Tick. Tick. Tick.
The soft sound of dripping water echoed through the silent chamber, blending with the steady fall of sand inside a crystal hourglass.
Somewhere within The Eyrie, Anguy placed a blue crystal hourglass filled with white sand before the bound and bloodied Petyr Baelish.
Its colors matched the sigil of House Arryn.
To Petyr, each grain of falling sand felt like another moment of life slipping away.
The former Master of Coin looked broken. His lips were cracked from thirst, his skin pale and sickly. Beneath his hastily changed noble clothes were bruises, puncture wounds, and lash marks. During the journey from Gulltown, both House Arryn's guards and the city soldiers had made sure the traitor suffered.
"Your time is nearly over, Lord Petyr," Anguy said coldly. "When the sand runs out, you and Lady Lysa will die."
On the nearby table sat a goblet of Arbor gold wine.
In better times, it would have symbolized luxury.
Now it symbolized death.
Petyr lifted his hollow eyes.
"I want to see the Storm."
"You want to see Prince Gendry?" Anguy sneered. "You?"
"I have information," Petyr rasped. "A list. Names he would want to know."
Anguy studied him carefully.
Littlefinger was dying, but cunning men were dangerous even on their knees.
"What use are you now?" Anguy asked. "Your agents in Gulltown—the customs officers, brothel keepers, warehouse masters—have all confessed. Their gold has been seized. Your networks are broken."
Petyr swallowed painfully.
"I still have friends across the Narrow Sea. In Braavos. Pentos. Lys. Qarth. They'll help me."
Anguy laughed.
"You truly are desperate. Braavos is unstable, and your people there are already under watch."
Petyr leaned forward.
"There are names even Grafton does not know. Names no falcon lord knows."
Anguy paused, then nodded to the guards.
"Watch him."
He turned and left.
A moment later, Gendry Baratheon entered the chamber.
He stood tall, broad-shouldered, and calm.
Petyr looked up at him with something close to admiration.
"You are cruel, Prince Gendry," he said weakly. "No... more than cruel. You are a king who plays with the world in his hand."
Gendry's expression did not change.
"You murdered Jon Arryn. You poisoned his son with sweetsleep. You manipulated Lysa. You helped ignite war."
Petyr smiled bitterly.
"Poison is the weapon of cowards, eunuchs, and women. I am a coward, so poison suited me."
He coughed blood.
"Yes. Jon Arryn died by it. Robert Arryn was weakened by it."
He lowered his head.
"I lost."
Then he looked up again.
"I request paper and ink."
"For what?" Gendry asked.
"My final gift."
Anguy placed paper and a pen before him.
Petyr's hand trembled violently as he wrote.
Blood from his fingers smeared the parchment.
"These are my hidden networks," he whispered. "Money routes. Informants. Safe houses in King's Landing, the Vale, and across the sea. Merchants. Bankers. Captains. Men who can be bought."
Gendry took the parchment and read it silently.
The web was vast.
Even now, Littlefinger had roots stretching through half the known world.
"Will you use it?" Petyr asked.
Gendry folded the paper.
"No."
Petyr blinked.
"I'll pretend it does not exist," Gendry said. "If these men remain loyal to the realm, then they may live in peace."
His eyes hardened.
"But if they turn against me... I will know exactly where to find them."
For the first time, Petyr looked genuinely shaken.
Then he laughed weakly.
"Excellent."
He coughed again.
"Beware your greatest enemies—Varys... and Braavos."
Gendry said nothing.
Littlefinger continued.
"Break open the tunnels beneath the Red Keep. Find the ratcatchers. Varys hides in shadows."
"And Braavos?"
Petyr's smile returned.
"The Sealord. The fleet. The Faceless Men."
Gendry stepped closer.
"Power comes from blood, steel, and the will to use both."
Petyr stared at him.
"How will you deal with Varys?"
Gendry answered calmly.
"Because he once found me work as a blacksmith... I will grant him a quick death."
Petyr burst into painful laughter.
"Wonderful... truly wonderful."
The hourglass neared its end.
Petyr looked at Gendry with feverish eyes.
"I never imagined Robert Baratheon would father a true king."
