Ned Stark and his family and men have finally arrived at King's Landing alongside the King's party. It had been two weeks since the Trident incident involving the armed sellsword and his three year old son. The crown prince had been injured by said toddler which still amused Ned and also his younger daughter and the king as well. However one thing the hand's and the royal family could agree on was the fact that the armoured warrior was still on everyone's mind.
Who was he? Why is he here? What connections did he have with Yi-Ti? Where did he originate from?
He was clearly a highly skilled warrior, he was able to cut down five Lannister men each with one slice, he cut down Jaime Lannister's sword, broke his nose and scared his neck. He also managed to scare off the Hound and killed his horse; he claimed that when his sword hit the armour it had failed to do a dent on it.
They knew his name, or at least the name he had chosen to adopt, Jin Djarin was the name. His child was clearly from Yi-Ti most likely took after his mother, however while they could not see his face due to the helm blocking everything aspect about his visage, eyes, hair and features, it could not disguise his voice and accent. He sounded young, maybe in his twenties and his accent sounded like someone from the south regions of Westeros, if Ned could guess he was from Dorne, however they could not truly know and the Jin didn't confirm nor did he denied it, all that Ned knew that no one else knew was the fact that he was supposedly the royal executioner of a suicidal procedure that was necessary to regain lost honour.
Ned still couldn't wrap his head around that, it was clear that the definition of honour for that land was much different, Jin believed that he truly believed in the following of honour and oathkeeping, even if he was now just a sellsword carrying his child everywhere in a baby kart.
Ned knew that his wife had been killed by a vengeful household after he had been forced to kill the first and only child of a treacherous lord, but there was more to him than that, he was hiding many aspects of his life… and Ned wanted to know what, he was going to find out what, for that he would need the help from the master of whispers, the Spider.
Finally passing King's Landing gates, Ned is at the front of the procession, followed by his personal bodyguard Jory Cassel, plus there were also other guards. Behind them, Arya, Sansa, and Septa Mordane were riding in a cart, two sister's direwolves, Lady and Nymeria were also there. Both sister were angry at each other, Arya was angry at Sansa for taking Joffrey's side and Sansa was angry at Arya for the episode that happens at the Trident. They both had however their minds on little Daigoro and his father, especially Arya who was fascinated with him, and he remembered his words that she could become a great warrior someday, all she needed was training.
As they enter the courtyard, Ned gets off his horse and is greeted by the Royal Steward.
The steward bows his head "Welcome, Lord Stark. Grand Maester Pycelle has called a meeting of the Small Council. The honour of your presence is requested."
Ned nodded, he then looked to Septa Mordane ``Get the girls settled in. I'll be back in time for supper." He then looked at his bodyguards "And, Jory, you go with them."
"Yes, my lord." Nodded Jory Cassel.
They all left, leaving the current King's Hand alone with the Steward
The steward coughed "If you'd like to change into something more appropriate...?"
Ned gave the steward a blank stare before taking off his gloves. Realizing the hand's disinterest, the two begin walking to the council chamber.
However first they had to walk through the Great Hall, and that's where they found the one thing everyone dreams or has dreamed about gaining in their lives, a symbol of power and oppression, made by the fused swords of the conquered by the fire of dragons, there was just as power inducing as the day it was made, the iron throne sits there in the highest stool of the hall, Jaime Lannister is currently lingering in front of it.
Jaime notices Ned and smirks "Thank the gods you're here, Stark. About time we had some stern northern leadership."
Ned approaches the kingsguard "Glad to see you're protecting the throne."
"Sturdy old thing. How many kings' asses have polished it, I wonder?" Jaime Lannister half-joked, "What's the line? The King shits and the Hand wipes."
Ned didn't answer; he was too busy noticing the kingsguard unscratched armour "Very handsome armor. Not a scratch on it." he half accused.
"I know. People have been swinging at me for years, but they always seem to miss me." he claimed.
"You've chosen your opponents wisely then." He noticed the visible scratch in the neck and the small bruise in his nose "You made a poor choice of judgement quite recently, however your armour is still unmarked, your face on the other hand..."
Jaime's smirk dropped "I was caught by surprise, he had a fighting technique that I had never seen before, had you been there you would know" He claimed before looking at the throne again "I was standing there when it happened. He was very brave, your brother. Your father too. They didn't deserve to die like that. Nobody deserves to die like that."
"But you just stood there and watched." Ned accused.
Jaime faced the newly appointed hand again "500 men just stood there and watched. All the great knights of the Seven Kingdoms. Do you think anyone said a word, lifted a finger?" Jaime asked "No, Lord Stark. 500 men and this room was silent as a crypt. Except for the screams, of course, and the Mad King laughing. And later... When I watched the Mad King die, I remembered him laughing as your father burned... It felt like justice."
Ned wasn't convinced at all "Is that what you tell yourself at night? You're a servant of justice? That you were avenging my father when you shoved your sword in Aerys Targaryen's back?"
"Tell me... If I'd stabbed the Mad King in the belly instead of the back, would you admire me more?" Jaime asked, "According to the foreigner, he claims it would be."
"I don't know what would be more admirable, all I know is that you served him well, when serving was safe." Ned said, before leaving the kingsguard alone and heading for the small council's chamber.
Ned enters the small council's chamber where the other members are already present and awaiting him. Those members are Varys the spy master, Pycelle the grand maester and Petyr Baelish the coin master; the king's younger brother Renly Baratheon was also there doing his duty as Master of Laws.
Varys the bald eunuch is the first one to greet Ned "Lord Stark."
"Lord Varys." Ned greeted.
"I was grievously sorry to hear of your troubles on the Kingsroad. We are all praying for Prince Joffrey's full recovery." Varys said, however, it was unclear if he was being honest.
Ned didn't seem to care. "A shame you didn't say a prayer for the butcher's son." He then looked over to Renly "Renly! You're looking well."
Renly smirked "And you look tired from the road. I told them this meeting could wait another day, but…"
"But we have a Kingdom to look after." Renly was interrupted by the coin master "I've hoped to meet you for some time, Lord Stark. No doubt Lady Catelyn has mentioned me."
"She has, Lord Baelish." He nodded "I understand you knew my brother Brandon as well."
"All too well. I still carry a token of his esteem from navel to collarbone." He boasted
"Perhaps you chose the wrong man to duel with." Ned said with narrowed eyes.
Petyr Baelish disagreed: "It wasn't the man that I chose, my Lord. It was Catelyn Tully. A woman worth fighting for, I'm sure you'll agree."
Ned couldn't help but send a slight glare at Petyr, however there was more important business to attend to.
Grand Maester Pycelle, an old and visually frail man coughed, catching the attention of the new king's hand "I humbly beg your pardon, my Lord Stark."
"Grand Maester." Ned greeted.
"How many years has it been? You were a young man." The old maester said.
"And you served another King." Ned answered back, turning the maester, turning the ambience a bit heavy and morbid at the mention of the late mad king.
"How forgetful of me. This belongs to you, now." Pycelle takes out a golden pin of a hand and gives it to Ned "Should we begin?"
"Without the King?" Ned asked confused
Renly laughed "Winter may be coming, but I'm afraid the same cannot be said for my brother."
"His Grace has many cares. He entrusts some small matters to us that we might lighten the load." Varys explained even if it was clear that he was lying.
"We are the lords of small matters here." Petyr jokes.
Renly started the meeting "My brother instructs us to stage a tournament in honour of Lord Stark's appointment as Hand of the King."
"Mmm, how much?" the coin master asked.
"40,000 gold dragons to the champion, 20,000 to the runner-up, 20,000 to the winning archer." Ned said
The Grand Maester sighed "Can the treasury bear such an expense?"
"I'll have to borrow it." Petyr said, "The Lannisters will accommodate, I expect. We already owe Lord Tywin 3 million gold. What's another 80,000?"
This new set of information both shocked and confused Ned
"Are you telling me the Crown is three million in debt?"
Petyr snorted "I'm telling you the Crown is six million in debt."
This only added to Ned's shock "How could you let this happen?"
"The Master of Coin finds the money. The King and the Hand spend it." Petyr shrugged it off.
"I will not believe Jon Arryn allowed Robert to bankrupt the realm." The hand refused to believe that in 20 years they were able to put the kingdom in a debt of 6 million when the treasury had been full when Robert took the throne.
"Lord Arryn gave wise and prudent advice, but I fear His Grace doesn't always listen." Pycelle tried to justify
"'Counting coppers,' he calls it." said Renly.
Ned shook his head "I'll speak to him tomorrow. This tournament is an extravagance we cannot afford."
"As you will. But still, we'd best make our plans." Petyr insisted.
Ned rises from the chair frustrated. "There will be no plans until I speak to Robert." He shouted "Forgive me, my Lords. I had a long ride." He said, realizing the harshness in his voice.
"You are the King's Hand, Lord Stark, we serve at your pleasure." Varys guaranteed him.
Ned nodded "I believe that we should end this meeting and resume it after I have spoken to Robert." The lords all got up, gave a small bow and turned to leave "Not you Lord Varys, I require your services."
Varys turns and he seems a bit surprised, he clearly didn't expect Lord Stark to require his services this soon, but either way he was more than willing to help.
He approached the lord's hand "How may I help you Lord Hand?"
"You being the master spy I expect you to have ears everywhere."
"That I do my lord, my little birds speak to me of every matter from here in King's Landing to the wall, to beyond the narrow sea." Varys boasted.
"Then you must know what happened at the Trident?" Ned inquired.
"That Prince Joffrey was injured by a three year old toddler from Yi-Ti? That he is the son of a mysterious armoured and faceless sellsword who wheels him around in a baby kart, who managed to injure Jaime Lannister?" He theoretically asked "Then yes my lord I know about such matters."
Ned was rather impressed "I see… so can you tell me who the mysterious warrior is?"
