August 4, 2014
Week 45, 280 AC
Riverrun is a good place to live in. It is approximately west of center in the Riverlands, which in turn is approximately in the center of Westeros. True to the name, it has rivers flowing everywhere - Riverrun, as a matter of fact, is a triangular castle surrounded by two rivers, the Tumblestone and the Red Fork, and on the third side lies a man-made ditch. It is a more or less impregnable castle, what with it being able to turn into a three-cornered island if need be. It is a beautiful home. The innumerable rooms are great to explore despite my memories of the past Lysa knowing all of them already.
There are multiple gods in this world I have come to be, as I can gather from books and everything in my head. The 'Faith of the Seven' is the primary religion, brought by the culture of Andals to Westeros (Aryans?). It speaks of the seven aspects of gods, the Mother, Father, Maiden, Crone, Smith, Warrior and Stranger. They have a holy book akin to the Bible, 'the Seven-Pointed Star' and their places of worship are called septs. I have been to one of them here in Riverrun. Holy men and women are called septons and septas, the latter of which act as governesses to noble children. Septa Myana is the governess in charge of Catelyn, Edmure and I. She is a nice enough woman, if a bit over-zealous. Can't blame a person for their beliefs, though.
The other major religion is that of the 'Old Gods', followed by a primitive race called the 'Children of the Forest' and later the 'First Men'. They are more pagans than anything else - worshiping trees and nature, without set rules or laws or holy books to follow. This faith is followed mostly north of the Riverlands, with some noble Houses following it in the east and House Blackwood here in the Riverlands. We do have a godswood in Riverrun, but mostly it is used as a garden. Catelyn and I have taken to spending time there talking. I am have never been a religious person but I don't know - it might even change the longer I am here, if at all.
Speaking of the North, Brandon Stark left around a week ago. My first opinion of him stands; he seems more the arrogant jock kind than anything else. Catelyn, though, is enamored with him. The fool has her wrapped around his finger! She seems ready to wed him, which is all well and good for her I suppose (though she will probably regret this stage when her marriage fails) but to all of these gods I hope that whichever man Lord Hoster picks for me will not be so bad. It is an eventuality that as Lysa I have to get married for House Tully can form alliances but all I can wish for is that this future betrothed (fiance) of mine is a better person than Brandon Stark.
I don't even think this northern lordling is pleased with the match. His friends, Willam Dustin of Barrowton and Jeffory Mallister of Seagard were particularly intoxicated one night and speaking of visiting prostitutes to my dismay (more commonly known as whores) when I somehow overheard them talking about their friend and his feigned interest in Catelyn Tully. They even mentioned a girl called Barbrey 'the shrew' "hidden away in the Rills", which has actually left me concerned. I may know this sister of mine for only a month, but she seems like a very good person and from what I can tell, she was the one most like a mother in Riverrun after Minisa Tully passed away. I am considering warning her but I am not certain about how she will react.
Edmure enjoyed himself with Stark too, playing at being his squire in the practice yards. Catelyn laughed while I frowned - not the best role model one could have. I have known him, too, for only a month but he really does feel like a little sibling to me. I play with him when we aren't in lessons or when I am not helping manage the household. I've told him plenty of stories I remember - from a highly adapted Harry Potter (we are currently around Prisoner of Azkaban territory) and Dracula when he asked for a scary story. The heir to Riverrun is a sweet boy, if a little naive. He is also highly caring, for everyone and not just the family. I think he will grow to be a good lord.
Petyr Baelish, the ward at Riverrun, at first looked a bit foolish and flustered with a major crush on Catelyn, but as I've found out he is pretty smart. He is good with numbers and accounts, though not as good as me (clearly all the hours of calculus haven't worn out yet) which irked him very much. He nosily came and asked me how I had become so good overnight, at which I laughed and mumbled a reply but he wasn't convinced. Far too observant for his own good. I befriended him soon enough after I caught him red-handed sneaking into the Lord's solar. He is the son of a very, very minor landholder far east in 'the Fingers' and nearly everyone in Riverrun calls him 'Littlefinger' for that and his small stature. After much prodding on my side - I figured I would pay him back for his interrogations - he finally disclosed that he doesn't want to live a poor life like his father, and instead rise above his present rank. I can understand that. I remember an Asian friend of mine who repeatedly told me how her parents never forgot to mention "Look how far we have come from where we used to be, you better not let our efforts waste," after a test of hers came back with a lesser grade than expected. Petyr then asked me if I would help him when I was older and a Lady of some keep in the Seven Kingdoms to gain a good enough post. I readily agreed. He is a worthy enough boy, intelligent and mature even at fourteen. He would have become a great businessman in New York, I think. Sometimes I spend time with him in the library, and he tells me all sorts of incidents in old Ghiscari courts (comparable to Moghuls I think) and how politics played a major part in them.
Other than that I have taken to reading so as to know more and more about this world I have woken up in. For now I am focused on browsing the Houses and places in Westeros, and there are a few history books stacked in my chambers, too. I can say for certain that this is a far more interesting pastime than the knitting and sewing which Septa Myana and Catelyn force me to engage in. Saying that I am terrible at it is an understatement. Playing the harp is well enough, singing is even fun sometimes, dancing I can endure, but embroidery feels like far too much. I would rather sit and go through an account of the conquest of Westeros by the Targaryen siblings and the Baratheon half-brother. I have never much liked the idea of conquering another territory just for personal gain and these dragonlords seem so full of themselves and so purely disgusting that I turn up nose every time the King, Aerys II, is mentioned. The Targaryens conquered the seven kingdoms of Westeros two hundred and eighty years ago atop dragons (the idea of which is highly mind-blowing though, I admit) and married brother to sister, uncle to niece for most of them. Even the current monarch is a product of inbreeding, and in addition his heir is the very same. I can recall biology lessons where it was drilled into every student's minds that genetics can get very, very complicated when it comes to incestuous relationships. More times than not the children have a deformity, either physical or mental. I can recall some of the recessive genes brought to the fore even now due to this: low fertility, facial asymmetry, low immunity, stunted growth. It is a wonder that these people, descended from Valyrian slavers, are still considered beautiful and godly in their features. Madness, though, does seem to run in them.
Valyria in general I have a low opinion about - an empire built on slavery is enough to be disgusting. For all its continuous territory battles in the past, Westeros has a strict no-no policy about slaves. Thank goodness for that. The discrimination and misogyny is rampant but then again, I suppose both of those are present in every world. I remember my sophomore year history teacher talking about how there will always be boundaries in society, and those willing enough to cross them. Someone who does seem willing to cross boundaries? Lord Hoster's brother Ser Brynden Tully. He is a knight famous for aiding the end of the War of the Ninepenny Kings, and will soon be arriving in Riverrun with his squire, a cousin called Marq Whent who is to be knighted soon. This is a man who acts more like a hedge knight and traveler than anyone else. Everyone here knows about his innumerable fights with his brother about his unwillingness to marry. That is someone who defied tradition, someone I really am curious to meet. From what I have heard he has a more modern outlook, which will be interesting to experience firsthand. My knowledge about the world will only increase, in any case.
notes: I have rebooted this story as it got very scattered and bland towards the 15th entry or so. I hope the fresh new point of view is to your liking. Leave a review if you can spare the time, it makes my entire week :)