She had ran to him as soon as they'd called her.
"Where is he? What happened?"
"There was a battle, my lady"
"Where?"
"On the Kingsroad"
Roslin closed her eyes, as she approached the door.
"What the Seven Hells was he doing on the Kingsroad?" she asked the young servant, trying to control her voice.
"He was heading to the Eyre, milady" she replied, opening the door for her, "to rescue his uncle"
"Not that I was in danger. I was actually leaving the Eyre"
Roslin didn't know that voice, nor the man who had spoken. But she easily understood who he could be.
"Ser Brynden?"
"Aye, milady" the tall man bowed and kissed her hand, "at your service, milady"
"This is your house, my lord" Roslin said politely, "I am at your service as well. Now, please, take me to my husband"
"Yes, milady" the young servant hurried to reply.
The room was dark and quite large, but not very furnished. There were three small boxes, a couple of chairs, and a bed, right under a small window. In that bed laid Edmure Tully.
"My love" whispered Roslin, running towards him, "how are you? Can you talk? Can he talk?"
The servant quickly nodded, but it took a while before Edmure could reply.
"I'm fine, my dear" he said, breathless, "but my leg.. look"
"No" Roslin answered, "please, I don't want to"
She hated the sight of blood.
"Please, I.. it really.."
"It doesn't matter" Ser Bryden meddled, putting a hand on her shoulder, "it's not you who has to look after him, my lady. I'll call the Maester, but it's not a serious wound"
"I'm truly sorry, my love" Roslin replied, ashamed of herself, "please, forgive me.."
"Perhaps you should leave" Edmure said, shutting his eyes. "I wish to sleep now"
"I.."
He's mad a te, she thought. And he's right. What kind of wife would refuse to check his wounds?
The Blackfish meddled once again.
"Come on, milady" he said, gently pushing her towards the door, "he'll be alright, I promise you"
"Yes.. you" Roslin spoke to the young servant, "fetch him the milk of the poppy"
"Yes, milady"
"And go find Maester Vyman and tell him to come here" then she added in a sour voice that didn't fit her, "I don't get why he's not here already"
"I.. yes, milady" the young servant answered, "I'm going, milady"
Roslin gave one last look at Edmure, but he was asleep, or at least he seemed to be. She sighed and followed the Blackfish out the room. Once he closed the door, they started to walk away.
"Where are we going?" the young lady of Riverrun asked. "I don't want to be too far from Edmure's room, just in case something else happens to him"
"He's safe, my lady, trust me" Ser Brynden assured, "he's at home now. By the way, your servant has no fault, I told her to go call you instead of Maester Vyman because I knew Edmure's wound was nothing serious"
"You should have sent two servants" Roslin protested, "there's plenty of them in this castle.. there's only servants"
"It hasn't always been like this" the Blackfish said, looking at her. "When my brother Hoster was alive, he had many friends, and his children and his friends' children used to play in the park, while the adults discussed important matters around the table in the dining room"
"What changed?"
"The children grew old and left, made children on their own. Lysa married Jon Arryn and gave birth to Robert. My Catelyn went to Winterfell, gave Eddard Stark a bunch of children" he hesitated, "and Edmure simply grew old, but he didn't leave his father's house"
"I thought it was his house too" Roslin observed.
"It is. Now, it's entirely his, and yours too"
"I am extremely sorry for Lord Hoster's death. I would have liked to meet him"
"Perhaps back in the old days" the Blackfish replied, avoiding her gaze, "he didn't even recognise his own children eventually"
"I'm sorry" Roslin said, keeping walking, "about your brother and your niece.. both of them. I had met Lady Catelyn once, but never her sister"
"You wouldn't have liked to meet her either. She'd changed, lately. Wouldn't even put Jon Arryn's men at Robb's service"
"She wanted to protect her son, I heard"
"Her son" Ser Brynder repeated sourely, "one big problem, that one. Lysa shouldn't have fled back to the Eyre after her husband's death"
"Where else should she have gone?"
"Anywhere but there"
"It was her house.." Roslin said, but he hissed her.
"This was her house. My brother probably wouldn't have recognised her, but she would have been very welcome her, and she knew that"
"Maybe she wanted to go as further from King's Landing as she could"
"Then she should have gone to Winterfell" the Blackfish insisted, "Catelyn was a dear person, she would have welcomed her sister and nephew, and Lysa would have bid Jon Arryn's men to fight along with the Young Wolf's soldiers, and perhaps Robb wouldn't have died, nor Catelyn"
Roslin didn't know what to say. She felt guilty because it was her father's fault if Robb Stark and Catelyn Tully were dead, but the Blackfish seemed to be more mad at Lysa Tully than at her.
