It had been nearly two weeks since the Hand's Tournament, and Lyiana was sure she had seen every part of the Castle. She tired of small talk and sewing very quickly, so as she dressed today she prayed that something could brighten her days.
Serena had dressed Lyiana in a nice but simple red dress. There was little detail to it, but Lyiana thought it looked beautiful, and her hair was only tied back on the sides, leaving the rest to lay across her shoulders and back.
"Lady Lyiana?" Came a voice from the doorway. Tumring around Lyiana saw a young handmaiden standing at the door. "The Queen has asked for you to walk with her. Lyiana soon found herself arm in arm with the Queen. Her Royal Guard walking around them, keeping them safe from harm as they traveled within the stone walls of the Castle.
"I still don't understand how your parents were able to keep the suitors away from you for so long? Had you lived here you would have been betrothed before you even bled." Cersei spoke as she dragged Lyiana along the stone floors.
"I was a sickly child, I do not think my parents had high hopes to marry me off." Lyiana spoke remembering her cover story well.
Cersei just smirked and lowered her head slightly. "Yes, but now, you are a beautiful young woman, and it is time for you to do your duty. We must marry you off so you may have lots of children for some Lord, hopefully one with a big cock."
"My Queen!" Lyiana gasp as he eyes grew wide. "I…"
"I've seen how the men in the Castle look at you. You have a power over them, you need to realize that with that power you can accomplish a great many things." Said Cersei as she reached over and patted Lyiana's arm. "Tell me little dove, has anyone caught your eye."
"I've only been in the capital a short time, and I have rarely left the grounds." Spoke Lyiana.
Cersei gave a light laugh. "Yes, I guess the pickings at the moment are not the best. The King's name day is approaching soon, perhaps we will find a match for you there."
"Perhaps love is not in the stars for me." Lyiana spoke as she tried to get Cersei off of the topic at hand.
"Oh, who said anything about love my dear." Cersei said this with a laugh. It was at this point that the two woman had neared the doors to the King's hall. Two of the guards moved forward to open the grand doors, revealing a large group of people inside.
Cersei released Lyiana from her arm and moved across the hall to sit at her husband's side. The King himself sat in the Iron Throne overlooking his people as they lined up to have their chance to talk to the King.
Lyiana saw her father as he stood with the rest of the small council to the left of the King. Moving along the side of the room Lyiana made her way towards the balcony and came to stand behind the railing, so she could see the entire room.
"Why do you spend so much time with Littlefinger?" Came the voice of Arya from behind Lyiana. Turning around she saw her younger sister standing there, in a dirty tunic and trousers.
"His name is Lord Baelish." Lyiana spoke with a chuckle. "I thought you had a dancing lesson this morning?"
"But everyone calls him Littlefinger." Arya spoke as she leaned on one foot to look around Lyiana and towards where the small council was stood.
Turning around Lyiana followed her gaze to where Petyr was stood staring out at the crowd before him.
"You never answered my question, why do you spend so much time with him?" Questioned Arya again.
Lyiana looked back to her sister and thought the question over, really she hardly knew the man known as Petyr Baelish. All she knew was that she was tied to him, in some form, in some way. "I don't know…" She whispered. "Now run along you are going to be late for your lesson."
Arya left after that and Lyiana went back to watching the King listen to his people. The line never seemed to end and Lyiana found her attention beginning to wander. Looking around the room Lyiana found her eyes connect with that of Lord Baelish. She felt a shiver makes it's way down her spine as his lips curved upwards into a smirk. Lyiana gave a short quick smile in response, then watched as Petyr turned and disappeared out a back door.
Lyiana turned and headed out of the hall as well. Weaving her way through the people she finally made it out of the hall and she began her way through the many corridors of the Castle. After a few minutes she began to have the sense that she was being followed, however every time she turned to look, there would be no one there.
Without knowing it she had ventured into a section of the Castle that she had yet to explore, and not a soul was in sight. Moving quickly around a corner Lyiana felt herself hit something solid, and a hand reach around to cover her mouth.
She began to struggle until she heard a familiar voice in her ear. "Easy My Lady." Spoke Petyr as he released Lyiana from his grip. "I am sorry if I frightened you."
"Lord Baelish I…" Lyiana began but she was not quite sure what to say. His presence had thrown her off balance and she was unable to make her mouth work to form words.
