Riverrun, 283 AC
Lord Tully decides to start negotiations with Eddard Stark and Jon Arryn: they last for several weeks. Eddard and Jon have joined Riverrun after the Battle of Ashford, where Robert has known his first defeat: Eddard had joined Winterfell and Robert managed to unite his forces with him and Jon Arrryn's. Then, they had started talks with Lord Tully, and managed to find an agreement: Hoster would join his forces to the Rebels.
Today, the Tully children are all reunited to bid farewell to their father and uncle, dressed up in his armor, ready to leave to the battle. Lysa is the only one who does not cry, and refuses to kiss her father goodbye. As they watch them and the army walking away, Lysa gets back in without a word, and Catelyn comforts the two little children, Aylis and Edmure. Riverrun becomes stern and sad, the children not being up to laugh and have fun with their father away in such terrible times. Aylis feels desperate and cries almost every day, realizing she could lose both her father and the man she loves. The words her father spoke when she tried to convince him to fight alongside the Rebels have not been forgotten, yet forgiven. It has been imprudent from them both to tell their father what to do: he is a Lord, and knows what is best for his people. Aylis is more determined now than ever to prove him wrong. She misses Stannis's letters, and often reads the previous ones again, imagining him writing to her. She wonders how he is now, how he copes with the war. No one knows if he is still alive, but she knows it. She feels it in her heart. And she is sure that the loyalists would not miss an opportunity to claim everywhere the brother of the rebel is dead, if he really is. After spending some time alone in her room, Aylis decides to join Edmure and Cat: they need to be united and strong, more than ever.
The children cannot count how many weeks their father spend away from them: they just receive a raven one day, written by their uncle, stating that their father has been wounded, not deadly although, by Jon Connington in the Battle of the Bells. Robert, injured in the battle before, has sought refuge in Stoney Sept, and, from there, the Rebel army has joined him to get him back. The Loyalists and the Rebels have fought fiercely in the town, but Robert has healed from his wounds and has joined his army, fighting Jon Connington in a duel, almost killing him. The Rebels have won the battle, Brynden writes, and Jon Arryn's cousin has died. At this point, the handwriting changes, and they recognize their father's one, but more shaky than usually. The children beam and read eagerly: there are just a few lines, writing to Catelyn and Lysa. They say that Jon Arryn needs an heir, and that Hoster has promised him Lysa's hand. As for Catelyn, he precises he would follow the old tradition that says the next in line needs to marry his eldest sibling's betrothed, in case he would not live long enough to marry her. Thus, Cat is promised to Lord Eddard Stark, now heir of Winterfell. The girls are not overjoyed; more relieved to know their father is well and will soon come back at them, at least for a time. When they live for dinner, Lysa is as white as a sheet, and Cat starts talking about eddard. They have seen him, once, during the Tourney of Harrenhal, but Cat couldn't take her eyes off Brandon back then, and has barely noticed his brother.
During the following days, Lysa does not eat anything: she has not forgotten Petyr and she knows this betrothal to Lord Arryn sounds like the death of her relationship with Petyr. She writes to him, desperate, begging him to come and abduct her as Rhaegar has done with Lyanna Stark. He answers her, but avoids the subject, saying he is sure Jon would be a perfect husband for her. She cries her eyes out when she receives the letter, and does not answer.
When Hoster, Eddard and Robert reach Riverrun, the four children are here to welcome them. Forgetting about the protocol, they rush in their father's arms, except for Lysa, of course. She glares at him, and curtseys respectfully in front of the one who will soon be her husband. Jon bows back, smiling at her. The wedding is organized for the following day and Lysa thinks about throwing herself from the window: Jon is already old, and she thinks he is ugly. Jon is forty years older than her; could her father not find a more suitable man for her? She is convinced it is her father's punishment for having slept with Petyr, and having been pregnant with his child. The Starks and the Arryns are not the only ones who battle with her father, and Eddard has a younger brother. She spends her night crying and pitying herself and the awful life she will lead with this man.
Catelyn, on the contrary, is pretty pleased with her new betrothed: shorter than Brandon, he is also less handsome, but he has a sweet smile and looks calmer and gentler than his dead brother. She sleeps fast during the night, and lets her handmaids prepare her the following morning. She gets in the Sept with Lysa, unable to notice how her sister looks miserable. But Jon, even if he is old, looks sweet and nice, and Lysa should be happy to become the Lady of the Eyrie soon. She obviously does not care, and Cat decides to enjoy her wedding day, without thinking about her sister. Their husbands have to leave the day after, to get back to the war. Catelyn silently hopes Eddard will survive this and will come back to her, so they live happy and in peace in Winterfell.
After the ceremony, they all gather for a feast, and, as he laughs and smiles watching the people dance, Robert's eyes stop on Aylis. Overjoyed to see her father again, the little girl has been a ray of sunshine since they are here. Dancing with her sisters and her brother, her laugh rings out in the Great Hall and Robert motions her to join him. She glances at her sisters and giggles before obeying and curtseys in front of Robert:
"My Lord", she greets him.
"What a beauty you already are, child! How old are you?" Robert asks.
"I have turned 8 on my last name day, my Lord", she answers politely, her cheeks red with the dance, her chest rising up and down fast.
Robert takes her little hand in his and lays a slight kiss on it, making her blush:
"I am sure you will find a great man to marry with. As long as he is not a Targaryen, right, Lord Tully?" Robert grabs his cup and drinks a large gulp of wine, before laughing with his own joke. Most of the men follow him and Aylis says:
"Oh! I do not wish to marry a Targaryen, my Lord!"
"Lord Tully, you have the most perfect girl of Westeros!" Robert shouts and laughs again. But Hoster does not: he glares at Aylis, and, with a movement of his head, makes her understand that it is better if she joins her siblings. The girl curtseys and obeys, Robert still watching her. As she goes back to her dance, he takes his chair and sits by Hoster:
"Tell me, have you found a husband for this one?" he points at Aylis, holding a cup of wine.
Lord Hoster shakes his head politely:
"She is too young."
Robert wraps his arm around his shoulders:
"You have united your house with the Arryns and the Starks, but you miss the most important house! Mine!"
He laughs again and Hoster smiles politely:
"Explain yourself, Lord Baratheon. I am scared I do not understand."
"You have a single daughter. I have two brothers. Damn, I would marry her myself, if I was not already betrothed!" he laughs again.
And suddenly, Hoster sees the way of making a very profitable marriage, as a way of making at least two of his daughters happy. He holds back a smile and turns to Robert:
"Stannis, then?"
"Stannis", Robert nods. "If this killjoy survives the war. If he dies, Renly will be perfect."
Hoster nods and shakes Robert's hand:
"I wish I would wait the end of the war to let her know, if it is okay with you, my Lord."
"Of course! They will be married when she will have bled."
Robert slaps gently his back and laughs again. Hoster takes his cup, clings it with Robert's and drinks, a smile roving on his lips as he watches his daughters dancing.