Chapter Three: Unfounded Accusations

Harry and his party were greeted warmly by the steward when they arrived at Moon Gate Keep. Ser Morton sent his brother on up to the Eyrie immediately so they would have eyes on the Vale's relocated court while Harry and he poked around the Arryn's winter fortress for some answers. Ser Nestor was very grateful for Harry already taking on Willum Royce as his squire, which made Harry feel a little guilty since he hadn't spent much time teaching the young boy anything yet. He assuaged his feelings of dereliction with the fact he had been moving almost constantly since disembarking in Gull Town. Once he was settled somewhere he could instruct the boy in earnest.

Steward Royce grilled Harry just as thoroughly as his fosters brothers about his adventures in Essos and was happy that he learned so much. The steward was proud that the Hardyng heir continued training in combat with his escort throughout the trip. Harry then turned the discussion they were having in Nestor's study around to learn about recent events. Ser Donnel's missives were right on target it seemed. The facts were all as they'd been told. Harry then told Nestor one of his ulterior motives for his trip abroad.

"You see Steward Royce, I find my family's unfortunate run of bad luck, tragedies, and infertility to be suspect. It dawned on me that House Arryn may have a secret enemy that is patiently whittling away at our family with very subtle use of toxins, illness, and poison. So one of the avenues of study I pursued abroad was to learn all I could about poisons, their names, identifying characteristics, and how they present. And then I return to find accusations of Lord Jon being poisoned." Harry paused to gauge how Steward Royce would take his confession.

"It seems your suspicions of an enemy may have some truth to them now. I take it that you are bringing this to my attention for a reason," he questioned.

"Yes, I would like your permission to question everyone that returned from Kings Landing. Perhaps even question the Imp. I don't think I have to spell out how dangerous our current situation is. Even if the Imp is guilty, I don't see Tywin Lannister forgiving us his execution. If the Vale is potentially to go to war over recent events we should at least make sure we have the right man. All I've heard about are accusations and imprisonment awaiting a confession. But no investigation."

"Well, that's not quite correct. I did talk with the Arryn men-at-arms that returned with Lady Arryn but never learned of any plot. These crimes are a new tune for Lysa. As far as I knew our elderly Lord Jon passed away from an illness due to his advanced age." he paused thinking. "I believe you are right, we should re-evaluate and gather more evidence against Tyrion. It will be useful in petitioning the crown for interference if Lord Lannister attempts to seek vengeance. What will you need to do this?" he asked.

"Just a room to use and a list of all the men-at-arms and servants that returned to the Vale with the new Lord Arryn. I don't think it likely to find any definitive proof, but we might ferret out co-conspirators who could be coerced to give testimony. Perhaps someone saw something that didn't mean anything at the time but now could be relevant. Unfortunately the crime occurred in King's Landing so we may need to journey there to follow leads. But let's see what we can learn now, yes?"

"There were only soldiers and Maester Colemon that returned to the Vale. Apparently Lysa fired all of the staff serving the Hand for failing her Lord and then abandoned them in King's Landing to rush back to the Vale with all haste. Though she did command that the two hundred men-at-arms who returned to remain in the Eyrie and Moon Gate to protect the young Lord."

"That's odd. Why leave loyal servants behind? If she thought they were involved she should have arrested and interrogated them?"

"I think you should be aware Ser Harold, that Lady Arryn has been...behaving erratically since her return. I think Lord Jon's death might have unhinged her a bit. She refuses most of her duties, sequesters herself with her son, and has even been seen breast feeding him in public. I've been continuing in my role as steward to allow her to deal with her grief. Please be careful in your investigation. I don't want her riled up anymore than she already is," he cautioned.

"Of course steward. I and Ser Morton will be the very soul of discretion." And with that Nestor Royce had his aide show them to an empty workroom while he assembled the Arryn's escort from King's Landing.

Harry asked each one similar questions individually so he could get the most out of his passive legilimency. None of the guards had noticed anything suspicious and were now quite distressed to think they'd failed to protect Lord Jon from an assassin. None of them could think of any of the Hand's staff as particularly furtive or acting strangely as they were all born in the Vale and had been serving in the Hand's Tower for at least five years, some of them since Lord Jon became the Hand.

When he asked about suspicious guests or any guests at all in the days leading up to Lord Arryn's illness he drew a blank. Jon Arryn tended to orchestrate his business so meetings could be conducted in the Red Keep and occur in proximity to the council chambers. Jon wished the Tower of the Hand to be his refuge in King's Landing. The only people with regular access beyond the staff, guards, or the Hand's family were female guests of Lady Lysa which visited infrequently as well as Master of Coin Paetyr Baelish who as a Valeman, a small council member, and a life long friend of Lysa Arryn nee Tully had plenty of reasons to visit the Tower of the Hand.

