Monster // Petyr Baelish

66. Facade

'Why have we stopped?' Joffrey demanded peeking out of the carriage gates, last time they walked back from the sept things ended badly so this time they were protected yet they were stopping in the middle of the streets. Joffrey was king, he shouldn't wait for anyone.

'It's lady Margaery your Grace.' The knight told him.

'What is she doing who gave her permission?' Joffrey sneered.

'My lady we should have guards my lady.' Margaery's handmaiden called after her.

'Why?' she asked as they marched through the streets they were coming back from the sept when Margaery noticed an orphanage. 'Pardon me,' she said sweetly walking around a large man dung was being dropped onto the streets in front of them, dumping their waste, not on them but in the streets, Margaery looked down at the mess in front of her. Margaery's face pinched just the slightest.

'Stop my lady you will ruin your dress!' Her handmaiden said but Margaery marched right through.

'I have others,' she said her handmaiden hesitantly followed after her.

"Loras this is the last place I would have expected to see you." Rieka remarked. 

"Well I heard you were at the brothel and thought, Rieka stark is stripping herself bare, little finger must really be desperate." Loras mused.

"Ha, ha." Rieka countered. "Come on in. This is the top floor, the best suite." Loras looked around at the woman dressed in thin flimsy dresses. "Careful Loras that nonexistent boner is really giving you away if you keep staring." Loras swatted a hand at her. 

"I... Margaery said your little boy was the cutest and that I should formally meet him." Loras offered. 

"You wanted to see me, no need to make excuses." RIeka assured as she turned around. Avalon sat on the couch getting her belly rubbed as Robbie was playing in between a group of whores.

"This is Robbie, he just turned two." Rieka remarked. 

"He's a handsome little lad. Looks like you." Loras offered. Rieka chuckled as she picked Robbie up. 

"I think he looks more like Petyr." Rieka countered knowing full well there was no Baelish or Stark blood in this little bundle of joy. 

"And look at that hair, thick black. He has..." Loras stopped himself. 

"What?"

"He has Renlys eyes..." Loras whispered and RIeka shifted Robbie in her arms. 

"You think?" She tried to keep her voice even. 

"Maybe I'm just wanting to see something that isnt there." Loras offered. "Might I?" He reached out for Robbie. 

"Of course." Rieka agreed and Loras bounced Robbie in his arms. 

"He's a smiling little guy." Loras declared as Robbie giggled back at him. 

+

''He was a soldier he went to fight in the wars,' a little boy was telling Margaery at the orphanage. 'he was going to Blackwater Bay he never came back,' the little boy told her.

'And your mother?' Margaery questioned.

'She died when she had me.'

'Bad men wanted to come into the city and do terrible things but your father stopped them,' Margaery told them. She gave him a little wooden knight figurine, 'whenever you look at this knight I want you to remember your father.' She said handing it over to him

'He wasn't a knight he was just a soldier,' he told her

'But what do knights swear to do? Protect the week and uphold the good,' she told him 'your father did that be proud of him,' she looked around at all the children 'was your father a soldier to?' She asked and another boy nodded 'you should be proud to,' she told him 'under King Joffrey's leader ship your father saved the city.' Margaery told them 'they saved us off from now on we're going to take care of you.' she said and little wooden knights were passed out to all the children 'all of you,' she said they grabbed her hand as they led her out.

'Come to me whenever you need to feed them clothe them or house then,' Margaery told the woman running the orphanage 'directly to me,' she kissed little girls cheek as they made their way back.

+

"Loras you are lucky that they are late or else you would be making a bad impression with our future in laws." Margaery hissed. 

"I was with Rieka and RObbie, I lost track of time." Loras offered. "He's a sweet boy. Gran would love him."

"He's sweet, I dont know where he gets it from, Rieka is such a spitfire." Margaery teased. 

"He's got Renly's eyes." Loras rasped and Margaery opened her mouth to say dont you dare speak of Renly in this place they will have our heads but the king and Cersei approached them. 

'Your Grace,' Margaery said as they were waiting for the King's arrival. Margaery sent Loras a pointed look, one minute more and loras would have been tardy. 

'Sit sit I do apologize,' Joffrey told them 'my lady a small council meetings at what point does it become treason to waste the kings time.' Joffrey remarked sitting down Margaery kept a smile on her face. 'That's a lovely gown, my lady.' Joffrey told her happily raking his eyes over her, looking at the thin fabric, no sleeves, deep cut on her neck.

'Yes it suits you perfectly.' Cersei said 'I imagine you might be rather cold.'

'The climate is a bit more forgiving back in high garden your grace.' Margaery told them.

'Should I have them bring you a shawl my lady?'' Joffrey offered, what a kind act, Margaery knew the act well. SHe played the good girl well and saw past Joffrey's facade. 

'I'm touched by your concern your grace but luckily for us Tyrells our blood runs quite warm doesn't it brother?"