Game of Alchemy 4 (Patreon)

One week, that’s how long it took for me to put a plan into action. Considering I was working against a spymaster who’d survived under three kings, I think it was rather fast. I originally considered having him poisoned, but I couldn’t think of a way to get it into him in a way that he wouldn’t hear and spot. So I went a different route.

With a gift to the only other spymaster of note in the city, who was also technically my boss, I had some of Baelish’s men scouring the dark, hidden corners of the city. The reason I gave was something that would be believable, since I ran into him after I was leaving the Red Keep’s library.

“The last Hand of the Mad King was the head of the Pyromancer’s Guild, right?” I had asked after our greetings.

“Indeed, for a mere fortnight,” Baelish acknowledged.

“How long does it take to produce wildfire? Why was there never any utilized, even by loyalist holdouts? And why is there no mention of it being disposed of after the Sack?” I immediately asked. “As insane as he was, I can’t believe that Aerys didn’t have barrels of it made.”

That made Baelish pause. On its own it wasn’t enough, but when combined with a shirt of valyrian steel ringmail that could easily be worn under a standard doublett, well it was enough for him to send some people to look around. To satisfy my paranoia, as he called it.

In between my lessons with Tommen, creating valyrian steel weapons for the Kingsguard, and showcasing my Alchemy to King Joffrey, I made sure to continue exploring the various passageways and tunnels in the Red Keep. If Baelish’s men didn’t find what I was looking for, then I’d hopefully find it here.

Sure enough, I did. It took several days, but I found the cache of wildfire that had been stored under the Red Keep. My next step was to create several glass jars and mix together a liquid that would glow. That last part proved to be more difficult than I thought it would. Because while I knew about bioluminescence and the gardens in the Red Keep did house fireflies, it was the wrong time of year for them.

In the end, I decided to risk it. I told Joffrey during one of my Alchemy displays that I had uncovered something of great importance, but I was hesitant to speak it aloud, for fear of traitors catching wind of it. I still can’t believe I managed to convince him to head with me into the tunnels, but apparently my creation of valyrian steel had earned me more points than I thought it had. It helped that we were joined by a pair of Kingsguard.

We came to a stop outside the door holding the cache, and I turned to Joffrey and said, “I must be blunt, Your Grace. We cannot bring the torch inside, it would be for the best that we don’t enter at all, but the torch must stay in the hall.”

Joffrey scoffed, but I turned and opened the door before he could answer. Stepping to the side and holding the torch up so it lit the interior, showing rows and rows of jars holding an ominous green liquid.

“Based on the amount of dust on the jars, I’d guess they’ve been down here since before your father took the throne,” I said as the two Kingsguard realized what they were looking at. “I thought it odd that there’d been so little talk of wildfire in the historical records, given how mad Aerys was towards the end. I asked around, heard that there were countless tunnels and passageways in the Red Keep, and started exploring. When I stumbled across this, I came to you, Your Grace.”

“So much wildfire,” Joffrey whispered, his eyes gleaming.

“Yes, enough to destroy the Red Keep and everyone inside,” I acknowledge. “A perfect way to kill the King without risking the need to fight the Kingsguard. No warning, no signs, just one day you are ruling, a flash of green, then nothing.”

That guided Joffrey’s thoughts the way I wanted, an ugly snarl twisting his face, and I went in for the kill, “I hesitate to say this, Your Grace, but it needs to be said. Out of all the Small Council, there is one person whose job it is to know this sort of thing, who is well known for knowing what is happening before it happens, who served under the Mad King while this wildfire would have been made.”

I could visibly see the fury rising up in Joffrey as he drew the conclusion he was being fed, and snarled, “Varys that traitor!”

“If I may be so bold, Your Grace,” I said with a bow of my head. “Capturing Varys will be difficult, it would be best to not speak of this to anyone. My suggestion is to wait until the next meeting of the Small Council, and order him arrested by the Kingsguard. He knows too much to be allowed a trial, so it would be best if he was arrested then executed, before he has the chance to spread his secrets.”

“Yes,” Joffrey whispered, “yes that would do well. Blout! Trant!”

I kept my head tilted so that my smirk wasn’t visible. Varys would escape before it got to that point, but at the very least he wouldn’t be in the Red Keep anymore, and thus far more limited in his ability to target me. I also had some experiments to do.

[hr][/hr]

I stared in shock as the sword flashed and a bald head went flying. I honestly was shocked that Varys didn’t avoid Joffrey cutting off his head. Everything I’d read had said that he was a master chessmaster who had each and every inch of the Red Keep bugged with his little birds, so I expected him to have heard about the plan and skipped out to Essos before the hour was up.

Instead, Joffrey and the two Kingsguard he’d brought with him when I showed them the wildfire cache actually managed to keep quiet long enough to call a meeting of the Small Council. I wasn’t there for the arrest, for the obvious reason that I was not on the Small Council, but I was given a special invitation to witness his execution. I wasn’t particularly eager to watch someone die, but you don’t refuse when the king gives you an invitation like that.