But again in the week prior to his becoming ill there were no visitors to the Arryns. The only thing of note that a couple guardsmen mentioned was that Lord Jon seemed to have taken on a new project for the King. At least that's what they assumed since it involved interviews with the King's fourteen bastards that lived in King's Landing. It was odd to some because some of the kids were quite young and wouldn't have much to say. One guardsmen did mention that the Arryn's long time Maester Colemon was sent back to the Vale to allow Grand Maester Pycelle to take over the Hand's care a few days after Jon had become sick.

The only read he got of any value was from more than a few men-at-arms that did not like how close Lysa Arryn was to the Whoremonger Littlefinger. They felt it was unbefitting of her station to be friends with a purveyor of flesh however close they'd been as children. From an older sergeant named Gardan he had gotten the suspicion of adultery. The Arryn sergeant had purposefully become a chaperone for the two whenever Baelish would visit since they seemed much closer than just friends in his mind.

By the end of the day Ser Morton had grown quite frustrated with their lack of progress, so Harry was happy to call it a day and join the steward's family for dinner. Early the next morning Harry, Ser Morton, and their party made the taxing climb up to the Eyrie with it's requisite mule rides, icy steps on the shaded side, and winch baskets for their gear. The one highlight for the trip was the incredible view of the Vale. It struck him now as much as the first time he made this trek how beautiful this valley kingdom was, with fertile fields surrounded at every turn by thickly wooded foot hills and massive snow tipped mountains. Both he and Kara also liked the look of the young guide named Mya Stone. They had already discussed Kara's growing excitement to live out some of her fantasies and hoped Mya might be one to join them. But in reading and talking to her Harry unfortunately determined she was deeply smitten with squire Mychel Redfort.

Even in the light of day the treacherous assent was grueling but they achieved the summit an hour after midday. For a keep that could house five hundred and with it's lord in residence it was strangely empty. The stables seemed only a quarter full and no smith or other craftsmen were at work in the small workshops surrounding the spherical courtyard. The Eyrie keep itself was as impressive as ever, a thick tower thrusting up into the heavens. The first six floors were shuttered, with heavy stone or metal coverings used in both war and to keep out the elements.

Falcon themed gargoyles adorned each levels' corners and the very top could barely be seen as large windows and colonnades that gave the top floors a picturesque and commanding three hundred and sixty degree view of the Vale. Supposedly there were just as many floors excavated below the towering fort, as the skilled masons responsible for the cliffside Moon Gate keep turned their art into tunneling storage granaries, water reservoirs, and the famous sky cells below the impressive building. Harry's party was greeted by Ser Wallace Waynwood, Ser Vardis Egen, and Ser Brynden "Blackfish" Tully. Ser Egen took it upon himself to enquire about their purpose for visiting since Ser Wallace had deferred the reason to his older brother.

Harry let Ser Morton answer as the senior member of their party. The eldest Waynwood said that they were merely escorting their young foster brother to Eyrie as he'd just returned from an extended absence from the Vale. As Lord Robert Arryn's last remaining kinsman they and their mother Lady Anya thought he should make himself available to the family during this trying time. The Blackfish scowled at the obvious dodge, but Ser Vardis, a man known for having more honor and brawn than brains, thought it was a reasonable excuse to visit.

He called for a servant who showed the Waynwoods to rooms near Ser Wallace. The Waynwood men-at-arms were led to the Eyrie barracks with the instruction to keep their ears open for any rumors. Once he was alone with his foster brothers, Wallace let them know what he had so far discovered. Apparently only Ser Vardis and thirty Arryn men-at-arms were present in the Eyrie as well as a skeleton crew of servants along with Septon Daril, Maester Coleman, a mercenary named Lothor Brune who had been hired by Tyrion and was sticking with him on the promise of more Lannister gold. There were also the two additional Tullys: Brynden and Catelyn Stark, as well as a minstrel named Marillion.

The Blackfish was only recently arrived to as he put it, "to keep his sisters from doing anything else foolish." But he appeared to not be having much success. Catelyn accused Tyrion of pushing Bran Stark out of a tower at Winterfell then sending an assassin to finish him off with a Valyrian Steel knife. Catelyn Stark had both the scars and knife to prove the assassination attempt occurred. It was Lysa who was really pushing for Tyrion to confess to the poisoning of Jon Arryn. Which was why the Imp was currently cooling his heels in a sky cell until he confessed.

Ser Wallace hadn't gotten either Tully sister or brother to speak with him, but he had talked to the Maester who clearly had something to say, but wouldn't speak with the youngest Waynwood brother. The bard had only joined up with Catelyn Stark's party to avoid being killed by mountain clans, but did relate that during the fighting prior to reaching the Bloody Gate, Tyrion at one point saved Lady Catelyn's life. He was now trying to worm his way into patronage since Lysa had very little to keep her sickly son entertained with here in the Eyrie.

