Jaime tossed a heavy brown traveler's cloak at Link. It landed on the bed with a soft thud. "Put that on," Jaime said while checking the edge of his dagger. "If anyone sees the Golden Lion and a Stark guard walking through the streets together, the riot will start before we reach the bottom of the hill."
Link pulled the cloak over his shoulders. The wool was rough and smelled of old cedar, but it effectively hid his bloodstained rags and broken armor. He stood up, his legs shaking like a newborn fawn.
[Status Alert: Health 14%]
[Buff Active: Adrenaline Surge]
[Status: Movement Impaired]
They exited the guest chamber through a service door. Jaime led the way through a series of narrow, winding corridors that even Link had not mapped in his previous loops. These were the hidden veins of the Red Keep, used by servants and spies to move without being noticed by the high lords.
The air grew cooler as they descended into the belly of the castle. They reached a small postern gate near the kitchen girl's walk. Jaime killed their torch by pressing it into the damp earth. Outside, the city of King's Landing was an eerie portrait of silence. The usual roar of the markets and the shouting of the wine sinks had been replaced by a heavy, suffocating tension.
"The Dragonpit is on the other side of the city," Jaime whispered. He adjusted his hood to shadow his famous face. "My sister has patrols at every major intersection. They have orders to arrest anyone who looks like a Northman or a messenger."
"Then we stay in the shadows," Link replied. He leaned against the stone wall, his breath coming in shallow, ragged gasps.
[Quest Updated: The Hidden Path]
[Objective: Reach the Dragonpit without triggering a combat encounter]
They moved through the narrow, twisting alleys of the Hook. Twice they had to freeze in the darkness as a squad of Gold Cloaks marched past, their torches casting long, flickering shadows against the brick walls. Link could feel the System humming in the back of his mind, showing him the optimal path through the urban maze.
[System Prompt: Tactical Overlay Active]
[Warning: Path 1 intercepted by Lannister Archers. Path 2 clear for 200 meters.]
"Left at the next corner," Link whispered, pulling Jaime into a recessed doorway.
Jaime looked at him with narrow, suspicious eyes. "How do you know? I have lived here half my life and I can barely tell one alley from the next in this light."
"I have a good memory for maps," Link lied. He did not tell Jaime that he had seen these specific streets in a dozen different failed timelines.
As they approached the base of Rhaenys's Hill, the silence was broken by the sound of a distant horn. It was a long, low blast that signaled the changing of the guard at the Dragonpit. Above them, the massive, ruined dome of the pit loomed against the stars like the skull of a dead god.
"Look," Jaime said, pointing toward the summit.
Torches lined the perimeter of the ruins. Link could see the glint of steel and the banners of the direwolf fluttering in the night wind. Robert had turned the ancient dragon stables into a fortress. Below the hill, a sea of Lannister red was gathered. The city was physically split in two.
"If we just walk up there, my father's men will shoot us," Jaime said grimly. "And if we somehow make it past them, your Northmen will stick a spear in me just for being a Lannister."
"Then we do not walk," Link said. He looked at a small drainage grate near the base of the hill. "There is a tunnel used for clearing out the old dragon dung. It leads directly into the lower levels of the pit."
Jaime wrinkled his nose in disgust. "You want the Kingslayer to crawl through a sewer?"
"I want you to live to see the morning," Link said. "The choice is yours, Ser Jaime."
Jaime looked at the massive army of his father, then up at the ruined dome. He let out a weary sigh and began to pull at the iron bars of the grate. "If I ever tell this story, I am changing the ending," he muttered.
[Status: Stealth Success]
[Mental Fatigue 88%]
They slid into the darkness of the tunnel. The air was foul and thick, but it was safe for the moment. Link felt his strength fading again. He knew he only had one chance to speak to the King before his body finally gave out.
….
Author Note
Hi guys! Thank you for reading my fanfiction. I'll be realising 4 Chapters a day from now on.
Also I'll be still releasing bonus chapters for Power Stones. Here are the goals:
15 Power Stones: 1 Bonus Chapter
30 Power Stones: 1 Bonus Chapter
50 Power Stones: 1 Bonus Chapter
75 Power Stones: 2 Bonus Chapters
100 Power Stones: 2 Bonus Chapters
Thanks for the support!