Winterfell was shrouded in a heavy, freezing fog. Most of the castle was in a deep drunken sleep, exhausted by the royal festivities.
Link moved through the darkened corridors like a shadow. He had timed the guard rotations perfectly using his previous loops. He knew exactly when the corridor leading to the Stark family's private chambers would be empty for a span of three minutes.
He reached the heavy oak door to Bran's room. He did not knock. He pressed his palm against the wood and pushed gently. The hinges groaned, a sound that felt like a scream in the dead of night.
Inside, a single candle flickered on the bedside table. Bran was awake. He was sitting up in bed, his small frame huddled under a mountain of furs. His eyes were wide and red-rimmed from crying. When he saw the silhouette in the doorway, he gasped and pulled the blankets up to his chin.
"It is me, Bran," Link said softly. He stepped into the light and closed the door behind him.
The boy's tension broke, and a sob escaped his throat. "Link? Did... did Jaime come to find me?"
Link sat on the edge of the bed. He felt the cold radiating from the stone walls. "No. I am here. He will not come tonight."
Bran reached out and grabbed Link's sleeve. His hands were ice cold. "I saw them, Link. In the high room. The Queen and the Kingslayer. They were... they were like husband and wife. But they are brother and sister."
Link looked at the boy. The secret Bran carried was a dagger pointed at the heart of the Seven Kingdoms. If that secret came out, it would mean war. It would mean the execution of the Queen and the end of the Lannister power. But it would also mean that Ned Stark would be forced to follow the King into a bloodbath.
"I know what you saw, Bran," Link said, his voice grave. "And they know you saw it."
"Are they going to kill me?" Bran whispered.
Link looked into the boy's eyes. He saw the innocence that was already beginning to wither. "They will try. But they have to get through me first. And I am a very difficult man to kill."
[Status: Mental Strain Increasing]
[Anchor Point: Arrival of the King - Active]
Link realized he was at a crossroads. He could tell Bran to stay silent, which would keep the peace but leave the Lannisters' crimes unpunished. Or he could tell Bran to speak to his father, which would set the world on fire.
"Listen to me, Bran," Link said, leaning closer. "You cannot tell your mother. Not yet. She would try to protect you, but her fear would give the secret away. And you cannot tell the King. If the King finds out, he will kill everyone in his path, and the Lannisters will fight back."
"Then who do I tell?" Bran asked.
"Your father," Link said. "But not here. Not while the Lannisters are within these walls. Wait until the hunt is over and the King prepares to leave. Your father is the only man who can handle this truth without burning Winterfell to the ground."
Bran nodded slowly, some of the terror in his eyes replaced by a grim determination. "I will wait. I promise."
"Good," Link said. He stood up and checked the door. "Keep your wolf close to you. Ghost is with Jon, but your Summer has the blood of the old gods in him. He will know if danger is near."
As Link prepared to leave, he felt a strange sensation. The air in the room seemed to thicken, and the interface in his mind flickered with a warning he had never seen before.
[Warning: Timeline Flux Detected]
[Observation: Hidden Lion has moved.]
Link's blood ran cold. He had been so focused on Bran that he hadn't considered that the Lannisters might not wait for the boy to speak.
He stepped out into the hallway and froze.
At the far end of the corridor, standing in the pool of moonlight from a high window, was a shadow. It was not a guard. It was a man in dark, silent leathers, carrying a long, thin blade that did not reflect the light.
An assassin.
Link drew his sword, the steel singing as it left the scabbard.
"Save," he whispered to the empty air, just in case he failed.
The shadow lunged.
....
Author Note
Hi guys! Thank you for reading my fanfiction.
I wanted to let you know that I'll be releasing bonus chapters for Power Stones. Here are the goals:
15 Power Stones: 1 Bonus Chapters
30 Power Stones: 1 Bonus Chapters
50 Power Stones: 1 Bonus Chapters
75 Power Stones: 2 Bonus Chapters
100 Power Stones: 2 Bonus Chapters
Thanks for the support!