Carliene Stark

Chapter 72

Carliene

I found myself stopping on the marble plaza in front of the great sept, gazing up at the statue of Baelor. A sight of benevolence they say, to be it was only the face of another dead man. I swallowed a knot in my throat. This was were father had met his end. This is where they betrayed him. I looked around at the polished floor, as if I could find evidence even after such a long time. A smear of blood, a pool of tears? But no, the plaza was spotless.
I gathered my skirts and continued my way over to the entrance of the sept, a pair of Tarly guards trailing behind me. I had managed to sip out of the tower and the Red Keep relatively unnoticed, leaving even Brayla behind. Sure they would soon not my absence and there would be angry words once I returned, but I had to do this. I was very likely the last Stark left in this world and I needed to at least try and avenge my family. Starting wit ensuring Cercei Lannister got the worst possible sentence there was for her. 

The guards remained at the entrance, letting me enter the holy halls by myself. I was a bit overwhelmed by the size of the building. Sure it looked huge from the outside, but on the inside even more so, with the windows so tall and high up it seemed like they offered a direct passage to the scene heavens. The marble statues of the seven deities stood around in a circle, with a few silent worshipers at their feet. 

"Excuse me" I stopped a bald man in a black linen frock with a chain around his waits. I was a little taken aback when he locked at me and I noticed the seven-pointed star on his forehead. It wasn't painted on it looked like a scar, like it and been etched into his very own skin. 

Fanatics, I could hear Dorna's words again. 

I cleared my throat. "I am looking for the high septon, I believe I have an audience"

The man studied me for a moment before silently pointing into the sept, towards the altar of the father. 

As I decedent the steps within I noticed an old man with thinning hair and wrapped in dirty linen sitting by the altar and shaping old wax from the polished surface. 

"Excuse me" I stated again. "I am looking for the high septon"

The man sat up and tuned to me, his eyes falling on my stomach as he placed the spatula aside. His face was dirty, his hair unkept and he had no shoes. 

"You have found him" he stated in an almost hoarse voice giving me a tired yet friendly smile. 

I blinked in confusion, wondering if there had been some misunderstanding or if this was a joke. Then I realised that my staring was probably quite rude. "Forgive me I-"

"You are not the first to be confused by what you find" he stated in an understanding manner. "But we are all the same in the eyes of the gods" he gestured to the statues around.

I nodded slowly as he rose, realising that this was indeed very different from what I ad expected or from what I was used to. The faith of the seven had always been a faith of the rich for me, with pompous septs and well dressed septons that drank and ate of golden plates and goblets while preaching abstinence to the simpler folk.

"What can I do for you Lady Lannister" he demanded as he stood before me, peeling some wax from his bony fingers. 

I almost flinched at the name, but did not dare correct him. "It is what I can do for you" I corrected. "I want to be a witness at Cercei Lannister's trial" I decided to get straight to the point.  

He studied me a moment, I doubt it was what he had expected. He then bend down and picked up his bucket of wax and his spatula, moving over to the altar of the mother.