The trek back to Oldtown was even longer the second time around. Shona rode her white mare the whole way appreciating the sun on her face, and the wind in her long tresses. It had been so long since she had been allowed to ride without bounds. She was half tempted to breeze ahead atop Shai and race her brothers back to the tower she called home, but she knew better. Now was not the time for fun, and games, and joking. The Hightower family, all besides Shona, were clueless as to the issue at hand regarding Lord Leyton. The old lord had feigned his death with success succumbing to a flesh eating virus. There would be no viewing of the body, and no open casket when Lord Leyton was to be added amongst the crypts below the Starry Sept. No, Lord Hightower was much too smart for them all. Only Shona knew the truth, but she still exaggerated her sadness for the benefit of her family. She donned her black gown and headed home in a sea of ebony.
Several had seen her family off: a frowning Cersei, a teary eyed Margaery, and a solemn Lord Tywin whom had offered Lord Baelor a stiff handshake as a farewell. Tommen was nowhere to be found, and it saddened Shona greatly to not see his lanky blonde form amongst the crowd of well wishers. Margaery sent her regrets along with Shona. She had wished to accompany the party back home, but something about the fire in Margaery's eyes told Shona she was far from done in King's Landing. Margaery was desperate to become queen. Nothing could stop the brunette girl from achieving her dream of doing so. She would have her lovely eyes set on Tommen, and it was well known to her cousin. Shona's heart ached for the girl she had come to love in her time at King's Landing, and she wept for poor Tommen who did not wish to marry her at all.
Shona gave her mare a swift tap with her heels sending the horse in a sprint forward. The blonde girl reined in her mount to walk beside her father and brothers. Lord Baelor was sipping wine from his canteen, and offered some to his daughter who gave a quick shake of her head. Shona had never been fond of wine in the first place. Baelor shrugged and hooked the leather strapped canteen to the pommel of his saddle.
"How much further, father?" Shona asked wistfully. She was tired of the slow walk home, and could not tell from passing fields of green where exactly in The Reach they rode. The journey would have been shorter without the rolling box several yards behind them holding Lady Hightower and their maidens from court.
"Only a few more hours, love, at most. Soon you shall see your tower on the horizon."
Lord Baelor was truthful for after they climbed a particularly steep hill the tower came into view. A shining beacon high above the churning sea waves. Her home at last was within her sight and reach. Shona cried as they got closer, and her father almost laughed at his daughter's happiness before giving her a wink and shooting forward on his own quick footed mount. The stallion was thicker built than Shai, and no match for the leggy mare. Her legs ate the dusty road beneath her hooves as they raced for the tower. Blaze was fast as the wind, trailing the duo down the dirt path towards the city without hesitation. He had grown in the last few moons to her waist, and had the quickness of a shadow cat. He was spunky and fearless like his owner who let out a low unladylike whoop of joy that was drowned in the wind.
Shona surged ahead of her father with Cadlan and Bristan taking the rear as the dirt became cobbles. Shai's shod hooves pinged against the grey stone as Shona rode on past the merchants, markets, and great sept of Oldtown. The four Hightower riders dismounted at their keep, handing off the Asshai horses to several stable boys clad in the Hightower colors of grey and red. Blaze was sent forth to the kennels for a meal and a bath. The kennel master chuckled at the hound as he patted his mahogany coat, "Don't worry, my lady, I will have him waiting in your room in no time at all."
"Father," Shona spoke to Baelor as they walked side by side into the opening tower doors, "I wish to pray. I will see you for luncheon."
Baelor gave his youngest child a kiss on the forehead and nodded her off. Shona knew exactly where she was headed: Aunt Malora. The maid was in Lord Leyton's study when she entered. Others called her the Mad Maid for she spent all of her time with grandfather, and no one else. Her curly, mousy head was stuck in a book when the younger Hightower girl entered the room without a knock. Malora poked her head up briefly with squinted eyes, "Go away."
