Wolf in Lion's Clothing

Chapter 9: Birds and Fish

Jon Arryn

He didn't like her.

The Queen was too bright for his taste. She knew when to push to get her way and which battles to lose. Her green eyes seemed to notice numerous things, and often, whenever he let a matter drop to the side in favor of focusing on a more urgent one, the Hand of the King would find later that the issue was resolved through her meddling.

It irritated him immensely, not because he was afraid of another player in the capitol who operated with a comparable influence, but because she acted exactly like he didn't think she would.

Oh sure, Tywin Lannister's influence in the capitol slowly rose as positions were filled with Westerlander nobles, businesses were bought by Lannister gold, and smallfolk fed through the food brought by the negotiations of the Lannister Queen. But Lannister influence could have risen much faster, and the Lord of the Eyrie was puzzled as to why she failed to do so.

Half the time she did something, she failed to do what her father would want, resolving issues with a keen eye and a judicious mindset.

Just the other day, a Riverlord who had sought his advice on some trivial border dispute had left the city early, and he received the news that he had resolved his differences with his neighbor and would work together to build up the land and its properties. He was connected to the Lannisters, but his neighbor hated Tywin with a passion. She had done nothing to help him personally but instead pushed for cooperation.

The Head of House Arryn hadn't seen firsthand how she dealt with other lords, but he had his connections to fill him in. She utilized her womanly weapons with ease; her smile, her laughter, small touches on the shoulder and arms, and the dresses she wore all helped to make Lords large and small want to do what she said. She meant nothing real by it; his people had assured him that there was no way the King didn't father her child. No men followed her to her rooms, except for a member of the Kingsguard sometimes, and he trusted them explicitly. Ser Lyle Crakehall didn't seem like her type either. Her charm was used only in service of getting what she wanted.

"But what does she want?" He mused aloud as he walked the halls of Maegor's holdfast. He was heading in the direction of his chambers.

The Queen was very unpredictable. He idly wondered if he could convince his wife to befriend her before abandoning that idea. Lysa was so shy and demure that he wondered if perhaps she could even talk to anyone who wasn't someone she knew from her childhood. She barely spoke any words to him, even in bed, aside from the pleasantries expected from a noble Lady.

As he opened the door to the expansive area that housed the Hand's private chambers, among several other rooms that were at his disposal, he paused and stiffened as he heard laughter echoing from the balcony, the largest one on the tower.

He had guards stationed throughout the Tower of the Hand, which meant that whoever this was likely not an intruder, or at least they had to be one that was very skilled.

He cautiously made his way out to the balcony that overlooked the city, giving its occupants a beautiful view of the docks and the bay.

The pieces fit together in his mind as soon as he caught a glimpse of a White cloaked guard standing at attention near the doorway.

"And your sister? Have you heard from her?" The melodious voice of the Queen asked, her voice tinged with genuine curiosity.

Ser Lyle Crakehall gave him an almost imperceptible nod and allowed him through, it was his Tower after all.

"Y-yes. Catelyn has written me from Winterfell. She gave birth some months ago and is still recovering. But she tells me that she is becoming quite taken with the North. I confess that I don't understand much how she can stand the cold, but she has been preparing to be Lady of Winterfell for a long time." He heard his wife's voice come out, almost unsure, but much more confident than anything he'd ever heard from her.

He coughed politely as he came into view of the two women, whom he could now see were sharing tea on the outdoor table, snacks spread on the wooden surface. They seemed relaxed, comfortable even.

"Ah. My Lord Hand." Cersei greeted.

"Husband. You've returned." His wife spoke the rote greeting softly. "I-I invited the Queen over for tea." She spoke the second sentence with more confidence, and a glance at the other woman. She returned that glance with a small smile.

Jon did not like where this was going.

"Of course. I am glad to see that you two are getting along. My Tower is, of course, open to you your Grace." He said, bowing slightly.

The allure of her smile was not lost to him, even as he felt like the prey of a lioness on the hunt. He watched as she absent-mindedly pushed a lock of blonde hair behind her ear, the action seemed so innocuous but made him stir a little. His foster son was a lucky man.

"Please join us. Your Lady wife and I were just discussing some matters of family. Unless you're too busy? I would hate to impede your service to my husband."

"Of course not." It was not a request he could refuse without good reason. "I would be glad to join the two of you.

