1857 AC, King's Landing, Old Gate, Fantasy Fair
They were showing the journey from the Shire to Rivendell and Tywin had been right, it was clearly a student production, the logo of the university on one of the banners to the left of the stage. Hedda was impressed by their content choice, the horse chase would certainly not be easy to translate onto a stage.
The stage was set up rather cleverly with minimal props behind the small stream that was part of the Old Gate park. Beautifully colored backdrops that appeared from below the stage or were turned around to signal a scene change. The actors moved from one side of the stage to the other and every time they vanished behind the partition the next scene began. The climax was without a doubt when Arwen enchanted the river and the water rose and solidified between the two groups of actors. Hedda couldn't help but exclaim in admiration at how lifelike the water horses looked that stopped the Nazgul horde from reaching Arwen and Frodo. The final scene was Frodo's reunion with his friends in Rivendell.
The whole time an orchestra of seven musicians accompanied the scenes with fitting music and Hedda was pretty sure that they were students as well.
By the time the whole production team had gathered on the stage thundering applause could be heard from all sides. The performance had drawn quite a large group and was met with enthusiastic approval from all sides.
"Oh." Jeyne said suddenly and pointed at one of the girls on the stage, "That's Sara, she works for us at the Red Keep."
Jeyne waited until said girl had exited the stage before hollering over the people that were still between them and her, "SARA!"
The young woman turned around and lit up, "Dr. Jeyne!"
Hedda was pretty sure that this Sara was the one that had been introduced as the director and screenplay writer.
"Hello Sara. I wasn't aware that you were part of the Old Gate fair!" Jeyne called out when they were close enough.
The young woman laughed, "I always had a soft spot for the Tolkien books and a friend of mine sits on the committee and asked me if I was interested to do something with our theater group."
"Hedda. This is Sara Black, one of our part-time guides at the Red Keep. Sara, this is Dr. Hedda Barath, she is currently working on a translation for us and this is Dr. Tywin Redwyne, who is assisting her."
"Oh. Yes I heard about that! It's nice to meet you Dr. Barath, Dr. Redwyne."
Tywin just nodded in acknowledgement before slowly wandering over to the stage to take a closer look at the backdrops.
"You too, Miss Black." Hedda returned, "It was a pretty impressive display. Both acting wise as well as the magic displayed."
"Thank you! I wrote the script with Susan over there, she played Arwen. The whole production team is studying performing arts and it will get us some extra credit." The young woman said cheerfully.
Then she introduced the olive skinned water mage that had been introduced under roaring applause.
"And this is Mariah, she has generously agreed to help us enhance the performance. Mari, this is Dr. Jeyne Marsha, one of historians I work with at the Red Keep and her friend Dr. Hedda Barath."
The young woman, Mariah, was clearly of Dornish decent and was visibly amused at the excitement of her taller friend.
"Mariah Sandwind, pleased to meet you." She introduced herself with a smile while beside her Sara quickly ensnared Jeyne in a conversation about their theater group.
In unspoken agreement Hedda and Mariah wandered some steps away to leave them to their discussion.
"Are you part of the Kingswood Guild? I have to say the water horses were very impressive." Hedda asked interested.
Mariah laughed, "I am not officially affiliated. I am here on exchange from the Greenblood Guild. I met Sara and Susan in my theater elective and they convinced me to take part in this production."
"Ah." Hedda nodded, "Are you planning to go into the film and theater industry then?"
Mariah smiled back, clearly happy to talk about her talent and future plans.
"Yes, I think so. It wasn't what I had in mind when I started with the Guild. You see my parents own an irrigation company in Salt Shore. When it became apparent that I had talent in hydromancy I enrolled in the Greenblood Guild so that we can expand our services… but the longer I study it, the more I am drawn to the artistic side of hydromancy. My parents aren't happy about that but my younger brother is also showing the same talent and has just started with the Guild so I think they will get over it eventually."
Hedda hummed in understanding. Now Mariah's presence made more sense, because while there were a handful of hydromancers in the Crownlands, the majority of the Elemental mages were more focused on fire and earth and tended to work closely with the national guard or military. Dorne on the other hand, and more importantly the Greenblood Guild, was famous for their hydromancers and the disaster relief programs for drought stricken areas around the world.
"I am sure they will. It's not like you cannot work in both areas, right?"
"That's what I thought as well." Mariah beamed, "Once I have passed my journeyman exams I plan to work for my parents' company and also try my luck with the film industry. From the conversations I had with the professors here, there are always film sets in need of mages for special effects and they are willing to pass along my contact details to anyone who is interested."
"So how long until your journeyman exams?"
"Another year or so, I think. I already fulfill most of the requirements in the practical areas but I need a few additional mage-history courses as well as some more electives to qualify. And with my interest in the performance arts the masters at Sunspear thought that an exchange semester here would be a good idea."
"Once you have graduated you might also think about applying for jobs in Essos and the Summer Isles, maybe even Sothoryos or Yi Ti. It would be a day or two by plane at most and a lot of people speak Valyrian these days, do they not? Their film industries are certainly different but from what I know about film schedules, they are always compressed as tightly as possible no matter the country or continent. So if you are gone only a few weeks at a time, it should be possible for your parents to schedule jobs around that, right?"
Mariah beamed at that but before she could say anything Sara was back, "I'm sorry to interrupt you, but we have to prepare for the next show."
