Chapter 71 – The Key That Pries Open the Lock
"I'm not a lady," she reminded him softly.
"I'm only Lady Lollys's maid."
However, the moment her name left her lips, the smile at Odin's mouth deepened noticeably.
Well now… things really were falling into place without any effort at all.
Feeling the slightly intense gaze upon her, Shae didn't feel uncomfortable in the least.
After years of scraping by at the bottom, she knew far too well what kind of woman stirred a man's interest—and how to squeeze value out of that interest.
Of course, Shae had never been content with extracting only value.
Meeting Odin's gaze, she instinctively straightened her back. The thin silk dress clung to her figure just right, outlining her curves with practiced precision.
She first lifted her eyes to him—then, as if startled by her own boldness, quickly lowered her lashes again, letting a hint of shy embarrassment show.
That, she thought, is what professionalism looks like.
"Shae…"
Just as she expected, Odin seemed captivated. He repeated her name softly, as though savoring its sound, letting it linger on his tongue.
"A name as beautiful as a line of poetry," he said warmly.
"It suits you perfectly. Just now, when you stepped into this corridor, I could swear the place grew brighter for it."
"I've seen many women," he continued without hesitation,
"from the Wall at the edge of the world to the Summer Sea—but never one as radiant as you, Miss Shae."
The praise came lavishly, dressed in ornate language and delivered with such sincerity that even Shae—who had shared beds with more men than she cared to count—felt something stir in her chest.
She lifted her head shyly, finally taking a good look at him.
He wasn't especially tall, but neither was he short—well-proportioned, balanced. His features were unremarkable at first glance, yet there was something about him that made it impossible to look away.
Shae had seen countless men in her life.
Not one of them felt quite like this.
His eyes were deep black, his admiration open and unhidden, yet somehow not offensive—if anything, it felt genuine.
More importantly, simply standing there, Odin radiated confidence and authority.
He spoke boldly, directly. He showed no embarrassment at her status as a maid, repeatedly calling her "Miss"—so utterly different from the dwarf who could only keep her hidden in the shadows.
Before she realized it, Shae felt her heartbeat quicken.
What she failed to notice was the strange look that crept into Jaime's eyes beside them.
He clearly remembered Odin as a farmer born and raised in the Riverlands.
Since when had this man traveled from the Wall to the Summer Sea?
Unbelievable, Jaime thought.
For the sake of chasing skirts, this guy really has no shame at all.
He shook his head, but chose not to expose it outright. There was no reason to ruin Odin's little performance.
"Seven save me!"
On the other side, Odin's act continued seamlessly.
"My luck today truly knows no bounds," he said with feeling. "First, I finalize plans for King's Landing's future with the Hand of the King himself—and then I have the pleasure of meeting such a beautiful lady as you…"
"To care for someone so… special must require extraordinary patience and kindness. That is no easy task. I would wager, Miss Shae, that you are an exceptionally gentle and compassionate soul."
"What a pity that I am so terribly busy," Odin spread his hands, a trace of regret in his voice. "Otherwise, I would insist on inviting you to dinner this very evening."
As he spoke, his gaze drifted toward Jaime. The two exchanged a knowing look before Odin shifted slightly, allowing everyone to glimpse the heavy coin pouch hanging behind Iggo.
"See?" he said casually. "To restore order to King's Landing, certain expenses are unavoidable. But that's fine—small investments now bring returns a hundredfold in the future."
He said it lightly, as though the bulging sack of gold were nothing more than loose change.
Again and again, he deliberately emphasized phrases like the Hand of the King and King's Landing's future, subtly suggesting not only close ties to the highest authorities, but also immense financial strength.
Shae's breathing quickened almost imperceptibly.
By her estimate, if that pouch held gold dragons, there had to be at least a thousand inside.
Instinctively, she touched the pearl necklace at her throat.
That had been Tyrion Lannister's gift—yet even a man as wealthy as him had only given her something worth a hundred and fifty gold dragons.
Compared to that, the power and wealth Odin displayed left no room for doubt.
This man had to be a top-tier noble.
She had never heard of the Odin name before, but Westeros had produced countless noble houses over thousands of years—no one could remember them all.
Besides, the ease with which he spoke to Jaime Lannister alone said more than enough.
Catching the flicker in her eyes, Odin knew the moment was ripe.
He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice so only she could hear, half-joking and half-sincere.
