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***
Cersei was waiting for him in the godswood. It was deserted at this early hour.
- I was surprised to read your note. Why here? Why not in the sept as usual?
- Our prayers together have already made some people suspicious. It's no worse here. It's an open space, no spies can get close.
The queen clenched her fingers nervously.
- I hear you're helping Stark with his investigation. What kind of game are you playing, Lancel? The Starks are our enemies, don't you realise?
- That's right, Your Grace. The Starks are the enemy. And enemies must be watched. One of our own must be close to the Hand to learn of his every move.
The queen threw back her head and laughed heartily, showing off her lush breasts.
- Ah, dear Lancel, you are a genius! How could I not have realised it myself. Of course you did. What did you find out? How's the investigation going?
- Not too fast,' Light shrugged. - Lucky for us, Lord Stark is pretty dumb.
Cersei moved closer to Lythe and ran her palm through his hair, letting the locks pass between her fingers.
- They're all fools, those Northerners, sitting in the forest, howling at the moon with the wolves. We Lannisters are much smarter than they are. Aren't we, dear Lancel?
Light took the queen's wrist with two fingers and gently removed her hand.
- 'Your majesty, that is not why I called you here. We need to talk about the Tournament of the Hand. I think it's a good chance to get rid of your husband.
- How?
- General combat, your majesty. Robert's not much of a jouster, but he likes a fight. If you encourage him, he'll join in with the rest of us, and all sorts of things can happen. For example, the king may be accidentally wounded....
Emerald eyes flashed angrily.
- Only wounded?
- Even a small wound could be fatal if the weapon was poisoned.
Cersei laughed a second time.
- You little trickster. And what, you already have a suitable poison? And the executor?
- I do, Your Grace. All you have to do is encourage the king to join the fight, and to do that...
- You must forbid him to participate in public.
- About the reward,your majesty.
- Yes, yes, I remember. Master of the Law and knighthood. We Lannisters always pay our debts. - The queen stroked Lyte's cheek. - 'But don't forget the other reward as well.
With a rustle of her skirts, Cersei departed.
***
With his arms crossed over his chest, Light waited for the Hand at the intersection of Steel Street and Sisters' Street.
- Have you seen the armourer's apprentice, Lord Eddard?
The Hand sighed.
- King Robert's bastard. Jon Arryn sought him out shortly before his death... but why?
- I know no more than you do, Lord Eddard. When I bought the dagger from Tobho Mott, he said Lord Arryn was interested in his apprentice - and I don't know why.
Eddard Stark rubbed his forehead tiredly.
- All these riddles, mysteries. They are so tiresome. If I could go home! But I am the Hand of the King and I must untangle this tangle... gods help me.
- Is something troubling you, Lord Eddard? Ah, forgive my stupid question. I'd forgotten all about your son.
- No, Lancel, you're right. And you've been very helpful in my investigation, so I don't think there's much harm in sharing it with you.
Light waited in silence.
- The thing is, Lancel, when my son was still alive, someone tried to kill him.
And Eddard Stark told Light about the Valyrian dagger-wielding assassin whose attempt on Bran's life was foiled by his direwolf.
What kind of idiot... what kind of brainless fool tried to kill a boy in such a ridiculous and, more importantly, unnecessary way? He was already dead, thanks to me!
- Do we know who the dagger belonged to?
Lord Eddard nodded.
- Yes. It's your cousin Tyrion Lannister.
Tyrion is a murderer? What nonsense!
- Lord Eddard, I can't believe it. You don't know Tyrion as I know him. I assure you he's innocent.
- Ah, Lancel. You're still very young. You don't know what black malice can lurk in the hearts of people we consider friends.
Light laughed in his mind, and said aloud:
- Lord Eddard, my cousin is far from blameless, but he is not a fool. And only a fool would give an assassin his own dagger. I think Tyrion's being set up.
Eddard Stark frowned.
- Are you saying, Lancel, that Lord Baelish lied to my wife, whom he has known and loved since they were children raised in Riverrun?
- So it was Baelish who told you? Whoa. You said your wife was here?
- Yes, Catelyn travelled here by sea and got here almost at the same time as me. And shortly after she arrived, she found out our son was dead.
Light lowered his gaze. It was useless to argue. Grief had shut Stark's mind off.
- Is Lady Catelyn still here?
- No, I sent her home. By the way, Lancel, do you happen to know Lord Renly's connection to the Tyrells?
- The Tyrells?
- Yesterday he showed me a portrait of a girl and asked me if she looked like Lyanna, my late sister, whom the king loved so much. That girl is Margaery Tyrell, and I decided that Lord Renly wanted....
