The young Tullys are wating by their father's side, curious. Today, a young boy has to come to Riverrun. Catelyn and Lysa are side by side, Edmure, now a toddler, tries to remain as quiet as possible. The last baby is held by a handmaid. Lord Hoster glances at his daughters, proudly. HE has talked with Tywin Lannister, and intends to betroth Lysa with his son, Jaime. He heard the young boy was already very charming and handsome and Tywin, without really giving reasons, wanted to take him away from his twin sister, Cersei.
The young boy gets in Riverrun on a horse, following Lord Sumner. The young Lannister is a squire to him. Lysa widens her eyes when she sees him: he looks older than his age, and gives an arrogant look upon them all. Catelyn glares at him: the Lannisters are wealthier than any other family in the realm but she can't stand how they despise everyone else. She secretly cheered when she learnt that their little brother was a freak. Then she blamed herself for having those thoughts. Both their mothers have died giving birth and it was rumored that the two fathers couldn't stand the children who killed their mothers. They greet Jaime Lannister, getting off his horse, who nods at them. Lord Hoster shakes Lord Sumner's hand. He looks at him and smiles:
"I have a letter from Lord Lannister for you", Lord Sumner says.
"Let's go inside. The children can play together", Hoster says and leads him in the castle, walking side by side. Servants take care of the horses and soon they are alone, Cat, Lysa, Edmure and Jaime.
"Where is your uncle Brynden?" Jaime asks, his eyes shining with excitation.
"Probably fishing or swimming. Why?" Cat frowns.
"I want to talk to him", Jaime frowns back.
"We could play either, no?" Lysa proposes.
Edmure walks to Cat and slips his hand in hers, looking up at her smiling.
"Pway!" he squeals and Jaime gives a dismayed look at him.
"Alright", he sighs and they decide to play hide and seek.
On the evenings, Jaime and Lysa are seated side by side but Jaime doesn't look interested at all in her. He keeps talking with Brynden, asking him to tell him stories about the war. Hoster's brother likes it, but Lysa doesn't. She is very upset by Jaime's behavior and, when they all go to bed, she goes to the room she shares with Cat and the baby. The baby is asleep in her wooden crib. Cat looks at her smiling, brushing her soft cheeks with her fingers.
"I hope she is not gonna wake up tonight", Lysa sighs wearily as she dresses up for the night.
Cat glares at her:
"Be nice. She is just a baby. We were crying too when we were her age."
"Mother was here when we were her age", Lysa spat.
Cat sighs and looks down at the infant: Lysa and Hoster are the ones that could not forgive this baby to live. They would trade her for Minisa anytime. But they can't. So they hated her, from the moment she came to this world. Hoster has never held her, not a second. Lysa is always moaning about how painful she is, how often she cries, how useless she is. She is not useless, Catelyn thinks, slipping a finger in the baby's hand. She smiles when she feels the baby's fingers wrapping around hers. She is a Tully, she keeps silently thinking. And she will be beautiful, just like Mother. She bends down to kiss her brow and joins her bed silently. She slides under the covers and turns to Lysa.
"Do you like Jaime?" she asks her genuinely.
Lysa shrugs:
"He doesn't even look at me. Maybe he should marry a sword. She would be happier than any other women."
Catelyn feels how bitter her sister is. She keeps looking at her: Catelyn has bright blue eyes, and thick and auburn hair. Soon after her mother's death, Hoster could not look at her anymore. Brynden has explained her it was because she reminded him of her. Lysa has the same features, but she is more slender than her sister. Lysa is also shyer, quieter than her. Still, she feels bad for her that Jaime does not even talk to her.
"Do you want to sleep in my bed?" she asks her.
When they were younger, she was always joining her when she was upset, or scared by a storm outside. Lysa would snuggle up against her and could sleep peacefully. Their mother's death has changed something in her. Cat just hopes she would find a man who could give her smile back on her lips. Lysa shakes her head:
"No thank you. Good night Cat."
"Goodnight Lysa", she whispers.
She closes her eyes but cannot fall asleep. She hears whimpers coming out of the crib and she leaves her bed to take the baby in her arms. Silently, she takes her with her in her bed and she whispers comforting words. The baby turns her blue eyes to her and she falls back asleep. Cat holds her tight, scared to let her fall from the bed, and she whispers:
"It will be alright, Aylis. It will be alright…"