Alyssa sighed to herself as she sat on a chair in Maester Vyman's quarters, waiting for him to see to her.
Finding myself here, she thought, is becoming far too common an occurrence.
Glancing over her arm as the maester calmly removed her mail; a lifetime of professionalism having him avert his eyes at the sight of her now bare chest, Alyssa winced as she unwound the crude bandage covering her left arm. The excitement of battle had dulled the pain at first, but now that the rush had faded from her body, she could feel the burning of the cut.
Vyman's gasp as he saw it, not to mention his rush for needle and thread; had Alyssa's heart sinking. As he passed her a small cup containing milk of the poppy and threaded a needle, the old healer hurriedly explained that the wound cut nearly to the bone; and if it was not treated soon, she would lose her arm up to the elbow. What followed was a haze of shock and fear, Alyssa unsure of how long it had been, before the maester blew out a breath of relief.
Finally able to put his tools down, Vyman tipped a small cup into her mouth as she lay there in a daze, and soon her vision cleared and Alyssa felt her senses return to her as the antidote removed the milk of the poppy from her body. Groaning, she sat upright.
"Is it over?"
In response, Vyman pointed to the heavy dressing covering most of her left arm, preventing her from using that hand properly. "The worst is over, my lady. But I must warn you" his eyes narrowed and his grip on her right arm became as steel. "Even with all my skills, you came dangerously close to losing it. Stitches and thread are holding your arm together, but they will not hold up to the rigours of battle."
The old man grasped her chin with his free hand, and weakened still by her recent poppy daze, Alyssa was unable to resist as he turned her head to stare him in the eyes. "If you fight another battle before moon's turn, you will lose your left arm. Nothing I, or any other healer can do, could prevent that. Do you understand?"
Horrified by the news, Alyssa quickly nodded and gingerly, rose from her bed, now aware of an incessant pounding coming from outside the maester's quarters. Muffled shouts came from the other side of the door, words Alyssa was unable to identify but which clearly made sense to Vyman, as the old maester sighed under his breath before getting up to answer the door. Opening it partially, he glared at whoever was outside, looking angrier than Alyssa had ever seen him.
"I gave orders that I was not to be disturbed" snapped Vyman. Alyssa's position prevented her from seeing whoever Vyman was talking to, but the reply, given in a low voice, had the healer pale.
"Very well. Bring him in."
He stepped aside to allow two men, supporting a third who hung between them, clutching a bleeding wound to pass through, and as Alyssa automatically moved back to let the maester use the bed for his new patient; her eyes caught on the man in question. Golden hair hung low over his face, and even while injured, he moved with a manner that suggested none could hurt him. His face turned as he moved towards the bed, and eyes flashed with mutual recognition as Alyssa saw the face of Jaime Lannister.
The Kingslayer lay himself upon the bed, his guards taking up positions around him, wary of any trouble; and Vyman came over to inspect the man. As he bent over the bed, Alyssa gasped under her breath as she saw Vyman grasp the Kingslayer's arm and raise it into the light to better see the bleeding wound in it. The nature of the injury seemed familiar to Alyssa for a moment, but as the light of the rising sun hit the bed, gleaming off golden hair; Alyssa realized both the time, morning, and the reason why that wound seemed so familiar.
Because she had inflicted it.
He was the one who tried to strangle me!
Looking more closely at her handiwork as Vyman reached for needle and thread, she couldn't help but smile in pride. Her desperate blow had driven the blade of her shortsword cleanly through Ser Jaime's lower arm, scraping the bone on the way through if she understood Vyman's frantic mutterings to himself. With the chaos of the night's fighting and the many wounded, taking care of loyal men had of course taken priority; with treatment for Lannister prisoners left until later.
The Kingslayer's wound was serious, but only Maester Vyman had the skill to treat it, and he had been occupied with Alyssa's own injury. Vyman had, understandably, chosen his King's sister over an enemy combatant; and the hours spent saving her arm had left Lannster alone in his cell bleeding. Any soldier or fighter who had taken a wound knew so much depended on whether or not the wound was clean. Get stabbed by a man with a clean sword, and the thrust would probably heal clean. Get stabbed by a sword covered in blood however, and some of that blood would find its way inside the wound; leading to it festering. Disease and death would soon follow.
