LEGEND OF THE MASKED DRAGON
The people of King's Landing and the realm live peaceful lives under King Robert's rule. Not that the King or the Nobles of the realm did anything to ease their lives. In the days of Aerys' rule Prince Rhaegar would disguise himself as a commoner and with a King's guard at his side walk among the smallfolk. Rhaegar would give them food and gold to ease the lives of the poor.
There are some nobles who try to help, but the majority of the rich in the south do not care for those they consider to be beneath them. Then rumors of the Masked Dragon started and justice was given to many in the realm. As the sun rose in King's Landing the poor of the city in Flea Bottom awoke to a surprise. Sitting on the doorstep of many residents was a package of food, new clothes, and a bag of fifty gold coins.
There was also a letter that read...
People of King's Landing
The Targaryens are not gone nor have you been forgotten. The masked Dragon watches over you...And soon he will take his throne...
There was also a Braavosi ship at the docks handing out food, clothes, and ten gold coins. Today the people of Flea Bottom ate fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, and drank clean water. A man with fifty guards arrives at the orphanage to give them toys, food, and clothes.
JANOS SLYNT
Lord Commander Janos Slynt makes his way to the Tower of the Hand with the news about the Masked Dragon's gift to the people. Some people are so bold as to put up Targaryen banners. Others draw the three headed Dragon on the walls in alleyways of the city. As Lord Commander of the City Watch he had to report this to the Hand of the King.
"My Lord Hand...Lord Janos Slynt to see you."
"Show him in."
"Morning M'Lord."
"Good morning. What brings you by Lord Janos?"
PETYR BAELISH
Petyr Baelish makes his way to the small council chambers near the throne room. An emergency meeting called by Jon Arryn. Baelish is a man of vision and ambition. All his dreams, plans and schemes were about to come true, but how did the Masked Dragon affect his plans. Recently Jon Arryn confided in him that he was going to send Robin Arryn away to be mentored by Stannis Baratheon. Jon's wife Lysa will not take this news well and he would make his move.
He was so close, but the Masked Dragon is an unknown to his climb to power. Petyr already knows what the meeting will be about. A clever ploy to win the hearts of the smallfolk. Something that he himself should have thought of. But when you are climbing the ladder of power you did not look down, you kept your eyes up. Still feeding the hungry and poor of King's Landing will gain the Masked Dragon a lot of favor.
Petyr arrives at the meeting the same time as Lord Varys, Janos Slynt, and Jon Arryn. Ser Davos arrives next, then Renly. Finally the King enters with Ser Barristan. "Let us begin." Robert says. Before Jon can speak the doors open again and in walks the Queen and the crown Prince. "What the blazes are you doing here woman?"
"This concerns me and my son...Our future...We should be here."
"My Lord?" Jon asks and Robert nods, "This morning the poor of the city received gifts of food, clothes, and money. All in the name of the Masked Dragon."
"I say we confiscate it all!" Joffrey says.
"Be quiet boy!"
"A bold move. Give the poor food, clothes, and gold they will favor the Masked Dragon." Varys says. "Try and take that away, the people will riot."
Jon clears his throat, "There is more. Lord Janos says that there is a ship in dock. A Bravosi ship handing out food and clothes...in the name of the Masked Dragon."
Robert stands up, "Fucking Dragonspawn! He is getting bolder in his games!"
"Your Grace...perhaps we should fight fire with fire." Baelish says.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean we do what he did, but on a grander scale. How about we clean up the streets...Do something about the smell. Um..."
"Educate the smallfolk." Jon Arryn says.
The meeting lasts for hours, with them coming up with ideas to win the hearts of the people. After the meeting is over Baelish heads to his office. All his endeavors to learn the identity of the Masked Dragon has failed. He sends messages to his agents in the Riverlands and the Vale. He had not heard from his people in the North for months and it started to worry him that the masked dragon is behind it.
As Baelish is leaving his solar in the Red Keep, he finds a letter that had been shoved under his door. He reads it and places the message in his pocket to burn later. At midnight he meets Lysa Arryn in the old Targaryen torture rooms. The rooms had been sealed and reopened by different monarchs. Robert ordered them sealed, but Baelish had told Lysa of a secret passage into the torture chamber.
Lysa Arryn's love for him will get Baelish everything he wants. She will poison Jon Arryn for him and after a few months of mourning he will marry her and become Lord of the Vale. Robert will seek a new Hand in Eddard Stark. And if Stark lived up to his reputation he would discover the Queen's secret and Catelyn Stark would be his; after Lysa had an accident.
"Lysa my love your message sounded urgent."
They kiss, "Oh Petyr it is horrible. Jon wants to send Robin to Dragonstone to Ward with Stannis."
"I know he told me."
"What are we going to do?"
This was it. The push that would make him Lord of the Vale. "Let me think on the matter and I will get back with you." They meet again the next night. "Lysa do you love me?"
"You know I do."
"The answer to our problem is simple." He takes out a bottle of poison.
"What is that?"
He kisses her, "Poison...If you want to be free of him. Jon Arryn must die."
"But..."
"But you will be a widow...Free to marry again. After a proper mourning period of course."
She hugs him, "Oh Petyr."