His voice trembled.
"You are the king I wished to become."
He smiled sadly.
"A lion... and a fox."
Gendry turned away.
"Goodbye, Petyr."
At the far opposite side of the castle, another hourglass was running.
Lysa Arryn screamed hysterically.
"I want to see Sweet Robin! He loves me!"
Brynden Tully stood before her, face grim.
"That will never happen again."
Beside him stood Sansa Stark.
When Sansa saw her aunt, she nearly recoiled.
Lysa looked swollen, wild, and broken. Her fine gowns and jewels had been stripped away. Her hair was tangled and dull. Madness burned in her eyes.
"It is unfair!" Lysa screamed.
"Why did Catelyn marry young Eddard Stark while I was given to old Jon Arryn?"
She laughed and cried at once.
"I was beautiful once!"
Brynden clenched his fists in rage and sorrow.
Lysa pointed at Sansa.
"You have your mother's face! Men fall for it instantly!"
Sansa trembled.
The woman before her was beyond reason.
Brynden turned.
"Come, child."
As they left, Lysa's shrieks echoed behind them.
The great hall of The Eyrie was filled with lords of the Vale.
Blue banners bearing the moon and falcon hung high.
Noblemen whispered nervously.
At the center sat Gendry, not on the weirwood throne, but on Robert Arryn's cushioned seat.
He wore black leather armor beneath a heavy cloak of black, red, and gold.
At his sides stood Barristan, Anguy, and loyal guards.
When Maester Colemon checked the hourglass, he announced:
"Time is up."
Gendry rose.
"Bring the traitors."
The great doors opened.
Petyr Baelish and Lysa Arryn were dragged into the hall from opposite sides.
Their hands were bound.
Between two pillars stood the infamous Moon Door, secured by heavy bronze bolts.
Beyond it lay only sky and death.
Gendry's voice thundered through the chamber.
"In the name of King Robert of House Baratheon, ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, I sentence you both to death."
Ser Vardis stepped forward holding the Falcon Blade—the sword once gifted to Jon Arryn.
Its silvered edge gleamed in the pale light.
The Moon Door was unbarred.
Cold mountain wind screamed into the hall.
Lysa sobbed.
"Sweet Robin! Save me!"
No one answered.
She saw Petyr and cried out desperately.
"Everything I did was for you!"
Petyr stared at her with disgust.
"You were always difficult, Lysa."
Even now, she smiled.
"You loved only me... didn't you?"
Petyr turned away.
"Only Catelyn."
The hall fell silent.
Lysa's face collapsed into horror.
"No... no!"
The guards forced her neck onto the block.
Ser Vardis swung once.
Her head fell.
Blood sprayed across the marble.
Then her body was shoved through the Moon Door and vanished into the void.
Only the wind remained.
Petyr knelt quietly.
No tears.
No plea.
No fear.
Gendry descended from the dais and took the Falcon Blade from Vardis.
"Ladies and children, avert your eyes."
Brynden immediately covered Sansa's vision, though she still peeked through trembling fingers.
Petyr was chained upright against a pillar.
Gendry stood before him.
"You die by my hand," he said.
Petyr managed a smile.
"You won this game."
He coughed blood.
"Keep winning."
Gendry lifted the sword.
"This stroke is for betraying my father, King Robert."
The blade flashed.
Petyr's left arm fell.
Blood poured onto the white marble.
"This stroke is for betraying Jon Arryn and poisoning Robert Arryn."
His right arm was severed.
Cries spread through the hall.
"This stroke is for betraying Eddard Stark."
One leg was cut away at the thigh.
Even hardened knights turned pale.
"This stroke is for betraying House Tully."
The second leg fell.
Petyr sagged against his chains, barely alive.
Gendry raised the sword one final time.
"This stroke is for betraying the people... and bringing war to the realm."
The Falcon Blade swept through the air.
Petyr Baelish's head flew free.
His body collapsed in ruin.
The guards, shaking with horror, dragged what remained to the Moon Door and cast it into the sky.
Far below, the mountain winds claimed Littlefinger forever.
And in the great hall of the Eyrie—
No one spoke.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)