the Seven Gods. Surrounding them were intricate carvings of dragons.

Viserys intended to bind the elements of the Seven and the dragons forever.

Phornas stared at the crown, dazed. What is this? Is he going to crown me?

Even Aegon the Conqueror had to kneel before the High Septon for a coronation. That was how the Targaryens became the "Kings of the Andals." But now Viserys plans to crown the High Septon? This is madness!

Phornas stiffened, his mind racing. I could accept the title of Archbishop of the Faith of the Seven. I’d even welcome it. But the crown of the High Septon must be crafted by the faith, not by the king. Viserys’s act overrides the divine right of kings!

His body felt rigid, as if his joints had frozen. He gazed at the crown, unable to speak.

...

The others stood in shock, struggling to comprehend the scene before them. Could a human monarch truly seek to place himself above the Spokesman of the Gods?

Lord Leyton now recognized the full weight of Viserys's decisiveness. No one had expected him to crown the High Septon, especially not in this moment and place. But they were trapped—they could not openly rebel, for they had just proclaimed Viserys and Dany as the "Shining Seven" and accepted the Targaryens as the "Wardens of the Seven."

To refuse now would be to tear their own faces. And if they turned on Viserys, what would they do? Flee to Robert? Make a Lannister king?

They had already burned the statues of the Seven Gods.

Theobald, the representative of the Citadel, felt a growing sense of unease. Ever since Viserys's "Great Announcement" had been broadcast across the Seven Kingdoms, he had closely followed Tyrosh's movements. He was well aware of Viserys's policy of "recruiting the best and brightest." Some Maesters in the Citadel had been tempted, and some had even received Viserys's infamous 'examination questions.'

It almost seems too easy to secure a position in Tyrosh if they go there, Theobald mused. But Viserys's approach is undermining the very pride of the Maesters.

Although Maesters were forbidden to have families or engage in politics, their distance from the struggles of the realm had always granted them a sort of 'transcendent status.' Even Grand Maester Pycelle, who served as "Grand Maester" under King Aerys, managed to keep his position even after the Targaryens were overthrown.

But if the Citadel were to align itself with the Targaryens through an examination system, that special status would vanish.

The Maesters would no longer be content to simply study; they would aspire to power. Naturally, this would threaten the authority of the Archmaesters as well. Perhaps I should support Phornas, Theobald pondered. If I don't, Viserys might break us apart, one by one.

As he considered his options, Quentin, standing behind Viserys, suddenly drew his sword and shouted to the crowd, "Dorne will support Septon Phornas as the High Septon of the Seven Gods! Sunspear will be ready to welcome High Septon Phornas at any time!"

Quentin, who had been hesitant earlier, now made his stance clear. Dany smiled slightly, noting his boldness. Dorne’s faith in the Seven isn't particularly strong, she reflected. Even House Martell’s tradition of “equality between men and women” is somewhat rebellious.

But for Phornas, increasing the influence of the Faith of the Seven in Dorne would be a great victory. Even the Gods themselves couldn’t fault him for this.

...

Suddenly, the seven dragons let out a series of roars, turning heads throughout the crowd. Phornas, catching sight of the commotion from the corner of his eye, realized that the crowd had grown significantly. The initial thousand had swelled, as everyone from Oldtown and the nearby villages with legs long enough to carry them had come to see the dragons.

They hadn’t expected an additional spectacle: An Emperor crowning a High Septon.

Phornas’s stomach twisted. There’s no way out now. If the event had been held somewhere more discreet, he might have delayed things, citing other duties. But with so many onlookers, refusing Viserys’s coronation would mean a public rift with both the Faith of the Seven and the royal court. Even if it isn’t a complete break, it will be disastrous.

He knew that Viserys had already allowed the Faith of the Red God in the Free Cities. If he opposed the king now, not only would he be punished, but the Faith of the Seven might face similar consequences.

With a heavy heart, Phornas summoned all his strength to bend one knee and kneel, accepting the crown. Viserys, observing Phornas’s thinning hair, idly noted that all the lords and nobles who lived by the sea seemed to suffer from baldness—likely from their seafood-heavy diets. But Phornas's balding head was not the focus. The crown, delicately crafted, had to be placed on his head.

As soon as the crown touched Phornas’s scalp, the seven dragons soared into the sky, forming a circle above the crowd. From that moment on, the dragon circle became an indispensable part of the coronation ceremony, symbolizing that imperial power reigned above, while divine power remained below.

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