章節 16: Chapter 16
Harry Potter + A song of Ice and Fire Crossover
Chapter 16
"Well," Lysa said sitting down on the bed the next morning, "that was fast."
"I agree," Lily said as she sat before the mirror running a brush slowly through her long red curls. "But in a way I suppose I should have been expecting it. Father's got you and Cat locked up to engagements, its only natural I would draw that attention too. By the way, I meant to ask, how was your meeting with the Lannisters? Every time I remember to ask you something else happens and I forget."
Lysa fiddled with the elaborate stitching on the bedspread a moment before answering. "It was alright I suppose. Jaime Lannister is very handsome. It's just…"
Lily frowned at her reflection and turned around from the vanity, brush still in hand. "It's just what?"
"I don't know," Lysa said. "He's not Petyr for one. I didn't grow up with him or know him like the back of my hand. I talk to Petyr about a lot of things but I don't think Jaime and I talked about anything really. We just followed along behind Father and Lord Lannister like sheep."
"Well did you try?" Lily asked. "Communication when you're married is a big thing."
"When did you become the expert on marriage?" Lysa asked. "I'd just assume you'd run from the altar screaming."
Lily pressed a hand to her chest in mock indignation. "My dear sister, how little you know me. We grew up watching mother and father's marriage didn't we? What did they do every day?"
"Talk," Lysa muttered.
"Right and its why they loved each other so much. Mother wasn't afraid to argue with Father if she thought he was wrong about something. Yes she usually deferred to him in some things but if it was important to her she would make sure that he knew it."
"I remember that," Lysa said. "I'm surprised that you do though. You were only one and ten when she died."
"It wasn't quite four years ago but it was almost," Lily said in a quiet voice. "There are a lot of things I remember about Mother. I remember how it drove her crazy when I neglected my sewing for a larger blade or how I loved riding and shooting a bow better than learning how to dance or flirt."
"Do you remember the time you came in for your dancing lesson in breeches and muddy boots?" Lysa asked giggling. "I thought she was going to pass out, her face went so white! Do you recall what she said to you?"
"Of course I do!" Lily said getting to her feet and adopting a pose much like the one Minisa had constantly donned when she was about to give her lecture. "Lilian Tully! Are you trying to resemble a wild animal? You certainly smell like one!"
Lysa collapsed back on the bed in a fit of giggles. "She marched you straight upstairs and all but threw you in the bath!"
The both of them collapsed on the bed in a fit of laughter until Lily felt the prick of tears in the corner of her eyes and cleared her throat.
Silence reigned between both of them for a moment but it was soon punctuated by a few whispered words from Lysa.
"I miss her," the other red head whispered and the declaration rang in the stillness of the chamber.
"I know," Lily whispered back as her sister's hand found hers. "I do too."
No one said anything for a moment as they both reminisced on their own private memories of Minisa Tully.
"Do you remember the last thing she said to you?" Lysa asked.
"Of course I do."
"What was it?"
Lily sighed and remembered the long, painful, but utterly wonderful conversation she had had with her second mother almost four years ago.
"She told me to be strong, be brave, have courage and to work hard at whatever I chose to do."
"Hmmm," Lysa mused. "She told me to believe in myself. And I know she told Cat to be kind. Wonderful words."
"I know," Lily said. "Somehow I think she told us everything we needed to hear at exactly when we needed to hear it. I wonder what she said to Ed."
"I don't know and I've never asked him," Lysa said thoughtfully. "He never talks about her. Every time I bring her up he changes the subject."
"He's not over it yet," Lily said as she sat up and ran a hand through her messy hair again. "But I don't really think any of us will get over it. And I don't think we should."
"I wonder what she would say about us now?" Lysa mused. "Do you think she would be proud of us?"
"Of course," Lily said. "I think we've done some things that would make her laugh, some things that would make her angry and others that would make her smile."
"I wish she would be at our weddings," Lysa said softly. "I wonder if she would approve of Brandon, Jaime and Elbert."
Lily grimaced thinking about Brandon. She certainly hoped her conversation with him from the night before had knocked some sense into him and he wouldn't be unfaithful to her sister. Because if he was, she had no qualms about apparating to Winterfell and ensuring he never had the ability to do so again.