Surprisingly Varys shook his head "I'm afraid I cannot, my lord. Before the incident I had no knowledge of the existence of this man."
This confused Ned "Don't your Little Birds reach Yi-Ti?"
"That's probably the reason why I had no knowledge of this man, the Yi-Ti are a population that enjoy their privacy, they keep the secrets to themselves and are extremely suspicious and wary of foreigners." He explained "I am curious to find out who he is and I am more than willing to attempt to let my little birds fly to Yi-Ti, I will however require a bit more information about this strange warrior."
"I had a private word with him, he claimed to be part of a warrior clan called bushi I believe."
This caught Varys attention "I believe the Westeros name for it is… Samurai, which means to serve." Varys explained "I have never seen one before and I can't see the reason for his presence here, it can't just be because of gold." Varys didn't know what to think "A samurai is a warrior with a strict code, that they dedicate their lives to following, much like our kingsguard just a more superior and more extremist version of it."
"He said that his road had led him to Westeros, that he and his son would walk the path of hell… I don't know what that means." Lord Stark tried to explain "What's strange is that the child is clearly from those lands, due to his almond shaped eyes and his language. But the father nor only speaks the common tongue but he sounds southerner, if I could guess he's from Dorne."
This really caught the spider's attention "That is interesting… for a foreigner to be accepted by the order of the Samurai he would have to be accepted by the highest order of the ruling emperor." Varys said "Did he tell you anything more? Anything that could help my little birds identify him."
"He told me that he used to be the royal executioner of a suicidal ritual to regain one's honour." Ned tried to explain.
"I have heard of such activity, Seppuku is the name or harakiri of ypu prefer Varys said "To a Samurai death is prefereble than dishonour, so they commit this ritual suicide, truly gruesome business, but I once read that 200 years ago there would be no executioner, and the warrior would have to do a cut in his belly and let his bowels spill until he's death." Varys detailed "But there are more than a few of those Lord Stark, is there anything more that you could share?"
"He told me that his wife had been murdered by a clan seeking revenge for a wrongful execution." He remembered "He didn't say any names, but he did claim to have killed the entire household for revenge, that's all that he was willing to share with me."
Varys was pondering about this new set of information, but it did give him some ideas on how he could approach this.
"I believe that I have enough information Lord Stark, I believe such an episode could be a daily talk at an Inn, I believe one of my little birds could persuade one of the Innkeeper's to talk."
"Why is it so dangerous to send your little birds?" Ned asked.
"As I mentioned before Yi-Ti is a country of many secrets, they have different ideals, concepts, government power, economics, food and even different deities, it's people like their privacy and don't like foreigners or their possible influence." He tried to explain "Any foreign religious influence of any kind is strictly forbidden under the punishment of torture or hand cutting. They do however allow merchants into certain designated places, perhaps that's how I could acquire the information I need."
"If that's the case then I suggest you do that." He nodded "That will be all for now Lord Varys."
Varys gave a bow and took his leave, so did Ned Stark.
Elsewhere in the castle Cersei is tending to Joffrey's "wounds".
Joffrey is wincing when the queen mother applies medication to his wounds.
"Please, they're nearly healed."
"They're ugly." He protested.
"A King should have scars, you fought off a rival. You're a warrior like your father." She tried to console him
This however didn't seem to work. "I'm not like him. I didn't fight off anything. I was easily defeated and humiliated by a toddler. And the two Stark girls saw it, both of them."
"That's not true. You fought your opponent head on. You only lost because the girl attacked you from the back, but you spared her, because of that love your father bears her father." Cersei said "When Aerys Targaryen sat on the Iron Throne, your father was a rebel and a traitor. Someday you'll sit on the throne and the truth will be what you make it."
Joffrey got up from the chair and walked towards the balcony "Do I have to marry her?"
"Yes. She's very beautiful and young. If you don't like her, you only need to see her on formal occasions and when the time comes, to make little princes and princesses." The mother told her firstborn "And if you'd rather fuck painted whores, you'll fuck painted whores. And if you'd rather lie with noble virgins, so be it." She walks to him and gently strokes her son's face "You are my darling boy and the world will be exactly as you want it to be. Do something nice for the Stark girl."
"I don't want to." He said looking away.
"No, but you will." She insisted "The occasional kindness will spare you all sorts of trouble down the road."
He walked a bit off and then decided to change the subject "We allow the northerners too much power. They consider themselves our equals."
"How would you handle them?" She curiously asked.
"I'd double their taxes and command them to supply 10,000 men to the royal army."
This caught her attention. "A royal army?"
"Why should every lord command his own men?" He asked, "It's primitive, no better than the hill tribes. We should have a standing army of men loyal to the Crown, trained by experienced soldiers... Instead of a mob of peasants who've never held pikes in their lives."
"And if the northerners rebel?" She asked.
"I'd crush them." He answered with a scowl "Seize Winterfell and install someone loyal to the realm as Warden of the North. Uncle Kevan, maybe."
"And these 10,000 northern troops, would they fight for you or their lord?" She theoretically asked.
"For me. I'm their King."
"But you've just invaded their homeland, asked them to kill their brothers." She insisted.
"I'm not asking." The prince said arrogantly
She gets up and walks up to her son. "The North cannot be held... not by an outsider. It's too big and too wild. When the winter comes, the Seven gods together couldn't save you and your royal army." She smirks "A good King knows when to save his strength... And when to destroy his enemies."
"So you agree... The Starks are enemies?" Joffrey smirks back.
"Everyone who isn't us is an enemy."
Dinner Table.
At the dining room Arya, Sansa and their Septa are all around a table eating. Nymeria and Lady the two direwolves were at a corner of the chamber with two bowls each with food and water, they weren't eating however, they were looking at the table of their mistresses, they looked a bit worried, they could feel the tension between them.
It was quite clear when Arya began to stab a knife into the table between her fingers.
Which Septa Mordane disapproved for various reasons "Enough of that, young lady. Eat your food."
"I'm practising." She grumbled back, not stopping the stabbing motion.
"Practicing for what?" Sansa annoyingly asked.
"The Prince." Arya replied back
"Arya, stop!" The septa scolded
"He's a liar and a coward and he killed my friend." She shouted "All because he couldn't win against a three year old."
"The Hound killed your friend." Sansa defended the prince "And the toddler tried to kill the prince."
Arya didn't care to hear "The Hound does whatever the Prince tells him to do."
"You're an idiot." Sansa replied back.
"You're a liar. And if you told the truth, Mycah would be alive." She complained.
The direwolves were glancing at each other. They could feel the conflict and they wined in that conflict
"Enough!" Septa Mordane scolded and she continued scolding Arya.
Not noticing Ned Stark walking in, he had a package with something wrapped in his hand, as he entered Septa Mordane began escorting Arya away from the table.
"What's happening here?"
"Arya would rather act like a beast than a lady." She informed me.
Ned nodded "Go to your room. We'll speak later." With that Arya left the room with Nymeria, leaving the hand of the king, his eldest daughter and the septa alone "That's for you, love…" He shows her the package and unwraps it on the table in front of Sansa.
It was a cloth doll.
"The same dollmaker makes all of Princess Myrcella's toys. Don't you like it?" Ned asked.
Sansa looked unamused "I haven't played with dolls since I was eight." She then turned to the Septa "May I be excused?"
"You've barely eaten a thing." The Septa pointed out.
"It's all right. Go on" Ned allowed Sansa to leave
Sansa gets up from the table, and leaves the dining room with her direwolf Lady, leaving only Ned and Septa Mordane.
"War was easier than daughters." Ned said with a sigh.
On Arya's chamber she privately unsheathing Needle which was her sword, it was a small sword with a thin blade and a pointy end, it had the characteristics that of an actual needle, it had been the last gift her brother Jon had given to her, before he marched to the Wall, Nymeria was looking at the sword with curiosity. Suddenly Arya hears a knock on the door which also catches the direwolf's attention.
"Go away!" She shouted.
It was her father"Arya, open the door. May I come in?" He asks before Arya went on to open the door, Ned notices the weapon in her hand "Whose sword is that?"
"Mine." Arya proclaimed.
"Give it to me." Ned orders, and Arya reluctantly hands him the knife "I know this maker's mark. This is Mikken's work. Where did you get this? This is no toy. Little ladies shouldn't play with swords."
"I wasn't playing. And I don't want to be a lady." She claimed with indignation.
Ned sits on the bed and signals her "Come here." Arya sits on the bed alongside her father "Now what do you want with this?"
"It's called Needle."
"A blade with a name." He chuckled "And who were you hoping to skewer with Needle? Your sister? Do you know the first thing about sword fighting?"
Arya shrugs "Stick 'em with the pointy end."
Ned laughs at her answer "That's the essence of it."
"I was trying to learn." Her expression became sad "I asked Mycah to practice with me. I asked him. It was my fault."
"No, sweet girl. You didn't kill the butcher's boy." He assured her.
"I hate them! I hate all of them. The Hound, the Queen and the King and Joffrey and Sansa." Arya proclaimed.
"Sansa was dragged before the King and Queen... And asked to call the Prince a liar." Ned tried to explain
It didn't change Arya's perspective. "So was I! He is a liar.""
"Darling, listen to me. Sansa will be married to Joffrey someday. She cannot betray him. She must take his side even when he's wrong."
"But how can you let her marry someone like that?" Arya questioned
"Well… Look at me. You're a Stark of Winterfell. You know our words." He reminded her.
"Winter is coming." She recited.
"You were born in the long summer. You've never known anything else." He said "But now winter is truly coming. And in the winter, we must protect ourselves, look after one another. Sansa is your sister."
Arya sighed "I don't hate her. Not really." She admitted.
"I don't want to frighten you, but I won't lie to you either. We've come to a dangerous place." He warned "We cannot fight a war amongst ourselves. All right?" He gives her back the sword "Go on. It's yours."
