CHAPTER 7 - "He wanted to kill me..."

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               Today begins the Hand's Tournament! An event organized to celebrate my father's arrival in King's Landing, even though he doesn't want it. Ned never liked this kind of celebration; he never took part in it. He says that, like that, when the day the battle comes, his enemy will have no idea what he is capable of.

               I learned that Robert loves tournaments and organizes them whenever the opportunity arises. I mean, he does not organize them himself, it is the masters of the council who take care of them.

               Prince Joffrey hasn't looked at me since we've been installed in the stands, which is not his custom, but I won't complain. Especially because I think I understand what's bothering him.

               I already told you about Sansa's attraction to my fiancé and her anger after Lady's death, she had even argued that Arrow should have been executed in her place. A few days ago, I heard Sansa talk with the Septa about his plans to convince my father to give her hand to Joffrey instead of mine.

               Make no mistake, my marriage to Joffrey remains my greatest source of despair. Except that Sansa is still a child, I cannot condemn her to a life of sadness and suffering. She may resent me for a few years but will eventually understand that I am acting for her good.

               I am wringing my fingers in search of solutions to my problems when I feel a presence next to me.

"Can I sit?"

               I recognize the slightly rocky voice of Petyr Baelish and smile at him as an answer.

"Who are you?" asks Sansa.

"Sansa, this is Lord Baelish. The Master of Coin."

"Brothels are yours, aren't they?"

"Arya!" reprimands Septa Mordane.

               Arya never had her tongue in her pocket, and it always made me laugh a lot. I will never forget Cersei's face when she called Tyrion «the gnome» when they arrived in Winterfell.

"Why are you called Littlefinger?" she asks next.

"Arya!" rebukes Sansa.

"I also wonder" I add.

               Every opportunity to contradict Sansa is an opportunity to take.

"There's no problem" says Baelish before sitting next to me. "You see, when I was a child, I was very small, and I come from a region of almost islands called the «Fingers». So, you see, the nickname was quite well found."

               Despite his reputation, the company of Baelish pleases me more and more. I find him a certain charm; it is surely what makes him a good manipulator. He knows what people think and know about him but is good enough to make them believe everything is wrong. I know I could fall for it just as much as the others.

♐︎

               King Robert announces the beginning of the tournament. He is already drunk to the point of having driven his wife away. It is very difficult for me to take him seriously when he is constantly performing.

               When Joffrey finally puts his eyes on me, I offer him a beautiful smile but only get a scornful look. You never know what mood he will be in and, strangely enough, you want it to be good.

               The first two fighters of the day come forward. The first one doesn't catch my attention, there's nothing unusual about him. The second, on the other hand, is large and imposing, its physique has nothing human. Or would it result from the love of a man and a giant.

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