章節 15: Chapter 15
Harry Potter + A song of Ice and Fire Crossover
Chapter 15
"For the last time Uncle Brynden, no. No one saw anything. There was too much going on for anyone in the sept to pay attention to what I was doing."
"Lilian, you caused the doors of the great sept….to explode. How could no one know the cause of that?"
"Because they were too busy paying attention to the exploding doors to be looking for the person who had done it. No one would suspect magic and even if they did, no one would have any reason to suspect me. They can all write it off as a moment of divine intervention. Seven hells, blame it on the gods for all I care but the factor of one small daughter of a Lord Paramount having anything to do with it will not be on anyone's minds."
Brynden Tully ran a hand through his auburn hair in frustration. He wished his niece weren't so cavalier about this. What he had witnessed was a serious display of magic on her part and after their altercation with the Mountain Tribes in the Vale a while earlier he was beginning to think that there were many things about her that he had yet to understand.
He had been awed when he had seen those enormous doors explode outward, rubble reigning down into the streets like so much ash from the sky.
And then logic had taken over and he had immediately herded the rest of his family outside where they were better surrounded by their guards.
Nobles and ladies came running from every direction, screaming, crying, shouting orders. Some leapt onto horses and peeled out for the keep while other ducked down alleyways in order to escape.
Lilian had been the only member of their family to have not been herded out with them and even though Hoster was certain she would have escaped with the royal family being one of Elia's ladies and all, he didn't have a full understanding of how impulsive Lily was and least of all about her magic.
Brynden knew he had to make sure.
Of course Petyr had insisted on going with him to search for her or else make sure she wasn't in the building and had returned to the keep.
They had decided to sneak in one of the side doors to make sure that they wouldn't be ambushed by any stray assassins and had split up to search the different corridors of the sept before they had met up again in the main atrium.
Needless to say, neither of them had seen Lily, leading Brynden to believe she had escaped with the royal party and was now waiting for them back at the keep.
What they did see however was the sheer amount of bodies littering the floor of the great sept. Blood was everywhere and the lower halves of the stone bodies of the gods were splattered with gore.
Most were guards and assassins, some were young men and priests and there were a few ladies as well.
Brynden hadn't been as interested in the people he did know as the ones he didn't.
He had carefully rolled over the body of one of the black robed men with his foot and peered at him with some distaste.
Realizing that this would most likely be the only time he would have to ascertain clues to the mysterious attack however, Brynden had knelt and looked closer.
It wasn't until he had pulled down the hood covering the hoods of one of the men that he noticed something supremely odd.
Looking at the body of another black clad man lying next to the one he was examining, Brynden suddenly had a hunch and pulled down his hood before stifling an exclamation of astonishment.
The both of them bore marks on the top of their left breast. It was a large mark but it was not elaborate and perhaps it was the non eloquence of it that made it seem all the more eerie.
It was a triangular shape with a single line down the center with no other adornments.
Brynden frowned deeply at the unfamiliar insignia and then hurriedly checked more bodies for similarities.
He was further alarmed to see that all bore the same mark.
"Petyr!" he snapped at the young teenager who was observing the scene from the other side of the room with his mouth hanging open. He had obviously just entered it to find the aftermath of the carnage.
His face looked suspiciously green and Brynden winced slightly in sympathy. The boy had never seen war and his own experience with a sword had not gone well.
But this….this was something no one had expected to see. Over a hundred dead, some of them guards, some of them servants, some of them minor lords or ladies and still others belonging to this strange cult that had struck twice in the last week.
"Yes Ser Brynden?" the fourteen year old asked in a small voice.
"Please check the bodies of the men in black that you see and tell me if you see any triangular markings on them."
The boy stared at him blankly for a moment before nodding and bending down slowly to do just that.
The next few minutes were filled with a tense silence as both males looked over the bodies around them.
"They are," Petyr said finally. "In fact, everybody that I can see has the mark. What in the name of the Seven does it mean?"
"It's a message," Brynden muttered. "Let's hope that the royal family receive it loud and clear."
"Still," he said. "Was it truly necessary for such a violent display of sorcery?"
Lily stifled the urge to roll her eyes. "If I were aware of a better spell to open the doors and free everyone and do it just as fast, then I would have used it. But in the end, this was all that I had. And as a result, all members of our family are safe along with the royal members as well."
"I don't know if that will be the case for much longer," Brynden muttered and Lily frowned at him. "What do you mean?"
"This is the second attempt at assassination on the royal family in the last week, this has now become a pattern. Some unknown persons or person are targeting the Targaryens and that can only be because they smell blood. They think the crown is weak and are looking to unseat the dragons so another center of power may be installed."
"But who?" Lily wondered. "Who would have the capabilities and the coin to pull off something as extensive as this?"
"I can think of a few nobles with an axe to grind with Aerys Targaryen," Brynden said lowering his voice even further. "But one in particular comes to mind."
Lily frowned. "Surely you aren't suggesting that the Hand – "
"I make no suggestions," the Blackfish said quickly. "But it would certainly fit the bill wouldn't it? He was fixing to install his daughter as the next queen only to have Aerys turn him down flat and give the crown to an outsider."
Lily bristled. "Elia is hardly an outsider."
Brynden raised a hand, "I know that and you know that but others here do not share the same mindset. There were rumors when she was first chosen about her health and her ability to carry the next heir. Those doubts have not been alleviated because there is not yet a child. There are many lords here who would give their left arm to make their daughter a queen, but who has the resources to actually do it?"