Arya smiled "Can I keep it?"
Ned nodded "Try not to stab your sister with it. If you're going to own a sword, you'd better know how to use it." He said before walking towards the door
Her father's words reminded her of something. "He said I could become an unstoppable force."
Ned stopped dead on his tracks and turned around "Who said that?"
"Daigoro's father, the man in the armour" she revealed "He said that with training, I could become invincible."
"He said something like that to me." Ned remembered "Didn't you spar with his son?"
Arya nodded with a smile "I did it was tons of fun."
"And how did it go?" Ned asked
"I lost… he was able to slide me to the ground." She admitted.
"Well then, that clearly is a sign that you require some training." He said before leaving the room.
In the Queen's chambers.
At the queen's chamber, Cersei Baratheon, the queen of the Seven Kingdoms, was with her twin brother, Jaime Lannister, the kingsguard (A.K.A The Kingslayer). However they were not there for pleasure, they were on serious business. After Jaime had pushed Bran Stark from a tower when he saw him and his sister together having sex. However the boy survived, but became crippled and he couldn't recall anything.
However, that didn't really eased Cersei's mind.
"How could you be so stupid?" She scolded.
"Calm down." Jaime sighed.
"He's a child... 10 years old. What were you thinking?" She questioned.
"I was thinking of us." He answered "You're a bit late to start complaining about it now. What has the boy told them?"
"Nothing. He's said nothing. He remembers nothing."
"Then what are you raving about?" Jaime asked.
"What if it comes back to him? If he tells his father what he saw..." She started rambling in a panic.
Jaime however only shrugged before saying "We'll say he was lying. We'll say he was dreaming. We'll say whatever we like. I think we can outfox a 10-year-old."
"And my husband?" the queen was wondering.
"I'll go to war with him if I have to." The kingsguard proclaimed "They can write a ballad about us: "The War for Cersei's Cunt."'
Cersei narrows her eyes and slaps Jaime.
He only smirks, he spins her around and hugs her from behind, whispering into her ear.
"Let me go." She struggled.
But Jaime held on tight, not letting go. "Never."
"Let me go." She whispered.
But he kept holding her "The boy won't talk. And if he does, I'll kill him. Him, Ned Stark, the King... the whole bloody lot of them, until you and I are the only people left in this world." Jaime promised.
This reminded Cersei of something "How will you kill them all, when you couldn't kill a Sellsword with a child."
Jaime was taken by those words, the encounter with him had left him a scar in his neck, but it wasn't that that bothered him, it was the words spoken by the sellsword:
"You are a maneless, toothless and clawless Lion, you don't scare my son, much less me." These words enraged Jaime to no end, who does this faceless sellsword from a distant land think he is? By what right do some foreigners judge the lion? This sparked Jaime's interest in the matter of the land of this Jin Djarin, he even went on to ask Grand Maester Pycelle for a book about Yi-Ti which he had been studying these past days in his free time… he couldn't however understand or make sense of it, their sense of honour and their practises were strange and unorthodox. Their sense of fight, however , was quite fascinating.
He would search and know his new found rival, so that he could defeat him one day.
"He's nothing but a man who fights for coin, no matter how good he is every man has weaknesses." He assured her "I will find him, and I will show him what happens when someone tries to harm a lion."
On the next day king Robert was eating and drinking at a table in his chamber, inside was his squire Lancel Lannister and one of his kingsguard Barristan Selmy.
They were telling war stories.
"It's been a long time. But I still remember every face. You remember your first?" The king asked.
"Of course, your Grace." The old knight nodded.
"Who was it?"
"A Tyroshi. Never learned the name." Barristan remembered.
This caught the king's curiosity. "How'd you do it?"
"Lance through the heart."
Robert hummed "Quick one. Lucky for you. Mine was some Tarly boy at the Battle of Summerhall." He said before continuing his story "My horse took an arrow so I was on foot, slogging through the mud. He came running at me, this dumb high-born lad, thinking he could end the rebellion with the single swing of his sword. I knocked him down with the hammer."
He chuckled "Gods, I was strong then. Caved in his breastplate. Probably shattered every rib he had. Stood over him, hammer in the air. Right before I brought it down he shouted, "Wait! Wait!"... They never tell you how they all shit themselves. They don't put that part in the songs."
He lifts his goblet and drinks more wine "Stupid boy. Now the Tarlys bend the knee like everyone else. He could have lingered on the edge of the battle with the smart boys and today his wife would be making him miserable, his sons would be ingrates, and he'd be waking three times in the night to piss into a bowl."
He soberly said, realizing just how much life has turned to the worst, he noticed that his glass was empty "Wine! Lancel. Gods, what a stupid name. Lancel Lannister. Who named you? Some halfwit with a stutter? What are you doing?"
Lancel looked at the jar "It's empty, your Grace."
Robert gave him a mocking confused look "What do you mean it's empty?"
"There's no more wine." Lancel answered with some hesitance.
Robert rolled his eyes "Is that what empty means?! So get more." the fat king orders.
As Lancel approaches the door, the stag king spoke again "Tell your cousin to get in here. Kingslayer! Get in here." He shouted as the door opened.
Jaime Lannister, who was guarding, entered the chamber "Surrounded by Lannisters. Every time I close my eyes I see their blond hair and their smug, satisfied faces." Jaime approaches "It must wound your pride, huh? Standing out there like a glorified sentry." The King mocked.
"Jaime Lannister, son of the mighty Tywin... Forced to mind the door while your King eats and drinks and shits and fucks. So come on." He ordered.
Jaime stands right next to the king "We're telling war stories. Who was your first kill, not counting old men?"
"One of the outlaws in the Brotherhood." He remembered.
"I was there that day. You were only a squire, 16 years old." Barritan commented.
Jaime nodded "You killed Simon Toyne with a counter riposte. Best move I ever saw."
"A good fighter, Toyne, but he lacked stamina." Barristan remembered that day well.
Robert was listening with some interest, but he remembered the outlaw "Your outlaw... Any last words?"
Jaime shrugged "I cut his head off, so no."
Robert didn't seem interested in the death of some outlaw, so a question came into the king's mind: "What about Aerys Targaryen? What did the Mad King say when you stabbed him in the back?" This caught everyone's attention "I never asked. Did he call you a traitor? Did he plead for a reprieve?"
Jaime approached the king and answered in a hushed tone "He said the same thing he'd been saying for hours... "Burn them all."' The air seemed to become heavy at the thought of the mad king "If that's all, your Grace..."
Robert interrupted the kingsguard "It's not… tell me something, how did the sellsword defeat you?"
Jaime sighed in annoyance "I have already explained it, your grace."
"Aye you did. But I want to hear it again, because I still don't understand how he killed five of your armoured man and then cut your sword to the hilt and gave you a bloody nose." the king chuckles "And a scratch in the neck for that matter."
The chamber door opens and Lancel comes with a mug filled with wine,
"What took you so long, you useless fool!" He raises the goblet and Lancel pours in the wine, and surprisingly doesn't spill it "Damned fool… Make yourself useful and go call Ilyn Payne, I have some questions for him." Lancel starts to leave, but he still had the mug with him "And leave the fucking mug you damned halfwit!"
Lancel leaves the mug before leaving the chamber to go fetch the royal executioner.
This caught Barristan's attention "Why do you call for the royal executioner, your grace?"
"You weren't there, but about a fortnight ago, we met this strange sellsword in a full set of armour… and wheeling a child." Robert said.
"Wheeling a child?" Barristan asked, confused.
"Aye, he had his son with him, a three year old toddler from Yi-Ti, he would wheel him in a baby cart… never seen a warrior taking his son on his adventures." He commented before drinking more wine "He told me he used to be some royal executioner, now I wish to know how executioners think."
A few minutes later, the door opened and out came Lancel with Ilyn Payne who bowed when he approached the king.
Robert grabs an ink and quill pen plus a piece of paper and gives it to the royal executioner.
"Do you remember back in the Trident, about that armoured sellsword and his toddler son, that managed to defeat my son in combat." Robert said, chuckling at that last part.
The executioner nodded.
"Well it turns out that this particular man, used to be the royal executioner of Yi-Ti, I don't know if that has a different meaning there or not..." Robert said.
Ilyn Payne for obvious reasons couldn't say anything, but he did raise his brows and this caught his interest.
"We're sharing our killing experiences, I want you to write down, what was your first kill, if he said anything and how you felt." He said pushing the paper.
The executioner grabs the paper and the quill pen and starts writing. A few moments pass and he hands over the paper to the king.
"Read it Kinslayer." The king ordered, gulping his wine.
Jaime took the paper and started reading it "If you are asking about my fist kill, then it was before I became an executioner, I was 15 and I killed some outlaw who begged for mercy before I plunged my sword into his chest." Jaime paused before continuing to read "My first kill as an executioner was during the Mad King's reign, it was just some vagrant who had killed a guard, he didn't say anything, and I don't feel anything when carrying out my duties. All executioners think alike, and this foreign one must be the same way, we feel nothing for our victims, we just carry out our duty after all our victims aren't innocent."
After hearing it Robert waved his hand dismissively "You're dismissed."
Ilyn Payne bowed and left the chamber.
Robert took another gulp from his wine. "I do hope to see him at the tourney."
On another place of the Red Keep, Arya walks into a room with Nymeria by her side and sees a tanned skinned man, with curly black hair and light clothes, that was the teacher for her "Dance Lessons", however noticing the two wooden swords, this wasn't the typical dance lesson.
"You are late, boy. Tomorrow you will be here at midday." The man said with a Bravossi accent.
"Who are you?" Arya asked before signaling Nymeria to go to the side of the room, which she obeys.
