Hush...

Petyr Baelish- Daughter of Winter Pt. 2

*****A Petyr Baelish/Sansa Stark Short Story*****

Sansa had changed.

I could see that clear as day as the days stretched into weeks and I tried to teach her the art of scheming and plotting.

She'd gone from naive and innocent to strong-willed and determined, and now she was a force to be reckoned with. She'd been married, chased after for over half a continent, and taken back her home. She'd lost her father, mother, brother and sister, and was now in the middle of planning a war against the dead themselves.

Even with the White Walkers coming with the Winter that now approached readily, there'd be other battles to fight with those who did not believe Winter had truly come, and the Night King with it. The Lannisters, the Martell's, the Tyrell's....all houses which would not recognize the King in the North nor support his claim. Which meant they'd oppose him and see him dead.

First I had to teach her all about Westeros history. She was well-aware of the politics and games of power being played across the Seven Kingdoms, but still it was important to tell her about the hidden agendas and masked intentions of all the Houses, alliances and enemies, treaties and proposals, laws and oaths..... everything mattered when it came to finding the loyalties of the people in the Seven Realms. One thing I didn't have to teach her was etiquette. Sansa knew perfectly well how to act and how to behave. 

When we finally covered all the basics, I decided it was time to move into murkier waters, so to speak. I wanted to start teaching her about manipulation and convincing. About plotting and planning. About scheming and deceiving. There were so many things that mattered when it came to games of power, so many details to take into account.

And while I loved spending time with Sansa, I had other things on my mind. Reports had reached me from Mereen, and if they were true Westeros was about to face a whole different problem other than the King Beyond the Wall and his NightWalkers.

So I was forced to work hard. To do what I did best and plot and plan. To try and win back Sansa's trust.

And I was beginning to think that perhaps I had succeeded-at least in part.

"Lord Baelish?" Sansas voice brought me back from my strained thoughts.

"Lady Sansa" I said, sitting down on a chair on front of a heavy wooden desk. We were in my what I had made into my office, papers scattered around the desk and a bookcase standing against the far side of the room.

"What are we doing today?" she asked, her eyes darting up to meet mine briefly.

"Today I will teach you how to persuade someone. How to.... convince someone" I mused as I stood up and made my way to the window.

"....Persuade people?" Sansa asked, unable to hide the curiosity in her voice. Despite the fact that she hated my methods, she still wanted to hear them. To learn.

"Yes. Persuasion. People are creatures of feelings. Of sensations. Pleasure. Fear. Pain. It all comes down to feelings" I started my explanation.

Sansa nodded, but her brow furrowed and she pursed her lips.

"Ask, Sansa. Don't be afraid to ask questions" I encouraged her as I observes her cautiously. She was dressed in a deep blue gown that brought out the reddish glow if her hair and the pale parlour of her skin. He hair was braided, a ocean blue hair net keeping a few loose strands at bay.

"Some men aren't ruled by emotions..." She mused "Some people are controlled. Calculating. Ice cold"

My head snapped up and I looked at her carefully, noting the tense line of her jaw, the rigid stance of her shoulders....