1857 AC, King's Landing, Old Gate, Fantasy Fair

Hedda contentedly munched on her apple turnover while her eyes wandered between the various stands selling fan memorabilia, food or miscellaneous things.

As far as she had seen it was a predominantly Tolkien-esque fair. Lots of elves, dwarves and hobbits running around. She had even seen a human Smaug. The costumes were also so-so to an astonishing high quality. Not that she was surprised, the larger cities always had the better fantasy communities.

Somewhere to her left was a group of teenagers hotly debating the origin of the universe before sequencing into various other topics. Hedda listened amused as they nearly broke into a fistfight about the architectural inspiration about the Tolkien elven kingdoms.

"That reminds me of some of our congresses." Tywin said dryly from behind her.

"Exactly my thought as well." Hedda grinned, then she noticed the poster that advertised a life re-enactment in 20 minutes.

"Oh, let's go there!" Jeyne murmured happily, having noticed it around the same time.

Hedda nodded and then looked closer at the text and noticed the triangle pointing down.

"Wait, they have a hydromancer in the show?"

"Huh?" Jeyne asked and turned back to the poster, looking closer now, "Looks like it… though I'm a bit surprised, those aren't cheap and hiring one for just an reenactment? Normally these kinds of fairs are run on a pretty tight budget."

"It's probably an apprentice or journeyman, the university dormers aren't far away, students always need cash… or maybe it's even voluntary. Being a Water Mage doesn't exclude being a Tolkien fan." Tywin interjected.

Jeyne nodded thoughtfully and then began to march in the direction of the show.

296 AC, King's Landing, Red Keep, Maegor's Holdfast, the King's apartments

It was a couple of weeks after his return from Oak Valley Hall when Joffrey finally got an opportunity to maneuver the people around him into the direction he wanted. His goal - A visit to Winterfell.
Joffrey had decided that he somehow had to visit the North, preferably also the Wall and get to know the Starks before the Others returned to Westeros and attacked. He needed to build a rapport with them so that they would be inclined to listen to him if worse came to worse. Especially if he decided against choosing Sansa as his Queen.

Also, foreknowledge or not, Joffrey had never been further North than Oak Valley Hall. He didn't know the lands close to the Wall and how the weather conditions were, what the people up there did to make a living. If he wanted to survive The Long Night and rule Westeros as king he needed to find a way to get as many people as possible through the winter so when Daenerys finally came knocking the people would be loyal to him.

The opportunity was given to him by Lord Jon himself. One of his lessons had ended with the old Arryn expressing some concern about Joffrey's tendency to avoid nobles his age and all the connections he was not forming. Joffrey couldn't have asked for better bait.

"Father?" Joffrey asked after their training.

"Hhm?"

"According to Lord Arryn I have progressed further in my book studies than what is expected of me at this age but that I am behind in the social aspects of my education…"

Robert raised an eyebrow at that but only motioned with a hand to go on, while the other poured some sour red into his glass.

"A son of a Lord Paramount would have met other young lords by now and maybe even fostered together with them… my stay with uncle Stannis afforded me to meet with some nobles in the Stormlands but that is only a small part of the kingdom… also it is expected that in only a few years I take companions into my service. Young lords and second sons that will accompany me… how can I choose when I haven't met most of the nobles in the kingdom?"

Robert looked unconcerned about Joffrey's statement, "I don't really see the problem, but you have clearly given this a lot of thought. Spit it out boy, what is your solution?"

"I want to take something of an early lord's progress through Westeros."

Robert opened his mouth.

"Not alone, of course." Joffrey hastily added, "I was actually hoping that you would accompany me? I have been away for months while learning under uncle Stannis and I would rather like to spend time with you while at the same time get to know the other nobles."

Robert huffed thoughtfully at that, "That's actual not a bad idea boy. I haven't been out of King's Landing since the Greyjoy rebellion. Jon can take care of the day to day business for a year or more without my input. Now that money situation is nearly fixed, he ought to agree. Your reasoning is also sound, as future king you should get to know your lords, make alliances and take on some young knights. My time in the Vale was the best of my life… and I did want you to be fostered with Ned but your mother screeched about it until I put the idea aside. So this will have to do… you know what, the more I think about it, the better I like it. I will inform Jon about my decision tomorrow. He should be understanding enough if he was the one who brought up the concern about your social obligations."

At the last part Robert smirked and clapped Joffrey on the shoulder.

XXXXXXXXX

Joffrey didn't know what was said in private between Lord Jon and Robert but in the end the Lord Hand agreed, though only with several important caveats. One was that the progress had to be announced at least a year prior the actual event to give the Lords and Ladies ample time to prepare themselves. The other was that there would be a fixed budget and timetable for the progress, and there would be no spontaneous deviations from it. Lord Jon feared, rightfully so, that such a tour would once again throw the realm into debt if Robert wasn't reigned in from the beginning. Especially when he wasn't able to follow along and moderate the king in his spending.

