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GOT : Chapter 153
🕑 Added 2024-11-05 13:48:32 +0000 UTC( Daeron POV )
A sort of eerie calm took hold of the column heading northwards, the silence only being broken by the sound of marching soldiers, trotting horses, or the occasional bird chirping.
Jon looked in front of him, hoping to see a familiar figure arise from the morning mist, at the end of the paved road.
Behind him, a large column of soldiers, carriages, horses and carts, all carrying the most precious thing in the world at the moment: food.
All the grain Jon could ever get his hands on, taken from the granaries of Goldengrove, Cider Hall, Ashford and Highgarden. Enough for the North to survive the harsh winter to come, and enough to feed the Free Folk and the combined armies of the North, Riverlands and Vale in the great struggle that would await them in the North.
Finally, though, a large swathe of blue erupted in front of the path, the large river showing itself in all its beauty. There, in front of him, a magnificent castle started to come out of the fog.
In the middle of the river, encircled by water, with only a wooden drawbridge linking it to the shore, was Riverrun.
The ancient keep of the Tullys had stood, unbroken, for the entirety of the war.
A shadow passed over the pale white towers of the keep, hidden by the low clouds.
Riverrun certainly looked majestic from above, and he could not fault Winter from loving the view. Ghost, at his side, certainly agreed.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Jon turned to the woman on his right, who had kept silent for most of the journey.
"It is, Jon," she replied with a sigh, "but it isn't Dorne."
"I know." Jon nodded sombrely. "But we are at war, and I need to make sure that we win it first. I promised that I would see you off to Dorne, and I shall, you have my word."
Arianne Martell looked at him with a weary eye, but sighed.
"I trust your word, you have given little reason for me to doubt it," she said staunchly, "but make sure you don't dally too long, or I fear I may have to run away myself, and you will have to pursue me with your dragon."
She then winked at him, and Jon smiled.
Jon had made a promise, and he would honor it. He had vowed to bring her to Dorne, and he would. But not now. Not when his armies needed him, and not when he needed to arrange for all the grain being sent north. Not when Randyll Tarly was gathering another host around the capital and rumors brewed about a large fleet amassing in the Narrow Sea.
But it pained him to do so. Would he have to let her go, when he had thought he'd finally find someone he felt at ease with? Arianne wasn't Val, the Northerners could see the benefits of a match with Dorne. Her brother was known well past their borders, perhaps he could arrange some of that magical powder he has been hearing about as her dowry?
Jon caught himself. He was thinking of marriage, already!
He had to stop dreaming, that would never happen. They would part ways and go where they belonged, he to the North and she to the South.
They crossed the drawbridge first, entering the large courtyard of Riverrun, where he'd landed on Winter in what felt like years ago.
Two people were waiting for them in the centre of it, holding hands.
One he instantly recognized, of course. With his auburn beard and rich dress, Lord Edmure Tully was a figure he had become accustomed to, just as much as his uncle Brynden, who was organizing the distribution of grain in the southern Riverlands.
The lady next to him, though, Jon had to admit he did not know who she was. A tall, blonde, woman, with striking yellow-green eyes and a rich blue-and-yellow dress, with sapphire earrings and expensive jewellery.
Jon immediately dismounted from his horse, patted Ghost on the head, and went to help Arianne dismount from his own.
"Lord Regent." Edmure smiled through his beard. "I see that you also have come with beautiful company."
"Aye, Lord Tully." Jon nodded while approaching him. "May I present to you Princess Arianne Martell of Dorne?"
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Tully." Arianne bowed slowly.
"No need to bow before me, it is a pleasure to meet you too, Princess." Edmure said as he bowed to kiss her hand. "But where are my manners! I have not introduced you to my wife!"
"Your wife?" Jon asked with wide eyes.
"Just so, Lord Regent," the woman said with a smile, "we had the wedding ceremony a few days ago, I'm sorry you were not there, but we kept things simple."
"My dear wife, Alysanne Lefford." Edmure smiled while Jon stared, bewildered.
"My congratulations to you, Lord Tully." Jon bowed. "And you, my lady."
Jon kissed Lady Lefford's hand, who smiled in return.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lord Regent, it's not every day one meets a dragonrider…or two." Lady Lefford smiled mischievously at Arianne, something Jon raised his eyebrows at.
Arianne did not flinch and just shook her hand.
"A pleasure to meet you, Lady Tully."
"Forgive my curiosity, Princess Arianne, but what is a Dornish princess doing so far from her home?" Edmure Tully asked.
"I fear that my father decided that the Tyrells would be a better match than you or Robb Stark," Arianne simply said, "Jo…Lord Regent Jon just took me out of their claws."
Edmure Tully seemed surprised, but nodded.
"Princess Arianne and her party of a dozen Dornish are under my protection, Lord Tully," Jon quickly intervened. "I will need for you to provide your gracious hospitality for them, even if it is not likely to last long. I have promised to bring them back to Dorne, and Princess Arianne has promised to intercede to get Sansa back."
"She's in Dorne, then?" Edmure asked.