“My subjects!” Joffrey called out, causing the crowd to quiet after the earlier joy in seeing blood. “I have said before that treachery would always be punished under my rule, today I have upheld that pledge. My own Master of Whispers kept secret a weapon that would have been used against not just myself but all of King’s Landing! The Mad King left a stock of wildfire under the Red Keep, enough of it that even a single spark would have destroyed it and all within.

“Already I have men scouring the rest of King’s Landing, searching for any more stores of wildfire left by the Mad King! This threat to…”

I honestly tuned him out at this point. Was Joffrey smarter in this world? Less cruel? Because the whole thing seemed to be fitting together too well for the psychopath I thought I’d been maneuvering. Perhaps Baelish had mentioned his men were already looking and Joffrey was just taking credit?

“…such service deserves a reward,” Joffrey’s words cut through my confusion and I refocused, turning my attention to him as he turned to look at me. “Nikolas Flamel, in light of your service to the Iron Throne in rooting out treason, averting potential regicide and mass chaos, you may ask Your King for a reward.”

I blinked before schooling my features. Giving a low bow, I said, “You honor me, Your Grace. Such an offer is far beyond what most could dream of, especially in a land far from home. I will not insult you by saying that no reward is necessary, but I would ask for three days to consider your offer and give it the full consideration it deserves.”

Joffrey gave a laugh. It was probably supposed to sound regal, but from the way that his voice cracked in the middle it sounded more like a cackle. Fortunately, he didn't seem to notice and said, “A smart decision, as I have come to expect from you. I will grant you three days to consider my offer, and I shall hear your request before the end of the day.”

“As you command, Your Grace,” I said, bowing again before departing with the rest of the members of Court.

Now I had to figure out what I was going to ask for. I was already given free reign in regards to my use of alchemy, which I had planned on being my main focus now that Varys was dead. I was already set for life with my ability to make new valyrian steel, so I didn't need to ask for a monetary reward. That left either some sort of title or a marriage. Or both, if I asked for the King’s blessing in starting a new House.

Thinking about it, a House would probably be for the best. I was stuck here in Westeros for probably the rest of my life, so I needed to plan ahead. I’d done well so far, maneuvering myself into the good graces of both the resident snake Baelish and Joffrey while making myself the only source of new valyrian steel, but I needed to think long term as well.

[hr][/hr]

“Your Grace,” I greeted Cersei later that evening.

“Sit,” she said, pointing to the chair across from her. I did so, and loaded up a plate as she did as well. “You will request the hand of Sansa Stark for your boon.”

I looked up at her in surprise, “Forgive me, Your Grace, but I was under the impression that she was betrothed to the King.”

“Her family are traitors, and even ignoring that she is a stupid girl who is unsuited to be wed to Joffrey,” she instantly responded, taking a sip of the wine in her chalice. “You have shown yourself to be loyal, so you would be well suited to be Warden of the North once the war is over and the rest of the Starks are executed.”

I raised an eyebrow, “Speaking bluntly, Your Grace, I am a scholar, not an administrator. The two are entirely different skill sets. More to the point, I currently have no desire to be one, let alone one in a region as cold, dull, and barren as the North.”

She gave that smug chuckle that were common in aristocrats everywhere, my insults to the North taking the sting out of my refusal, before her gaze hardened, “I advise you think carefully, and remember your pla-”

“How is your brother by the way?” I interrupted, my own gaze hardening. “I don’t have children of my own, but I imagine that seeing King Robert not being a father to his sons and daughter was torture.”

Cersei froze, only for a moment, but froze all the same. I continued, my voice low and quiet while not giving her a chance to rally, “You find such interesting books in the Red Keep’s library. There was one I came across that described the genealogy of each of the major houses. House Baratheon was quite notable in how for each and every one of the Baratheons, no matter who the other parent was, had black hair and blue eyes. Every. Single. One. Until Joffrey. Curious, isn’t it?”

She glared at me, her eyes narrowed into daggers, and I smirked. She opened her mouth, and I continued, “I suppose that I could simply be paranoid, after all, it wouldn’t do to accuse the Queen Mother of adultery and incest now would it? And now that I think of it, Winterfell would make for a fine seat to start a family in, plus Sansa is blooming into quite the lovely flower. The question is whether or not it’s worth it.”

“And what would be required for you to conclude that taking Stark’s hand in marriage would be ‘worth it’?” she asked through gritted teeth, still glaring at me. I didn’t immediately answer, pointedly turning my gaze to the ladies in waiting in the corners of the room. She picked up on what I was quietly saying immediately. “Leave us. All of you.”

The various noble ladies all but hiked up their skirts and fled the room. When the last one left and the door was shut behind her, I turned my gaze to Cersei, “I’ll play along. I’ll keep quiet about your proclivities, I’ll marry the Stark brat, I’ll even head up north after this war’s over and freeze my ass off as your new Warden, but I have a price. It won’t even cost you anything.”

