A Voss

- 292 AC -

(Lucian Vhassar POV)

"Miranda ...", I say thinking about the woman who has followed me for years now. My right hand, my associate, my servant and love. 

And now she is dead. 'Died of natural causes' ... but I know better. Nothing that truly matters, happens of natural causes, not like this. She was killed, I know it. 

"What do we know? She died during her sleep, did she not? How did it happen?", I ask Syrio who is sitting in front of me. He came to me a sennight ago, telling me of the tragic end Miranda had. I was initially devastated and thought it must have been a joke or a plot. After that, I was angry, very angry in fact. I was certain that she was killed by one of the people who were my closest 'friends'. 

"Sadly we don't know anything. She died in her sleep. No signs of wounds or suffocation. It might have been poison but that will be hard to prove.", Syrio says. 

I sit in my chair and look out of the window. Glass of this quality is expensive. It was Miranda who acquired it for me long ago. She added it to a deal we had with Myr. Her skill in handling arrogant and lustful men and then making them do what she wanted, without giving them anything in return, was legendary. And now she's gone. 

"I want you to find out what you can. Find the person who did this and the one behind it and then tell me. I have something special planned for them.", I say after a moment of silence. Syrio nods his head and simply sits there offering silent support.

He knows of my relationship with Miranda and my love for her. I wanted to bed her so many times, but despite her being willing, since she saw herself as my property, I never did anything. I wanted us to have a relationship but she never saw me as anything else but 'Her Excellency'. And now ... Viserys came and stole her from me. 

Her screams were heard far and wide and at first, I was livid about him having sex with her when it should have been me. I asked her about it and saw that she had genuine feelings for him ... but knew that he wouldn't ever marry her. She was content with that arrangement since she felt appreciated and loved despite what he would have to do in the future. I was angry at first but then accepted her decision. 

"Do you think ... Viserys has something to do with it?", I say.

"No, Your Excellency. I don't think so.", Syrio answers rather quickly. 

"Why do you think that?", I look at him.

"Because Prince Viserys' main concern and reason for being here is his sister. Everything he does is for his sister's sake. And if I may remind you, it was you who asked Miranda to call for him the first time. It was not his idea to meet with you."

"Hmm, that's all plausible, but that just means he had enough time to plan everything. It seems suspicious, don't you think?", I ask him.

"You mean because he is now the one who has taken up Miranda's mantle and does her work for you? That might be true, but he was already working with her for a year now. If that was his goal all along, it would mean-"

"That he used her and bedded her for the sole purpose of gaining her trust and then having her killed, yes. All for the position.", I finish his sentence. 

"Your Excellency, I understand that this might be the case, might ... but we know Viserys. I know him well. You can't hide yourself if you fight someone as long as we have. If you fight someone, you get to know them, there is no acting there. And from what I saw, I am certain that he wouldn't be capable of doing something like that.", Syrio tells me. 

He's right. I asked Syrio to teach him Water Dancing for that reason primarily anyway. Syrio is a very capable warrior and can read people thanks to his long experience as a warrior. So it does speak for Viserys if Syrio says that. But there is just something inside me, that doesn't want to accept that. I feel like ...

"...I see. So that's how it is."

*knock knock knock*

"Enter.", I say and the door opens, revealing the man in question, Viserys. 

He walks towards me with a neutral expression, he is very composed. But he can't fool my eyes. I have been in this game for far too long to not see the hidden sadness buried deep underneath this bravado. 

"Your Excellency, I have found something that will interest you surely.", he says after bowing to me. 

"What is it?"

"I spoke with Ronard the other day and asked him whether there was someone who asked him anything suspicious. You understand that people who buy information are generally not the best crowd, but he said that there was someone, a shady figure who asked him about both you, Your Excellency and your 'servant girl Miranda'."

"WHAT?! And you tell me this now?!", I shout and stand up from my chair. 

"The reason why I am only telling you this now is because I wanted to know who the man was and tasked Ronard with finding the man in question. That's what took so long.", he says. 

"You found him? Who is it?", I ask eagerly. 

"The man's name is Varelos Ostaar, a pretty low-profile criminal leading a group of hired assassins. They apparently do anything for money but have never been caught. No one knows whether they are truly a dangerous group, or if they spread the rumours to appear as special. But they have money, they offered to pay Ronard 1'000 Gold Coins for the information."

"1'000? That's a lot of Gold for a small-time criminal.", Syrio says. 

"What did Ronard tell the man?", I ask. 

"Nothing, Your Excellency. He told him that he wouldn't sell any information about the Sealord and his closest advisors, as that would be equal to a death sentence.", Viserys tells me. 

