Bronn was hopeful. He really wanted to bed her, a sort of ultimate payback towards nobles, and men like Leyton Hightower. Leyton had dared to abduct him with no care for his wishes. That happened simply because Leyton believed his social standing was far above Bronn's. And now, he had the chance to pluck the sweetest flower of House Hightower.
Yet, there was no joy in pushing it. What he wanted was total compliance. Absolute willingness and belief. So she would obey his words.
Nodding, Lynesse said nothing and followed Bronn out of the confession chamber. It wasn't that she was unwilling. Just her shame didn't allow it. She believed Bronn, which was why she felt so scared of his warning.
"Forgive me, Septon." She apologized, teary-eyed.
Seven help me! Lovely! He found her even more charming.
Bronn smiled and patted her shoulder softly. He was just two years older than her, after all. "No apologies needed, my Lady. Drink this before you sleep, and leave the rest to the Seven."
He was not a good man. While his powers were indeed miraculous, he wasn't a good man to heal everyone. He could have made her fall asleep. But there was nothing for him in it. If anything, the opposite was better.
The hotter she'd feel. The more restless she'd be. She'd eventually return to him.
"Thank you, Septon."
At last, Lynesse bowed at him and left the place in her regal wheelhouse.
As for Bronn, he returned to the usual work. In the basement of the building, he started preparing batches of more potions and his next hit, Firewhiskey. Unlike what he'd told Lord Leyton, it wasn't hard to make. But it couldn't be made by anyone but him, for his hands had the magic.
Firewhiskey was a thing from his memory. He was certain he'd only achieved a third of what the real thing tasted like. But it was already better than any wine that existed. He was certain that, as long as he made it famous, he'd be able to dethrone Arbor Gold and perhaps become the most valuable wine in the world.
Five Dragons per bottle? Or ten?
Nonetheless, his goal was to have Elia Martell handle his wine's distribution, as he couldn't do it personally while being a Septon. He'd be accused of some nonsense by the High Septon, or worse, they'd eye his money. He needed the backing of a house that was powerful and didn't give a damn about the Faith or the Crown.
Furthermore, Elia wouldn't refuse him. If anything, she'd get a cut from profits, and that would one day help her put his bastard on the throne.
Let's make ten bottles tonight.
####
The next morning,
It was early morning, the sun barely peeked above the horizon, painting the sky bright blue. Yet, that morning, the city wasn't calm. From the smallfolk to the nobles, to the Citadel or the Starry Sept, all had woken up to the unending bells ringing.
The chimes came from the Starry Sept. The pattern suggested deaths, five in total. Curious, the nobles sent their messengers to the Starry Sept. The smallfolk went themselves. In a few hours, the word spread across Oldtown that the five Most Devout who headed Starry Sept had died in their sleep.
However, the most shocking thing happened an hour later.
Since the five Most Devout were the highest authority, they had dozens of attendants.
Those attendants, numbering fifty in total, instead of preparing for funerals, ran out of the Starry Sept, all the way to the House of Seven Blessings, and groveled before its gate, face kissing the road, crying loud and seeking forgiveness.
"Lord Septon! Please, forgive us!"
"My Lord! Take back the curse!"
"Please, I beg you! I was swayed by those old imbeciles!"
"Mercy, Lord Septon! Mercy!"
Another hour passed, and the gate was still closed. Yet, the crowd of septons and septas groveling before the gate increased. Now, not just the attendants of the dead Most Devouts, there were others. There were even a few Most Devouts groveling, crying.
"Corruption had tainted our hearts! Thank you for guiding us, Lord Septon!"
By the time the sun fully came up, it was as if all of Oldtown had gathered there. Crowding the streets, balconies, and terraces, with the House of Seven Blessings in its center. Nobles, merchants, smallfolk, and beggars had gathered, and in no time the word spread.
Just the day before, Septon Bronn had entered the Starry Sept to meet the five Most Devouts. He came out cursing them, calling them corrupt, and cursing them with the Stranger's wrath. And that morning, those five Most Devouts were dead in their sleep.
"S-Seven… Septon Bronn is… Blessed!"
Unlike the groveling septons, septas, and Most Devouts, the people of the city cheered for Bronn and even made prayers. Thanking the Seven for purging the corrupt from the Starry Sept.
Eventually, the time came when the gate of the House of Seven Blessings usually opened. Everyone waited patiently.
####
Inside the House of Seven Blessings,
"Thank you, Septa Unella." Bronn stood still, dressed in clean yet simple robes. In front of him stood Unella in her body-hugging Septa gown. She was a sight to behold, her height as tall as his; it was a delight to look directly at her face.
Septa Unella smiled, busy fixing Bronn's robes and combing his hair. Yet, she was aware, her breath uneasy, her mouth dry. She felt Bronn's hands rest on her waist, just above her hips.
Progress, at last.
