Willem and Martyn Lannister Story Chapter 11
"What is the consequence of a single life weighing less than a feather? What is the final destination of hatred? When you look in the eyes of the enemy and you see yourself. At what price mercy? Who is my neighbour? How many times shall I forgive my brother? What does it mean to love ones enemies? What can a man give in exchange for one's soul? These are the questions that I faced in my prison camp; the answers changed my life forever."
Ernest Gordon, To End All Wars (2001)
Willem and Martyn are given special permission by King Robb Stark to attend Peter's fifth nameday and to walk around Riverrun's gardens with armed escorts. But first, we start with a haircut and shave. This is the calm before the storm. Readers of A Clash of Kings will recognize Elwood, one of the guards who gets killed by Rickard Karstark. I have also decided to feature a Yi Ti cook and Yi Tish cooking since we don't get to see Yi Ti in Game of Thrones. Yi Ti is the GOT version of China and the Orient. In medieval times, people ate their dinner at what we now regard as lunchtime (12am – 2pm). All recognisable characters rightfully belong to George R.R. Martin and HBO. As always, feel free to read and review but keep comments respectful.
Willem's POV: The Haircut
"They said prisoners could not use razors," commented Eustace "But they never said that guards could not use them."
Eustace had managed to find a loophole around the Stark-Tully ban on razors for prisoners by giving it to the guards. Eustace and his colleague Elwood had just given Willem and his brother Martyn an improvised haircut and shave with the help of porridge. Willem was relieved that he had been able to groom his hair and to shave off that layer of stubble on his chin. The trick was talking nicely to Eustace. Around him lay a pile of loose blonde hair and stubble on the stony floor of the tower cell.
"If the Kingslayer had only nicely asked for it," joked Elwood "We would have obliged."
"More likely, he would have taken the opportunity to run," added Martyn "Knowing the sort man that our cousin Jaime is. You can't trust the best swordsman in Westeros."
Gazing down at his reflection on Eustace's armour, Willem could not helped knowing how much better he looked without his mane of long hair and growing beard. Eustace and Elwood were amateurs but he looked much better now that he was clean-shaven and his sides had been trimmed back into shape. Now, he was ready to join Peter's nameday birthday party. Peter was the younger brother of their unlikely friend Jill and today was his fifth nameday. With the special permission of King Robb Stark, Willem and Martyn had been allowed to join Peter's nameday celebrations at Edmyn Hall. As a bonus for their good behaviour, they would also be allowed to roam Riverrun's gardens with an armed escort.
"It's been a long time since we're attended a nameday," said Willem "The last time was when our sister Janei turned nine."
"Not a lot of Smallfolk children live past their third nameday," remarked Elwood "So, it's a good sign that he's still strong."
"I here that they have a chef from Yi Ti in the Far East of Essos," commented Martyn "I've never tasted Yi Tish cooking before. I've heard that they eat with two wooden sticks is that right?"
"Well, there's a first time for everything," joked Eustace "And consider it a special treat because we don't usually invite prisoners to our feasts, even Highborns."
"There'll be some important faces like Lord Edmure and Lord Brynden," said Elwood "And maybe even Robb and his wife."
"Is tonight a full moon," asked Martyn "Just in case he turns into a Werewolf."
"Hah, that's just as credible as saying that Lannisters turn into lions," joked Willem.
Martyn's POV: A Yi Tish dinner
Peter's nameday party was held in the late afternoon at Edmyn Hall, a richly-ornate wood-panelled dining room that was lined with carvings commemorating the War of Conquest. Almost three hundred years ago, Edmyn Tully had been one of the first riverlords to rise up against the tyrannical King Harren the Black, who had perished during the burning of Harrenhal. Following the death of King Harren and his entire line, Aegon the Conqueror had made Edmyn Lord Paramount of the Trident. A marble bust of the Lord Paramount lay in the middle of the hall. Martyn could not help noticing his resemblance to both the Lords Edmure and Brynden Tully.
Peter's nameday party was an informal occasion which attracted a mixed crowd of smallfolk and nobles. It was not a very large gathering and Martyn counted about twenty people, mostly former residents of Pinkville and Eustace's comrades in arms. There was Selous Rivers, the captain who had led the Rivermen raiding party into the Stone Mill. For this occasion, he and Willem were fortunately saved from the humiliation of having to wear a ball and chain around their ankles. However, they were still handcuffed to their guards, Elwood and Eustace.
While there were some sniggers and jibes, people were largely respectful and courteous. Martyn managed to meet up with Desmond Grell, the stout elderly master-at-arms at Riverrun. In more peaceful times during the Long Summer, Martyn and Willem had visited Riverrun to attend a tournament. At the time, the twins had just reached their seventh nameday. During the tournament, Desmond had been unhorsed by their cousin Ser Jaime Lannister, who was then one of King Robert's Kingsguard.
"It's sad that this War has wrecked a lot of friendships and old bonds," said Desmond "Hopefully, the bigwigs sort out their differences for the good of the realm."
"What the realm needs is a ruler who is well-loved and just," commented Martyn "And who has a strong army and navy."
"Well, none of the so-called Five Kings fulfil all of these attributes," joked Desmond "In the meantime, the ants suffer while the elephants fight."
