Hello!
This is part of the monthly Reddit Citadel Prompt challenges - 'A character makes another smile. What did they say or do? Who is smiling?' [Max 400 words]
Chapter 1: The Beginning of the Game
Year 289AC
Outside the Small Council Chambers, Red Keep, King's Landing, Crownlands, Westeros
Varys entered the Throne room to see Stannis enduring Pycelle's prattle by the closed doors to the Small Council Chamber.
"Grand Maester, my Lord," Varys inclined his head as he reached the other two council members.
"Is Jon Arryn normally late to council meetings?" Stannis asked curtly.
"Not generally, I suspect he may have got waylaid on his way or something unexpected happened," Varys replied pleasantly.
"You are the Master of Whispers so which is it?"
Varys placed his hands together in his sleeves and held Stannis's demanding gaze, "I believe we have a new council member joining us today and Jon Arryn is currently with them."
Stannis nodded at the straightforward answer then looked to the Throne room's entrance. Jon Arryn was walking slowly towards them with a slight young man at his shoulder.
"Apologies my Lords for my tardiness I was showing Lord Baelish around the Red Keep," Jon explained.
"And who is he for the Hand of the King to be spending time with?" Stannis bluntly asked.
"I believe he is the new Master of Coin," Varys interjected before complimenting, "I've heard he did outstanding work on the control customs at Gulltown, increased the incomes tenfold."
"You heard right, Lord Varys," Jon confirmed, "I thought his skills too great to just be of use to the Vale."
"Welcome Lord Baelish," Pycelle greeted, "Can we go sit down now? I'm an old man."
"Of course," Jon said, gesturing for everyone to enter the Small Council chamber.
Stannis pushed the doors apart and charged in, followed decrepitly by Pycelle then Jon.
"You heard of my work in Gulltown?" Baelish inquired while hanging back with Varys.
"Yes, and of your childhood relationship with Lysa Arryn. It must be nice to have such an enthusiastic supporter."
Baelish's intelligent eyes snapped to Varys's, "One must always have a well-placed backer. I believe when you first came to King's Landing you had Aerys II Targaryen as yours. I applaud your ability to survive when he fell."
Varys gave a genuine smile at the cutting thrust of the young man's words. I wonder how long you will last when Jon Arryn dies?
"We mustn't keep the Small Council waiting," Varys said, inclining his head towards the three men settling around the large table.
"After you, I insist," Baelish said slyly.
Varys unclasped his hands and walked on but the smile remained on his face. The games they were going to play.
Author Note:
Hope you enjoyed Varys and Littlefinger's first meeting as my mind imagined it. This was a case of player recognising player really lol.
The Varys & Littlefinger dynamic is one I really want to explore in more detail at some point but I hope I got enough over in the 400ish words.
This is a one-shot but I will edit in review responses to the end of this chapter.