"Aye, it seems so." Jon nodded. "Although we cannot be completely sure just yet."
Edmure stayed silent, and nodded slowly."Where is Lord Arryn?" he finally asked.
"At the Stoney Sept, with the Vale host, getting ready for our future campaign."
"Very well, and my uncle?"
"Distributing the grain we took from the Reach in the scorched areas around the Goldroad." Jon replied.
Edmure smiled. "It is welcome and will surely ease the smallfolk's lives. You have my thanks. And you, Princess Arianne, and your party, are of course welcome here. I shall give you bread and salt, and have rooms arranged for them."
He turned to his wife. "My sweet, could we perhaps prepare the rooms of Lord Arryn for Princess Arianne, it would be fitting of her station?"
"No need." Arianne stepped in with a grin. "I thank you for your offer, Lord Edmure, but I would rather share my rooms with Lord Regent Jon, if it is no trouble."
Edmure stared at her, then at Jon, and just nodded.
"It is no trouble at all, Princess. I shall ask for rooms to be prepared at once for the rest of your party. Maester Vyman will lead you there, but first…" Edmure's blue eyes met Jon's grey. "Lord Regent, I would need to speak with you."
Jon looked at Arianne, who just waved him away.
"I'll stay with Tyene and Joss, do what you must."
With her blessing, Jon thus left with Edmure, inside the walls of the castle, down the halls, which were now illuminated by countless torches.
"I did not ask you where you got such armor!" Edmure looked in amazement at the Valyrian steel ensemble.
"I took it from the last Greyjoy," Jon said simply. "Slew him in battle."
"Ah, well, good riddance!" Edmure boomed, "these squids have been an annoyance for too long. Although where one could have gotten such a prize, I do not know."
"Aye, I do not know either," Jon admitted. "But it is a beautiful prize, and not something I will spit on."
"Of course not!" Edmure approved. "I would have done the same. And not only that, but you have another prize."
"I wouldn't call Arianne a prize," Jon quickly replied.
"Ah, first names, then. So, you wed the Princess of Dorne?" Edmure asked with a smile.
"No." Jon shook his head. "We are not wed."
"A pity, she is beautiful, and a good match too." Edmure stroked his auburn beard with a sly smile. "Perhaps you should consider it."
"I already have, but I fear Dorne is not where I wish to live, and the North is not where she wishes to live, either." Jon sighed.
"I understand," Edmure said, nodding sagely. "A shame, the way your voice breaks makes me think you like her."
"I do." Jon sighed. "I really…I want to wed her, Lord Tully. But she and I can never be."
"If it is reciprocated, then I can just as well offer you lands here, in the Riverlands. Or some castle in the Westerlands, such as Hornvale or Silverhill?" Edmure grinned.
"A generous offer, Lord Tully, I thank you." Jon chuckled. "And I see you made plans for your House already."
"Lady Alysanne is a beautiful woman, and a smart one," Edmure replied,, "and with a good dowry too! She is the heir to her house…"
Edmure left the sentence hanging, to which Jon just stared in confusion.
"Apologies, I should have said 'the only heir to her house'," Edmure corrected, "our first son will inherit Riverrun and our second the Golden Tooth."
"Why the change in position? Lady Lefford had once been one of our fiercest opponents. She defeated Robb, and then defeated you too," Jon pointed out.
"You think she wouldn't fall to my charm alone?" Edmure asked.
"That's not…"
"Oh, don't worry, Stark!" Edmure laughed. "Aye, not my charm alone. Alysanne is smart: she saw where the wind was blowing. With the Lannister power shattered, it was only a matter of time until the road was clear for us to take her castle, her lands and more. By marrying me, well, she gets to keep all of that, and I get a beautiful woman, a castle, rich lands, and a new vassal."
"Smart." Jon nodded, impressed by Edmure's reasoning. "And you, Lord Tully, why the sudden reversal? I thought you did not wish to marry till the war was over?"
"Cat…sorry, Lady Stark, often told me to wed." Edmure sighed. "She always asked me to protect the Tully line, for there was no male heir other than Rickon, and I agreed with her. But the matches that my father tried to make for me did not pan out, and neither did those whom the Riverlander lords made. In all, Alysanne Lefford was the best choice I could make for my house and myself."
Edmure turned to Jon, stopping along the road to a large staircase, leading up. A soft chill could be felt in it.
"But there is another reason why Cat convinced me to marry. She sent me something," Edmure stopped for a few moments, before resuming, "well, she did not send me something. More like your friends in the North sent her something, and she immediately had it sent to me."
"My friends in the North?" Jon looked confused.
"Aye, the wildlings," Edmure replied. "Do not look so confused, Lord Regent! Everything will soon make sense."
Jon frowned as he made his way up the tower towards another corridor. At the entrance, no less than four guards. And in that corridor, a single door, once again guarded by four guards.
"Come with me." Edmure motioned.
All the guards stood at attention as the lord of Riverrun asked to be let in. One of the guards fumbled with the key, but eventually managed to open it for the two of them.