The cure for such a festered wound was cauterisation, but even that depended on how deep the infection ran. If burning it out failed, then the only remaining cure was the maggots Maester Lucas had used to save Alyssa's leg, or at worst the course Vyman had saved Alyssa from. Alyssa had killed many men that night, and her blades were all but coated with blood from hilt to point. There was no telling how much foreign blood had entered the Kingslayer's body, not to mention his rolling around in agony had also ground the wound into the rushes on the floor of his cell. Tiny pieces of rush, as well as other...substances...from the floor had found their way into the wound, and they had been left there for hours to irritate and infect it further. Fire and maggots could not fix this.
As Alyssa was motioned hurriedly out by a harried looking Vyman, she glanced back through the closing door and saw him shaking his head and preparing another dose of milk of the poppy, as well as; out of the Kingslayer's view, a sharp knife and bone saw. Screams of horror reached her ears as the door closed, and her lips curved into a smile as she realized what was happening.
The maester's told him that he's about to lose his arm. Couldn't happen to a more deserving man.
As she left, humming to herself, she no longer noticed the pain from her throat when she drew breath; which the maester had said would go away in a few days, as she was content with the thought that the Kingslayer was about to lose the arm he choked her with.
The price for pushing my nephew from the tower she thought with dark pleasure. The Seven may work in strange ways, but their justice is unavoidable.
Her first instinct was to head for the sparring grounds, but Vyman's warning rang through her head like a bell, and with a sigh she decided instead to get something to eat. It was on her way to the great hall that she turned a corner and saw her uncle there, Brynden Tully limping slightly but still smiling and moving quickly towards her. With a bright grin, Alyssa moved to meet him.
"Uncle!" she cried in delight.
Smiling, Brynden nodded in response. "Alyssa. Your timing is perfect, Edmure sent me to find you. He's called everyone to the Great Hall."
"Lead the way then."
As they walked, Alyssa and Brynden exchanged tales, between them piecing together what had occurred the night of Edmure's wedding. Upon hearing that the Lannisters had managed to drug the wine before it could be served to the guards, not to mention the wedding guests, Alyssa came to a halt and slammed her fist into her palm.
"The kitchens too?" Her breath hissed through her teeth, giving full view to her frustration. "Damn their eyes! How the hell did no-one see any of the bastards sneaking around Riverrun; didn't anyone realise something was wrong?"
"Someone did." Taken aback, Alyssa glanced up at her uncle who nodded grimly. "That wolf of the Stark boy's was snarling and generally acting like it knew something was up; but we all just thought it was nervous about so many people around. Damn fools that we were, we locked it in the kennels for the wedding. Even then managed to break loose and kill half a dozen men."
Explanation finished, Brynden opened the doors of the Great Hall and stepped aside to allow Alyssa to enter first. As she expected, Edmure and Robb were sitting on their thrones, with the assembled nobility of the Riverlands and North standing below them. A new addition, however, was Roslin, now sitting beside Edmure on a smaller throne to his left, befitting the Queen of the Trident. Ser Robin motioned Alyssa to a place near the front of the dais; where she could see her sister and niece standing, along with the Greatjon and Rickard Karstark. Brynden silently took his place beside her, and Edmure rose from his chair, raising his hand to silence the mutterings running through the hall.
"As we all know" he began, "last night, I wed the lady Roslin Frey." He paused to smile at his new wife, and received a small smile in return, before his face turned far more serious as he continued. "During the wedding, Lannister men attacked Riverrun. They meant to take the castle and free the Kingslayer, and were it not for our friends from the North, would have succeeded."
Solemnly, Edmure bowed in gratitude to Robb, who nodded in acceptance of it. Straightening up, the King of the Trident cleared his throat before continuing. "While we are grateful for the aid of our Northern allies, were it not for the efforts of a select few, this castle would now be in Lannister hands regardless, and we come together today to thank them."
Edmure glanced off to the side, where Utherydes Wayn held both a scroll and his metal-shod staff, and after catching his king's eye, Utherydes slammed his staff upon the floor.
"Arya Stark of Winterfell!"
The young girl made her way forth, Needle hanging from her right side, and the crowd burst into murmurs as Arya stood in front of Edmure, her uncle placing his hand on her shoulder firmly.
"Brave niece, you fought for House Tully as fiercely as any could have asked." He glanced over at Catelyn, waiting her turn to be called. "Sister, you should be proud of your little wolf."
"I am" she smiled, glancing up at her daughter, who seemed taken aback at her mother's obvious pride. Watching the two of them, Alyssa raised her voice and let out a cheer.
"Little Wolf!"
That sort of shout in a room filled with warriors could not be ignored, and though it was Maege Mormont who was second, Alyssa could not tell who came afterwards as the whole hall joined in the chant.