"Your dancing master, Syrio Forel." He introduced himself before throwing the wooden sword to Arya, however she failed to catch it "Tomorrow you will catch it. Now pick it up" Arya goes to pick it up, but does it with two hands "That is not the way, boy. This is not a great sword that needs two hands to swing it."
She tried to and realised it's weight "It's too heavy."
"It is heavy as it needs to be to make you strong. Just so. One hand is all that is needed." He saw that Arya was in the wrong stance. "Now you are standing all wrong. Turn your body side-face. So." He demonstrated "You are skinny. That is good. The target is smaller. Now the grip... Let me see. The grip must be delicate."
"What if I drop it?" Arya asked.
"The steel must be part of your arm. Can you drop part of your arm?" He asked "No. Nine years Syrio Forel was first sword to the Sealord of Braavos. He knows these things. You must listen to me, boy."
"I'm a girl." Arya protested.
Syrio rolled his eyes "Boy, girl, young, old. Gender and age don't matter... You are a sword, that is all." He explains "I have heard that you were defeated by a much younger boy with a stick."
"We were sparring and I got distracted, he tripped me with the stick." Arya remembered.
"Did he now? That is smart of him, it is rare for a boy of such age to have such intelligence." He holds the sword with one hand "That is the grip. You are not holding a battle-axe. You are holding..."
"A needle." She named it.
Syrio smirks at the name "Ahhh… Just so. Now we will begin the dance." He said starting to walk around Arya "Remember, child, this is not the dance of the Westeros we are learning... The knight's dance, hacking and hammering. This is Bravo's Water dance... The water dance. It is swift and sudden." He approaches Arya with the wooden sword pointing at her chest "All men are made of water, do you know this? If you pierce them, the water leaks out and they die. Now you will try to strike me." He challenged her.
Nymeria watches at a corner, her mistress making several attempts to hit syrio as he turns his back to her, defending and disarming her more than once. Failing time and time over again "Up! Dead." He points the sword at a vital part, Arya goes for the offence, but fail again "Dead." She begins picking up on a few things, but still needs much work, syri touches her neck with the sword "Very dead." Arya nods but continues to try "Come. Again, faster."
Ned enters the doorway and smiles, however his smile turns to a grimace when he watches his daughter swordfight. Knowing fully well that she would need those skills in the future.
The Small Council.
The days pass and the Small Council is having another meeting.
Janos Slynt is explaining the situations caused by the tourney.
"It's the Hand's tournament that's causing all this trouble, my Lords."
Eddard rolled his eyes "The King's tournament. I assure you the Hand wants no part of it."
Janos shrugged. "Call it what you will, Lord Stark Ser, the city is packed with people and more flooding in every day." He explained "Last night we had a tavern riot, a brothel fire, three stabbings and a drunken horse race down the Street of Sisters."
"Dreadful." Said Varys.
"If you can't keep the King's peace, perhaps the City Watch should be commanded by someone who can." Renly scolded.
"I need more men." Janos insisted.
"You'll get 50. Lord Baelish will see it paid for." Ned claimed
"I will?" Petyr Baelish questioned.
You found money for a champion's purse, you can find money to keep the peace." He explained "I'll also give you 20 of my household guards till the crowds have left."
Janos bowed "Thank you, my Lord Hand Ser. They will be put to good use." He said before leaving.
Ned sighed "The sooner this is over, the better."
"The realm prospers from such events, my Lord. They give the great a chance at glory, and the lowly a respite from their woes." Varys argued.
Petyr smirked "And every inn in the city is full and the whores are walking bow-legged."
Ned looked unamused "I'm sure the tourney puts coins in many a pocket. Now... If there's nothing else, my Lords?" He gets up and dismisses the council, as they all leave, except Pycelle who Ned stops.
"This heat. On days like this, I envy you northerners your summer snows. Until tomorrow my Lord." The Grand Maester said before taking his leave.
"I've been hoping to talk to you about Jon Arryn." Ned said stopping Pycelle.
"Lord Arryn? His death was a great sadness to all of us. I took personal charge of his care, but I could not save him." He grimly said "His sickness struck him very hard and very fast. I saw him in my chambers just the night before he passed. Lord Jon often came to me for counsel."
This caught Ned's attention. "Why?"
Grand Maester Pycelle looked to be a bit offended over that question, but he remained calm "I have been Grand Maester for many years. Kings and Hands have come to me for advice since..."
"What did Jon want the night before he died?" Ned asked stopping the maester mid-sentence.
"He came inquiring after a book." He remembered
"A book? What book?" The hand asked.
"I fear it would be of little interest to you, my Lord. A ponderous tome." Pycelle tried to dismiss it.
"I'd like to read it." He insisted.
So they go into Pycelle's room, he takes out of the shelves and hands a heavy book to Ned.
"The lineages and histories of the great houses of the Seven Kingdoms, with descriptions of many high lords and noble ladies and their children." Pycelle said.
Ned starts to read "Harkon Umber, first of his name, born to lord Hother Umber and lady Amaryllis Umber in the 183rd year after Aegon's landing, at the last hearth. Blue of eye, brown of hair and fair-complected, died in his 14th year of a wound sustained in a bear hunt."
"As I said, my Lord, a ponderous read." Pycelle repeated.
"Did Jon Arryn tell you what he wanted with it?"
Pycelle shook his head "He did not, my Lord. And I did not presume to ask."
"Jon's death…" Ned insisted.
Pycelle sighs "Such a tragedy."
"Did he say anything to you during his final hours?"
"Nothing of import, my Lord." the old maester said before remembering "There was one phrase he kept repeating: "The seed is strong," I think it was."
"The seed is strong"? What does that mean?" Ned asked, confused.
Pycelle shrugged "The dying mind is a demented mind, Lord Stark. For all the weight they're given, last words are usually as significant as first words."
"And you're quite certain he died of a natural illness?"
Pycelle nodded "What else could it be?"
"Poison." The hand suggested.
Grand Maester Pycelle got pensative "A disturbing thought. I don't think it's likely. The Hand was loved by all. What sort of man would dare..."
"I've heard it said that poison is a woman's weapon."
Pycelle agreed "Yes. Women, cravens... and eunuchs. Did you know that lord Varys is a eunuch?"
"Everybody knows that." Ned said.
"Yes, yes, of course. How that sort of person found himself on the King's Council, I will never know."
Ned didn't have any comment about it, he was ready to leave, but he had one more request "I've taken enough of your time, but I require one more thing."
"No trouble at all, my Lord. It's a great honor to help the king's hand, what more do you require?"
"I need a book about Yi-Ti." Ned requested.
This took Pycelle by surprise "Well... I have about five of them, but unfortunately, only two are translated and Ser Jaime Lannister has asked me for one."
"He did? What did the book speak of?"
"It spoke of battle strategies and weapons titled "The Art of War", he looked determined, is this about the sellsword from Yi-ti?" Pycelle asked.
"Mostly aye, what does the other book talk about?"
"Talks about the politics of Yi-Ti, their customs, rituals and religion." Pycelle explained.
Ned takes the book "It's perfect grand Maester, I'll see myself out." Ned said before leaving the chamber.
Gardens
Petyr Baelish is Walking through the gardens of King's Landing.
He spots Ned Stark
"I hear you're reading a boring book, with a lesser boring book." Petys smugly said.
Ned sighs "Pycelle talks too much."
Petyr nodded "He never stops. Do you know Ser Hugh of the Vale?" Ned shook his head. "Not surprising. Until recently, he was only a squire... Jon Arryn's squire." This caught Ned's attention. "He was knighted almost immediately after his master's untimely death."
"Knighted for what? Why are you telling me this?"
"I promised Cat that I'd help you." He said in a genuine voice.
"Where is Ser Hugh? I'll speak to him." He asked
Petyr chuckled "A singularly bad idea. Do you see that boy there?" He pointed at a boy in the gardens "One of Varys's little birds. The Spider has taken a great interest in your comings and goings. Now look there." It was a woman sweeping the floor "That one belongs to the Queen. And do you see that Septa pretending to read her book?"
"Varys or the Queen?"
"No. She's one of mine. Is there someone in your service whom you trust completely?" Petyr asked.
Ned remembers Jory "Yes."
"The wiser answer was no, my Lord. Get a message to this paragon of yours... Discreetly. Send him to question Ser Hugh. After that, you might want him to visit a certain armorer in the city. He lives in a large house at the top of the street of Steel." Petyr explained.
"Why?"
"I have my observers, as I said, and it's possible that they saw Lord Arryn visit this armorer several times in the weeks before his death." He revealed.
"Lord Baelish, perhaps I was wrong to distrust you." Ned confessed.
"Distrusting me was the wisest thing you've done since you climbed off your horse." Said Baelish before leaving.
In preparation for the Hand of the King's tournament, Ser Hugh is pacing out steps on the joust.
He then hears someone call him over.
"Ser Hugh? Ser Hugh!" It was Jory Cassel.
"As you can see, I'm busy." He replied back.
"I'm here on behalf of Lord Eddard Stark, the Hand of the king. I'm the captain of his guard." He introduced himself.
Hugh of the Vale got confused. "I'm sorry. I didn't catch your name, Ser..."
"No "ser." I'm not a knight." Jory waved off.
"I see. Well, it just so happens that I am."
Blacksmith.
Riding on horseback through King's Landing, Ned and Jory arrive at the armourer, where the famous blacksmith would be located.
"He said he'd be glad to talk to the Hand himself. He's a knight, you see." Jory said as he recalls his meeting with Hugh of the Vale.
"A knight. They strut around like roosters down here. Even the ones who've never seen an arrow coming their way." Ned commented
"You shouldn't be out here, my Lord. There's no telling who has eyes where.`` Jory warned.
"Let them look." Ned shrugged. As they approached the armourer, where an old blacksmith and a younger man were working on something.
Tobho Mott was the name of the master smith and he had been talking with Ned about the former King's Hand, Jon Arryn. "The former Hand did call on me, my Lord, several times. I regret to say he did not honor me with his patronage."
