The Eyrie.
Petyr·Baelish stood in front of the narrow window of the tall tower, looking a little uneasy.
It's been half a month.
It has been exactly half a month since Sansa stepped into the Eyrie.
But for such a long period of time, she did nothing. This behavior made Petyr feel extremely restless.
He is not a restless person.
Being able to climb from the palm-sized place of the Fingers all the way to the high position of Master of Coin, Petyr has more patience than anyone else.
But Sansa·Stark is different.
Ever since she entered the Eyrie, the shadow of the red-haired Maiden has always been lingering in his mind, more vivid than Catelyn's back then, and more... at his fingertips.
She is obviously in the same castle, and she can be seen from a distance every day, but she just can't reach her. How can this not be considered a kind of suffering?
It's all that damn black-armored knight's fault.
Petyr gritted his teeth.
These days, no matter where Sansa goes, that guy always follows him like a ghost, and the huge war hammer never leaves his hand!
In this situation where he could have his head smashed in at any time, he couldn't even think of testing.
After all, I have suffered losses from Cersei·Lannister before..
What's more, Randyll·Tarly appears with people around Sansa's room from time to time, guarding them tightly0
Petyr It's not like I haven't thought about avoiding them.
But Randyll·Tarly is Horn Hill Earl and Master of Laws. It is obviously unwise to have a head-on conflict with him, and those black-armored knights... at first glance, they are the work of Corleone.
He couldn't afford to offend anyone and could only wait.
But after waiting for half a month, there is still no movement from Sansa.
She neither asked to see the lord of Vale nor tried to persuade Lysa to send troops to help her recapture Winterfell. She never even sent a messenger.
Every day I only occasionally go to chat with Lysa for a few words, and the rest of the time I shut myself in my room.
It's like... she really came to visit relatives.
Impossible!
Petyr knows better than anyone else what Sansa·Stark has gone through. There is no way she is just here to visit relatives.
It must be Randyll·Tarly...
.. Or is Corleone planning something famous?
Petyr was pacing back and forth in the room anxiously, but he couldn't figure out what the other party was planning to do.
But what was even more irritating was that he dreamed of Sansa again last night.
In the dream, Stark Maiden stood in front of the Eyrie's Moon Door, with his back to the abyss and smiled at him.
He stretched out his hand to grab her, but the stone slab under his feet suddenly shattered, and he fell into the abyss.
Then... I woke up.
Lysa was snoring next to him, and a hand was placed on his chest, making Petyr unable to breathe.
Bah!
This can't go on like this.
Petyr took a deep breath, walked to the door and opened it.
"Go and tell the cook to make a lemon cake. Use the best lemons, don't put too much sugar, and bake it a little longer."
"Yes, sir." The servant turned to leave.
"Wait."
Petyr stopped him and pondered for a moment, "Go and tell my wife later that I have to deal with some official business this morning and cannot accompany her to the hall for dinner for the time being."
"Understood." The servant hurriedly left.
At the same moment, in the room on the other side of the tower.
Randyll·Tarly sat on the chair, looking at the thin note that had just been taken off the messenger's feet, his eyes full of disbelief.
"Walder·Frey and at least fifty descendants were poisoned to death at the Twins's banquet!"
"It is said that when Eddard Wen·Frey led his troops back to the Twins, everyone was almost frightened when they saw the room full of corpses. They fainted for two days before waking up. Now they have to rely on people to feed them!"
"How on earth did you do that?"
Looking at Maiden, Randyll·Tarly in front of him, his tone was very firm, as if he had determined that this matter was inseparable from Sansa and Corleone.
After all, Sansa has said before that when Eddard returns to the Twins, he will become the new Earl.
At that time Randyll·Tarly thought she was joking and cursed the old Walder to die early...
Sansa was leaning on the chair, concentrating on embroidering a black hand pattern. Hearing this, he raised his head and glanced at Randyll·Tarly, as if to blame him for making such a fuss.
Randyll·Tarly I remember that on the night of Riverrun, this Maiden had the same expression - gentle and harmless.
"Walder·Frey holds banquets more frequently than Seven celebrations. Poisoning is not easy."
As she spoke, she put down the embroidery in her hands, with a joyful smile from the bottom of her face.
"Now House Frey's troops in Riverlands have been almost completely destroyed by us, and the Twins Earl is also scared out of his wits."
