"You didn't see the look on that old man Jon Arryn's face when His Grace offered to pay for armor for your giant men," Jaime chuckled as he escorted Lynd out of the Red Keep. "Hah! It was priceless. A top-notch artist should capture that moment in a painting." He glanced at Lynd and added, "You really should have accepted His Grace's offer."
Lynd shook his head. "You, as a Kingsguard who's always by His Grace's side, should know better than anyone what the Iron Bank of the Iron Throne looks like. If I had actually accepted His Grace's proposal, Lord Arryn would have eaten my heart alive." He paused briefly before continuing, "Besides, I don't need the money right now. I still have enough funds to forge twenty-six suits of armor and weapons for the giants."
Jaime gave him a skeptical look. "Are you mad? Do you know how much it would cost to forge armor and weapons for giants? The taxes from your lands for ten years wouldn't be enough to cover it."
"I don't need steel to make it," Lynd explained. "I can use bronze instead. And I won't have to pay for it myself. I plan to station the Stone Giants at the Redemption Sept in Summerhall to guard it. I think the Faith will be more than happy to have twenty-six Giants in bronze armor, displaying the glory of the Seven."
Jaime stopped in his tracks, staring at Lynd with an expression of disbelief. For a moment, he was at a loss for words.
As they spoke, the two walked out of the Red Keep, and Lynd led the giants away from King's Landing to an open grassy area between the Gate of the Gods and the Old Gate. The servants King Robert had sent ahead had already set up a tent for him.
King Robert had asked Lynd to stay for half a month, and Lynd, not feeling comfortable refusing, had agreed. Robert had also asked Lord Eddard to stay, but Eddard declined, citing official duties. Lord Mace, on the other hand, had been eager to stay but was not invited. He departed with visible regret, urging Lynd to visit Highgarden as soon as possible.
The appearance of the giants naturally attracted the common folk of King's Landing. Those living in the slums outside the city gathered near Lynd's camp, though they did not dare approach too closely due to the Gold Cloaks standing guard.
However, Lynd did not enjoy being stared at like a spectacle, so he ordered Mag to build a wall around the camp to block the onlookers' view.
Upon receiving the order, Mag led the twenty-six Stone Giants into the nearby forest, where they easily uprooted trees, cut them into stakes, and hammered them into the ground like nails. In no time, a sturdy palisade encircled the camp, blocking the surrounding views. A gate was also constructed at the entrance, one that could only be pulled up and down by the giants.
Once the camp was secured, Lynd turned to Mag and asked, "How do you feel about the South?"
"South, hot. Don't like it," Mag grunted. The other Stone Giants, having stripped off their animal skins in an attempt to cool down, looked equally uncomfortable.
Lynd used the power of dragon runes to lower the temperature of the camp, and the giants quickly regained their composure.
Observing this, Lynd realized that if the Stone Giants were to stay in the South, special measures would be necessary—such as frozen dragon runes. The Ice Dragon Rune, though deadly to smallfolk, might be far more tolerable for giants, whose resilience was much greater than that of ordinary men. Rather than making simple necklaces, Lynd planned to forge bronze armor for them and inlay individual Ice Dragon Runes made of Valyrian steel into the armor. This would keep the bronze frozen at all times, helping the giants endure the heat.
As this thought crossed his mind, he also considered Varys. His gaze fell upon his damaged right gauntlet, and he recalled the armor of the Banished Knight, which had been in the works for two years.
Perhaps by coincidence, just as he thought of Varys, the spymaster arrived outside the camp. Varys seemed momentarily taken aback by the sudden appearance of the wooden palisade. When he saw the Stone Giants lifting the massive stone gate to open the entrance, his expression remained one of quiet amazement. Even upon seeing Lynd, his look of surprise did not fade.
"Lord Lynd, you're quite bold! You've built such a large camp just outside King's Landing," Varys said with a knowing smile.
"This camp helps me avoid a lot of trouble," Lynd replied simply, then asked, "Are you sure it's safe for you to visit me like this? Jon Arryn…"
Varys took out an invitation and presented it. "His Grace is hosting a banquet at the Hand of the King's residence and has invited you to attend. I was supposed to have a minor courtier deliver this, but I took it upon myself to bring it instead."
"A banquet at the Hand's residence?" Lynd was momentarily surprised. It seemed strange.
"His Grace originally wanted to hold a grand feast in the Great Hall of the Red Keep," Varys explained, "but the Hand stopped him. Lord Arryn only agreed to a banquet at his official residence, and only powerful courtiers have been invited."
Lynd set the invitation aside and changed the subject. "How is the armor coming along? It's been two years, and it's still not finished?"
"The latest word is that it's only partially completed," Varys admitted.
"This trip beyond the Wall has shown me that steel armor no longer provides the protection I need," Lynd said, glancing down at his damaged gauntlet.
"Are the White Walkers truly that powerful?" Varys asked.
"Far more powerful than you think," Lynd replied seriously.
Varys listened carefully, then nodded. "I will personally see that this matter is expedited."
Lynd nodded in return, then asked, "Do you have any Valyrian steel left?"
Varys looked taken aback and let out a short laugh. "My lord, do you think Valyrian steel is so easy to come by just because I have obtained some before? You should know that Lord Tywin has spent decades trying and has not secured even a single piece."
"Do you have any left?" Lynd repeated, his gaze steady.
Varys sighed in resignation. "A little, but not much. If you're planning to forge weapons, it won't be enough."
"I don't need weapons. I need twenty-six Valyrian steel pendants, each engraved with this rune," Lynd said, taking out a design of the frozen dragon rune and handing it to Varys.
"Twenty-six?" Varys looked startled, then glanced at the Stone Giants. "For the giants? Are you sure they can use them? It won't be like last time, will it?"