Light's brain kicked into frantic action. Renly doesn't know about the incest... but he wants to make Margaery queen... that means he's in league with the Tyrells... that means when Robert dies, he can marry Margaery himself and have the biggest army in the Seven Kingdoms... leading the Lannisters to defeat in the war.
And yet Light thought Renly was not a serious opponent. But the King's younger brother is not so simple. A friendless Stannis is a far more convenient enemy. Of course, the best thing to do would be to find out what's going on first. Put Renly under surveillance, befriend his squire. But there's no time. The Hand's tournament is tomorrow. The day after that. When Robert dies, Renly leaves the capital. Conclusion? The conclusion is simple.
Renly must be killed.
- Lancel?
- Forgive me, Lord Eddard, I've been thinking. No, I don't know anything about Lord Renly or the Tyrells.
- Well, Lancel, I'll see you later, then. I'm going to go study Pycelle's book. I don't see what the book has to do with bastards.
- Gendry looks like the king when he was young, doesn't he?
Lord Eddard smiled.
- 'Yes, Lancel. When Robert was young, when he was still fat, he was truly handsome. All the women loved him.
- He must have had many children out of wedlock. They're lucky if they took after their father's looks.
Lord Eddard nodded absently, clearly thinking of something else.
How stupid he is!
***
Hugh greeted Light with an arrogant grin.
- Come to admire my triumph? Come on, Lancel. Watch and envy. You're just a squire, I'm a knight, and today I'm going to knock Grigor Clegane himself out of the saddle.
- You're unlucky with your opponent. You were lucky enough to draw the Mountain.
- The lot is the lot. It was organised by Lord Baelish, the King's Treasurer, so it's fair. The Mountain is big, yes, but it's skill, not strength, that counts in a spear fight. I can beat him, Lancel. You can bet all your Lannister money on me.
- I heard you refused to speak to the captain of Lord Stark's guard.
- Of course I did. He's not a knight, but I am. Let the Hand ask me questions, not send servants to me.
Who put the idea in Stark's head to ask Hugh? Baelish, who lied about the dagger? But Hugh doesn't know anything. Though if Baelish wants the Starks to quarrel with the Lannisters, it makes sense to kill Hugh to give the Hand the impression that Hugh knew something and the Lannisters gagged him. And the Mountain is the Lannisters' bannerman.
If Baelish is seeking the same thing as Light - civil war - it makes sense why he was so eager to share information then, during their first meeting. Having mistaken Light for Cersei's man, the master over coin decided to seize the opportunity to fuel the fire of conflict between the Queen and Jon Arryn.
Was it worth saving Hugh by talking him out of the duel? No, Light decided. Firstly, he wouldn't listen. Secondly, there's no reason to quarrel with Baelish before the time, especially over something as petty as Hugh. And thirdly, it was Hugh's own fault. Too much arrogance. He's a knight, you see!
- Well, good luck.
After saying goodbye to Hugh, Light approached Lord Renly (who was sitting in the stands next to Ser Loras Tyrell, putting his arm around his shoulders) and proposed a wager: ten dragons on the Mountain. Renly laughed:
- The Mountain against a milksop? The odds are slim. I'll bet one dragon against your ten.
- Deal.
Unlike L, Light wasn't in the habit of calculating exact percentages, but the odds of Hugh surviving (much less winning) were clearly less than a tenth. And so it was: the Mountain's spear had pierced the poor man's throat. Light pondered a theoretical question: how had Baelish made Grigor Clegane his tool? Hardly with money. The Mountain has been called Tywin Lannister's 'mad dog,' and for good reason. He's as loyal as he is ferocious. Baelish probably played on that ferocity. For example, he or his man told Clegane that Ser Hugh had spoken ill of him - or something like that.
When Ser Hugh was carried off by the Silent Sisters, the next pair to enter the ring: Sandor Clegane and Jaime Lannister. The Queen came down from the stands and personally tied a silk ribbon on her brother, whispering a few words in his ear. Jaime won, breaking only three spears.
Ser Loras Tyrell, known as the Knight of Flowers, then rode against the Mountain. Most of the spectators were betting on the Mountain, but Light noticed that Renly, with a sly smile, offered Lord Baelish a wager: a hundred dragons on Ser Loras. Maybe Renly knows something the others don't? Light decided to take a chance and bet half his money - forty dragons - on Ser Loras. Baelish grinned and accepted the wager.
When he was defeated, the Mountain made an ugly scene: he beheaded his own horse and tried to attack Ser Loras, but was stopped by his younger brother, Sandor. The enraged king told the Mountain to get away; grumbling unhappily, the giant complied.