Jaime she hadn't really met yet so she would hold all expectations about him until they had had a conversation and she already knew her own feelings about Elbert. He was an honest, just, compassionate and understanding person who she thanked her lucky stars that she had found. He wouldn't try to hinder her interests or treat her as a lesser person because she was female. She had a feeling she would be able to continue her sword play and her riding and all other activities that were frowned upon because of her status and sex once she married him.
She had found someone that made her family happy and whom she just might be happy with as well.
Funny how things worked out that way.
"Did father say when your marriage to Lord Elbert would be?" Lysa asked and Lily frowned. "No he didn't and I've already spoken to Elbert about it, he has agreed to give me as much time as I need. I'm not even five and ten yet. Perhaps in another three or four years or so."
"Would father accept that?" Lysa asked.
"He won't have a choice," Lily shrugged. "Elbert has agreed and he is the future heir to the Vale. Father won't want to risk offending with him so he will have to go along. If he doesn't like it…too bad."
Lysa chuckled and got to her feet. "I envy you sometimes Lily."
"What do you mean?" the younger red head asked.
"You're utterly fearless," Lysa said as she headed for the door. "Nothing scares you and you don't let anything hold you back. I wish I could be like that."
Before Lily could respond, she slipped quietly out the door and closed it behind her with a soft click.
"I'm not as brave as you might think Lysa," Lily muttered to herself as she stared at the closed door. "And if you knew everything there was to know about me than you would know that some secrets are better left unsaid."
Ω
About a week later, Lily stood in the courtyard of the Red Keep waving goodbye to her family as they sat upon their horses and the wheelhouses rumbled through the gates and down into the streets of King's Landing.
Only when the company turned a corner and disappeared did Lily breathe a sigh of relief.
Lysa had looked very fragile when she had hugged her sister goodbye and Lily had felt a surge of concern.
Cat seemed to be more jittery than usual and before the two girls had released each other, Cat had made her promise that she would be back in Riverrun for her wedding in a year or so to which Lily had agreed.
Ed had merely said he wished he was staying with her as Hoster had recently begun teaching him the ways of running the Riverlands and he was finding it overwhelming.
Axel meanwhile had just cried and tried to hold onto her, prompting a tightening in the fourteen year old's throat.
Unfortunately, Elia who was standing next to her happened to hear her sigh and turned to her with a half smile on her face. "Are you alright Lily?"
"I am," the red head replied. "Thank you for being here with me today. My uncle had some business to attend to in the city and said his goodbyes to everyone this morning. I didn't really want to be alone for it."
Elia gave her a gentle smile and patted her hand. "Where is your betrothed by the way? I would have thought he would be here with you."
"He too is on an errand for his uncle," Lily said. "Lord Elbert has decided to remain in the capital for the next few weeks or so before returning to the Vale."
"I must say, I find his early devotion to you endearing," Elia said with a small smile. "I had never met Elbert Arryn before the wedding but I had never heard any stories to make me concerned. Well done Lily."
The red head turned to her friend with one eyebrow raised. "What do you mean? I didn't do anything. My father was the one who agreed to this marriage."
"Yes," Elia amended. "But you were the one to make enough of an impression on Elbert to prompt him to propose this match. Didn't I tell you earlier that hard work is the only way anything is accomplished in a marriage?"
Lily stifled the urge to roll her eyes. "Yes you did."
"Good," the princess said looking very pleased with herself. "If I impart nothing else to you in all the time you will be here, remember that."
"I will," the red head said.
Elia said nothing else for a moment but instead took the younger girl's arm and led her back towards the gardens.
"I meant to speak with you in more detail about that charge the king tasked you with. How do you feel about such a thing?"
Lily sighed and spread her hands. "It's not as if I have much of a choice do I? I'm surprised that he gave it to me but I will say that the king is consistent in his unpredictability. And who knows, with my magic maybe I will be able to track down this unknown enemy who seems so keen to see you dead."
Elia flinched slightly but made no comment and Lily wanted to grimace at her careless words and she hurried to cover them up with her next piece of logic.
"I had thought to go back to the Great Sept in the next few days to have a look around that whole interior and see if there were any clues. It's also unfortunate that not a single one of those men were recovered alive from that massacre."