"It should work," Lynd said, though he wasn't entirely certain.
Varys didn't press further. He put the design away and promised to have them ready before Lynd left. Then, as if remembering something, he asked, "Are you interested in taking Tobho Mott as your personal craftsman?"
"Tobho Mott?" The name didn't register immediately, but then Lynd recalled—it was the blacksmith who had forged the greatsword of the Banished Knight. He nodded. "Of course I'm interested. My castle at Summerhall is in need of a master craftsman." He hesitated. "But will he be willing to leave with me? He owns a large estate in King's Landing."
"He has offended someone," Varys said vaguely, not specifying who. But from his expression, it was easy to guess that the blacksmith had crossed one of the Red Keep's powerful figures.
Varys didn't linger and soon left in a hurry.
Later, King Robert sent over several sets of formal clothing for the banquet. While it would have been inappropriate to attend in full armor, Lynd was granted special permission to wear his weapons.
That night, he went into the city alone, leaving Glory and the giants at the camp. He secured the Horn of Winter and the dragon egg to Glory's harness, ensuring they wouldn't be stolen while he was away.
His precautions paid off. During the banquet, Glory used their soul link to warn him that three groups had tried to sneak into the camp. Glory took care of one, while the Stone Giants crushed the other two.
Lynd did not pursue the matter. Upon returning, he simply ordered the giants to bury the bodies in a pit.
He had no need to investigate. The ragged clothes on the intruders made it clear—they were just desperate slum dwellers, hired as pawns to test the waters.
The next day, Lynd went to the Great Sept of Baelor to discuss the matter of The Wall with the High Septon. While there was a Sept at The Wall, it had been a long time since any Septons had been sent to manage its affairs.
On this occasion, Lynd acted in the name of the Chosen of the Seven Gods Beyond the Wall and had already converted many members of the Night's Watch into devoted followers of the Seven. He wanted the Faith of the Seven to strengthen their belief, as in times of crisis, faith could often accomplish more than money or weapons.
"Most of the Septons from the Great Sept have been assigned to the Redemption Sept, and the rest have their own duties. The remaining Septons are not yet qualified to oversee a Sept as important as The Wall. This should be left to the Starry Sept, which has more available Septons," said the High Septon, dressed in a silk cassock, a jeweled ring on his hand, his expression tinged with regret.
Lynd understood perfectly why the High Septon was avoiding the responsibility. He had clearly realized there was no profit to be made from The Wall, and the conditions were too harsh—sending someone there would be akin to exile. The Septons under his charge were individuals of special status and background, none of whom would be suitable.
Lynd only needed him to refuse, so he went along with it. "In that case, the Redemption Sept might as well send someone. After all, given the background of the Night's Watch, they are in need of redemption."
"Yes, yes!" The High Septon readily agreed. Most of the people from the Redemption Sept came from the underground monastery of the Great Sept of Baelor, so in his view, sending them was no different from sending people from his own faction.
Lynd then discussed with the High Septon the progress of construction at Miracle Harbor and Summerhall. Casually, he also mentioned his intention to appoint twenty-six giants as Septons of the Redemption Sept.
The High Septon immediately reacted. "Why the Redemption Sept? They should be Septons in the Great Sept of Baelor."
Having personally experienced the immense benefits brought by the wights, he could easily see the value of the giants. If they remained in the Great Sept as Septons, it might even be possible for him to become the most outstanding High Septon in the history of the Faith of the Seven—and be canonized as a result.
"It's not that I don't want the giants to stay in the Great Sept of Baelor," Lynd explained, "but King's Landing is too hot. The Stone Giants come from the North and cannot withstand the heat here. The Redemption Sept, however, is in the Red Mountains, where the climate is much cooler and more suitable for them." Then, with a more serious expression, he added, "Besides, this is King's Landing. If the Great Sept of Baelor allows twenty-six Stone Giants to serve as Septons, what will the Red Keep think?"
"Yes, yes! Indeed, they cannot remain in the Great Sept of Baelor." The High Septon nodded in agreement.
As if suddenly remembering something, Lynd asked, "Oh, right, High Septon—does the Church have any regulations on the Sept guards' equipment? After all, they represent the Church's image, and having giants patrolling around in animal skins is a bit… well…"
The High Septon had not reached his position by being naive. He immediately understood Lynd's intentions. Smiling, he pointed at him and said, "Lord Lynd, I suspect this is the real reason you came to see me today, isn't it?"
"Indeed," Lynd admitted without hesitation. "I want to equip all twenty-six giants with bronze armor, shields, and halberds, but I lack sufficient bronze and skilled smiths who know the craft. Since these giants serve as the guards of the Sept, the Citadel won't send anyone to help forge their armor and weapons. That leaves me with no choice but to see if the Church can assist."
"This is not a major issue. The Church can help with the forging of bronze armor and weapons, and it can even fund the endeavor," the High Septon offered generously, though he added a condition. "However, every year, you must send those giants to participate in the Father's Day parade in King's Landing."
"Of course," Lynd agreed without hesitation.
The High Septon was very satisfied with Lynd's attitude. Though forging bronze equipment for the giants was a considerable expense, if it could elevate his prestige within the Church, then the cost was well worth it. Spending money on this was certainly better than lending it to the king, only for it to be squandered on feasts and luxuries.
After leaving the Great Sept, Lynd visited the merchant houses that he and Nymeria had established in King's Landing. He checked on their operations and helped resolve their troubles—most of which stemmed from the city's gangs.
Later, he met separately with some of the business associates of the former financial officer, Mus. With them, he discussed plans to establish a merchant guild in Miracle Harbor.
Though Miracle Harbor had yet to be built, preparations needed to be made to ensure its smooth operation once construction was complete.