Game of Thrones: The Dangerous Traveler (MULTIVERSAL)

GOT: The Dangerous Traveler 21

Maggie Greene

Year 2010 AD – Georgia

Glenn and Maggie were sitting by a tree, their hands still tied. Glenn was trying to discreetly loosen the ropes while Maggie kept her eyes on the forest, scanning for any movement.

"Do you think we can escape?" Maggie whispered, carefully watching the shadows between the trees.

"I don't know, but if we don't try, we might never get another chance," Glenn replied, adjusting his hands to test the ropes' resistance.

The sound of gunfire interrupted their whispers and thoughts. Maggie and Glenn exchanged worried glances.

"Was that gunfire?" Maggie asked.

"Yeah, and it's not a good sign for us," Glenn said, clenching his jaw as he looked in the direction where Lyn had disappeared.

A few minutes later, they heard something else: a clear, mocking laugh, as if someone were enjoying a private joke. Both turned in unison and saw Lyn returning to the clearing, walking casually with a rifle slung over one shoulder, a pistol in his hand, and several weapons hanging from his belt.

"Oh no..." Glenn whispered, while Maggie swallowed nervously.

Lyn reached the group with a sly smile on his face, his eyes gleaming with almost childlike enthusiasm.

"Ah, what a marvelous spectacle!" he said, brushing a branch off his jacket. "Sorry for the delay. There was a little... mess that needed my attention."

Glenn and Maggie exchanged bewildered looks, but Lyn didn't give them time to speak before launching into his account of what had happened.

"Well, I suppose you'll want to know how it went, right? Allow me to describe it." He leaned against a tree, one hand resting on the hilt of one of his swords, adopting a relaxed posture.

"It all started when I saw the first one. A big guy, with a mean face. I saw him and thought, 'This must be the leader.' So, with all the bravery in the world, I walked straight up to him. And what does he do? He looks at me and says something like, 'What are you doing here, Randall?' Of course, he didn't know Randall had such a deep voice, but I imitated it perfectly."

Lyn paused, grinning widely, before continuing.

"As soon as he let his guard down, bam! I took him down before he could react. Then, of course, came the fun part. There was a woman nearby who seemed to be in charge. I decided it would be polite to greet her too. Unfortunately, she didn't like my style. So, with all the elegance in the world, I showed her how things are handled."

"What does that mean?" Glenn asked, clearly confused.

"Oh, details, details. The important thing is that after that, the whole group started dropping like flies." Lyn made a sweeping gesture with his hands, as if painting a glorious scene.

"The whole group? By yourself?" Maggie interjected, disbelief evident in her tone.

"Do you doubt me?" Lyn replied, raising an eyebrow in mock surprise. "I shot one from behind a tree, without even looking! It was a perfect shot, if I do say so myself. And then there was another one who tried to attack me from behind. But you know, I have incredible reflexes."

"Reflexes?" Maggie repeated, crossing her arms, clearly skeptical.

"Oh, yes. So fast they seemed like magic..." Lyn let the word hang for a moment before chuckling. "But of course, they weren't. Just pure skill."

Maggie and Glenn didn't seem convinced, but Lyn kept going, adding exaggerated and ridiculous details to his supposed heroic battle.

"There was a moment when three of them rushed at me at the same time. It was like they were choreographed. But I took them down one by one, with moves so fast they could barely see them!" Lyn continued, making a theatrical gesture with his hands.

Maggie rolled her eyes, clearly losing patience.

"And, of course, the last man... ah, he was special. A real challenge. He looked at me like a bull ready to charge. But I, with my wit and charm, disarmed him without even touching him." Lyn laughed as if it were the best joke he'd told in weeks.

Ciri, who had been listening in silence, crossed her arms and shook her head.

"You're impossible, Lyn."

"No, dear Ciri, I'm exceptional," Lyn replied, winking at her as he picked up one of the pistols from the ground and spun it on his finger. "And now, I think it's time to move on. These woods have had enough of my show. I don't want them getting addicted to Lyn Corbray."