That was another irritating thing that was getting under Lily's skin about being made the Crown's official sleuth. She didn't have much to work with.
The Kingsguard had searched the bodies for anyone still living that they might take back to the Keep to interrogate but there was nothing to be found. All the black clad men were dead and the ones who might have been merely wounded had escaped in the chaos.
It was maddening that the moment they got close to catching some form of clue about who or what had sent this enemy, it slipped away from them like a fish slipped through a bear's teeth.
"Perhaps I should send Oberyn with you," Elia mused. "He can be quite stealthy when he wants to be."
Lily raised and eyebrow at her friend. "It seems there's no middle ground with your brother. He is either very hot or very cold about everything he does. Why is there no balance with him?"
Elia rolled her eyes then causing Lily to chuckle. "Your guess is as good as mine. Isn't there a saying that the youngest ones are always the most hotheaded and reckless?"
Lily grimaced. "I certainly hope that's not true of Axel as he grows. Gods only know the sorts of trouble he might get himself into."
"He is sweet your little brother," Elia said with a small smile.
"He can be," Lily said. "I just hope that he is mothered appropriately by Cat and Lysa. He'll never know our mother but with three older sisters I hope we all can take care of him well enough."
"I don't doubt that," Elia said patting her arm as they wandered down a path lined on either side with tall trees. "Fortunately he has some more time with your sisters before Catelyn gets married."
"True," Lily said and then cocked her head to one side. "Sometimes I wished I could have kept him here in the capital with me."
"Maybe when he gets older you can do that," Elia suggested.
"Hmm," Lily replied and then she frowned. "By the way, where's Ashara? I haven't seen her all day."
Elia's face got a sneaky smile. "She's spending the afternoon with someone."
Lily's eyebrows shot to her hairline. "Really? And who might this male someone be that she has made an impression on?"
Elia grinned further. "It would seem that the two of you have made quite the impressions on young men from the Vale.
It didn't take Lily long after that.
"Lord Eddard?" she asked in shock. Then she wanted to smack her head. "Of course it would be Eddard! It makes perfect sense, they spent all their time together last night!"
She grinned at her friend. "Well it seems we've all done well for ourselves then. I do believe we've found the most honorable men in this keep."
Elia smiled but in the shadow of the passing trees it almost looked like a grimace, prompting Lily to look at her in concern. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes," Elia said. "It's just this new life I have is going to take some adjusting to that's all. Being a queen is not going to be an easy task."
"I don't think anyone ever expected it to be," Lily said. "I certainly don't envy your position. But instead of thinking of it as a right or a burden, try thinking of it as a privilege instead."
Elia frowned at her. "What do you mean?"
They were getting away from the trees now and nearing the rocky coast of the keep where one could look out over Black Water Bay and see the sea beyond it. The sun was shining brightly off the water and Lily had to blink a few times in order to get her eyes to adjust.
"With all the power that you're going to have in the next few years," she began. "What sort of good can you do with it? How can you make people's lives better, improve the realm and keep it safe for everyone living in it. Don't think about what you've had to give up in order to come here. Being queen is a privilege, its not just about power, its how you use it. A wise person knows that in order to truly be powerful, you need to use that power instead of consolidating it behind four walls."
Elia was quiet for a moment as they stood on the rocky shoreline looking out over the water. "I think you'd make a far better queen than I would Lily."
The red head threw back her head and laughed. "Don't be ridiculous, I'm far too impulsive and reckless. The crown needs a queen that's calm and measured and that's not me."
"Give yourself some credit," Elia said softly. "You're four and ten, that sort of maturity will come, but what you just said is something that very few people would think of. I doubt any of the Targaryens have had a mindset like that and ones who have did not have the power to back it up. Possibly Baelor the Blessed but little is known about him. That is the sort of mindset that every ruler should have. Thank you for reminding me of it."
Lily nodded. "You're welcome."
A silence reigned between the two women and Lily seated herself on one of the rocks as she looked out to sea. She knew Ser Jonothar was somewhere in the back ground watching them but he must have done a good job as she very alone then.
It was actually rather nice.
