Now it begins…
Riverrun, 282 AC
Sitting in the study room, Edmure looks through the window and lets out a loud sigh. The sun is shining, it is the middle of the morning, and he would give anything to leave this room and go play in the garden. He startles as he hears someone clearing his throat and looks up: their maester is standing right in front of him. Blushing, Edmure gets back to the reading of his book. He glances at his sisters: Lysa too looks miles away. Catelyn listens and writes quietly. And Aylis, her tongue slightly sticking out of her mouth, is learning orthography. Edmure has been asked to learn all the names, words and seats of the houses of the Riverlands. Catelyn is learning about all the towns and villages. Lysa is supposed to study the rivers of the Realm but she just stares blankly at her parchment. Looking back at his book, Edmure realizes he is just looking at House Allyrion of Dorne. He moans with exasperation, knowing he will probably have to spend his whole afternoon studying. Before the maester could reprimand him, the door opens suddenly. They all look up and Aylis exclaims:
"Uncle Brynden!"
"Hello children", their uncle smiles at them before turning to the maester. "I need Edmure, maester Kym", he says and Edmure feels an intense relief overwhelming him. Kym frowns a bit, not used to be interrupted during the children's studies but he nods silently and Edmure jumps out of his chair. Lysa moans "Unfair!" and Edmure sticks his tongue out at her as he walks out.
Brynden lays a hand on his shoulder and Edmure looks up at him:
"Where are we going to?"
"I wanted you with me to go fetch the gift for your sister's nameday", Brynden explains. "We are going in town."
Edmure's eyes widen with excitement: he loves going there, meeting the small folk and seeing what will belong to him. He stops walking to hug him tight and smiles hugely at him:
"Thank you for taking me out of here", he chuckles.
Brynden ruffles his hair gently:
"No problem, boy."
They walk to the saddles, prepare horse and pony and leave together. Edmure has a smile locked on his face since they left. He loves being outside, able to smell the fresh grass, the scent of the river, hearing its sweet sound as it runs by them. When they get in town, the small folk recognize them and bow before them. The Tully heir feels his heart swollen with pride: his family is loved, he can see that, and respected by the other Lords. He hopes he can meet to their expectations, as well as to his father's. Edmure feels Hoster prefers Cat. Is it because she is a firstborn? He does not know, but he still feels it. All the other children do. Except maybe Aylis, totally lost in happiness since she has started this correspondence with Stannis Baratheon. But, right now, he feels acknowledged as the heir of Riverrun. He gently smiles at the small folk, answering their greetings, still following Brynden closely. His uncle leads him to a merchant selling birds and Edmure frowns slightly:
"A bird?" he asks his uncle, surprised.
He thought he would buy her a nice dress, or jewels, girls' gifts basically.
"A hawk. She asked for one", Brynden shrugs.
He had never had children of his own and his nieces and nephew have a special place for him. He loves them as if they were his own. He wants to please the little girl for her name day so he would buy exactly what she asked for. The merchant comes to them with a huge smile: the fact that everyone sees the heir of Riverrun getting in his shop will be very good for business. Edmure looks around him: several birds, of every size and color, stand in cages. Some look very miserable; others sing and fidget when they see him. The more they get into the shop, the bigger the birds are. And, eventually, they come to see the hawks. They all look very beautiful, some grey, some brown, all with fierce eyes and large beaks. The merchant present the three types of birds: broadwings, longwings, shortwings. He even talks about owls used in falconry, but they are very rare, he precise. The broadwings are obviously the bigger birds: golden eagles, buzzards. Brynden explains this is a gift for a little girl, and that those birds would be too difficult to handle for her, although she has trained with her father's birds. The merchant smiles, and presents the smaller birds: peregrine, lanner and gyrfalcons. Brynden turns to his nephew:
"What do you think, Edmure?"
The boy stares at each bird: there are dozens different and he looks at the merchants:
"I think my sister will want a male."
He exactly knows why his sister wants a falcon: she likes hunting; it is true, except she does not like killing animals herself. And he knows she will take good care of the bird. But she mostly does it to have a common point with Stannis. The merchant nods, and takes six cages:
"Those are the males I have."
"Do they have names?" Edmure asks.
"No. Their master is supposed to name them", Brynden explains and the merchant nods approving:
"Ser Brynden is right, m'Lord."
Edmure nods silently and stares at each of the bird: two are from each race. He immediately takes the gyrfalcons away: they are too big for his sister, in his opinion. He points at one of the two lanner falcons, the one with the most beautiful yellow eyes, and black marks under his eyes. The merchant smile:
"Very good choice, m'Lord. He's a fine hunter; he can kill preys an eagle would get."
He bows and prepares the falcon, putting him in a wider cage. Edmure proposes to hold the cage as Brynden pays the merchant and leaves with his nephew. They get back on horses and ride back to Riverrun.
Once they get here, they all gather in the evening to celebrate Aylis's name day. She squeals excited when she opens her gifts, and Edmure brings the falcon they bought, hidden under a clasps her hands and kisses her brother and uncle, who tells her:
"I hope you will like it."
Aylis hugs him and slowly takes the sheet off, gasping heavily when she sees the bird.
"Thank you, uncle! It's so beautiful!"
The falcon cries and Aylis opens the cage immediately, making it go on her arm and giving it meat.
