Olenna had the plan to change the situation with the Sparrows, or better said, a multi-step plan. She did what she told Tywin and organized provisions to be distributed across the people, but she did not stop there.
She hired servants and used Varys' little birds, which now worked for her, to start spreading the word of Margaery's previous kindness to the people and even the current one with the latest provisions.
At first, it worked like a charm since many common folk saw Margaery as their true Queen and worshipped her, one could say. They talked amongst one another, they reminded their friends and family and neighbours of the good the young Rose had done.
However, not everyone seemed to share the same opinion.
The High Sparrow had gathered a lot of supporters, many blindly listening to him. With his words, Margaery was no different than all the others in the Red Keep and his followers believed him.
Thus, the people of King's Landing started to group themselves into two sides. One was the side that defended Margaery and King Tommen and the other did not see them as the saints they were portrayed to be and wished for a change.
Conflicts arose faster than one anticipated as brother turned against brother and neighbour against neighbour. Fights started as small, mostly with loud arguments, but slowly they started to increase in scale.
The biggest one happened a few days later in Cobbler's Square.
Cobbler's Square, King's Landing, Crownlands – Day
Cobbler's Square could be found in the capital, east of the Gate of the Gods and northeast of Visenya's Hill. To the west of it, one could find the west barracks of the City Watch while the Shepherd's Way ran eastward and led up to the old Dragonpit.
Once that square was a place for preaching or for those interested in the crafts. Now, it was filled with people as they argued out loud, pointing fingers and eventually starting to fight about which side was right.
This fight became intense, blood was drawn as more and more people fell victim to it. There was a stampede, rocks were thrown and the shouts, one said, could be heard all the way to the Red Keep.
Jaime had gathered the Gold Cloaks and some Lannister soldiers and moved to stop them. When he had been informed of the masses gathering, he suspected where that would lead and so he moved early, hoping to stop it before it was too late.
However, when he arrived there, the aggression between the two parties had reached a new level. The Gold Cloaks tried to separate them and bring back order, threats being shouted about imprisonment as well.
The people, blinded with rage, now turned fully to those that tried to suppress them. Their armours and golden cloaks felt like mockery in their eyes, for they starved while those cocky soldiers were given gold, food and lived better lives than them.
Now, they were trying to force them into obedience and tell them what to do.
That was the first big mistake that happened that day.
The second came soon after as the soldiers tried to keep the people off them and also ensure Jaime was not hurt. While Jaime gave orders not to harm anyone, some Gold Cloaks simply could not accept such disrespect and violence against them.
They returned with equal violence and people started to fall to the ground with broken noses and bruised eyes. The fight got worse and in the end, the most aggressive ones were tackled to the floor and eventually would be thrown into the black cells for daring to attack the soldiers that way.
Jaime could only watch as eventually the people retreated, wounded and with less faith in them than they had before. He felt a shiver going down his spine and he was not sure how much worse the situation could turn after this.
He was wrong and just the next day, it was proven.
The following day, the High Sparrow made an appearance in the middle of the square. He stood between the dried pools of blood, shed by the violence of the Gold Cloaks, and gave yet another speech.
"…my brothers and sisters, I feel tears in my eyes by seeing all this violence around us. You all gathered here unarmed to practise your free speech, to practise your faith, and yet you were met with violence from the soldiers. Those golden cloaks that are supposed to protect us, now they seem to turn against us; imprisoning our fellow siblings for trying to defend themselves…"
The crowd was listening to him, many bearing bruises or wounds from the fight the day prior. Heads were nodded in agreement, and murmurs and mumbles could be heard between the huge crowd that had gathered to listen to him.
"…I know it is not easy, we all have different views of certain things…but in the eyes of the Seven Gods, we are all the same and this is how we should see it. My brothers, my sisters, please…forget your differences, embrace one another and ask for forgiveness. We are all children of the Faith, it is the Seven that unite us all under their prayers and for them, we must unite…only then, can we truly protect ourselves from all those that wish to harm us…that wish to suppress our faith and control us…"
The crowd became loud, cheering and chanting the name "High Sparrow" as his speech reached into their hearts. Gone were the original arguments about Margaery or the High Sparrow, gone was the anger that the previous battles had caused.
All that was left now was more and more people unifying under his words; the first sign that the situation was truly getting out of control.
Small Council Chambers, Tower of the Hand, Red Keep – King's Landing, Crownlands
Tywin was sitting, as per usual, at the head of the table, one hand rubbing his throbbing temple while the three Small Council members sat at their respective places. If one looked carefully, one could see a vein popping on the side of the Old Lion's head from frustration.
"One job… it was one job," he said and slammed his hand on the table, shocking everyone as he turned to Olenna. "What was it that you told me? Hmm? You can handle it?" he asked rhetorically, forcing her to press her lips until they formed a thin line.
"I handled it just fine. Divide and conquer, isn't that what the old men used to say?" she asked, trying to justify her actions. "If that soldier brutality had not taken place, the High Sparrow would eventually get overthrown by his own people."
Jaime felt all eyes on him but he was not going to sit there and take all the blame.
"The people were killing one another; it is the duty of the Gold Cloaks to stop that. They are humans, when they get threatened and attacked, they react."
"When soldiers lack discipline, the fault lies with their commander," Tywin said, effectively silencing Jaime with both his words and his hard glare.
The Old Lion let out a heavy sigh and leaned back in his chair. It was times like those that he wished Visenya to be present because he was done having to babysit everyone and being unable to trust someone to do something right.