Ser Morton volunteered to speak with Brynden since they had known each other for many years and served together in the Greyjoy Rebellion. Ser Wallace said he would make another attempt to speak with Lady Catelyn about how she arrived at Tyrion as the suspect. He was also to meet with the Eyrie's head maid Alleria to arrange a visit for Harry with Lysa and Robyn. After the brothers left Harry pulled Willum and Kara aside and let them know he was going to sneak down to interrogate Tyrion. They were shocked he would do such a thing, but he got them both to promise to cover for him and make it seem like he was still in his room.

At the first vacant alcove he encountered Harry quickly cast his stealth charms and crept down to the sky cells. There was only one jailor on duty, who was quite large if deformed. Harry stunned him then positioned his body as if he'd fallen asleep. He then removed his charms and approached Tyrion's cell, the only one of six occupied. The Lannister dwarf was huddled in a corner shivering under a thin blanket. Harry contemplated making improvements to the cell so the prisoner wouldn't freeze in the crisp early spring nights or fall to his death but couldn't see how to do that without exposing himself. A Lannister would be one of the last people he would want to know about his powers. Well a Lannister besides Kara anyway.

"Hello Tyrion Lannister. Are the accommodations to your liking?" he smirked.

"Well you aren't Mord come to beat me, so perhaps things are improving. So are you here just to heckle, or has my father finally paid one of the Valemen to stop this madness?" Tyrion stood in the corner with his blanket draped about him like a cloak and looked through the barred rectangular opening in his cell's door. "What is your name?"

"Ser Harold Hardyng, the Arryn Heir. Just returned from a training trip across the Narrow Sea. I've found quite the vexing situation here in the Eyrie to greet me. Apparently my Great Uncle has been murdered and my liege Lady says it was done by you as well as a Stark claim you tried to murder a little boy when you passed through Winterfell. What is your response to such damning charges?" Harry schooled his features to give away none of his own skepticism about the claims.

"I'm astonished anyone could think such a small man capable of such lofty feats. Surely someone of larger stature could be found to take the blame." he said with false grandiosity and sarcasm.

"More japes. How is that strategy working out for you so far? A cold cell with a nice view of the Vale. If I were you I'd take the situation a little more seriously. Your life is very much at stake." He admonished. "Now...where were you in the second week of the new year when Lord Arryn first became ill?"

"Finally someone asks a relevant question. While I was quite drunk for much of the weeks surrounding the new year, and the month after, I can say for certain that I was not in King's Landing at all. I was touring the fine brothels of High Garden when one of my father's knights tracked me down and required my presence for a funeral for the Hand of the King. We didn't even make it to King's Landing for the actual event. So you see I couldn't have been sneaking about the capitol murdering high level government officials." he snarked.

"Yet you are a Lannister with access to larges amounts of gold, as evidenced by your ability to pursue wine and women with such relish. Gold that could have been spent from Westerland or the Reach to have an effect in King's Landing," Harry riposted.

"That is true of a great many lords and merchants, all with greater means to do such a thing and more of a motive. For you see I have no motive. Jon Arryns' death didn't benefit me or my family in anyway. My father did not resume his role as Hand of the King. My sister especially was most distressed that she had to trek all the way to the North and back. What you should be asking is who directed Catelyn Stark in my direction in the first place." As he spoke the Imp had finally set aside his thin blanket and approached his cell door. He bore bruises on his face and arms of varying shades suggesting rough treatment for quite some time. Harry's passive legilimency had already alerted him to the Imp's innocence of poisoning the King's Hand. But it was quite clear the Imp knew more of the situation than he'd yet shared.

"Hmmm...now about the Stark boy. A very strange crime. Who travels all the way to Winterfell to throw a boy out of a tower. Then travels to the wall, all the while sending an assassin with a very distinctive valyrian steel blade to finish him off when the fall ends up not killing the boy. Obviously he saw or overheard some intrigue he shouldn't have. Before we get to your counter accusations, please account for your whereabouts at the time of the initial attempt to silence the Stark child." Harry stared hard at Tyrion causing the dwarf to drop his head and miss the slight twinkling in the wizard's eye denoting his use of passive legilimency.

"I was in Wintertown sampling a very lovely red. Full bodied with hints of citrus and musk. I believe her name was Roz. She or her madam, or even the Stark ward Theon Greyjoy can attest to me being nowhere near the crime."

"So a war hostage and a woman whose livelihood is to lie for money, not terribly reliable witnesses." Harry smiled in jest.

"Come off it. I can see on your face you don't think I hurt the boy. For goodness sakes I even provided the Starks with the schematics for a special saddle so the young man could ride horses one day. This is another crime I have no motive for. I have no secrets. My family hates me, I am a dwarf, I love being drunk and whoring. Everyone knows these things so I have nothing to protect." Tyrion's desperation was starting to enter his voice.

