I prepared for my meeting with a long bath and made myself a bit more presentable than I normally looked. That is to say I wore an outfit most Ladies would never dare to dream of wearing; pants and polished boots, a well tailored blouse, and my finest coat. I had considered wearing a dress while in the capitol but King Robert had put a quick stop to that when he saw me in one and cried out 'sharks shouldn't dress as minnows!' After that, I'd dressed as I would on the Iron Island. I stood out, not just because of my height, but also because of the way I dressed.

Allen and Tommen escorted me through the halls of the Red Keep to Varys' small estate within the Keep's walls. I noticed the echoes of tiny footsteps that would skitter away the closer we got to the estate; no doubt the children Varys liked to refer to as his little birds running off to tell their master of our arrival. Sure enough, as soon as we approached the door to his quarters, it swung open as there he was smiling politely.

He was shorter than average, though still a foot taller than me, pale, with large, expressive eyes. His perfume overwhelmed the senses immediately and I was thankful that I wasn't as sensitive to scents as I had been in my first life or I would have been coughing up a storm. He was dressed in luxurious robes, made from exotic materials and covered in elaborate patterns. His smile was genuine, but the mirth in his eyes hid a piercing curiosity that demanded to be satisfied.

He feigned surprised when he saw us at the door and immediately dipped into a low bow, "My dear Lady Greyjoy. I hadn't expected you to be so punctual. It's quite refreshing to have guests who show up at the designated time."

I smiled and dipped into a curtsy, though the sight must have been amusing since I was dressed less like a lady and more like a sailor, "The tide waits for no man, Lord Varys."

"No, indeed, it does not," he tittered with amusement. He stepped aside and motioned for us to enter. "Won't you please come in?"

I nodded and stepped inside with Allen and Tommen in tow. Varys led us through his chambers to a balcony that overlooked the city of King's Landing. It was covered by sheer silk curtains and had a table set with all manner of food and drink. Ever the gentleman he pulled out one of the chairs and then pushed it in as I sat down.

I couldn't help but notice that the chair was new. The varnish was smooth and the artistic carvings, which I noted were mostly sailing motifs with krakens, didn't have a single nick in them. The cushions tacked onto the chair felt like they'd never even held weight before, and were made from black and gold cloths; the colors of House Greyjoy. A little smirk played at the edge of my lips. He'd had this chair made for me well ahead of time, likely knowing that I would accept his offer to come to dinner.

Varys turned to Allen and Tommen, his voice soft and pleasant, "Thank you, gentlemen, for escorting your Lady to this point. If you'll follow my servant, he will show you to a room where you can eat and drink until Lady Greyjoy is prepared to leave. I assure you, you'll be made most comfortable."

Allen and Tommen both bowed as they took their leave.

"You men surprise me, Lady Greyjoy," Varys said as he poured a glass of wine for me.

"Oh?" I replied as I took the glass and swirled the contents inside, taking a quick whiff to catch and appreciate its scent. "How so?"

Varys poured himself a glass of wine and then took a seat, "I excused them and didn't utter a word of protest. They didn't insist on staying close in case something should happen, nor did they hesitate to leave you alone with someone who might attempt to overpower you."

I chuckled and sipped the wine, humming in appreciation, "Dornish sweet wine! Oh, this is my favorite!"

Varys let out an amused hum, "Yes. I believe I heard that somewhere."

I snickered, knowing he'd likely scoured his contacts for information about me while I'd been out in the wide world during Robert's rebellion. I motioned behind us, "My men know you're no threat to me. Not physically, in any case. Physical confrontation isn't how you handle things. And since you're not a trained knight or an experienced fighter, I'd have to be several cups deep for you to get the drop on me."

I reached over the table to grab a piece of cheese and scarfed it down, showing him that I wasn't afraid of being poisoned by him either, "Besides, I'm sure you didn't invite me here to kill me. Robert's not the sharpest blade in the armory but even he would figure out who had a hand in my death if I died so recently after meeting with you."

Varys seemed rather amused at my jab at Robert, "That is a bold way to speak about your King, My Lady."

"Robert would agree," I chuckled. "If you put him on the battlefield he'll show himself to be a genius in combat. But you can't swing a hammer at a famine, or outflank an outbreak of disease. Robert is a good man, but I'm afraid he'll prove to be a poor king."

"Your pessimism seems to outshine my skepticism," Varys mused. "Are you suggesting that Robert will be a poor king?"

I swirled the wine in my glass, thinking about how best to answer that question. After taking a sip, I smiled softly, "The realm will remain at peace with Robert on the throne. However, he was never meant to lead the country. He has no mind for it. He'll let the Small Council run the kingdom for him, but he'll run the country into tremendous debt with is tourneys."

"Some would argue that debt is preferable to war," Varys said in a tone that, to others, might seem compliant. I understood that he was prodding for responses. He was trying to get to know me by allowing me to volunteer my opinions.