"What did Lord Arryn want?" Ned asked.
"He always came to see the boy." Tobho said
"I'd like to see him as well."
Tobho nodded "As you wish, my Lord. Gendry!" He calls and out comes a young man with black hair "Here he is. Strong for his age. He works hard. Show the Hand the helmet you made, lad."
He shows the helmet, it's the shape of a bull's head with horns.
"This is fine work." Ned praised.
"It's not for sale." Gendry immediately declared
Tobho Mott scoffed at the young man "Boy, this is the King's Hand! If his lordship wants the helmet…"
"I made it for me." Gendry insisted.
"Forgive him, my Lord." The old smith said.
Ned waved off "There's nothing to forgive. When Lord Arryn came to visit you, what would you talk about?" He asked Gendry.
"He just asked me questions is all, my Lord."
"What kind of questions?" Ned Stark asked.
Gendry shrugged "About my work at first, if I was being treated well, if I liked it here. But then he started asking me about my mother."
This caught Ned's attention "Your mother?"
"Who she was, what she looked like."
"What did you tell him?" The lord's hand asked.
"She died when I was little. She had yellow hair. She'd sing to me sometimes." Gendry remembered
"Look at me." Ned ordered, Gendry did just that, he inspected the young smith apprentice and then he realized something: "Get back to work, lad. If the day ever comes when that boy'd rather wield a sword than forge one, you send him to me." He said before walking out with Jory.
"Find anything?" Jory asked
Ned nodded "King Robert's bastard son."
Tourney of the Hand (Joust)
The tourney of the hand begins, lords and ladies were sat around the seats of the arena, all were anxious to see the jousting, the royal family sat on the best and highest seat. At the left side on the front row seat were Arya, Sansa and Septa Mordane. The direwolves were there as well, alongside their mistresses.
Sansa is looking at the prince with a smile, but the prince hides his face from her with a sneered frown. Baelish, who sat behind them, notices this.
Petyr gets in between with a smirk "Lover's quarrel?"
Sansa looks at the confused man. "I'm sorry. Do I...?"
"Sansa dear, this is Lord Baelish. He's known…" The Septa explains.
"An old friend of the family. I've known your mother a long long time." Petyr introduced himself
"Why do they call you Littlefinger?" Arya bluntly and loudly asked
"Arya!" Sansa scorned
"Don't be rude!" The Septa said.
Petyr dismissed the scorns: "No, it's quite all right. When I was a child I was very small and I come from a little spit of land called The Fingers, so you see, it's an exceedingly clever nickname."
At the royal family's seat, Robert was getting frustrated because the tourney would not start.
"I've been sitting here for days! Start the damn joust before I piss myself!" He yelled, the queen sneered at the rude comment and left the tourney, which Robert didn't bother Robert, he was however disappointed for the fact that Jin Djarin hadn't showed up to the competition.
The competitors step forward on their horses, one is Ser Hugh of the Vale, but the other one catches Sansa's attention, he's a big man in a full set of heavy armour, riding a big black horse.
"Gods, who is that?" Sansa asked.
"Ser Gregor Clegane. They call him the Mountain. The Hound's older brother." Petyr introduced.
"And his opponent?"
"Ser Hugh of the Vale. He was Jon Arryn's squire. Look how far he's come." Petyr commented.
The two knights rode around the arena introducing themselves.
Robert waved off "Yes, yes. Enough of the bloody pomp. Have at it!"
And so with the king's command, the joust begins. Ser Hugh and The Mountain ride against each-other lances pointing at one another, on the first pass takes its course with no contact.
However the second pass didn't turn out the same way, when it came the second hit to the shield, the Mountain's joust breaks and strikes Ser Hugh in the neck, causing a massive splinter to penetrate in his throat making everyone watching gasp, blood was gushing out Ser Hugh's mouth. This occurred directly in front of where Sansa is sitting.
Sansa was shocked at what she was seeing as her direwolf Lady snuggles with her, Nymeria growls at the humongous man. However Little Finger didn't look too impressed.
He notices Sansa's horrified expression "Not what you were expecting? Has anyone ever told you the story of the Mountain and the Hound?" He hypothetically asked "Lovely little tale of brotherly love. The Hound was just a pup, six years old maybe. Gregor was only a few years older, already a big lad, already getting a bit of a reputation. Some lucky boys are just born with a talent for violence."
The story then starts to become dark "One evening... Gregor found his little brother playing with a toy by the fire... Gregor's toy, a wooden knight. Gregor never said a word, he just grabbed his brother by the scruff of his neck and shoved his face into the burning coals. Held him there while the boy screamed, while his face melted." Sansa looks at the hound who is standing with the royal family, she looks at his burned face "There aren't very many people who know that story."
"I won't tell anyone. I promise." Sansa Promised.
"No, please don't. If the Hound so much as heard you mention it, I'm afraid all the knights in King's Landing would not be able to save you."
Ned Stark quarters.
Ned Stark is in his quarters reading the book about Yi-Ti, when the door opens and out enters Jory Cassel with the Quen Cersei Lannister.
"My Lord, Her Grace the Queen." Jory presented.
"Your Grace." Ned gets up and bows.
"You're missing your tournament." The queen approaches.
"Putting my name on it doesn't make it mine."
Cersei didn't really seem to care about his answer "I thought we might put what happened on the Kingsroad behind us – the business with the child and his father." She remembered, "Even if he had failed, sending the Hound was extreme. Though sometimes we go to extremes where our children are concerned." She excused, but Ned didn't care much for her excuses although he said nothing. "How is Sansa?"
"She likes it here." He admitted.
"The only Stark who does. Favors her mother, not much of the north." The queen commented.
"What are you doing here?" Ned asked.
Cersei smirks "I might ask the same of you. What is it you hope to accomplish?"
"The King called on me to serve him and the realm, and that's what I'll do until he tells me otherwise." Ned firmly claimed
"You can't change him. You can't help him. He'll do what he wants, which is all he's ever done. You'll try your best to pick up the pieces."
If that's my job, then so be it.
Cersei sneered "You're just a soldier, aren't you? You take your orders and you carry on. I suppose it makes sense. Your older brother was trained to lead and you were trained to follow." She remarked.
"I was also trained to kill my enemies, Your Grace."
Cersei gets up "As was I." before she leaves she notices the book Ned was reading "My brother is reading one as well, I guess Yi-Ti will be a popular topic to speak of." She commented, "What matter does that book speak about?"
"It talks about the politics of that region," Ned explained.
"Really? Anything worth knowing?" The queen questions.
"I haven't read it all your grace, but from what I have read, they have a bizarre definition of honour and an even stranger political hierarchy.'' He claimed "To the warriors… the Samurai as they are called, honour, duty and discipline is their way of life, the way of the warrior.."
"Similar to our Kingsguard I assume?" The Queen shrugged.
Ned shook his head "Not even close your grace, these warriors make the kingsguard look like footsoldiers, to the Samurai death is better than dishonour, they follow a rigid value system of discipline and honour that requires them to live and die in the service of their lords." He continued "They follow their lord in complete obedience and any form of cowardliness, disgrace or even defeat, they would have to commit a ritual suicide were they would disembowel themselves with their own weapons… Jin Djarin was an executioner of those rituals; he would cut the head of the warrior after he had completed the procedure.
The queen sneered "That is completely barbaric. But it must challenge your view of honour."
"It's an extreme version that I had no idea existed.'' Ned nodded "But according to the book a samurai should have a master, I wonder if he still has one, if he has been sent here or if he was disbanded by his own master?" Ned wondered "Either way their politics are just as unusual, they have a heavy military rule over the country, something called a Shogun who oversees the nation's affairs, who is appointed by an emperor who is seen like godly deities."
"Well, they have their politics and we have ours, they can do what they wish as long as it doesn't affect ours." The queen said before heading for the door, she stopped and looked at the king's hand "If Robert ordered, would you kill yourself?" She asked before heading out.
Leaving Ned to ponder her question.
King 's Road Inn.
Speaking of which, where is Jin Djarin and his child Daigoro? What have them been up to these past few weeks? In short, they have been working and gaining some coin, not too much thought.
Jin was wheeling the baby kart with his son Daigoro sitting on it, looking at the world around him. He spotted an inn.
"Otōsan." He says pointing at the Inn.
Jin saw the Inn, he had to admit he was a bit famished and he could use a place to sit.
"Let us eat and rest Daigoro." Jin announced.
"Hai!" Daigoro happily shouted, clapping his hands.
Jin approached the Inn. He set the baby cart next to the door and grabbed his son in his arms. He opens the Inn door and enters the establishment.
As he enters he notices that the Inn seems to be almost full, but he does spot an empty table, in front of the table there's an occupied one with an older man and a cloaked figure, who Jin could identify as being female.
That figure was the one and only Catelyn Stark, wife of Ned Stark the Hand of the King and mother to his children, the older man was Rodrick Cassel, Catelyn's body and the current master of arms at Winterell guard, she had left Winterfell and gone to King's Landing to talk to her husband about the attempted murder of her son Bran Stark, who became a cripple after he had fell from a tower, Catelyn's friend Petyr Baelish had told her that the dagger, the killer had attempted to murder her son, belonged to Tyrion Lannister, the queen's younger brother. She wanted to bring him to trial as she was sure that it was him the guilty one, but now she only wants to return to her home at Winterfell and be with her children.
When Jin entered, he notices that everyone started looking at him and his son with curiosity, a sellsword is no big deal, but a fully armoured one, armed to the teeth, with an almond eyed child wearing a blue winter kimono with a chonmage haircut. This catches the attention of Ser Rodrick who carefully watches the Samurai with attention. But Jin pays them no mind; he simply sits down and sets his son down.
