Chapter 15: Plans
"I'm coming up only to hold you under
I'm coming up only to show you wrong
And to know you is hard; we wonder
To know you all wrong; we warn."
The letter from Tywin Lannister arrives three days later. It states what she fully expected- Lord Baelish's death releases her from any further obligation towards their family. She would be free to return to Winterfell (even though he makes it perfectly clear there isn't much to return to), and her child, if it survives to adulthood, will be heir.
She decides she will find out more once she reaches King's Landing. She must return there to have the baby. If Winterfell is in ruins as Tywin says, it is no place to give birth to the child, and she can't stand to be in the Eyrie for one more second.
She has not spoken to Petyr since their previous meeting, but this past night she could not keep him from invading her thoughts. The baby could sense her, awake and jittery, and moved continuously, sometimes sending a sharp pain to her side with a swift kick in the ribs. To ease her discomfort, she lay on her side and rubbed her hand over the tautness puckering from her abdomen. Occasionally, if the babe shifted strongly enough she could see a strong wave of movement spread across her belly. It was an extraordinary experience, like nothing she ever felt before. It made her heart ache knowing Petyr will never see it.
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"She is gone, My Lord." Maester Ayman states bleakly, greeting him at the doorway.
"She left for King's Landing at first light."
"Did she reveal any other information?" Petyr asks gruffly, trying to keep his hand from crushing the quill between his fingers.
The silky, black ink is threatening to overflow from the vial that rested on the portable desk spread across his thighs. They were as worthless as ever to him at this point. He could still barely turn his ankles or wiggle his toes let alone lift his entire leg from the bed. He was beginning to think he would never walk again, to live out the rest of his days as a cripple.
Wouldn't that put smiles on the faces of everyone in King's Landing waiting for him to fall to some kind of embarrassing ruin?
Then a bitter chuckle escapes his lips when he remembers that everyone in the capitol thinks he is dead. How perfect. His name and face do not even cross one person's mind in the entire kingdom. It was useful to him before to go unnoticed, thought to be harmless or powerless. Only a certain few in King's Landing knew how dangerous he really was, how his game was stronger than he let on. Now that he was 'dead' none of that mattered for he no longer could be considered a player in the game. Then his racing mind paused for a long moment. He decided that maybe he could use his current state on the board to his advantage. His pathetic circumstance could be useful to him.
Finally, after the maester cleared his throat to remind Petyr of his presence, he replied.
"You made her aware of my wishes then?"
"Yes, My Lord. I made it clear that no one can know that you are still alive, but it seemed that she wanted it the same way. She said it would do her no good to think of you as alive. She made it clear she wanted to have the child where it was safe and there were proper maesters and midwives to see to her if anything should go wrong. She grows heavier everyday My Lord. By the times she reaches the city her time will be very near. I hope the babe does not decide to come early for she may not make it to King's Landing."
"While I am sure that my wife will make the journey in good time, it's evident it is no concern of mine. Her wishes cannot be mistaken...Now please, help me up."
Notes:
It is short and I am sorry, but I haven't quite finished my next Sansa POV and wanted to at least update with a little teaser.