A few months has passed, later at Harrental, There is a knock on the door of the dinning hall and a Kingsguard enters.

The guard announces, "Lord Petyr Baelish."

Tywin with a finger crooked in front of his lip in full armor at the head of the table said, "Mmm. Give us the room." The war council gets up and leaves. He wondered what information he had to tell.

Tywin says to Arya pointing at the table, "Clear all this." Baelish enters sweeping into the room in a showy way.

Baelish said bowing with an emotionless eyed smile on his face, "Lord Tywin."

Tywin is unamused with him and says, "Baelish." Arya continues to keep clearing the table.

Tywin asks him, "Wine?"

Baelish says, "Thank you."

They sit at the table. Arya takes a deep breath because her anxiety is growing. She does not want Littlefinger to recognize her but she must also attend to Tywin without raising his suspicions. It was intense.

Tywin asks casually, "What news from the capital?"

Baelish says smiling with his mask on, "I traveled here directly from Renly Baratheon's camp."

Tywin said, "Ah, the late King Renly. Rather a short reign. Murdered by a woman, I hear."

Baelish is intrigued to ask him about the woman he is keeping in the Red Keep, but waits for his moment. He said, "So they say. There has been talk of other forces at work. Dark forces."

Arya walks up and serves wine to Littlefinger, who raises his glass to his lips. Arya tries to walk away from the table with her head down, but Tywin stops her and hands her more to clear from the table.

Tywin told her, "Here." He said, "Men love to blame demons when their grand plans unravel."

Baelish commented, "It is my belief that a moment of chaos affords opportunities lost soon after."

Tywin says smugly and condescendingly, "You say that as if you were the first man alive to think it. Yes, a crisis is an opportunity. What other brilliant insights have you brought me today?"

Baelish said, "After the Lannisters and the Starks, the Tyrells command the largest host. Their lands are the most fertile in the Seven Kingdoms, feeding horses and soldiers."

Tywin was bored by him and commented, "Yes, yes, yes." He waved his hand at him to get on with it.

Baelish added, "The Tyrells have not yet declared for any of the surviving kings. Loras wants revenge. He blames Stannis for Renly's death. And Margaery…"

Tywin sighs and said, "Yes, I know she wants to be queen."

Baelish said flatly, "Yes, she does."

Tywin said stating the obvious, "House Tyrell rebelled against the Iron Throne. Against my grandson."

Baelish replied sighing, "They did. And perhaps that treason should be punished one day, after Stannis and Robb Stark are defeated."

Tywin said to Arya, "More wine for Lord Baelish." Arya continues to move evasively so that Littlefinger cannot see her face clearly.

Baelish asks, "If you will allow me to represent your family's interests, I believe that is an advantageous agreement?"

Tywin asked, "The Tyrell host has returned to Highgarden?"

Baelish says, "They have." Arya accidentally spills some wine, and panics inside and tries to mop it up in a panic.

Arya says softly, "Pardon, my lord."

Baelish said casually, "It's only wine." He tries to get a look at Arya's face, but Tywin takes his attention away.

Tywin asked him, "You would ride there yourself?"

Baelish answered, "Tonight, with your leave."

Tywin said, "I'll have an answer by nightfall." He told Arya, "That'll be all, girl." Arya steps away from the table but continues to listen as she walks away.

Tywin asks, "And what else?"

Baelish replied, "On your son Tyrion's directive, I met with Catelyn Stark."

Tywin asked, "Why is that?

Baelish replied, "He had an interesting proposal for her concerning her daughters."

Tywin said, "Hmm."

Baelish adds, "There is a mysterious Lady Blackthorne in the Red Keep. I thought they were all dead? Why did you retain her and send her there?"

Tywin said firmly, "She is none of your concern. She is my ward and under my protection with guards until I return to King's Landing. She is hands off to my daughter and his grace. If anything happens to her there will be severe consequences." Baelish was very intrigued now.

—--

Aldarra is in her room and Shae is lacing up her corset. She says, "Argh! I hate how awful these fancy things feel. I want to go back to my simple life. I don't want to meet the Queen Regent. It's been months. Why would she give a shit about me all of a sudden anyway? She sounds like a nasty piece of work from what the servants say in whispers and Tyrion of course. Maybe I'll get lucky and another riot will break out, a siege on the keep and then I won't have to goà." Aldarra had kept to her rooms exclusively and didn't venture out anywhere so she could stay away from the nobles and soldiers. Now, after being there for so long, she gets a summons from the Queen Regent and she has to go.

Shae said tugging on the ties, "You are in this life now…. Uhh… You have no choice. Be brave, my friend." She tied it off and got the dress on over her head.

Aldarra said, "It's hotter here, I would rather dress like you with lighter layers of cloth." Shae was buttoning the back up.

Shae smiled and said, "Not pretty enough."

