Game of Thrones/Season 4/8. The Mountain and the Viper

adaptations from A Song of Ice and Fire

 * A Feast for Crows
 * 10. Sansa I
 * 23. Alayne I

In the Eyrie
Petyr Baelish testifies before a tribunal, which consists out of Lord Yohn Royce, Lady Anya Waynwood, and Ser Vance Corbray. They inquire after Baelish' ancestors, who came from Braavos. Royce has heard quite a lot of things about Baelish, and not all positive. He insists that no one cared when Jon Arryn had named him master of coin, but his presence around Lysa Arry was another deal entirely. Petyr tries to spin Lysa's death as a suicide, and Lady Waynwood agrees that Lysa was an "odd fish". Still, Lysa adored her son so much, leaving Waynwood to be uncapable of believing Lysa died of her own free will. Yohn Royce remarks the oddness of the timing of Petyr's marriage to Lysa, just a few days after he arrived, and that she had died so shortly after. Both Royce and Waynwood insist on speaking to the witness: Petyr's "niece". Petyr offers to go and get her, but she’s already there.

Speaking gently to her, Lady Waynwood asks Sansa whether Baelish is truly her uncle, and her name is indeed Alayne, to which Sansa agreeds. Lord Royce is a bit more harsh, demanding to hear what she had seen. Sansa apologizes to Petyr, stating that she has to tell the truth. She tells them that she is not Alayne, but Sansa Stark of Winterfell. Lord Royce is surprised when she tells him that they once met when he visited Winterfell, while escorting his son Waymar to the Wall. He's angered that Baelish had lied to his face, but Sansa insists that all of his lies had been to protect Sansa. She proceeds by telling them that, ever since her father's execution, she had been a hostage in King's Landing, a plaything for Joffrey, someone for Cersei to torment. She had no friends in King’s Landing, except for Petyr, who saved her, smuggled her away when there was a chance. He brought her to safety with Lysa, making her swear never to use her real name. Lord Royce remembers Eddard Stark fondly, and Lady Waynwood inquires after Lysa's fate. Sansa tells them that she was a troubled woman, who had married Lord Arryn only because her father had commanded it. Lysa had been a jealous woman, who had been terrified that Petyr would abandon her for a younger woman, Sansa tells. She lies, stating that Lysa had seen Baelish kiss Sansa on the cheek. She proceeds by telling them that Lysa had threatened to thrown Sansa through the Moon Door, and that Baelish had tried to calm Lysa, but she had struck him, and no matter what Baelish said to her, she eventually stepped through. Sansa breaks down in tears, and Lady Anya rushes to comfort her. The tribunal is convinced.

Royce, Waynwood and Baelish walk together, discussing how Lysa used to breastfeed Sweetrobin, despite the boy being ten years old. Baelish states that, while there is no justice to be gained from suicide, there is justice to be gotten for her son. Baelish asks whether the lords of the Vale support the Lannisters, who executed Eddard Stark, and Lord Royce seems insulted. According to Baelish, Tywin Lannister has had the opportunity to deal with his enemies because Lysa kept the Valemen out of the war. He asks them to support Lord Robin Arryn, who is a sickly little boy, but might grow up to become a powerful man. Baelish wants Sweetrobin to be trained in battle, to learn how to ride a horse, to visit the castles of the Vale. In other words, to "leave the nest".

Later, Petyr visits Sansa, and asks her why she lied on his behalf. Sansa is busy mending a dress, and without looking at him, explains that, had Royce, Corbray, and Waynwood executed Baelish, she wouldn't have known what would have happened to her. Baelish states that she gambled on the man she knew, instead of on the strangers that she didn’t know. Sansa claims to know what he wants, but does not respond when Baelish asks her "do you?".

Sandor Clegane and Arya Stark discuss how the news of Joffrey's death did not make Arya happy. She wishes she could have been there to watch, at least. Sandor agrees that Joffrey deserved to die, but calls poison a woman's weapon, and that men kill with steel. Meanwhile, Sandor is still troubled by his wound. They finally arrive at the Bloody Gate, where he is informed of Lysa Arryn's death, three days past. Sandor stares in disbelieve, whilst Arya begins laughing due to the irony of the situation.

Sweetrobin tells Petyr how he’s afraid to leave the Eyrie, as his mother had told him he belonged at the Eyrie, and that it wasn’t safe for him, inside. Petyr tells Sweetrobin that people die at dinnertables, in their beds, and squatting over their chamber pots. Sweetrobin should worry about life, not death, he tells the boy. Sansa arrives, with her hair died, dressed in a feathered black dress.