A Game of Thrones 4-Book Bundle

will call this grant unseemly, and fault you for making it. The Keeper’s post has never been hereditary. The Arryns raised the Gates, in the days when they still wore the Falcon Crown and ruled the Vale as kings. The Eyrie was their summer seat, but when the snows began to fall the court would make its descent. Some would say the Gates were as royal as the Eyrie.”
    â€œThere has been no king in the Vale for three hundred years,” Petyr Baelish pointed out.
    â€œThe dragons came,” Lord Nestor agreed. “But even after, the Gates remained an Arryn castle. Jon Arryn himself was Keeper of the Gates whilst his father lived. After his ascent, he named his brother Ronnel to the honor, and later his cousin Denys.”
    â€œLord Robert has no brothers, and only distant cousins.”
    â€œTrue.” Lord Nestor clutched the parchment tightly. “I will not say I had not hoped for this. Whilst Lord Jon ruled the realm as Hand, it fell to me to rule the Vale for him. I did all that he required of me and asked nothing for myself. But by the gods, I earned this!”
    â€œYou did,” said Petyr, “and Lord Robert sleeps more easily knowing that you are always there, a staunch friend at the foot of his mountain.” He raised a cup. “So . . . a toast, my lord. To House Royce, Keepers of the Gates of the Moon . . . now and forever.”
    â€œNow and forever, aye!” The silver cups crashed together.
    Later, much later, after the flagon of Arbor gold was dry, Lord Nestor took his leave to rejoin his company of knights. Sansa was asleep on her feet by then, wanting only to crawl off to her bed, but Petyr caught her by the wrist. “You see the wonders that can be worked with lies and Arbor gold?”
    Why did she feel like weeping? It was good that Nestor Royce was with them. “Were they all lies?”
    â€œNot
all.
Lysa often called Lord Nestor a rock, though I do not think she meant it as a compliment. She called his son a clod. She knew Lord Nestor dreamed of holding the Gates in his own right, a lord in truth as well as name, but Lysa dreamed of other sons and meant the castle to go to Robert’s little brother.” He stood. “Do you understand what happened here, Alayne?”
    Sansa hesitated a moment. “You gave Lord Nestor the Gates of the Moon to be certain of his support.”
    â€œI did,” Petyr admitted, “but our rock is a Royce, which is to say he is overproud and prickly. Had I asked him his price, he would have swelled up like an angry toad at the slight upon his honor. But this way . . . the man is not
utterly
stupid, but the lies I served him were sweeter than the truth. He
wants
to believe that Lysa valued him above her other bannermen. One of those others is Bronze Yohn, after all, and Nestor is very much aware that he was born of the
lesser
branch of House Royce. He wants more for his son. Men of honor will do things for their children that they would never consider doing for themselves.”
    She nodded. “The signature . . . you might have had Lord Robert put his hand and seal to it, but instead . . .”
    â€œ. . . I signed myself, as Lord Protector. Why?”
    â€œSo . . . if you are removed, or . . . or killed . . .”
    â€œ. . . Lord Nestor’s claim to the Gates will suddenly be called into question. I promise you, that is not lost on him. It was clever of you to see it. Though no more than I’d expect of mine own daughter.”
    â€œThank you.” She felt absurdly proud for puzzling it out, but confused as well. “I’m not, though. Your daughter. Not truly. I mean, I pretend to be Alayne, but
you
know . . .”
    Littlefinger put a finger to her lips. “I know what I know, and so do you. Some things are best left unsaid, sweetling.”
    â€œEven when we are alone?”
    â€œ
Especially
when we are alone. Elsewise a day will come when a servant walks into a room unannounced, or a guardsman at the door chances to hear something he should not. Do you want more blood on your pretty little hands, my darling?”
    Marillion’s face seemed to float before her, the bandage pale across his eyes. Behind him she could see Ser Dontos, the crossbow bolts still in him. “No,” Sansa said. “Please.”
    â€œI am tempted to say this is no game we play, daughter, but of course it is. The game of thrones.”
    I never asked to play.
The game was too