"As long as we get Vale's troops, we can go north unimpeded and go to Winterfell to find House Bolton to settle the final account."
After saying that, she stood up and walked to the dressing table, picked up a wooden comb and combed her hair slowly.
Looking at her leisurely look, the corners of Randyll·Tarly's mouth couldn't help but start to twitch again.
He even sympathized with those Frey.
Who said that House Stark people are all honest and honest people?
At this moment, there was a gentle knock on the door.
"Madam." A young knight wearing Black Hand Mafia uniform opened the door and walked in.
"Petyr·Baelish asked to see you and said that I have prepared a good lemon cake for you."
The room was quiet for a moment.
Sansa put down the wooden comb, and then slightly raised the corners of his mouth in a disdainful arc, as if a hunter saw his prey walking into a trap.
"He still thinks I'm that greedy, ignorant, stupid and naive little girl?"
Her tone was sarcastic, then she turned to look at Randyll·Tarly, her eyes suddenly became sharp. "It's time to start, Master Tarly.
Petyr held the tray with his own hands and walked up the spiral staircase of the Eyrie tower step by step, with brisk steps and a determined smile on his lips.
However, when he turned the last corner, the smile on his face suddenly stopped.
A total of five black-armored knights were guarding the door of Sansa!
Hearing the footsteps of Petyr, the knights turned their heads and looked at him at the same time, with a very solemn aura.
For those who didn't know this scene, they thought it was some big lord's private prison.
Damn... this is too exaggerated!
Petyr cursed in his heart, but kept walking forward with a gentle smile on his face.
"Lysa Mrs. Tully prepared some snacks for Lady Stark..
However, before he finished speaking, the black-armored knight closest to him raised his arm and said coldly, "Stop!"
Upon seeing this, Petyr immediately demanded righteously. "I am the owner of the Eyrie..
"I know, Master Petyr·Baelish.
The black-armored knight interrupted him, with a hint of sarcasm in his tone. "But I have to go in and report."
Hearing this, the corners of Petyr's mouth twitched but he didn't say anything more and watched helplessly as the other party turned around and entered the room.
However, not long after, I suddenly heard a faint quarrel coming from inside the door.
"This is my aunt's place. Do I need your permission to meet guests here?"
It's Sansa!
Petyr was stunned.
He had never heard Sansa speak in such a tone. In his memory, this girl was always gentle and submissive, soft-spoken, like a carefully raised bird.
"Master Corleone has ordered you not to have contact with any other men. Your most important task now is to convince your aunt to send troops to help us recapture the North!"
The next sound was the voice of Randyll·Tarly: "This is an order, madam."
"Order?"
Sansa's voice became very sharp, even crying, "First you forced me to marry that Tyrion, humiliated me in front of everyone, and made me a joke to the whole Seven Kingdoms!"
"Then you forced me to divorce and married me to Farmer, whom I have never met even a few times. Now you have to control whoever I see in my aunt's castle!"
"I am Stark of Winterfell, not your prisoner!"
Bang-bang!
Immediately afterwards, there was another crisp sound of broken utensils, maybe vases, and then the clearer sound of a woman crying.
Petyr's heart suddenly tightened, "Get out of the way!" Facing four tall black-armored knights, he gave an unprecedentedly strong order.
The knights looked at each other, but still had no intention of giving in.
This reaction made Petyr even angrier and said loudly, "I am the regent of the Eyrie and the husband of the guardian of Vale. What you are stepping on is the slate of House Arryn!"
"In my wife's castle, what qualifications do you foreigners Mercenary have to block my way?"
"Get out of the way, or I'll call Knight of the Bloody Gate right now to throw you all down the valley!"
However, not only did this threat have no effect, it actually caused a strong reaction from the knights.
"Stand back, this is Mrs. Hand of the King's room, no one is allowed to break in!"
A knight reached out and pushed Petyr, and immediately pushed the thin guy to stagger. His lower back hit the stone wall of the corridor, and he almost couldn't hold the cake.
"Get the damn thing..." Petyr was about to have another attack, but suddenly remembered that he came with Lysa on his back today, so he didn't bring any guards.
Take a deep breath and force yourself to calm down.
"Okay. I won't go in."
His voice returned to calmness, but the anger in his eyes was still not completely extinguished. "But please tell Mr. Tarly that this is Vale, not King's Landing."
"Some things, sooner or later someone will come to ask for an explanation."
None of the black-armored knights answered him.
