|𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐋𝐅 𝐎𝐅 𝐖𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐒|

𝐗𝐗𝐈. |𝐓𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐨𝐬|

｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

|Word Count: 13,558|

"𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬...𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐞."

Geralt stared out over the city from his balcony, hand tapping on top the stone barrier. The city still rang with the sound of bells and he swore he could still hear wailing as the people mourned. They all saw Lord Baratheon as the war hero who ended a tyrannical dynasty and brought peace to all the Kingdoms.

"I should have drink first for safety reasons. I let my guard down and didn't suspect on such an obvious approach."

"You couldn't have known. No one could have suspected Robert's personal wine was tampered with." Eddard muttered while standing beside him. "If anything, it is a miracle you survived. That was a specialized breed of Wolfsbane that kills in minutes...yet you seemingly recovered in just a day."

"If it wasn't for my mutations, I'd be having my own funeral alongside the King." He'd pause in thought for a moment. "It makes me wonder. Whoever poisoned the bottle may have been trying to target you as well. Robert always was able to coerce you to take a drink or two. Kill two birds with one stone."

The thought of being a fellow victim had Ned pale slightly, gaze shifting away from the Witcher, no doubt thinking of the sorrow his daughters would have felt. "Aye...that would be a troubling end."

Both were silent, lost in their thoughts over the last few days. Ever since the King's death, Geralt had been mostly confined to his room for 'safety' reasons, at the least from what Barristan had claimed. The Witcher knew better through as he was under close watch, practically under house arrest. There were always two guards watching his room and whenever he left, they'd follow him about. It made sense considering he had been alone with the King with only the fact that he too had been poison given him some proof of innocence.

"Does anyone else know of the decree?"

"No. I didn't get a chance to gather the Council and reveal it. Everyone is too caught up with what is going on."

"Then let's hope it gives you the authority needed to keep everything in order. Though I wonder...what did you write at the end of it."

"What?" A hint of surprise showed on Ned's face before he remembered just how attentive Geralt was. "I wrote down 'rightful heir' instead of Joffrey. It is deceitful I know...but it was the only choice to follow without telling Robert the truth."

"Should have just told him."

"Should have...maybe that would have saved him that day..." Ned muttered in agreement. "Beyond that I've sent out ravens yesterday to Winterfell, Dragonstone and other major holdings. I've proclaimed Stannis Baratheon to be the rightful heir and Joffrey's being false."