Chapter 18: Chapter 18
*General POV*
While the Starks try to figure out what to do since they couldn't bring back evidence, back in Kings Landing a funeral is happening.
Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King and Warden of the West has died of a sudden fever, or so everyone was told.
The Queen Cercei Lannister and her brother Jaime, better known as Kingslayer due to the fact he ran his sword thru the back of the Mad King, were ecstatic for his death. They knew that he knew their secret, one that would have them and their children executed and their head placed on spikes.
Petyr Baelish was able to get Lysa Arryn to poison him when he had returned home to retrieve Robyn. Lysa was able to trick Jon into thinking his son was ill and that she promised to send him once well enough.
On his way back to Kings landing he broke into a high fever and passed away shortly after returning. Even if the poisoning wasn't successful, assassins were waiting for him to return but didn't make a move due to he was practically on deaths door already.
Ravens were dispatched across the realm to notify of the change to the Warden of the East, Robyn Arryn making his mother Lysa Arryn steward of the Vale until Robyn came of age.
King Robert added a letter to go with the notification of Jon's death to his friend Ned because he planned to head north to force Ned to be his new Hand if he had too.
He was getting tired of all the blondie Lannisters that seemed to have taken over his keep. Everyday he felt there was more and more. He missed his friend Ned even if he felt he was a bit of a stiff, but he was and honorable and trustworthy stiff. Robert didn't trust anyone else.
He trusted Jon Arryn because he fostered him along with Ned, they were like brothers. Robert even preferred Ned over his two blood related brothers.
Petyr was extatic when he learned of Robert's intentions. He was crossing his fingers hoping for as many Starks as possible, he knew not all the Starks would come. It was against their tradition, there always had to be a Stark in Winterfell. But since there was so many even if Ned just brought a few all the more for him to play.
He can use them to draw the rest of those dogs out. To him they weren't wolves, they were dogs prentending to be wolves. Excitement built in him seeing every going according to his plans.
Meanwhile, Varys who is also playing the game was trying to make a plan in case the Starks do accept the kings offer.
He was hoping that Ned wouldn't bring the 'War Wolf' with him, the last thing he wanted was a sorcerer in Kings Landing. He may not have anymore jewels to lose but he also knew how sorcerers were and their cruelty to others.
Maester Pycell too was writing many letters to the Citadel to inform him of the possibilities. They too wanted the Starks to come south. After most Maesters were "removed" from the north and replaced with Red Priests the Citadel knew that Maester Luwin had betrayed them. They had been trying to recruit Luwin for a long time into their order.
Starks had magic in their blood and the Citadel had been trying to get Luwin to give a potion that they designed to kill any fetus that had magic. But it usually killed the baby whether they had magic or not along with the mother. If it didn't kill them the baby could be deformed or cursed.
Tyrion Lannister and Shireen Baratheon were prime examples. Due to the tonic that was given to Joanna Lannister throughout her pregnancy, she died during child birth and Tyrion was born with dwarfism.
Shireen was born with Greyscale, a dreaded and usually fatal disease that leaves flesh stiff and stone like in touch and sight. Skin cracks and flakes.
Those who manage to survive would become immune to the disease, but are left scarred by the damaged skin never healing. Thats why they often called people 'Stone Men' for they looked to have spots of stone all over their infected skin.
Shireen's face was disfigured from the Greyscale, she became distant with people because of how she was treated by the servants and others. Only her parents didn't look at her like she was a monster.
Selyse Baratheon had been begging her husband Stannis to take Shireen to the north after she had caught wind of the norths healing abilities. But Stannis didn't trust those words or rumors. When his wife heard of the king heading north for Winterfell, she took it upon herself to write a letter to the Lady of Winterfell.
She pleaded her case mother to mother to help her daughter. Her heart was breaking as more time passed, she saw her daughter slipping into depression. She was lonely and treated like dirt by everyone, nobody would get near her for fear of getting the disease themselves.
She offered anything and everything to Caitlyn Stark hoping to get help, she knew Stannis loved their daughter and wanted her healed. He was just afraid of hirting his daughter further.
He has had many healers try to heal her, and each time she had a bright smile full of hope. But each failure drained that hope little by little affecting not just Shireen but both her parents as well.
Stannis was afraid that another failure may cause him to lose his daughter forever. He saw her depression worsen, she no longer carried her beautiful smile like she used to when he came saw her.
What broke his heart the most was when she asked why he didn't send her to Essos where there was an island that the infected went to live out their days.
He held her tight to his chest so she couldn't see his tears and told her, "Because you dont belong across the world with those bloody Stone Men. You are the Princess Shireen, of House Baratheon... My Princess and My Daughter. You belong here my princess and nowhere else."
Since that day Stannis got rid of most all the maid and servants, he knew it was them that put it in her head about that dreadful island.
He did have the thought of taking her to the North, but he was also a follower of the Seven as well. He had a distaste for magic, but his daughters mental conditioning worsening and his wife's insistent pleas was beginning to wear on his beliefs.
His wife brought up valid arguments, Caitlyn Tully now Stark was a well known believer in the Seven. Would she allow her son to practice vile blood magic, something that goes against the Seven?
Across the sea Viserys was entering the Free City of Pentos with his younger sister Daenerys, since their exile Viserys has mad a name for himself amongst the Free Cities. Begger King.
He has been trying to raise support to retake the Iron Throne, with no success. They would receive assistants for a time, but Viserys attitude and how he treated everyone would cause them to be thrown out many times.
Slowly his money dwindled, he had pretty much already sold off all the jewelry and valuables they had brought. But Viserys didn't worry to much, to him he had something more valuable then gold and jewelry. He was a dragon with a claim to the Iron Throne, he also had a sister who could fetch a high price. Who wouldn't want to buy a dragon princess?
It was the only reason he fed her and took care of her. She had value to him alive, his madness worsening as time moved forward. Even young Daenerys was beginning to fear to 'Awaken the Dragon' as he so liked to call his angry outburst. It was his threat to everyone, but it only worked on his sister.
Afterall Viserys was weak, he didn't even know how to hold a sword properly even though he always carried one. He was a prince thru and thru, one who never even sparred anyone for real. All his spars were just show, the knights and squires purposely losing and giving him praise.
He preyed on the weak, and sadly the only one weaker than him was Daenerys so she received the blunt of his anger.
Little did they know little birds were watching them, reporting their movements with the Spider.
This is where he wanted them, for this is where the Spider had a powerful enough ally powerful enough to broker deals for armies. Magister Illyro Mopatis, he was a merchant-prince who was a supporter of House Targaryen.
It was he who found the information regarding a very powerful Dothraki Khal named Drogo who was looking for a exotic wife, he had one of the largest armies that traveled the 'Dothraki Sea'.
An army big enough to retake the Iron Throne.
Varys and Illyrio planned to wed Daenerys to Drogo which would give Viserys the army needed to retake the throne. Then they would kill Viserys since he showed the madness and place Daenerys on the throne.
Everything seemed to fall into place, an army and three dragon eggs. It would be up to Viserys and Daenerys to do the rest and bring the army once the agreements are in place.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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