"Those people will say that until there is a war and the crown has to bow to whoever has the biggest coin," I countered. "Don't misunderstand me, I much prefer peace to war. But I would rather wrangle the snakes of the court than the money counters of the Iron Bank. Peace can be maintained through better methods apart from tourneys and marriages."

Varys hummed with curiosity and intrigue, "Such as?"

"Improving the lives of the common folk is key," I replied after sipping my wine. "Improve their quality of life by my making roads more accessible, encouraging their work through tax relief, establish methods for them to rise in station among their peers by establishing more localize governance, and focusing on technological advances to make their work easier. Just to start."

There was a change in Vary's demeanor, a spark of interest that he expertly smoothed over as an amused, but doubtful expression that was meant to suggest he didn't quite believe me. "I doubt very much that the nobles would appreciate the small folk gaining more power and influence."

"The only nobles who wouldn't appreciate improving the lives of the people they rule over are those who should not be nobles," I stated firmly. "They've forgotten that their family wasn't always nobility, and that the Great Houses all stemmed from some low born man who shed enough blood for his people that they put him in a position of authority."

I looked directly at Varys, my eyes sharp, "That's a lesson the Targaryens forgot long ago. Power does not come from birth, it comes from the people whose livelihood it is for you to ensure. Look at the war we just waged. The lesser nobles and commons rose up against the injustice that the Targaryens perpetrated for too long, and now the Targaryens are no more."

There was a shadow of a smile on Varys' face for a fraction of a second before he replied, "Not all the Taragyens were like the mad king."

"No," I agreed with him, "they were not. Others used their dragons to murder each other and hundreds of thousands of men to sit on the throne. Some simply whiled away their time indulging in every act of hedonism imaginable. And the few who did want to improve the lives of their people were killed so that another could take power. As a whole, the Targaryens didn't maintain peace, they simple balanced the bloodshed."

"I should think you would welcome a peaceful reprieve in King Robet, then," Varys said as if I had countered my own point.

I smiled, "I like Robert. He'll give us a few decades of peace because no one wants to wage war against a king who killed his way to the throne. But that will be the only good he does for the kingdom. In all other aspects, he will be a detriment."

"And yet you were instrumental in bringing him to power," Varys accused me in his silky, conversational tone. "If you knew he would be such an issue, why aid him in his rise?"

I chuckled softly and held out my glass so that Varys could refill it. It was an interesting dichotomy where he had servants around but preferred to serve his guest himself. He poured the wine with an accommodating smile. That's what I noticed the most about the Spider; he served genuinely. I was his guest, and regardless of his motives, he would not let it be said that he did not show me every courtesy or treat me with anything other than the highest respect.

"Because our country needs a breather between the Targaryens and whatever comes next," I said as I bowed my head in thanks for the fresh cup. "Personally, I think if the Great Houses, and the minor ones, focused on their people and maintaining good finances, they'll be better off once Robert transitions from the throne."

That intrigued Varys. He arched a sly brow, "Are you preparing for the King to no longer sit the throne, Lady Greyjoy?"

I chuckled and smirked, "We all are at some level. But I can't personally prepare my House for that. After all, I'm the youngest of my siblings, and unless something happens to all of my brothers, I stand no chance of sitting the salt throne."

"I refuse to believe someone who master-minded the Greyjoy fleet's tactics in the rebellion has no further aspirations," Varys pressed in as gentle a manner as possible, keeping his tone conversational while using his words to steer my answer to get the information he wanted.

I tittered and gave him a knowing look, "I have my aspirations and the means to see them come to fruition."

"Such as your magic?" Varys accused with a slight edge to his voice.

I tilted my head ever so slightly, my eyes narrowing mischievously, "I don't need my magic to accomplish my goals. It's helpful, but it's not a tool that I need."

Varys sat forward, far more focused now than he had been before. He gave me a hard stare, "So the stories are true, then. You can wield magic."

I nodded, not bothering to hide the fact, "Myself and Allen both. But I've never used my magic to torture children to get some spark of a spell to contact darker powers."

Varys' face paled and his calm demeanor broke as his eyes looked horrified. He voice came out in a whisper, "How do you know about that?"

"Magic," I smiled softly. I turned to face him better and gave him a nurturing expression, "The man who cut you was evil. Evil beyond measure. He used his power to harm a child for a selfish moment of grandiosity. But magic should be used to aid others, not for selfish means. And if I can, I would be happy to use mine to improve the lives of everyone in the Seven Kingdoms."

There was a new mixture of emotions in Varys' expression now; fear and hope. He was quiet for a few moments before he could gather his courage once more.

"I have a great deal of distrust for magic, and for those who use it, Lady Greyjoy," he said quietly.

"And yet…?" I pressed, sensing there was more to come.

"And yet I cannot help but sense the sincerity in you," Varys continued. "From the reforms I understand you are have been the center of on your island, to the way you speak about the good of the common folk, you are beginning to convince me that you have the Kingdom's best interest in mind."

