The heavy footsteps grew louder. Link looked down at the dead assassin. If he hid the body, the Lannisters would simply send another, more careful killer. If he revealed the body, he would be throwing a torch into a room full of oil.
Load, he thought.
The world shifted. He was back at the moment the assassin's eyes rolled back in his head.
This time, Link didn't wait for the guards to find him. He reached down and searched the man's pockets with frantic speed. He found a small, heavy leather pouch hidden in the lining of the man's tunic. He tucked it into his own belt just as the glow of a lantern appeared at the end of the hall.
"Halt! Who goes there?"
It was Desmond and another guard named Jax. They rounded the corner, their lanterns swinging. When the light hit the blood on the floor and the body of the masked man, their jaws dropped.
"Link?" Desmond gasped, his hand flying to his sword. "What in happened here?"
"An assassin," Link said, his voice sounding raspy even to his own ears. He pointed toward Bran's door. "He was heading for the young Lord's chambers. I intercepted him."
Jax knelt by the body, pulling back the hood. "I do not know this face. He is not a Northman. Look at these leathers. This is fine work."
"Sound the alarm," Link commanded. "Wake Ser Rodrik. And tell Lord Stark that his son was almost murdered in his sleep."
Within minutes, the silent corridors of Winterfell were screaming with activity. Torches were lit in every sconce. The sound of steel on stone echoed as the Winterfell guard mobilized.
Link was taken to the Great Hall. He stood in the center of the room, his clothes stained with the assassin's blood and his own sweat. Ned Stark entered soon after, wearing a heavy fur cloak over his nightclothes. His face was a mask of cold fury. Behind him followed Catelyn, her face white with a mother's terror.
"Where is Bran?" Ned barked.
"He is safe, My Lord," Link said. "I have guards stationed inside and outside his door now. He was not touched."
Ned walked over to the body of the assassin, which had been dragged into the hall. He looked at the poison foam on the man's lips and the broken blade on the floor.
"Who sent him?" Ned asked, his voice low and vibrating with a dangerous energy.
"He said very little, My Lord," Link replied. He felt the weight of the pouch in his belt. He knew he had to be careful. If he accused the Lannisters directly without proof, the King would call it treason. "But I found this on his person."
Link stepped forward and placed the leather pouch on the table.
Ned opened it. Inside were ten heavy gold coins. They were not the common dragons used by merchants. They were freshly minted, gleaming with the seal of Lannisport.
The silence that followed was suffocating. Every man in the room knew what those coins meant.
"Gold," Ned whispered, his eyes narrowing. "Lannister gold."
At that moment, the doors to the hall swung open. Jaime Lannister walked in, followed by Tyrion. Jaime looked as though he had just woken up, his hair messy, but Link saw the way his eyes immediately darted to the body on the floor.
"What is this?" Jaime asked, his voice smooth and untroubled. "I heard a cry for blood. Has someone died?"
Ned Stark turned to face him. He held up one of the gold coins. "A man tried to enter my son's room tonight, Ser Jaime. He died with your family's gold in his pocket."
Jaime didn't flinch. He looked at the coin and then at Link. A small, cold smile touched his lips. "Gold travels, Lord Stark. My family pays many people. It seems this one was a thief who took his wages and decided to turn to murder. You should thank your guard for being so... diligent."
Link felt a surge of anger. Jaime was going to lie his way out of it, and without a living witness, the coins were only circumstantial.
"This man knew exactly where the boy was sleeping, Ser Jaime," Link said, stepping forward. "He didn't look like a thief. He looked like an executioner."
"Careful, guard," Jaime warned, his voice turning icy. "Accusing the Queen's brother is a heavy burden for a man of your station."
"Enough!" Ned shouted. He looked at Link. "Link, you saved my son's life twice in one day. You are no longer a common guard. From this moment on, you are assigned to the personal protection of House Stark. You answer only to me."
Link bowed. He felt the shift in the room. He was no longer just a "nobody." He was now a player on the board.
[Status: Promoted - Personal Guard of the Hand]
[Warning: You are now the Lannisters' Primary Target]
As the meeting broke up, Tyrion Lannister lingered behind. He walked past Link and whispered just loud enough for him to hear.
"You should have let him kill you, Link. It would have been a much quicker death than the one my sister is planning for you now."
Link didn't answer. He watched the lions walk away, and he knew that the next loop would not be about saving a boy. It would be about surviving the Queen.
.….
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!