Tom Tossin planned to continue his unfinished work today.
He was an ordinary citizen of King’s Landing, earning his living through his craft.
He had become an excellent tailor, as his family had hoped, rather than seeking some other trade like the more rebellious young men.
His skill allowed him to live steadily without going hungry.
But compared to nobles, he could not compete.
A nobleman needed servants, carriage drivers, squires, cooks, and stewards to maintain a respectable life.
Even at minimum standards, an annual income of about a thousand gold dragons was required.
That was beyond Tom’s imagination.
Tom left home at the same time every day.
If he left too late, the streets would become filthy, and his clean clothes would be stained with mud.
A disheveled tailor would not earn many customers.
Tom found the sunlight warm today.
A fresh breeze blew in from Blackwater Bay, and he once again thanked someone in his heart.
Muddy Street was where he lived.
The street, which had been dirty and foul since Aegon’s time, had changed.
Over a week ago, nobles from the Red Keep had led a team of prisoners and workers—old men, women, and half-grown youths—to lay a thick layer of hard clay over the street.
The Muddy Street that had always troubled Tom had vanished.
His grandfather had once used his savings to buy a house here without hesitation, even though it stood on this muddy street.
He had been overjoyed because the Tossin family finally had a home in King’s Landing.
But when they actually moved in, he regretted it.
The filthy street, the stench…
one could only endure it with a pinched nose.
The only thing that pleased his grandfather was the proximity to the Great Sept of Baelor, at the foot of Visenya’s Hill.
He did not have to cross half the city for services.
Tom smoothed his short hair and continued his memories.
His grandfather disliked King’s Landing but loved the king’s tourneys.
He would take the family to cheer for the knights.
Tom could see the envy in his grandfather’s eyes.
Every commoner dreamed that dream.
They looked up at the stars and hoped to defeat their opponents, win the crown of love and beauty, and present it to the most beautiful woman in the realm.
Everyone wanted to be a knight.
No one wanted to be a tailor.
Tom shook off his thoughts as he walked toward his shop.
He encountered Majesh Kom, who had once worked for the same nobleman.
Majesh was one of the people Tom despised.
He had stolen from the nobleman and framed the maid.
She had been whipped a hundred times but still would not confess.
The nobleman gave her to his groom—Majesh himself.
Everyone among the servants knew the truth.
Even the nobleman knew.
But he chose to act this way because the maid’s father had fled while serving the nobleman’s knight.
The nobleman took his anger out on his daughter.
Majesh had sensed this and used the theft to both pocket the gold and take the young woman the nobleman despised.
Majesh remained the nobleman’s groom.
But soon after, while the woman was out washing clothes for others, she drowned herself.
Majesh beat her when he drank, only allowing her rest when she went out to earn coin.
The poor woman had lost her father and had no brothers.
No one could speak for her.
So that day, dazed and exhausted, she went to the lake.
One misstep and she never climbed back out.
Tom left quickly.
As a commoner, he could do nothing for that woman.
But he had his own way: he never worked for that nobleman again, and he stayed far from Majesh.
Long after, when Tom had almost forgotten, news came from the nobleman’s lands.
Majesh had been caught stealing two or three more times.
His legs were broken.
He could no longer work as a groom.
When the nobleman tightened his finances and dismissed idle servants, Majesh was the first to go.
No gold was found in his home—he had drunk it all away.
Now Tom saw the man in the street.
He reeked of wine and dragged his left leg, leaning against walls as he walked.
He looked like a stray dog.
Tom looked away.
He pretended not to see him.
He turned to leave the alley and take another route.
“Tom…
Tom Tossin, is that you?” Majesh recognized the man who had ignored him.
He staggered a few steps.
“I am Majesh!
Don’t you remember me?
We worked for the same noble!
It is me, Big Majesh!” Tom’s disgust curdled inside him.
It was a narrow alley.
They were not far apart.
He could see the bloodshot eyes in Majesh’s face, the result of his constant rages.
Majesh shouted at him with his dark, stained lips.
“Tom, I am about to be rich!
Haha!
You can’t look down on me now!” “You all look down on me!” Majesh was raving again.
Tom had already backed out of the alley and was preparing to leave.
But Majesh lunged at him.
“I know you all look down on me!
You all deserve to die!
She deserved it too!” Tom shoved him hard.
Majesh crashed to the ground.
Tom walked away without looking back.
That night, Tom heard a voice in his sleep.
It was unmistakably Majesh’s.
“I am about to be rich!” “AH!” Tom sat up and took a few deep breaths.
A nightmare…
he thought, and drifted back to sleep.
The next morning, Tom woke and prepared to greet a new day.
A knock came at his door.
“Who is it?” He opened the door, puzzled.
Two Gold Cloaks seized him the moment he stepped out.
“What is this?!” Tom was terrified.
“By the Mother, why are you arresting me?” “Tom Tossin, Majesh Kom was found dead in the street nearby.
Someone saw you arguing with him.
We believe you killed him.” Tom shivered as if a cold wind had pierced him.
Majesh…
how did he die?
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