A woman comes to attend their table. She looks nervous. "Seven blessings, c...can I get you anything?"
"Sakana." Daigoro happily told.
The woman got confused. "Sorry sweetie I didn't understand."
"Do you have salmon or Tuna?" asked Jin, his voice seemed to almost echo from the helm.
"That we do sir, freshly caught just this morning."
"Do you have rice?" Jin asked.
"I'm afraid not, my good ser, we are off season." The woman explained.
Jon takes out a small rectangular shaped box wrapped in cloth. "I have it right here, bring some cabbage soup for both of us and some bread."
"Right away ser, how would you like your fish cooked?"
"I want it raw."
This confused the woman. "Raw ser?"
"Yes, one fillet each, no bones, no skin and no blood vessels, and if the salmon has eggs you bring them as well." He requested.
The woman didn't know how to react but she nodded anyway "Right away ser, would you like a drink?"
"I have my own, bring my son some orange juice."
The woman nodded and left for the kitchen.
As this was going on a man with a guitar approached Ser Rodrik and Catelyn.
"Seven blessings to you, goodfolk!" He greeted the pair.
"And to you." Catelyn greeted back.
"Boy! Bread, meat and beer, quickly." Rodrik instructed a servant boy.
"Good idea, grandfather. I'm starving. A song while we wait or?" The bard proposed.
Rodrick sneered "I'd rather throw myself down a well."
"Grandfather, may be your last chance if you're heading north. The only music the northerners know is the howling of wolves!" The bard insisted. "Or maybe I should try to entertain the newest arrivals with some knightley songs, they look to be the type."
Jin obviously ignores the comment, but Daigoro looks around intrigued at everything.
The Inn's door suddenly opens again, and out come two more people, those were Tyrion Lannister the imp of Casterly Rock and Yoren of the Night's Watch, when Catelyn sees the new arrivals she attempts to hide herself more.
The woman who had attended Jin notices the two new guests "I'm sorry, my Lord, we're full up. Every room."
Tyrion didn't seemed bothered. "My men can sleep in the stable. As for myself, I don't require a large room."
"Truly, my lord, we have nothing." The woman insisted.
Tyrion takes a golden coin out of his pocket and shows it around "Is there nothing I can do... to remedy this?"
"You can have my room." Said a rough man.
Tyrion smirked "There's a clever man." He throws the coin at the man who catches it "You can manage food, I trust? Yoren, dine with me."
"Aye, my Lord." Yoren nodded.
As Tyrion is looking for a table he hears a voice "Chīsana otoko" He hears a childish voice, speaking a language he had heard and read about in the past, Tyrion turns to see the almond eyed child smiling at the dwarf.
The child bows "Konnichi Wa chīsana otoko." Daigoro Greets the Half-Man.
Tyrion gave the child a playful smile "Did you just call me little man."
This catches the attention of Jin, who looks at Tyrion.
"You speak the language of Yi-Ti?"
"Just a little, I know how to greet someone, how to order food, how to count to ten and I know the terms that describe a dwarf." He said "And you seem to speak the common tongue very well, for someone with a Yi-Ti child... you sound Dornish."
Tyrion inspects the man, he has shiny chromed steel coloured armour, he wore that armour head to toe, you couldn't see any feature of his face, he had weapons all over, strapped to his belt, his back and pouch. But it was the sword and dagger on his belt that made Tyrion realise what he was.
"Those weapons, that's a Katana sword and that's a Tanto dagger… Are you a Samurai?"
"I am Bushi." He firmly confirmed it.
Tyrion was in awe "I must say this is exciting, I have never seen a real samurai in person… your armour is quite different, but the weaponry is the same as theirs." Tyrion commented, "But don't Samurais follow a master? Are you a Ronin?"
Jin turned suddenly, and while you could not see his face, his body language said that he was angry at the remark.
"Do NOT call me that, I am no Ronin!" He takes a deep breath and calms down "I am here because I asked the emperor and he allowed me to leave, in order to complete my objective."
Tyrion was a bit startled, but he remained calm. "Firstly I must apologise if I have insulted you in any manner." Jin waves off accepting his apology. "Second, if your master has allowed you departure, then may I inquire why you are here?"
"Me and my son are here to walk the road that is set to us… the road of hell and conflict and we shall follow it, for this is the way." Jin declared.
Tyrion didn't really understand what he meant by it "I see… may I see your face?"
"No, I show my face to no man. It's the way it has to be." Jin loosely said.
Tyrion loved a good mystery, this new set of information only made him more curious.
"Well then, may you continue to follow the way of the warrior, would you care to join me for lunch?"
"I have already asked for food… so it's not you who will be inviting you for lunch, it's me." He proclaimed "Do you accept?"
"Well yes… I accept your invitation for lunch." Tyrion nodded.
The bard approaches "My Lord of Lannister! Might I entertain you while you eat? I can sing of your father's victory at King's Landing!"
Tyrion sneered "Nothing would more likely ruin my supper, besides me and… I'm sorry, what is your name? We never introduced ourselves."
"I have chosen the name of Jin Djarin, my son is called Daigoro." He introduced himself.
"Pleasure to meet you Jin Djarin, I am Tyrion Lannister son of Tywin Lannister, and I hope that you may share some fascinating tales from Yi-Ti.'' Suddenly Tyrion looks at the cloaked figure and recognizes it "Lady Stark! What an unexpected pleasure. I was sorry to have missed you at Winterfell."
Everyone in the Inn seemed to freeze, they all bowed and nodded their heads, minus Jin and Daigoro.
"Lady Stark." Bowed the woman who had attended Jin.
Catelyn Stark uncloaks herself and stands up "I was still Catelyn Tully the last time I stayed here." He looks at a knight with a sigil of a black cat "You, Ser... Is that the black bat of Harrenhal I see embroidered on your coat?"
The Knight of House Whent nodded "It is, my Lady."
"And is Lady Whent a true and honest friend to my father... Lord Hoster Tully of Riverrun?" She inquired.
"She is."
Catelyn sees another one with the sigil of a red stallion "The red stallion was always a welcome sight at Riverrun. My father counts Jonas Bracken amongst his oldest and most loyal bannermen."
The Knight of House Bracken nods his head "Our lord is honoured by his trust."
Catelyn looks to see a knight of House Frey "You are a knight of House Frey, how is Lord Walder?"
"Lord Walder is well, my Lady. He has asked your father for the honor of his presence on his 90th nameday. He plans to take another wife." The man informed
Tyrion was getting confused with this "I envy your father all his fine friends, but I don't quite see the purpose of this."
Jin however put his hand on the hilt of his sword, and Daigoro put his hand on his like his father, the Samurai knew that something was about to occur.
Catelyn Stark points at the dwarf man with a scold "This man... Came into my house as a guest and there conspired to murder my son, a boy of 10." All knights begin to rise, and Tyrion looks both confused and frightened "In the name of King Robert and the good Lords you serve, I call upon you to seize him and help me return him to Winterfell to await the king's justice." She declared.
All of the knights draw their swords towards Tyrion surrounding the small men with swords, Yoren didn't seem that interested in helping him, it seemed that there was no one who could help Tyrion.
They forgot one thing though… Tyrion had an arrangement.
"You will take him nowhere, before lunch is over."
Catelyn Stark and every knight look at the armoured man.
"Excuse me ser?" Catelyn asked, confused.
"I have promised to have lunch with Lord Tyrion, and I intend to keep that oath."
Ser Rodrik narrowed his eyes at the warrior "You don't want to have supper with a man who conspired to kill a young lord, and this is not your concern ser."
"That's where you are wrong, old knight, I made a promise to eat with lord Tyrion, and when I promise something, I will accomplish it no matter what." He claimed, not hiding the clear general threat to the armed man surrounding tyrion.
The knights understand the hidden meaning and shift their attention and their swords to the armoured warrior. However the warrior's position did not change, neither did Daigoro, who was looking at the knights with interest.
And then he looked at Catelyn with a smile.
That's when Catelyn noticed the child, she realized that it was just a toddler, younger than her youngest son Rickon, she noticed the shape, but most of all the beautiful golden mixture of his eye colour, it melted her hearth and made her miss her children even more.
She had to defuse the situation somehow.
"Good Sers, please lower your swords, he is not your enemy." He then turned to the Samurai "Please, think of your child, this man conspired against my house while he was a guest under my roof, surely there are better people for you to share supper with."
Jin looked at the red haired woman but his position remained.
"I don't know if he did what you claim he has done, frankly I don't believe it." He admitted "But a promise is a promise, and I would much rather take my own life and of my son than to break it."
Catelyn couldn't understand this madness he spoke of, why would he say such a thing?
Jin continued, "I will have lunch with the Lord Lannister, then you may take him wherever you wish." He said, making Tyrion a bit nervous "But until then he stays, and if these men decide to do something rash… then I will not be held responsible for the bodies that will lie in this fine establishment"
The ambience seemed to have thickened, the man didn't know what to do, even Ser Rodrik seemed nervous. But Catelyn didn't want any bloodshed, so she nodded and the knights lowered their arms.
"Obasan arigatō" Said Daigoro.
"My son likes you my lady, you have the eyes of someone who misses contact with a child." Jin said "You may join us and have lunch if you wish, you may hold my son and sit him on your lap while we all eat."
Catelyn looked at the boy who had his arms up, clearly wanting to get picked up by the older lady.
Reluctantly Catelyn picked the child up and held him tight, Daigoro hugged her neck, enjoying the contact. Catelyn closed her eyes and held back tears, she remembered Rickon and how she had ignored him when Bran was in a coma, she forgot how much her youngest child needed her attention, she wanted to get back to Winterfell, but now she had what she was dure to be the man who conspired to murder her son and she intended to bring him to justice… but for now she decided to indulge the sellsword with lunch, in order to prevent any further bloodshed.
She started to scratch the back of Daigoro's head affectionately.