"I shouldn't be out here for too long," Elia said absently. "I'm supposed to see the queen again today. I think she wishes to take me under her wing as she has no daughters."
"Good," Lily said. "Its good to have as many friends as possible. Prince Viserys could certainly use more playmates."
"He is a precocious child," Elia said with a smile. "You mentioned it earlier but now that I am thinking of him, I do wish Axel might have stayed. He and Viserys might have been good friends."
"Perhaps when they're a little older I'll write to my father and ask for Axel to spend some time here," Lily mused. "I think you're right, Viserys could use some new playmates. If he spends too much time around the wrong people, he might grow…strange."
"And gods forbid we could use less peculiarity around here," Elia muttered under her breath and Lily snorted in agreement.
All of a sudden, the sound of footsteps behind them caused both women to look up and turn around.
Hurrying down the path towards them was a servant carrying a note in his hand. The other was clutched into a fist.
"Your grace," he said skidding to a halt in front of Elia and bowing. "A message from the queen. She wishes to see you."
Elia frowned as she took the note. "Well that was quick. I wasn't expecting to see her for another hour at least. I wonder what she wishes to talk about."
Lily mentally scanned through a list of options. "Well, seeing as how its exactly one weedk after your wedding night and the last day of the tourney later today with a good deal of excitement she probably wishes to catch up with you now and ensure that certain…conditions…have been met."
Elia blinked at her and then turned slightly pink. "For someone who is unmarried, you certainly seem astute about the matter of the marriage bed."
Lily shrugged and gave her a smile. "I have two older sisters and right now all three of us are engaged. What do you think we should be talking about?"
Elia threw back her head and laughed. "Point taken I suppose. Ah well, I should get on to see her then. I'll see you at dinner tonight?"
"You'll see everyone at dinner tonight," Lily said with a cheeky smile. "There's going to be a feast remember?"
Elia rolled her eyes at her friend. "One of these days Lily you're going to need to watch your tongue. It's sharper than a sword blade."
"Never!" the red head called after her as she left.
Elia's only response was to laugh and hurry off down the garden path with Ser Jonothar behind her.
I suppose now would be as good a time as any to sneak out of the keep and make my way to the Sept, she mused to herself. Although I suppose I should see if Elbert is back from his errand yet and see if he wants to come as well. An adventure could be just what the two of us need to get to know each other better.
Ω
"What exactly are we looking for?" Elbert asked, his voice echoing off the high walls of the sept.
Lily glared at him in an attempt to get him to be quiet and he must have realized his blunder for he immediately looked contrite.
"Clues," she whispered. "These men must have left something behind and if we find it, we will get closer to finding them."
"If the Kingsguard couldn't find anything when they searched the carnage earlier, what makes you think that you can?" Elbert asked.
When Lily glared at him again he put his hands up in a defensive gesture. "I'm merely inquiring."
Lily shook her head and turned back around to peruse the floor of the balcony once more. "Because the men of the Kingsguard only searched the floor of the Great Sept where all the fighting took place….but I'm not sure if they looked here. And it is from here that the men originated. The arrow that nearly cost Prince Rhaegar his life was shot from here and the men descended on their ropes from this balcony. Before that however, gods only knew how long they were here for. It might have been hours."
Elbert frowned thoughtfully. "Then perhaps one of the septons or septas has seen something. I should enquire."
"It's a good idea," Lily said thoughtfully, "especially since they got nothing out of the High Septon earlier. Pompous man, I don't know why someone like that is in charge. All spectacle and no sense."
Elbert's amused chuckling behind her caused her to turn around with a bemused smile on her face. "What is it?"
"Nothing," the blonde said but when she continued watching him, he threw up his hands and laughed again. "It's just when I went to my uncle with the idea to propose this marriage, he looked at me for a long moment and then began to chuckle. When I demanded to know why he was so amused he merely said that I could expect to have my hands full with the likes of you. You were not the sort of woman that would do anything quietly."
Lily raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure if I should be amused or offended."
"The former I think," Elbert said with a smile. "My uncle is not one to lavish praise on anyone, even me. And then he said that in some ways you remind him of his former wife. Apparently she was as passionate, stubborn and feisty as you are."
"I think I should have liked to meet her then," Lily as she turned back around and continued her search. "We might have gotten on well."
