HOSTER

The boy was an idiot. Brandon Stark. His actions were extremely rash and they threatened the Northern power bloc that Jon Arryn, Rickard Stark and lately himself had strived to create. He knew that when the boy would hear of sister's abduction, he would do something rash, as in riding straight for King's Landing along with his friends. And now all his companions were dead. Threatening the crown prince to "come out and die" was the last thing he could've had done. First he had condemned his companions to death and now their fathers too along with his own father, Rickard Stark. Truly, he regretted the day he decided to bethroth his dear Cat to the boy, but sometimes you have to think of the greater good instead of the family, even though your house words would say else. Duty came before family and it was his duty to secure the Riverlands from all kinds of trouble that would harm it's people. Almost every war waged on Westeros had a major part of it fought in the Riverlands, even if the Riverlands had minimum participation in some of those wars. He had thought he had secured the future of House Tully when he built ties with the North through Cat and had hopes to bethroth Lysa to Jaime Lannister, alas that never came to fruition. Moreover the less said about his second born was the better, it pained him immensely to kill the child out of Lysa's womb and destroy a part of her life but it had to be done. The thought of that squeaky scum Baelish bought a wave of rage swirling through his mind. His actions could have potentially lead to Lysa's womb being severely damaged for the rest of her life. But...it had to done, he wouldn't have let that lowborn Valemen marry Lysa. And to think that he had even created trouble during Cat's bethrotal, it was good that he was away. Hoster wanted to salvage what he could, especially now, Rickard Stark journey to the capital and his subsequent arrest made things difficult. The trail for Son and Father was supposed to happen soon and all Hoster could hope was for the best, he wouldn't want unfortunate circumstances like these ruin his years and years of careful planning.

Just then, the door creaked open and Brynden walked in, pulled the chair in front of Hoster's desk and sat on it.

"Well..brother, this whole alliance matter with the Starks has quite fallen on it's head has it not?", He let out a cuckle darkly.

How could he dare to make fun of such a dire situation! sometimes his brother frustrated him to no ends. And that was still nothing to speak about his refusal to settle down and marry, yet Hoster let that particular argument lay rested for another day, this was not the time nor the place.

"How could you even Jape about something like this."

"Well the castle seemed so morose this day, it could do with a little cheer, even at the expense of others and of course, it's always worth seeing your face flare up like that, brings out all the right kinds of colours to your face, Ha!"

Hoster glared at him.

Brynden kept up that grin for some infuriatingly long seconds before he seemed to come back to a grave expression and spoke, "On to more serious matters now, Cat's not taken it well you know? All the things that have happened to Lord Brandon. I care about Cat too, she may not be my own child but is a very beloved niece. What is our position now brother? Do we alert the banners or do we cancel the bethrotal and back out all together, we can still do that yet."

"Alerting the banners would be a rash move", said Hoster,"it would send the wrong message. On the other matter though, even if we back out or not any upcoming war would anyways be fought majorly in the Riverlands, doesn't matter which side we are on. It's a worrying prospect."

"Isn't there the other Stark boy? Eddard. Lad's up at the Vale, if push comes to shove, and something happens to both Brandon and Rickard we could always marry Cat to Eddard and perhaps hope for Lysa and Denys Arryn..", wondered Brynden.

"It's too early Brynden, far too early, any decision we take right now would be extremely dangerous, backing out is tempting but I would not do it. Perhaps Aerys would forgive Brandon's stupidity and release both son and father, and perhaps the matter with the crown prince and the Stark girl could be sorted out. Harrenhal should've never happened, it was all where it started, had it not been for that particular Tourney, perhaps we could have been living in happier times now. Alas all depends on the trail now and -"

The door knocked loudly and Brynden went to open it, it was Maester Vyman.

"Maester, what news?", Hoster enquired.

"A raven my lord, from the King."

"Dark wings, dark words", muttered Brynden.

Hoster ignored him, and opened the letter, his expressions went through concern, anger, bewilderment and finally, a bit of relief, although it was the feeling of a brief calm before the storm.

"You won't believe this Brynden.."

"What? whats it about?"

"Dark wings, dark words they say", muttered Hoster and then broke out in a slight smile,

"Perhaps not, this time around."