Novermber 1, 2014
Week 6, 281 AC

Minstrels and singers flooded the halls of Riverrun earlier this month, telling us something we already know from the capital's ravens – Princess Elia, the wife of the Crown Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, gave birth near the end of last year. Rhaenys is the name of the child, and it is said that she has more Dornish features than Valyrian. Dark skin, warm eyes, none of that unnaturally creepy silver and violet. The way these Targaryens are described everywhere and by everyone… I'm sure they must be some sight to behold, but I feel more indifferent and apathetic towards them than awed. Their history only makes me roll my eyes harder. People who think themselves above all others; their ego so large that it might even cover the entire continent of Essos if measured – no, I am not fond of the monarchs. Shirei told me what every person whispers when they think no one is listening; that when a Targaryen is born, the gods toss a coin and the entire world holds its breath to see whether it lands on greatness or madness. Marq scolded Shirei when we were joking about it around the training yards, saying that he'd rather her not corrupt me. That quickly descended into a battle of crude remarks and accusations, but afterwards in the privacy of the godswood my cousin reminded me that it is treasonous to speak against the king's family. "Be ever careful of what you say, Lysa," he warned me. "Words can be twisted and turned into something they are not, just as iron can be melted from a crown to form a sword. The master of whisperers, I've heard, has his spies everywhere. Yes, even here in Riverrun. If there is only one thing I've learnt from being your uncle's squire on his travels, it is that the man who sits the throne is not entirely a sane person. You must watch your tongue lest what comes out of your mouth may quickly become your enemy." Ever the wise one.

Aerys Targaryen the Second is a person very much off the rocker, it seems. One of the minstrels mentioned that he had not been his self since the last revolt against him, refusing to even attend his own son's wedding. I questioned Maester Vyman then about the Defiance of Duskendale, which happened around three or four years ago at a town on the eastern coast of Westeros. This town was ruled by the Darklyns, Lord Denys and his Essosi wife, Lady Serala something-or-the-other. They approached the king to grant them a charter that could make Duskendale a larger port; one to rival King's Landing even. They were denied this by the Hand of the King (Vice President, more or less). It is unclear whether he did it off his own accord or by the orders of King Aerys, but either way, the Darklyns and their neighbors, the Hollards, stopped paying their taxes in protests. One thing led to another and when the king went personally to their lands to sort things out, they kidnapped him (at this point in the story, I almost laughed. How do you manage to kidnap a king out of the blue like that?) Eventually a Kingsguard freed him only after six months in captivity. The enraged Targaryen showed just how merciless and mad he was when he condemned every Darklyn and Hollard to death – every woman and every child save for one single baby. Even people who had nothing to with Lord Denys and Lady Serala's schemes were put to the sword. It is something so utterly barbaric and sickening that I lost my appetite that day.

This was around the time Lord Hoster left for Casterly Rock, so when I mentioned my disgust quietly to Uncle Brynden (left castellan once more) and Marq (acting deputy captain of guards) before supper the next day, the two exchanged brief, uneasy glances. I asked them both what it was, but they left the scene citing other work before giving me a proper response. After both of them ignored me for close to two days – two days! - I approached Shirei and even Catelyn, but they had no idea what it could be about. Eventually it was Petyr who revealed all, having heard the tale from a scullery maid's mason husband, and it made me feel even worse than before.

Tywin Lannister is a monster. I mean it. There is even a song written about how frightening he is. This is the man Lord Hoster wishes to make my father-in-law ('good-father') and while I know that no one should be judged by the sins of their father, what's to say he hasn't schooled his heir in the same principles he holds close?

Many years ago, two Houses named Reyne and Tarbeck refused to pay back the loans they had taken from the Lannisters. In retaliation, this man called his armies and destroyed the families from root to stem. Man, woman, child… All gone. He left no one alive. I can understand that he felt the need to punish those responsible; but is imprisonment never an option? What about those too young to understand what their families had done? Even them? For what, vengeance? Is this the sort of justice they preach in this world? Petyr explained to me that it was done so that none of those children could grow up and decide to avenge their dead family. So to prevent that, they are murdered? How is that even fair?

I didn't speak to Marq for days after that. How could he not deem this important enough to tell me? I forgave him grudgingly only after he admitted that Lord Hoster had made everyone who knew anything about the Lannisters to swear to the gods to stay mum about it in front of me. Clearly he had predicted my response and still gone on with his plans to organize my marriage to a murderer's son. What kind of father does that make him?

Surprise of surprises – Catelyn was the first to really console me about this revelation. She held me in her arms as I ranted, and in the heat of the moment I pleaded to her to not marry Brandon Stark. "He won't ever let you be happy," I told her. "He is not someone who would be a good husband to you." To that Cat sighed and said that she couldn't break Lord Hoster's heart by denying him this; it was her duty to wed into the Starks and that she would do. It means very much to Father that one day his grandson will rule as the Lord of Winterfell, and besides, "Who says I need a husband to be happy?" said Cat. "There are other things in life that I can be content with. Children, for one."

She is a brave girl, I have realized. Brave in that she knows what she is getting into and is willing to do it anyway. I found myself apologizing to her before long and we hugged for what seemed like eternity. That, of course, doesn't mean that we're all one big happy family once more. Shirei and Catelyn are still not fond of each other; like I said, their personalities are two opposite sides of a coin that can never meet. Marq and Shirei snap at each other as often, if not more, than before – though it must be mentioned that in case Petyr tries to butt in, Marq always silently takes her side, every previous fight forgotten, as she shows my foster brother his place. Edmure dislikes Shirei for most part, but approves of Marq as he is a strong lance (boys, I say). Thus he, too, laughs seeing 'Littlefinger' flustered and fumbling.

I know, I know. It is bullying. However, like I said… The lusty looks he throws Cat's way when he thinks no one is looking… They sometimes drive shivers up my spine. I have told Marq and Shirei to lay off to ease my conscious, but at the same time I also approached my sister and told her to not be too familiar with Petyr. She was oblivious to his affections. I think some part of her still is, but for my sake she holds him at more of a distance than before. Shirei approved of that, saying "It's better to nip off the problem at its bud than let it grow into a weed and destroy the entire cultivation." Marq, always the cautious one, reminded me to not be too harsh in my behaviour. "Yes, he's a pest if there ever was one, but you're becoming bolder and bolder by the day. That filthy horse may think otherwise, but not everyone in the world appreciates forwardness in women." ('That filthy horse', for the record, is what he calls Shirei.)

More or less, things are normal at Riverrun. As normal as they could be. It's still winter, cold as cold gets in the Riverlands, but snows seem to be receding. One of the younger washerwomen at the castle was revealed to be pregnant ("with the stable boy's bastard," apparently) and when Catelyn and Steward Wayn were conducting petitions in the Great Hall, I persuaded them to allow the girl to work until six weeks before becoming close to term and then working again a bit after giving birth. Unless I have recalled wrongly, that is how maternity leave works. The way I see it, I put up a good argument about it, but I have a strong feeling the steward is going to complain to Lord Hoster about this soon enough. Cat and Uncle Brynden told me gently that it was a good thing to do, but not everyone will see it that way. I knew just who they meant by 'everyone'. He can see how much I care for his secretive self and opinions when he decides to stop negotiating my price as a bride and come back from Casterly Rock.

notes: Thank you for the reviews! Keep them coming :) As a curiosity, who would you like Lysa to be paired with? I have a few ideas, and I know the general direction the story is heading, but I would like to hear your opinion nonetheless.