Night air in the capital felt thick with betrayal. Ned Stark sat in his solar while the muffled sounds of a chaotic courtyard drifted through the window. He looked at Link with a mixture of fear and respect. The boy had paralyzed the royal exit and risked his life to keep Robert within city walls.
[Status Alert: Timeline Divergence - The Hunt is Delayed]
[Status: Mental Fatigue High]
"The King is calling for the head of the man who jammed the gears" Ned said. His voice was a low whisper. "If they find your bar in that winch room Link not even I can save you."
"They will not find it My Lord" Link replied while rubbing his temples. The mental strain of recent reloads was a dull ache behind his eyes. "But we only have hours. The Queen is already adjusting. If the boar cannot kill him she will use the wine or a blade in the dark."
"Then we need the truth" Ned said while standing. "You spoke of the wine. You spoke of Lancel. Where is the proof?"
Link knew the proof was not in the castle. He remembered the lore of the city. He remembered a small shop in the Alchemist's Quarter where the Lannisters had been buying a specific type of essence. It was a substance that made a man's blood move too fast and his mind grow cloudier than simple ale could manage.
"Follow me My Lord" Link said. "But leave the guards. If a dozen Stark cloaks move through the city the Spider will know before we reach the street."
Ned hesitated then grabbed a plain brown travel cloak to cover his fine silk doublet. They exited through servant tunnels Link had mapped during his first week.
They reached the Alchemist's Quarter. Air here smelled of sulfur and old vinegar. Buildings were leaning and half-ruined. Link stopped before a shop with a faded green door.
[Status Alert: Entering Hostile Territory]
Inside the shop was dark and filled with dusty jars. A bent old man with fingers stained yellow looked up from a table. He saw Ned's boots and then Link's eyes.
"We are closed" the old man wheezed.
Link stepped forward and placed a silver Braavosi coin on the table. "We are not here for potions. We are here for the ledger. The one that lists deliveries to the Red Keep. The ones meant for Lancel Lannister."
The old man went pale. He reached for a bell under the table but Link caught his hand.
"The Hand of the King is standing behind me" Link said while nodding toward Ned. "You can show us the book and live or you can ring that bell and find out how quickly a Northman can take a head."
Ned stepped into the light while pulling back his hood. The old man's jaw dropped. He fumbled behind a shelf and pulled out a thin leather book.
Ned took the book and flipped through the pages. His eyes stopped on a recent entry. His face turned to a mask of cold fury. "Strongwine essence. Concentrated enough to kill a man with a weak heart or blind a man with a strong one. Delivered to the King's squire three days ago."
"It is the proof Ned" Link said.
Suddenly the front door of the shop was kicked open. Two men in Lannister red stood there with drawn swords. Behind them stood Lancel Lannister himself looking terrified and desperate.
"Give me the book" Lancel shouted. His voice was shaking. "My cousin said you would come here. She said the Northman was too clever for his own good."
Link drew his blackened short sword. He stood between the Hand and the blades.
[Quest Updated: Protect the Evidence]
[Status: Combat Ready]
.….
Author Note
Hi guys! Thank you for reading my fanfiction. I'll be realising 4 Chapters a day.
Also I'll be still releasing bonus chapters for Power Stones. Here are the goals:
50 Power Stones: 1 Bonus Chapters
75 Power Stones: 2 Bonus Chapters
100 Power Stones: 2 Bonus Chapters
Thanks for the support!