Game of Thrones: The Dangerous Traveler (MULTIVERSAL)

GOT: The Dangerous Traveler 14

Ciri II

Year 282 AC – Mantarys

Lyn and Ciri stood before the Palace of Savoras, a structure that seemed deliberately designed to dazzle and overwhelm anyone who laid eyes on it. The walls were coated in polished gold, reflecting the light of hundreds of torches, and adorned with mosaics of precious stones depicting scenes of dragons, conquerors, and slaves bowing before their masters. Above, domes of jade and onyx crowned the building, while columns of black marble supported a massive portico, where a crimson carpet embroidered with gold stretched out.

"It's too much," Lyn murmured, adjusting his blue silk tunic with golden patterns that resembled moving waves. His voice carried a hint of envy. "This place screams, 'Look at me, I'm rich, and I want everyone to know it.'"

Ciri, standing beside him, wore a long dress in shades of green and silver that accentuated the intensity of her eyes. "It's opulent, but... isn't that the point?" she replied with a faint smile, though her eyes scanned the palace with a mix of awe and caution.

"Opulent isn't the word. This is... vulgar," Lyn said, pointing to a nearby statue of a dragon with emerald scales and ruby eyes. "Even the dragon seems to have better taste than the owner of this place."

Ciri let out a short laugh, though her lips soon tightened. "Do you think this is normal here? All this wealth while outside... well, you saw how the streets were."

"Normal for Mantarys, maybe. It's not uncommon in Essos," Lyn replied with a grimace. "Wealth here isn't meant to be enjoyed; it's meant to be flaunted."

As they approached the entrance, they noticed the guards: tall, bronze-skinned men with shaved heads, dressed in black and gold leather armor. Their spears were as tall as they were, and the distinctive helmets of the Unsullied made it clear who they were.

"Well, this is unexpected," Lyn commented when the guards didn't even blink at the sight of the swords at their hips. "I thought they'd make us leave them at the door."

Ciri frowned, speaking in a low voice. "That means they don't expect us to be a threat... or they're confident we won't be a problem."

"I guess," Lyn muttered.

The interior of the palace was even more extravagant than its exterior. The walls were decorated with tapestries embroidered with gold thread, while chandeliers hung from vaulted ceilings, illuminating the room with a warm, flickering light. Tables overflowing with exotic fruits, spiced meats, and colorful sweets occupied the center of the main hall, while musicians played hypnotic melodies on unfamiliar instruments.

"Have you ever seen anything like this?" Ciri asked, looking around with a mix of fascination and distaste.

"Once or twice," Lyn replied, taking a glass from a passing servant. "Though it never stops seeming absurd. All this luxury, and they probably don't even know how to enjoy it."

"What do you mean?"

"It's all a facade," Lyn explained, discreetly pointing to a group of men laughing boisterously around a gaming table. "They look, talk, and act like they're important, but they've probably done nothing in their lives except spend their ancestors' money."

Ciri shook her head, crossing her arms. "Still, I can't help but think about how many people could live on what's spent on just one of these parties."

"That's one way to look at it, but think about it—no matter how much you distribute, there will always be some poor soul starving out there. Here, though, it's taken to the extreme. Being poor is the greatest sin of all. If you can't keep up appearances, you're less than nothing."

Before Ciri could respond, a middle-aged woman in a crimson robe, with jewels cascading from her neck, approached them. Her smile was wide, and her gaze was bold. "New to Mantarys?" she asked in a seductive tone.

"Something like that," Lyn replied, smiling.

"Then you must experience the best of our hospitality," the woman said, leaning slightly closer to them. "I'm hosting a small gathering after this party. Something... intimate. You're both more than invited. You're attractive... and exotic."

Lyn raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Intimate, you say? What kind of gathering, exactly?"

The woman let out a laugh that sounded like chimes. "Let's just say we celebrate the pleasures of life, in all their forms."

Ciri visibly blushed and looked away, while Lyn, unable to help himself, responded with his characteristic sarcasm. "Sounds tempting, but I'm afraid I can't leave my companion to her own devices. She wouldn't be willing, sorry," Lyn said, to which the woman shrugged, giving Ciri an amused look before walking away.

"Really?" Ciri muttered, glaring at Lyn.

"I had to at least leave the door open," Lyn replied, laughing. "It's not every day you're invited to an orgy in a golden palace."

'Perverted bastard,' Ciri thought as she continued to glare at Lyn.

"Hey!" Lyn suddenly called out, gesturing to a slave walking toward them. Lyn took a cocktail and tasted it with an excited expression. "It's delicious. Want some?"

Ciri hesitated but ultimately shook her head. It wasn't the time to get drunk.

Later, another man, a burly merchant with rings on every finger, approached them. "I've been watching you. You're not from around here, are you?"

"Oh, no, my friend. I'm from Westeros; my friend here is from Volantis," Lyn replied.

"A bed slave?" the man suddenly asked, his eyes scanning Ciri's curves as she shot him a look of disgust.

"Oh, no. A young noblewoman. From a powerful family—I'd advise you not to be rude," Lyn said, to which the merchant nodded with a smile, making apologetic gestures to the girl.

"Well, I came looking for potential clients, but if you're a Westerosi, I doubt you're interested."

"Who knows? What business are we talking about?"

The man snapped his fingers, and a pair of muscular slaves approached. "Gladiators. The best in my collection. They can win you fortunes in the arenas."

"Slaves?" Ciri interrupted.