"It is Shona. I have come to see you, and discuss… spiders." Shona closed the door behind her, and took notice of the absence of servants in the airy room.
"Aye, spiders." Malora nodded as if she knew exactly what the girl before her was saying. She closed the book with a thud and walked forward. Her actions were jittery, and nervous, as she squinted once more at Shona with her book clutched to her flat chest. The blonde bit at her lower lip at the scrutiny.
"You're nothing more than a girl. I thought you were darker haired, too." Malora noticed abruptly. Shona blinked at the words and momentarily wondered if the old maid thought Lord Leyton had requested Margaery instead. Malora shook her curly head and grumbled before walking around Shona to a bookshelf on the far side of the room. She pulled at a small red book amongst all the tomes. The bookshelf immediately swung open to reveal a damp doorway.
"Father is this way. Come, we have much to discuss."
Shona followed Malora down a set of steep steps to a chamber most likely located directly below. Lord Leyton sat in a gilded chair propped upon plush red cushions. The old Lord looked towards the doorway when the duo entered and offered a grunt as a greeting. Shona was almost surprised at the sight of Lord Leyton for her appeared much younger than she anticipated. White of hair, and saggy of skin, but wild eyed. He stood from his chair without much of a limp. He stood almost as tall as his son, her father, as he came forward to eye Shona.
"Welcome home, my sweet Shona. Did you receive my gift in King's Landing?" he asked with glittering eyes the same shade as her own. She blinked up into them in confusion, "I received no gift, my lord."
"The book, girl, the book! The Targaryen tome was meant for you. I sent it for Margaery, but it was really meant for you. Like that half wit of Mace's would read it. She is too much like her mother to be interested in her studies. More like whoring if you ask me." Lord Leyton snapped. He reached for his goblet and sipped at the wine within. Shona frowned at his words regarding Margaery but nodded despite herself, "Yes, I have it. I had given it to Tyrion Lannister to read, but he is jailed in King's Landing."
"Yes, I heard. Pity," Lord Leyton started sitting back on his cushions, "he was probably the smartest of the lot Tywin sired. Cannot say much good about The Kingslayer or his sister. Cersei, the golden cunt."
"Grandfather!" Shona gasped in surprise. Leyton swept away her words with a wayward hand. He gestured for her to sit beside him in an armchair made of dark wood. Upon the chair was a cushion embroidered in great detail with the Targaryen crest. The three headed dragon blazed darkly upon the dark silk, and Shona paused briefly to touch the stitching with a slender finger.
"That was made before the rebellion. I have always been a dedicated supporter of the Targaryen line. The Usurper," Leyton sneered as he discussed King Robert, "turned out to a piss poor excuse for a king, didn't he? Whoring from dawn to dusk, and begging for my gold all the while through that snake Baelish."
"Petyr Baelish?" Shona asked not entirely surprised. He had taken her friend away for his own gain seemingly. He did seem like a weasel, but the asking of funds was new knowledge to her. She would think the crown would have no interest borrowing from her small family. Lord Leyton was well known as being one of the most wealthy men in Westeros, and it was through effort on his part. He stayed out of wars, and fought his own battles behind the scenes. Leyton had been saving the Hightower wealth for as long as anyone could remember, and only recently had put forth the gold to produce a steady line of ships for Gods knows what reasoning. Lord Hightower did what he wished, and didn't answer to any other person as to how or why. It had made him richer than any other lord and that included Tywin Lannister.
"One in the same. He's a weasel if I ever saw one. Last I heard he was on his way to The Eyrie. Something tells me he is keen on marrying Lysa Arryn, but that is just my old mind thinking. I do have other thoughts, though, regarding you. Would you like to hear them?"
Shona uttered a quick, "Yes, my lord.", to which the older Hightower frowned.
