CHAPTER 11. PETYR
KING'S LANDING
Petyr Baelish had worked all his life to gain the wealth and power he accumulated to be a player in the Game of Thrones. He stands in one of his whore houses which now lies in ruins. He is angry as all his businesses had been destroyed by the Faith Militant arm of the Faith of the Seven. In her plotting to take down the new Queen Margaery Baratheon nee' Tyrell, Cersei had empowered the fanatics of the Seven pointed Star. They were determined to rid the city of sin and vices their faith spoke out against.
"Lord Baelish!" He turns to find Lancel Lannister standing behind him with six members of the Faith Militant, the Seven pointed star etched into their foreheads. "We had heard you were back in the city…"
He smiles, "I have heard things as well…And they seem to be true…You a member of a proud House has renounced his titles to please the gods…"
"All must come to repentance…Even you flesh monger…"
"To each his own…what can I do for you?"
"I need you to come with us…"
He frowns, "Why?"
"It was you who owned all these…establishments in the city…You who indulge men's basic sinful needs…You must atone for this…"
"I am the Master of Coin and Lord Protector of the Vale…" That is when they are joined by ten heavily armed men three of which have bows. Petyr looks at them and back at Lancel, "Now if you good men do not wish to go and meet the seven I suggest you leave my establishment…"
Swords are drawn, but Lancel raises his hand, "There will be no more brothels in the city Lord Baelish so do not try and reopen these temples of sin…"
"And do not think I will allow this…crime to go unpunished…I will be compensated one way or another…" they stare at each other, "Good day gentlemen…I have business with the Queen…" Petyr rides up the street on horseback to the Red Keep. "Queen Regent and Hand of the King…However did you manage that?" Petyr asks entering the office and taking a seat, "Your Grace…"
"I advise my son the King on matters of state…"
"I see…"
"I have heard some disturbing news…Lysa Arryn met with an unfortunate accident and as her Widower you have been named Lord Protector of the Vale…"
"I mourn my beloved wife, but life goes on…"
"It certainly has for you...Lord Protector of the Vale...You have an uncanny talent for rising up and gaining power..."
"Thank you...I say that man can rise above his station if he seizes the opportunity when it comes..."
She stares at him, "You should become a philosopher sir...I your Queen will give you another opportunity...Varys has fled the city…The same time my wretched little murdering Imp of a brother…Do you know where they have gone?"
"Pentos most likely…Varys has a rich and powerful friend in Pentos…Ilyrio Mopatis I believe his name is…Magister and Spice Lord…"
"I remember that fat slob…He came to Westeros trying to convince Robert to give him exclusive trade rights…"
Petyr decides to tell her a secret that will shake her up, "I have recently learned Varys was responsible for sneaking Prince Viserys and his mother out of the city when it was sacked…Mopatis was the one who arranged the wedding between the Dothraki Horse Lord and Daenarys Targaryen…"
Cersei sneers, "And I would wager Varys and Mopatis have been working all along to put a Targaryen back on the throne…"
"My spies came to that conclusion as well…"
"What of Sansa Stark? There are only so many places she can hide. Have your spies located her."
Petyr knew the vindictive Queen Mother was spiteful, but did she really believe Sansa poisoned her son. He would try to dissuade her from this. "Your Grace...Do really believe Sansa Stark poisoned your son?"
"She blames my family for the death of her traitorous mother and brother. And she withheld sex from my brother until he helped her kill my beloved son..."
"Your son...may the gods rest his soul..." (Highly unlike...) He thinks to himself, "...Beheaded Lord Stark after he swore to her he would be merciful, but in all that time did Sansa display any anger or vengeance to your family? I seem to recall her being very compliant to you and your son...She is still the key to bringing the North back in line...Perhaps you should consider taking back the bounty on her head..."
He can tell she is seething and getting angrier all the time. He wouldn't push the issue any further. "Sansa Stark is a traitor...And so is anyone else providing her shelter or defending that little witch..."
He sighs, "Forgive me your Grace...if I have upset you or spoken out of turn...She may have fled to the wall…She has a half brother there Jon Snow…"
"Or you could be hiding her in the Vale…"
"What would I gain from helping Sansa Stark…She is a naïve child…True I loved her mother, but she made her choice…The Boltons rule the North now…"
"Since you bought that up...The Boltons rule over the North hangs on a thread...How long before the North unites and brings them down…"
"With all due respect your Grace…If you were on better terms with the Tyrells a force could be sent North to enforce the will of the Iron Throne…" Tywin Lannister was not someone Petyr Baelish could play the game against, but his power hungry daughter was another story. Tommen was a sick love boy and Jaime Lannister had been outsmarted in battle by a boy himself. Sooner or later Cersei would self-destruct. The Iron Throne was nearly in his grasp.