"Do you know, Miss Shae… when I look at you, I suddenly feel that all those endless negotiations and schemes pale in comparison."
"Perhaps spending one's life with a woman as clever and beautiful as you would be far more worthwhile."
His warm breath brushed against her neck. Shae shivered involuntarily, a dangerous urge rising within her.
Then—without warning—Odin stepped back.
His expression shifted, the warmth retreating like a tide, replaced by composed elegance and a teasing smile.
"Perhaps," he said lightly, "I should begin considering the matter of finding myself… a Lady Odin."
Lady Odin.
The words struck Shae like lightning.
Even with her iron self-control, her cheeks flushed instantly, her eyes blazing with longing.
That was a true noble title.
She clenched her teeth, nearly blurting out I would! on the spot.
At the last moment, reason prevailed. She gathered herself, preparing to respond with a coy remark—something playful, something that would deepen his impression of her.
But before she could speak, Odin straightened.
The heat vanished entirely. In its place lingered a cool, distant composure.
It might have been her imagination, but he now seemed untouchably aloof.
Strangely, that distance only made her want him more. Her long legs drew closer together without conscious thought.
None of this escaped Odin's notice.
Yet he turned away as if she no longer existed, directing his attention instead to the white-bound book tucked beneath Jaime's arm.
"For a Lord Commander of the Kingsguard," he remarked casually, "you seem to have quite a bit of free time. Escorting noble ladies, studying books…"
"What's this? Planning to trade your sword for scholarship and head to the Citadel?"
The easy humor in his tone only reinforced Shae's belief in his lofty status.
Jaime lifted the thick, plain-white volume and shook it lightly.
"The White Book."
"Every Kingsguard knight has a page," he said. "Their deeds, their lives."
"Not long ago, we discovered that the page for Jaime Lannister the Kingslayer was completely blank."
"Perhaps the former Lord Commander—Ser Barristan—felt I wasn't worthy of being written into it."
A faint shadow crossed his eyes.
"But now, I am the Lord Commander. The king believes that a knight without a sword hand cannot protect him."
"So I thought… before I become a useless old man, perhaps I should do something worthwhile."
"Like finishing this book. Recording the deeds of every sworn brother who once fought at my side."
He smiled, but Odin heard the bitterness beneath it.
A knight stripped of his sword hand, pushed away from the center of power—searching for meaning in ink instead of steel.
"Recording history," Odin said calmly, "often requires more courage and wisdom than making it."
He stepped back and gave a polite nod.
"I won't delay your journey, Ser Jaime. Duty calls."
He didn't spare Shae another glance.
Only that lingering, meaningful smile remained before he turned and walked away with Iggo—decisive, unhesitating.
The contrast between his earlier warmth and this abrupt withdrawal was devastating.
Shae stared after his tall, straight back as it disappeared around the corner, as though the entire encounter had been a fleeting, dazzling dream.
Her fingers trembled slightly.
"…Odin," she whispered.
Her gaze drifted to Lollys Stokeworth, now squatting on the floor drawing circles with her finger.
A sharp bitterness welled up inside her.
Why?
Why did that dwarf keep her hidden in the shadows, force her to serve this witless "lady"?
While Odin… could openly desire her, without shame?
She hadn't schemed her way to King's Landing just to become a maid—or a mistress who could never see the light of day.
Shae lifted her head, her eyes burning.
The name Odin, along with the power and wealth it represented, had sunk into her heart like a poison-coated dagger.
---
Outside the Red Keep, Iggo finally muttered in his broken Common Tongue:
"Why didn't you tell him, Blood of my blood?"
Odin turned. "Tell him what?"
"Jaime Lannister," Iggo said angrily. "Why didn't you tell him his half-man brother is a liar? The Lannisters didn't repay their debt."
"They gave so little."
He slapped the coin pouch hard, the dull thud echoing.
"No, Iggo," Odin replied gently.
"He's already exhausted. He's lost his hand—and now, he's losing his place. He deserves a moment to breathe."
Iggo nodded slowly.
"Among the Dothraki," he said, "even the fastest horse must rest."
"Exactly," Odin said approvingly.
Then he stopped, turning back with a faint smile.
"Debts need not be collected through brothers' quarrels."
"We'll handle this ourselves."
"The gold is locked in a storehouse," he continued softly, "and guarding it is a cold, heartless rat."
"We'll open that door."
"All we need… is the right key to pry the lock."
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