"There is not a doubt in my mind that you would have," Elbert said with a chuckle. "But perhaps its good you didn't. I don't think the realm can handle more than one woman like that at a time."
Lily snorted and then got back down on her hands and knees to peer under the wooden benches for any left behind fragments of interest.
"I believe I will go find some of the septons who were here on the day of the wedding," Elbert said aloud. "And then perhaps we should get back to the keep. The last day of the tourney is today and I would like to see who the victor will be."
"It surely will not go to anyone but the prince," Lily said in a bored tone. "And then he will award his new bride as his queen of love and beauty and the purse of gold will be rewarded and everyone will wander off to prepare for the feast all the while muttering about what a wonderful tourney and wedding it was. All the women will simper, hoping that one day they will find a man as wonderful as the prince and all the men will continue speaking about the joust, debating the weapons and the weight and the breed of horses used and the lances and the armor until they are blue in the face about it. Then they will spend a night of drunken revelry pawing at the next chamber maid or lady who happens to come too close and fall asleep in a stupor on the floor."
Elbert blinked at the long winded and sarcastic speech before he chuckled again. "Surely you don't have such a low opinion of us men."
Lily gave him a small smile. "Not all of them and present company is certainly excluded."
"Well that's good," Elbert said with a laugh. "Pardon me my lady, I am going to find those septons."
He strode off down the balcony and to the narrow metal staircase that had led them up to it before hurrying down it two stairs at a time.
Lily continued crawling along on her hands and knees and peering beneath the benches. When her knees started to hurt, she straightened up and muttered a cushioning charm for them before continuing her search.
There had to have been something there, some clue that had been left behind. After a moment, she got to her feet and placed a hand against the side of her face as she thought carefully.
She had thought that there were statues on the balcony which had in fact turned out to be the men standing very still. So the had either entered the sept, disguised as peasants perhaps to say their prayers…or there had been some other point of entry.
And since this place was where she had seen them first…it was entirely possible that it was from this place that they had entered.
But where?
She sighed and got down on her hands and knees again to look under the dark benches. Another few tense moments passed as she continued her crawl but when she finally reached the last bench before the railing…a sudden sparkly caught her eye.
Lily frowned and crawled closer to the bench to get a better look at the small object that was gleaming so brightly.
It almost looked like a stone but when she hesitantly reached out her hand and felt for it in the dusky lighting, the touch of it against her hand was unlike any stone she had ever felt.
Very slowly, Lily pulled the object out from under the wooden bench and stared at in the palm of her hand.
It almost looked like an arrowhead, a very well small one but one that was utterly white like a shard of bone. There were strange runes and markings in its face…ones that were too small for Lily to make out but they were unlike any runes she had ever seen. There was a tiny whole embedded in the juncture between the two points on the right and left side, almost as if there had been a string through there once so it might hang as a necklace.
How odd, Lily thought as she brought the object close to her face and looked it over more carefully. Where on earth did this come from?
She quickly pocketed the object and further attention later and resumed searching, though for what she didn't know.
Finding nothing more beneath the benches, she was about to straighten up when something caught her eye.
A small square of the stone wall, about the size of her hand perhaps looked…different than the others.
Lily frowned slightly and sat up before moving the bench that the square was directly beneath. It was hard word, the bloody thing was heavy but she didn't dare use magic as she didn't know if anyone was watching. Besides, Elbert might be back any second now and the last thing that needed to happen was for him to see a display of sorcery before she was ready.
Finally she succeeded in wrenching the bench free and pushed it to one side as she examined the small square. Placing a hand on it, she gently pushed inward and was astonished when the piece of wall gave way as if it were a lever.
All of a sudden the sound of voices floated up the staircase and she straightened, recognizing the voice of Elbert, but not the other.
"Truly my lord, I have no idea," the man was saying. "I was given charge of lighting the candles before the ceremony was to begin around the Sept but I saw no unnatural activity anywhere and at the time, I had no reason to think that there would be."
"Indeed," Elbert said. "Was there ever a time you came up to the balcony at all?"
"No my lord," the septon said. "I only – "
He paused when he saw the moved bench and Lily standing there. "Good lord."