"I want you to summon your banners and do just that…Enforce the will of the Iron Throne on the North…Take Moat Cailin and smash every village in the North…Send the Northerner Lords a message." She hands him a letter.
"What is this?"
"A report from the wall…Apparently the idiots in the Night's Watch have elected Eddard Stark's bastard Lord Commander…Now he has allowed the Wildlings to pass through the wall and settle the gift…Get them to send a representative south to bend the knee and if they refuse...Deal with them as well…And Littlefinger if you betray us there is no army large enough in this world to protect you from my vengeance…Remember the Lannisters always pay their debts…"
"Yes your Grace…" He leaves the Tower of the Hand and finds a letter on his bed in his chambers. Baelish leaves the Keep and meets with Olenna Tyrell.
"Baelish!"
"Lady Olenna…It has been awhile…"
"Not long enough…The time has come…The Lannisters are weak…"
"We need the North on our side…Soon the Boltons will fall…"
"You have her don't you Sansa Stark?" Petyr just smiles, "If you betray me little man I will have you torn into so many pieces the ants won't have anything to do with you…"
Two days later Baelish leaves by ship for the Fingers. When he arrives Lyn Cobray is waiting for him. "What are you doing here?"
"We have a problem…The Boltons are all dead and the Starks have taken back Winterfell…"
"Why is that a problem? It is what I was hoping for…"
"Because the King in the North is the problem…"
Petyr had planned it all perfectly, but somehow his plans for Sansa Stark had all gone to hell. He stops at Runestone as Robin Arryn is there Warding. After a confrontation with Yohn Royce he heads for Winterfell with Lyn Cobray at his side. "Your Grace…Petyr Baelish Lord Protector of the Vale…"
He bows, "Thank you for seeing me Your Grace…" Sansa is not present.
"I just wanted to look into the eyes of the man who gave my sister to the people who betrayed my family…Tell me Lord Baelish What game were you playing when you handed my sister over to the Boltons."
"Your mother was my dearest friend…I loved and cherished her. I wanted to avenge her death…And it all worked out the Boltons are dead and the North is united once again under House Stark…Together House Stark and Arryn can bring justice and destroy the Lannisters once and for all…"
"No southern army has ever marched North…And from I what I hear the Lannisters are killing each other and are in conflict with their own allies the Tyrells…"
Petyr had to win him over to his thinking, "Your Grace if we united our forces we could liberate the Riverlands…I recently heard that your uncle the Blackfish has survived the Red Wedding and taken back Riverrun…With our three Houses united we can avenge your family…"
"As I said Lord Baelish…No southern army has ever come North across land or by sea…The two who recently did were soundly defeated for their presumption…The Greyjoys and Stannis Baratheon…As for our enemies in the South they will be dealt with…If you truly wish to show support for House Stark you can do so by sending supplies and men to the Night's Watch. For the past three plus years they have been begging the Houses of Westeros for support…We are in the process of open talks with the Free Folk…The New Lord Commander of the Watch has allowed some of them to pass through the wall…Hopefully the rest will come…Winter is Coming Lord Baelish and the Dead with it…"
This was not going his way, Petyr thought, "Your Grace…It will be very difficult to convince the Lords of the Vale about an enemy they have never seen before…"
"This coming from the man who talked my sister into marrying the son of our enemy…If all you have are excuses Lord Baelish you should go back to Vale…"
The impudent little pup Baelish thinks as he smiles, "I shall do all I can to support House Stark and the North Your Grace…" Petyr had not been offered guest rights, "…In the meantime may I prevail upon your hospitality…" Bread salt and wine are bought, then a servant shows Baelish to his quarters.
"Here is your room, m'lord…If you have need of anything else just ask…Someone will fetch you for evening meal…"
"Thank you…I was wondering if you would get a message to Lady Sansa…"
She stares at him, "What is the message my Lord…"
"Would you tell her that I need to speak with her in private…"
"I will convey your words m'lord…"
After the servants unpack his things Petyr sits down and waits for Lyn Cobray. This was not going well, the boy King had said much and nothing. Did Sansa tell her brother about Lysa? How did they retake Winterfell so quickly? Many hours pass before Lyn Cobray knocks on the door and enters, "What took you so long?" Petyr asks a little frustrated.
"It could not be helped…Someone or several someones were following me around…I had to be extra careful. Turns out that Arya Stark is alive and it was she who infiltrated House Bolton. At the wedding of Sansa Stark and Ramsey Bolton she poisoned all the Bolton men…"
"What?" Baelish exclaims.