"LITTLE WOLF! LITTLE WOLF!"
Glancing up at Arya, Alyssa smiled both in congratulations and apology as she knew that like "Blackfish" or "Kingslayer", her niece's new nickname would follow Arya through her life.
Edmure allowed the cheering to go on a few minutes more, before he raised his hand again and Utherydes staff cracked on the floor. "You have the gratitude of the Riverlands for your actions, sweet niece, and my promise of the best armor our smiths can forge when you decide which style suits you best." Arya beamed, and though many lords chuckled behind their hands at the thought of the diminutive Arya in plate, those chuckles turned to expressions of endearment when she wrapped her uncle in a hug of thanks, before returning to her place. After waiting a few seconds to allow the room to calm a little bit, Utherydes pounded his staff again.
"Lady Catelyn Stark."
And so it went, through all those who played a part in the previous night's events. Catelyn was thanked for her role in fetching help, while the Blackfish was once again stated to be invaluable to House Tully after closing the Water Gate and securing the gatehouse. Edmure expressed his gratitude towards the Lords Umber and Karstark for their quick actions, which they accepted with quiet nods, simply stating to Robb that they were only doing their duty. Finally the staff pounded one last time, and Alyssa stepped forward, still taking care with her left arm.
"Lady Alyssa Tully."
Alyssa knelt before her King, and Edmure gestured for her to rise with a wave and a smile. "Dear sister." He glanced at the bandages covering her arm. "Once again I find you before me badly wounded in service of House Tully, and once again I find myself unable to thank you enough. Due to your valiant stand, the Lannisters were unable to free the prisoners, Jaime Lannister among them."
Robb Stark rose from his throne, the Stark family greatsword Ice strapped to his back. Edmure and Robb had discussed the matter, and concluded that due to the Lannister's treachery, the deal struck to exchange Bloodclaw for Ice was null and void and House Stark would be keeping the greatsword as payment for the Lannister betrayal and as thanks from House Tully for their aid. "House Stark owes you thanks as well. If the Kingslayer had escaped, the Lannisters would have had no reason left to spare my father, not to mention my sister."
Edmure glanced around the assembled court. "My sister has proven her loyalty to House Tully once again, as well as her skill in battle. There can be no doubt that Alyssa is my strong right hand, and none can question her ability to lead the forces of the Riverlands in my stead during the attack on the Westerlands."
Outside Alyssa's field of vision, a small door opened to the side, and Riverrun's blacksmith nodded at Edmure, letting him know that the work had been completed. With a smile, Edmure gestured the man forward, and Alyssa watched in interest as he handed Edmure a wrapped bundle, before retreating to the side. Edmure took a grip on the wrappings before he turned to Alyssa. "You are my Hand, sister, but what is a hand without a sword to wield?"
The cloth fell away, and Alyssa gasped as the contents were revealed to the court. It was a sword, specifically, her sword. Her River's Edge had been reforged by a master's hand, and from what she could see, was like new. Her fingers wrapped around the hilt, and the familiar leather bit into her palm; it was as if her hand had been reunited with her arm. A nod from Edmure gave her permission to draw the blade, and with barely a sound as the cloth inside the scabbard dulled the noise; the blued steel flashed in the light.
Glancing down the length of the blade, she could see no mark or evidence that it had been broken at all. To repair damage of that degree, the smith must have melted the pieces down and forged it anew, and yet it was to every extent the sword she remembered. The blued steel seemed to ripple in the light, and with a grin, Edmure gestured for the assembled lords to back up a few paces.
Once she had enough room, she slashed the blade back and forth a few times with her single arm, getting used to the weight and balance once again. River's Edge was far heavier than the Valyrian steel Bloodclaw, and yet as soon as her body felt the weight of her own weapon, it was like she had never put it down, she accustomed herself to it again almost instantly.
Despite her best efforts, a single tear of joy rolled down her cheek and the warriors present smiled at the sight, unconsciously touching their own preferred weapons. Grinning broadly, she raised the sword high, the light catching the blue steel and flowing down in streams; seemingly drenching Alyssa in water flowing from the blade.
"Let the enemies of the Trident fear our steel" she cried, "for the rivers once more have an edge."
The Riverlords cheered at that, and she allowed the cheering to go on for a few seconds before she lowered the sword. Carefully sliding it into its scabbard while respecting her injured left arm, she clasped her hands together and glanced out over the assembled lords.
