Wylis couldn't be there for the last rites of the little babe. He wasn't supposed to be in that city. And disguises were useless with his height. But he was there for Chataya, in the brothel, amidst all the tight-lipped girls.
As steady as Chataya was, losing a child she carried for nine months in her womb was still a traumatic experience. But she was still a very strong woman and didn't refuse to eat or talk. While hurt and traumatized, she tried to act normal and keep things at the brothel under control.
Seeing that, Wylis couldn't bring himself to act troubled. He didn't feel like he had the right to feel it. All he'd done was sleep with her once and just leave, busying himself in battles. Yet, the matter refused to leave his head. He didn't want more children to die, but he couldn't be everywhere. And he was expecting eleven more children within that year.
I'd better be at Stoney Sept for those women. He reminded himself.
"Chataya." He sat by her side in a private chamber as the morning rolled in. "Don't torment yourself with work for a few days. Close the place for as long as you need to gather yourself. I'll help with funds."
Chataya shook her head.
"That wouldn't be fair to the girls."
"What about you?"
"I'm well. All things follow the gods' will, and so it is with this," Chataya said and looked at Wylis. "But you shouldn't linger here, my Lord. The King is most keen on capturing you, more than winning the war."
"I know, that is why I'm here," Wylis replied, not explaining any further. "But there is no war left to win. The prince is dead; all that's left is a mad husk to be removed. But heed my word, close the brothel until the final conclusion."
"The girls—"
"There could be a sacking." He sternly warned her. "You don't want sword-wielding crazed men storming your establishment, do you?"
Chataya frowned. She was not a naive, uninformed woman. If anything, she knew best what was going on inside King's Landing. The Rebellion was over. The only two armies left marching towards the city were the Rebels and the Lannisters. It made no sense that the new King would sack his own city. That left the Lannisters.
Dots were connected, and Chataya ended up nodding.
"You are kind to warn me, my Lord. I shall remember it."
Wylis smiled, his hand brushing her shoulder. "Set aside the lordly words. Things may not have gone the way we wanted, but our amity stands."
Chataya softly smiled. It was wrong to expect anything more.
"Well then, I shall take my leave." Wylis rose, casting a glance toward the window where sunlight poured through. "I hope you won't mind if I use that tunnel again."
"Not at all, my Lord."
Finally, Wylis untied a hidden pouch from his cloak and placed it where he was sitting. It jangled with coins. "I haven't much on me right now, but it'll carry you for a few days. Best get some rest while you can."
Wylis saw gratitude in her eyes. He wasn't chasing it. Kindness didn't cost him much. But at the same time, his brain couldn't stop reminding him that kindness to the right person was more fruitful than apathy.
With a final nod, he left her and went up to the turret room. He walked over to the cupboard, opened it, pushed the wooden panel, and entered the darkness. While standing on the ladder, he closed the cupboard and made it look like nothing was out of place.
Finally, with a small torch, he went down and walked towards the Dragon Pit. It was one of the locations where treasure was buried. Understandable as well, since it once held dragons and Targaryen princes, princesses, kings, and queens came there often.
But Wylis didn't know what the treasure was. He was hopeful of finding some fine steel, gold, or even dragon eggs. But again, Valyrian Steel and the dragon eggs were rewards for another quest that was yet to be completed.
Aware of where the general location of the treasure was, Wylis stopped in the middle of the tunnel and looked upward. Being much better at Earthbending than the last time, he looked up and punched the air.
Bam!
The dirt was compressed into a perfect circle. Then the ground under his feet rose, pushing him into the tunnel.
Bam!
He kept punching the dirt up into a sturdy tunnel. He compressed the loose dirt, stopping it from falling on him. It was a claustrophobia galore, but with Earthbending, getting stuck underground was the least of his worries.
A little to the left.
He adjusted himself, making sure he wasn't digging right underneath the treasure just in case it was too big for him.
Bam!
He went up at least ten meters before he stopped tunneling and instead dug sideways to the left. Being surrounded by earth, his senses were enough to guide him. Finally, he used Earthbending delicately, digging out the treasure. He could feel it, a box no bigger than his head.
"What's this?"
In moments, the box was in his hand, the little torch making it visible. It was made of metal and heavily corroded. The contours on it were evidence of delicate patterns that once existed. But still, the box was intact.
Knock! Knock!
He took out his small dagger and pried it open since the keyhole was ruined. He put a little extra force, and the entire lock crumbled.
"Gold coins?"
The treasure was gold. Probably a past royal's secret stash. It was hard to count since the coins had gotten stuck together. But they were definitely gold dragons.
I'd say a thousand at least by the weight. Could be more.
Wylis was by no means a poor man. His tourney earnings, Rhaegar's secret stash, and more earnings and rewards from his travels were still untouched. His wealth neared a hundred thousand gold dragons. While it was a considerable amount for an upstart knight, it was still nothing for an ambitious lord.
All gold is good.
He closed the box and went back down to the main tunnel. There, he dug a secret hole in the ground and hid the treasure.
Quickly after, he dug up again and this time found scattered diamonds, as if a woman's necklace was violently shattered. Soon, he found the necklace as well, made of gold, full of intricate details.
Someone was either murdered or…
Since he found no dead body, he reckoned it was the latter. Now, who would dare do something to a likely royal princess or queen, he didn't know. He hid the necklace and diamonds back inside the main tunnel, marking that hole he'd dug, a little pocket he could return to later and just take everything.
Next, he found a longsword. It was corroded as well. But its hilt was jaded with precious stones and gold.
He kept digging that entire day, not just the Dragon Pit, but the rest of King's Landing as well. But the pattern was noticeable; the treasures were only underneath the well-off part of King's Landing. Luckily, it saved him time.
He made countless branches from that main tunnel.
More jewelry, many more swords, and at times, he found small and large chests filled with gold coins, gold ornaments, or just gold bricks on rare occasions. The places he found gold were usually under some merchant's house. Some chests even looked new, clearly hidden there recently. Wylis still took them.
Sadly, no Valyrian Steel or dragon eggs.
By the end of that day, Wylis had become a rat. He'd made a secret network of tunnels under most of King's Landing. Only he knew their location, and only he could access them with Earthbending.
Ultimately, only the treasures underneath the Red Keep were left, so once night covered the entire city and curfew was imposed, he surfaced near the Eel Alley, his longsword on his back, dagger on his waist, and a mysterious cloth slung over his shoulder.
Mindful of the patrols, he returned to the same tunnel he'd used to escape in the past. Its entrance was hidden with Earthbending.
Clank!
Clank!
Hearing the clanking armor noise, he quickly hid behind a corner, right before reaching the final street beyond which Aegon's Hill became steep.
"I heard that Lord Tywin will arrive with his army tonight."
"Aye, we can still win this damn war."
"It matters shit. Whoever sits on the damn throne, nothing changes for us."
The three Goldcloaks passed the dark alley where Wylis was hiding, chattering without a care.
Tonight?
Wylis frowned, recalibrating his plans. His intention behind gathering all the treasure quickly was simple. He didn't want to stay inside King's Landing after ending the rebellion for good, nor did he plan on returning anytime soon. As soon as he got his castle, he wanted to head North and repair his abode, erect new walls and towers with Earthbending, build dungeons, warehouses, and upgrade the entire castle.
With the entire realm in disarray, nobody would bother with sudden changes to his new home. It was the best time to recklessly abuse Earthbending. He had to expand the castle as much as he wanted from the beginning, because once it'd become famous and wealthy, there would be too many merchants, smallfolk, and nobles roaming about.
No use digging for treasure anymore.
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