Elbert frowned at the scene. "Lily what have you done?"
The red head pointed to the small square of wall. "I believe I've found something. Did you know this was here Septon?"
Both men hurried forward to examine her findings and the septon frowned upon seeing the indentation in the wall.
"What on earth?" he murmured. "No my lady, I haven't seen this at all. How did you find it?"
"Before I tell you," the red head said. "I think its more important that we see what this does."
And then, in full light of Elbert and the septon, she reached forward and pushed the square inward with all of her might.
For a few seconds there was nothing but all of a sudden a soft click could be heard and the three of them jumped back when the square sunk into the wall of its own accord. There was a sound as if gears were grinding and then the squares all around the other began to sink inwards as well as if someone had dropped a stone into a pool of water. A ripple effect had been created and Elbert, the septon and Lily watched in astonishment as all the squares of stone sunk into each other until a doorway was formed. Beyond that doorway…there was nothing but blackness.
Elbert broke the silence by swearing violently. "So this is how the bastards gained entry into the place."
"I need to inform the High Septon at once," the septon stammered and he ran off, robes billowing behind him, nearly falling down the stairs in his haste.
Lily and Elbert exchanged glances.
"Excitable man isn't he?" Elbert asked rubbing the side of his face wryly. Lily shrugged. "I can't blame him, this isn't exactly the most settling news."
She took a step towards the doorway and immediately felt a hand descend on her shoulder. "Where are you going?"
Lily looked back at her betrothed with one eyebrow raised. "I'm going to investigate this passage and see where it leads. This is a huge lead and the last thing I want to do is go back to the King empty handed. You know what that would look like. There are already enough people questioning his decision about having a woman spearhead this for me to not want to add any more fuel to the fire by failing."
"Seeing as how your alertness saved both Princess Elia and Prince Rhaegar," Elbert said running a hand through his hair, "I think you've earned more credibility than most in the last few weeks. But that doesn't mean you need to be foolhardy. Who knows what's down there?"
"If you're so concerned my lord," Lily said with a wry smile. "Then come with me. Two are always better than one."
He stared at her for a moment before blinking a few times. "You're serious aren't you?"
She gave him a cheerful smile. "Perfectly."
Elbert sighed and ran a hand through his already mused blonde hair. "I'm not going to be able to convince you not to go down there am I?"
"Not at all."
"And there's no way we can wait and send for reinforcements first?"
Lily sighed. "Elbert, I've had enough waiting. Two attacks have happened in the last month that we've only been able to react to and we have been flailing in the dark otherwise. This was no radical group trying to make some attempt at a political point. This was a premeditated plan with the intent to take out the monarchy. Can we afford to wait any longer?"
Elbert sighed again. "I certainly hope you know what you're doing."
"If I knew what I was doing," Lily said as she headed for the doorway, seizing one of the torches on the wall on her way. "I certainly wouldn't be having very much fun now would I?"
Elbert's only response was to groan as he followed her through the doorway and into utter blackness.
Strangely enough, the passage way seemed to take them down a steep incline further and further.
Elbert had insisted on going first so he might guard against anyone unfriendly who came at them, but that meant that he had to hold the torch.
The passageway was so narrow that they could not walk side by side and instead had to follow along behind each other closely.
Their only light was coming from the torch so they had to remain close together and while Lily could have used magic, she had a feeling Elbert wasn't ready for that display just yet.
Another time perhaps.
A they continued downward, the passage started to even out allowing Lily to walk alongside the blonde. A few twists and turns were made in the passage but thankfully there were no different corridors to take which kept them from becoming lost.
"If we don't come to any sort of indicating markers soon about where we are," Elbert said. "Than I think we should go back. Being curious is one thing, but being foolhardy is another, we don't know what's down here."
"Very well," Lily said.
All of a sudden she blinked then, noticing something strange.
"This passage is old," she whispered "Very old."
"I believe that was self-evident when we first discovered it my lady," he said a smirk teasing his lips upwards in the dim light.
She rolled her eyes at him. "That's not what I mean. Look at the stones. The walls in the black cells were built brick on mortar on brick. These ones are built stone upon stone…..as if they were built at a time when using mortar wasn't possible. This passage has probably been around since Aegon the Conqueror caused the Red Keep to be built. Weren't there stories of tunnels running under the city?"
