"Who dares move!"
Galon's sharp gaze swept across the Arryn guards, forcing them to freeze where they stood.
"Lord Arryn's death remains unresolved. Lady Catelyn has disappeared and is feared dead.
Yet instead of seeking the truth as members of House Arryn, you choose to aid those who may be responsible.
Have you forgotten the words of your own house?
As High as Honor.'
Where is your honor now?"
His voice struck the hall like a clap of thunder.
The guards exchanged uneasy glances.
One after another, they lowered their weapons and stopped advancing.
They had all heard the rumors surrounding Jon Arryn's death. Without proof, they had continued serving Lady Lysa and Littlefinger.
But now...
Doubt had begun to take root.
Littlefinger's heart sank.
He had never imagined that Galon was not only a formidable commander but a man whose words cut like blades.
Seeing the Arryn guards beginning to waver, he knew he could no longer remain silent.
"Who says Lady Catelyn is dead? I've already explained that she's merely unwell and unable to receive visitors.
Lord Glover, you throw baseless accusations at Lady Lysa and me.
Is this what the North calls honor?"
If hatred alone could kill, Galon would already have been flayed alive beneath Littlefinger's gaze.
"Honor? You dare speak to me of honor?"
Galon gave a cold laugh.
"I know something of your origins, Lord Baelish.
You were born in the Fingers. Your family's lands consisted of little more than barren rocks.
Your father earned Lord Hoster Tully's friendship during the War of the Ninepenny Kings.
Only because of that kindness were you welcomed into Riverrun as his ward."
A sense of dread tightened in Littlefinger's chest. He opened his mouth to interrupt.
Galon simply raised his voice and spoke over him.
"Lord Hoster taught you with care.
He allowed his own children to become your companions. He treated you like family.
And how did you repay that generosity?
You exploited Lady Lysa's love for your own ambition. You manipulated her to climb ever higher.
You even used her to ignite the war between House Stark and House Lannister."
His contempt was unmistakable.
"In King's Landing, you exploited Lady Catelyn's feelings and Lord Stark's trust to lead him to his death.
Can your crimes truly remain hidden from the gods?
The people of the Seven Kingdoms suffer because of the wars you helped create.
Countless lords have died because of your schemes. When your own day of judgment comes...
How will you face your father?
How will you face Lord Hoster?
How will you face Lord Jon Arryn?
And how will you face every soul that died because of you?"
Littlefinger's eyes bulged with fury.
His trembling finger pointed toward Galon.
"Y-you... You savage from the Wolfswood..."
"Silence!"
Galon's voice crashed through the hall.
"Shameless villain!"
"Do you not know that the whole realm would gladly feast upon your flesh? And still you dare defend yourself?"
Every sentence struck harder than the last.
"To conceal your crimes, you even claimed Lady Catelyn had fallen ill.
My own messengers informed me that she had already uncovered your secrets.
Only lingering affection from years past stayed her hand.
So you murdered her instead.
Your heart is steeped in deceit. Your deeds are beyond forgiveness. Even the Seven themselves despise you.
If I do not judge you today... The gods surely will."
Littlefinger's entire body shook.
Blood suddenly burst from his lips. He staggered backward, barely able to remain standing.
The assembled lords of the Vale stared in stunned silence.
Even Septon Morda found himself inwardly amazed. 'What a gift for speaking... He would make a remarkable preacher.'
"You..."
"You..."
Lysa's face filled with panic.
She rushed from her seat and caught Littlefinger before he collapsed.
"What nonsense are you saying? My sister isn't dead!"
"Guards! Bring her here at once!"
Panic flashed across Littlefinger's face.
Instinctively he tried to stop her. But another mouthful of blood choked off his words.
He knew that if Catelyn appeared, everything would be exposed.
Despair settled over him.
Yet when two guards finally carried Catelyn into the hall... Hope flickered once more.
She had spent days imprisoned in the sky cells. She was little more than skin and bone.
Barely conscious.
Whether she could even speak was uncertain.
"My lady!"
Galon called anxiously.
Catelyn slowly raised her head. Seeing him, she managed the faintest smile.
Her lips moved.
No sound emerged.
The torment of her imprisonment had robbed her of speech.
The guards gently lowered her onto a nearby bench not far from Littlefinger and Lysa so she could rest.
Galon's face darkened with genuine fury. His hawk-like eyes fixed upon Lysa.
She shivered involuntarily.
Her hands slipped away from Littlefinger.
"Lady Lysa."
Even Lord Royce could hear the anger beneath Galon's calm voice.
