Eddard Stark and Catelyn Tully arrived at Maester Luwin's tower.
Maester Luwin was nowhere to be found. After waiting for a moment, Catelyn noticed an exquisite wooden box on the Maester's desk.
"What is this?" She picked it up curiously and examined it, realizing there was more to it than met the eye—it seemed designed to be disassembled.
"Catelyn, what are you doing? Don't touch the Maester's things; it might be dangerous," Eddard Stark warned.
"Ned, don't worry. Maesters aren't pyromancers; their belongings are usually quite safe."
Catelyn continued to fiddle with the wooden box, but she got stuck on the final step and couldn't open it no matter what.
At that moment, Maester Luwin returned.
"My Lord, my Lady! I didn't expect to see you here. It's rare for you both to visit me together! Hahaha!" Maester Luwin chuckled.
"Maester, this is yours. I apologize for picking it up without asking," Catelyn said apologetically.
"Mine?" Maester Luwin frowned, taking the wooden box.
"I am quite certain this is not mine."
"However, the mechanism inside is ingenious. Give me a moment to figure it out!"
After about half a cup of tea's time, Maester Luwin figured out how to unlock the hidden compartment.
However, out of caution, Maester Luwin aimed the box at an empty wall as he opened it.
The moment the box sprang open, a small knife flew out and embedded itself in the wall.
Both Eddard and Catelyn were startled. If they had forced it open, someone might have been injured or even killed.
Maester Luwin examined the knife first. He found that although the blade was thin and sharp, what was more deadly was the poison coating it. The dark green sheen on the blade was definitely not natural steel.
"Maester Luwin, is someone trying to kill you?" Eddard Stark couldn't help but ask.
"I am merely a Maester. Even if I made enemies during my time at the Citadel, most of them are already in the ground. I don't believe I have any enemies left alive."
"Furthermore, there is a secret letter inside. It is addressed to Lady Catelyn." Maester Luwin pulled a small slip of paper from the hidden compartment.
"My Lady, please!" Maester Luwin offered.
Catelyn took the note and recognized Lysa's handwriting, along with a unique secret script she used.
"My Lady, who wrote the letter, and what does it say?" Eddard Stark asked.
"It's from Lysa. To prevent others from reading it, she modified this box and wrote in a secret language only the two of us understand."
"My Lady, I didn't know you possessed such talents," Eddard Stark remarked, somewhat bewildered.
"Ned... Lysa says Jon Arryn didn't die of illness. He was murdered."
"What!" Eddard Stark's expression was a complicated mix of anger, shock, and sorrow.
"Who killed him?" Eddard asked in a low voice.
"Ser Lancelot Lannister!" Catelyn said. Even she was shocked by this news.
"What? Impossible!" Eddard Stark furrowed his brow. Based on his observations of Lancelot over the past few days, he seemed like an honorable knight.
He had even asked Robb, Bran, Jon, and others about Lancelot.
They all said Lancelot was upright in conduct, elegant in manner, skilled with a sword, and excellent with a spear.
Sansa and Arya even added that he was handsome.
"Catelyn, could Lysa be mistaken? Robert told me that Lancelot only returned to King's Landing after Jon Arryn had died. He was exploring the ruins of Valyria before that."
"He has a perfect alibi!"
"Exactly, he has a perfect alibi! But having such a perfect alibi only makes it more suspicious," Catelyn argued, feeling her wisdom rivaled that of Queen Alysanne at that moment.
"Lancelot secretly killed Jon Arryn, then pretended nothing happened and returned to King's Landing the next day."
"But still!" Eddard Stark couldn't believe Lancelot killed Jon Arryn.
According to Robert, Jon Arryn had approved the land for Lancelot's North Sea Kindergarten and South Mountain Nursing Home.
There was no conflict of interest between them, was there?
"Stop doubting, Ned. It was Lancelot who killed Jon Arryn. Think about it: with Jon Arryn dead, who was most likely to succeed him as Hand of the King?"
Catelyn asked, her eyes gleaming with the confidence of someone holding all the cards.
"Tywin Lannister?" Eddard said.
"Exactly! He is Lancelot's grandfather! Tywin was the most suitable candidate to become Hand, and Robert knew it. But Robert didn't want Lannister power to grow any further, so he came to Winterfell to seek your help."
"Lancelot never expected you would become Hand instead of his grandfather."
Eddard Stark was somewhat swayed by Catelyn's reasoning.
At this point, Maester Luwin chimed in.
"My Lord, my Lady, I do not believe Ser Lancelot would commit such a deed as murdering Jon Arryn."
"Maester Luwin, do you have any proof?" Catelyn looked at him with dissatisfaction. Why is this old man siding with outsiders?
"My Lord, my Lady, do you know of the playing cards Lancelot created?" Maester Luwin asked.
"I heard Sansa mention them. What about them?" Catelyn frowned.
"Lancelot recently replaced the Sea Snake with Lord Jon Arryn."
"What does that matter, Maester?" Eddard asked.
"My Lord! My Lady!"
Maester Luwin began to explain the rules of the cards.
Aside from the Jokers, the Kings were the highest. The four Kings represented Aegon the Conqueror, Jaehaerys the Conciliator, R'hllor the Lord of Light, and King Robert.
The four Queens represented Queen Visenya, Queen Alysanne, Queen Nymeria, and Queen Cersei.
The four Jacks, after several changes, were finalized as: Orys Baratheon, Brynden Rivers (Bloodraven), Jon Arryn, and Tywin Lannister.
The four Aces were Brandon the Builder, Lann the Clever, Garth Greenhand, and the Grey King.
"By placing Jon Arryn on the Jack of Hearts, Lancelot has shown his attitude," Maester Luwin concluded.
"What attitude?" Eddard asked.
"He respects Lord Jon Arryn! Therefore, it is unlikely he would kill him, especially using such a dishonorable method as poison," Maester Luwin continued.
"Maester Luwin, watch your stance. You are the Maester of Winterfell, not Casterly Rock!" Catelyn snapped.
"My apologies, my Lady. I am merely speaking the truth. We Maesters differ from knights."
"Knights swear loyalty to a lord personally, but Maesters serve a castle, a keep, or a town, not the Count or Duke themselves. The Citadel is independent of royal authority," Maester Luwin stated.
"You!" It was the first time Catelyn had ever disliked Maester Luwin so much.
Eddard Stark, however, said nothing. After all, the essence of a Maester was service, not fealty. They were different from knights.
"Cat, let's set aside the matter of Lancelot for now. Please ask Maester Luwin for guidance regarding your goddaughter," Eddard Stark said.