The One True Heir

Chapter 11

The arrest of Petyr Baelish had an immediate celebratory effect through Kings Landing. While the small folk were not completely sure what happened and how it would affect them, the merchants and businesses were celebrating, giving away their ware at a very low price and some even gave them for free. And after a few days when news arrived that Petyr Baelish tried to escape from the ship on its way to The Watch and died in the resulting struggle, the people were celebrating once more. But a very different kind of reaction was observed at The Vale.

Lysa Arryn, widow of Jon Arryn and mother to the next Lord of The Eyrie Robert Arryn had a complete meltdown. The King had been sent a raven from the Lord of Runestone about the entire situation. Lady Lysa had called the banners and told the Lords to prepare for an assault on King's Landing in retaliation. The Lords of The Vale had come as was asked of them by their liege, albeit a little later than Lady Lysa had liked. But instead of leaving to launch an assault on King's landing, they had taken over The Eyrie and confined Lady Lysa to her room. In the raven, they were asking what the King would want to do next. Edric had naturally sent summons for them and to bring Lady Lysa to the capital with them.

The last time Edric had seen Lady Lysa, she was thick of body, puffy face caked in paint and powder. Her Tully eyes were pale and watery. The only attractive thing about her was her beautiful thick auburn hair. A lot had changed for Lady Lysa compared to then. As she stood before him now, he observed that the woman had lost a good portion of the thickness of her body. Her face, now less puffy and pale had no signs of paint or powder. Her eyes were still pale blue and watery, but dark circles had developed around them.

"You are accused of conspiring against his Grace King Edric" Lord Tywin spoke from his place beside Edric. He stood with an emotionless mask on his face. "How do you plead to this accusation."

"You killed my Petyr!" a shriek fell from the small petulant mouth of Lysa Arryn. "He did nothing wrong and you killed him!"

"Petyr Baelish died trying to escape his sentence," Edric said calmly, "he stole from the Crown, harassed and killed people to further his own businesses. He was not innocent in any way."

"LIAR! You're lying to me! Petyr would never do that. He would never do anything that you said he would! You're just afraid because he knows your mother's secret! That's right! you silenced him so you can save her and your bastard siblings!"

"I'd keep my tongue under control if I were you" Edric snapped and the woman flinched, "the lies that Petyr Baelish spun were proven false, right here in this room. Your brother-in-law, Lord Eddard Stark stood here as a witness to it. As were these honourable men" Edric motioned to the present council and Kingsguards. "It would seem he trapped you in his lies of deceit to achieve power then. Your reaction was understandable then."

"Petyr would not lie to me. Petyr would never lie to me. He loved me as I loved him, all this time. Even after my father married me off to that man. He promised me that he would marry me once that man was gone. He would never lie to me!"

"How could you speak so ill of a man that cared for you and gave you whatever you desired," Edric asked aghast. "He was never dishonourable with you, treated you with respect and still? You bore him a son! How could you speak ill of your child's father?"

A loud and crazed laugh fell from Lysa's lips and Edric recoiled from it. "His son? Do you think I'll carry his child? I hated him. I was young, I deserved better than being pawned off as a bargaining chip for men in the war! I loved Petyr! I begged father to let me marry him! I was carrying his child while I begged and my own father to let me marry Petyr! But he made me kill off my child and shipped me to marry an old man. To punish me for falling in love!"