Thankfully for him, they had left the Reach and they were on their way to King's Landing. The trip would take many days but they were on their way, and that was what mattered to him at the moment.
"I honestly don't care who started it and who made it worse right now," he said slowly, as he squeezed his fist and then relaxed it only to repeat the pattern; a sign of his frustration and anger. "Right now I have Free Folk beyond the Wall threatening the Night's Watch and Stannis has his hands in there. The Targaryen girl is fighting the slavers and has grown bold enough to use her dragons to leave a message. If that is not all, the Ironborn are slowly expanding and have their eyes on the Reach while the North is rebelling against the Boltons as we speak. Let us not forget that the Riverlands are still adamant in bending the knee and slowly pushing our forces back," he reminded everyone.
It was not unknown to them that chaos existed not only in King's Landing but also everywhere around them. The worst part was the fact that they could not truly interfere at that moment, or at least not as much as they wished.
They needed a portion of their army in King's Landing because of the incident with the High Sparrow. They could not openly go to war because there were too many open fronts at the moment and not enough men or resources.
They had to act smart and let most things like the Wall, Daenerys and the North be solved on their own, but they still needed to be kept updated on everything. In addition, they needed to already form plans and prepare the men for when battle would call them; with the Ironborn and the Riverlands, it would not take that long.
Tywin let them all stay in silence for a moment, think and remember exactly how bad things were. There was no time for mistakes and there was no time for threats from within their very own walls.
He eventually turned to Jaime.
"You created this mess and you will fix it. This time, handle it properly," he said and stood up, a sign that the Small Council was dismissed for the day.
Central Square, King's Landing, Crownlands — A Few Days Later
The High Sparrow had gained a lot of power and influence by now. Even the High Septon seemed to listen to him as rumours had it that he now cleaned the floors of the Sept, while the jewelled crown gifted to him by Tywin and all the jewels and expensive robes he once had, had now been sold in order to feed the people of King's Landing.
The idea was absurd and by the time the news reached the Red Keep it was too late. They could not change it, nor could they try to ban it because the people got money from that act and only became more faithful to the High Sparrow.
The mysterious man that none truly knew the name of kept giving speeches. One of them took place in one of the biggest squares existing in King's Landing. He stood on top of some empty wooden crates as the square was flooded by people.
Everyone pushed and tried to see him, many scolded others for making noise while they stretched their ears and listened to the speech of their new leader; their saviour.
"…We are all brothers and sisters… we all carry our own sins but once we all atone for them, then we are all the same… just like when we are first born. We are to unite under the blessing of the Seven Gods, to arm ourselves with the knowledge they have long preached to us and the path we must follow…"
The noises of horses and men in armour interrupted his speech as Jaime with the Gold Cloaks and Lannister soldiers once again made an appearance. The majority, like him, were on horseback but this time the Lion had given clear instructions that no one was to lay a hand on the civilians.
"The Kingslayer… another brother carrying his dark sins… have you come to pray for forgiveness for those sins?" the High Sparrow asked him.
Jaime had learnt to ignore that title, especially ever since he returned to King's Landing after more than a year of capture. Yet, when he heard it coming from the lips of this man, who portrayed himself to be some holy being, it angered him.
Yet, he did not let his vanity or his temper get the best of him. He heeded the pieces of advice that had come from his father and remained calm, trying his best to be like him while hundreds, if not thousands, of people were looking at him with hatred; ready to tear him apart if they truly wished it and nothing would be able to stop them.
"I have come for you, High Sparrow. Under Maegor's Decree, the Faith is not allowed to arm themselves. If you dare to go against it, I am afraid I will have to arrest you," Jaime said, his words causing many of the common folk to look at him either with anger or worry.
Yet, the High Sparrow did not seem to feel threatened or even worried.
"I am well aware of the Decree that the cruel King forced upon his subjects, preventing those loyal to the Seven from arming and defending themselves… after it, our brothers and sisters have been unsafe, they have been exposed to ruthless men that raped and killed them…" he said, passively reminding the crowd of the atrocities and the disrespect suffered by Septons, Silent Sisters and the Holy Brothers and Sisters.
The crowd seemed to agree with him, some making their opinions more vocal and the people had started to move; creating a living obstacle and barrier between the soldiers and the High Sparrow.
"Steady, men," Jaime ordered, seeing many getting uneasy by the endless pairs of eyes on them.
"We thank you for the warning, Jaime Lannister, but as you can see, we are not armed," the High Sparrow said again, spreading his hands and motioning to the people all around him. "I have talked of arming oneself with faith, to stand against all hardships and conquer all challenges while cleansing themselves from their sins," he explained, confident as ever in his words. "I preach of unity, so my brothers and sisters do not fight amongst themselves. I preach of faith but I do not preach of war; nor do I order them to arm themselves as you claim I do."
Jaime opened his mouth to say something but stopped himself, realizing he had no true argument against him. What he had said was true and the Lion could not counter his words.
He had acted a little more rashly than he should have, now he could see it, but it was too late to correct it; for time could not be turned backwards.
He had left himself open by mistake, all because of his quick plan to get rid of the High Sparrow and correct his initial mistake; to make his father proud after all the times he had disappointed him.
All he could do now was order his men to retreat and save the city from another conflict between the common folk and the soldiers.
However, he knew this was far from the end.
Things would get worse and he could not help but wonder how they would handle it all.
He was not sure, but he did not remain in that square to ponder. He had to return to the Red Keep and mentally prepare himself for another meeting with his father, another day of disappointing him with his actions.