In the afternoon, hiding his wallet under his cloak, Light watched the shooting contest. Theon did well, but he didn't win the prize: first place went to a red-haired, freckled boy from the Dornish Marcs named Engi. The sun was setting by then. The general fight and the final bout, Ser Jaime against Ser Loras, were to take place tomorrow.
Servants were setting up long tables, cooks were roasting a huge bison on a spit, and the king sniffed eagerly as he passed. The queen walked under his arm, her face tense and focused. Sansa Stark walked under the arm of Prince Joffrey and looked at her fiancé with adoration. There might be a problem here, Light thought. What if the Stark daughter doesn't want to run away to Dragonstone with her father and chooses to stay with the prince? The Lannisters would have a hostage, and Stannis would lose the North's support. Or will he not? What does Lord Eddard value more-- honour or his own daughter?
Probably his daughter. So Sansa must be taken away suddenly, without telling her or explaining anything. Then Lord Eddard must be convinced-- after the King is dead, of course.
***
The feast lasted well into the night. Servants carried huge trays of food, jesters performed tricks, guests cheered, and Light watched the king and Renly. Cersei was pouring wine for her husband, and the king's younger brother was staying close to Ser Loras Tyrell. Why didn't I realise that before, Light chastised himself. They are lovers, of course. That's what binds the Lord of Storm's End to the rulers of the Vale. If the Lannisters are to win the war, that bond must be broken. Stark has all the clues, the general battle is tomorrow, and even if the king by some miracle survives, Light can always poison him with Lyssa's tears. Three fever deaths in a row? Very suspicious. Though suspicion can be reduced if Pycelle performs an autopsy and confirms that the king died of the disease. But it's still best to avoid it. Two similar deaths can be written off as coincidence, but not three. If Light's calculations are correct, Renly will die on the road to Highgarden.
An hour ago Light had approached Renly and proposed a toast in honour of Ser Loras's victory over the Mountain. The king's brother, already slightly drunk, gave Light a lustful look (Loras gave him a jealous look) and eagerly accepted the cup from his hands. Then Light said he had to go to the king's house and hurried away, away from the sweet couple. When Renly dies, will Loras suspect anything? I don't think so. So many guests, so many toasts, so many cups drunk, he won't remember Light. And even if he did, so what? What reason could a king's squire have for killing the king's brother? And where would he get a rare and expensive poison? And will Loras even realise it was poison?
- Don't you dare tell me what to do, woman! - roared the king. - I will fight, full stop! Silence! I am king here, not you!
Cersei gave her an offended look. Light met her gaze. The lights of mirth danced in the depths of her emerald eyes. Light smiled with the corner of his lips, and the queen smiled back.
Okay, now it's time to take care of the performer.
***
Theon Greyjoy shook his head incredulously.
- You want... what?
- For you to take part in the general fight and wound the king. With this sword.
The soft words nevertheless rang out clearly in the silence of the night. Light held out to Theon a sword whose blade was smeared with manticore poison taken from Pycelle.
- You poisoned the sword,' Theon guessed. - But that would be murder.
- You're so clever,' Light said mockingly. - Have you forgotten that you promised me a favour? Or do the Greyjoys never pay their debts?
- You and I would have our heads cut off!
- Only if you're an idiot and tell. There's a hundred men in a general fight, no-one would know it was you who wounded the king.
- But that's mean. Lord Eddard always said--
- I see you've lost the last of your brains living among wolves. You're a Kraken. The Starks and the Baratheons invaded your house, killed your brothers, held you captive--captive, yes, captive, whatever they call it--and you're willing to forgive them? Are you even a man?
The blood rushed to Theon's face.
- I am a man!
- Then act like one! Help your friends and avenge your enemies!
You could see Theon was hesitating. Just a little more. We've got to get him.
- Aren't you tired of being a hostage? Don't you want more? Kill the king and the queen will reward you handsomely. Lannisters always pay their debts.
- So this is the Queen's plan?
- Did you think I was acting alone? There are great changes coming, Theon. When Robert dies, my family will have all the power. If you refuse to help me, you lose my friendship and nothing. If you do, you'll be offered the most exciting opportunities.
- What are they?
He's in, Light realised. He hadn't said it out loud yet, but he was in.
- A position on the small council. With Stannis gone, we're short a shipwright. I think I can persuade the queen to give you the post. The islanders are born sailors, aren't they? However, if you'd rather go back to your own islands, I won't keep you. Just remember your friends and your enemies.
- Master of the ships,' Theon said. - And what will you be?
- Master of the Law. The Queen's father will be Hand.
Theon nodded.
- 'Very well, Lancel. I'm with you.