It took a week from the day Joffrey had talked with Robert about the topic, to the day ravens were sent out to the Westerlands, Riverlands, the Vale and the North. It was announced as a Northern Progress, a diplomatic way of placating the Reach, the Stormlands, Dorne and the Iron Islands and implying that there would be another one coming, someday.

Not that Joffrey thought that Dorne or the Iron Islands had any interest in hosting the royal party, other than to murder them, but appearances had to be adhered to.

296 AC, King's Landing, Red Keep, Maegor's Holdfast, hallway

With the royal progress announced Joffrey knew that his opportunity to take out Baelish in a timely manner was shrinking with each day. So he began to pay extra attention to where and when Baelish was. The master of Coin hadn't any predictable routine you could pin him too, but there were two constants that didn't seem to change too much. Every other week Baelish took a personal afternoon to visit the various establishments that belonged to him and he returned late to the Red Keep. The other was that he regularly visited Lord Jon's office for 'advise' or reports, interrupting Joffrey's lessons and Jon's work. Baelish was also partial to snacks if offered casually, more than once he had taken a pastry if Lord Jon or even Joffrey had offered it to him. Slowly an idea began to form in Joffrey's mind.

Because he didn't want to risk poisoning Lord Jon on accident he began to develop a habit of visiting the kitchen late in the evening. Often just to pick up some of the tarts, both savory and sweet left from the day. He was constantly hungry and it was a good excuse for his late night excursions through the Keep. Sometimes he even went without any of his guards. A risky business ordinarily, but Joffrey had no other choice.

He had taken to carry a few drops of the poison in a small flask that sat well cushioned in his coin pouch. The bottle of Tears of Lys had come with very specific instructions concerning the storage and dosage of the poison. A single drop would cause the effect he wished for, while three drops would ensure that the victim would die within a day.

While Joffrey waited for an opportune moment to slip Baelish the poison he had taken to always poison the top most pastry or food item that he carried when he knew that Baelish had left for his holdings. If his nightly wanderings didn't yield an encounter with the Master of Coin he threw said pastry down his privy.

And then one night Joffrey found an opportunity.

"Isn't it a bit late my prince? And where is your guard?" the jovial voice of Baelish echoed through the otherwise dark hallway.

Joffrey looked up and grinned at the Master of Coin, "I could say them same to you Lord Baelish… I was feeling restless and made a trip to the kitchens. My guards are sleeping most likely, this is the innermost of the Red Keep so I feel save enough without them."

"Hhm, are those raspberry pies?" Baelish asked considering the sweets on Joffrey's plate.

Joffrey laughed at that and wordless held out the plate to him, Baelish allowed himself a somewhat sincere smile and picked the top three cakes and stacked them on one hand.

"Do try to find some sleep, my prince, otherwise the council session tomorrow will prove to be rather long."

"I will try, goodnight Lord Baelish."

"Goodnight, prince Joffrey."

Joffrey refused to feel guilty and just continued walking until he had reached the uppermost balcony. From experience he knew that Ser Barristan liked to pass it several times when he was on night patrol and he needed an alibi.

It was warm enough tonight that he didn't need additional layers and so he let his feet dangle between the balustrade and enjoyed the fresh breeze that came up from the sea below him.

He took several sips of the mead and ate one of the pastries before he was discovered by Ser Barristan Selmy.

"My prince."

It was always astonishing to Joffrey how Ser Barristan could make a greeting into a scolding.

"Ser Barristan." He said with a small smile, "Will you join me? I felt restless tonight."

"You really should be in bed prince Joffrey, where are your guards and Clegane?"

"Sandor is hopefully still sleeping, he tends to be rather easy to wake. Do not blame my guards, they are fulfilling their duties and watching the entrances to my quarters, I just took one of the hidden passages down to the kitchens. And before you ask, they only open one way so I am still perfectly save in my rooms."

"My prince, may I remind you that you are not currently in your rooms…"

"You are here now, are you not? Pastry?" Joffrey said with an impish grin and held out the pastry dish.

Barristan sighed but set his sword aside and joined Joffrey on the stone floor. His bones were creaking, he really was getting old, wasn't he? Gamely the Lord Commander of the King's Guard took a pastry and a sip of the mead that Joffrey held out.

"You have a council session tomorrow."

"Hhhm, I do. Something about the merchant guild and the new Essos tariffs if I remember correctly." Here Joffrey let out a deep sigh, "Thank all the gods that we paid off the debt to the Iron Bank faster than expected… I still do not know what father was thinking."

Barristan kept his mouth shut, but the way his lips quirked grimly Joffrey could imagine that he too wasn't impressed by Robert's spending.