Petyr Baelish

## Hand of the King (Historical)

P**etyr Baelish**, also called **Littlefinger**, was the head of House Baelish of the Fingers. He served as master of coin on King Robert I Baratheon's small council. Petyr wore a mockingbird as his personal crest instead of House Baelish's sigil, a titan's head.

## History

### Early Life

Petyr's great-grandfather was a Braavosi sellsword in the service of Lord Corbray; when his son became a hedge knight, he took the stone head of the Titan of Braavos as his sigil. Petyr's father, in turn, was the smallest of small lords of a few rocky acres on the smallest of the Fingers, who befriended Hoster Tully during his service in the War of the Ninepenny Kings. This friendship led to Petyr being sent to be fostered at Riverrun.

At Riverrun, Petyr was fostered as a ward and raised alongside Lord Hoster Tully's children, Catelyn, Lysa and Edmure. Because of his family holdings, and because of his short stature, Edmure gave him the nickname "Littlefinger", by which he is still called during the present times. Petyr grew close to the Tully children, and used to play with Edmure as well as Catelyn and Lysa; Catelyn recalls how she and Lysa once made mud pies, which Petyr ate, resulting in him being sick for a week. When he had a problem, Petyr went to Lord Hoster's brother, Ser Brynden Tully, just as Lord Hoster's children were wont to do. Petyr accompanied Lord Hoster on at least one journey that he made, to Seagard. As the children grew older, Petyr fell in love with Catelyn, who was several years his elder. She did not reciprocate those feelings, loving him as a brother instead. Catelyn's younger sister, Lysa, on the other hand, fell in love with Petyr.[18] Petyr would play at kissing with both Catelyn and Lysa in the godswood of Riverrun, attempting to stick his tongue into their mouths - which Catelyn halted, but Lysa both allowed and enjoyed.

When Catelyn's betrothal to Brandon Stark, the heir to Winterfell, was announced, Lord Bracken and Blackwood were at Riverrun, to settle a fued with Lord Hoster Tully's help. Catelyn and Petyr danced six dances that night, but when he tried to kiss her, she pushed him away and laughed at him. Wounded by the rejection, Petyr got drunk, passed out at the table, and was brought to his bed by Ser Brynden Tully. Lysa snuck in after him, and gave Petyr her virginity that night. Still drunk, Petyr believed he was having sex with Catelyn, and even called out "Cat".

When the date of Catelyn's wedding was announced, Petyr, scarcely fifteen years old, challenged the twenty-year old Brandon Stark to a duel for her hand. He arrived with only a helm, breastplate and mail, leading to Brandon taking off most of his own armor. Petyr asked Catelyn for her favor to wear, but she refused, giving it to Brandon instead. Catelyn begged Brandon not to kill Petyr, to which he agreed. While Brandon offered Petyr multiple chances to yield, Petyr refused to give up. In the end, Petyr was staggering and bleeding from a dozen wounds, when Brandon ended the battle with a backhand cut so brutal Catelyn Tully was convinced it was mortal.

Petyr was given a fortnight to recover at Riverrun, during which time Lysa helped care for him. Catelyn did not go to see him, and Petyr refused to see Edmure, who had served as Brandon's squire during the duel. During this fortnight, Petyr slept with Lysa again. He would later claim to have taken the maidenhood of both Tully sisters, due to his believe that his first encounter with Lysa had actually been with Catelyn.

When the fortnight had passed and Petyr was strong enough, Lord Hoster sent Petyr away from Riverrun. Catelyn did not say goodbye to him. However, Lysa had become pregnant with Petyr's child as a result of their second sexual encounter. After Petyr had been send away, Lysa revealed her pregnancy to her father, hoping he would relent and allow Lysa and Petyr to marry. Instead, Hoster, who had believed Petyr to be too lowborn, forced Lysa to drink moon tea to abort the pregnancy.

### Appointment to the small council

Back at the Fingers, Petyr sent Catelyn a single letter after the death of her betrothed, Brandon. However, she burned the letter without reading it, and they would not see each other for many years to come. Catelyn married Eddard Stark during Robert's Rebellion, and went north to Winterfell after the conclusion of Robert's Rebellion. Petyr used to dream about Wintefell, always imagining it as a dark and cold place.

Petyr did maintain a relationship with Lysa, even after her marriage to Lord Jon Arryn during Robert's Rebellion. Lysa convinced her husband to give Petyr control of customs at Gulltown around 289 AC, where he increased incomes tenfold, displaying his skill with finances. Jon Arryn, Hand of the King for King Robert I Baratheon, eventually brought Petyr to court in King's Landing, and within three years, he was named master of coin and appointed to the small council. There, he increased his influence by moving his own people in place, such as the four Keepers of the Keys, the King's Counter and the King's Scales, as well as harbor masters, toll collectors, and wine factors. Meanwhile, he also developed a complex web of loans, transactions, and investments, as to supply the King and the King's Hand with enough gold, and bought several establishments (including several brothels).

During his time at court, Petyr continued his relationship with Lysa, who, as the wife to the Hand of the King, had been living in King's Landing as well. When Lysa learns that her husband plans to send their son, Robert Arryn, away to be fostered at Dragonstone by Lord Stannis Baratheon, it is Petyr who provides her with the poison she uses to kill Lord Jon. He also convinces her to send a message to her sister Catelyn at Winterfell, in which she accuses Queen Cersei Lannister and her family of the murder of her husband.

## Recent History

Baelish cut an unquestionable and dubious figure, many Maesters believing his role in causing the war unmistakable. He would later take Sansa to the Vale and marry Lysa Tully, who died of mysterious circumstances later. It was said that he gave up Sansa later in exchange for his freedom but would be removed as Regent by a Coalition of Valemen.

Eventually he'd flee to Essos and find refuge with Daenerys and Aegon’s court, with House Baelish becoming a vital component of the First, Second and Third Targaryen Rebellions.