Lily exhaled heavily. "You make a valid point however I don't think that such a violent attack is really Tywin Lannister's….style. He doesn't seem like the sort of lord who would show his hand so plainly. I think we're looking at something far more ambiguous and….sinister."
"Perhaps," the Blackfish replied. "For now an official investigation will be launched and the sept will be searched thoroughly. I imagine everyone will be questioned extensively and that any further wedding festivities will be cancelled."
Lily raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that? I may not know the king well enough but one thing Aerys Targaryen possesses in spades is an alarming ability to put on a show to cover up any perceived weaknesses. I guarantee you that there will be a feast tonight even if the Others were to return."
She had no sooner finished her train of thought when suddenly there came a tap on the door.
Frowning, Brynden strode over and flung it open to reveal a servant. "What?"
It was a boy of no more than fifteen years of age and he swallowed hard when he saw the Blackfish's ire.
"Begging your pardon my lord," he stammered after bowing quickly. "But his grace King Aerys has requested the presence of Lady Lilian Tully in the throne room at once."
Brynden turned to his niece and gave her a severe look as if to counter her earlier point about the sure ambiguity of her magic.
Lily gave the look right back to him and then nodded at the servant. "I will be along momentarily, thank you."
The servant nodded and Brynden shut the door before whirling back around to her. "And now he wants to question you about what happened. Why would he be doing that?"
Lily shrugged. "I assume its because I was standing with the royal family right before the incident and I helped to ensure that an arrow did not lodge itself in Prince Rhaegar's head."
Brynden sighed. "Just…be careful. Anyone who catches the attention of Aerys Targaryen needs to conduct themselves with the utmost amount of self control."
"Is that in order to compensate for his lack of it?" Lily asked wryly as she headed for the door.
"I am being perfectly serious Lilian!"
Lily stopped at the door with her hand on the knob and turned back to her father's brother. "You do not need to worry Uncle Brynden. I don't intend to take any unnecessary risks. I'll tell my side of the story and then allow the king to decide for himself how to handle this threat. My only responsibility is ensuring that nothing happens to the princess. Prince Oberyn asked me to keep an eye on her and that's what I intend to do."
And then without giving him another chance to respond, she turned and flung the door open before marching out of it.
What she didn't hear was her uncle's muttered curses and absent entreaties to the Crone to give him wisdom on how to deal with his wayward niece.
Lily put her uncle's words out of her mind as she neared the throne room. No one had seen anything and there was nothing to explain. Even if they had, who would actually believe what they had seen.
She knew Brynden's knee jerk reaction had been merely because he was just being introduced to her magic and to see such a violent display on such a grand scale had to have been a bit hard for him to process.
Brynden Tully was as grounded a man as Westeros had ever seen so for him to accept that there were forces in this world stronger than the reach of a man's arm or his mind's strategy had to be difficult to swallow.
But no matter.
Taking a deep breath, she looked up and down the quiet hall stalling for a moment. The candles in the arches had all been lit but the corridors were eerily silent and Lily knew everyone had to be in their rooms recuperating from the bewildering events of the day.
Finally she released her breath, squared her shoulders and pushed the doors open before striding into a very quiet throne room.
Unlike the corridors however it was not empty and in her first ten seconds within its walls, Lily observed the royal family, or rather the three most important members of them standing on the dais at the far end of the room, Prince Rhaegar and the queen on either side of the throne where Aerys was sitting.
Also standing before the dais was a curious collection of knights and nobles. Chief among them were Princess Elia and Ashara Dayne who's brother was standing at her side.
Prince Lewyn, Ser Gerold, Ser Oswell, Ser Barristan Selmy and Princes Doran and Oberyn were also present.
Noting that prince Viserys was not in attendance, Lily decided that Jonathor Darry must be with him.
Also standing next to the King was a grim faced Tywin Lannister who looked like he would rather be anywhere else.
"Lady Lilian," the king called in his old and creaky voice from the dais. "At last, we have been expecting you."
"My apologies your grace," Lily said as she strode forward. "I came as soon as I received the message."
"Your arrival is timely," the king said, "as is the occurrence of two separate incidences that you were able to thwart this week. You seem to be a very….lucky person."
Lily paused before the dais and curtsied low as she could feel all eyes on her. The gazes of the Kingsguard were ones of scrutiny save for that of Prince Lewyn and Ser Barristan who almost looked encouraging.
Elia nodded at her when she raised her head and Ashara gave her a small smile. Prince Doran merely looked grim but there was a smile in Oberyn's eyes that instantly put her at ease.
"I've been told that your grace," she said calmly.
Aerys smiled, but it was a smile that caused his eyes to glitter in a feverish fashion that gave him an almost crazed look. "I have heard the story from my good daughter and Prince Lewyn but given the circumstances of today's events, I would like to hear your story."
This isn't an interrogation, Lily thought furiously to herself as she twisted her hands behind her back. He isn't accusing you of anything.
"There truly isn't much to tell your grace," Lily said. "But if I have your indulgence in this matter I will explain. Princess Elia, Lady Ashara and I taking the air in the marketplace earlier this week when we wandered into a large alley just behind the Street of Steel which carried unique textiles. We were perusing the stalls when I happened to look around and catch sight of a man wearing long robes standing at the entrance to the alley. Upon closer inspection I realized I could not see his face but his presence made me uneasy. Because of that I took another few seconds to look around and was alarmed to see men dressed in a similar garb standing at the other entrances to the alley almost as if they were purposefully boxing us in. Being further alarmed I turned to the princess and suggested that we leave immediately.