"I have a gift for you." Petyr whispered as he reached forward and pushed a tendril of hair out of Lyiana's face.
"A gift? Lord Baelish, I have done nothing to deserve such a thing." Lyiana spoke with a hushed breath.
Petyr smiled. "I have it hidden away, a secret for just the two of us. Come see me tonight at my brothel"
"Your brothel? Lord Baelish, do you think me to be one of your whores." Lyiana spoke, taking a step back and away from Petyr, not understanding his secrecy.
"You could never be a painted whore." Said Petyr as he stepped forward, nearing himself to her once again. "You are the daughter of Catelyn Tully. You are the daughter of Eddard Stark. If that means anything it's that trouble will find you." As Petyr said this he moved so that he was only inches from Lyiana and kept his voice low and hushed.
"Do you remember the way we took the day?" Petyr questioned. Lyiana nodded her head in response but said no words. "Good, I will have someone waiting for you near the INN we passed. They will make sure you make it to me safely. Keep yourself hidden and don't come till dark." Petyr then stepped back and walked around Lyiana, leaving her in the quiet hall.
As Petyr's footsteps faded away, soon all Lyiana could hear was the sound of her deep breaths. Looking down to her hands she found her fingers to be shaking and quickly clenched them into the skirt of her dress. She could smell him in the hall, the minty smell that seemed to follow him everywhere he went. Lyiana found herself thinking of him any time she smelled it.
The rest of the day passed in a blur for Petyr, balancing the King's books and his own was quite a daunting task these days. However it did always bring a smile to his face when he saw his positives, and the Kingdoms negatives. The King seemed to always want to spend the gold but never to earn it.
When he raised his head from his books he found the sun had gone down and darkness had fallen. He began to pay attention to the world around him once more and found himself smirking as he heard the moans from the rooms around him. Each moan was money in his pocket.
Standing from his chair he rolled his shoulders and moved to the front of his desk. His dark, open robes moved in the light breeze that came through the open windows. He had long since undone the clasps when the heat of the day settled in on his office.
Moving to stand at the closest window Petyr looked down on the men and women that stumbled around outside of his establishment. The stench of wine and bile filled his nostrils as he breathed. Bringing his hands together Petyr used his right hand to play with the ring on his left. Twirling it around, Petyr watched the world of desire play out in front of his eyes as a man in the streets pushed a half covered whore against the stone walls before kissing her.
"Milord." Came a voice from behind him. Petyr turned around to see a paid sellsword at his door. "I have done as you requested." The man spoke as he entered the room with a cloaked figure behind him.
"I trust that you didn't encounter any problems? Petyr spoke as he looked to the figure whose head was hung low and arms were folded in on themselves.
"No problems Milord. I believe you owe me something." The sellsword spoke as he stepped towards Petyr.
Petyr moved toward his desk and picked up a small cloth bag. "Yes, you can count it if you wish." Said Petyr with a laugh as he threw the bag towards the man.
"Seems a lot of money for escorting a whore." The sellsword chuckled as he weighed the bag in his hand. "Must be good, perhaps when you're done with her…"
"Get out!" Petyr spoke deeply and with purpose.
The sellsword just smirked and gave a small bow before leaving the room, shutting the door behind him as he went. Once the two were alone a hand emerged from under the cloak and undid the clasp at its throat. "I thought I told you I wasn't one of your whores." Came Lyiana's voice as the cloak fell to the floor at her feet.
"It was safer than saying who you really were. Besides, I would have had to pay him twice as much then." Petyr said with a laugh. He watched as Lyiana stepped over her cloak and moved towards where he stood at his desk. "I didn't think you would come."
"I didn't think I would either." Lyiana spoke as she came to a stop in front of Petyr, it was then she noticed his state of undress and felt the redness seep into her cheeks before quickly turning to look away from him. "Lord Baelish…"
Petyr grabbed her arm and forced her to turn back around. "Petyr." He spoke as his eyes met hers.
"Petyr." Lyiana whispered as she tried his name on her lips. The two stared at each other for a moment longer before Lyiana realized his hand was still on her arm, and the situation that she was in. "Lord Baelish." Lyiana spoke as she took a step back and pulled her arm away from his grip. "It is late, and I do not want to be found missing from my room."
"Yes, we can't have that." Petyr said. Moving around his desk Petyr opened one of the drawers and pulled out a large bundle of cloth. Setting it down on his desk he began to unwrap the cloth.