"That woman is your own sister.
You reduced her to this...
Because she discovered your secret? Because the man standing beside you loved her instead of you?"
Though his expression burned with outrage, Galon's mind remained perfectly composed.
Every word was meant to push Lysa closer to the edge.
"You're lying!" Lysa screamed hysterically. "Petyr loves me! I gave everything for him! He has to love me!"
"Does he?"
A cruel smile touched Galon's lips.
"Stop deceiving yourself... He never loved you. From beginning to end, what he loved was the power you possessed."
Those words shattered what little remained of Lysa's fragile sanity.
"No! You're lying!"
"If he didn't love me... Why would he help me poison that old fool Jon Arryn?"
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Littlefinger's face turned deathly pale.
The moment Lysa confessed aloud...
Everything was over.
Looking around the hall, he saw nothing but hatred and murderous fury in the eyes of the Vale's nobility.
There was no escape left.
So before anyone could react... He made one final desperate gamble.
Shoving Lysa aside, Littlefinger lunged toward the weakened Catelyn. In a single motion, he drew a dagger and pressed it against her throat.
"Stay back!"
"All of you!"
Every trace of his gentleman's mask vanished.
"One more step... And I'll kill her before I die!"
His bloodshot eyes burned with madness.
Holding the frail Catelyn before him as a shield, he slowly retreated toward the open Moon Door.
"Petyr!"
Galon deliberately sounded frantic.
"Release Lady Catelyn! You still have a chance to live!"
Fearing Galon might do something reckless, Lord Royce and the others quickly restrained him before shouting toward Littlefinger.
"Petyr!"
"It's not too late!"
"Surrender!"
"Surrender?" Littlefinger laughed bitterly. "I've come too far for that."
"Back! All of you!"
He retreated another step.
The wind howled through the open Moon Door behind him. The nobles had no choice but to withdraw.
But Lysa, whom Littlefinger had shoved aside, slowly rose to her feet.
She looked at him. At the dagger pressed against Catelyn.
Her eyes were filled only with despair.
"So... You really did love only her."
"You never loved me..." She muttered to herself as she slowly walked toward the Moon Door.
"Lady Lysa!"
Lord Royce cried out.
"What are you doing?"
Though she had confessed to Jon Arryn's murder, he still did not wish to see the Lady of House Arryn die there.
For the sake of the house's honor.
He stepped forward.
Littlefinger immediately slashed the dagger through the air.
"Stay back!"
"Lysa. Come here. Hurry! Order your guards to seize them all!"
Lysa stopped directly in front of him.
"Petyr..."
Her voice was barely more than a whisper.
"Let's leave together..."
"Hm?"
In the next instant—
She thrust both hands forward with all her strength.
Littlefinger and Catelyn were hurled toward the Moon Door together.
"You—!"
Caught completely off guard, Littlefinger tumbled backward into the open void.
In that final instant... He looked at the frail Catelyn before him.
Countless emotions flashed through his eyes.
"Catelyn..."
"I'm sorry..."
"Live."
With one desperate push, he threw Catelyn back toward solid ground just as his own body slipped beyond the edge.
Clang!
His dagger struck the stone floor.
Then Littlefinger disappeared through the Moon Door. His scream echoed into the abyss... Before fading into silence.
"Lady Catelyn!"
Galon rushed forward to save her.
But Lysa moved even faster.
Snatching up the fallen dagger, hatred filled her eyes as she drove the blade into Catelyn's chest.
"Aah!"
Catelyn cried out in pain.
Somehow, she found the strength to shove Lysa away.
Lysa stumbled backward.
Her heels teetered near the edge of the Moon Door.
"Catelyn..."
"Let's go see Father together..."
At that very moment, Galon reached them. He caught Catelyn and pulled her safely away.
"My lady?"
"My lady, stay with me!"
He held her trembling body.
Blood seeped steadily from the dagger buried in her chest.
"Where's the maester? Someone fetch the maester!"
But everyone's attention remained fixed on Lysa.
No one moved.
Lysa swayed unsteadily.
A bitter smile spread across her face.
She looked once into the black emptiness beneath the Moon Door. Then she looked back at Catelyn, whose face had already turned deathly pale.
"Catelyn... I hated you."
"In our next lives... Let's never be sisters again."
With those final words... She stepped forward. And leaped into the darkness below.
Only the stunned lords of the Vale remained behind... Along with Galon desperately calling for a maester to save Catelyn.
__________
Upto 20 chapters ahead on patreon :-
patreon.com/Xorath