Ch-14

When I was a kid, the streets of Kingslanding didn't seem so foul. Maybe it was because I'd never been anywhere else. But now, returning after all these years, the stench was almost unbearable.

A few days had passed since we returned, and the Company was staying at the Fresh Sheets Inn—the very same inn where my mother had worked when I was a child.

I remember coming back here when I was sixteen. I had walked in just in time to catch Amalie, Harris, and Emma's aunt, trying to force Emma into marrying one of her sons. After knocking out Amalie's husband and sons, and with a few well-placed threats, I'd made her agree to leave. Harris, the rightful owner, had finally taken charge, and she had disappeared from the city.

The inn's small yard looked much the same, except for the underground storage area where we—Harris, Emma, and I—used to hide as children. And now, there are three small mounds in the corner of the garden, graves.

Mace approached with a chair in hand as I sat beside my mother's grave.

"Yes, Mace, I need you to tell me everything you know about the Red Keep and its tunnels," I said. Mace had once been one of Varys' little birds, and I'd found him wandering the streets of Kingslanding. Over the years, he'd grown to trust me, and now I needed his knowledge for my plans.

Mace began explaining the maze of tunnels with animated hand gestures. I watched and listened carefully, committing every word to memory.

When he finished, I said, "Good. I'll need a diagram of these tunnels. And make sure to include the ones that lead to the dungeons."

Mace nodded, standing to leave, and I was left alone by my mother's grave, a swirl of emotions churning inside me. My hatred for the Lannisters had once burned uncontrollably. But after traveling with Edric and seeing the devastation across Westeros—the suffering of the Smallfolk—I'd realized my pain wasn't unique. My anger hadn't disappeared, but it had tempered, focused. It wasn't all Lannisters I hated anymore, just Tywin. He had given the orders that destroyed my family, and the ending he met in the books seemed a fitting one. Perhaps my path would still lead me to a similar conclusion. If not I'll take care of him myself.

I stood and made my way back toward the inn. Inside, the lively noise of the tavern filled my ears. Edric and the others were arguing, voices growing louder as I approached.

"We should go to Chataya's! The girls there wear silk, and their touch can pull your soul right out of your body," Edric exclaimed.

Oliver scoffed, "I've got a girl at the Blue Pearl who's worth all of Chataya's whores combined."

I rolled my eyes, realizing the conversation was just about where they'd spend their coin tonight. Ignoring them, I headed for the bar.

Harris, now a broad-shouldered eighteen-year-old, was behind the counter wiping it down. "Hey Harris, got anything to eat?" I asked.

He grinned. "The stewpot's still hot. Want me to get you a bowl?"

I nodded, and he called back, "Emma! Can you get Arthur a bowl of stew?"

Emma appeared from the kitchen moments later, carrying a steaming bowl. At seventeen, she'd grown into a beautiful young woman and was now married to the butcher's son down the road. The slight bulge of her belly hinted at her first child on the way.

"Thanks, Emma," I said. She smiled warmly before disappearing back into the kitchen.

As I ate, my mind drifted to the tunnel diagrams Mace was working on. Once I had the drawings, I had to warg a mouse, control it, and check the tunnels one by one. My warg ability had increased to about an hour for unfamilair animals, and that was enough time to explore the tunnels.

"Hey Arthur! We're heading out for a little fun!" Noah's voice cut through my thoughts. I looked up from my meal.

"Not tonight," I replied, giving him a faint smile. "Enjoy yourselves."

"Your loss," William chimed in with a laugh. "The whores in Kingslanding are unmatched."

He signaled to Edric and Oliver, and the three of them rose, heading for the door