"So, afterwards, I conducted a test," Ian replied, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.
"A test?"
"As I said, the Blackfyre Treasure is a local legend, but so far neither the Iron Throne nor any great house has sent men here to investigate. Why is that?"
"Err..."
"It's because the treasure's existence is still just a guess. No one has found a single definitive clue, no hard evidence to convince the great lords to believe in such a fanciful thing. I have no such evidence in my hand, either."
Ian leaned forward slightly. "So when I threatened to report this to my family, it should have sounded like a joke to you. Even if I did convince them to send men, they would likely come, look around for a week, find nothing, and go home. You should have simply ignored my threat. Or, if you merely wished to avoid trouble, you might have offered me a pittance as a 'comfort price' to make me go away."
"But your reaction was the exact opposite. You offered a staggering twenty percent. That shows you are desperate to reach an agreement."
Ian's voice was low and certain. "In other words, you are terrified of the Lannisters sending someone. This can only mean one thing: you *have* found the key clue, and you cannot afford anyone causing trouble at this critical time."
A monster! Wilder and Willy exchanged a wide-eyed look. Standing in the hall of his own home, Willy felt an inexplicable sense of being cornered.
"This, in turn, explains why you tried to dismiss me the moment you heard my name," Ian continued, pressing his advantage. "You didn't want a Lannister participating in your operation. You were afraid that once I learned the key clues, I would report back to my family, and you would be left with nothing."
"So even now, as you agree to let me join your alliance, you have no intention of letting me participate in the actions to come. You just want to keep me quiet. As for my share..."
"Your share will be honored, Ser Lucien!" Wilder interjected, his voice strained. He found himself inexplicably afraid of this young man, who was no older than his own grandson. "Whatever happens, we would not dare to cheat House Lannister on this matter."
"But I cannot accept that plan," Ian said, shaking his head firmly. "You want me to do nothing and still receive a twenty percent dividend. No. That is not my way. That is blackmail. I must be involved in your actions."
*In the histories, Ser Willy Ward was still a poor man when Catelyn Stark kidnapped Tyrion,* Ian added silently. *Which means you never found the Blackfyre Treasure at all. If I don't participate, I'll be getting twenty percent of nothing.*
"This..." Ser Wilder hesitated, caught in a trap. If he agreed, he feared 'Ser Lucien' would expose their secrets. If he refused, he feared he would enrage a Lannister.
"At the same time," Ian said, not waiting for a reply, "I do not want you to see me as an uninvited guest, here to disrupt your plans. I want to be a true collaborator."
He looked both men in the eye, his expression earnest. "I swear on the honor of House Lannister that I will not report the Blackfyre Treasure to my family. If I break this vow, may the judgment of the Father Above fall upon my house."
"There is no need for such an oath, ser." Seeing the young knight swear so gravely, Wilder finally let go of his last shred of doubt, though he still managed a polite protest.
"Cooperation requires unity," Ian said, a frank, disarming smile spreading across his face. "I must dispel your doubts so that our alliance can move forward."
"You truly do not act your age," Wilder couldn't help but sigh.
*You guessed correctly, but there's no prize,* Ian thought. "And how should a man my age act?"
"Greedy and reckless," Wilder replied, then quickly added, "Though I am not speaking of you, of course."
"Good. Then let us get down to business. Shall we start with your planned action?"
"Yes, let's start with the operation." Although Ian had asked a question, Ser Wilder found himself instinctively following the boy's lead. "You were right before. We have made a very important discovery. We have located a key stronghold of the Ghosts of Whitewalls."
"Another ghost camp?" Ian quipped. "Is it the gate to the seven hells?"
"Oh, it's not their camp," Ser Wilder said, ignoring the second half of Ian's joke. "In fact, during our initial joint operations, we only ever found one of their camps, and it was empty." He finished with a short, sarcastic laugh.
"You only found it once?" The detail snagged Ian's attention. He smelled something unusual. "Can you tell me more about that?"
Dorian had mentioned this before, but he had provided so much information at once that Ian had glossed over it. Now, thinking back, this 'only time' seemed significant.
"Ah?" Wilder looked puzzled. "Why do you care about that old matter? Shouldn't our focus be on the stronghold we've just discovered?"
"Curiosity," Ian said, offering a casual excuse. "You have been fighting them for so long, yet you only found their temporary camp once. It raises certain doubts in my mind."
"Well..." Wilder had no wish to waste time on this, but 'Ser Lucien's' attitude was insistent. After hesitating for a few seconds, he chose to compromise.
He didn't know why, but when facing this young Lannister knight, he felt an instinctual reluctance to oppose him.
*This is the temperament of a true leader,* Wilder thought to himself. *A pity he is likely just from a side branch of the family. If Lord Tywin had a grandson like this, perhaps he wouldn't need to worry so much about his two sons—one a Kingsguard, the other a dwarf.*
"Very well, ser. Let me think... about that temporary camp."
Wilder trailed off, lost in thought. After a long moment of silence, Ian took the initiative. "First, how did you confirm the camp belonged to the Ghosts of Whitewalls?"
"At the time, our patrol from Taman Village reported seeing a group of bandit cavalry operating north of their settlement. We immediately sent a company of light horse to investigate and discovered the abandoned camp in the woods north of the village."
"Was there any evidence inside? Anything related to Blackfyre or the Ghosts?" Ian asked.
"No. But the camp was large, with traces of cooking fires for fifty men. Besides us and the Ghosts, there are no other armed forces of that size nearby. Furthermore, the patrol captain from Taman confessed he saw a column of horsemen enter those woods after looting a caravan. We concluded it had to be their temporary camp."
"And besides the campfire traces, did you find anything else inside? Leftover supplies, perhaps? Or any of the goods they robbed from the caravan?"
Sir Wilder shook his head. "No. Nothing."
---
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