Silver Stag

Tables Have Turned

[King's Landing - Red Keep, Cersei's Chambers]

Cersei's heart raced as she paced the dimly lit chambers, the echoes of the assassin's attack still ringing in her mind. She had alwys known that the game of thrones was a dangerous one, but she had nevr expected to be the target of such a brazen attack. She had tried to gather her own forces, but they were no match for the mysterious killer. She had alwys been the one with the power, the one who held the reins of control, but now she found herself in a desperate situation, forced to grovel to the one person she had alwys considered beneath her: Littlefinger, Lord Baelish.

"Littlefinger," she called out, her voice low and urgent. "I need your Vale Knights to protect me. The assassin who attacked me in my own chambers is still out there, and I fear for my life."

Littlefinger, the master of the Vale, arrived promptly, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Ah, my dear Cersei," he purred. "I see you've finally come to your senses and realized that you need my help. How...fortunate for you."

Cersei bristled at his tone, but she kept her cool. She knew that she needed Littlefinger's Knights, and she was willing to swallow her pride to get them. "I need your protection," she repeated. "The assassin who attacked me is still out there, and I fear for my life."

Littlefinger nodded, his lips curving into a sly smile. "Of course, my dear. I will provide you with all the protection you need. But first, let us discuss the terms of our arrangement."

Cersei frowned, sensing where this was going. "What do you mean?"

Littlefinger leaned forward, his voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. "Oh, my dear. I have alwys believed that knowledge is power. And I have a great deal of knowledge that you do not possess. Knowledge of the secrets of the realm, knowledge of those who seek to bring you down. Power is power, after all. And I have it, while you continue to lose it."

Cersei's eyes narrowed, her anger rising. How dare he taunt her like this? Did he not know who she was? The Queen of the Seven Kingdoms? But then, she remembered her own words to Littlefinger not so long ago. Power is power. And she knew that she had underestimated the cunning and resourcefulness of the Master of the Vale.

"I see," she said, her voice cold as ice. "So, you have knowledge that I do not. And you are using it to taunt me. How...amusing."

Littlefinger chuckled, his eyes glinting with pleasure. "Ah, my dear Cersei. You are so perceptive. Yes, I do have knowledge that you do not. And I will use it to my advantage, just as you have used your own power to your advantage. The tables have turned, have they not?"

Cersei's grip on her anger tightened, but she refused to give Littlefinger the satisfaction of seeing her lose her composure. She knew that she needed his Knights, and she was willing to do whatever it took to get them. "I suppose they have," she said, her voice even and controlled. "So, what is your price for your protection?"

"I have alwys believed that knowledge is power," Littlefinger said, leaning back in his chair. "And it seems that I have more of it than you do, my dear Cersei. You have lost much in the past few yeas, while I have gained much. The tables have turned."

Cersei's eyes narrowed, her anger rising at Littlefinger's taunts. But she kept her cool, knowing that she needed him more than he needed her. "I may have lost some power," she said, her voice icy cold. "But I still have the power of the Iron Throne. And I will do whatever it takes to keep it."

Littlefinger smirked, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Oh, Cersei. You're so predictable. You think you have the power of the Iron Throne, but you're just a pawn in a much larger game. I have the power of knowledge, and I know all your secrets."