"Oh it gets better…The Little Wolf as they call her faced Ramsey in single combat…and she killed him…"
He shakes his head thinking back to his time at Harrenhal and the meeting with Tywin Lannister. "By the seven it was her!"
"It was her where?" Cobray asks confused.
"I went to Harrenhal to present the Tyrell's offer of an alliance to Lord Tywin…He had a cup bearer a girl…I didn't get a good look at her face as she stuck to the shadows, but she seemed familiar to me…And no one had seen Arya Stark since the day her father was arrested…But now that I think about it…It was her."
"The Stark brat was right under Tywin Lannister's nose and he had no idea…"
"How could he? He had never met Arya Stark before…" He pours himself a drink and offers Cobray one, "Where is she?"
"They say she left a few days ago…with a boy named Gendry…A blacksmith…The two are lovers…"
"Left to go where?"
"No one knows…Except maybe the boy King and his sister…They also say that she led a troop of fifty men against Stannis…They infiltrated his camp…destroyed his supplies, took all his gold, and kidnapped him…He died in single combat against Brienne of Tarth…"
Petyr's plans had to drastically change, but first he needed to speak with Sansa. He wanted her for himself, she looked so much like her mother and he is drawn to her. As much as Petyr wanted the Iron Throne, he wanted Sansa Stark just as much. When he called for the servant Dyllah she told him that his message had been delivered, but Lady or rather Princess Sansa had no reply.
At dinner Petyr hoped to see Sansa, but she was not present. "Your Grace if I may ask after your sister…Is she well?"
"She will not be joining us…but sends her regards to all concerned for well being…" Rickon vaguely replies. Were the Starks playing some kind game with him. Petyr just smiles, eats and makes polite conversation; all the while thinking that he cannot make his next move until he spoke with Sansa. After eating with the King in the North Baelish makes his way to Sansa's room, but Brienne of Tarth is standing guard at the door.
"Lord Baelish…what can I do for you?"
"Lady Brienne! I see you managed to ingratiate yourself to the Starks anyway…"
Her arm is in a sling, blocking Stannis' sword with her arm grieve broke a bone, but Maester Walken set the bone and said she would heal. "Despite your attempt to have me killed …Fortunately I am able to fulfill my vow to Lady Catelyn…"
He smiles, "I regret that…Lady Catelyn was my friend…I hope we can work together to protect her…"
"Is that what you were doing when you handed her over to the Boltons?"
"Is her Grace awake I need to speak with her…"
"The Princess has retired for the night…"
"Would you be, so kind as to let her know that I need to speak with her as soon as she has the time."
"I will convey your request…Good Night Lord Baelish…"
As he leaves Podrick Payne arrives to relieve Brienne. "I should have married her myself…" He says walking away whispering.
Baelish is invited by Rickon to go riding in the countryside while the weather is good. His bride to be accompanies them with twenty guards. When Petyr returns to his room Sansa is waiting with Brienne and Podrick. "You wanted to speak with me Lord Baelsih?" Podrick is standing to Sansa's left and Brienne at her right.
Baelish is shocked, but he recovers quickly, "Thank your grace for coming…Yes I wanted to speak with you in private…"
"Brienne is my trusted sword, friend, and companion…Podrick Payne her squire…Whatever you wish to say to me you can say in front of them…"
"I just wanted to congratulate you on retaking Winterfell…"
"Thank you…Quid pro quo Lord Baelish…Did you know Ramsey Bolton was a sick demented monster who liked to hunt people for sport…and got pleasure…Sexual pleasure from inflicting pain on others…"
He hesitates, "The Princess asked you a question Lord Baelish…" Brienne says as her hand and that of Pod's falls to their swords.
"I had heard rumors, but I was counting on the fact that you would be able to tame the beast…Lure him into a sense of ease while the North gathered in your name…It all worked out…Your sister surprised us all…"
"Aye she did…You are lucky she is not here…She is not very fond of you…In fact she says that I should not trust you at all…"
"Sansa…" He says taking a step closer.
Brienne and Pod draw their swords, "Stay back Lord Baelish…" Brienne warns.
He slowly backs away, "I swear on all the god's old and new that I have your best interest at heart…"
"If that is true you will start sending men and supplies to the Wall…I don't trust or need you anymore Lord Baelish…But the Night's Watch has a great need…So you must earn my trust…by helping the watch…Otherwise you can return to the Vale…"
"Of course…I shall endeavor from this day forward to win back the trust and faith you lost in me…"
"Good day Lord Baelish." Sansa, Brienne, and Pod leave his room. Petyr decides to send a raven to Robin instructing him to start sending supplies to the Night's Watch. Lyn Cobray advises him to wait and see what plans the Starks have for the Freys. As time passes he tries to get Sansa alone, but everytime he spots her someone is with her.