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( Ilyn Payne POV )
"The letters are odd. Regimented. The lines are incredibly neat and consistent, and they're the same on every page." She paused for a moment. "Either this was copied by the steadiest hands in Westeros, or else it wasn't written by a man at all."
...
Ilyn paused, tilting his head. Callum must have seen his motion as the boy quickly handed him one of the books.
"Ah, I can see it now. Yes. Yes, you're right Margot, this is far too clean, and the letters are all the same, down to the curves and ridges. What manner of writing is this?" He asked, glancing up towards Callum as Ilyn surveyed his own copy of the holy book, noticing the phenomenon the clergy described.
"You are correct Septa Margot, these were not written by a man. They were stamped by a machine." The boy glanced over at Goodfather Boros. "Goodfather, tell me, how long does it take to write a copy of the Seven Pointed Star."
"Hmm? Oh, for a good scribe about eight months." The large man was holding the book up at a side angle and squinting. "Stamped you say? Like a trade seal but with ink on paper?"
"A bit more complex than that, but yes." The boy paused. "I, and three servants, created these 20 copies in the past month."
"The last-" Boros sputtered suddenly, and Ilyn was amused as the Goodfather's eyes seemed to bulge out from beneath his eyebrows.
Septa Margot stood to her feet in an instant, ramrod straight. "A month you said? A month!?" She rushed forward, picking up one book after another, flipping through them with shaking hands to confirm they were all full copies. "A month? A month?!?" She whirled, grabbing Callum, who had until then been looking smug by the shoulders. The boy seemed shocked as she held him there, her eyes blazing. "Tell me, boy, this stamp-no this method! It is yours yes?"
Callum blinked. "Ah, er-yes, I made it, the idea just came to me one day while I was working on-"
"It came to you?" She asked hurriedly, sounding more excited by the moment. Ilyn almost moved forward to stop her while Goodfather Boros just sat there looking baffled. "It came to you when? In a vision? A dream?"
"I-I suppose it was a vision," Callum said blinking as the wirey woman's face was almost against his. "Really it was more of-more of a memory, like I've always known it somehow…" The boy blinked, and then Ilyn thought he saw a look of realization cross his face.
"A vision sent by the Smith!" The Septa cried. "A miracle of the seven! Goodfather! Goodfather do you hear this?"
"I- well I don't know if it's-" Callum tried to reply but the woman just drowned him out, faith blazing in her eyes.
Boros for his part shook off his surprise. "W-well it certainly does sound like a miracle if these were truly all made in a month." He glanced over at the pile of books Margot had been pawing through. "Can you make more of these young Callum?"
Ilyn glanced back to his master, who seemed to be fighting off a bit of shock, his expression earring with itself. Somehow, he knew this wasn't how Callum had seen this meeting going. For Ilyn's part, he didn't see the big deal. So he could make copies of the Seven-Pointed Star faster than Septons could. That would just mean more Septons coming around and gossiping wouldn't it?
Still, Ilyn saw the boy's expression change after a moment, taking on a determined expression and nodding. "Yes, Goodfather, I can make more. Faster too, now that I've got the stamps ready already for each page." He paused for a moment. "I've… well, I feel it's hard to say, but I feel as though I have a bit of a holy mission."
"Go on child. There's no need to be embarrassed about such things." Boros was up from his chair and at Callum's side far faster than Ilyn had ever seen the man move, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. Margot meanwhile seemed to practically be vibrating.
"A holy mission, born of a miracle!" She said eagerly. "Speak child! Speak quickly!"
"Easy Margot-" Boros started to correct, but Callum shook his head.
"No it's fine, I'd just thought this would be harder to convince you both of. I had prepared a whole argument." The boy paused. "I… well I feel I have a holy mission to give a copy of the Seven-Pointed Star to every Household in the Westerlands." Callum turned his eyes up towards Boros, and then over to Margot, who had stilled rather suddenly.
"I… well I don't know how much my father will be willing to fund if any at all, and I don't know how much I will be able to do on my own. That's why I asked Ilyn to bring you here, that's why-well I mean to ask, will you help me?"
"Oh-well I-" Boros started to speak but was quickly cut off by Margot.
"Of course we will!" The Septa said, her voice impassioned. "It is the Seven-Faced God speaking through your voice child! We would be fools and heathens to turn our backs on such a miracle." The fire in her voice seemed to give even Callum pause, as he looked up at her nervously.
"A miracle wrought to bring all men closer to the Seven! A wonder upon the earth!" Ilyn could swear there were tears in her eyes. "Glory to the Smith and the Seven! That I should be among the first to hear of this holy mission!" She turned her gaze to Callum, her normally stern expression split in a smile from ear to ear.
"You, Child, who were blessed by the Smith with this vision, have no shame, fear no embarrassment, for we will see the mission that rings in your ears carried out, in this have faith!"
Ilyn had to admit the speech was inspiring, mostly by the sheer passion in the woman's words, her eyes wild and bright. He found himself drawn in, earnestly starting to believe that little Callum had been blessed by the Smith. That would explain a lot about Callum now that he thought about it. He had it on good authority that the boy was learning his letters before he could walk.
"I… there are more than a million households in the Westerlands Margot-" Boros protested. "It would take- I don't even know how much to give everyone a copy of the Seven Pointed Star. The sheer amount of paper…"
"A Holy Mission is a Holy Mission Goodfather!" Margot whirled around and pointed accusatorially at the large man. "You've borne witness to a miracle, a child blessed by the Smith to bring the holy word to all the people of the Westerlands!"
"H-hold on now Margot- they won't even be able to read it-"
"Better that they have it and not read it then be learned and not read it!" Margot said authoritatively. "You heard this blessed child's earnest plea! This vision and mission of a better future! Do not deny it, Boros!" She proclaimed boldly.
"Think of the expense Margot!" Boros shouted back, sounding progressively less convinced in his own words as the argument dragged on. "The sheer volume of material!"
Ilyn noticed that Callum was slowly backing up from the two as they really got into it. The boy seemingly looking to hide behind the desk as Margot continued to browbeat the Goodfather slowly into submission. Septa Margot seemed possessed of a holy fire, and even Ilyn found himself being persuaded by her words. If Callum was blessed by the Smith indeed, which as far as he could tell was true, then the holy mission he spoke of was likely true as well. If that was the case, it was the duty of every good Andal to help him see it done.
He glanced over at the boy. That he had rejected the idea of whores now made far more sense! Ilyn could see it now, Callum was simply too virtuous for such things.
Ilyn smiled as he stared at the boy peeking out from behind his books at the still preaching form of Septa Margot, now facing no real argument from Goodfather Boros. To Ilyn's gaze, he seemed almost scared of what was happening in front of him, but he supposed that was only natural. Blessed as he might be, Callum was still just a boy.
...
Chronicle of the Targaryen Dynasty in the Seven Kingdoms
Maester Willem
276 AC- Fifth Moon
The Tourney Grounds are established in King's Landing under the Supervision of Lord Tywin Lannister.
Various Guests begin to arrive. Prince Viserys Targaryen makes his first public appearance on a balcony of the Red Keep for the nobility to see, though few can see the baby as Queen Rhaella and her son are surrounded by all Seven of the Kingsguard, King Aerys even disregarding his own safety for that of his infant son. Various Hedge knights and lords begin to gather at King's Landing.
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