The news of the departure of a fleet of ships from the port of Myr for the port of White Harbor carrying Lord Aeos and his entourage spread like a wildfire among the noble houses of Westeros. And it set out a storm and a wave of chaos.
Every person who was capable of thinking was trying to think about the significance, purpose and implication of this visit. For many, this was a very normal, usual and casual visit, a son was paying to his father. They did not wish to see any political or strategic angle in the visit. They argued that, most likely, Lord Aeos after being alone and away from his family had realised their significance. That he had realised the grave mistake he had made by running away from Winterfell because of whatever differences he had with House Stark. And the purpose of this visit was to mend that relation.
For many, this visit was filled with political implications. There was one particular group which put forward the theory that the transformation of Jon Snow into Lord Aeos was not achieved on his own.
That the entire thing had been planned by Ned Stark from the start and Jon had relied on the resources of House Stark to propel his conquest in the beginning. And the biggest evidence they had was the two crates of gold he had produced to weave the ploy of purchasing the Unsullied in Astapor. They questioned where a boy could have gotten the gold if not for House Stark itself. They claimed that even Ned Stark would have not expected that Jon Snow would be this successful and he would go on to build such a massive empire.
But political conspiracies did not end there. A section of people claimed that the sudden rise of Rhaenys Targaryen had unnerved and agitated Lord Aeos, and he was coming to Winterfell to seek the support of Winterfell and the Iron Throne by extension to counter her.
With his arrival, every kind of rumor was flying around Westeros. But one thing that remained constant was anticipation. Every person was in a state of extreme curiosity and anticipation of the results that were going to emerge from the visit of Lord Aeos.
.
.
.
While the storm of Lord Aeos' arrival was brewing in Westeros, a different storm was brewing in King's Landing. A certain plot was being weaved. A plot to kill someone.
"Are you sure this will work?" A lady questioned in a hushed voice. "It does not seem very potent."
The lady was none other than Lysa Arryn nee Tully. She was meeting with the love of her life, Petyr Baelish, in his very own quarters under the cover of the darkness. She was holding a glass vial in her hand. A colourless liquid was stored inside the vial.
"It will work, my sweetheart," Petyr responded in his usual disgustingly greasy voice. "Do not go by the appearance of the poison. This poison is called the Tears of Lys."
"The tears of Lys, a rare and very costly poison. I had to use a lot of my sources and resources to procure this particular poison," he continued. "It is transparent and clear in appearance. It is tasteless and neither does it have any odor."
"You can dissolve it in wine or water. It eats at a man's bowels. He dies in agony. And death will not appear unusual if the victim is old and sickly," he remarked. "It is one of the favorite tools of impatient heirs."
Almost a sadistic glint passed through the eyes of Lysa, but then for a moment it was replaced by nervousness and anxiety.
"But is it correct?" She questioned. "Are we not doing something wrong?"
"Maybe," Petyr replied with a smirk.
He placed both his hands on her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes.
"But what is the purpose, the reason that we are being forced to do something like this?" he continued. "Firstly, if you want to have any chance to be with me. And I am not talking about these secret meetings. But be with me for real. In front of the whole world, we need to get rid of Jon Arryn."
"Secondly," he said. "Do you want to send SweetRobin either to Dragonstone or Casterly Rock?"
"No!" Lysa almost shrieked in a maddening voice. "No. I will not send my SweetRobin away from me. I will not send him anywhere."
"Then you need to kill Jon Arryn," Petyr said. "He has all but finalized sending SweetRobin away to be fostered somewhere else. He just needs to finalise the location."
Lysa nodded her head. She already had had the conversation with Petyr. She was just strengthening her resolve before taking the final step.
"And it is the most appropriate time to get rid of Jon Arryn," Petyr remarked. "We will never get a better opportunity than this."
"How so?" Lysa questioned.
"Your husband has been poking his nose into things concerning some wrongdoings from the Lannisters," he said. "And if he dies in such a situation, if someone will be doubted, it will be the Lannisters."
"And if this was not enough," he continued. "Lord Aeos, Jon Snow, is visiting Westeros. Everyone is busy discussing him. It is entirely possible that a lot of nobles might even go to the North to meet him. The issue of Jon Arryn will be easily forgotten."
"But how will this bring us together?" Lysa asked.
"Not immediately," Petyr responded, pulling her closer. "But it will surely bring us together."
"You will write a letter to the Starks blaming the Lannisters for the death of Jon Arryn," he said. "And if I am not wrong, after the death of your husband, Robert Baratheon will ask Ned Stark to become his Hand."
"We will fan the enmity between House Lannister and House Stark," he said. "And we will unleash chaos. And using the chaos we will find our way to each other."
Lysa nodded her head with a smile on her face. Her resolve finalized. Tonight was going to be the last sleep Jon Arryn was going to have. After that, he was going to have an eternal sleep.
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