"Ahh, but you are also known as cunning and witty. A man with a sharp mind would perhaps make sure all thought him a drunken fool and therefore suspected of nothing," Harry counted reflexively, enjoying this interrogation more than he thought he would. Tyrion looked at him in exasperation, not deigning to respond.

"Fine, I will ask you the question you wish to answer. How did Catelyn Stark determine you were involved at all? And where did that extremely valuable blade come from?" the young wizard questioned, serious now about getting some real answers.

"The Master of Coins and chief whoremonger himself. At least that is what Lady Stark told me during our exciting journey to the Bloody Gate. The dagger had once been Lord Baelish's, and he did lose it betting on Ser Jaime at Joffrey's nameday tourney as he told her."

"But! But he knew very well that I lost a large amount of gold on the exact same bet when Ser Loras Tyrell unhorsed my brother Jaime. I never bet against my brother, he's the only member of my immediate family I can stand. Littlefinger lost the dagger to the King who bet on Ser Loras to piss off Cersei. From there who knows how many hands it passed through before it arrived in the catspaw's." Tyrion was starting to get animated as he orated his defense.

"But none of them were mine. So if you want to know what is really going on you should learn why Littlefinger pointed Catelyn Stark at me. And why she did not bring this matter to her husband, the King's Hand, but rather arrested me herself and dragged me to the Vale. You spoke of whores as people whose profession is to lie, so how much more their whoremaster should you suspect. And yet both those Tully women hang on his every word, leading to our current situation," he lamented, walking slowly back to were he had been sleeping and sat down with a huff.

"Lord Baelish...If one were speculating, in a hypothetical manner you see. And that person, who is clearly neither of us, were to suggest that Lysa Arryn nee Tully were romantically involved with Littlefinger. Would you, a hypothetical Tyrion, have any knowledge of such an affair?" he mused.

"You've wrapped that question up in such tricky language I'm starting to wonder if you are a Master of Law and not just a Knight. But I digress. I have heard a small appendage boast, whilst in his cups, of taking not one but two Tully virginities. And a royal sister firmly believes that such activities occur quite frequently. If such a betrayal of the marriage bed were true it would certainly benefit others in the line of succession to cast doubts onto the parentage of a very surprising son born to a very old Lord. So an Imp might have heard, where he around to hear such things. Which he was not!" The taunting sarcasm and subtle mirth briefly returned to Tyrion before he looked around his cell frowning.

With Harry reading Tyrion he knew every word spoken was true. Since he now needed to interview Lysa and Catelyn as well as probably Littlefinger, Grand Maester Pycelle, and the Queen and King if he could manage it, he started to head back to his lodgings. Clearly he needed to get Tyrion free of the Vale as soon as possible before his ruthless father set any retaliations into motion. But Tyrion was closer to the situation than anyone else he knew, as well as a cunning if debauched man. So he thought he could at least set his mind to thinking on the Arryn's enemy if not learn something new.

"Tyrion. I give you my word I'll try to get Lysa to free you as soon as possible. It may be a challenge as I don't know her, and she is the de facto regent of the Vale. But I will figure a way out of this. While you are stuck here though, I'd like you to consider who really did poison Jon Arryn and throw Bran Stark out a window." He paused considering how to phrase his question, how much information to reveal.

"What I'd like you to ruminate on is that Ser Harry Hardyng, eighteen namedays to his name, is once again the heir to House Arryn and the Vale. Eleven other heirs have gone before me, as well as many barren wives and stillbirths until Robert. All in the thirty or so years since my great uncle became Lord Paramount. When one considers that this might not be the first poisoning but just the latest, does that point you towards any culprits you wouldn't have considered before? Thank you for you answers and let us hope that we can get you out before your family does anything...precipitous."

As he turned to head back out of sight so he could reapply his stealth charms, Tyrion responded quietly sighing, "I'm quite sure it's already far too late for that." The ominous statement seemed to linger in the gusty stone hewn prison.

HP-aSoIaF

The next few days were a bit boring for the self-appointed investigators. Ser Wallace had spoken to Catelyn Stark but learned no new information. His brother Ser Morton was equally as unlucky with the Blackfish, who knew little and was starting to think he didn't know his nieces that well either since he couldn't explain their behavior, especially Lysa's. Ser Wallace's attempt at getting Harry in to see Lysa and Robyn was a disaster as she irrationally accused him of wanting to hurt her boy to steal his title.

That night the Waynwood party learned they were to be confined to quarters unless they would leave the Eyrie. Harry did sneak out at night anyway to meet with Maester Colemon. He learned the exact nature of symptoms and both agreed the poison to probably be the rare and expensive Tears of Lys. Harry was surprised to learn that with frequent leeching Maester Colemon believed Jon Arryn's health was improving before he was rudely sent back to the Vale in favor of the Grand Maester's less effective care.