"No sooner had the words left my mouth when all of a sudden there was a hissing sound and Ser Harlan fell from a dart that had passed through the eye sockets of his helm. Immediately chaos ensued and the Martell guards entreated us to take refuge in the nearest building which happened to be an orphanage.
"Once inside, we barricaded the door and decided to split up so as to make it difficult to be found. However I had no sooner hidden myself behind a stack of barrels just off of the main hallway when the door broke open and a robed man hurried into the hallway and made his way into the great room where I had seen the princess go.
"Feeling concerned, I emerged from my hiding place and followed him as quietly as I could. It wasn't until I entered the Great Room that I saw that the princess's efforts to hide had not met with success as she was backed against the wall on the far side of the room with an assassin's blade at her throat.
"The orphanage itself must have been disturbed during dinner as plates and food were still resting upon the table. I grabbed the heaviest object I could find which turned out to be an iron pan and proceeded to connect it to the back of the man's skull. He dropped like a stone and we were found not long after by a few Martell guards who had survived the onslaught."
"Your grace if I may suggest a course of action?" Ser Gerold spoke up and Aerys sighed in an almost long suffering manner. "Yes Lord Commander?"
"We need to replace our fallen brother right away, Ser Harlan's position must not remain un-filled."
"Your concern has been duly noted Lord Commander," King Aerys said in a dismissive tone that was anything but concerned. He turned back to Lily and his violet eyes continued to glitter with interest. "Go on my lady."
"That's really all there is to tell your grace," the red head replied spreading her hands in a demonstrative manner. "We returned to the keep and the guards were increased by Princes Doran and Oberyn as you know."
"Ah, but then there was the small matter of what happened today," the king said raising a finger in the air. "You were the first to spot the assassin the balcony of the great sept. Why was that?"
You're not being accused of anything.
"Forgive me your grace, but hot air rises and while I was standing upon the platform next to the princess and the rest of the royal party, the heat became unbearable to the point of distraction. In order to take my mind off of how hot I was, I began to look around the sept. My eyes strayed past the balcony and that was where I caught sight of him."
"And how did you appear to know that the arrow was meant for the prince?"
"I didn't," Lily said. "In truth it was enough that the arrow was sent towards the platform at all. I merely reacted to it."
The king sat back in his chair and rubbed his chin in a musing manner. His eyes drifted towards the ceiling as if he were thinking deeply about something and for a long moment there was a tense silence in the throne room.
Lily's gaze drifted towards the other members of the royal family. Queen Rhaella herself looked pale and strained and Lily grimaced to think of the toll that the attack had had on her. Prince Viserys was just a child and she shuddered about how close he had come to the blade of a knife.
Prince Rhaegar on the other hand looked shockingly indifferent, but his face was always blank so Lily wasn't certain he was even mentally all there.
Perhaps he's just a beautiful bubblehead.
"You seem to be an individual with an uncanny amount of luck," the king said jerking Lily back to reality. "Twice your resourcefulness and quick thinking has saved a member of this family. I would like to see that continue."
"With all due respect your grace, I would simply like to see the perpetrators of this crime brought to justice," Lily said. "No one knows who they are or where they've come from."
"Indeed," Aerys said. "But perhaps that is something you can help with."
Lily frowned. "Me?"
"Yes," the king said. "I would like to see you assist in the investigation. It seems you have the skills to succeed where members of the Kingsguard have failed."
Out of the corner of her eye, Lily glimpsed Ser Gerold stiffen and she wanted to grimace herself.
"What do you want me to do your grace?" she asked.
"Peruse the city," the king said. "The common folk have a way of seeing things that the nobles don't. They are far more likely to know things that we do not. Find out who these men are, where they have come from and who has sent them. Then we may be able to ascertain what it is that they want."
"Pardon me your grace but I think it is quite obvious what they want, or what whoever has sent them wants," Lily said tentatively knowing she had to be careful here.
"Do tell," the king said beckoning her to speak.
He was being extremely rational and Lily knew she had to take advantage of this moment of lucidity.
"Power your grace," she said. "Isn't that what all men want? Whoever has sent these men and is the grand architect behind this assassination scheme must sense that there is an…evolution of power taking place. A marriage is the most public event that commoners would have access to. Is it not at all possible that this mastermind believes that this wedding would have been a place to stake his claim to power?"
A long silence followed this question and Lily wondered if she had overstepped her bounds. This was the king that people had called mad after all, unhinged at the very least. But his clarity was beginning to make her uneasy.
One thing she was instantly aware of was the sharpening of Tywin Lannister's gaze on her. His eyes had narrowed as she gone through her speech to the point of them going very nearly into splits.
Merlin only knew what he was thinking about.
"You're a sharp little thing aren't you?" Aerys said with a small but eerie smile that made Lily swallow hard. "You may be correct. House Targaryen will made strong through this and we will rise like the dragons we are."
He paused here and then finally turned and looked at all gathered. "You are all dismissed to prepare for the feast tonight."
"There's going to be a feast?" Oberyn asked. "But your grace – "
Doran elbowed him hard in the ribs then and he fell silent.
"Indeed Prince Oberyn," Aerys said grinning madly as he got to his feet. "I will not have this great House made to look weak and cowardly in the eyes of the realm. We are dragons and we will behave as such."
He looked out across the room and raised a hand as if he were addressing a non-existent crowd. "This room will be ablaze with the fire of torches tonight. Make it so. Let our enemies know that they have tried to shake the foundations of this house and they have failed."
As the small party began to disperse, Doran and Oberyn muttering together, Aerys fixed Lily with one more long stare.
