As far back as Gendry could remember, it had always been summer. King's Landing seemed to be cloaked in a perpetual green, teeming with life. The climate of Westeros was notoriously unpredictable, with seasons that could last for years.
Long summers brought prosperity, while long winters brought suffering. This summer had begun in the year 289 of the Conquest and showed no signs of ending.
People said it was because King Robert was a favored son of the gods, blessed by the Seven. But there were whispers of concern, for summer and winter were two sides of the same coin.
If the long summer lasted a decade or more, the winter that followed would be the longest and most brutal in memory.
Yet these wise words fell on deaf ears. The people of King's Landing lived loud, boisterous, and decadent lives. The long summer was perfect for indulgence, and that was exactly what they did.
"Come on, kids, let's head over to the Great Sept of Baelor! It's better to bask in the glory of the gods than to go to Flea Bottom to watch dogfights, gamble, and get lured by cheap whores," Gendry's life wasn't always dull.
Occasionally, Master Tobho Mott would take his apprentices to the Great Sept of Baelor atop Visenya Hill.
Tobho wasn't truly devout; he just enjoyed the spectacle, and besides, the blacksmith was one of the Seven. The Great Sept was close to the forge and always bustling with people.
Gendry saw the beautiful white marble plaza, with the towering statue of Baelor the Blessed standing in the center. It stood calmly on its pedestal, with a face full of sorrow for the world.
Under the dome of glass, gold, and crystal, Gendry also saw the seven aspects of the Seven: the Father, the Warrior, the Maiden, the Stranger, the Crone, the Smith, and the Mother. The Smith, representing craftsmanship and labor, was the one people often prayed to for strength when they had work to do.
"The Maiden brought a girl as gentle as a willow, with eyes like deep blue pools. Hugo swore to marry her. So the Mother made her fruitful, and the Crone foretold she would bear the king forty-four strong sons. The Warrior made them strong, and the Smith forged steel armor for each of them," the septas sang from the _Book of the Seven_, making the entire dome feel sacred and solemn. Everyone was immersed in the virtues of the gods.
But there was no doubt that most of the apprentices were bored. Compared to the free tour of the Great Sept, they preferred to spend some money in Flea Bottom for a bit of fun. But at least it was a break from sweating in the hot forge, so they were happy to enjoy the brief respite.
When the septas finished their hymns, Tobho led the group of apprentices back outside, preparing to return to the forge.
"Listen to me, kids. Every boy loves the Warrior, but few love the Smith. What do warriors do? They swing swords and bring death and the wailing of widows. But we, the Smiths, are the makers of happiness. Our hammers are the tools that put food on the table. Can a knight say the same?
The Smith forges the plows to till the fields, the nails to mend the ships, the horseshoes to protect the loyal horses' hooves, and the shining swords for the lords. The value of the Smith is undeniable, which is why we are honored as one of the Seven.
The Father reigns, the Warrior fights, the Smith labors— together they represent the duties a man is meant to fulfill," Tobho spoke passionately, trying to make the apprentices see the nobility of their work, instead of always dreaming of being knights who fought and charged.
As they were about to leave the Great Sept, something unexpected happened. It was King Robert's procession arriving; the king was about to enter the sept.
The royal procession was a river of gold, silver, and steel, filled with gold cloaks, white knights, bannermen, and sworn swords.
Ten heralds of House Baratheon rode at the front, their banners fluttering on bamboo poles, showing the black crowned stag on a golden field.
"Make way! Make way!" the gold cloaks shouted, pushing the common folk aside to clear a path for the king's procession.
Deep in the crowd, Gendry saw King Robert, the fat man riding at the front, flanked by two white knights in snowy cloaks. He was his father, but there was little kinship between them.
Gendry also saw an older, yet very elegant knight, who must have been one of the greatest knights, Ser Barristan.
King Robert had once been a peerless warrior, but now he was seven or eight stone heavier, a massive man with a protruding belly and sunken black eyes.
Robert had always been a man of appetites, fond of indulgence. Ever since he sat on the Iron Throne, the king had ballooned in size.
As the king passed, the crowd let out a cheer, but it wasn't particularly enthusiastic. After all, many people in King's Landing hadn't forgotten the Lannisters' sack of the city and found it hard to truly like the king.
"Are the king's two brothers coming too? That's rare!" someone whispered, but Gendry had sharp ears and heard it. He looked at the procession behind the king and saw two more men bearing the sigil of House Baratheon. The same deep blue eyes, the same black hair.
Stannis had broad shoulders and strong limbs, a tight face, and skin hardened by long exposure to the sun.
Though not old, he had only a thin row of black hair left, like a shadow of a crown, circling behind his ears. His beard was short and neat, like a blue shadow, covering his square jaw and the hollows of his cheeks. As he passed, the cheers from the crowd were even more subdued. People thought Stannis was like iron, and few loved him.
When Renly made his appearance, it was a different story. Renly was dressed in green velvet brocade, with a golden stag brooch fastening his golden cloak.
Every inch of him was extravagantly adorned.
The young lord looked much like King Robert in his youth, tall and handsome, with black hair falling to his shoulders. The difference was that Lord Renly was not the invincible warrior his brother was; he was not known for his bravery. Lord Renly waved to the crowd, and the cheers were several times louder than before.
King Robert laughed heartily and didn't seem to mind. But Stannis glanced at his brother, his brow furrowed in anger.
Gendry noticed the difference in their expressions. Stannis's anger was palpable, yet the king seemed oblivious to it.
Stannis's attire was far less extravagant than his brother Renly's, partly because Stannis was more frugal, and partly because Dragonstone, though strategically important, was a barren land. Storm's End was larger and richer than Dragonstone, which made Stannis harbor a deep-seated resentment.
"Loras Tyrell?" Gendry spotted a young, slender teenage boy, dressed in beautiful armor with a green tunic adorned with three golden roses blooming on a green field. This boy seemed inseparable from Renly. He had long, flowing brown hair and a pair of beautiful golden eyes.
The boy also waved to the crowd, and the people cheered for the handsome young lord of House Tyrell. The people of King's Landing loved a pretty face.
"Quite the duo," Gendry thought. It was said that the youngest son of House Tyrell had been fostered at Storm's End as Renly Baratheon's squire.
The king's retinue swept through like a storm, heading straight for the sept. Once they had passed, the gold cloaks lifted their restrictions.
What a mess! Gendry thought to himself. King's Landing was now a boiling pot. Robert and his three brothers, the Lannisters, Lord Jon, and then the Spider and Littlefinger, are lurking in the shadows. He didn't have much interest in the shifting tides of power. His only thought was to break free from being a pawn and find some safety.
"Our fat king! Unbelievable!" an old woman complained. "He was so handsome in his youth, a strong man with a clean face and clear, charming eyes, the dream lover of every maiden. But look at him now!"
"Don't say too much. If a man indulges too much in wine and whores, even a warhammer can rust," the old woman's husband chimed in, seeing the gold cloaks move away.
"It's rare to see all three stags out. The High Septon must be quite the charmer. Is it because of faith?"
Four stags, Gendry thought, there's also the wild stag.
"Faith, my foot! I bet it's more like borrowing some money from the High Septon."