Harry then broached a more sensitive subject for Lord Jon's longtime healer. He asked for his professional opinion on his Lord's fertility and ability to sire children at his advanced age. The loyal Maester began to grow upset that such disparaging things were being said about Lord Jon, but in Harry's reading of the man he learned the Maester thought him hale but was unsure of his fertility do to long years with multiple women and no child. There were deeper ideas and memories that would not be revealed without active legilimency, but Harry had no wish to mentally assault someone who served his great uncle well. As the Maester's protestations of Harry's aspersions on both Jon and Robyn grew louder and noticing the scholar did not have a Valyrian steel link denoting a knowledge of magic he acted.

Harry drew his wand from his self-made custom leather holster and quickly turned his appearance into that of a shadow. He silenced himself and then with the familiarity of a frequently used spell hit the Maester with a silent Obliviation charm. The Maester looked around his room in confusion and, seeing no one, got under his covers to try going back to sleep after such an unsettling dream. When his breathing had slowed, Harry crept out of Colemon's apartments and returned to his own.

The next three days he spent wracking his brain on ways to free Tyrion or remove Lysa from power that she clearly didn't have the capacity to wield. At Kara's suggestion he began instructing Willum in his duties and gauging his reaction to magic being real. He started with showing Willum his runic arrays on his plate and chain mail armor. The young man was well aware that certain patterns could have an effect thanks to his Grandfather's famous bronze armor, so Harry focused on that. He told Willum that he thought highly of having enchanted armor like Yohn Royce but didn't want to be made fun of so he put it on the inside where no one else could see.

Willum was intensely curious and tried finding similar patterns to what his grandfather's armor contained. He wanted to know if Harry had succeeded. Rather than the truth he told his young squire that he thought he might have done something right since he felt his armor was lighter than it should be. But he couldn't be sure, he might have just gotten stronger and not noticed.

Kara who had been listening in chided him when they were alone for dodging the issue. She assured him there was no way his squire wouldn't eventually become suspicious, at the least of his sneaking around. She challenged him to win the boy's loyalty or else check his magic book for ways to make secrets stay that way. That very evening the Grimoire taught him the Fidelius charm which could hide a secret quite well. It could apparently also be used to hide things or places but Harry didn't have the power or skill yet to attempt those warding derivations of the charm. After some particularly vigorous and satisfying love making he brought up the spell with Kara who immediately offered to be the secret keeper for what he was planning to hide, that Harold Hardyng could do Magic. Since only he and Kara knew at this point the book felt the spell wouldn't be beyond him.

The Grimoire also cautioned him that he lacked the power or artifacts to sustain the spell if too many people were challenged with his secret. Such as openly displaying magic at a tourney or in battle. If he ever wished to use all of that battle magic he had learned he would need something else besides the Fidelius charm to protect his identity. It also worried him that Kara might become a target because of her role but didn't think that very likely. She was not worried at all, and his reads of her showed her incredible happiness at an opportunity to bind them closer together since she doubted she would ever receive a bond of marriage.

They performed the charm that very night. It was a very strange experience to suddenly be sapped of almost all of his mana yet not know why or what was missing. Kara couldn't understand why he was looking or acting so strangely. She started to panic that the spell had gone horribly wrong until it dawned on her that even Harry was effected by his spell. She quickly told him he was a wizard and he could do magic and everything he knew and learned came rushing back. Harold was starting to regret ever casting the spell since now Kara could snatch away his knowledge of magic with the right incantation. Though she didn't know that, and Harry vowed to never tell her if he could help it. His magic was now an intrinsic part of him, and its loss was terrifying.

He slept till midday when Willum finally got past Kara to wake him with great excitement. Apparently the Imp was going to confess that evening once all of the knights below in Moon Gate could come up to the Eyrie to witness. Harry was less excited. In fact he was extremely worried for he still had no plan to stop Lysa from executing Tyrion and ensuring a war between the Vale and the Westerland. With the current alliances between great houses such a war could potentially drag all of Westeros into the conflict.

He had vague plans about seizing control but knew that no Valeman would support him. It would merely look like a grab for power unless he could prove Robyn was illegitimate. A suspicion which he had not been able to confirm since Lysa and Robert wouldn't allow him to come near them. The previous day he had already begun to think through infiltrating the Lord's apartments to gather information before the Fidelius charm took up all of his attention. Harry had already discussed with his foster brothers the Seven Kingdom's law on confessions, trials, and arrests.

They also talked about Lysa's legitimacy as Lady regent but there was no consensus on proper procedure since these matters where usually spelled out in a will. Since none had been produced, Lysa's regency was assumed as a default. There was really no basis to argue, especially since his own foster mother ruled the Waynwoods due to the same situation. Harry hoped Tyrion had a good plan involving this confession gambit.