"As his Grace has said, I will be commanding the forces of the Riverlands when we march. As such, it's time I announced my initial plans for the invasion of the West." This was something Alyssa had been thinking long and hard about, even before Edmure's ill-fated wedding. "If we are to have any hope of taking the West, we will need every man we have. We cannot afford to leave a large force in the Riverlands to defend it, but we also cannot leave our homes protected. Instead, we will reinforce key points along the Riverlands borders; strong castles in strategic locations which can hold attackers at bay long enough for our main force to return if necessary.
So." She glanced over the crowd until she found the face she wanted. "Lord Jason Mallister." The Lord of Seagard jerked to attention and glanced up at her, ready for instructions. "Your seat at Seagard is the lynchpin of our coastal defence. Should the Lannisters, or any other foe attack by sea, Seagard will be the first point of contact. It is vital, therefore, that it be sufficiently defended. You and four hundred of your men, a mixed force of archers and spearmen, shall return to Seagard to fortify its defences."
The crowd murmured in approval of this plan, and Lord Jason simply nodded in acceptance. "Seagard will hold, my lady."
"I know it will, my lord" she reassured him, before turning to the next on her list. "Ser Ryman Frey." The dull-witted heir to the Crossing glanced up, halfway through a glass of wine. "The Twins is the link between the North and the Riverlands, and should Seagard come under attack, your father is the closest one who could send help. A hundred of your men will return home to bolster the defence of the Crossing."
Focused on his wine, the Frey heir absently nodded before Alyssa glanced now at her new sister. "The losses in the recent fighting have all but destroyed House Tully's own forces. Barely a hundred remain, which is insufficient to hold Riverrun in time of war. As House Frey has now joined with House Tully, a hundred Frey men will remain in Riverrun to supplement its garrison as a sign of that unity."
Ryman Frey still seemed not to notice her words, but Queen Roslin was brighter than her brother, and accepted Alyssa's words with a warm smile, already thinking about which Frey troops she wished to defend her and her new husband. Grateful that her brother's wife had some sense, Alyssa moved on to those far closer to her personally.
"Lord Karyl Vance and Ser Hugo Vance." Both named men looked up, and Alyssa favoured them both with genuine smiles. "I owe both your Houses more than I can say. When the Kingslayer invaded our lands; I called for your help and you answered; abandoning your lands and your keeps to bring your full power against him. Thanks to your sacrifices, we triumphed that day, and now it is time to repay that aid.
With the Lannisters pushed back into the West, it should finally be safe to return home. Both of you will take two hundred of your men to Riverhold, gather your people and return home to reoccupy your lands and take your seats. Both of your Houses have fought with me since the beginning, and so should you decide to remain home and send a representative in your place, I will not think less of you."
The look on Ser Hugo's face told Alyssa that he at least, would likely not be returning to the field. As for Lord Karyl, he was a warrior who had only daughters as his heirs, so Alyssa knew he would remain with her. Banishing both men from her mind, she turned to the final lord she had to speak with.
"Lord Clement Piper." The bow-legged Lord of Pinkmaiden looked up at her, waiting for his instructions. "Like the Lords Vance, you abandoned your seat and came to answer the call in our hour of need. Not only did you leave your own castle undefended, but you left a hundred of your men to defend Riverhold alongside my own men when we marched to battle at the Camps. I thank your men for their service in defending my home, but it is time you focused on your own.
You will ride quickly for Riverhold at dawn, leading two hundred of my men, and once your arrive, you will leave them to join my garrison, while you take your men, as well as those of your people sheltering on my lands, and return to Pinkmaiden, where you will hold the castle in his Grace's name.
As for my own seat, Riverhold is the key to our western defences, and three hundred men could hold it against an army a hundred times that size for three years. Maester Lucas may be young, but the Citadel heeded my words when i asked for a raven-keeper experienced in the ways of war. His chain is heavy with links of iron, and he does not lack for courage. He knows my orders; he will hold the castle or die trying."
The muttering was less approving at that, trusting a maester to hold such a crucial position, but Alyssa moved firmly onto the next matter, unwilling to allow discontent to spread before she was finished.
"Finally, we come to the matter of the group of light horse Lord Bracken led to Riverhold." Alyssa glanced around the room, at the lords whose men formed that force. "Though they took severe losses in the Battle of the Woods, a small number of them remain, and now that the fighting has left the Riverlands, I have the time to divide them back into the Houses they came from and return them to said House's command. The thirty-two men from Stone Hedge have already remained there with Lord Bracken, and the death of Lord Lyman has ended House Darry, so the riders from Darry will of course be permitted to return home if they wish."