"How is Robert Arryn, ser?" she asked, trying to reduce the tension. "Did you see him?"
"All I saw was Littlefinger, that treacherous short man" Ser Brynden shook his head, "he didn't even let me in the castle. He came all the way down the Mountains of the Moon as he was told some lonley knight was approaching, so I had to wait until he arrived and we talked in the middle of the Vale"
"That was rather rude" Roslin admitted. "Why doesn't Lord Baelish trust you?"
"Perhaps he senses I don't trust him either. Anyway, he told me it was his beloved wife's wish that the soldiers of the Vale remained in the Vale"
"Then he sent you away?"
"Then he sent me away"
"I don't understand" Roslin said as they entered the main entrance, where Lord Sunderland and some of his lieges were reunited, "you left Riverrun on Edmure's commands a moon cycle ago. What took you so long?"
"Riding alone might be faster, my lady" the Blackfish replied, "but the paths to the Eyre are hideous and vile, almost as Littlefinger is. Especially if you're trying to avoid the Kingsroad"
"That is impossible, the Kingsroad stands right between the Reach and the Vale"
"Exactly" the Blackfish nodded and gave her a quick smile. "I was lucky enough to cross it without having any of the Lannister's guards spot me"
"Edmure wasn't that lucky"
"Oh, he was much more lucky, he just wasn't that smart. He had the brilliant idea of heading to the Eyre by taking the Eastern Kingsroad. He should thank the Gods he's alive"
"He has a wounded leg" she observed.
"Which is better than death" he stated.
"Lady Roslin" greeted Lord Longthorpe, approaching, "we heard about the lord your husband. How is he?"
"Injured, but safe" she answered, "thank you for your concern, my lords"
"It's the least we could do" replied Lord Torrent, "we've been your guests for too long, my lady"
"For how good it is to have you at Riverrun" Roslin said, smiling, "I bring you good news, my lords. Your waiting has come to an end"
She turned around and looked at the Blackfish.
"Ser Brynden is here"
"Ser" Lord Sunderland bowed his head, "we finally meet. Lord Jason Mallister tells us you're a skilled fighter"
"He honors me" the Blackfish bowed his head as well.
"Ser Brynden, these are Lord Sunderland, Lord Longthorpe, Lord Borrel and Lord Torrent" Roslin introduced, "the first lieges of our King, Viserys Targaryen"
"My pleasure" the Blackfish replied. "May I ask where he is?"
"Way North, I'm afraid" Lord Borrel answered, "the Wall has the honor to host our King for the moment"
"The Wall? What business did the King have up there?"
"The Queen was sent to negotiate with Stannis Baratheon" explained Lord Torrent, "and the King decided to head there after recieving a raven from her"
"I see" the Blackfish nodded, "and, forgive me, may I ask where Lord Mallister is? I can't see him"
"He and Lord Jon Umber went to Casterly Rock half a moon cycle ago" answered Roslin.
"To.. negotiate?"
"To seize it"
Ser Brynden widened his eyes.
"Them and what army?" he asked, shocked.
"The King's" she said, excited. "Nine thousand Dothraki of the biggest and tallest I.. well, I've never seen"
The lords of the Bite laughed, and Roslin shrugged, smiling.
"Forgive me, my lords" the Blackfish said, "but my nephew sent me off to the Eyre as he got here, and he told me nothing about King Viserys and his Dothraki army.. only that my dear Catelyn and her son were dead"
"We all are deeply sorry about that" replied Lord Sunderland, his smile fading. "The Young Wolf was still just a boy, and the lady your niece was very young as well"
"Thank you, my lord"
"Anyway" Roslin meddled, trying to change the subject, "I wouldn't mind to inform you about what happened while you were away"
She took Ser Brynden's by the arm.
"You will learn I am very curious"
Lord Torrent, Lord Borrel and Lord Lorthrope laughed again.
"She is indeed" Lord Sunderland affirmed, grinning. "But there's something that Lady Roslin doesn't know yet"
Roslin wrinkled her nose and gave him a puzzled look.
"A raven arrived from Casterly Rock a few minutes ago" he explained. "Greatjon and Lord Mallister are heading to Highgarden"