Ch. 28 Delegate

I stared at the waxen faces of the severed heads. Reaching into the chest, I push an eyelid back with a single finger. I carefully examine the glazed eyeball, specifically, the purple-colored iris.

Letting the eyelid close, I move my hand through the hair of each head. There's no mistaking their identities. The Lyseni succeeded.

"Can this be traced back to Lys or my House?" I ask the Lys representative.

"No," the broad-shouldered man said. "We used multiple intermediaries and laid dozens of false trails and targets. Finding the truth will be impossible." The man stated.

"Impossible, unless Lys allows it," I retort.

"Less than a handful know the truth, and House Lannister is paying a most generous sum," The Lyseni coaxed.

I stared at the man for a moment, evaluating his demeanor and response. I can't detect a threat, and he seems genuinely more interested in what I can give him.

There hasn't been another successful voyage to the Valyrian Peninsula since Ser Stafford returned, either by land or sea. That area was a war zone for the first year, causing trade to and from Slavers Bay to be severely reduced.

With the bloodshed around the Smoking Sea finally starting to calm down, now would be an opportune time for Lys to make an expedition. And I see no point in withholding vital information.

"Have a seat," I tell the Lyseni as I close the lid to the chest. "It will take me an hour or so to draw up the information."

The man's brow lowers in confusion. "Draw them up?" He curiously asks.

"Yes," I answer as I grab several parchments and a quill. "I have studied and examined every bit of information my House has acquired on our expeditions to Valyria."

As I begin to make a sketch of the estimated waterways around the Valyrian Peninsula. "I know the locations of deadly or unpassable areas. How to avoid the clouds of poisonous gas, and protect yourselves from Greyscale," I said as I begin to add detail to the outline. "And soon, so will you," I tell the curious foreigner, as he tries to peek at my unfinished work.

The man remained quiet as I wrote and created drawings of what Tywin originally agreed to sell nearly two years ago. Of course, I've had time to refine the equipment, but I see no point in giving that to Lys. After all, it wasn't in our agreement.

It took less than an hour to transcribe everything Lys would need to begin working on their own expedition. They now had the means to reach Novos, and their chances of surviving the Smoking Sea were doubled. But considering the odds of surviving the Smoking Sea are nearly zero, doubling doesn't seem all that impressive.

Once I finished creating the documents for Lys, my sergeant escorted the Lyseni and his payment out of the War College. I sat in my office and stared at the nondescript chest. Its contents changed a great deal.

With the death of these two, I would need to make new plans. My metaknowledge of the future just becomes questionable. I don't attempt to make plans right now. I have other things on my mind.

Lifting the chest with ease, I secure my office and exit the War College. I give nods of acknowledgment to the men making way for me to exit the building. There is little doubt about the superiority of the Legion compared to the same men two years ago. It's something to be proud of, but my mind is focusing on the future.

Before long, I enter Tywin's Solar with the chest held close. My uncle looks up from his parchment and sets it aside. He remains silent, but his eyes give voice to his question.

Playing Tywin's little power game, I remain silent as I move forward. Placing the chest on the corner of his desk, I open the lid and take a step back.

Tywin gives an unimpressed look at the severed heads before meeting my gaze. "And they are?" Tywin asked.

"The exile, Jon Connington and his ward Aegon, the last Blackfyre," I answer.

"The last male Blackfyre was slain by Ser Barristan during the War of the Ninepenny Kings," Tywin stated as he reevaluated the heads. Moving aside dyed blue hair to get to the scalp of the heads.

"I don't doubt Maelys was the last known male, but there were still female Blackfyres," I agreed with a nod of my head. "This should be a distant nephew to the Monstrous."

The existence of those two in that chest is the cause of my worry. Due to everyone resembling their show characters, I assumed that this world was mostly from the t.v. series. But when I learned of the existence of Princess Arianne of Dorne, I used Lys to find and kill Griff and Young Griff.

I gave them no identifying features to go by, just the name of a common sell-sword and his 'son'. Young Griff's Valyrian features and Griff's red hair were all the proof I needed that this was Jon Connington and the fake Aegon Varys entrusted him with.

The smart move would be to kill the Targaryens, Varys, and if possible, Joffrey. Peace in the Seven Kingdoms would be a real possibility, and I could focus on protecting my family. I would even contribute to fighting the Night King since that would keep the fighting away from the Westerlands.

The problem with that is Daenerys Targaryen. I wouldn't hesitate to kill Viserys. He's insane and a threat. While Daenerys is also insane, she's a woman. Call me sexist, but the thought of killing a woman, especially an innocent girl, is extremely unsettling for me.

And fuck her dragons. I see those things as a greater threat than anything they can contribute against the undead. Especially since those dumb-asses give one to the Night King.

So, what does one do when they know someone must die to protect their loved ones, but they can't do the killing themselves?

They find someone that can kill the threat.

As Tywin was finishing his examination, I took a seat. "There's more," I said when Tywin reclaimed his seat. "Prince Oberyn Martell of Dorne has secretly met with Viserys Targaryen at the Sealord's Palace in Braavos. Princess Arianne Martell was also in the meeting." I summarized what I knew from the books.

"Lys believes they are making an alliance, backed by Magister Illyrio Mopatis of Pentos and an unknown Westerosi lord," I inform my murder happy uncle.

"This is the invaluable deal you made with Lys?" Tywin asked with slight disappointment.

"And what value would you place on being able to end a rebellion while your enemies believe themselves unknown to you?" I retorted. I'm able to keep my emotions under control most of the time, but I still slip from time to time. Puberty is such a bitch.

After a long moment of weathering Tywin's steely-eyed stare, he gives me a wave of dismissal.

As I begin to make my way to the door, I stop and look back. "The Targaryens are obviously receiving help from those in Westeros. I wouldn't share this knowledge until the Targaryens have been dealt with. Maybe even set it up to appear as another House, in case of failure," I warned before exiting the Lord's Solar.