"Few men would fight in such a horrible place if the only motivation were money. Or they would, but it'd be more expensive for us," the merchant said with a smile.

Ciri clenched her fists, but Lyn placed a hand on her arm before she could say anything. "We appreciate the offer, but we're not interested," Lyn said firmly, his tone closing any further discussion.

"A waste," the merchant said, shrugging before walking away.

"You reacted a bit better than before," Lyn commented to Ciri, who only snorted in response.

At one point, Lyn separated from Ciri. The girl suspected he was going to look for the woman who had made him the offer earlier in the evening. Lyn had mentioned something about having his "balls full," but Ciri hadn't fully understood. However, Ciri couldn't help but feel worried. Lyn had acted recklessly. One doesn't split up in enemy territory.

After about thirty minutes, Ciri decided to look for him.

First, she searched the main hall, stopping to ask some servants. "Have you seen my companion? A young man, dark hair, dressed in blue." The responses ranged from polite denials to indifferent shrugs.

Determined, Ciri ventured down one of the side corridors, a hallway decorated with dark tapestries depicting battle scenes. She pushed open a random door, finding herself in an empty dining room with a long table and barely lit candles. There was no sign of Lyn.

She continued forward, crossing paths with a couple of guests along the way. One of them, a tall, thin man wearing a silver mask, stopped her. "Lost, my lady?" he asked with a smile behind his mask, his eyes scanning her body.

"I'm looking for someone," Ciri replied without stopping. The man made an exaggerated gesture of farewell before returning to his conversations.

Ciri opened another door, this time entering what appeared to be an art gallery. Paintings of exotic landscapes hung on the walls, but there was still no sign of Lyn. Frustrated, she left the room, pausing for a moment to get her bearings.

It was then that she noticed a faint purple glow coming from a darker hallway. She quickly advanced, finding a slightly ajar door. Inside, Lyn stood motionless in front of an orb of intense purple that seemed to glow from within.

"Lyn!" Ciri shouted, running toward him. She shook his arm, but there was no response. He seemed hypnotized.

Desperate, Ciri drew her sword and struck the orb with all her might. The crystal shattered into pieces, and Lyn seemed to snap out of it, staggering backward.

"What the hell happened?" Lyn asked, bringing a hand to his forehead.

"That's what I was going to ask you," Ciri replied, clearly worried. "I've been looking all over the palace for you. What was that thing?"

"I don't know," Lyn admitted, looking at the remnants of the orb on the floor. "But I felt like something was calling me. Like a voice, but without words. It was... unsettling."

Before they could discuss further, the door behind them slammed shut, the sound echoing through the room. Both turned, their hands instinctively going to their weapons.

"I don't like this," Ciri murmured, approaching the door and pulling on the handle. It didn't budge.

Lyn carefully inspected the room, noticing symbols carved into the walls that hadn't been there before. "We're definitely not alone." A dark mist also seemed to cover the walls, ceiling, and floor.

"What do you suggest?" Ciri asked, her tone tense.

"First, find a way out. Second, figure out who has such bad taste in decorations," Lyn replied.

The young Corbray drew his swords and advanced toward the closed door. With a swift motion, he struck the wood, but to his surprise, the blades bounced back as if they had hit something harder than steel. He examined the edges of his weapons, flawless but completely ineffective against the door.

"This is... weird," Lyn said with a mix of frustration and confusion. "It's just wood; it should cut like butter."

Ciri, who was still inspecting the room, turned to him. "What do we do now? Could we try something else?"

Lyn nodded, sheathing his swords. "You have your powers, don't you? Use that trick of yours to get us out of here."

Ciri hesitated for a moment but then extended her hands in front of her, closing her eyes to concentrate. Several seconds passed in silence before an expression of frustration crossed her face. She opened her eyes, looking at Lyn with concern.

"I can't," she admitted. "Something's... blocking me. It's like I can't connect with anything."

"Blocking you? What does that mean?" Lyn asked, raising an eyebrow. "I thought you could jump wherever you wanted."

"Normally, I can. There's no way a simple trick from a place where magic is so backward could cut off my abilities," Ciri replied, a bit defensively. "But this is different. It's like... this place is now protected."

Lyn frowned, staring at her intently. "This place? What exactly do you mean by that? What place is protected? The room?"

Ciri looked down, her hands clenching into fists before she responded. "I'm not talking about this room—in fact, I can use my power to move within the room. I'm talking about this world."

Lyn fell silent for a moment, processing her words. "This world?" he repeated slowly. "What the hell does that mean? What are you talking about?"

Ciri sighed, knowing she had no choice but to explain. "My ability isn't just to travel within this world. It's to travel between worlds. Entire dimensions. And I... I'm not from here. I'm not from this world, Lyn."

Lyn blinked, clearly surprised by the revelation. "Between worlds? What are you talking about? How is that even possible?"

"It's complicated," Ciri replied seriously. "My home isn't in this world but in another, completely different one. My powers allow me to move between them, but there's always a price. And here, it seems like someone or something is preventing me from using that ability to travel back to a point in this world, though I can feel that protection weakening over time."

Lyn stared at her for a few seconds, trying to find the right words. Finally, he exhaled slowly and crossed his arms. "Well, that explains a lot. But it also raises a million more questions."

Ciri looked at him with a tired, faint smile. "I know. And I'll answer them, as best as I can. But right now, the important thing is to get out of here."

Lyn nodded, turning his attention back to the walls with the strange symbols. "Alright. Save our skins first, interdimensional interrogations later."