"Stop calling me lord! Christ, I am your grandfather. Call me as such. Save the my lord's for your father. That is one thing we need to discuss here in secret: his becoming Lord Hightower in name. I cannot be seen. These meetings need to be in utter secrecy, and the only persons who should know anything going on in this room are yourself, myself, Malora, and eventually Varys."
"Can we trust Varys? He has even told me that he is a spider. Should we trust a spider?"
"He is a spider I trust wholeheartedly. Varys is complicated, and you will see in time that he has the best interest of Westeros in mind. Every action, and every decision, he makes is for the good of the realm. Without him we would be in worse hands." Lord Leyton voiced calmly with his hands folded over his stomach. His eyes glittered in the lantern light flickering with life, wisdom, and slight anger as he spoke.
"Do you know who killed Joffrey? We do not believe for a moment that Tyrion is responsible." Shona spoke remembering her previous conversation with Varys. Shona briefly worried for the youngest Lannister man. She wondered briefly if he was still locked away in the dirty dungeon cell eating stale bread. Her heart flopped for her friend.
"That is the reasoning behind his escape with Varys. Tyrion was a frame job. The little prick king deserved what he got. Was his death gruesome? Did he die slowly, or quickly? The Strangler is such an interesting poison. Very interesting indeed."
Malora nodded to the words from where she had been reading in her own corner. Her head was back to being stuck in her book, and upon closer inspection Shona was shocked to see that it was a tome on poisons.
"It was you! You killed Joffrey, but how? You were here…" Shona cried out in disbelief, which made her grandfather cackle almost manically.
"It seems like our family has some mutual hatred for the crown. Joffrey Baratheon was a pawn, and he was taken out before the issue could grow worse for your cousin. I indeed did supply the poison. Malora," his eyes went to the reading crone who blinked up at him with a slow grin, "is the mastermind behind the poison making."
"And Varys had a role in all of this?" Shona asked in disbelief, and almost anger. The man knowingly had let Tyrion take the fall. He had let them drag Tyrion Lannister away and shackle him below the Red Keep. Varys knew from the get go Leyton Hightower's plans and failed to tell Shona any of the sort whilst in her company. How many nights had they been secretly plotting this? How many times had she looked right past Varys without a thought of him doing wrong? She felt like an idiot, and it brought sudden tears to her eyes.
"Stop with the tears. A Hightower does not cry!" Lord Leyton boomed at the frightened girl. He watched her jump back in fear and let out a long sigh, He had been locked in his tower by himself so long that he had forgotten how to act around young girls. Malora had always been different. She was not a sharp quill, and his insults often went right over her head. He knew she was not dumb, but Malora was special to him. The girl took what her father said with a grain of salt. He could not remember Malora ever crying from his words, and he regretted instantly snapping at his youngest grandchild. He patted her head softly, "There, there, it's fine. You care about this Lannister imp, don't you?"
Shona watched her grandfather quirk a brow her way and she bit her lip. Part of her wanted to answer with a quick yes. She absolutely adored Tyrion Lannister. She did not know if it were his sense of humor, or his wit. His smile, or his laugh? Something about him made her smile in return. She recalled the days they had spent together. The harp he had purchased for her with it's golden etchings. The book they both pondered briefly over that was now tucked safely away in her trunk. Shona swept away tears and smiled at her grandfather, "I do. I love him, grandfather. Very much."
Lord Leyton smiled at the girl before him wondering where her soft heart had come from. In his mind she was the only thing right in his world. The little blonde beam of sunshine was his son's greatest achievement in life, and for that Lord Leyton could not dare complain, "That is what I wanted to hear, Sunshine. It will make this entire adventure a lot more worthy for you. Are you ready for this?"
For the first time in a long while Shona felt the courage she needed to nod yes. She was almost surprised by her immediate acceptance. It was dangerous. It was almost crazy, and it was all worth it because Shona Hightower knew one thing: she loved Tyrion Lannister, and she would do anything for the little lion man.