His eyes narrowed at the wall and she could tell that he knew she was right.
"We should proceed with caution then," he said calmly. "There are parts of this place that might be unstable and crumbling."
She nodded and continued to walk slowly after him as they walked further along into the passage.
The only sound was that of their footsteps on the stone and the quiet was so eerie that Lily began to feel glad that Elbert had come with her.
"I wonder what's at the end of this passage," she murmured aloud which drew a snort from the knight.
"Probably something that someone had good reason to hide," he replied. "Else why would this place have been sealed up the way it was?"
"Secrets," she murmured back. "Everyone in this damnable place has secrets. It's exhausting trying to keep track of it all."
"Welcome to the King's Landing my lady," he said sounding amused.
It seemed the path was one of those passageway that was beginning to lead to nowhere as they had been walking for nearly twenty minutes before a breath of fresh air hit Lily and she drew to a stop. "What was that?"
Elbert had stopped too and he held up a hand to her, indicating that he needed silence.
The breath of wind came again and she could taste a hint of salt on it. "Are we near the ocean?"
His eyes narrowed and he drew his sword as silently as was possible. "Come along but quietly."
She made no move to contradict him and hurried after the knight, having to walk quicker to keep up with his long strides.
The breaths of wind became stronger and she wondered for a moment whether or not they were coming to the edge of the sea.
It seemed like several minutes went by and Lily felt she was about to explode from curiosity about what was ahead of them when Elbert suddenly drew to a stop. He held out the arm that wasn't gripping his sword so Lily wouldn't walk any further and just stared. "It seems we now know how the assassins was able to escape."
Lily looked around him and muttered a curse under her breath when she saw what he was looking at. Ahead of them was a circular looking chamber and on all of its size she counted four different passageways leading in different directions away from the chamber.
In the center of the chamber there was a tall statue of an unfamiliar man. He was wearing a long cloak complete with armor and a sword at his waste and standing with one foot atop a stone skull.
How lovely, Lily thought with a grimace.
"I think that that is Maegor the Cruel," Elbert said quietly. "Although what he's doing down here I have no idea. If there's any place he should be in it's the Dragon's Pit."
"I wonder where those other passages lead," she murmured aloud.
"Well I think it's a good idea to have other people down here with us when we investigate," Elbert said. "But for now my lady, let's be smart about this and go back up. There's no need to be careless when we don't know what we're getting into."
It grated on Lily a bit but she knew he was right. This could have been very foolish, very foolish indeed.
"Very well," she said. "At least now we have some news for Princess Elia and the King and maybe this will tell us how the assassins have been getting around without being seen. These passages might be connected to any of the major buildings in King's Landing."
"Quite possibly," Elbert said. "But that will be something for someone else to determine on some other day. Come on, let's go."
He insisted that she go first back up the passage as it was already familiar to both of them and soon enough, they were emerging from the passage and back onto the balcony of the sept.
They must not have been gone for very long because no more than a few seconds passed before there were the sound of pounding footsteps on the stairs and the septon who had been with them earlier along with the High Septon himself, a balding man with severe grey eyes and a whole crowd of other septas and septons came charging up them.
Upon seeing the young couple standing there next to the doorway, all of them save the one who had been with them earlier came to a screeching halt.
"You see?" the septon asked. "It's as Lord Elbert and Lady Lilian discovered, there is a hidden door in the sept."
"Yes and if you will excuse us now," Elbert said somewhat dryly. "Lady Lilian and I will need to make a formal report of our discoveries to the king. He will be most interested to know about the fact that there weaknesses in buildings around the city. Good day."
He then swept down the stairs taking Lily with him. She glanced up at him with one eyebrow raised as they descended until he caught sight of her look. "What?"
"Was it really necessary to frighten them?" Lily said. "Using the king as a threat is something I would only do if I truly hated someone."
"I was jesting my lady," Elbert said with a smile. And after all, weren't you the one who said that the septons were all spectacle and no sense. Perhaps they will finally do something sensible with this information."
All Lily could do was smirk up at him. "Very well my lord, you win this time."
Elbert smiled down at her. "Excellent, I do believe I like this little game we're playing. Makes it easier to get to know you."
