Winds of King's Landing

"Sir, do you have any helpers you can completely trust?"

An idea came to mind, and Rhaegar intended to recruit someone.

Illyric affirmed, "My brother Arryk, we trust each other."

"Bring him along, we need his help."

"Prince, he is currently serving as Prince Aegon's guard. If the Queen finds out..."

"Then be careful not to be discovered."

The situation was urgent, and Rhaegar had no time to dawdle.

"Sir, take me to Rhaenyra's room, and then you go find Arryk."

"Yes, Prince."

Although he didn't know what Rhaegar was up to, Illyric still chose to support him.

At the door of Rhaenyra's room, Cole was on guard.

Seeing Illyric carrying Rhaegar from a distance, Cole asked doubtfully, "Your Highness, why are you here so late at night?"

"I had a nightmare and wanted to talk to my sister."

Rhaegar pretended to be frightened, fabricating a story.

Cole hesitated for a moment, "The Princess just went to rest, I'm afraid..."

"Sir Cole, Rhaenyra is my sister, she will want to see me."

Rhaegar's attitude suddenly became firm, catching Cole off guard.

"Open the door and let me in."

This was not said to Cole, but to Illyric below him.

Illyric stepped forward and opened the door. Cole tried to stop him, but was pushed aside.

Rhaegar's identity was undeniable.

If he insisted on seeing Rhaenyra, Cole couldn't stop him.

Entering the room, before Cole could get a good look, the door slammed shut.

Illyric carried Rhaegar to the empty soft bed and gently put him down.

As he passed the table, he casually picked up an empty parcel and a white paper with a map drawn on it.

Rhaegar examined it carefully, glancing at the discarded formal wear on the carpet, confirming that Rhaenyra had indeed sneaked out.

Handing the white paper to Illyric, Rhaegar instructed, "Act according to my plan. If you find Rhaenyra, return through this secret passage."

"If we really act according to the plan, will it cause a great impact?"

Illyric hesitated after hearing Rhaegar's plan on the way.

"Sir, my sister is the heir to the Iron Throne. For her reputation, some losses are not worth worrying about."

Rhaegar placed one hand on his chest, saying solemnly, "As I said before, no matter the consequences, I will bear them all."

Recalling his past encounter with the White Hart, Illyric's eyes gradually firmed. "I guarantee to bring the Princess back safely!"

Under Rhaegar's gaze, Illyric turned and left the room.

Before closing the door, he blocked Cole's view and emphasized, "Do not disturb the Prince and Princess's late-night talk. Do your duty."

As a newly appointed White Knight, Cole held Illyric in respect and nodded in understanding.

Illyric strode away.

Silk Street.

Rhaenyra ran through the crowded streets under the night sky, enjoying this rare moment of peace.

She occasionally knocked over the goods of some unlucky vendor, laughing as if playing a game.

Daemon followed closely behind, cleaning up the fools chasing her.

Bang--

Rhaenyra ran into a dark alley and collided headfirst with someone in golden armor.

The person in golden armor grabbed her forearm and said sternly, "What bad thing did you do to be in such a hurry to run away!?"

Seeing the face of the person in golden armor through the helmet, Rhaenyra called out his name.

"Sir Harwin!"

"Princess?"

Harwin Strong was startled and glanced at the alley entrance.

There, Daemon, who had caught up, slowly walked over.

Rhaenyra also spotted her uncle and pleaded with Harwin, "No."

Harwin pondered for a moment, guessing that the uncle and niece had snuck out to play.

He released Rhaenyra's hand, pretending not to know her, "Be careful, kid. You might not be so lucky next time."

As he spoke, he continued his patrol as if nothing had happened, brushing past Daemon, who was approaching.

Daemon smiled knowingly, not paying any mind to a mere Gold Cloak.

Before he was dismissed as Commander of the City Watch, every Gold Cloak had been his subordinate, loyal to a fault.

"Running around like a madman, are you enjoying yourself?"

The chase ended, and Daemon walked alongside Rhaenyra.

"Who knows when I'll get to taste freedom again."

Rhaenyra panted lightly, clearly relaxed by this unrestrained spree.

The uncle and niece chatted as they walked.

As they walked, Rhaenyra sensed something was wrong.

The surrounding vendors and acrobats dwindled, replaced by the decadent sounds of men and women seeking pleasure.

Daemon led her into a stone building she had never been to before, from which those stimulating sounds emanated.

As soon as they stepped through the door, a miasmic atmosphere, laced with the smell of alcohol, assaulted them.

Men drank and caroused, their language crude and unbearable.

Scantily clad women roamed the hall without shame.

They weaved through the men, allowing hands to grope and eyes to ogle, emitting seductive laughter.

Rhaenyra was stunned, letting Daemon lead her further in blankly, her eyes darting around at the lewd scene in the hall.

This was truly a sight she had never witnessed in her life.

"What is this place?"

Rhaenyra warily surveyed her surroundings.

Daemon's voice was calm, "A place where people come to satisfy their needs."

"Are you mad? How dare you bring me here?"

Rhaenyra's face stiffened, the stimulating sights making her uneasy, and she instinctively recoiled.

She looked at her uncle, his eyes full of desire.

Her heart skipped a beat, a bad premonition dawning on her.

Rhaenyra's expression shifted slightly, and she secretly glanced back at the entrance.

If she ran now, she figured she could still make it.

Meanwhile, in a corner of the brothel's wall.

Two figures in identical black robes stood side by side, witnessing Daemon lead Rhaenyra into the brothel.

"Go quickly, I'll handle things here."

One of the black-robed figures spoke first, revealing a stern face beneath the hood.

"Remember my words, make the matter as big as possible. It concerns the Princess's reputation, so no carelessness."

The face revealed under the other black robe was identical to the first; it was Illyric, who had rushed to the scene.

"Don't worry, I won't disappoint the Prince."

Arryk clapped his brother on the shoulder and used a torch to ignite a pile of dry grass not far away.

The dry grass caught fire instantly, smoke and flames surging.

Illyric said no more, pulled up his hood, and headed towards the brothel's entrance.

Arryk moved swiftly, scaling the wall and entering the brothel's kitchen and stables, setting them ablaze one after another.

The brothers worked separately, their coordination flawless.

Entering the brothel's main hall, Illyric remained silent, avoiding the women milling around and heading straight for a private room in the back.

Lifting the sheer curtain that offered no concealment, Illyric immediately spotted his target for the night.

At that moment, Daemon had cornered Rhaenyra against the wall, his gaze invasively surveying his prey.

Rhaenyra pushed him away, her face filled with terror.

Perfect timing, Illyric strode forward, grabbed Daemon's shoulder, pulled him back, and landed a fierce left hook to his face.

"Unh..."

The sudden attack caught Daemon completely off guard, and he fell to the ground with a thud, stars swirling before his eyes.

The turn of events was too swift; it wasn't until she heard Daemon's cry of pain that Rhaenyra realized she had escaped his clutches.

"Princess, leave with me immediately."

Illyric picked up Daemon's discarded black robe and threw it at Rhaenyra, dragging her away without a word.

As he left, Illyric glanced contemptuously at Daemon.

He delivered another kick to Daemon's groin.

With a bang, Daemon let out a piercing scream, clutching his crotch with both hands, his body hunched over like a shrimp.

An early update with more chapters tomorrow, your support is greatly appreciated!

Thank you to Ying Yu Fo Fei for the reward of 1500 coins.

Thank you to Dragon Emperor Níðhöggr for the reward of 500 coins.

Thank you to Barghuf and Thirteen Caves for their respective rewards of 100 coins.