Lyiana watched as Petyr produced a set of leather straps and a small sheathed dagger. Taking it in his hands Petyr removed the blade from its covering and held it out to Lyiana. The blade was no wider than her finger and just longer than a quill. Looking down at the blade Lyiana noticed how it had a ripple effect to the steel just like her father's greatsword. "That's Valyrian steel!"
"Yes, it is." Petyr spoke as he motioned for Lyiana to take the blade. "I acquired this blade many years ago, from a man who is long since dead."
Holding the blade in her hand Lyiana then noticed the grip and pommel. The grip itself was made of a dark green stone Lyiana did not recognize and the pommel was triangle made of what appeared to be black glass. "Why are you showing me this?" Questioned Lyiana as she tore her eyes away from the blade.
"That is Dragons Glass, in all my years I have never seen anything quite like this dagger." Petyr placed his hand out in front of him and Lyiana responded by laying the blade carefully on his palm. "As for why I am showing it to you, that is because it is my gift to you."
Lyiana felt her heart skip a beat. "I cannot accept this."
"Of course you can." Petyr spoke as he slid the blade into its sheath. "Come sit." Said Petyr as he motioned for Lyiana to sit in his chair. Lyiana still not believing Petyr's generosity complied without words and moved past him to sit in the chair.
Once she was seated Petyr took the straps of leather that were to be found now, attached to the sheath and knelt down on one knee. With his left hand he reached down and slid his hand underneath Lyiana's dress. She felt the coolness of his skin against her bare leg, and felt herself shudder. "Petyr." She spoke with hushed breath.
Petyr only looked up at her with a smirk on his lips as he slid her skirts up her leg slowly. His hand brushing lightly over her skin as he went. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Lyiana's hands gripping the wooden arms of his chair tightly.
Once her skirts were up past her right knee Petyr laid the cloth as so it would not tumble down. His fingers then moved to make quick work of the leather straps attached to the sheath and made to quickly wrap them around Lyiana's lower leg. Buckling them securely as to make sure they did not slip, he gave the sheath a quick tug to check its security, and when it did not fall he looked back up to Lyiana.
Her skin was on fire. She felt as though she had walked into the flames and that she would never be cool again, and she felt a heat between her legs she had never experienced before. As he met her gaze she saw surprise in his eyes, but only for a second before he masked it.
Neither said a word as he stood up from the ground and offered his hand for Lyiana to take. Reaching her hand out she let her fingers slide against Petyr's palm before he secured her in his grip and helped her from the chair. As she stood her skirts slid down her legs and came to rest just above the floor, covering the steel that now lay against her leg.
"You need to stay safe my dear." Petyr spoke as he released her hand and moved to place the both of his behind his back.
"I was always safe. I have other ways to protect myself." Said Lyiana.
"Well, now you have one mo…" Petyr's words were cut short as a knock came on his door. Quickly Petyr grabbed Lyiana and spun her around so that her back was against his chest. Placing a hand in her hair he pushed it forward and and placed his lips just a fraction above her neck. He could feel the heat of his breath bouncing off her skin.
"Lord Baelish…" One of Petyr's whore's spoke as she entered the room. "I…" She began as she saw Petyr with his back to her, his lips to a woman. "I am sorry to interrupt Milord, I just wanted to inform you that your shipment shall be arriving at first light."
"Thank you, Miranda. Now out." Petyr spoke. He turned his head to look at the woman and as he did so ran a finger down Lyiana's arm. "Lock the door as you leave, I don't want any interruptions tonight."
"Yes, Milord." The woman spoke and then proceeded to leave the room, locking the door as she left.
Once Petyr was sure they were alone once more he pulled himself away from Lyiana. Turning to look at Petyr, Lyiana spoke. "I should be getting back to the Castle." Petyr only nodded his head and moved across the room to retrieve Lyiana's cloak from the floor.
"I have someone waiting outside to take you back." Said Petyr as he held open the cloak for Lyiana. "I hope you will wear my gift, and of course tell no one of it."
Lyiana smiled as she moved across the room to stand in front of Petyr. "You know I should be offended, bringing me to a whore house, gifting me with a blade" She said this as she turned her back to Petyr so he could place her cloak on her back, once it was on her shoulders she turned back around to look at the Master of Coin. "But I was never one for jewels and silk."
