Eagle of the Valley of Ice and Fire

Chapter 44 The Tully Family

Although it is between two rivers and surrounded by moisture, the interior of Riverrun's castle does not seem to be damp, and is abnormally dry.Tyrion was walking in the corridor of the castle, looking at the castle courtyard planted with flowers and plants not far away. Lady Catelyn, whom he hated, was standing there. Next to her, based on her age and appearance, she should be the heir of the Tully family. Edmure Tully.

Looking at her brother whom she had not seen for a long time, Caitlin couldn't help but reach out and gently touch his reddish-brown hair.Edmure took a step back unnaturally, "This is no longer a child, sister." He glanced in the direction where Tyrion was being escorted and said to Catelyn.

Catelyn smiled when she heard this. Her younger brother Edmure had been in charge of the affairs of Riverrun after his father became seriously ill. When nobles from the Riverlands visited Riverrun, Edmure personally received them and performed guest etiquette.Although Edmure has been unable to intimidate some of the established nobles in recent years, at least Riverrun and its surrounding territories have been managed in an orderly manner.

She looked at her brother with satisfaction. Although he was not tall and could only be considered to be of average height, he had deliberately grown a beard and looked quite like the Duke of Riverrun and the Governor of the Trident.

"Bring this dwarf here, aren't you afraid that Tywin will cause trouble?" Edmure asked worriedly. He was shocked when he saw his sister arresting this "little devil" and coming to Riverrun.

But Caitlin shook her head firmly, "No one can cause trouble, Edmure." She put on the face of her eldest sister. This face contained many qualities, including the responsibility of the Tully family and the loyalty of the Stark family. Obsession, she stayed in Winterfell for too long. "What is our family motto, brother, I don't think I need to remind you."

When Edmure heard his eldest sister questioning him in such a serious manner, a rather childish look of embarrassment appeared on his face.He paced in the courtyard, the sword dangling from his body, but he finally stopped and said to Caitlin: "Family, responsibility, honor."

"Yes," Catelyn said quietly, "Tyrion wanted to murder my son, your nephew, Bran Stark."

Edmure's face was filled with surprise.

Catelyn told Edmure the information she had searched for in Winterfell and a series of things she had seen after arriving in King's Landing. Edmure's face was very complicated at first, and then turned red with only anger on his face.

Edmure finally confirmed with Caitlin, "Even if Tyrion murdered my nephew, why did the Arryn family also participate?" His red face did not ease at all, as if he was consulting the last thing before making a decision.

Catelyn didn't hide anything. She whispered something in Edmure's ear.

"Lysa? Lysa was imprisoned?" Edmure looked at Caitlin in shock, completely unaware that his sister and nephew had been murdered by the Eyrie.He didn't think further about the connection between the two, but the Arryn family seemed to have some unknown alliance with the Lannister family.

Catelyn held Edmure's hand, "Remember the motto of the Tully family, Edmure, you are an adult now. My father is ill in bed, and only you can hold up the sky of the Riverlands," Catelyn smiled. Looking at him, he tried to comfort his young brother with a gentle tone, "Don't worry, the Stark family, Winterfell, and the North will be with you. My husband Ned will be with you. He is the king's best friend."

Only then did Edmure breathe easier. He nodded to Catelyn and assured her, "If the situation gets out of control, I will not give up rescuing my sister. Besides..." He seemed to be hesitant, and his eyes when looking at Catelyn fluctuated. .

"What?" Caitlin asked.

Edmure took a deep breath, "That reminds me," he frowned, and Catelyn knew that her brother was beginning to think in terms of his identity as the Duke of Riverrun. "The news from Salt Field Town is that there are countless valley cavalry outside the Blood Gate. Although the king has authorized them to clear out the high mountain clans in the Mingyue Mountains, I am afraid that they have been cleaning up outside the Blood Gate for such a long time." Edmure was worried. He held his hand The sword hand couldn't help but exert force.

Catelyn looked at her brother worriedly. His face was busy and dull, and his reddish-brown beard seemed to be a mess of troubles plaguing Edmure.His father is seriously ill, and his younger brother is shouldering the burden. The last time I saw him, he was still a child. Time waits for no one. Before the world is ready, maybe the war will begin.

The two siblings chatted about their daily lives, no longer talking about the troubling national affairs. Edmure showed a childlike smile and told Catelyn the joke he once made to tease the minstrel. Catelyn couldn't help laughing after hearing this. Laugh, although my brother has matured a lot, he is still as childish as before.

The play between the siblings was quickly interrupted. A man who looked like a bachelor's assistant from Riverrun stood up and said, "Ahem!" He coughed slightly, and the Tully siblings immediately stopped talking.

"I didn't want to interrupt the reminiscence between the young master and the madam, but Master Horst insisted on meeting you. He has something to say to you, madam." The bachelor's assistant expressed his apology and bowed to Caitlin.

