Naveena LANNISTER :||: Queen Series #2

1) You're A Queen Not An Ox

Naveena
I brewed some vegetables and broth, the food quality and taste much better than the rabbit, bird or deer I'd managed to hunt on the road. He entered his home to find me seated at the table, boot-clad feet on top as I gazed out at the back garden sealed off by the walls of other buildings.

"Naveen," He breathed as I turned to him, my hood pulled back. "You're alive."

"Good to see you too, Varys," I smirked a razor sharp smile.

"What is it you need?" He sat down beside me, waiting patiently for a response, or an order.

"I need you to get me into the Red Keep. Again."

He sighed, looking me up and down pathetically. "Looking like that?"

"Don't worry, I have a plan."

"So it doesn't involve my servants drawing you up a bath?" I shook my head and he sighed again. Leading me towards the back door of his home, I followed him out into the garden and out a hidden gate. "Are you going to inform me of this plan?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

"Naveena, how can I protect you if I don't know what's going on?"

"Worry less, Varys," I placed a reassuring hand on his arm as he led me through deserted side streets leading me underground beneath the city. The stench was worse down here, the canals completely clogged with sewage. "I will tell you everything you need to know when the time is right."

As darkness crept over the horizon, we came out of a tunnel onto the shore and began climbing over the rocks. It wouldn't leave any footprints on the sand for anyone who may be following us. The waves broke less than a few feet from us in some places, making the rocks dangerously slippery, but Varys carried on. I did nearly lose myself to the sea on a few occasions.

He led me into an overhang were a worn platform lead into a crevice in the wall, that presumably lead me into the Keep. "You've smuggled in people before?"

"And out." He helped me down to the rock platform, not following himself. "All for our cause, my lady."

"I thank you, Lord Varys, you are very loyal, and I hope to repay the favour one day."

"It's not a favour if I'm doing it because I want to. Because I believe in you."

Sending him off with one last smile and a kiss to the cheek, I climbed through the crevice and walked up a spiral staircase, coming out into the darkness. Shuffling quietly forward, hands out in front of me, I collided with something solid and big. Very big. Using it as my guide, I entered into the torchlight and faced the enormous skull of Balerion the Black Dread, Aegon the First's dragon. The head seemed alive in the flickering torchlight, my eyes drifting around the room to the other skulls of magnificent beasts but didn't dare glance at the row of dragon eggs.

With the dungeons below me, I walked past the skulls to come into a familiar hallway and made my way to the Tower of the Hand. A few times I had to hide from a passing guard and even passed Jaime Lannister as he made his way to his sister's room, but the cover of darkness helped conceal me and I finally reached the tower. Climbing the steps felt like second nature. I prayed to gods my target hadn't retired for the night but knowing him, he'd be busy trying not to let his children ruin his family legacy.

I entered the room, and the light disappeared as the door closed quietly behind me, the only method of seeing was the rays of moonlight creeping through the open balcony. I approached the desk in the centre of the room, extracting the vial of crushed apple seeds and powdered orris root Varys had supplied me at my request. Tipping the potion into the bottle of wine, it would put the drinker under a spell that would create a false affection in his mind and trick him into loving me. The second thing I did was light a single candle so that he would be drawn to the table. Then I went and ran myself a bath, which was in the corner, in clear view of the trap, while Jahalla happily wrapped herself up in the bed underneath all the covers.