Cries of protest came from the assembled Darry men, and a broad-chested serjeant pushed his way through the crowd to stand in front of Alyssa. "Scuse me, milady, but what if we don't want to go home?"
"Why?" Alyssa was unable to understand the man's thoughts. "Why not go home to your families, what else have you to fight for?"
"Revenge" he said bluntly. "Ser Raymun was a good man, and a good ruler. His son treated us well too, neither deserved to be killed by Lannisters. House Darry is gone, and all us who served them will have to find work with the new lord once all this is done, but for now let us fight with you. We'll march under the banner of the dolphin to avenge the plowman."
Alyssa was unsure about this, on one hand the reinforcements would be welcome, but she felt wrong about asking more of the Darry men, who had already given so much. Before she could voice her opinion, her thoughts were rudely cut off by the serjeant.
"Pardon me for askin', milady, but how many men you got left? Of those you brought from Riverhold I mean, not the whole army?"
At that, Alyssa sighed, both at the low number and the point she knew he was making, why sadly was quite a valid one. "Just under six hundred, and I marched with fifteen."
Gasps came at that, as just how much Alyssa had lost was revealed. That level of losses would have her lands feeling the blow for years to come. Nearly every family on Riverhold lands had lost father, brother or son, sometimes all three. The serjeant nodded solemnly. "Six hundred. And if you keep takin' the field, that'll get smaller and smaller every battle. You fight well, milady, and your men are skilled, but if you keep throwin' yourself into the fightin' with so few men, you'll eventually lose. Our families are across the other side of the Riverlands from the West, if we beat the Lannisters there they'll never be in danger. We know the risks, and we're willin' to die to avenge the Darrys, who were good to us. Can you really afford to turn us down?"
"No." Alyssa's sigh had her shoulders drop as she admitted defeat. "No, I cannot. You are right, willing reinforcements are not something I have the luxury of denying. If your men wish to fight under my banner, then I'd be honoured to accept."
Just like that, Alyssa added another thirty men to her forces, along with the Darry serjeant, whose bulk and heavy mace made him seem worth many men. They were not the only ones to pledge their loyalty; while Lord Lymond Goodbrook ordered his men to return home, Halmon Paege showed his gratitude for being freed from the dungeons of Stone Hedge by placing his thirty-one riders at Alyssa's command.
With his seat at Saltpans far from the fighting and his forces too small to form an effective unit anymore but still wanting to contribute, the young Lord Hawick, upon receiving a raven informing him that a few of his men had survived, had followed the example of Darry and Paege by replying that they would ride under Alyssa's banner until the war was over. Lord Ryger did likewise, bringing the number of men under the dolphin banner to over seven hundred; but though she wished to help in any way possible, Lady Shella Whent had already sent more men than she could afford, to the point where she no longer had the men to defend her massive castle of Harrenhal. Reluctantly, she ordered her small group of riders by raven to return to Harrenhal, where the thirty-two extra men would supplement her garrison, for what little good it would do.
Gratefully, Alyssa bowed to the Darry serjeant, as well as Halmon Paege and Lord Ryger. "I thank you all for my faith in me. I swear I will do all I can not to let you down, as well as to do my best for all who march under my banner."
Strangely, it was Maege Mormont who first began the shout, perhaps in support of another woman fighter, but the cry was quickly taken up by all, as when Alyssa began the shout that gave Arya her new nickname.
"River Dolphin!" "RIVER DOLPHIN!"
Alyssa smiled at her new title, and as Riverrun's hall filled with the noise, she allowed herself to dream of the impending attack on the Westerlands, and her chance to repay their attacks on her lands. As the shouting reached a crescendo, her brother and uncle now joining in, Alyssa stroked the hilt of River's Edge, now back at her side where it belonged.
That reminds me…
Once the commotion had died down and Edmure dismissed the gathering, allowing her to leave the hall, Alyssa headed directly to Riverrun's treasury, where she presented Bloodclaw, belt and all, to the treasurer with instruction that the sword be locked in Riverrun's most secure vault. Only once the steel door had closed on the Valyrian blade and locked firmly did Alyssa breathe a sigh of relief. During the fighting in the dungeon, the Lannisters had come close to killing her and reclaiming the blade, which would be a disaster to Tully morale.
Here it can do no more harm, and we may need it later in the war to make peace if the fighting goes against us.
With that thought, Alyssa turned on her heel and headed for her chambers and rest, because the army marched in two days, and she planned to be ready.