"Where's his mother?"
"Dead." was the single explanation that the Samurai gave, "You may sit down, and so can… who are you ser." Jin asked Ser Rodrik,
"I am Ser Rodrik Cassel, Master-of-Arms of Winterfell."
"I see you are a man with great history and fighting experiences. Just the type that would be welcomed at the Shogun's dining halls." Jin praised "You may sit down, I will be telling some stories, you might learn something."
So Catelyn sat next to Jin with Daigoro sat on her lap, Tyrion sat in front of the Samurai, and Ser Rodrik sat in front of Catelyn. Jon takes out a pelt flask, and he takes out 4 small flat plates, the three guests look at it confused, but before they ask Jin takes the cog of the flask and starts to fill each plate with a vague white liquid.
Ser Rodrik is the first one to speak "What is that milk?"
Jin looked at the old ser, and while they couldn't see it, they could feel his glare.
Jin gave one of the plates to the old knight. He did the same to everyone at the table, minus Daigoro. Jin removed the mouthpiece of his helm revealing only his mouth; they noticed that his teeth were pearly white.
He raised the small plate, which everyone imitated.
"Kanpai." Jin said before drinking the white liquid.
Everyone did the same, however while Jin drank the shot with no problem, everyone else reacted way differently.
Catelyn couldn't even finish, she swallowed a bit and started coughing, shocked at how strong this was.
Tyrion was used to drinking, but it was mostly wine, this was on a whole different level, he did finish it, but his eyes widened and his throat burned with the alcoholic sensation, but unlike Lady Stark, he could get used to this sensation.
Ser Rodrik wasn't a drunk, but he had to admit that this drink had a powerful kick.
"By the gods, what is that?!" Ser Rodrik coughed.
"It's called Sake." Jin introduced "A liquor made from rice, much more substantial and strong than your grape juice."
"Well it's definitely… stronger than wine, but it's just as addicting in his own way." Tyrion praised, "May I have another?" He said holding the plate.
Jin fills it one more time his and Tyrion's "Anyone else?"
"I'm good ser." Lady Stark excused.
"I think I've had enough." Ser Rodrik refused.
"I'll drink if they don't." Said a man with a rough expression, he had a sword but it wasn't drawn.
Jin fills Ser Rodrik's plate and gives it to the man.
They lift the plates and drink it in one gulp.
The man whistles "Now that is good shit."
"Glad you enjoyed it..."
"Bronn." He introduced himself.
Just after the introduction, the woman arrived with a trade with the Salmon and Tuna fillet, on a small bowl there were the little red little Salmon eggs.
"Is this what you requested, ser?"
Jin inspected the fillers, they weren't finely chopped, but it was better than nothing, they removed the bones, skin and blood vessels and at least it was clean enough.
"It'll do, you may go now." Jin dismissed the woman, she left to attend to other people.
Everyone at the table was puzzled, however Daigoro looked ecstatic.
"Aren't you going to cook it first ser?" Asked Lady Stark.
"No, we eat it like this..." He unwraps the rectangular box and opens it.
The inside was separated into three parts, one of half and two fourths, on the half part was a sticky white rice, it looked like paste and it could be moulded, on the other side on the first fourth was a green paste equally as sticky as the rice, the second fourth were what it appeared to be fin black sheets.
Jin takes off his gauntlets and washes his hands in a clean moist rag; he does the same to Daigoro.
He takes from his pouch a roll made of wood and sets it on the table.
He draws the tanto dagger and starts to finely cut the fish fillets in strips.
When he's done he takes the black sheets and places one on top of the hollow wooden roll, he then picks up a big chunk of the rice and divides a section of it.
He gives that small section to his son "Daigoro, make some Nigiri."
"Hai, otosan." The toddler nods before grabbing a piece of the rice and moulding it in a small ball, he then grabs with his small fingers the green paste and puts a small chunk of it on top of the rice and finally on top of it he puts a strip of the salmon, he repeats the process eight more times 4 with salmon and 4 with tuna.
Jin Dajrin was also making something that looked more complex, the black sheet on top of the hollow wooden roll he spread rice alongside it he then puts some of the tuna strips on the middle of it, he then folds the conjunction with the wooden roll into a ball, forming a tube of rice with tuna in the middle wrapped in that black sheet. He then proceeds to cut the cylinder with the Tanto in four sections. He repeated the same process three more times, one more with tuna and then two other with salmon in the middle.
He then grabbed a piece of the black sheet, cut it into 4 pieces, made 4 balls of rice, wrapped them around in those pieces of black sheets and he topped it off with the red salmon eggs.
There are only 6 fish pieces left of each, so Jin just folded and lined them up.
Finally he grabs four small bowls and pours a black liquid on them.
The lunch was set and done, all that was left to do was eat it.
However the four three other guests were a little less enthusiastic, they had no idea what they were looking at.
Visually, however , it was very much appealing, the colours of black, white and red, the food felt like it came out of some painting.
"I must say, visually the food is worthy of kings and queens… however I think it would be easier to eat, if I knew what it is." Tyrion admitted.
"These pieces have many names, but in general we call it sushi, the strips of fish are called Sashimi." Jin introduced the food to them.
"And this black drink?" Asked the master-of-arms.
"It's not a drink, it's a sauce, called soy sauce, you lightly dip the sushi in it." He explained.
They didn't know how to react to the food presented in front of them.
But Tyrion was a man willing to try new things in life.
"Well, I guess we should start." He reaches his hands to eat the salmon piece.
Only for his hand to be hit by daigoro's stick "Iie!"
"What was that for?" He asked, rubbing his hand.
"That was for being rude and non-etiquette, we don't simply start to eat as soon as the food is set."
"Then what do you do before eating ser?" Asked lady Stark.
"Clasp your hands together, like this." He said before father and son clasped their hands.
Everyone reluctantly did the same.
"Itadakimasu" said the father and son at the same time.
They bowed their heads, the others imitated.
"Now we may eat." Jim proclaimed.
"With what, our hands?" Asked Ser Rodrik.
"No, with these." He takes out a pair of polished wooden sticks "They're called chopsticks."
"Hashi." Said Daigoro grabbing his chopsticks.
The trio reluctantly grabbed the chopsticks, not sure what to do with them, Ser Rodrik had one in each hand, Tyrion could sort of understand how to use them as he had them both in one hand, Lady Catelyn was struggling to use them.
"Obasan mitte mitte." Daigoro called.
The boy showed her how to use them with one hand, as he wrapped his little fingers on it. Catelyn tried to do it and she succeeded, but she still had difficulty using them.
"So are you supposed to just grab it with these sticks?" Asked Tyrion.
"Yes, and whatever you do, son stick the sushi with the chopsticks." Jin semi-warned.
"Seven hells, you two are just fucking bizarre." Bronn the sellsword commented.
Neither Jin nor Daigoro paid him any attention.
Finally the eating started, after they sorta got past the struggle of eating with the chopsticks, their reactions to the food itself differed.
Ser Rodrik made a face telling everyone that he was clearly not enjoying it much, but he made the effort of keeping quiet about it.
Catelyn was used to eating fish, but not raw. She found the fish meat to be fresh and delightful and it was even better with the soy sauce which gave it a more salty taste.
Tyrion was the only one besides the father and the son that was truly enjoying the meal, the rice, the fish and spice of the green paste all tasted right to him.
But he did notice that the food was disappearing rather quickly, so he had to make more time.
"If it isn't asking much, could you tell us a story or maybe two from your homeland ser Samurai?" Tyrion asked, earning a glare from Ser Rodrik and Lady Catelyn.
Jin ate another piece and then looked to his son "Which stories do you want me to tell Daigoro?"
Daigoro was chewing on a sushi roll.
He then swallowed it and answered with enthusiasm.
"Yojimbo to Shichinin no Samurai!"
Jin chuckled, those were the two stories he and his son liked to hear.
He cleared his throat before speaking:
"Fist I shall tell you the tale of the highly controversial ronin named Yojimbo, a name that in your tongue means bodyguard." Jin started "He was a samurai without a master, masterful in the ways of the sword, however he would waste such talents on the search for coin, food, drink and an easy life.'' Jin declared with disdain in his voice. "He arrived at a lawless town controlled by two rival gangs, he decided to play both of them in order to get the biggest amount of gold."
"So he was a man without honor." Ser Rodrik declared.
"Not exactly, there was a big instance of honor and morality, when a child and its family evolved." Jin said, "The son of one of the rival gangs, a man who used foreign weapons to gain the advantage in battle, stole the wife of a gambler after he lost her in a bet, because of that the woman could not see her husband or child. So Yojimbo freed her, gave her and the family all his gold and kept their location a secret, even when he was subdued to torture, he did no speak."
"I take it, they decided that the other rival gang must have had something to do with the woman's disappearance?" Tyrion guessed.
Jin nodded "They did, when Yojimbo managed to escape with the help of an undertaker, they blamed the rival family. They killed them all… but even after all that, at the end of the day Yojimbo became the last man standing." He declared "When he rose from the ground, with a full hearth and defeated his enemies, making the town a peaceful one at last."
"And whatever happened to this warrior ser?" Asked lady Catelyn.
"He did what he always does, he left the town and followed the road alone, unaware of anything about his future and never looking back." Jin explained, "He later would help a lord's family with his rivalry against another family, but this time he had adopted the name of Sanjuro."
"So he did all that, got tortured and everything, and at the end he left with nothing? I would have kept the coins." Bronn the Sellsword made his opinion known.
Jin dismissed his opinion "A real Samurai cares nor for gold and fortune, honor and service are all that matter."
Bronn didn't answer, he just shrugged and shook his head.
As the food was starting to become scarce, Tyrion decided to get more time.
"You mentioned another story I believe."