"Don't expect to win all the time my lord," Lily said with a secret smile. "I don't often make the same mistakes twice."
Ω
Uncle Brynden narrowed his eyes at the warhead. "I don't think I've ever seen these markings before."
The two of them were walking in the gardens in the cool of the evening after most of the court had gone to sleep.
After returning from her expedition at the Great Sept, Lily and Elbert had made sure to inform Ser Gerold of the passage they had found in the building to which an official investigation had been launched.
Following this, the two of them had gone to the tourney and tried not to think about what they had discovered. Every so often though Lily would feel eyes on her and look across the tourney grounds at the opposite stands and see that she was in fact the object of Elbert's gaze. He would give her a small smile when he saw her looking to which she would respond before turning back to the events before her.
Of course the events of the tourney had played out in the way she had predicted them to. Prince Rhaegar did emerge victorious atop his horse, received the crown of flowers and crowned his new bride as his queen of Love and Beauty.
As he should have.
Elia looked happy when he placed the crown upon her head but Lily could have sworn her smile looked almost strained. And then the moment had passed and the shadow had faded making Lily think she had been seeing things.
She had shaken her head and turned back to the festivities, soon forgetting all about it.
Afterward, she had remembered the arrow head in her pocket and gone in search of her uncle to seek his wisdom.
Lily shook her head. "Nor have I. They're not Westerosi from what I've seen, do you think they're part of an eastern weapon?"
Brynden shrugged. "If they are, they're from no weapon I've ever seen. I've never seen arrowheads like this before. It looks far older than any modern arrowhead."
"It looks almost…ceremonial," Lily suggested. "If no arrowheads you have seen have these sort of markings can we assume that it was used for purposes beyond the battlefield."
Brynden frowned. "Like what?"
"Well," Lily said. "Aren't there customs in the far east where the dead are burnt and in order to light the pyre one must shook a flaming air into the wood?"
The Blackfish rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I do recall reading something when I was a boy about such a custom. But I believe it was in Asshai that they did such things."
"Well then that makes perfect sense," Lily said rolling her eyes. "Isn't that city teaming with red priests and priestesses who worship a fire god?"
"There are," Brynden said sounding amused. "But unfortunately my dear, even with your magic there is no way of knowing whether or not the make of this weapon is from Asshai unless you were to travel there."
All of a sudden he blinked and then surprised Lily by muttering a curse under his breath. "Of course! How could I have forgotten?"
"Uncle?" Lily asked in bewilderment.
He turned to her and handed back the warhead with a grim look on his face. "You don't need to go to Asshai in order to find answers Lilian. We have a person from that city in this very court who can confirm or deny the origins of this warhead?"
Lily frowned. "Who on earth is that?"
"Lord Varys," her uncle replied as they continued walking. "He came to this country long ago but Aerys brought him here to act as his official spymaster. If there is anyone you should talk to about the existence of this warhead, it would be him."
"Of course," Lily breathed. "How did I forget that? But isn't the Master of Whispers a very…vague man?"
Brynden chuckled. "He is. However one of his attributes seems to be that he holds no personal motives for being here and simply exists to serve the realm. If he can serve the realm by uncovering the motives of these…assassins, well then I doubt he would refuse you information. Information is his business after all."
Lily mused on that for a moment before she finally nodded. "Very well I will make time to go and see him tomorrow."
Brynden looked as if he were going to say something else but was suddenly interrupted when a bloodcurdling scream rang out from the keep causing both of them to jerk like marionettes on strings from surprise.
"What the bloody hell was that?" Lily demanded and Brynden's face turned grim and he looked down at her, his bearded face hard. "I don't know but we need to go back to the keep now Lilian, we don't know what's happened."
He took her arm and the two hurried towards the keep, with Lily trying to remain calm, wondering what fresh hell had invaded the keep this time.
Ω
I decided to give Lily and Elbert some time to get to know one another better and him having her along for an adventure seemed like a good idea. He's not going to be around for her entire time in the capital, however I did want to flesh him out a bit because not a lot is known about Elbert. In the next chapter, the assassination plot continues and Elia makes a surprising announcement. Don't forget to review and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!y
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