“Just say what you want,” she all but snarled, making me chuckle.

“It’s quite simple. What I want is you.”

Cersei took in what I said, before scoffing, “You really think I’ll…”

“I wonder how Tywin Lannister will react when he arrives? He was summoned to King’s Landing once your husband died, he should be arriving soon. He will certainly be interested in what I have to say, since I am now his best chance at getting a replacement for Brightroar,” I pointed out. “How long has it been since Jamie left to fight? Has the itch gotten to you yet? It isn’t like this will be a permanent arrangement. I get you for as long as I’m in King’s Landing, and you get to keep the King from marrying a Stark, my silence on your secret, and the continued service of the one man who can give House Lannister a new Brightroar.”

If looks could kill, I’d be a pile of ash right now. But after a moment, she spat out the words I’d been waiting for, “Very well.”

“Excellent,” I purred, standing up and giving a satisfied smile. “We’ll start right now. Remove your dress.”

Cersei's face went red, but she did as ordered, the fancy dress falling away to reveal the woman beneath. Even though she was wearing proper undergarments, a set of large breasts, a trim waist, and a flat stomach that looked like it was sculpted by the gods themselves made a very pleasant sight. I knew I was going to enjoy this. I'd always wanted to bed a Lannister, the fact that I was doing so and getting one of the most beautiful women in Westeros in the bargain was just icing on the cake.

I removed my tunic before I walked around the table to stand in front of her. I removed my tunic before I walked around the table to stand in front of her. She stared up at me, an expression of fear and loathing on her face, until I leaned down and kissed her. Her lips were soft and warm, and she tasted faintly of wine. We broke apart after several moments, and she looked at me with wide eyes. At a guess she wasn't expecting me to kiss her, probably expecting me to be more like Robert. That thought made me laugh.

“Relax, little lioness,” I said, running a hand through her hair. “You just may enjoy this.”

That seemed to relax her enough for her to actually return the kiss, and we began kissing again. In less than two minutes, she was moaning softly, her hands groping at my body. I pulled back and pushed her onto her knees, then unbuttoned my trousers and slid them down. My cock sprang free, hard as steel, and I placed it against her lips. She opened her mouth and wrapped her lips tightly around the head of my cock, sucking it into her mouth. As she did, I grabbed the back of her head and started thrusting into her mouth. She moaned loudly as my cock filled her throat, and she seemed to be enjoying herself.

After a few more strokes, I felt myself nearing orgasm, and I pulled back. She had a look of confusion on her face, but I ran my fingers through her long blonde hair, guiding her back to her feet before turning her around. Pushing against her back, she bent over the chair and I pulled her underclothes down. Her ass was perfectly round and taut, and I couldn't wait any longer. I pushed her forward and pressed my throbbing dick against her wet pussy, sliding inside of her.

She let out a whimper as I entered her, and only just resisted the urge to grab her hips and begin pounding into her. I held back, not wanting to hurt her, but after a moment Cersei seemed to realize what she was doing and began moving her hips back against me. I groaned as she accepted the rhythm of our fucking, pushing against me and meeting every stroke with one of her own. When I felt my climax rising, I began to thrust harder, slamming into her with all my might. She moaned and clawed at the seat of the chair as I pounded into her, her tight pussy gripping my cock like a vise.

With a loud cry, I came inside of her, pumping my seed deep into her womb. She shuddered and collapsed onto the chair, gasping for breath. I sat back on my heels for a moment, feeling drained, before reaching down and pulling her up. She stood gingerly, and I turned her around, leading her towards the water basin. Slowly, I used a rag to clean her from our joint activities, making sure to provide tender aftercare. From the look of confusion on her face, I thought it likely she was expecting me to leave once I came inside of her.

“Best redress quickly, Your Grace,” I said as I finished with the aftercare. “There is much work to do to convince the King to set aside the Stark girl.”

[hr][/hr]

It ended up being somewhat simpler than I was anticipating. I don’t know who it was whispering in Joffrey’s ear, because it wasn’t me this time, but the next day when word came in about Robb Stark winning a decisive battle, Joffrey ended his betrothal with her as he had Sansa stripped in front of the entire Royal Court. Given the ages of everyone I’d seen thus far, I was expecting it to be like the show, where her clothes were ripped a bit and that was it. But instead, the entire court got to see Sansa’s pale skin from top to bottom.

That was when Tyrion Lannister made his entrance, stealing the show and easily redirecting Joffrey’s wrath away from Sansa as his sellsword wrapped a cloak around her. I originally had only considered marrying Sansa because Cersei had mentioned it, not really thinking about the girl herself. But despite not having had her first period, she was already blooming quite nicely. Her skin was nearly porcelain pale, her hair was a vibrant red, and her ass was gorgeous.

I’d enjoy being married to her more than I initially thought I would.