"Smart man, your Ronard. How did you find out his name? Who found him?", I ask interested and suspicious. 

"I tasked Ronard with buying any information he could about the death of Miranda and spending a substantial amount to get the clue. Sadly, I don't know who hired Varelos to attain the information."

"Very well. I see. Thank you Viserys. You did well. Syrio will take over from here and find out who it was that tasked Varelos to get information about my Miranda.", I say. 

"Your Excellency, there is something else I wanted to talk to you about.", Viserys says. I am getting a bit impatient since I can't see him right now. 

"What is it?", I asked stressed. 

"I wanted to ask whether it is possible for you could find someone you trust to help me with Miranda's work. I find it hard to do all of her work on my own and I need more time for my sister. I haven't seen her for the entire sennight and I am getting restless. So if you have someone you trust, I would be more than happy with additional help.", he says. 

After he says that I am slightly stunned. I was not expecting him to suggest adding someone who was loyal to me and observing him. He is giving me a chance to watch him by adding a loyal servant to help with his work. I look at Syrio and see his gaze. Giving me the 'I told you so.' gaze.

"Haaa, I will get to it Viserys. Don't worry and go home to your sister. By tomorrow, you will have additional help, I swear it.", I say. 

"Thank you very much, Sealord. If you excuse me, I would like to go home now.", Viserys says happily and then walks out of the room. 

.

"Say it.", I tell Syrio.

"Say what, Your Excellency?", he says with a bright smile. 

"Haaa, I know, you told me so. Why would he propose someone to help him, if he wanted to keep control over everything himself? He can't be the culprit.", I sigh.

"Not really. If he was the one who orchestrated everything, then he would have known that you would suspect him. He would do everything to make you believe it was not him and suggesting someone to keep an eye on him, who was loyal to you, would be the best way to do that."

"Wait! So you mean he is the one?"

"No! I am telling you that if he was, he would have to be so much more ruthless than we could have ever imagined and his main concern is his sister. He has everything he could want, in the future, when he has earned enough money, he can go back to Westeros for his Kingdom, but here we keep an eye on him. We would know if he were doing shady businesses. His love for his sister is real. I don't think he would go this far to create something this complicated, just for more money. Because that's all he would get anyway. He doesn't get any political power, just more work."

"Which Prince would be content with what he has here? Your theory might be better than you know.", I say thinking about it. I agree that the idea is so very complicated, that I can't see Viserys doing something like that. Not with the little time he spends on his own. We have been keeping a close eye on him and his sister. 

"Larazyrio!", I call and the door opens. 

"Yes, Your Excellency?"

"Call Norillos Sanyris. He is to come here. I want to talk to him.", I say. 

"Understood, your Excellency.", he says and closes the door again. 

"Why do you want to see, Norillos?", Syrio asks me.

"I want to know what he knows. Whether Viserys has excused himself more than usual, whether he plays less with his sister, whether he goes to piss outside or whether he visits a brothel. Anything that might be different now than it was before. I want to know whether I can exclude Viserys Targaryen as a suspect or if I have to kill him, for betraying me and plotting against me.", I say as seriously as I can get. 

"I understand.", Syrio says and stays silent. 

.

After a while, someone knocks on the door again.

*knock knock knock*

"Enter."

I watch as Norillos Sanyris enters the room. He looks as average as the day I met him. The perfect spy and assassin for me in a city with as many people as Braavos has. He is the head of the surveillance group, I sent to observe Viserys and his sister. 

"Your Excellency, you asked for me.", he says and bows deeply. 

"Indeed. Tell me Norillos ... has anything changed in Viserys' behaviour?", I ask him. 

"Behaviour?"

"Yes, has he started something new or has he become more distant? Anything that might appear as unimportant, could be of importance. So tell me has there been the slightest change in Viserys Targaryen's behaviour?", I ask. 

"No really, Your Excellency. He has been looking for ways to make money lately since the name day of Daenerys is coming up in a couple of moons and he seems to want to make every present he gives her more expensive and thoughtful than the one he gave her a year prior.", Norillos says. 

"Haha.", Syrio laughs and I also lose my anger bit after hearing that. That boy is hopeless.

"I see. Very well then. You may leave.", I say.

.

.

(Norillos Sanyris POV)

I walk out of the Sealords palace and get back to my post. I sit down on the roof, opposite the street where Viserys Targaryen has bought a house for his sister and him to live in. I start eating some bread I packed for this long surveillance. It will take hours until I am relieved of my post. 

As I watch one of my friends sits down next to me. 

"How was it?", he asks. 

"As expected. He was interested in any change of behaviour I might have observed. I told him about the upcoming name day of Dany in a few moons and the need for money."

"I see."

"Valar Dohaeris."