"Find our enemies my lady," he said in a low whisper that caused a chill to rise on Lily's skin. "Find them and bring them before me. For I will see them all burn."
Ω
"So when does your investigation begin Madame Sleuth?" Ashara teased.
Lily rolled her eyes at her friend and didn't answer right away. At the moment they standing against one of the large pillars in the throne room watching the dancing take place around them.
Aerys' insistence that a wedding feast take place had met with little protest from the rest of the guests who were eager to forget what had happened that day and take part in some merriment.
Brynden had been flabbergasted at the king's indifference to the attack but Lily hadn't said a word about his charge to her. She was still shocked by it herself.
She had heard word of the mental state of the king but never in a million years did she think he would do something this obtuse.
After all, wasn't this the man who held his own good daughter in contempt simply because she wasn't a Targaryen and the man who had scorned Tywin Lannister's attempts to make his daughter a queen?
"I will not pretend to know what game the king is playing," Lily muttered under her breath to her friend as they watched the dancing. "From what I have heard females are less than persons to him."
Ashara shrugged. "That may be true but there is one thing that he values more than blood…and that is talented individuals, people who stick out above the rest and the fact that you were able to thwart two assassination attempts against the royal family in the same week has made you a person of interest to him. His eyes will be on you while you are at court, I hope you know that."
Lily grimaced. "I had hoped to avoid that."
Ashara fell silent for a moment and glanced down at her feet causing Lily to look at her in concern. "Are you alright?"
"I know that I may not mean as much in the grand scheme of things as a prince or princess," the brunette began, "but I feel I should thank you. You saved my life too by stepping in when that man jumped on the platform."
"Think nothing of it," the red head said raising a hand dismissively. "We all did what we had to do in order to survive."
"Yes, but you reacted first and you did so in such a way that not only did you dispatch the man attacking us, but you gave us an advantage as well. How did you get to be so resourceful?"
Lily sighed. "Ashara I think you know by now that I am not exactly a lady. I'm the youngest daughter of three so my father doesn't pay as much attention to what I do. That left room for my uncle to take over my training and education. He saw that I wasn't like my sisters and that I wasn't getting as much attention so he decided he was going to assist in raising me. One of the things he did teach me was to be ready to react to anything and everything. And remember, I saw the assassins before you did. I had the mental time to prepare."
"Be that as it may," Ashara said. "You almost seemed….battle tested. You're younger than I am though. How could that be?"
A flash of green light and high pitched laughter bounced off the deep recesses of Lily's mind and she fought back a shudder.
"I think I just have sharp instincts Ashara," she said. "That's truly all it is."
The Dayne girl gave her a searching look before turning away to take a sip from her goblet of wine. "Very well, keep your secrets."
"It's not a secret!" Lily protested.
"My ladies."
Both girls looked up to find a rather pink cheeked Eddard Stark standing in front of them. His hands were folded behind his back and he looked a bit nervous.
"Yes my lord?" Ashara asked with the easy smile of a practiced femme fatale.
"If I may be so bold Lady Ashara as to ask for this dance?" the young lord said in an even quieter tone and Lily glanced down at her feet, biting her lip to hold back a smile.
She had only known Ned for a few weeks but she had grown rather fond of him and secretly wished that he was the oldest of the Stark boys so her sister might marry him. Ned seemed far better suited to be a lord paramount than his hotheaded brother.
"Of course Lord Eddard," Ashara said taking the proferred arm. She sent a wink Lily's way as Ned led her to the dance floor and Lily rolled her eyes.
Life with these new friends in the capital is going to be fun, she thought wryly to herself. Ashara, Elia, Uncle Brynden and perhaps Prince Oberyn. I hope this doesn't turn into an improvised version of the Marauders. Or do I?
A sudden clearing of the throat behind her caused her to look up.
To her dismay, Brandon Stark emerged from the pillar behind her and moved smoothly in front of her, causing her to have to focus her attention on her sister's wayward betrothed.
"What do you want Stark?" she asked with perhaps a little more bite than necessary.
The heir to the north raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps a bit more cordiality from my future good sister?"
Lily mirrored his expression. "Is that right? Let me tell you one thing Stark. I only give respect to those who had earned it and in my eyes, you have earned none. You wish to impress me? Start by making an effort with my sister and then we'll talk."
To her annoyance Stark folded his arms across his chest and began to chuckle. "I can see you're not going to be easy to win over. In some ways you remind me of my sister. Tell me, how did a southern flower get to be so tenacious and use a sword so well?"
This time, Lily did roll her eyes. "You need to pull your head out of the north Stark. Northern girls aren't the only ones who know their way around a blade. This will be the final time I will explain this to a male who can't see beyond his own nose. My Uncle is the Blackfish who fought in the war of the Nine Penny kings with men like Ser Barristan Selmy. He's one of the most brilliant warriors in the kingdom and I was blessed to be able to learn from him at a young age. I believe I've answered all the questions I need to answer from you. Why don't you go find my sister and attempt to woo her like you should have been doing all along?"
She made to walk away but was shocked when Brandon shot out a hand and took hold of her arm.
Her green eyes narrowed at him dangerously. "You will remove your hand at once my lord. I will not be man handled by a hot headed male that doesn't know how to keep his distance."
Her tone must have been beyond dangerous for Brandon's eyes widened and he immediately released her.
"My apologies," he said in a softer tone that made her pause. "You simply caught me off guard. I don't often have the privilege of meeting women who are as strong willed as they are skillful. You surprised me. Is it so wrong to want to know someone like that?"
