30. Truly

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Labyrinth // Rhaenyra Targaryen out now!

 'Fewer eyes back here, my Lady. But still too many.' Rodrick Cassel reminded

''It's nine years since I've set foot in the capital. And no one knew who I was the last time I came either.' Catelyn reminded him.

'My Lady.' Rodrick agreed

''Welcome to King's Landing, Lady Stark. Would you mind following us?' a guard said and Catelyn hesitated

''I would. We've done nothing wrong.' Catelyn assured nervously.

''We've been instructed to escort you into the city.'' The guard told her

''Instructed? I don't know who's providing your instructions, but...' Catelyn said defensively

"It's alright." Rodrick assured holding to her elbow.

'Follow me, Lady Stark.' She took hesitant steps her fists clenched as she walked through the city only to see Petyr Bealish.

'Cat! Go on. Go upstairs.' Petyr told her

'You little worm! You take me for some back-alley Sally you can drag into a...' Catelyn hissed

''I meant no disrespect to you of all people.' Petyr assured, he ran a few brothels and having Catelyn here was better than anywhere else in his mind. He knew Alice wouldn't care to see Catelyn, he also knew her sneaking into the castle wouldn't be good either.

'How dare you bring me here! Have you lost your mind?' Catelyn spat

'No one will come looking for you here. Isn't that what like you wanted?' Petyr countered 'I'm truly sorry... about the locale.'

''How did you know I was coming to King's Landing?' Catelyn questioned hesitantly.

'A dear friend told me.' Petyr told her kindly.

''Lady Stark.'' Varys said stepping forward

''Lord Varys.' She retorted

"To see you again after so many years is a blessing. Your poor hands.'' Varys remarked

''How did you know I was coming?' Catelyn asked defensively.

'Knowledge is my trade, my Lady. Did you bring the dagger with you, by any chance?' Varys questioned and Catelyn stared at him a moment longer. 'My little birds are everywhere. Even in the north. They whisper to me the strangest stories.'' Varys told her as she held it out. 'Valyrian steel.' He remarked.

'Do you know whose dagger this is?'

''I must admit I do not.'' Varys answered

''Well, well, this is an historic day. Something you don't know that I do. There's only one dagger like this in all of the Seven Kingdoms. It's mine.'' Petyr remarked

' Yours?' Catelyn spat

''At least it was, until the tournament on Prince Joffrey's last name day. I bet on Ser Jaime in the jousting, as any sane man would but my Alice told me not to gamble that I am only lucky with her" Petyr chuckled but Catelyn stared blankly back at him. "Well the Knight of the Flowers unseated him, I lost this dagger.'' Petyr informed her.

'To whom?" Catelyn demanded

''Tyrion Lannister. The Imp.''

+

'Don't stand so still it's hard to hit a moving target' Jon said trying to bond with his brothers 'Except for you.' he motioned to pip, 'you move too much,' he saw Tyrion watching him from the doorway above, 'you pull your sword out, jump around and you do all the work for me.' jon informed him.

'How many winters have you seen Lord Tyrion?'

'Eight no nine' he said.

'All of them brief?' The maester questioned.

'No, the winter of my birth was three years long Maester Aemond.' Tyrion informed him.

'This summer has lasted nine but word from the citadel tells us that the summer grow shorter... winter is coming. This one will be long and dark, things will come with it.' Maester aemond told them.

'We've been capturing Wildlings more every month they are fleeing south the ones who we find say they have seen the white walkers.'

'And the fisherman of Lannister port say they see mermaids' Tyrion told them humorously.

'The night watch is the only thing standing between the realm and what lays beyond and it has become an army of undisciplined boys and tired old men' maester aemond told Tyrion. 'There are less than 1000 of us now,' he went on 'we cannot manage the other castles beyond the wall, we cannot properly patrol the wildlings, we barely have enough led to keep our men armed and fed.'

'Your sister sits by the side of the king. Tell her we need help' he requested 'When winter does come, God's help us all if we are not ready.' Aemond told Tyrion.

++

"This is nice right?" Alice asked as she showed Arya and Sansa around.

"This place is beautiful." Sansa declared. Arya wasn't as excited.

"Perhaps we could go for a swim or a tour of the gardens, I can take you to the courtyard." Alice offered.

"Can we go to your homestead?" Arya asked and Alice blushed.

"Oh.. I live in... above a place... not suited for little ones." Alice said vaguely.

"She is in a brothel remember mother told us." Sansa whispered.

"Do you see naked people all the time?" Arya asked.

"Arya, that's rude." Sansa hissed.

"I live above the brothel... I am friendly with the ladies and the patrons its just no place for little ladies such as yourself." Alice reminded them.

"Well now we must go!" Arya declared.

"No, you know what mothers says about those establishments." Sansa reminded her.

"What does your mother say?" Alice asked gently.

"She says you are crazy but I say mother is boring." Arya informed her.

"Alice isn't crazy." Sansa assured. "She just has a strange husband.' Sansa whispered.

"Oh Petyr is lovely." Alice assured.

"Mother doesn't like him." Sansa informed her.

"Your mother doesn't like anything." Alice corrected and Arya burst out laughing.

+

'I'm sorry to see you leave' Jon said as Tyrion finished pissing off the edge of the wall

'It's either me or this cold and it doesn't appear to be going anywhere.' Tyrion told him.

'Will you stop at Winterfell on your way south?'

'I suppose I will gods know there are not many featherbeds between here and Kings Landing.' Tyrion reminded him

'If you see my brother Bran tell him I miss him tell him I'd visit if I could.' Jon requested

'Of course' Tyrion said.

'He may never walk again' Jon informed him

'If you're going to be a cripple it's better to be a rich cripple. Take care snow' Tyrion said walking past.

'I will my Lord... Lord Tyrion?' He turned back to Jon. "When you get to the capital... could you tell Alice I miss her already.'

'Of course.' Tyrion agreed. "Your aunt Alice is a special lady." Tyrion remarked.

"She truly is." Jon agreed.

"She ever take you to wonderland?" Tyrion pondered.

"Only she can go." Jon informed him. "One day she is going to take us all down a trip down the rabbit hole."

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