The White Dragon

A STORMS RISING

THE WHITE DRAGON CHAPTER 40 : A STORMS RISING

A FANFICTION ON HBO'S HOUSE OF THE DRAGON

HUGH HAMMER

Standing in the Sept, Hugh grimaces at the sight of the tall intimidating statues of the seven. Hugh had never prayed to the seven, not because he believed in the old gods of the North or the Drowned gods worshiped by the Ironborn but because he saw nothing but the fine craft of man. If the Seven were truly pious and not proud then why did the craftsmen fashion them as giants surrounded by gold who wanted blind allegiance by everyone following them?

However it was not his fear of being put in the Sept but Aegon. His son had not eaten for a full day and night after Jaehaerys death and had spent more time speaking with the Shepherd than with his council or even that of his wife and it was clear the fanatic was trying to place ideas in his head talking of the light of the gods and the purity of the seven. 

"There are many on my council who think that I acted with impunity when I hung the rat catchers." Aegon states and the old man nods gently and glances up at the statue of the father before speaking with his gravely yet firm voice "When I was a boy no older that fourteen my brother found my sister caught in the bed of Lucamore Strong and called for a duel. My brother fell to the knight's blade and it was revealed that Ser Lucamore was a kingsguard to King Jaehaerys. I brought the case forward to the king and he did not believe me, not until Lord Darry's bastard daughter Maria and Lord Musgood's great niece Janice were also brought forward with their children attached to their hip. Sixteen children sired between the three ladies yet none of them knew about the other but that was not important to me. What was important to me is that it took the idea of a Lord being scandalized to finally force the King to act."

"He had Ser Lucamore gelded and sent to the wall and the knight was forever known as Lucamore the Lusty, I am aware of the tale but what does it have to do with my apparent sins?" Aegon asks curtly and The Shepherd sighs "That is what was written but in truth Lucamore Strong never made it out of King's Landing. I followed him that night and confronted him. He tried to apologize but I would not hear it. I was angry at the death of my brother and the injustice the king had served and so I picked up a rock. He drew his blade and took my hand but I broke his skull in two. Ser Lucamore never made it to the wall and I have lived with the shame for many years now."

"Shame? He sullied your sister, killed your brother and almost got away with it. What you did sounds like Justice rather than a crime." Aegon responds with a hint of confusion in his voice and the Shepherd nods "What you did to the rat catchers was out of the love you bore for your son, just as my actions were for my brother but when I joined the faith and asked to confess my sins the Septon did not judge my actions only asked me what my brother would think of me and I have a feeling that your son and my brother would have thought of us in the same regard when it came to our sense of justice."

"But if I had been ruthless from the start then Jaehaerys would be alive now." Aegon mumbles and his lip begins to tremble and the Shepherd places his boney hand on Aegon's shoulder making Hugh grip the pommel of his blade "Your son would have been afraid of you." Aegon's eyes fill with tears and he sniffles "What would you have me do? I cannot restore their lives or their families happiness." The Shepherd smiles sympathetically making a chill run up Hugh's spine as he states "You can confess and atone for your sins. Ensure the families receive the proper burial rights and perhaps you might open your stores to feed the people your grace."

"And that will make them love me?" Aegon asks with a vulnerable look in his eyes and the Shepherd's eyes droop slightly as he coldly states "It will allow the gods to look upon you more favorably and there are none wiser nor more deserving of our loyalty than the seven." Aegon's eyes flitter between the seven statues and lets out a shallow breath before nodding and walks out from the Sept leaving the knight alone with the radical man who lights a candle and closes his eyes to say a silent prayer only to gasp as Hugh grips him by the throat and sneers "You are a funny man. Truly you are."