"What is his name?" she asks, her eyes sparkling with happiness.
"It's a male, and the merchant said you had to find his name yourself."
Immediately, Aylis starts thinking about names. She wanted it to have a link with Stannis. Stannis. No, of course not. Bara? No, sounds like a girl's name. She thinks very fast. Seat: Storm's End. Storm? No, she does not like it. Words: Ours is the fury. Fury!
"I'll call him Fury", she nods proudly.
Edmure groans a bit:
"Fury is a girl's name."
"No it's not!" Aylis protests.
"Yes it is!" Edmure retorts.
"Children!" the loud voice of their father calms them down immediately. "This is supposed to be a happy day. Stop quarrelling and eat."
The cook had prepared a beautiful cake and they obediently sit at their places. Hoster nods at both of them and they all ate silently. The Lord of Riverrun is torn between the joy of celebrating his child's name day, and the sorrow this day represents for him. He chooses the happiness, not without having a thought for Minisa, his wife, who, he was sure, was taking care of all of them from where she was.
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The Tully family is reunited in front of the door leading to the Great Hall of their castle. Hoster checks silently on each of his children and Catelyn stares at the gate, her heart beating fast. Aylis looks up at her with a huge smile: within minutes, Brandon Stark will appear here. They would announce the date of their marriage during his stay at Riverrun. They hear horses neighing and, from the road, Brandon Stark leading some escort. He looks very handsome on his horse, still wearing furs from Winterfell, although the weather is way warmer in Riverrun. Catelyn stares at him smiling, and Aylis notices how Petyr is glaring at her. Brandon gets down from his horse and Aylis is very impressed by how tall he is. He is also very handsome, black mane and piercing grey eyes. He walks to Lord Hoster, greets him and then turns to Catelyn. She curtseys, followed by Lysa and Aylis, and Edmure bows. Lord Hoster introduces him to his other children and Petyr and they soon get in the castle, where Cat makes him visiting her home. Everyone is invited for a feast, and the Tullys are overjoyed to see Catelyn so happy. But the good mood does not last. The day after, Petyr decides to challenge Brandon for a duel: he tells him the winner will marry Cat. Brandon, outraged and known as being hot-blooded, immediately agrees to fight him. None of the Tullys try to reason them, and they all meet in the lower bailey. There, Edmure asks to be Brandon's squire and the young Stark accepts. The girls go with them and they watch Brandon putting on his armor, with Edmure's help. Then they see Petyr walking to them, wearing only a helm, breastplate and mail. As Brandon looks at him, he takes most of his own armor to keep only the same things than Petyr. This one turns to Catelyn:
"Would you give me your favor, Cat?"
She shakes her head, and gets to Brandon, gives him her favour and tells him:
"Please, do not kill him. He is like my brother."
Brandon smiles at her:
"Do not worry. I will spare him…as much as I can."
Hearing them only increases Petyr's anger, and he charges Brandon. Aylis yelps with fear and takes Lysa's hand, squeezes it tightly. Lysa is staring at the two young men fighting, but Brandon is way taller, stronger and better than Petyr. Her own hand squeezes her sister's as tight as she can. He would not even need to fight if he wanted her, and not Cat. She would give him everything he would ask. She would kill for him. If only he looked at her…
The swords shuffle pretty quick, but it's very quickly clear that Petyr is no match to Brandon. Aylis watches him getting dozens of cuts, and stumbling over, trying to avoid Brandon's sword the best he can. "Come on, boy, give in!" the young man shouts. Petyr shakes his head "Never!" and looks at Cat. Aylis feels he's not only talking about this duel… Brandon, who found all this pretty amusing at first, but who is now clearly pissed at Petyr, stops refraining himself. Lysa cries out when Petyr yelps with pain as Brandon's sword cut his shoulder. Blood rushes out, and Petyr falls on the ground, kneeling down. Brandon walks to him: "Give in", he orders him. Petyr breathes hard, and winces with pain as he stands up slowly. He has trouble even holding his sword now, but he stares at Brandon, and whispers: "Never". The Stark heir raises his sword, and, with a formidable backhand, makes him fall on the ground, unconscious, blood staining the fresh grass on which he has fallen. Lysa rushes on him and even Edmure stares at him, shaking like a leaf. Brandon wipes his sword and shakes his head, hands his hand out at Cat. She takes it without a single look at Petyr.
The boy is taken back to the castle and is healed: he has several wounds, some deeper than the others. He remains unconscious for a few days and, when he wakes up, Edmure goes to ask about him, but he refuses to see him. Lysa stays with him all the time, but Cat refuses to see him as well. Aylis does not hold any grudge at Petyr and decides to go see him. She has picked some flowers and has prepared a pretty bouquet for him. She walks in the corridors to his room and stands on her tiptoes to open the door. She leans on the handle and gasps with surprise: Lysa is with Petyr in bed, and they are naked, making strange noises. Aylis does not understand what is going on, but she feels she should not stay here. She closes the door back and comes back later, when the servants bring food to Petyr. He looks terrible, she thinks, but at least he is alive. He thanks her for the flowers, and they talk for a moment before she feels tired and leaves to her own room. On her way, she passes by Lysa, who has the brightest smile she has ever seen on her sister's face.