Lily regarded him carefully for a moment before she released her clenched fists. "Your apology is accepted."
"May we start over?" Brandon asked in an almost pleading tone that surprised Lily. "I truly wish to get to know you if we are to be family."
Lily cocked her head to one side, "My concern my lord is that I am merely being used as a shield to stay away from my sister. Make no mistake, I may not agree with Catelyn on every matter but I will have her back no matter the situation. You are her betrothed and I will not shame her or my house by spending time with you apart from her. You have obligations that have nothing to do with me. My sister and I may be different but her desires to be a good wife and mother are admirable and I would see her be happy before I am. You have no idea what a treasure you are being given but I promise you if you let yourself, you will."
Brandon was staring at her as if she had given him all the secrets of the universe.
"How can you say these things?" he finally asked. "You are wise beyond your years and yet you are younger than I?"
"I have been blessed to have the right influences in my life my lord," Lily said seriously. "And if you are who I think you are, so have you. I had the distinct privilege of meeting your brother in the Vale and I happen to think very highly of him. He is a person who wants nothing more than to serve the north and give of himself whenever and wherever he can. I would be honored to be with someone like that."
She didn't see it as she was looking out on the dance floor where Ned was whirling Ashara about with a small smile on his face and she was laughing, but Brandon Stark's expression tightened at this ending statement.
"Ned is an honorable person," he said quietly. "Sometimes I wish he was born first. He would be far better suited to running the north than I."
Lily frowned and turned back to him. He sounded sincere and she wondered if this was the first genuine moment they had shared.
You shouldn't be sharing anything with him, a stern voice inside of her declared. This man is to be your sister's husband. If Cat were to even see you right now she might be livid.
She sighed, she really needed to cut this conversation short before anyone saw them and got ideas.
"Think of it this way my lord," she said. "You have been given a unique opportunity to improve the quality of life for the north. Not many people will be given the power that you have. The north is the largest territory in Westeros and accounts for an enormous percentage of its economy. You may not have the adventures you're craving but in the end, you do have the ability to make the north a better place. It's not all about you and before you can be the lord that the north needs, you need to remember that. Good day."
And then before he could stop her, she turned and walked off alongside the outside of the dance floor watching the dancing and hoping that not too many people had noticed her long conversation with the heir to the north.
She didn't see Cat among the dancers but Petyr seemed to be dancing with Lysa which surprised and delighted her.
Lysa had taken to the dancing effortlessly while the skin between Petyr's eyebrows was pinched as he stepped unsteadily to the right and left. It was a sure sign that he was frustrated.
Lily hoped that her sister didn't notice.
She took a flute of wine off of the tray that a servant passing her was carrying and paused by one of the pillars on the opposite side of the room.
Drinking wine was a new thing to the red head but living in an entirely different culture than the one in England had made this a consistent thing for her.
She remembered having firewhiskey only once at a party in her seventh year when Gryffindor had won the House Cup and absolutely loathed it, going so far as to spit it out in the fire to the laughs of James and Sirius.
This wine was quite different and was well watered down making it palatable and almost sweet.
As she leaned against the pillar and watched Ned whirling her friend about the dance floor, she used the glass to hide a smile and dismissed her conversation with Brandon Stark.
It would be nice for Ashara to end up with someone like Ned. He's one of the few honorable people that I've met here.
"Hell of a day wasn't it?"
Lily started and turned to find Robert Baratheon leaning against the pillar next to her giving her a cheeky smile.
He too was dressed in his finest but this time his tunic and breeches were a deep golden color with black billowing sleeves. His curly black hair was resting neatly against the colors of his tunic and he looked perfectly relaxed.
His blue eyes danced as he looked down at her and it irritated Lily that she had to tip her head back to look at him.
"It certainly was," she muttered as she took a sip from her wine. "You seemed to have enjoyed yourself though."
"There's nothing I hate worse than weddings," the young lord rumbled as he looked out over the dancing. "All the priests talking about the favor of the gods. Pah! The gods don't exist."
"I would be careful who you say such things to," Lily said quietly. "I am no devout follower of the Seven, but there are many in this city who are."
"Like the king?" Robert scoffed. "You don't honestly think he believes in them do you? He is a man who believes in his own power and bloodline only."
"Very true," Lily said, "I suppose that will be the only thing the king and I do agree on."
Robert frowned at her. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that I believe the gods have no say and no power over what we do. A man or woman's fortunes are dictated by their actions and their actions alone."
The look Robert gave her then was a curious one. It was a mixture of surprise and intrigue as if she had said something that he had always believed but never known anyone else did too.
"Hmm," was all he said after a moment.
Silence reigned between the pair for a moment but it wasn't an uncomfortable one. Lily felt as if she should say something and opened her mouth several times but no words came to her tongue.
She was therefore thankful when Robert chose the next moment to speak up.
"Tell me something Tully," he said, "have you been practicing since we left the Vale? You seemed to have improved."
The red head snorted. "I was fighting for my life my lord, when the blood is racing through your veins you tend to do whatever is necessary in order to survive."
Robert guffawed causing her to smile slightly. "Was that why you jumped on my leg and stabbed that bastard's eye out with your earring? Damn it all girl I don't think I've ever seen that before."
Lily snorted again. "Very well maybe that was some theatrics on my part but I was running out of time, your back was turned and it was the best I could do under the circumstances."
"Nevertheless it was well thought out," Robert said in a surprisingly thoughtful tone. "How is your ankle?"
Lily blinked and glanced down at the aforementioned limb. "It's well thank you. I soaked it for a time and then kept off of it before tonight. I expect I merely jarred it."