Caitlin sighed. She did not go directly to see her father because she was afraid that the image of her wise and witty father in her memory might collapse instantly when they met. She was afraid of seeing her father become an old and seriously ill man. The old man seems to be in his father's arms yesterday, and his father may need your arms the next moment.

"I'm going now," Caitlin said.Edmure followed her, silent.

The flowing water stairs in Riverrun are unique. The duel between Brandon and Petyr ended here. At that time, Petyr was covered in blood. Brandon held the sword in his hand and looked at Petyr with a complicated expression.The past disappeared like smoke in a blink of an eye. Caitlin thought that the Usurper War was the only turmoil in the Seven Kingdoms that she had encountered in her life, but she did not expect that the war seemed to be coming again in an instant.

The bachelor's assistant said nothing. Caitlin asked many questions about her father, but the other party ignored her. Caitlin had no choice but to give up. She secretly wondered, after so many years, do people around her father lack the most basic courtesy?

Father's bedroom was very warm. The maid tended to the fireplace and carefully carried firewood. She didn't seem to notice Caitlin entering the room.

Sitting next to his father's bed was a man with brown-grey hair and gorgeous clothes. The man turned to look at Caitlin who was coming. "Lord Tytos Blackwood?" Catelyn said in surprise.In her memory, Count Tytos did not come to Riverrun many times. Most of the time she heard about this count was that he organized hunting in Blackwood Valley and invited her father many times, but every time At that time, the Bracken family, the riverland nobles who were mortal enemies of Blackwood, would hold banquets at the same time and would also send invitations to Tully. His father was furious every time and did not respond to any invitation. Instead, he went to Riverrun City A dinner party was held here and the same invitation was extended to both families.

At this time, Earl Tytos came to Riverrun in person and sat beside his father's bed. There was also tea that his father liked to drink on the bedside.

"Your daughter is here, Hoster." Count Tytos seemed not to want to pay attention to Duke Hoster's eldest daughter. He just stood up and looked at Caitlin with eyes that seemed full of anger.

Caitlin was a little at a loss. When she saw her father who reluctantly stretched out his hand, she sat next to him and held her hands tightly.

Edmure stood in front of the door. Lord Tytos saluted him and strode away.

"Caitlin" Horst's voice was soft and weak, as delicate as silk.

Caitlin approached her father with a smile, tears already welling up in her eyes. Her father's weak and pale face and his breathing that seemed so weak and lifeless made her extremely heartbroken.

"Caitlin" Horst murmured, as if he only knew this word. His lips were chapped, white cracks were printed on them, and saliva could be seen faintly flowing out from the corners of his mouth.

Caitlin's tears couldn't stop flowing. She asked the maid to bring her a handkerchief and wipe the corners of her father's mouth. "Father needs to drink water." She said to herself, picked up the tea, and gently fed it to her father's mouth.

Her father suddenly held her hand and stopped her behavior. "Let the dwarf go," he said.

"What?" Caitlin leaned close to her father, wanting to confirm what her father said.

"Let Lannister go." This time Catelyn heard her father's words clearly. She shook her head regretfully, "Father, you don't know what that dwarf did to our family and my children."

Horst suddenly coughed violently, and the coughing sound filled the whole room. Caitlin was horrified to see bloodshot eyes at the corners of her father's mouth.

"Maester!" Edmure shouted as he hurried out.

The old bachelor of Riverrun walked in. He frowned tightly and hurriedly removed Caitlin's hand from holding Duke Hoster's hand, and dealt with it seriously.

Catelyn could only watch helplessly as Edmure walked over to his sister and took her hand that was shaking with nervousness.

The old maester fed his father the potion, which was as black as blood that had gathered and solidified.My father quickly calmed down and his coughing gradually stopped.

The old bachelor turned his head and said, "I'm sorry, madam, the situation just now didn't hurt you, did it?"

Caitlin shook her head.

"He must be too excited to see his daughter," the old bachelor said softly, "The Duke needs to rest now. He has met too many people today, and he needs to rest immediately."

Catelyn sighed softly. The condition of her father's body must be one of the reasons why the nobles of the Riverlands gradually became disobedient to discipline. Edmure had written to him to complain.

The siblings arrived at the main hall of Riverrun. The dinner had been prepared, but it was just a simple reception, so there wasn't much food.Edmure walked into the main hall first, but was stunned. Then he clenched the sword in his hand, seemingly ready to attack.Catelyn looked at her brother in confusion, but she understood the reason when she entered. Lord Tytos, who had been beside her father's bed before, was sitting next to Tyrion, who she had captured and taken to Riverrun for trial, talking and laughing with him. Just need to feed this dwarf.

"I need an explanation, Lord Blackwood." Edmure was obviously furious. He did not want this family enemy to sit in his hall as a guest.

Tyrion's eyes widened and he raised his glass to Edmure, "Obviously your father doesn't want me to be treated as a prisoner and come to Riverrun."


(End of this chapter)