HP - aSoIaF

It was a disaster. Harry couldn't understand what Tyrion thought would be the result. He had come up from the cells and began to confess every minor indiscretion of his life starting from his childhood. Secretly Harry thought the speech was hilarious, especially all of the disdain towards his ruthless father and pranks on his arrogant sister. But neither Catelyn or Lysa were amused. As Lysa ordered him returned to his cell, Tyrion demanded a trial and relief from his beatings. Lysa agreed to let Robyn judge him. Knowing the little boy merely wanted to see someone thrown out the moon door to their death, Tyrion called for a Trial by Combat.

Harry looked around the room at the assembled knights and nobles that had been in the vicinity of Moon Gate keep when Lysa finally invited witnesses up to the Eyrie. Most looked disgusted with Tyrion, either his many vices, his Lannister blood, or his dwarven features. Only a few looked disquieted with what was about to take place. Harry couldn't figure out how they imagined this would result in a benefit to them or the Vale but obviously most could or else weren't willing to risk Lysa's ire. He looked to his foster brothers for help. They exchanged a significant glance then Ser Morton pointed directly at Harry, indicating to Harry that it should be he to step into the spotlight and take charge.

After mouthing a sarcastic 'Thanks' at his eldest foster brother he stepped out from the crowd in the wide open space around Tyrion who was desperately searching the room for someone to take up his cause. Lysa had rejected his ploy to wait for his brother Jaime to arrive to prove his innocence in trail by combat. His sellsword Bronn had made a move to enter as well but decided to slink backwards once Harry stepped forward.

"I am sorry Lady Regent but I must protest this trial by combat. Tyrion Lannister requested a trail and by Seven Kingdoms law you must provide him one. Robert Arryn cannot sit in judgment. In part because he and you are the accusers. But more importantly because he is a six year old boy. A panel of three impartial Lordly judges must be chosen and both you and Tyrion must provide a list of witnesses to support your positions. You both can also select advocates to plead your case to the judges. We cannot forget our laws just so a young boy can see a man plummet to his death. Especially when doing so might mean war between the Vale and the Westerlands," he hinted ominously.

"And who are you to tell me what I can and can't do in my family's hall. Guards, knights, arrest this fool who speaks of laws and excuses while my Lord husband's murderer continues living." Some men-at-arms and Ser Egen began to surround Harry but the rest of the court, as if startled from their instinctive loyalty to House Arryn or desire themselves to see the Imp take a fall, rose voice in protest or moved to protect Harry from unjust arrest.

"I am Harold Hardyng, Lady Arryn. Your son's heir until he grows old enough to provide his own. It is very important that I am allowed to speak and put a stop to this madness," he shouted over the growing cacophony of shouts and armored movement.

"We must have laws or else anyone could make any outrageous claim against another and have them put to death." He then turned to Ser Egen who was now hesitating to apprehend him at the growing outrage from the court. He pointed and declaimed, "Ser Vardis Egen is a Giant!" When the crowd halted in confusion at his strange proclamation he smiled and continued, "A giant Child of the Forrest sent to the Eyrie to turn us from the Seven to worship great weirwoods with faces. He must be put to death immediately without trial lest his magic words ensorcel us."

He received a few smiles and chuckles from his outrageous claim, while Lysa fumed, and the shrewder in the audience understood what he was doing. Harry then pointed to his foster brother Ser Wallace. "And Ser Wallace Waynwood is clearly a Snark masquerading as a man so he can lull us into complacency. I've suspected it for years but with accusations floating left and right I have been emboldened. Clearly we must put him to death as well." Harry got even more laughs after this fanciful jest, the loudest from Ser Morton. But Harry had an idea leap to forefront of his mind that had been marinating over the last three days of confinement. With everyone laughing he felt it was time to take a risk and perhaps seize his destiny.

"As well, Clearly!" he paused, the room hanging on his next words in anticipation of another pronouncement they could laugh at. "Clearly, Robert is the product of adulterous liaison between Lysa Arryn nee Tully and Paetyr Baelish of the Fingers. As such he is a bastard and you are not the Lady Regent so you should be put to death for treachery." Harry smiled as he spoke, but there was now a hardness to his eyes and he focused intensely on Lady Lysa to read her.

He almost needn't have bothered. The blood drained from her face with fear and guilt clearly written. Most of the court was laughing but his brothers looked at him with suspicion, and most damning of all was Catelyn Stark's reaction. She watched her sister closely before gasping, "My gods, it cannot be..." before covering her mouth in shock.

"The only treason here is you besmirching your rightful Lord's name Ser nobody. You are trying to steal Robyn's place, and we will not stand for it! Guards grab this traitor to House Arryn. We cannot tolerate his presence any longer. It is the moon door for him and my husband's killer the Imp." Lysa had recovered from her shock and reacted with anger. But all could see she was unhinged, with a glint of madness in her eye. Harry briefly imagined leaping out the moon door and then flying back in as a falcon, but shook the flight of fancy from his mind as it would be folly to reveal his powers at such a crucial juncture.