Aldarra looked in the mirror. She was dressed in a blue sea green silk dress. It had an oval neckline. Shae had styled her hair in a side fall of very dark curls that went to her waist over her left shoulder. Her eyes were looking beautiful with that color on and her long dark lashes. She slipped on her matching slippers with stockings on to the knee with bows tied in the back. She felt uncomfortable and itchy.

Aldarra frowned and said, "I guess I'm ready." She left with her guards downstairs and through the maze of hallways to a sitting room.

She entered a room with Cersei sitting in a chair drinking wine with another chair across from her. There was a tea service. She was smiling, walked up to her and curtseyed saying, "Your Grace, I'm pleased to meet you. Thank you for the invitation."

Cersei said, "I figured that it had been more than enough time and I hadn't seen you outside of the Tower of the Hand at all. What are you up there doing, Lady Aldarra?"

Aldarra said with a mask of her own on, "Why reading, you Grace. There are many fine books in there that I find interesting. I like keeping to myself and educating my mind." She didn't mention Shae as her handmaiden because she didn't want to bring attention to her.

Cersei said arrogantly, "You know my father took over your lands and mines. Are you going to petition to get them back? Is that your plan to make a claim on your family's estate after my father had claimed them?"

Aldarra was shocked at her venomous display. She said with her small smile, "I am not going to do anything of the sort. I was just minding my own business traveling through the woods when I was captured by your father's soldiers. I just want your father to give me back my father's sword and I will be gone from here in no time. But he said he won't. So I was sent here, stuck under guard until he arrives here. Then I don't know, your guess is better than mine. Simple as that." Aldarra spread her hands for emphasis.

Cersei asked bitterly, "Did he buy you those dresses?"

Aldarra said emotionlessly, "Yes, he made Tyrion have them made. I could have paid for them myself. But as you can see, here I sit not being able to go anywhere." Cersei didn't like this woman for some reason she thought she was crude. She also had answers for everything and it bothered her.

Cersei said snarkily, "I just can't figure out what my father wants with you or sees value in you. You're so plain looking and have no status at all. There has to be something he is thinking to do with you."

Aldarra asked nicely in a whisper, "When you do find out can you let me know? I am really being left in the dark about it." Cersei looked at the extremely beautiful woman and thought that everyone had a motive and she was going to find hers.

When Aldarra was walking back to the Tower of the Hand, King Joffrey was coming down the hall the opposite way. When he approached her with his King's guard entourage, he said swaggering, leering whilst looking her up and down, "Who are you?" Aldarra cringed at his rudeness on the inside.

Aldarra curtsied and said emotionlessly, "Greetings, your Grace. I am Lady Aldarra Blackthorne." She stood up and faced him.

He said arrogantly, "I want you after dinner in my bedroom naked."

Aldarra looked at him and said, "Forgive me, your Grace. I am no man's whore and I cannot do as you ask." She thought what an entitled cunt he was and was angry about leaving her dagger in her room. She decided to always have it on her.

He said snottily, "You will do as your king commands, or I'll have you beheaded if I wish."

She said clearly, "No, you will not. I am under the protection of Tywin Lannister as his ward. That is why I am in the Tower of the Hand with guards."

He said, grabbing her arm viciously digging his fingers into her flesh, "You will do as I say! Seize her!" The red guards started to clash in the hallway with the white guards. Aldarra wrenched her arm free from Joffrey. Cersei came out of her sitting room and shouted, "Stop this now!"

The guards separated and shoved her behind the both of them. Two of the five white caped guards were on the ground with injuries. Cersei said, "What's the meaning of this?!"

Joffrey said, "She attacked me walking down the hallway."

Aldarra's guard said, "Your grace, she was only walking to the tower…"

Aldarra said emotionlessly, "The king told me to get in his bed after dinner and I explained that I couldn't because I am under his grandsire's protection. But he would not take no for an answer."

Joffrey shouts, "She lies!"

Cersei said to Joffrey, "She is under protection of your grandfather until he comes back to the Red Keep. She was leaving my room, from talking with me. Leave her be, my love. You have plenty of prettier girls to play with."

Cersei looked at Aldarra and said, "Be gone." Aldarra and her guards left straight for the Tower of the Hand. She heard when walking away.

Joffrey whined like a child, "But I wanted her."

Cersei said condescendingly, "She is too ugly for you anyways, my love."

When they got to the tower, Aldarra thanked her guards and went into her room. She sat on the bed. Shae came in and took one look at her and asked worriedly, "What's wrong?"

She looked up at Shae and said, "The Queen Regent, in her opinion, hates me and is saying I am ugly and plain. The King tried to force me into his bed after supper and my guards got into a fight with his guards. He painfully grabbed my arm. I really hate this place, Shae. I can't believe Tyrion is related to these cruel and craven people. It smells like shit and the people are shit and violent."

Shae pulled up her sleeve and saw the black marks on her skin. Shae hissed and said, "Does it hurt?" Aldarra shrugged.