Riot burns in the heart of King’s Landing. The unpleasant but acceptable atmosphere in the city since the execution of Ser Edmund Wyl suddenly turned ugly as four Dornish hostages—Ser Aidan Dayne, Lady Joleta Gargalen, and the twins Lady Tanyth and Ser Tamlyn Toland—travelled into the city towards Bakers’ Square. Their purpose was innocuous, purchasing bread made after Dornish fashion, but the result was anything but. The crowded square noted the Dornishmen with distaste, a few imprecations and little else sent their way as Ser Aidan and Lady Joleta purchased some bread. But then, returning to their companions, the Dornish knight stumbled into a child who began to cry aloud, earning the outrage of her father. At the same time, the baker’s wife claimed the knight had failed to pay fully from the bread. From there, the situation spiralled out of control as rumors spread through the crowd of brutal, thieving Dornishmen. Within moments, the situation grew out of control, and it was the gods’ own blessing that kept the hostages alive—that, and the courage of one of their escorts, a gold cloak officer.
While Ser Aidan attempted to hold back the surging crowd, the officer went back to retrieve the over-bold knight, only to have to keep him on his feet after a rock struck the knight in the temple and left him bloodied and dazed. Forcing the knight into an empty saddle, the officer held back the crowd long enough for the other escort to lead the Dornishmen away only to be pulled down as the outraged crowd surged over him. Bereft of his officer, the remaining gold cloak panicked and drew his short sword, cutting indiscriminately to right and left to slice a way free from the crowd and into an empty, narrow alleyway leading towards Manse Row. Behind him were several dead or seriously injured commoners, and an officer of the City Watch who had but a slim chance of survival.
With the Dornishmen gone, the riot did not settle, however. Instead, the mob turned on the baker who dared to bake Dornish bread and sell it to hated Dornishmen, and from there the riot rolled well out of control as ovens were smashed, stalls overturned, and bread and other goods were looted. Fuelled by the vagrants, thugs, and criminals who lurk in the stew of Flea Bottom, even now rioters storm in the area, causing great damage while Ser Richard Harte tries to bring things under control following the arrival of the Dornishmen at the Red Keep. Like Ser Aidan, Lady Joleta was bruised and bloodied, while the Toland twins were less injured; a maester was sent to tend to their injuries. It was Joleta and Ser Tamlyn who explained most of what happened, while it’s said that the Black Tempest largely kept her remarks to succinct curses. The king, pulled away from planning a hunting trip to hear the news, was said to have been shocked and dismayed at the news before sending Ser Richard to calm the rioters and bring the situation under control.