"I'm glad we can all agree on one thing," remarked Willem "That Joffrey is a real arsehole."
"I'm surprised to hear such treason coming out of the mouth of a Lannister," joked Elwood "But, I guess you have to call a spade a spade sometimes."
Peter was getting a piggy-back ride from a servant. Meanwhile, Jill and several servant girls a couple of court ladies were playing with a skipping rope, trying not to trip over their long skirts. A pair of Riverlander musicians, one boy and one girl, were playing a collection of ballads called "The Dance of the Dragons", which was based on the Dance of the Dragons, a civil war between members of House Targaryen who disputed the Iron Throne. Shortly later, Queen Talisa Stark arrived, accompanied by the Lords Edmure and Brynden Tully. Martyn noticed that the young Queen was pregnant due to her rounded belly.
King Robb was not present since he had other matters to attend to. Talisa gave Peter a mounted toy knight as his nameday present. Lord Edmure Tully delivered a short patriotic speech extolling the sacrifices of the smallfolk of the Riverlands in the struggle against the tyrannical Lord Tywin Lannister and his puppet Joffrey. Edmure's patriotic speech discomforted Martyn and his brother but they did their best to hide their embarrassment. Shortly later, Edmure and his uncle Brynden departed to join King Robb in an "urgent meeting" with some Frey delegates.
For dinner, everyone feasted on roast crispy-skinned fowl, steamed fish drizzled with soy sauce, vegetables, and a strange, white grainy substance called "rice." There were five large salmons which had been fished from the depths of the Red Fork. Martyn recalled that his uncle Tyrion Lannister had taught him that these hardy fish were capable of travelling from the oceans up river to the river spawning pools in the Red Fork. The chef Huang Dee, an expatriate from Yi Ti, explained that "rice" was the staple diet in the Golden Empire; the equivalent of bread in Westeros. Everyone washed down their meals with the finest Dornish wines, a luxury given that the War had disrupted trade across Westeros. Huang Dee was a jolly, tubby man with olive-skin and a trim moustache who spoke the Common Tongue with an Oriental accent.
"You must try with chopsticks, my lords," said Huang Dee.
Given the restraints on his right hand, Martyn opted to eat with his bare hands. Eating with one's bare hands was a strange, new experience for the Lannister twins. Even their guards Eustace and Elwood opted to do the same due to the cumbersome
"This fish is just as spicy as Dornish cooking," commented Willem, who was licking the sauce and meat from his free left-hand.
"A bit too hot for my taste," replied Martyn, as he washed down his mouth with a goblet of cold Riverrun beer.
Eustace's POV: The Gardens of Riverrun
After a rich, sumptuous dinner, Eustace and Elwood accompanied Willem and Martyn through the gardens of Riverrun, who were still handcuffed. Unencumbered by chains or shackles, Jill and Peter ran ahead, their shoes stirring up dust in the dirt path. His sister and brother were safe and well here in Riverrun.
"To be frank, I have never imagined myself befriending a Lannister even in my wildest dreams," said Eustace "But, here we are. The Seven must be looking on us with favour."
"The same, I have to say that I never imagined myself befriending the guy who knocked me across the head," responded Willem
"To be honest, I don't believe in any of the gods," said Martyn "I have given up praying to the gods since leaving home. They're just wooden and stone idols which can neither see nor hear nor speak. But don't go telling that to my mum, she'll whip the hell out of me."
"I must be very lucky to find a kindred spirit in the least likely of places," joked Elwood "Personally, I don't see much difference between the gods. The Seven demand our tithes and offerings, the Drowned God demands sacrifices by drowning, while Rh'llor demands sacrifices by fire. The gods only take and never give anything in return."
"Careful," joked Willem "You don't want any of the septons hearing such blasphemous talk."
Rickard's POV: The Conspiracy
The four youths treaded through the gravel path which led to an ancient weirwood tree whose trunk had been carved into a path. Unknown to them, they were indeed being watched and heard by someone but not a septon. Hiding behind a tall oak tree was Rickard Karstark, the head of the Karstarks and the Lord of Karhold. Deep down, Rickard's heart burnt with rage and hatred at seeing two Lannisters roaming Riverrun's garden. Their very existence polluted the place.
Ever since their cousin the Kingslayer had robbed him of his two sons Harrion and Torrhen, Rickard had been consumed with a burning hatred for anything Lannister. It did not matter that these boys had not killed his beloved sons. In Rickard's mind, they were guilty by association. Rickard smiled as he considered his plan. That night, he was going to avenge his dead sons and his kin who had died at the hands of the Lannisters. He and several of his most loyal men had planned this for almost a week. Rickard knew that there were three guards at the twins' tower all the time. There were two shifts; a day-shift and a night-shift.
Rickard's plan was to attack in the dead of night with the element of surprise on their side. They could then dump their clothes in a nearby forest and slip back to their quarters. King Robb would not suspect a thing. He was too preoccupied with negotiating a new marriage alliance with Lord Walder Frey. Killing these two Lannister squires would sent Lord Tywin Lannister a clear message that the Lannisters were not the only ones who paid their debts.