It was gradually donning on the assembled witnesses that Harry's last statement had struck a nerve. Most thought it a jest in extremely poor taste. There were growing grumbles and scuffling broke out as some guards again moved to seize Harry while others blocked them. Ser Brynden Tully, reacting to Catelyn and Lysa's near confirmation of suspicion marched briskly to Lysa and pulled her down from the Lord's seat. His growled command to, "Shut your mouth before you do anymore harm," added to growing consensus that perhaps Harry's outlandish accusation wasn't so outlandish.

Before any actual fights could break out or swords be drawn Harry called out, "Steward Royce! You must maintain order. Nothing should be done in this chaos. You have led the Vale for seventeen years, please do so now so we can untangle this worsening knot." The half of the court that wasn't engaged in ordering their men-at-arms about or already jostling around Harry and Tyrion, turned to the well respected Nestor Royce. He nodded and steeled himself. He then called for all the witnesses to vacate the room and seek out the head maid for accommodation. He then commanded to various knights and Arryn men-at-arms to ensure his commands were carried out. He set a guard on the Lord's chambers first before he was surrounded by members of the most prominent Vale Houses.

There were protests at being pushed aside, but the steward patiently directed them while assuring that he merely wanted them nearby in case their counsel was required. He needed their patience while he attempted to get to the bottom of the situation. Meanwhile Lysa was getting more and more frantic as her uncle frog marched her back into the Lord's wing. She was shouting for Harry and the Imp to die as well asking the Arryn men-at-arms to protect her and her 'sweet child' Robyn. Catelyn Stark followed in their wake with a stoic look that could have taught stones to appear lifeless. She would occasionally look to the valyrian steel dagger that had not left her side since she'd recovered it from the assassin's dead hand.

Ser Vardis Egen, not quite sure of what to do with so many conflicting orders had smartly laid hands on Tyrion Lannister who had been edging towards his sellsword despite his chains and manacles. Ser Morton joined him so none involved would have opportunity for anything foolish. Harry bid his brother Wallace to join Ser Morton and then make himself available to the steward. He figured pushing forward a claim now would hurt his reputation as well as reveal his power play. For that was what it was.

After witnessing Robyn and Lysa presiding over the Eyrie court he knew those two could not be left in charge of anything. Robyn had the bearing and mental capacity of a child half his age and the mother seemed taken with a madness Harry had never seen before. She was also playing an obvious defense, something a guilty person would do if they weren't very cunning. She was clearly not. Which fired an anger in him at what he was now convinced was a betrayal of his great uncle. Tully and Baelish. He might have finally found the names of his family's enemy. He would need Baelish and some time alone with Lysa to search her mind for the full extent of the plotting. It also sadly called into question the long service of Brynden Tully to House Arryn.

So he returned to his quarters so none could accuse him of anything and related to Willum and Kara what had happened. They both wondered if he was the Lord of the Vale now, but he told them to keep such questions to themselves. They would only worry about his place in the Vale when it became necessary. They spent the rest of the day in their suite of rooms with Harry testing Willum's knowledge of the duties of squires and knights while Kara did upkeep on the three's clothing to keep up appearances, since Harry could do the same with a few spells.

They had dinner in the room and Steward Royce met with Harry briefly, letting him know that Lysa, her kin, and the assembled witnesses were all now confined to their quarters. He planned to investigate the matter further on the morrow as well as send ravens to the rest of the Vale Lords and Ladies to call for a council of succession. Harry suggested he speak with the soldier Gardan about possible adultery. He also recommended Raven's to the Hand of the King and Castlery Rock to try to diffuse tension caused by Imp's arrest. The Steward had removed Tyrion from the Sky Cells after Catelyn Stark revealed Lord Baelish was the one who had pointed the finger at Tyrion. The Imp still remained a guest under guard but was no longer in danger of imminent death.

That night as he lay in bed with Kara he continued to brood on Littlefinger and the Tullys. The feisty young blond was insatiable as ever and continued to try to coax him from his bad mood so he could satisfy her. After another rebuff she hit him with a very cogent argument he'd never considered. What if he was being paranoid and imagining a decades long conspiracy? What if there was only a recent one or he was finding one because he was looking for it? What if all of those other heirs had died as the will of the gods so he could inherit? He was not just any other man but a wizard. What if it were destiny for him to rule?

The thought was new enough to jostle him out of his simmering anger. Whether she was right or not, it was an interesting idea. One that she should be rewarded for. Which he did with vigor until they fell asleep exhausted but happy.