Robert nodded and the two leaned back against the pillar again, remaining in silence until Lily decided to continue the conversation in a different manner.
"Have you come to any conclusions about the source of the attack?" she asked in a low voice and Robert chuckled darkly before tipping the last of the wine down his throat.
"Isn't it obvious?" he asked.
"Maybe not to some," Lily said hiding her mouth behind her glass. "But I would like to hear your explanation."
With his own glass Robert gestured towards the dais where the king, the queen and the prince and newly named princess were sitting. "How many people do you see there?"
"Four."
"How many of them are blood Targaryens?"
"Three," Lily said. "But with the marriage to the princess there is the hope that soon there will be more upon the way."
"There is that hope," Robert said. "But so far there hasn't been and someone has decided to take advantage of the lack of royal blood."
"Is that the only conclusion you have drawn?" Lily asked. "I inquire merely because I have drawn the same solutions myself…but there is the tricky matter of who is pulling the strings of the puppet."
"Gods I hate politics," the tall lord rumbled as he snagged another wine glass from the tray of a passing servant. "You couldn't pay me enough to sit on that throne listening to people bellyaching about their problems."
"I hate to break it to you," Lily said casting a wry eye in his direction. "But you're going to be doing those very things albeit on a minor scale. You are the heir to Storm's End are you not?"
Robert muttered several dark curses under his breath. "Not if I had anything to say about it."
Lily huffed. Good lord, is every man I am to speak to going to moan about the power he has been given?
"You know there are many people who would crave the same chances that you are being handed," she said in a low voice.
"Don't you start," Robert growled. "You sound exactly like Jon. Always saying to make the most out of every given opportunity and to benefit those around us, to make the realm a better, safer place."
"Lord Arryn is a very wise man," Lily said stoically. "You'd do well to listen to him. I'm inclined to think he only wants what's best for you."
To this Robert said nothing and Lily decided she wasn't going to force the issue. She didn't know Robert well enough to entreat him to her way of thinking and she didn't want to give herself the headache in trying.
Not having known him for long, she was able to ascertain that he was the most stubborn man she had ever met.
A part of her wanted to ask about the woman in the Vale and the child she was carrying and if Robert had seen them.
I know bastards are treated with contempt in this world, she thought to herself. But I certainly hope someone will make certain the child is well cared for. Maybe I should mention it to Lord Arryn. He seemed concerned enough about its wellbeing.
All of a sudden a shadow fell across her and she looked up to see the tall form of her father standing in front of her.
He was alone and she wondered where her siblings were before she decided that Ed must have assuredly gone back to his rooms.
"Father," she said inclining her head.
"Lilian," the Lord of the Riverlands said in a rough voice. "I pray that you follow me. There is someone we must speak to."
Lily frowned. His manner was rarely this serious.
"Is there a problem father?" she asked.
"Not at all," Lord Tully said. He nodded at Robert who gave him a small smile in return. "Lord Baratheon."
He then turned and walked off without a word prompting Lily to shoot his back with a confused look.
"You'd better follow him," Robert said with a chuckle as he snagged another wine glass going by. "He doesn't seem like he's in a very good mood."
"That's one thing you might have to become accustomed to about my father Baratheon," Lily muttered as she squared her shoulders and strode off. "He's rarely in a good mood."
She followed the tall lord through the crowd as fast as she could until she had caught up with him. "Father, what on earth is going on?"
"A request has been made for your hand," the Lord of the Riverlands said in a low voice. "And the man in question is of excellent character and birth. I think you will find him quite agreeable."
Lily nearly came to a screeching halt. "You don't think I'm a little young for an arranged marriage?"
Hoster waved his hand dismissively. "Before long you will be five and ten. There are many girls of noble birth that age who are married and producing heirs. Besides I think once you meet him you will have no further objections."
That gave Lily pause as she hurried to keep up with him. They were skirting the outside of the ballroom now away from all of the party guests heading for Merlin knew where and Lily was becoming more and more confused by the moment.
"Father!" she snapped, finally seizing hold of his arm and bringing him to a halt. "What on earth is the rush? And who is this young man that you seem so excited about?"
"I do not wish to blow this opportunity Lilian," Hoster replied as he continued walking. "This is a most advantageous match and it will guarantee that House Tully is connected with three of the greatest houses in Westeros."
"Spare me the political ramblings," Lily snapped. "Are you going to tell me who the man is or not?"
"Hoster stopped and sighed but he didn't turn around. "I fear you're going to have your hands full my lord. My youngest has never been easy. She would make any man a wonderful wife if they could only look past her tongue."
Lily wanted to scream at being ignored but then a familiar voice from the other side of her father stopped her in her tracks.
"I'm quite aware of Lady Lilian's tongue Lord Hoster and if I wanted a wife who was easy, I would have chosen a Hightower girl. As it stands, my uncle and I think Lilian is a far better match."
Lily blinked and poked her head around her father only for the breath to catch in her throat when she realized who he was speaking to.
"You!" she burst out.
"Me," Elbert Arryn said with a smile. He stood there looking taller and fairer then ever in his sky blue Arryn garments, long sword at his waist and boyish smile on his face. His blonde hair was tousled and his blue eyes sparkled. "I hope you won't think me too forward Lady Lilian but I thought I had better throw my sword into the ring before anyone else came along and snapped you up."
Ω
There had been few times in her first or second life where Lily found herself speechless. She was always accustomed to having a witty comeback or being able to snap at people in a way that at least didn't make her seem like she had nothing to say.