LYSA
In her heart she is scared, but her love for Petyr Baelish overrides that fear. She was about to take the bottle of poison, when Petyr grunts, blood splashes on her as a sword sprouts from his chest. Standing behind Petyr is a man wearing a Dragon mask. She screams running away towards the secret passage she used. Lysa pulls on the unlit torch and the door opens.
She looks back as the secret door closes, but the Masked Dragon is not following her. She runs down the passage towards the secret door that leads back to the Tower of the Hand. Petyr had shown her the passageway. How he found out about it she did not know. She finally makes it to her room and grabs a pillow off the bed. She screams into the pillow over the father of her son. When she pulls the pillow away she notices the blood.
Lysa goes to the mirror and washes the blood off her face. Se removes her bloodstained clothes and puts on her night clothes. She lays down waiting for the bells to ring, but they do not.
JON ARRYN
Jon is awakened from his sleep by the urge to relieve his bladder. He rushes to the privy to piss. As the liquid exits his body he sighs in relief. When Jon exits the privy he freezes as the Masked Dragon stands six feet away holding a bloody sword. "The Masked Dragon. Are you here to kill me."
"You did not stain your hands with blood of my kin...No I am not her to kill you."
He throws Jon a vile, which he catches out of the air. "What is this?"
"Tears of Lys...I took that off of Baelish after I killed him."
"Why did you kill Baelish?"
"Baelish was an ambitious man. His ambitions affected my family and my plans. Now tell me, why did you make him Master of Coin?"
"My wife..." He stops to think about the question, the situation, and the answer. It was his wife who convinced him to make Baelish Master of Coin. Then he looks at the poison in his hand. "Are you implying that my wife and Baelish were plotting to kill me?"
"I am."
"What would Baelish gain from killing me?"
"The Vale of Arryn...Lysa Arryn has always been in love with Baelish. He used that love to get what he wanted."
"You could be lying."
He pulls out a smoke, stained letter, "Baelish threw this into the fire to burn it. I restored it." The letter is a message from his wife to Baelish for a meeting. When Jon looks up the Masked Dragon is gone. He walks to his solar and sits down weighing the pros and cons of what he was told. On one hand the Masked Dragon could be trying sow discord among Robert's allies and supporters. The problem with that theory is that Baelish is not a major player in the Game of Thrones. His death while eventful, did affect the grand scheme of things, unless he was plotting against him.
"Guard!"
The man on duty rushes in, "Yed M'lord?"
"How many men are on duty right now?"
"Um...about thirty m'lord."
"Wake everyone and assemble them in the courtyard." In a tight, well, organized military manner Jon's men wake up, dress and assemble in the courtyard of the Hand's Tower.
Ser Arland Case is Captain of Jon's household guards. "The men are ready and assembled My Lord."
"Well done. Of those of you who were on duty did any of you see my wife wondering the halls this night."
One man raises his hand, "I did m'lord. I saw your Lady wife, she paid me not to say anything. I wasn't until you asked."
He nods, "Good lad...I want you all to seach the unused parts of the castle. Do it quietly."
"My Lord what are we looking for?" Arland asks.
"A dead body. If you find one report to me and keep it quiet." Two hours pass before Arland returns with two men carrying a dead body. "Is it Baelish?" Jon asks.
"Yes My Lord. How did you know?"
"How did he die?"
"Sword to the back...There is something else My Lord. I smelled woman's perfume. It lingered in the air. It was the sae kind your wife wears. Do you think she..."
Jon sighs, "That will be all Arland."
"And the body my lord?"
"Burn it and throw the ashes in the refuse. Tell the men to keep quiet." Later Jon searches Baelish's solar and finds a ledger book on nobles he is blackmailing. Jon tries to sleep, but he cannot, so he takes dream wine. Jon sleeps late and calls for food. "Has my wife eaten?"
"Yes m'lord." The servant replies.
"The High Septon bring him to me immediately." After meeting with the High Septon Jon summons his wife Lysa.
"Morning Jon." He does not respond. "You wanted to see me?"
He places the vile of poison on the table. "Do you know what this is?"
"No."
"It's tears of lys...The Masked Dragon gave it to me after he killed Petyr Baelish."
"I..Why tell me this?"
"Because you conspired with Baelish to have me killed."
He can see the fear in her eyes, "Jon...that's ridiculous...You're the father of my son. I love you."
"The man you loved is dead. And Robin is not my son. Nothing so weak and frail could ever be a son of House Arryn. You have played me false, but it is over. The High Septon has annulled our marriage. You and your bastard can return go to Riverrun for all I care. Give your father my regards."
She get's up and walks around the table, then she drops to her knees. "Please don't do this to me."
"Be gone woman! Before I do something, I regret." With teary eyes she leaves his solar. Jon's servants had already packed her clothes. Later Jon sits with Robert drinking.
"I can't believe it. Baelish and Lysa...That bitch! You're a good man Jon. I'd have killed that bitch with my bare hands."
"I hoped I raised you better than that." Robert stares at him and Jon can see the questions and doubts in his eyes. He sighs, "Robert listen to me. You are like a son to me...You named me Hand of the King. And while I am grateful to the Masked Dragon, my loyalty is to you. If it came to war...I would side with you. If I had to give my life to save yours then know that I would...At the same time...if I was taken alive and asked to bend the knee. Then I would do that as well."
Robert takes another drink, stands up and leaves. He stops at the door, "Thank you Jon for saying that."