What was it about the rain that seemed to wash all the sins of the great city away? Even though the same wicked individuals walked the streets of the city. Even though they still did the same wicked things. There was something about the rain that made (Y/n) feel as though a little of the grime. A little of the corruption, the avarice and immorality, was washed away. Even her own brother's machinations seemed a little less awful as the torrents of water fell from the sky.
"Lady Baelish." A cool voice said quietly. The sudden sound of her name being mentioned, bringing her thoughts back from the world outside the window.
"Oh. Lord Varys." (Y/n) replied as she turned her attention away from the rivers that ran steadily down the panes of glass.
She knew all about the Master of Whispers thanks to her brother. She had been told not to trust him. Told that the eunuch was hell bent on bringing her brother down. Told that he wanted to destroy everything that Petyr had ever worked for. So, when she had first met the Lord, she had expected some beast. Some evil creature. But instead, she had found Varys to be pleasant. Yet she was not foolish enough to believe that that pleasant and likeable character the man showed, wasn't actually concealing something that wasn't so nice.
"It is not often that we see you here at the Red Keep. I swear that your brother must lock you away the rest of the time." Varys continued as he took a seat next to her by the window. (Y/n) knowing that if the spider was wandering the corridors or the great castle, then the meeting of the small council must have ended, and her brother was also somewhere. More than likely up to something that she really didn't want to know about.
(Y/n) was younger than her brother by a number of years. And her personality and nature couldn't be any more different from Petyr's. But there were two things that the siblings did seem to share, and that was their intelligence and a strong bond of love. (Y/n) being the only person that the normally cold and unfeeling Baelish, seemed to care for more than himself.
"I can assure you, Lord Varys, that my brother does not lock me away. It is simply that unfortunately I have little reason to be here. Though I must confess that I like it. This building always seems to hold something special. Something that keeps drawing me back to it. Something interesting to discover every time I am lucky enough to persuade Petyr to bring me with him." (Y/n) replied, as she turned her attention back to the skies. A mighty rumble of thunder and crack of lightening catching her attention.
"Is it the building that interests you, my lady. Or one of its inhabitants?" Varys calmly enquired. (Y/n) turning back to look at the man that sat by her side. The look of shock in her eyes.
"Fear not, my lady. Your secret is safe with me. I may be no expert on love. No expert on the affairs between a man and a woman. But I am not blind. Even if everyone else appears to be. I have seen the way you look at him. The way you blush when he moves close. How your form shakes whenever he takes your hand and kisses it. And it is not that it wouldn't be a fine match for both of you." Varys continued. Watching as (Y/n) suddenly got to her feet.
"I assure you, Lord Varys, that all this is pure conjecture on your part. I have no secrets. And even if I did, you would be the last person that I would confess them to. I am not in love with any of the residents of this Keep. I do not blush, nor do I tremble whenever anyone kisses my hand. I enjoy my time here as I have always found that this building speaks to me. Each ancient stone telling me about the sights that they have seen. That is all!" (Y/n) stated defiantly. Varys raising his hands in apology.
"Of course, my lady. Of course. As I said. I know little of the affairs of the heart." Varys told her. (Y/n) not getting a chance to reply as she heard a familiar voice.
"(Y/n). Is everything alright?" Petyr asked as he came up behind her. Placing his hand reassuringly on his sister's arm. The Master of Coin glaring at his rival.
"Everything is fine, Petyr. Lord Varys here was just regaling me with a fanciful little story. But he had finished now. And I think that he was just about to leave." (Y/n) told her older brother, as Varys got to his feet and nodded respectfully.
"Yes, of course. Well, it was a pleasure to see you again, Lady Baelish. You should persuade your brother to bring you more often. The Red Keep is a much brighter place when you grace all of us with your presence. And I am sure that its stones have much more to tell you." The Master of Whispers replied, before bowing slightly and gliding back down the corridor.
"What was that all about? Did Varys say something to you?" Petyr asked, as both the mockingbirds watched the spider disappear. Petyr not liking the look on his sister's face. A look that seemed to suggest fear and concern.
"As I said. It was just the spider weaving a fanciful little story. Nothing to be concerned with, Petyr. I assure you." (Y/n) told him, as she placed a soft kiss to her brother's cheek.
"So, I suppose that you will be wanting to take me away from here now that the small council appears to have finished for the day?" (Y/n) chuckled, as she took her brother's arm. The two slowly winding their way through the imposing castle.
"I have a few things that I still must attend to before I am finished here. But I have arranged for the carriage to take you home." Petyr replied. Feeling the need to have his sister as far away from his rival as he possibly could.
"If I didn't know better, Petyr. Sometimes I would swear that you are ashamed of me." (Y/n) retorted, as she and Petyr made their way out to the courtyard.
"You know that nothing is further from the truth, (Y/n). It is just that the Keep is no place for you. Kings Landing is no place for you. But it is safer to have you here, by my side, than any other place in the Seven Kingdoms." Petyr explained. The Master of Coin knowing full well that his sister was the only thing that could be used to hurt him.
"Now, let's get you home. I will join you for dinner this evening. And we can speak more about Lord Varys' little story." Petyr continued, as the carriage pulled up in front of them. The driver opening the door so that the little mockingbird's feathers wouldn't get wet from the rain.
"There is nothing to speak about. But I still look forward to dinner." (Y/n) called out. Waving at her brother as the landeau pulled away. The lady breathing a sigh of relief as Petyr began to disappear out of view.
She knew that her brother was not going to accept her explanation. That he would push her to know every word that Varys had uttered. Yet, what was she to say? Was she to tell her brother, that the spider's suppositions had been correct? That she really did only pester her brother to take her to the Keep so that she could hopefully see him. That she did blush whenever he got close. That she did tremble when he kissed her hand. No! Petyr would not approve anyway. And what was more important was that the man in question, probably didn't notice her. Never gave her a passing thought. She knew it was foolish to let her eye fall on such a man. And she also knew that her little dream of a life with him, was just that. A dream.
More than anything, she was angry at herself. Angry that she had made her feelings so obvious to Varys. But what could the spider really do with that knowledge? It wasn't as though it was something important. It wasn't as though it was something that could be used against her brother. And even if Varys did tell the man, (Y/n) could just deny everything and ask what did a eunuch know about love, anyway?
No. If Petyr insisted on pushing her this evening, she would just make something up. Something that would reassure Petyr that nothing was wrong. She might not be her brother, but every now and again, even she could spin a lie.
"We're here, milady." The driver told her, as he opened the carriage door. The heavy rain now nothing more than a light sprinkle of drops. (Y/n) smiling as she saw her little home. A home that Petyr had managed to acquire for her. A home that was far enough away from his brothels so that she did not have to see that side of his life. But close enough so that he could still keep a watchful eye on her. The mockingbird spending many a night there, so he could do just that.
"Looks like ya have a visitor, milady." The driver continued as he helped her down. (Y/n)'s breath catching in her throat as she saw a familiar carriage. Her eyes growing wide as a figure suddenly appeared and took her hand from the driver.
"Lady Baelish." His smooth voice came. The younger mockingbird feeling herself tremble as he kissed her hand.
YOU ARE READING
Game of Thrones: Short stories.
FanfictionThis is my first book where I will be bringing together all the short stories I have written for Game of Thrones. If you are already a reader of my work, I hope that you will like the fact that I have brought all my work together so that they are a...