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The olden cloaks of the City Watch Their leader ser in her hand and said, "No need for that, m’lady We’re to escort you to the castle"

"By whose authority?" she said

He showed her a ribbon Catelyn felt her breath catch in her throat The seal was a rey wax "Petyr," she said So soon So uardsman "Do you knoho I am?"

"No, er said only to bring you to him, and see that you were not mistreated"

Catelyn nodded "You may wait outside while I dress"

She bathed her hands in the basin and wrapped theers were thick and aard as she struggled to lace up her bodice and knot a drab brown cloak about her neck How could Littlefinger have known she was here? Ser Rodrik would never have told hiht be, but he was stubborn, and loyal to a fault Were they too late, had the Lannisters reached King’s Landing before her? No, if that were true, Ned would be here too, and surely he would have coht, Moreo The Tyroshi kneho they were and where they were, daood price for the inforht a horse for her The la the streets as they set out, and Catelyn felt the eyes of the city on her as she rode, surrounded by the guard in their golden cloaks When they reached the Red Keep, the portcullis was down and the great gates sealed for the night, but the castle ere alive with flickering lights The guardsmen left their h a narrow postern door, then up endless steps to a tower

He was alone in the room, seated at a heavy wooden table, an oil lamp beside him as he wrote When they ushered her inside, he set down his pen and looked at her "Cat," he said quietly

"Why have I been brought here in this fashion?"

He rose and gestured brusquely to the guards "Leave us" The men departed "You were not ave fires "Your hands"

Catelyn ignored the i su wench," she said icily "As a boy, you still knew the ered you, my lady That was never ht back vivid memories for Catelyn He had been a sly child, but after his ift he had The years had not changed hirown into a small man, an inch or two shorter than Catelyn, slender and quick, with the sharp features she rereen eyes He had a little pointed chin beard now, and threads of silver in his dark hair, though he was still shy of thirty They ith the silver bird that fastened his cloak Even as a child, he had always loved his silver

"How did you knoas in the city?" she asked him

"Lord Varys knows all," Petyr said with a sly s us shortly, but I wanted to see you alone first It has been too long, Cat How nored his familiarity There were ’s Spider who found er winced "You don’t want to call hi an eunuch, I i Oftimes he knows about it before it happens He has informants everywhere His little birds, he calls them One of his little birds heard about your visit Thankfully, Varys caged "Why not ’s own councillor Selmy and Lord Renly rode north toonly Maester Pycelle and me I was the obvious choice I was ever a friend to your sister Lysa, Varys knows that"

"Does Varys know about"

"Lord Varys knows everythingexcept why you are here" He lifted an eyebrow "Why are you here?"

"A wife is allowed to yearn for her husband, and if a hters close, who can tell her no?"

Littlefinger laughed "Oh, very good, my lady, but please don’t expect me to believe that I know you too well What were the Tully words again?"

Her throat was dry "Family, Duty, Honor," she recited stiffly He did know her too well

"Family, Duty, Honor," he echoed "All of which required you to remain in Winterfell, where our Hand left you No,has happened This sudden trip of yours bespeaks a certain urgency I beg of you, let me help Old sweet friends should never hesitate to rely upon each other" There was a soft knock on the door "Enter," Littlefinger called out

The h the door was plu He wore a vest of woven gold thread over a loose gown of purple silk, and on his feet were pointed slippers of soft velvet "Lady Stark," he said, taking her hand in both of his, "to see you again after so many years is such a joy" His flesh was soft and moist, and his breath smelled of lilacs "Oh, your poor hands Have you burned yourself, sweet lady? The fingers are so delicateOur good Maester Pycelle makes a marvelous salve, shall I send for a jar?"

Catelyn slid her fingers frorasp "I thank you, my lord, but my own Maester Luwin has already seen to rievous sad to hear about your son And hiree, Lord Varys," she said The title was but a courtesy due hi but the spiderweb, the master of none but his whisperers

The eunuch spread his soft hands "On reat esteem for your husband, our new Hand, and I knoe do both love King Robert"

"Yes," she was forced to say "For a certainty"

"Never has a king been so beloved as our Robert," quipped Littlefinger He s"

"Good lady," Varys said with great solicitude "There arepowers Say only the word, and I will send for one for your dear Bran"

"Maester Luwin is doing all that can be done for Bran," she told him She would not speak of Bran, not here, not with these er only a little, and Varys not at all She would not let therief "Lord Baelish tellsirl "Oh, yes I suppose I aive me, kind lady" He eased hiether "I wonder if we er?"

Catelyn Stark stared at the eunuch in stunned disbelief He was a spider, she thought wildly, an enchanter or worse He knew things no one could possibly know, unless"What have you done to Ser Rodrik?" she deer was lost "I feel rather like the knight who arrives at the battle without his lance What dagger are we talking about? Who is Ser Rodrik?"

"Ser Rodrik Cassel is master-at-arms at Winterfell," Varys infor at all has been done to the good knight He did call here early this afternoon He visited with Ser Aron Santagar in the arer About sunset, they left the castle together and walked to that dreadful hovel where you were staying They are still there, drinking in the co for your return Ser Rodrik was very distressed to find you gone"

"How could you know all that?"

"The whisperings of little birds," Varys said, ss, sweet lady That is the nature of er with you, yes?"

Catelyn pulled it out from beneath her cloak and threw it down on the table in front of him "Here Perhaps your little birds hisper the nas to"

Varys lifted the knife with exaggerated delicacy and ran a thue Blood welled, and he let out a squeal and dropped the dagger back on the table

"Careful," Catelyn told hie like Valyrian steel," Littlefinger said as Varys sucked at his bleeding thuer hefted the knife lightly in his hand, testing the grip He flipped it in the air, caught it again with his other hand "Such sweet balance You want to find the owner, is that the reason for this visit? You have no need of Ser Aron for that, my lady You should have come to me"

"And if I had," she said, "ould you have told me?"

"I would have told you that there was only one knife like this at King’s Landing" He grasped the blade between thuer, drew it back over his shoulder, and threw it across the room with a practiced flick of his wrist It struck the door and buried itself deep in the oak, quivering "It’s mine"

"Yours?" It made no sense Petyr had not been at Winterfell

"Until the tourney on Prince Joffrey’s naer fro with half the court" Petyr’s sheepish grin ain "When Loras Tyrell unhorsed him, olden dragons, the queen lost an eot the emerald back, but the winner kept the rest"

"Who?" Catelyn deers ached with reer as Lord Varys watched her face "Tyrion Lannister"