A Game of Thrones 4-Book Bundle

her the effort. When Grisel and the other servants had gone, he said, “Lysa will not come alone. Before she arrives, we must be clear on who you are.”
    â€œWho I . . . I don’t understand.”
    â€œVarys has informers everywhere. If Sansa Stark should be seen in the Vale, the eunuch will know within a moon’s turn, and that would create unfortunate . . . complications. It is not safe to be a Stark just now. So we shall tell Lysa’s people that you are my natural daughter.”
    â€œNatural?” Sansa was aghast. “You mean, a bastard?”
    â€œWell, you can scarcely be my trueborn daughter. I’ve never taken a wife, that’s well known. What should you be called?”
    â€œI . . . I could call myself after my mother . . .”
    â€œCatelyn? A bit too obvious . . . but after
my
mother, that would serve. Alayne. Do you like it?”
    â€œAlayne is pretty.” Sansa hoped she would remember. “But couldn’t I be the trueborn daughter of some knight in your service? Perhaps he died gallantly in the battle, and . . .”
    â€œI have no gallant knights in my service, Alayne. Such a tale would draw unwanted questions as a corpse draws crows. It is rude to pry into the origins of a man’s natural children, however.” He cocked his head. “So, who are you?”
    â€œAlayne . . . Stone, would it be?” When he nodded, she said, “But who is my mother?”
    â€œKella?”
    â€œPlease no,” she said, mortified.
    â€œI was teasing. Your mother was a gentlewoman of Braavos, daughter of a merchant prince. We met in Gulltown when I had charge of the port. She died giving you birth, and entrusted you to the Faith. I have some devotional books you can look over. Learn to quote from them. Nothing discourages unwanted questions as much as a flow of pious bleating. In any case, at your flowering you decided you did not wish to be a septa and wrote to me. That was the first I knew of your existence.” He fingered his beard. “Do you think you can remember all that?”
    â€œI hope. It will be like playing a game, won’t it?”
    â€œAre you fond of games, Alayne?”
    The new name would take some getting used to. “Games? I . . . I suppose it would depend . . .”
    Grisel reappeared before he could say more, balancing a large platter. She set it down between them. There were apples and pears and pomegranates, some sad-looking grapes, a huge blood orange. The old woman had brought a round of bread as well, and a crock of butter. Petyr cut a pomegranate in two with his dagger, offering half to Sansa. “You should try and eat, my lady.”
    â€œThank you, my lord.” Pomegranate seeds were so messy; Sansa chose a pear instead, and took a small delicate bite. It was very ripe. The juice ran down her chin.
    Lord Petyr loosened a seed with the point of his dagger. “You must miss your father terribly, I know. Lord Eddard was a brave man, honest and loyal . . . but quite a hopeless player.” He brought the seed to his mouth with the knife. “In King’s Landing, there are two sorts of people. The players and the pieces.”
    â€œAnd I was a piece?” She dreaded the answer.
    â€œYes, but don’t let that trouble you. You’re still half a child. Every man’s a piece to start with, and every maid as well. Even some who think they are players.” He ate another seed. “Cersei, for one. She thinks herself sly, but in truth she is utterly predictable. Her strength rests on her beauty, birth, and riches. Only the first of those is truly her own, and it will soon desert her. I pity her then. She wants power, but has no notion what to do with it when she gets it. Everyone wants something, Alayne. And when you know what a man wants you know who he is, and how to move him.”
    â€œAs you moved Ser Dontos to poison Joffrey?” It
had
to have been Dontos, she had concluded.
    Littlefinger laughed. “Ser Dontos the Red was a skin of wine with legs. He could never have been trusted with a task of such enormity. He would have bungled it or betrayed me. No, all Dontos had to do was lead you from the castle . . . and make certain you wore your silver hair net.”
    The black amethysts
. “But . . . if not Dontos, who? Do you have other . . . pieces?”
    â€œYou could turn King’s Landing upside down and not find a single man with a mockingbird sewn