I gave Varys a sincere expression, "I have everyone's best interest in mind, Lord Varys."

Varys seemed genuinely convinced by my words and tone, leaning in subtly, "I must admit that you have my interest. Tell me of your aspirations, Lady Greyjoy."

I chuckled softly, "My aspirations are nothing short of seven thriving kingdoms where everyone can live happier, longer, more peaceful lives."

"Those are idyllic and grand aspirations for some not sitting the Iron Throne," Varys relied with a hint of suggestion in his voice."

"Indeed they are," I smiled coily. "I suppose I'll have to sit the Iron Throne, then. Won't I?"

There was no way for me to tell if Varys' mood became dark when I admitted my ambition, or if he had steeled himself against the weight of it. In my first reincarnation, I had grown up in the cut throat world of dwarven politics and had learned to see the truth behind the mask people put on while speaking to me. To say that Varys was unscrutible was more of a compliment than he would believe if I told him. He was remarkably unreadable most of the time.

I could see the wheels in his mind turning as he worked out how to respond. He leaned back in his chair and for the first time since our discussion began, took a sip of wine, "When you said King Robert would give us a few decades worth of peace, we you hinting at a timeline for your plans?"

"A tree doesn't grow overnight," I replied indirectly. "Creating a narrative and letting things work in the background takes time. Robert will prove himself incapable of the duty he has taken upon himself. Circe will prove unfit to stand by his side. And in the mean time, I will work to establish myself as a pillar of nobility."

"And how will you do that?" Varys asked, his intrigue apparent. "Being a pillar of nobility, I mean."

"My name is already becoming well-known thanks to the Greyjoy's contributions to the war," I answered. "And Robert has made sure that jokes or jibs about my physical stature will be looked down upon by the Crown."

"I believe the moniker of the Smallest Kraken seems rather endearing," Varys chuckled. "And it helps that most associate it with you being the youngest of your kin."

I chuckled and nodded, "That is lucky for me. But I will show the rest of the world what a noble should do, not just for their people, but for their neighbors as well. I will push for better relations with other noble houses, work to provide resources for their people to use to be more productive, and ensure that Westeros' shipping lanes are the safest in the world. When people think of me, they will think of someone who brings peace and prosperity."

"An ideal ruler if she were born a man," Varys slid the inconvenient truth of the problem with my plans. Rulers in Westeros were typically male, unless something happens when there isn't a male to inherit the family name.

I smirked, "Remember what I said earlier? Power derives from the consent of the governed. Do good enough work and people will insist on you doing more of it for them. Earn the trust, love, and loyalty of the common folk, and the nobles who rule them will have no choice but to agree to a change. Even if that change bucks tradition."

"And how much debt should the Seven Kingdoms accrue before it is time for your aspirations to become action?" Varys asked, calculating out whether or not he wished to be a part of whatever scheme I was hatching.

As I prepared to reply I noticed what looked like a thin, blue thread leading from my glass of wine to the table. It looked like the one I'd seen in my previous life just before the battle with the Zetans. I had felt an urge to follow it, but had decided against it at the time. That had been a poor choice. This time, I decided to see what would happen if I followed the urge to go where the thread led me. I set the glass down on the table and the action seemed to grab Varys' attention.

"Less than it would if I wasn't around," I assured him. "With the Greyjoy fleet patrolling the shipping lanes, and my efforts to bolster trade, the Seven Kingdoms will have more money to spare. That isn't to say that Little Finger won't be making money appear out of thin air on occasion, but he won't have to do it as often."

"You seem to have a great deal of confidence in your ability to make good on these promises, Lady Greyjoy," Varys said with a hint of admiration.

I looked him in the eye, with no pretense of sipping wine or idling away the time, "I would be more confident if I had your support, Lord Varys. It wouldn't need to be anything that hindered the King in any way. In fact, you would actually serve to maintain his reputation so long as you acted quickly enough."

"Are you asking me to betray the Seven Kingdoms, Lady Greyjoy?" Varys asked pointedly, his gaze fixed with mine.

I kept his gaze, never once letting my demeanor slip as I replied, "I'm asking you to serve the realm, Lord Varys. In a way that will save hundreds of thousands of lives by doing what you would normally do anyway."

"But you would have me do it for you, and not the King," Varys stated as a way to cut to the heart of the matter.

"I would have you do it for the realm," I repeated, "and for the people who desire peace,"

It took Varys several moments of contemplation before rested back in his chair, "Tell me what you would like me to do, Lady Greyjoy, and I will consider whether to join you in your efforts, or do nothing and see how you fare without me."

I smiled outwardly, but grinned inwardly. I had him. I had walked into the Spider's parlor and was going to come out with a prize. Varys wouldn't have even listened to my proposal if he hadn't already calculated out that I was worth the risk. Now all that was left to do was to fill him in on the details. He would be instrumental in the effort to take the Iron Throne from Robert. If everything worked out, however, Robert would thank me for it in the end.