DAGGERS TO THE HEART Part 2 - CLASH OF THE KINGS

Jon V

Jon's affection for his littlesister, Arya, was undeniable. Throughout their shared years, whileRobb and Sansa may have from time to time, found Arya's anticstiresome, Jon never faltered in his love for her. However, in thepast three days, something had shifted. Arya, spirited andindependent beyond her years, had embraced the whims of herthirteen-year-old self in a manner Jon had never witnessed. Herinfatuation with the Red Viper had unleashed a torrent of adorationthat left Jon unsettled.

Arya's dilemma lay in her inability to engagewith Oberyn Martell as anyone other than the enigmatic Littlefinger—afact that grated on her nerves. She yearned to spar, to delve intodiscussions about poisons and combat tactics. If not for theirsignificant age gap, Jon could have mistaken her fervour for love forthe Dornish prince. When he broached the subject with her earlierthat day, Arya's incessant chatter about Oberyn ceased, much toJon's relief.

Not that Jon harboured any animosity towardOberyn. On the contrary, the man served as a tenuous link to Jon'ssire, albeit obscurely, yet closer to the siblings Jon had neverknown. It was only upon meeting Oberyn that Jon considered the fatethat befell Rhaenys and Aegon, at the hands of the Mountain, actingunder Tywin Lannister's orders and with Robert Baratheon's tacitapproval. The mere thought of the atrocities inflicted upon hisfamily by these powers made Jon's stomach churn with revulsion. Inthat shared outrage, Jon and Oberyn found a common cause: seekingretribution for the lives taken. However, the path to justiceremained fraught with uncertainty.

Jon was aware of Arya's clandestine intentionsregarding Tywin Lannister, although she had yet to divulge thedetails of her plan. The unfolding circumstances would dictate boththe method and timing of her strike. As for the Mountain, Arya hadconfided in Jon that poison was the only viable means to end hismonstrous existence. She cited Jaqen H'ghar as the inspirationbehind the method she intended to employ. However, Jon hesitated toshare any of this with Oberyn, knowing full well that the Red Viperwas busy planning his schemes.

There were inherent risks associated witheliminating Tywin. These were concerns Jon couldn't voice inOberyn's presence, ones he had only gleaned from his previous life.The repercussions of Tywin's demise would extend beyond merepolitical ramifications. It would grant the High Sparrow and hisFaith Militant a newfound freedom within the city, presenting aformidable obstacle to seizing the capital. To the common folk, theHigh Sparrow embodied a symbol of salvation, rendering him anunpredictable variable, unlike the ruthless Tywin Lannister, whoseactions were more predictable. As a devout northerner adhering to theold gods, Jon recognized the precarious position he would occupy inthe eyes of the Faith Militant, notorious for their violent zealotrytowards dissenters.

Gods, taking the Iron Throne wasproving to be more stressful than fighting the army of the dead, Jonthought to himself.

Despite Arya's admiration for Oberyn and Jon'sconcerns regarding Tywin Lannister's potential demise and the riseof the Faith Militant, Jon and Arya did plenty of warging into theirnew feline familiars so that they could explore the secret tunnels ofthe Red Keep and Kings Landing.

Controlling the cats proved challenging, as theirbond with the animals wasn't as strong as they'd hoped. Theymaintained enough influence to navigate the labyrinthine passagewaysunnoticed. Their primary objective lay within the depths of the RedKeep: the notorious black cells, where Stannis, Selyse, and Shireenwere held captive.

Finding Stannis in the deepest recesses of thedungeon didn't come as a surprise. His cell, reserved for the mostegregious of traitors, also housed Selyse, unwavering in her supportfor her husband. Positioned above them was Shireen, afforded only amodicum of comfort through a small window in her cell. While guarded,her confinement differed from that of Stannis and Selyse. They eachhad two guards stationed outside their doors, two more at theentrance to the deepest dungeons, and regular patrols throughout therest of the cells.