"I did, this one is my favorite one. This is a story with many names, some call them "The Brave Seven." others call it "The seven Warriors" others even call them "The Magnificent Seven" but the most popular title is "The Seven Samurai"." He said "About 250 years ago, in the first year of the empirical rule of the Gushiken family, a rule that to this day still lives on. The Gushiken are strong rulers, clear minded and strong wielded, they abolished slavery and managed to unite all the lands of Yi-Ti into one shared rule. They managed to form peace in Yi-Ti, but were unsuccessful in extinguishing all crime."
"I have read of the Gushiken family, I heard that the current emperor is a big admirer of foreign tales, I heard he shows great admiration for Aegon Targaryen and his conquests.'' Tyrion said.
Jin nodded "It's true, the first Gushiken united Yi-Ti with the inspiration of Aegon, and the admiration still goes strong… however the dragon's reign is nothing compared to the magnificence of the Golden Empire of Yi-Ti."
"I heard that Yi-Ti has an empire that dates back even before the Valyrian people started riding dragons, that its ruins dwarf any of the cities of Westeros, that it's considered an unconquerable land that was able to repel any and all invaders, including the Targaryens, that the princes live opulently in houses of solid fold and they eat meat powdered with pearls and jade." Tyrion said.
Ser Rodrik scoffed, "False stories most likely."
Jin looked at the old knight in the eyes "There are many secrets and aspects of my land that I will not reveal, but I will say this, Westeros is a pathetic land compared to Yi-Ti, we unbent and unconquered, even Dorne wouldn't stand a chance against us."
The ambiance become thick again every knight seemed to take it to heart the offense against Westeros.
Lady Catelyn decided to defuse the situation.
"Ser, would you please tell us the story, so we may leave?"
Jin nodded "Of course my lady, so after the Gushiken raised to power, there was and still is a very big period of peace and prosperity, however crime still exists, it's a fact that cannot be theoretically extinct, but when the bandits and raiders couldn't invade cities, they would choose an easier target, in the form of peasant villages and rice farms."
"Is that where our story starts?" Catelyn wondered.
"Yes it is, it starts in a peasant rice village, where a band of 40 raiders would terorise annually, stealing most of their rice and some of the women, they were desperate and the royal army wouldn't do anything about. So the village elder ordered three of their farmer to hire hungry samurais."
"What was the payment?" Asked Tyrion
"Gohan." Said Daigoro.
"That's right Daigoro, a handful of cooked rice, daily." Jin praised "That was their payment, unsurprisingly it was difficult to find samurais who would be willing to fight for so little, even hungry ones." He told before eating a piece of salmon dipped in soy sauce "But while traveling to a village, they saw an older samurai save a baby from a madman, he shaved his head for it, a feat very few Samurai would be willing to do." He said not disguising the admiration on his voice "His name was Kambei Shimada and he got the attention of the three farmers but also of two others, a young kindhearted samurai from a rich family called Katsushiro Okamoto and one man that wasn't a samurai per say, he was a ruffian, temperamental a drunk and later we found out he was a former farmer, but he had the strength and the fighting spirit, his name was Kikuchiyo, he had no last name."
"Did the wise warrior agree to help the farmers?" Asked ser Rodrik.
"It took some talk, but he eventually did."
Bron who was listening to the story, started laughing "For a handful of rice? It would take way more to hire me."
While they couldn't see his face, by his body language they could tell that Jin was getting annoyed by Bronn's constant interruption.
"You say that because you probably have never been truly hungry, if you don't have anything interesting to say, then say nothing." Jin semi-warned.
Bronn said nothing, he just chuckled and smirked.
"As I was saying, Kambei agreed to help the farmers with both gathering more warriors and to help with their village. And that's what they did, they found a master archer and strategist called Gorobei Katayama, they later found an old fighting companion of master Kambei, a skilled warrior who found himself cutting wood for food, he immediately accepts the offer his name was Shichiroji, the next warrior is a more hearth warming a comedic one, one that could make the man laugh even during the bloodiest battle, his name was Heihachi Hayashida and while he didn't have that much training he made it all up with his good nature and enthusiasm. The last one was a big, silent but deadly warrior that was contracted after they saw him kill another samurai in a duel with one slash. And so the magnificent seven were formed and they headed over to the village." Jin told the story.
"They must have had a hero's welcome." Claimed Lady Catelyn.
"They didn't." Jin said shaking his head "Peasants are frightened people, they are afraid of bandits, raiders, war, wind, snow, they are afraid of the lack of rain and afraid of excess rain, in this case they were afraid for their daughters, so they hid the women and even shaved the head of some. They eventually got used to the seven warriors, but in order to save their village the peasants had to learn how to fight."
"So they teached the peasant how to fight?" Asked Ser Rodrik.
"That they did. They fortified the village, built traps and barriers so that the horses wouldn't pass, the teach the farmers how to fight with weapons and their tolls as much as best as they could. Slowly but steadily when the attacks started, the raiders were killed one by one, proving that a lesser numbered force can win with the right sentiment and mindset you can defeat the greater enemy… but not without loss and consequences." He explained "Besides the farmers that were killed in combat, out of the seven samurais, four were killed, those were; Heihachi Hayashida, Shichiroji, Gorobei Katayama and finally the rebellious Kikuchiyo, all were buried in the hill of the village with their swords as signifying their service."
"But at least they were able to achieve their victory." Tyrion praised.
Jin looked at Tyrion "They was victory, but the Samurai's were not the victorious ones… the farmers were the true winners of this whole affair, with the raiders killed, they now would be able to eat in peace, their women and children would be safe and now with their new barriers and combat knowledge, they would now be ready for any future attacks, word would spread how a bunch of farmers defeated 40 raiders, turning them into a feared target. The surviving Samurai left the village and went back to the vague land." Jin solemnly said before grabbing the last sushi piece, "A sad ending for these worthy warriors, but they did their part and kept their word like true Samurais." He then ate the last sushi piece.
The lunch was over and everyone at the table knew that.
Sir Rodrik was glad to see this affair over.
Lady Catelyn was also glad, but she enjoyed Daigoro's company and the stories.
Tyrion was fascinated by the concept of honour and duty of the Samurai, these two stories gave him a big idea of how they think and how they act, and it would be something he would be thinking about when Lady Catelyn takes him for this farce trial.
Jin and Daigoro put their chopsticks aside, they clasp their hands together in a playing matter, they give a slight bow and they both say:
"Gochisōsama deshita"
Tyrion is the only one who does the same.
"Shouldn't we have dessert?" Asked Tyrion, earning a glare from everyone who was against them.
Jin takes out from the same rectangular box three round small cakes that look like two flap cakes stuck together.
He wraps them in paper and hands them over to each of the three guests.
"You better start going wherever you need to go, the lunch is over, you take these and eat them on your way. They are called Dora Yakis, they are two cakes stuck together and filled with chocolate." Jin explained.
They all accept the cakes.
With that, Lady Catelyn and Ser Rodrik got up and Tryrion grudgingly did the same.
Jin kept sat, and so did Daigoro when Catelyn had set him down.
"I must thank you for this lunch, however inconvenient, it was pleasant." Lady Catelyn thanked.
"I must second that notion Ser Samurai, it was really a multicultural experience and I for one loved the stories." Tyrion praised, "I suppose it would be useless to ask you to free me for this unfair arrest."
"Not unless you are willing to pay for everybody that hits the floor in this establishment." Jin said and again the atmosphere seemed thick and tense.
Tyrion sighed "No I guess, I'm not that willing… But I promise you that I will remember this kindness you had and this dinner, I shall repay it someday.'' Tyrion said before heading for the door with armed men escorting him "After all a Lannister always pays his debts." He said before leaving the Inn with Ser Rodrik, lady Catelyn and the rest of the knights.
Daigoro waves at Lady Catelyn, to which she responds with a smile and a small wave.
"Sayonara obasan, sayonara Chīsana otoko!"
As they all left, Bronn the sellsword approaches.
"How about one more drink for the road?"
Jin looks at him, but he eventually fills one of the small plates and gives it to Bronn.
He gulps it down and whistles.
"Wine doesn't compare to the strength of this. I probably won't remember your stories, but I will remember your drink." He said before following the group.
Jin said nothing to the man.
The woman who had served Jin, returned to the table.
"Do you require anything else sir?"
"Do you have pudding?"
The woman nodded "I believe so ser."
"Bring two slices, one big and small." Jin ordered.
The woman nodded and went to the kitchen.
As both father and son were waiting for their dessert, the bard who had been on Lady Catelyn's table went to the Samurai's table.
"That was quite the show, ser Warrior." The bard praised, not getting an answer from neither father or son "I see that you ordered dessert, I could use some." He joked.
Jin doesn't say anything. But he reaches his pouch and takes out three golden stags and gives them to the bard.
The bard takes the coins "Do you wish me to sing for you?"
"I wish for information, anything interesting will do." Jin requested.
"Well if it's information you want then I must tell you that there's a tourney in King's Landing in the honour of the new Hand of the King, the awards for the winners are rather high."
This caught Jin's attention. "Do they have archery?"
"They do, it will be in three days, the award is 20000 for the winning archer." The bard informed me.
Jin had now decided where he would be going next.
As he was thinking the woman brought in two plates with a slice each, she put the big slice on Jin's side and put the small slice on Daigoro's side.
Before they start eating with the spoons that the woman had brought, Jin takes out another golden Stag and gives it to the bard.
"Sing me The Rains of Castamere." He ordered.
The bard looked confused. "You want me to sing such a gloomy song for dessert? I could sing you about the victory of King Robert's rebellion instead." He proposed.
Jin only looked at him silently telling him to shut up.
The bard coughed and grabbed the guitar "Very well, if you insist."
As the bard sang, Jin and Daigoro just kept eating.
Wondering how and where the road that's set up for them would go.
But one thing they were sure of is that they would walk said road, even if it ends up killing them at the end