Aranya and the "Weasel"

[The Stranger]

There is a knock on the door of the Master of Whisperers chambers.

[The Stranger]

Again there is a knock on the door.

[The Stranger]

Aranya opens the door, and there is no one there.

As she turns back around to sit again, there is a young man, perhaps in his early teens, thin and wiry, with dark circles under his eyes. He is wearing a black robe, and his small feet are up on the desk.

"Hello Aranya Royce, Lady of Duskendale, and Mistress of Whisperers."

[The Stranger]

"You can call me whatever you want." The boy says, although he does eventually lower his feet from the desk reluctantly. "What do you want?"

[The Stranger]

"My name is none of your business, and I piss on your gold. Why should I work for you? "

[The Stranger]

"I want to know why some pretty whore-monger has risked having her throat slit so you can sit here asking me stupid questions." The boy said matter-of-factly.

"If you're the new Mistress of whisperers, Benfry is fucked... right in the ass. Poor bastard."

[The Stranger]

"Aye, and still do, what of it? The name's Flea, by the way, if having a name to use makesyou less of a bitch to deal with." Flea chewed on his fingernails while he waited for the Royce woman to get to the point.

[The Stranger]

"You think I appear and disappear from your chambers as a parlor trick?" Flea said, his teenage body tense and trembling, spoiling for a fight. "You fuck with me, and you'll answer to the Lord Regent. That's after you attend Brandon Royce, your little whisperer's funeral. Make him eat that rat poison he goes around pedaling. You Royces should stick to what you know, all that knightly honor shit. I've beaten crows and beetles and snakes. I can beat you too. Now if you want to be friendly, talk to me like a friend, otherwise prepare for war."

[The Stranger]

"Alright... Give me something juicy, and I'll give you something too."

[The Stranger]

"Tell me something I don't know." Flea said smiling. "The Targaryen's name is Aellion, and the Sealord is playing hide the snake with the Dornish Lady. Do you have anything good?"

[The Stranger]

"Okay. I'll tell you something you don't know. Erik Coldiron stole the Tyrell sword Roseblood, and had it turned into an axe in Pentos. This will be good blackmailing material if he gets made master of ships. Also, the Sword of Morning is in Braavos now as well. And you aren't the only house whose getting into the whisperers' game. There are two others looking to try their hands at the shadows."

[The Stranger]

"One for two is bad odds, that was indeed little more than a guess." Flea said with a grin. "What else have you got. C'mon, give me something good, something with a name, and I shall give you a name as well."

[The Stranger]

Flea heard this, and shook his head. "I don't believe in dragons. But we'll see if that proves true. The stormlander house is Connington. They are just beginning their network, but don't disturb him yet or he shall get spooked and that can cause trouble. That's a name, for your name. And there we go. If you have anything else to trade, let's hear it, otherwise I think we are done."

[The Stranger]

"The other name is Blackwood. The young one, not the dead Crow. And I'd advise you the same as the other, leave him alone for now, or else you'll be dealing with more trouble than you are ready for. Anything else?"

[The Stranger]

"No sense starting a conflict with you over Brandon yet. Dacey is my problem to deal with. I hope her twat is tighter than her mouth, cause apparently she's flapping it all over the place. If you want her, than lets talk compensation. She had a sweet little operation, even if she is daft, so It won't be for nothing."