"Yes." Rosso nodded. Littlefinger flitted through King's Landing like a dancing butterfly, but his greatest problem was his lack of soldiers and authority. How was a court fool to climb over the hill?
Littlefinger had already begun to sense danger. The Northmen were marching south, wolves, trout, stags, and dragons advancing in force. Even the Kingslayer had nearly lost his head. Could King's Landing truly be safe?
More troublesome still were the players in King's Landing. Littlefinger understood that the Imp suspected him. As for the Spider, no one knew what the Spider was thinking.
"The Vale. Only the Vale is my home," Littlefinger reminded himself. "I need to win honors in King's Landing, then return to the Vale with a suitable standing to control that fool Lysa, along with those Vale knights and merchants."
"But will they let things go as I wish? The Imp, Little The Smith." Littlefinger felt somewhat anxious as well.
Crackclaw Point's rebellion and independent action, and the fall of Luan River Castle, had all been outside Littlefinger's plans. The Twins, and especially Crackclaw Point, were not far from King's Landing. He had not anticipated Little The Smith's ferocity or his uncanny command of troops. If King's Landing fell, would all his waiting not amount to an empty dream?
Littlefinger thought it over. Even if he fled King's Landing, he would need to take some valuable people along. The old wolf was hardly realistic, but that fool Sansa might do.
"How is Lady Sansa?"
"The king beats and threatens her. She spends every day in tears."
"Poor girl," Littlefinger murmured. "It seems Sansa hasn't discovered the truth."
"My lord, the Imp seems to have ordered someone to take down the Northmen's heads," Rosso said.
"Oh, to think this little friend of mine has a giant's