What IF

Chapter 14

The Dragon Queen

She watched as the doors opened and Lord Baelish entered Lord Tyrell's manse. She greeted him with a polite smile, one of warning and one to make him unsteady in his resolve.

Littlefinger returned it with a greasy smile, one that made Dany recoil. It was the same smile Illyrio used to give Viserys and her when they were his guests, Viserys was foolish enough to fall for them but Dany never did.

Littlefinger stretched out his arm wanting to kiss her hand in greeting. Daenerys lifted up her hand in objection.

'There is no need for that my lord' she said, hoping to vanquish the bile that was rising in her throat.

'Forgive me my queen, in Westeros when one greets a queen or a lady, they "kiss the ring" as it were' he says respectfully but Dany can tell that his tone is one of wistful vigor. Almost as if he is looking for a way to unsettle her.

'I am quite familiar with the greeting; I don't much care for it. People's mouth carry diseases and I would personally not like to get sick, I am queen after all' she replies. Baelish gives another demure smile, one with no meaning or consequence but a hidden intention.

'Never took you as one who had a phobia of germs' he says.

'In my experience, people can carry all types of diseases. One can never be too sure, for all they know they could be in the presence of a worm' Dany stated pointedly. Given the light smirk and the slow ascent of a nod, the man clearly caught the meaning.

After she gave him a sharp glare, one meant to size him up, Dany began to clear her throat.

'You must forgive me for this hour Lord Baelish. The hour of the rooster is never preferable to most people, some would like to be asleep at this time' she says.

Baelish can only smile at that.

'When the mother of dragons calls a meeting, you attend' he says with an arch. The man seemed to be a kiss ass as well.

Her spymaster Talos was much the same but at least his brownnosing was genuine and was born out of his gratitude to the Trigon. With Baelish it was nefarious and almost insulting.

'Nevertheless I must be conscientious of how others feel, in the past many men have had a problem with my conduct. Though I suspect they would have a problem with it either way given that I am a woman, regardless if I was courteous or not' she replied. Baelish was still smiling.

'You would find me different your grace, I am a male feminist at heart' he said. Dany fought the urge to roll her eyes as her face scrunched and Littlefinger definitely noticed.

'I once met a man named Hizdahr zo Loraq who claimed the same thing, my husband retorted saying there is no such thing as a male feminist no matter how much you advocate for it, he ended being proven right when Hizdahr had intentions of bedding my niece and I. He is a eunuch now but that it is a tale for another time' Dany stated wistfully.

She noticed the perplexed look on Littlefinger and decided to cut the chase.

'A couple of us will be leaving today and our army will march through the Riverlands and onwards to the capital' she remarked. 'So I would like us to discuss your reason here.'

'I have been sent here by Lord Robyn Aryn, lord paramount of the Vale to formally bend the knee under certain conditions' Baelish remarked.

'How old is Robyn Aryn?' she asked.

'Ten name days your grace, approaching eleven in a fortnight' he replied.

'That seems rather young for a man to be ruling. Not to be a hypocrite given that I myself became queen but at the age of sixteen name days but I had sound council, I assume he has the same?' she asked.