Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Continuing My Journey.
The Riverlands.
Seagard.
It's been five days since I arrived in Seagard, and I didn't think I would miss the cold from the North so quickly. I've always preferred the cold, but this heat doesn't help with the smell of the people. Sweat accumulates fast when someone works, making it even more noticeable.
Apart from that, my stay here has been fruitful. I was able to root out many spies and was almost done with my mission. I was just waiting to obtain evidence of one specific person in this stronghold. There was one particular merchant whom I was pretty sure was working for Littlefinger, but he was so meticulous in his dealings that it was hard to pin him down.
All the other spies I found were chained in the barracks, awaiting judgment. Jason Mallister had been pissed at how many spies were in his house and even more so at who they were working for.
There were three spies from the Freys, which did help cement our alliance, thankfully. Then there were spies from the crown: three for Littlefinger and two for Varys. It seemed Baelish was always fond of whores, as two of those spies were working in a brothel in the port. From Varys, there was a little orphan who used his small stature to listen to whatever he could, but thanks to my bugs, I could root him out.
Jason Mallister was particularly hurt by that orphan, as it seemed the kid used his suffering to get closer to Patrek, Jason's heir, and he knew his heir would be devastated when he heard about his demise.
I hadn't seen Patrek since I arrived. It seemed that he was a close friend of my uncle, Edmure Tully, and he was hunting or something. I would probably miss him on this visit since I was almost ready to continue my journey.
Finally, after being able to pin something on the merchant, I used my mosquitoes to knock him out. I approached his body, took the parchment where he was writing about a masked visitor to Seagard, pickpocketed it, and went to the maester so that he could call some guards to pick him up.
"Maester Aldric, I think I'm done rooting out spies. I haven't been able to find anyone suspicious after this one," I greeted him.
The maester smiled. "I am awed by your efficiency, Lord Stark," he said as he took the evidence from my hand, his smile disappearing instantly as he read the contents.
He sighed, saying, "I didn't know how they could have infiltrated us so deeply without our knowledge."
Nodding in agreement, I answered, "It is scary how many people in our keeps aren't loyal to us. When we did this in the North, my father was amazed and hurt by everything we found."
"Lord Mallister feels the same. Know this, Lord Stark: you have gained an ally for life thanks to this." The maester nodded firmly.
"I'll search for Lord Mallister; it's time I continue my journey to Riverrun. We are short on time and need to hurry," I told the maester.
He nodded in acceptance and shook my hand in thanks before I left.
He was one of the people I investigated thoroughly, as I don't trust any maester, but I couldn't find out much. He didn't try to write confidential information, and if he really was a spy, props to him for being so meticulous.
With the last spy found, I would bid farewell to the Lord of Seagard, but I wouldn't leave immediately. I would wait in a clearing outside seagard for a day while I finished investigating the maester. It was possible he didn't write anything because I was there, but with him "knowing" that I left, maybe he would start doing something.
Walking toward the lord's solar, I nodded to the guards outside the door and knocked on it.
"Enter," Jason Mallister's voice was heard from inside.
"Lord Mallister, I hope you are having a good day," I greeted him with a smile.
"These have been five long and arduous days, Lord Stark. What news do you bring now?" he asked, shaking his head.
"I found evidence of the last spy I was able to find. I already provided the maester with proof, and he sent some guards to detain him," I explained. "It's time I continue with my journey. News about the tourney in honor of my father has arrived. I need to clue in my family in Riverrun to prepare for this clusterfuck."
Jason nodded. "I thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you've done in these five days, Lord Stark. I hope our alliance will prove to be as fruitful."
I smiled at the weary lord. "Indeed it will be, Lord Mallister. When I return with my father, we will send a raven from here to Winterfell for the soldiers to arrive at the Moat. That way, we will start the downfall of the Freys and be able to provide assistance in case the Ironborn attack."
Returning to my room in Seagard, I collected everything and was ready to go. I would have to hide for a day from everyone, but I found a clearing that kept the castle within my range so I could spy on the maester without anyone knowing. Hopefully, I was wrong, but I had a bad feeling about leaving without being sure.