But now…now she had absolutely nothing to say.
Judging from the look on Elbert's face, he knew it too and was relishing the unexpected moment of silence.
Open your damn mouth Tully! The red head mentally screamed. Anything is better than silence!
Instead all she did was manage to blink a few times and hugely emphasize the words: "I beg your pardon?"
"For the sake of the gods Lilian, close your mouth you resemble those trout the fishermen haul into Riverrun on a daily basis," her father declared and Lily closed her mouth with a snap grinding her teeth together as she did so.
"And when was this idea proposed?" she asked through clenched teeth. She wasn't sure why she was angry but perhaps it was merely at being blindsided, her father could have at least waited until after the feast to tell her.
First she had been made the king's official investigator into assassination attempts and now she was engaged.
"This afternoon," her father said calmly folding his hands together. "Lord Arryn and his nephew approached me not long after we arrived back at the keep with the offer of an alliance between the Riverlands and the East. Naturally with Catelyn set the join the North and the Trident together and Lysa betrothed to the lions, it was time to focus on your future union."
"How perfect," Lily said in the same breathless manner she always used when she was trying to contain her irritation. "It certainly is wonderful how things simply fall into place isn't it?"
Her manner was dripping with acerbic sarcasm and Elbert wasn't dense for his eyes narrowed at her in speculation and Lily wanted to grimace.
Thankfully the blonde then took that opportunity to speak up. "Lord Tully, might Lilian and I have a word alone?"
"Of course Lord Elbert," Hoster said. He turned back to his daughter and threw a severe look her way as if to say, don't you dare mess this up.
If Lily were a bit more immature she might have stuck her tongue out at him but that would have looked ridiculous.
As soon as he had gone, Lily closed her eyes and took a deep breath trying to calm herself. When she opened her eyes again, Elbert was still standing there and she knew she ought to say something to convey that she wasn't angry with him.
Before she could however, Elbert came alongside of her and offered her his arm. "Might we walk Lady Lilian. There are a few things I'd like to explain."
Lily glanced at him and noted the almost worried furrow of his brow before she relaxed and nodded. "Of course Lord Elbert."
The two maintained a measured silence until they had left the torches, music, dancing and wine behind and were out of the keep entirely.
Once they had reached the cool quiet of the gardens, Elbert stopped and turned to her. "I suppose I should have spoken to you before your father reached you but at the moment, I was simply eager to see this agreement in place."
Lily closed her eyes for a moment. "I'm not angry my lord, at least not at you. My father simply has a habit of springing news on me and expecting me to accept it as demurely as a mouse. He will never understand that I am not Catelyn and so when I am told that I am being given in marriage to someone, I want to be warned well beforehand what I can expect from that person. I want to know who they are, what their character is, how they treat others and what they do with the power they are given. I want to know who it is that I will be spending the rest of my life with. Does that make sense?"
"Of course it does!" Elbert burst out. "And that way of thinking is exactly why I spoke to my uncle about you. I knew after your stay in the Eyrie you were someone I needed to keep my eye on. My uncle has been hinting for the last year or so that it was high time we begin looking for a Lady of the Vale. But I put him off simply because I wouldn't know the woman who would hold that title before I met her. It may strike you as odd, but I don't simply want to marry for political advantage either."
Lily cocked her head to one side up at the tall blonde either. "Truly?"
"Yes truly! I knew what expected of me as the last Arryn and the high standard my uncle has set and to be perfectly honest with you my lady I question whether I will be able to live up to his standards. But I wish to try…and when the inevitable happens I wish to have the right person at my side."
For once Lily was silent. This was truthfully all she had been hoping for when she comprehended that arranged marriages were a primary part of culture in her new life. If her freedom was restricted at least she could find a person who was honourable and kind. And perhaps she had found that person.
Don't get too ahead of yourself Lily, the voice of practicality in her mind snapped. Elbert seems nice enough but this is a lifetime commitment we are talking about. You don't just agree to spend the rest of your life with someone on a whim. You need to get some control back.
"All of that sounds wonderful my lord," she said. "And I applaud your vision for your future. But how are you so certain that I am the partner you need for it? I am not yet five and ten and you are about to reach your majority. The Vale will soon be yours while I am still a child in the eyes of the realm."
"The fact that you cannot truly see how capable of a woman you are is exactly why I need someone like you by my side," Elbert said as they continued to walk. "Yes you are young, but you have the sharpest tongue of any woman I ever met which means you will not be afraid to check someone when they are wrong, regardless of who they are. You are also the bravest and most skilled woman I know, one of the few who did not run for her life when the Great Sept was attacked earlier today. I've never known a woman who could fight like you do which means life with you will be far grander of an adventure than any I could find with another. Yes, you are young but these qualities are only going to become greater as time goes on. You also have a heart that denies rank or stature, you care and you care abundantly. How could I not want to be with someone like that?"
Another sort of silence came over Lily then. This time it was a contemplative one. She had never heard herself described in such a way before. Elbert certainly had a higher opinion of herself than she did.
"You seem to comprehend a great deal my lord," she said carefully. "But are you sure what you comprehend is true?"
Elbert surprised her further then by taking both of her hands in his. "I do not think you have it in you to be a liar my lady. In fact I do not think there is a dishonest bone in your body. You are someone to whom truth is very important."
Lily swallowed hard, remembering the very large secret she was keeping about her magic and then cleared her throat. "I hope I can live up to your expectation of me my lord."