HP - aSoIaF

The next day was a blur of activity. Steward Royce called all the lords and knights present to break fast in the Eyrie's Grand Hall. The Lannister prisoner was still held in guest quarters with his sellsword Bronn, while the noble born Tully's including the long time ally of the Vale, Bryden Tully, were being respectfully confined to the Lord's Wing. Lysa Arryn had spun a tale to the steward about her aberrant behavior just being her shock at Ser Hardyng's jesting. She was calling for his exile from Arryn lands for joking in such poor taste about his liege lord and his lady regent mother. Catelyn Stark and the Blackfish were both silent, and before long requested of Lysa that she give no further statement while the steward prepared for a trial.

After eating, roll was called to see who was present. Most of the major houses of the Vale had representation with notable Knights such as Lyn Corbray, Andar Royce, Jasper Redfort, and Morton Waynwood rounding out their council. Very few at the table were at all confident of Robyn's parentage after Lysa Arryn's display. But there were both valid and self-serving protests to stripping Robert of his name or Lysa of her de facto regency. Doing so would set a dangerous precedent for their houses, removing heirs and children from the lineage without definitive proof. With some notable heirs in the council this was a major deterrent to action.

As well, through his reading of the room Harry was able to determine that Ser Lyn Corbray, brother of the Corbray Lord and Ser Eustace Hunter, the second son of House Hunter were extremely interested in marrying Lysa and becoming Regent of the Vale. Harry was a bit sickened by the bitter cynicism and blind ambition those two displayed. Neither were the least attracted to Lysa and saw her as a pawn to be manipulated. Probably the same feelings Lord Baelish held for her as well. They also still had to deal with the arrest and trial of Tyrion Lannister.

After a round of chasing their tails with circular logic and poor suggestions, Steward Royce informed them that he had held off on sending ravens to Castlery Rock and the Red Keep because he wasn't sure what to tell them. He had allowed Catelyn Stark to send word to her husband the Hand of the King about what was transpiring. It was his hope the honorable Lord of Winterfell could prevent hostilities between the Vale and Lord Tywinn. Since this council was against removing Robyn and therefore Lysa from power he asked them what they should do as well as what messages were to be sent.

Harry had spent the time others were arguing thinking about what was truly needed. They needed to know both who had poisoned Lord Arryn and who Robert's father was. Those answers could only be found in King's Landing and Lysa Tully's mind, and likely could only be accessed by him using active legilimency. He hoped if he knew the truth he could then secure proof to support it. His looming exile was also on his mind if he failed. When Steward Royce called for plans, Harry waited for the first few dim or cautious ideas before calling attention to himself.

"I think I should be 'exiled' and some of you good knights should follow the letter of the law for a trial in four weeks time." The assembled knights looked at him as if he were a bit simple but he soldiered on. "Let Lysa believe she has succeeded in killing rumors of infidelity, let her take on the trappings but not the power of regency. Perhaps she will panic and put to words some of the conspiracy to her lover Baelish. A slender hope, but something we should pursue with the Maester's assistance in reviewing any letters she might pen or receive." he reasoned.

"Meanwhile, as Lordly judges are brought in and witnesses assembled. I and some loyal Arryn men-at-arms travel to Gulltown then sail for King's Landing with great haste in response to my 'exile'. We apprehend Paetyr Baelish and any other likely conspirators and escort them back to the Eyrie for questioning. We will need to do some initial interrogation to ensure no witnesses or evidence is left in the capital, but by the time of the trail we will return with what we can uncover. This will need to take place in stealth so allies or intrigues at the royal court won't stop our pursuit of the truth."

"Depending on what is found we can cut the Imp loose and arrest others such as Baelish or Lysa if they are as guilty as many of us think they are. In the mean time, Steward you would forward on to Lord Tywinn any witnesses Tyrion requests to present themselves as well as a request for a Lannister advocate. And messages would be sent to House Tully and the King as well. That way all laws are being apparently upheld and if Tywinn does anything against the Vale, he will be in the wrong rather than us. While these legal maneuverings are going on, the Vale prepares for war just in case the Lannisters prove as vengeful as their reputation suggests."

Harry was pleased, aside from Lyn Corbray and Eustace Hunter, the assembled knights found his plan worthwhile. Nestor Royce seemed the most pleased to have a viable solution. Harry had assumed his long stewardship of the Vale would have honed his leadership characteristics, but apparently Lord Jon had been much more involved via correspondence than he had assumed, from what he could read from the man amongst the emotional chaos of the room.

So before midday he, Kara, Willum, and a squad of twenty Arryn men-at-arms led by Gardan were moving down from Eyrie at great speed. He left Kara and the bulk of his belongings at Moon Gate castle, mainly to keep her safe and out of the vengeful reach of Lysa Arryn who would be confined to the Eyrie while he was away. After a harrowing two and a half days of long rides interspersed with a hurried trip East downriver in a Vale longship his party reached Gulltown. With a letter from the steward they commandeered one the Arryn's ten galleys, the Gull's Dinner and set off with the tide for the six day journey to King's Landing via the Narrow Sea and Blackwater Bay.