Going to some merchants to buy provisions for my journey, I kept an eye on strategic locations with my bugs, from the lord's solar to the barracks and the maester's office.
Taking my leave, I started to gallop away from the castle, searching for the clearing where I would stay for a day. Living outside of castles was difficult; I wasn't much of an outdoor person in my past life, but I needed to do this if I wanted to live peacefully in the future.
Searching for a safe spot first, I commanded my bugs to scout for anything dangerous, but thankfully, there wasn't anything of note—no bandits or animals that could threaten me. I sent only half of all the bugs I had toward Seagard. In these weeks I've been in the South, I accumulated over four million insects since they were more common in this climate.
Checking the castle, I noticed how Jason was working tirelessly for the betterment of his people, but I let out a sigh of sorrow at the scene that greeted me in the maester's office. It was a shame; my gut feeling was right.
The maester was penning a message to the Citadel, writing about my stay and what we planned to do soon.
Sighing, I made my paralyzing mosquitoes get on the raven and started riding back toward Seagard. Seeing him send the raven, I ordered my mosquitoes to inject the neurotoxin and went ahead to retrieve it. Thankfully, I was somewhat close, and in ten minutes, I could grab the raven and the message signed by Maester Aldric.
Nodding to the guards at the entrance, I went directly toward Jason's solar, knocking on the door before entering.
"Lord Mallister, I have grave news," I said direly. "Look at this."
As I showed him the raven inside my satchel and took out the message, I used the antidote to allow the raven to move.
Lord Mallister's hands were shaking with rage. "Guards!" he bellowed, and the door was opened rapidly, the guards entering with their swords drawn.
Seeing me sitting there casually, the guards stopped before making a mess. "Yes, my lord?" asked the captain.
"Bring the maester to me. Don't let him out of your sight, and don't let him run away," Jason Mallister ordered firmly.
The captain's eyes widened in alarm, but being one of those in the know, he nodded and started sprinting toward the maester's office.
"This is a mess, Lord Stark," he said. "This will complicate things. I can't trust another maester after this. But they are needed."
I nodded in understanding. "If you want, we can send a raven to the North, where I can ask them to send one with my full confidence that he won't be doing this."
Jason's eyes narrowed in thought. "If you would be so kind, Lord Stark. At least until the war ends."
I nodded. "What do you plan to do with Maester Aldric?" I asked him.
"What else? Execution," he sighed. "It's what he deserves, breaking our trust like that."
Waiting for a minute until the guards arrived, I reviewed my original plans. I would need to change them since I didn't have much time. After this, I would leave for the Bloody Gate. I needed to talk with the Blackfish since I knew his character. It would be difficult, but I could make this work.
As the contingent of guards dragging the maester entered the solar, Aldric's eyes widened when he saw me in here with the raven he had just sent. I ignored everything since I didn't have a say in the matter and grabbed some parchment and a quill to start writing the message to Winterfell.
In it, I explained my situation and would like a maester to be sent here. All the maesters in the North had been critically vetted, so I was sure we could trust any one. The problem was that we didn't have any extras to spare.
The other option would be to send a couple of maester's apprentices to carry the burden, as working as a team could make this possible.
"Lord Mallister," I asked tentatively, "Do you think three maester apprentices could work in the meantime? One for medicine, one for economics, and the last for politics?"
Jason thought for a minute and nodded, returning to ask questions to the maester.
As I finished writing the message, I signed it with my name and returned it to the table.
"It's time I leave. I'll leave this to you, Lord Mallister," I bid farewell.
"Thank you for everything, Lord Stark. But there is much to do, so I won't see you out," he answered in a clipped tone.
"Don't worry about it. In the following weeks, you'll have the answer from Winterfell," I rapped on the message I left on the table. "I'll take my leave."
What a mess this was shaping up to be. I needed to hurry up to finish my business.
Mounting my horse, I prepared for my next destination: The Crossroads Inn.
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