The Small Council meeting ended on a sour note.
Or rather, it concluded hastily amidst a frenzied one-man show.
As Robert Baratheon's bloody and tyrannical laughter still echoed in the council chamber, Cersei Lannister was the first to rise and leave.
Her face, usually maintaining an air of arrogance and beauty, was now ashen, her clenched fists betraying her inner fury.
She didn't even bother to curtsy to the madman on the throne, walking straight out the door.
Robert was mad.
This thought screamed wildly in Cersei's mind.
Letting a Northern girl who knew nothing be the Master of Coin?
This was more absurd than letting a damned boar manage the treasury!
Who was he humiliating?
Ned Stark?
No!
He was humiliating the Lannisters!
He was slapping her face!
Robert wasn't just suspicious of the Starks; he was also guarding against the Lannisters!
Renly Baratheon followed closely behind.
He didn't even glance at his brother on the throne. On his face, usually wearing an elegant smile, only undisguised disgust and coldness remained.
To constrain Ned, Robert wouldn't even give benefits to him, a fellow Baratheon.
Such a King.
Hehe.
He had nothing to say!
Varys and Grand Maester Pycelle also bowed and took their leave.
The expressions on their faces looked as if they had seen a ghost, seemingly not yet recovered from the absurd drama just now.
Soon, in the huge council chamber, only Lynn and Ned Stark, still slumped in the Hand's seat, remained.
"Let's go, Lord Ned."
Lynn spoke calmly.
"The show is over; time to leave the stage."
Ned slowly raised his head, his grey eyes filled with complex emotions.
He looked at Lynn, lips moving, but finally, it only turned into a long sigh.
He stood up and silently followed Lynn out of this suffocating center of power.
When Lynn returned to his quarters, the night was already deep.
A very light knock sounded, light as a feather landing on a carpet.
Lynn raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Come in."
The door was pushed open silently.
A graceful figure slipped in, closing the door quickly.
Instantly, the scent of rich roses filled the air.
"Congratulations, Lord Lynn."
Margaery Tyrell's voice sounded in the dark, carrying a lazy smile.
She walked familiarly to Lynn, the moonlight outlining her exquisite curves.
"Or perhaps, I should call you... the Chief Regent of Westeros?"
Margaery walked to Lynn's side, her hands resting gently on his shoulders.
Her brown eyes, bright as stars even in the dark, looked unblinkingly at Lynn.
Inside was undisguised appreciation and wonder.
"How on earth did you do it?"
"Make King Robert make such a... shocking decision?"
"I thought my grandmother was the most formidable person in the Seven Kingdoms, but in front of you, her methods seem inadequate."
There was no jealousy in Margaery's tone, only excitement.
"I merely proposed a logical suggestion to His Grace."
Lynn answered calmly.
"Logical?"
Margaery couldn't help but chuckle.
"Letting Sansa Stark be Master of Coin, you call that logical?"
She took a step forward, her plump, warm body almost pressing against Lynn.
The scent of roses, mixed with the unique fragrance of a young girl, became even stronger.
"Lynn."
Margaery lowered her voice, carrying a hint of seduction.
"You played everyone like a fiddle, including that high and mighty King."
"I really am curious how you did it."
Lynn looked at her, at this beautiful face close at hand, at the naked ambition and inquiry in her eyes.
"The process isn't important; the result is the key."
"I succeeded, didn't I?"
Lynn asked back.
Margaery paused, then laughed tremulously.
"Exactly."
She stood on tiptoe.
Her warm breath gently sprayed on Lynn's ear.
"We are natural allies."
"My Lord, please remember this always."
With that, Margaery made no further unnecessary moves, just stepped back and executed a flawless curtsy to Lynn.
"I merely came to express my congratulations, and Highgarden's respect."
"After tonight, the entire city of King's Landing will be crazy about you."
"Congratulations again, Lord Lynn."
Margaery's figure disappeared behind the door.
The scent of roses lingered for a long time.
---
Lynn didn't stay long in the Red Keep. He packed his things and went straight to find Arya, who was sleeping soundly in her room.
Arya was woken by a gentle shake.
She opened her eyes.
"Lynn?"
Arya rubbed her eyes, still a bit groggy.
"Awake?"
Lynn's voice came.
"Get up and get ready to leave."