"Thank you for indulging me Mariah. I wish you the best of luck."
"Thank you, Dr. Barath! Enjoy the rest of the fair." The Dornish woman called over her shoulder before she and Sara vanished in the crowd.
"Well that was a nice surprise." Jeyne said thoughtfully.
Hedda could only nod, then she side-eyed her friend, "You are already planning for them to give a performance at the next Red Keep festival, aren't you."
"It's like you know me." Jeyne said with a grin.
296 AC, King's Landing, Red Keep
The council meeting on the following day began at the normal time and the first thing Lord Jon asked was, "Does anyone know what could be delaying Lord Baelish?"
Everybody denied any knowledge.
"Hanrick, go to Lord Baelish's rooms please." Lord Jon ordered, voice as calm as ever.
The Arryn servant bowed and vanished, only to return twenty minutes later, bowing politely to the council.
"Lord Baelish has a sickness of the stomach, the maester is currently visiting."
Several people raised their eyebrows but Lord Jon only nodded in thanks.
"Hopefully this is just a passing malady. We will postpone matters concerning revenues for now."
And with that the matter was closed and the council session continued as usual.
Two days later they were informed that Lord Baelish had developed a dangerous high fever and the Grandmaester was not sure if he would survive.
"Lord Baelish is very ill in the bowels." Joffrey said slowly, as if to sound out the concept, before asking, "How could that happen? He eats the same things as the rest of the Keep."
"I do not know my prince, but the Grandmaester is doing his utter most." Ser Barristan said grimly.
"I just saw him the day before he fell ill… right before you found me." Joffrey added absentminded.
There was no sense in denying that, if somebody of the servants saw them it would be suspicious if he didn't report that.
Ser Barristan looked up, now even grimmer, "And you are feeling well my prince? No ache in the belly or a sense of unwellness?"
Joffrey shook his head, "I feel fine. Nevertheless, I will ask the Grandmaester to take a look at me. Hopefully whatever Baelish has is not contagious and will heal quickly."
That had even sounded sincere, Joffrey honestly couldn't pinpoint the moment when he had become such a good liar.
Ser Barristan nodded in agreement before he absentmindedly asked, "About your encounter with Lord Baelish. Does anything unusual come to mind when you think back?"
Joffrey thought about it, did something unusual happen?
"Not that I can think of. He caught me on my way back from the kitchens. He enquired after my guards, as you did and then advised me to get some rest before the council meeting today."
Ser Barristan nodded, but kept quiet for the rest of the walk.
When they arrived at Joffrey's apartments, the old Kingsguard had a quick word with the guards standing outside the entrance while he slipped inside.
A handful moments later Sandor walked into Joffrey's solar, a grim expression on his face.
"You were in the kitchens three days ago?" he asked quietly.
"Yes, I was hungry and did not want to wake anyone. I used one of the hidden passages."
Sandor nodded but didn't look happy, there was a moment of silence before he said, "Next time, wake me up."
Joffrey sighed, "Very well, I will."
Not like he intended to sneak out in the next weeks and months. With Baelish gone his next target was Varys, but the eunuch could wait for now. Additionally Joffrey had no intentions of using poison against that man.
Lord Petyr Baelish died on the eight day after becoming sick, hallucinating and with a high fever.
Pycelle or better said Master Colemon, who was caring for the ill Master of Coin on Lord Jon's command, could do nothing but give him pain-relieving potions. The Grandmaester had chosen to not enter the sick rooms of Lord Baelish once he had diagnosed him with a variety of the bloody flux.
Joffrey heard through Massey that the servants had been instructed to burn his bedding and the clothes that had been used by him in his last week. His personal quarters would also be cleaned thoroughly and everyone that was in close contact with him was quarantined for some days. Joffrey himself had already been declared healthy after he did not show any signs of sickness.
The quarantine was observed rather strictly once Robert heard about the matter and how the sickness could have potentially struck Joffrey. The king blew a gasket in the Small Council chamber, and only Pycelle's repeated reassurance that Joffrey was well seemed to calm him down.
XXXXXXXXXXX
Joffrey was reading through a treatise of the Blackfyre Rebellions when Hilda, one of his handmaids hastily entered his solar and curtsied deeply.
"Well?"
"Ill news, my lord. There is talk that Lady Arryn threw herself off the Hand's Tower… and she apparently took the little lord with her."
Joffrey absentmindedly noted how quick Hilda had picked up the servant accent of the Red Keep, she really had a gift for imitation. Then Joffrey's hands grew slack when he registered what she had just said and the book slowly slipped out of his grasp.
"The servants are also saying that she was cuckolding Lord Arryn with Lord Baelish and couldn't live without him." She hastily added.
"Gods be damned. Send out everyone not on duty and quiet that rumor. Threaten them if needed. Where is Lord Jon?"
How did that happen? Lysa's and Robyn's death hadn't been in his plans. Robyn was just four name days old, he was a year younger than Tommen.
Hilda could only shrug helplessly.
"Never mind, you did well. Tell Massey to get a grip on the common Red Keep servants but to leave the personal servants of my parents alone. This better not leave the castle. Clegane we are going to the Tower of the Hand." Joffrey said grimly while he hastily slipped into a more subdued doublet, there was no need to appear garish.
Sandor was already standing at the door.