Bronn took advantage of the fact that Unella truly believed in his blessings. For her, it was a fact that the Maiden and Mother favored him. Now, she also believed that Bronn had the favor of the Stranger. With that much fanaticism, Bronn knew she wouldn't question his actions.
Seven—Soft as sin!
He felt her waist. While the gown was modest, he'd seen her enough to know her hips were lush and broad, just as her bosom. She was, in a true sense, made for breeding and motherhood, not wasting her life dry as a septa.
"Seven bless you, Septa. Don't know what I'd've done without you." Bronn praised her, his fingers gently rubbing her hourglass curves. "You keep this place tidy, proper as a prayer."
Unella smiled brightly, her lovely teeth showing, so perfect. "It is my duty, Lord Septon."
"Aye."
Then Bronn did something insane.
He leaned forward and pecked her lips like it meant nothing. No tongue, no feelings. Just a quick peck that lasted a blink.
"L-Lord Sep…"
Unella frowned, covering her mouth in shock.
Bronn smiled towards her like a sage. "Ah, my apologies. The Mother and the Maiden have their ways, you see. I cherish you, Septa Unella, not as a man pines for a woman, but as the Mother and the Maiden hold the faithful. My deeds may look sinful, dirty, filthy, sexual, but there's no lust, no filth, no fire—only true devotion to the Seven."
It was absolute bullshit. Yet, to a woman like Unella, whose mind was carved to believe in the miracles of the Seven, it made the most sense. She'd seen Bronn bless women's wombs, and he did that without romantic, intimate, sinful desire and passion, according to her.
"I understand, Lord Septon." Septa Unella resolutely nodded.
"Good," Bronn said, stepped closer, and pecked her lips one more time. This time, it lingered a blink longer, enough that he felt how soft and silky her lips were.
Seven cunts! I'm hard as the corpses of those five old fucks.
Finally, he turned.
Septa Unella walked ahead of him as it was her duty to open the door.
Bronn just admired the view of those shaking hips.
Clack!
"Lord Septon." Septa Unella opened the door and stepped aside. It was bright outside, so much so that everything looked white.
Reborn anew.
He took a deep breath, formed a smile on his lips, and stepped forward. He crossed the threshold of the door and was instantly overwhelmed by the crowds. He didn't understand why, but it became noisy, loud cheers and screams mixed, echoed like roars. He looked left, and the entire street was filled with people, waving at him, many on their knees. The right side was the same. Then he looked at the buildings that lined the road's both sides, all balconies and terraces were full.
Did I bloody overdo it?
"Forgive us!"
"Please!"
"I beg you!"
He finally looked at the septons, septas, and the Most Devout. All of them were crying, faces pale in fear.
Stranger scared the piss out of them.
When the crowd just refused to calm down, Bronn raised his right hand, palm flat towards the groveling men and women.
With that, like a slow wave, silence fell.
Lowering his hand, Bronn stared at the groveling figures. He let them cower a little more before speaking.
"I have no enemies." He said, loud but not shouting.
"From King's Landing to Oldtown, I've only done one thing: serve. The Mother and the Maiden steered me here to patch up the sick and sore. I wanted no coin, no fancy rewards. Every penny the good folk of Oldtown gave went straight into medicine. I dreamed too of kitchens where the poor might eat and worry less for a day. The Seven guided me, yet your five Most Devout grew greedy for my donations and my name. They threatened to cast me out of the Faith, stopping me from healing, from feeding. A sin! A sin the Stranger himself would scowl at—and it fell squarely on them."
Finally, Bronn walked over to the nearest septon, held him by the shoulders, and helped him up.
"I hold no grudges, nor do I sit in judgment. I am naught but a healer, a small man of the Seven. My anger fell on the five who strayed, not on you. Go, each of you, serve with faith and duty. I must heal the ailed."
The septon cried, clasped his hands together into a fist, and bowed his head into Bronn's hands, blabbering for forgiveness.
The Stranger really scared them all.
After that, one by one, each septon, septa, and Most Devout came to him, bowed their heads, kissed his hand, and left. There were over a hundred of them, and by the end, he felt the back of his hand red and sore.
When one of the smallfolk tried to come and kiss his hand, Bronn stepped back. He couldn't let that happen, or else the entire Oldtown would try it. They'd eat the damn skin off his hand.
"May the Seven bless you all."
With a final wave of his hand, he walked back into the building. Septa Unella closed the door right away.
That should get my name across the Reach.
Hopeful, he returned to work. He had that blacksmith's woman to bless, after all.
___________________
Check out Bronn X Elia & Bronn X Alerie Hightower NSFW ART, and advance chapters at [email protected]/MrPlotThickens or Subscribestar.adult/mrplotthickens
Advance chapters on [PATREON] are in long-form format. I have 4 long chapters of this story on Patreon. That's equal to 18-22 Webnovel chapters.
Old Free Art on Discord: https://discord.gg/W5FdB6WXaP