Glenn and Maggie remained silent, still incredulous at Lyn's account, while Ciri gave her companion one last resigned look before the group resumed their journey.

"So..." Lyn began, his tone casual and contrasting with the situation. "Is it common for groups like that to ambush innocent travelers?"

Glenn pressed his lips together, reluctant to answer, but Maggie couldn't help retorting. "Innocent travelers don't kidnap people or kill six in an ambush."

Lyn turned with a twisted smile, his eyes gleaming with malicious delight. "Well, Maggie, let me correct you. I didn't kill them. It was their stupidity that doomed them. I simply... facilitated the process. Do you believe in gods?" he asked, and Maggie nodded. "I was just their tool."

Maggie clenched her jaw, trying to stay calm. Glenn looked at her with a mix of warning and concern, but Lyn wasn't willing to stop.

"Anyway, you haven't answered me," he continued, tilting his head like a curious crow. "That group seemed organized, something more than mere bandits. Are they like you? Do they belong to a larger group?"

Glenn looked at Maggie, seeking a signal about whether they should answer. Finally, Glenn spoke, his voice cautious. "We don't know who they were. They have nothing to do with us."

"Ah, interesting," Lyn said, drawing out the word mockingly. "So, you're telling me they were there by pure coincidence? How convenient. It's almost as if someone sent them to find us. Maybe your group? Is that what you do? Send the ones you consider expendable to do the dirty work?"

Maggie stepped forward, furious, but the ropes on her wrists held her back. "We have nothing to do with them. Why can't you just accept that and stop harassing us?"

Lyn leaned toward her with a cold smile. "Because, my dear, coincidences are boring. I prefer conspiracies. They're much more... entertaining."

Ciri sighed from her position slightly behind the group. "Lyn, could you stop playing with them? It's pointless."

"Playing? I'm not playing," Lyn replied, raising a theatrical finger. "I'm investigating. Big difference, darling."

Ciri rolled her eyes and chose to stay out of it. She knew trying to reason with Lyn was like talking to a particularly sarcastic wall.

"So, if they're not part of your group," Lyn continued, turning to look at Glenn, "does that mean your people are looking for you right now? Maybe they're gathering forces to come save their two lost lambs."

"I don't know," Glenn replied cautiously. "But if they are, it won't be to save us. It'll be to stop you."

Lyn laughed, a dry, mocking sound that echoed through the forest. "Oh, how heroic that sounds! Stop me, you say. And tell me, Glenn, do you think your people stand any chance against me?"

"It's not impossible," Maggie said, narrowing her eyes. "You're arrogant. That's a weakness."

Lyn looked at her for a moment, as if seriously considering her comment, before smiling again. "Arrogant, yes. But also efficient. Maybe your people can try, but I assure you it won't end well for them."

Glenn frowned. "Why are you doing this? You don't need to torture us with your questions. You already have us trapped."

"Ah, but there you're wrong," Lyn said, raising a finger as if giving a lesson. "I'm not torturing you. This is... entertainment. Or would you prefer we walk in silence, waiting for something to jump out of the trees and devour us? That would be too boring."

Maggie exhaled in frustration. "Do you always have to talk like that? As if this is all a game to you."

"Well, Maggie, because it is," Lyn replied without a trace of shame. "Life is a game, and I always play to win."

Ciri, fed up, finally intervened. "Enough, Lyn. We already have enough problems. We don't need to add your unnecessary comments to the list."

Lyn looked at her for a moment before raising his hands in a theatrical gesture of surrender. "As you wish, Ciri. Absolute silence... for now."

Despite his promise, the mocking smile never left his face, and his gaze remained fixed on Maggie and Glenn, as if he were still evaluating them. His eyes lingered much longer on Maggie than on Glenn, specifically on her backside. Lyn was giving himself quite the show.