DAGGERS TO THE HEART Part 2 - CLASH OF THE KINGS

Arya VI

Chaos reigned in the aftermath of Joffrey's demise. Sansa once imparted to Arya that Littlefinger viewed chaos as a ladder. Arya failed to grasp the significance until she found herself the architect of chaos. It required the ability to discern people's inclinations, foresee their reactions to certain situations, and engineer those situations. The more tumultuous, the more effective.

It took a day for the idiot, Pycelle, to discern the type of poison used in the late King's demise. The Grand Maester had to resort to blood tests to confirm that The Strangler was the lethal agent. Most individuals with even a modicum of knowledge about poisons could have identified it just by looking at Joffrey's face and the way he died.

The ingredients necessary for concocting the poison had vanished from Pycelle's quarters. However, because the concoction took three weeks to prepare, it meant that the perpetrator had planned the assassination well in advance and all likelihood, had been living in King's Landing for some time. This effectively ruled out Littlefinger and anyone who had arrived in the capital since, which was fortunate for Arya.

This exacerbated matters for Tyrion, who had visited Pycelle just over a month prior due to a bout of diarrhoea. Pycelle had left the dwarf unattended in his chambers for a brief period, affording Tyrion ample opportunity to pilfer the required components.

The revelation regarding the cause of death was to remain confidential until the trial. Arya was privy to it because she had warged into Jack, her cat, eavesdropping on conversations between Pycelle, Tywin, and Cersei.

Arya didn't rely on the ingredients from Pycelle's stock; she had her own reservoir. She pilfered some to replenish her stash. Neither her face nor that of Littlefinger's had been sighted nearby; instead, she had assumed the guise of a dead child.

With the abundance of little birds in King's Landing, the child could have been one of Pycelle's or Varys' spies. Had she been discovered, she would plead as such. Yet, fortune had favoured her, as Arya had evaded detection. Not only that, but it turned out Pycelle had only bothered to audit his inventory due to Joffrey's demise.

Arya hadn't intended to frame Tyrion, but amidst Joffrey's erratic conduct and uncontrollable circumstances, it inevitably unfolded this way. Even if Littlefinger had confessed in the middle of the court, crying out 'It was me, it was me,' Tyrion would still have been made the scapegoat.

Hence, Arya found herself surprised and somewhat apprehensive upon receiving a summons to Tywin Lannister's solar. Memories of her initial visit to King's Landing with her father flooded her mind as she ascended the winding staircase to his chambers.

She also couldn't help but recall her time serving as Tywin's cupbearer. She lamented not having her Faceless Men training then; it would have enabled her to read and interpret his demeanour better. Instead, she had been a mere young girl struggling to survive. What she had gleaned during those days would likely prove futile while disguised as Littlefinger.

Arya steadied her nerves and rapped on the door. "Enter," Tywin's voice resounded from the other side.

She entered and shut the door behind her as Tywin fixed her with his penetrating gaze. "Lord Hand," Arya inclined her head.

"Lord Baelish," Tywin acknowledged. "Please, take a seat," he indicated the chair opposite him. Arya complied. "Would you care for some wine?" he inquired.

"Just a small amount," Arya replied with a smile. "I try to avoid excessive drinking during the day. It's important to keep a clear mind when working," she explained. "Clarity aids in preserving memories."

Tywin sighed. "I wish two of my children would heed your advice on that matter," he shook his head. "I suppose you're curious as to why I summoned you here."