The Fallen - Joffrey Baratheon

004

Unedited

"I Shall be returning to Highgarden early morrow."
Loras played with the food on his plate, wondering how he was going to relay their fathers message.
"you say that as though you are leaving me behind."
Briar laughed taking a sip from her glass.
"Thats what I wanted to talk to you about."
He began, refusing to meet her eye.
"What?"
"Father has arranged for you to marry."
  Briar's heart dropped. She wasn't ready, surely she wasn't betrothed to Joffrey and if she married someone else she would never be queen.
  "b-but- but I thought Father said I could wait until I had passed my seventeenth nameday to marry. I've only had fifteen."
  She scrambled, eyes wide
"Yes, but your betrothed doesn't want to wait that long. He told father he wishes to marry sometime in the next six months."
  "Oh. I see."
Briar played off her disappointment with a firm smile, before realising she had to play the valnurability card here.
  "I-its just i know it was unrealistic but I had hoped to marry a Lord from The Reach, so I could remain close to home and all."
She mumbled playing with her hands in her lap, Loras felt guilty. This was not the fate he wished for his darling little sister, who in his eyes deserved everything the seven kingdoms and beyond could provide.
  "I'm sorry. I do not agree with his decision to marry you to Lord Petyr Baelish."
  "Petyr Baelish? Is he fucking serious? He's thirty name days older then me!"
  "Bri, you know how these things go."
Briar bit her tongue hard, trying to bring tears to her eyes,
"Yeah, you're right. I don't know what I expected."
"I'm really sorry. I had thought Father would marry you to a Tarly or a Florent, House Baelish isn't a very large house and Highgarden is very financially well off. I don't have the slightest clue what his thinking was."
"its not your fault."
She whispered, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Loras was worried, she looked so exhausted and valnurable. She never acted like this, she was usually so confident and poised. He wondered what it was like to be a young noble lady, probably far harder then it was to be a man. Loras flashed her a tight lipped smile which she quickly returned and the two silently went back to their meal of Lamprey pie and Dornish red wine.

♦♦♦♦

  "Why would you ask my father for my hand? We have only spoken once before and it wasn't very pleseant."
  Briar asked her betrothed the next day as they sat in the garden. Petyr cocked his eyebrows.
"It was actually your father that approached me. I am one of the most powerful officials at the Royal Court and I'm on the Small Council after all."
He bragged charmingly,
"Right."
She smiled at Peryr
"you seem confused, why?"
He asked, studying her tells and habits.
"I'm not confused.”
"Yes you are.”
He smirked,
“Fine. May I speak candidly?”
"Of course My Lady."
"its just I'm practically a child, why would you want to marry me?"
"you are no child, you may have only just passed your fifteenth nameday but you do not look like a child nor do you act like a child, children aren't as smart and powerful as someone like you Lady Briar."
Briar nodded, her normal strong fake smile resting elegantly on her lips.
"you're quite pretty as well."
He added, moving closer to the young lady.
"you're not so bad yourself, Lord Baelish."
"Call me Petyr."
He whispered as he pressed his warm lips against hers.
Joffrey watched the Master of Coin pull the youngest Tyrell girl closer to him, a scowl forming on his face as she placed her delicate hand gently on Petyrs scruffy cheek, kissing the older man back. Joffrey felt an aching pain in the pit of his stomache and he felt his shoulders tense. Was this jelousey?
He didn't know, all he knew was that he didn't want to stay and watch the Lady and her new Lord lock lips any longer, nor did he want the Highgarden beauty to marry Littlefinger of all people.
He clenched his firsts, marching away as images of Petyr and Briar's wedding night clouded his mind.