-Chapitre 8-

-The evening-

-POV MC-

"So how many people are corrupted out of the 220?" I asked the trio sitting in front of me, representing my spy network.

"All," said Valeria.

I stopped eating and turned my head towards Valeria, eyes widened by what she had just said; once I managed to collect my thoughts, I said:

"How?"

Valeria grabbed a strawberry from my plate and then said while biting into it: "Littlefinger doesn't only pay Janos Slynt, he pays all the officers at the same time, and he gives them bribes from time to time for some special work requiring discretion or particular attention."

I closed my eyes while making a grimace mixed with anger and frustration, took a deep breath, and said: "Shit, then we have to move to the last plan."

"Kill them all?" said Bryan as a dark light passed in his eyes, reluctant to shed blood.

"Do you see another solution?" said his brother who, unlike him, had no problem with it.

Bryan shook his head, so I said:

"Contact Bronn, I'm going to need his services now," I said to the trio.

"It's already done," said Valeria with a teasing smile, indicating she knew me well enough to anticipate my reactions.

"You're an angel, Valeria," I said to my mistress who was 5 years older than me.

"Don't lie, you scoundrel," she said, pouting.

I laughed and said:

"I never lie, you know that..."

"Except to get a pretty lady into your bed," she said, feigning annoyance.

"Do you think you are that pretty lady?" I asked teasingly.

"If you're finished, I'd like you to remember that it's our sister you're talking to," said Connor with an aggressive grimace.

We looked at each other with cold gazes, and then we all burst into laughter.

Valeria, Connor, and Bryan were part of a Warg family living in the Reach near the Citadel, and one day I saved them from the stake when they were accused of being sorcerers by the Faith of the Seven. They then performed a blood ritual called the blood pact, swearing eternal loyalty to me.

So, I had blind trust in them and considered them true friends with whom I could share almost everything. Finally, I said:

"Put a contract on the heads of all the officers of the King's Landing watch involved in shady dealings, and inform me if you manage to capture some. The contract expires at sunrise, and don't forget to feed Ghost and Nymeria."

They all nodded their heads, and we parted ways. I went home to try to teach Arya and Bran swordsmanship, but when I arrived, I noticed she and Bran were chasing cats.

I smiled and then said:

"What are you doing? Is this a new game?"

The two jumped on me, screaming my name; before they had time to explain, I saw a man, and from his complexion, attire, and slender sword, I identified him as a man from Braavos.

"Hello, I am Jon," extending my hand for a handshake, which he gave me.

"The bastard," he said, but without any malice, more as a fact than as an insult; I felt Arya tense up, but I quickly said before her mind heated up with a polite smile:

"The former bastard, by the grace of His Majesty King Robert, I am a Stark now."

He said:

"My apologies, I am Syrio Forel, First Sword of Braavos and former captain of the personal guard of the Lord of Braavos."

'Former First Sword, but so be it,' I thought, mentally correcting his presentation.

"It's an honor to meet you, Master Forel, I would also like to learn a lot from you," I said because even with my physique, I was not all-powerful, lacking experience and technique, and I wanted to fix that as soon as possible.

"Water dancing does not suit you, you are too tall, and you have already learned, it is easy to learn but hard to unlearn to learn again."

I set Arya and Bran down and said:

"I am confident, I know I can do it; if you can, I would like you to give me a chance to prove what I am capable of."

"Very well, I agree, but if you can't manage, don't insist," he said, nodding his head distractedly, probably thinking of the best way to make me give up quickly.

He threw me a sword, which I caught, and he showed me a few movements that I replicated while observing and correcting my mistakes myself.

I noticed that as we continued the impromptu lesson, his eyes began to shine more and more, and he was seriously evaluating me.

I guess I'm not that bad.

After half an hour, he cut the lesson short but not before asking me to come back every day.

He promised to teach me for a maximum of one hour a day; I accepted with joy and went straight home to rest; I had an exhausting day and was happy to finally have some time to myself and only for myself.'