"There is not a doubt in my mind that you will," the blonde said as they continued their walk. "And it would never be my intention to force you into something that you do not want. So I must ask, if there is any part of you that desires not to see this union take place in our futures, please tell me now and I will inform my uncle."
Now that was surprising.
Lily gazed up at the heir to the Vale with new eyes. She had known him to be fair and honest, but this act of unselfishness surprised her. She had seen many lords in her time here who were the epitome of selfish, either in their desires for power or their desires to get away from it at the expense of others.
She had never seen one who would freely welcome the scorn of others as well as potential disagreeable matches in order to make someone else happy.
She felt her heart warm at his words. He is giving me an enormous amount of respect. How can I not do the same?
"There's no need for that my lord," she said slowly. "You have alleviated some of my fears. I know you are not like the others. I think I was simply overwhelmed, I had no idea that you felt this way. It's very humbling."
"Whatever praise I have given you my lady, I certainly think you are worthy of it," Elbert said with a small smile that lit up his entire face and brought a lift to Lily's own lips.
"I don't want to marry yet," she said. "I must ensure that you know that. I haven't even begun to live a life yet. Perhaps in a few years time?"
"I know," Elbert said. "Take all the time you need. Please just know that I will be waiting for you when you are ready. And I hope to get to know you in that time too. I am certain of my choice but I want you to be as well."
Lily then did something that surprised her. She stood on her toes and kissed Elbert on the cheek. "Thank you my lord. Then I will happily accept your proposal of marriage. I just need time."
"And I will happily give it," Elbert said. He looked a little surprised from her actions but pleased as well. "I would just like to be a part of that time that you need."
"So would I?" Lily said retaking his arm. "So how are we to go about that? I am to remain the capital for the next little while with the Princess and you are to return to the Vale correct?"
"That is correct," Elbert mused as they strolled past the starlight garden. "However I know that Robert and Ned will soon be returning to the north and the Stormlands respectively. It won't be long before my uncle turns over control of the Vale to me. He's taught nearly everything I need to know in the way of running it, however I'll never truly know how capable I am until I am in command."
"The next few months are going to be interesting," Lily mused. "How are we going to spend time getting to know one another when you are in the East and I am here?"
How indeed? Said a small voice in the back of her mind. Would now be a prudent time to bring up the subject of your magic? This man might be the one you spend the rest of your life with here. And he seems to be one of the better ones.
She swallowed hard and fought back the notion. She didn't know Elbert well enough for that yet. There was no telling how he would take the concept of her magic.
As it stood only her uncle and Elia knew and that had only come in the last few days. She would have to trust a person with her life before she would ever mention as ground breaking a secret as this.
"Well," Elbert began and snapped her back to reality. "Suppose I were to remain here in the capital with you for however long you are to serve the new princess?"
Lily blinked. "Would your uncle consider such a notion? You are the heir to the Vale after all."
"I know not," the blonde said with a shrug. "But I certainly can ask. The worst he could do is say no. Or perhaps some sort of deal could be worked out where I travel back and forth between the Vale and here."
"You would do that for me?" Lily asked in a soft whisper both humbled and touched.
"Lily," Elbert said stopping their stride and taking her hands again. "I am beginning to find that there is a lot I would do for you. I've never met a woman quite like you and that is a very relieving thing. I was beginning to think that the future lady of the Vale would be a woman more concerned with her reflection than with justice, kindness and courage. You are all three of those things."
Lily could feel her cheeks burning and glanced down at her feet, very glad that the darkness was hiding the color.
"Thank you my lord," she said softly. "And if I may say you, you seem to be the sort of man that any woman would be happy to spend her life with. I'm very honored that you've chosen me."
"The honor is far more mine," the blonde said. He bent then and surprised Lily even more by brushing her cheek with a gentle kiss. "I can only thank the gods you came along when you did and knocked some sense into me. Goodnight my lady."
He turned then and strode off, leaving a stunned red head in his wake with her hand pressed to a tingling cheek.
She smiled as the watched the tall blonde turn a corner and disappear. To know that she had made such an impact on him in the short time they had known each other was humbling to say the least.
And then the memory of James' face drifted to the front of her mind and a bitter sweet feeling welled up in her so strong that she could almost taste.
She sighed and seated herself down on a nearby bench near a bed of pearl white flowers folding her hands in her lap.
This was a lot to take in. The king in a moment of insanity had decided to make her his official palace investigator and she was now engaged.
And while both things weren't bad per se, she liked the man she was engaged to but they would need to know each other far better before she could consider love. At least they were friends before all of this.
And then the words Elia had imparted to her a week ago in the marketplace came floating back.
You get to know that person before you fall in love and sometimes that can be a wonderful thing. Friendship before love is how it should be.
"Very well then," the red head said to herself. "We shall be friends and I will do my part to make this work. If I want any sort of happiness in a marriage in this life than hard work is the only way to get there."
That decided she got to her feet and strode off into the gardens. She had an assassin to find.
As soon as she disappeared around corner, the bushes several feet from where she had been sitting parted and out stepped a familiar form.
Petyr Baelish looked at the spot where his childhood friend had sat and felt his hands clench into fists.
He may have been reticent before but not again.
If he didn't do something soon, he would lose Lily forever….she was one of the few good things he had in his life.
And he wouldn't and couldn't let her get away.
Ω
And here we are. Lily has been made the king's official detective, she is now engaged to Elbert Arryn and he will be spending equal amounts of time in the capital and in the Vale. However make no mistake ladies and gentlemen, she is still going to end up with Robert but the path to them getting there is going to have a lot of twists and turns. I hope you enjoy the chapter and don't forget to review!
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