At this moment, the door was opened from the inside.
The knight who opened the door was the same knight who just came in to report. He stood behind the threshold and glanced at Petyr coldly.
"Tarly sir, let you in, sir."
As soon as these words came out, Petyr immediately frowned.
He guessed it right!
The real Power Broker here is not Sansa, but Randyll·Tarly!
That old guy Horn Hill must have been ordered by Corleone to treat Sansa like a prisoner. He even needs his approval to see anyone!
Petyr sneered in his heart, but put that gentle smile on his face again, nodded slightly, and crossed the threshold with the tray in hand.
The room is very dark.
Broken porcelain fragments and a broken copper jug were scattered on the ground. Petyr's eyes glanced over the fragments, a trace of distress flashed in his eyes, and then he quickly converged.
Randyll·Tarly stood by the window, his hands behind his back, his sharp eyes staring directly at Petyr. In the shadow of the corner further away, the black-armored knight holding a hammer stood silently.
Then he saw Sansa.
Maiden was sitting in a high-backed chair next to the fireplace, his eyes were still red, there were tiny drops of water on his eyelashes, and his lips were pursed tightly, as if he was trying to maintain his appearance.
Petyr's heart suddenly clenched again.
"I brought lemon cake, Mrs. Sansa..."
He said softly, as if he hadn't heard anything outside the door just now, and carefully placed the tray on the low table next to Sansa.
"You always loved it when you were at King's Landing."
Hearing this, Sansa raised his head and glanced at him, with a polite smile on his lips.
"Thank you, Mr. Baelish, for always being so considerate."
Her voice was still trembling slightly, probably she hadn't completely calmed down from the quarrel just now.
Petyr noticed that while she was speaking, her fingers unconsciously clenched the hem of her skirt. This action made him feel a sour feeling again.
"Just call me Petyr."
"You are Lysa's niece, we all treat you as our own child."
He completely ignored Randyll·Tarly and the black-armored knight next to him, sat down opposite Sansa, and gently pushed the lemon cake in front of her.
At the same time, he lowered his voice and said with concern, "You don't look well. Have you slept well recently?"
Hearing this, Sansa lowered his eyelids and seemed a little disappointed.
"I'm fine."
"I'm... really fine." She said this, but her fingers tightened on her skirt.
Petyr saw this and was about to say something else...
"Ahem."
A low cough came from the window.
The smile on Petyr's face did not change, he turned his head and glanced at Randyll·Tarly, then looked away as if nothing had happened, and looked at Sansa again.
"The bard you mentioned before in King's Landing, last time I sent someone to Oldtown to find a copy of his new work."
"If you want it, I can bring it to you another day."
Hearing this, Sansa raised his eyes and glanced at him, seeming a little surprised.
"You're taking too much trouble."
"But..." She took a deep breath, as if making a difficult decision. "I should go back to King's Landing soon."
"You're leaving so soon?" Petyr raised his voice slightly in surprise.
"I can't convince my aunt to complete the task assigned to me by Corleone, so...
","Ahem!"
Before Sansa could finish speaking, he was interrupted again by the coughing sound of Randyll·Tarly.
"Madam needs to rest, Master Baelish."
Immediately afterwards, Horn Hill Earl's voice sounded appropriately, and he walked over from the window and forcefully asked to see the guest off.
At the same time, the black-armored knight turned his eyes this way.
Hearing this, Petyr first squinted at him for a long time, then stood up and bowed politely.
"Of course."
"If you need anything, you can ask someone to come to me at any time, Miss Sansa."
"You are the daughter of Catelyn. Neither I... nor your aunt will let you come to any harm. If you need anything, please let me know."
"At Vale, you don't need to be afraid of anyone!"
After saying these meaningful words, Petyr reluctantly turned around and stepped out of the threshold.
After confirming that no one was around, Petyr punched the wall with a fist, his chest heaving violently.
"Asshole!!!"
He closed his eyes and replayed every detail of what he had just seen in his mind.
She was forced, she must have been forced!!!
Enough.
He has endured enough!
Back then in Riverrun, he was just a poor boy the Fingers who couldn't even win a duel. He was knocked to the ground by Bran den·Stark with a sword!
But it's different now!
I am now the regent of the Eyrie, and I have the entire army of Vale in my hands!
He won't lose again.
Never!
"Sansa is mine, and Seven cannot take her away from me."
"I said so!"