A servant brought up another seat for him and he avoided letting out a groan as he let his old bones rest.

"Tea? It's a remarkably refreshing blend from Dorne, with lemons and the like. I found it in Princess Elia's stores." The Queen asked politely, as a servant poured the hot beverage into a new cup for him.

He nodded and gave his thanks before taking a small sip. Poison would be a nonsensical course of action for her right now, and who else would be blamed if he died of it? It was a fruity blend that his taste buds quite enjoyed. It made him feel less old than he was.

He observed his wife taking another sip before putting on her normal passive expression.

"Husband. I… I approached the Queen because of the news I received." The Queen gave Lysa a comforting smile and placed a hand on hers. This seemed to bolster the Riverlander as she gained a small smile before turning to face him. "The Grandmaester has confirmed that… that I am with child."

His heart almost stopped as the gears in his mind stopped focusing on the Queen and whatever scheme she was playing at and instead shifted to his young wife.

"You are pregnant? He is sure?" He managed to get the words out.

She nodded and a small smile appeared on her face. "Y-yes. He was quite sure of it. He says I am likely further along than the Queen, that I had myself examined late."

Jon's mind spiraled a little. She had been more attentive in recent days. More concerned during their nights together. He acted only out of a sense of duty, to his Lordship and to the name of his family, and she only out of a sense of duty to her husband, at least before the increase in her attentions.

He wanted an heir of course, and this was wondrous news.

"This is incredible. Wondrous even!" He brought his hand to hers and she flinched only slightly at the contact, before consciously giving him a smile. They weren't the closest couple of nobles in Westeros, he had seen many more who gave each other cold shoulders and slept in lonely beds. He still added a mental reminder to himself to make more of an effort.

"Yes." She said confidently. "I… I hoped to make friends with the Queen. She and I will be going through this experience together after all. It's why I invited her to tea with me."

Jon tried not to let his worry show on his face. The fact that she had gone to the queen first with the news of the pregnancy, the fact that she felt insecure about their marriage, hurt. He knew that at the very least, Cersei's comforting smile and hand seemed to give his wife strength after all. It seems the Queen was making a new move in the game, and while he understood that marriage was always part of the game, he didn't expect her to openly try to steal someone who should have been a confidante.

"Of course. Of course! I am sure you both will find much comfort in having each other for support." He hoped the joy in his voice sounded more real than it felt.

"I'm beyond excited. Will the two of you join us for supper tonight? Robert and I would love the company." Cersei spoke up again. "I have also made sure that some of the servants in the kitchens have been taught about anything that might affect the pregnant."

Lysa turned to him with eyes that pleaded, not that she needed to. It was a royal invitation. Not even the Hand could refuse without a good excuse.

"Of course. I would be glad to, your grace." Cersei's smile seemed to grow brighter somehow.

They turned to different matters then, smaller ones, the women talking about their siblings.

"Oh, but Renly has been a dear. He has been very excited for the babe. I hear that your brother is the same age?"

"Yes. Edmure is young. I… I have not spent as much time with him as I'd like." He's an annoying young brat he mentally translated. The child was a little annoying. Hopefully Hoster raised him right enough until he was ready to inherit Riverrun.

"Family is very important. Does he look like you? In looks, my husband and his brothers are all so similar, but the difference of temperament between him and Stannis might as well be the size of the sunset sea. Was Robert always so… brash?" Cersei directed that last question at him. He finished his tea, giving him time to think of something as his wife described the young Edmure's looks.

He gave off some innocent stories of Robert and his time in the Eyrie, avoiding any mention of his more… amorous adventures.

The conversation flowed lightly from then, and he kept up the courtesies.

"I must prepare for dinner, your grace." Lysa spoke. It was a good time to leave, of course. There were no doubt duties that he had to get to that Quill, his most capable man, had waiting for him.

The trio gave their polite goodbyes and he brought Lysa up to their private quarters.

"I… I am glad that we did this." Lysa spoke so softly he might not have heard had there been any noise. "It felt… nice."

He could see an opportunity when he saw one. "I am glad. I know that our… arrangement was not what you thought you would have in life, but I am willing to make it work if you are, Lysa." He called her by her first name and when she turned around to look at him, she seemed to draw in some courage before responding.

"Yes… Jon. I would like that." He gave a chaste kiss on her cheek, which she did not react to. A good sign. She usually flinched. "Cersei has been encouraging me these past months to… get closer to you."