"Where... are we going?"
Arya woke up instantly, a thrill of adventure surging.
"Home."
Lynn's answer was simple.
"Pack your things, Arya."
Lynn ruffled her messy hair.
"Home?"
Arya paused, then realized.
"Now? Back to Winterfell?"
"Yes, now."
An irrepressible ecstasy exploded on Arya's face!
She had had enough of this hellhole King's Landing long ago!
The people here were all fake, not fun at all!
Winterfell was better, with Robb, with snow, and...
Arya stole a glance at Lynn, her cheeks slightly hot.
She wanted to go wherever Lynn went.
The destination wasn't important.
What was important was being able to act with Lynn.
"How do we go? Riding horses? Did Father agree?"
"Lord Ned agreed, of course. I don't want to kidnap his precious daughter; he'd kill me."
Lynn took her small hand.
"But we're not riding horses."
"We're taking something faster."
Arya wanted to ask more, but Lynn pulled her out of the Tower of the Hand.
In a secluded corner of the Red Keep, Lynn stopped with Arya in an open courtyard.
Arya poked her little head out from behind Lynn, looking around curiously.
There were two fine horses here.
They mounted the horses.
Arya followed Lynn, not knowing how long passed, until an open clearing appeared ahead.
In the center of the clearing lay a massive shadow.
The shadow reflected a ghostly blue hue under the moonlight.
As they approached, Arya finally saw what it was.
Her breath stopped at this moment.
It was a dragon.
A real, living dragon!
Its body was larger than three war elephants combined, covered in scales of interwoven ice-blue and silver-white, shimmering with a dreamlike luster under the moonlight.
Its three heads were raised slightly, two jagged horns like crowns forged of obsidian.
Those three pairs of golden vertical pupils were like burning magic orbs in the darkness.
Just lying there quietly, it exuded a pressure enough to make all things submit.
Arya's small mouth opened slightly.
Those grey eyes, usually full of vitality, were filled with shock and ecstasy.
"It's Winter!"
"It was so small when I left it."
"How much time has passed? It's grown so big!"
It wasn't surprising Arya recognized Winter instantly.
Winter's three heads were too iconic.
"Winter."
Lynn dismounted and called softly.
The dragon let out a low hiss.
Its massive heads lowered, rubbing affectionately against Lynn.
Those golden vertical pupils were filled with cat-like docility and dependence.
"Want to touch it?"
Lynn looked back, asking Arya with a smile.
Arya's eyes lit up instantly.
She scrambled off the horse almost rolling and crawling, but the closer she got, the slower her steps became.
Finally, she walked carefully to Winter.
Arya reached out a trembling small hand, placing it gently on Winter's cold scales.
The touch was hard, yet carried a strange warmth.
"Wow..."
Arya let out a dreamlike gasp.
"Hold on tight, we're taking off."
Lynn held Arya and leaped easily onto Winter's broad back.
Arya hugged Lynn's waist tightly, her heart beating wildly with nervousness and excitement.
"ROAR——!!!"
Winter let out a dragon roar that cracked clouds and split rocks!
It spread those massive wings that blotted out the sky and flapped down violently!
BOOM——!
A powerful airflow swept up leaves and dust on the ground.
Arya felt her body rush upward violently, instantly feeling heavier!
She instinctively closed her eyes and let out a scream.
When she opened her eyes again, she was completely stunned.
The earth receded rapidly beneath their feet, the lights of King's Landing turning into a tiny patch of light.
They passed through the clouds.
Bright moonlight spilled on them, as if draping them in a layer of silver gauze.
They saw the sunrise again; watching the sunrise from the sky made Arya ecstatic.
The biting cold wind whistled past her ears, blowing so hard Arya could barely keep her eyes open.
But she didn't care.
She opened her arms, facing the gale, and let out a hearty shout.
She felt like she had broken free from all shackles, becoming a free bird!
This feeling was ten thousand times better than hitting the bullseye with Needle!
---
Winter's flight speed was faster than imagined.
When the sky turned pale again, a continuous grey wall appeared on the horizon.
Winterfell.
Arya looked at the familiar castle below, a feeling of a lifetime ago rising in her heart.
When she left, she was just a little girl who only knew how to play with swords.
And now, she had returned riding a dragon.