He hoped no visible sign of anger showed on his face as he bid her goodbye and left the room.

She was getting much too comfortable with her position. The fact that the Queen now sought to supplant his support base by befriending his wife…

He let his anger subside as he took to his duties. Paperwork was the bane of all rulers, and Robert got off very easily, considering that Jon took over most of the responsibilities.

Of course, he now had a surprise dinner with the Royal couple to deal with. He cut short a few meetings to adapt to the new change in his schedule before getting dressed in a smart-looking tunic of his house colors, his wife wearing a dress that blended the light blues of Arryn with the darker blues of Tully. She looked… nice.

"You look nice, dear." Yes, it was still awkward between them. But instead of staying silent like she usually did, his lady wife gave a small smile and whispered: "thank you."

As they entered the hall, ushered in by one of the Queen's handmaidens, he saw that Robert was whispering into his wife's ears as they sat on the table. The Queen reacted demurely but was whispering back as well.

"Jon! When Cersei told me the news, I was so excited!" Jon let out a genuine smile when he heard his foster son's greeting. He did love Robert dearly. He and Ned were the closest thing he had ever had to sons.

"Robert. Your Grace." He bowed a little in greeting.

"Your Graces." Lysa curtsied somewhat.

"None of that here! We're all family now, aren't we!" Robert said with some joy. Jon raised an eyebrow at that. He seemed a little too optimistic about how nobles acted around each other. Probably just the joy of a parent with a child on the way. After all, he was on his third wife, and Lysa was not the first to say they were bearing his child, only for the joy to be taken from him abruptly, along with the noble lady herself being taken by the Stranger. He knew full well the elation one can get from hearing that his wife was with child.

As they sat for dinner, Jon's eyes were drawn to the way that Lysa seemed to look to the Queen for support, for guidance. One of her hands drew to his own, yet only after one of the Queen's held Robert's.

"And then Stannis said that he'd think about it. Him! Take a wife! I never thought I'd see the day." Robert finished his story as he bit into more of the salted beef. "How did those two meet anyway?"

"I introduced Lord Stannis to Lord Velaryon's daughter just the other day, dear." Queen Cersei spoke up. "The girl is dutiful and I asked Stannis to take the matter under consideration. The Velaryons have been Masters of Ships for generations. To have yours marry one would give your brother, and therefore you, more legitimacy."

It was a smart ploy. Jon only regretted that he had not thought of it first.

"Jon. What do you think of the affair?" Lysa's hands seemed to become clammy and nervous as Robert directed the question towards him but Jon paid her no mind.

"A good plan. Let us hope it pans out, your grace." He nodded to the Queen as she took a demure bite of her pheasant. It was best to tacitly support the notion right now. It seemed almost waste of Stannis's marriage prospects, considering that the Reachmen and the Dornish would no doubt try their level best to infiltrate the Royal Family, the former for influence and the latter for intrigue.

The matters they talked about shifted to lighter topics until, finally, the royal couple thought it was best to retire.

"A splendid dinner. We must do this more often." Cersei's charming smile and demeanor almost got through to Jon, but he simply gave her a polite smile.

"Indeed. It was good to see you again Robert. Running the realm has kept me ever so busy, perhaps your wife should visit the Tower more often to socialize with mine. I'm sure that she will appreciate lightening the load of her duties of course."

Lysa's eyes seemed to light up even as Cerseis's eyes briefly betrayed her panic. Being cooped up in the Tower of the Hand with Lysa and whoever Jon had to keep an eye on them would not be something she liked.

"That's a good idea. I'd love it if our wives could get together. Cersei?" Robert responded with his usual eagerness.

"We shall have to see." She said, her tight smile still seeming to all the world as brilliant as usual.

"Yes. We shall."

Jon Arryn was not out of this fight. Not yet. Cersei Lannister would do well to not underestimate him in the slightest.

Notes:

Did you know that eagles are one of the few birds that can go head-to-head with a lion and come out on top? Two others include Cassowaries and Ostriches.

I did some research after getting a comment about this and found out that Royal consorts do not change Houses. They're all still referred to by their original House. Queen Cersei Lannister, Queen Betha Blackwood, etc…

Sorry again for the infrequent upload schedule. This fic has fallen lower on my urgency list and I've mostly been focused on fandoms I'm still a lot more invested in.