personal6

Tourney at Highgarden

Edmure POV

In the coming weeks, I have spent in the Sunspear. Prince Doran and I have agreed that I will marry princess Arianne, as she turns seven and ten, and become her prince consort in three years. To avoid any problems with the inheritance, it was decided that our first son will inherit Riverrun from me, and the first daughter or the second son will be heir to Dorne and take the name of Nymeros Martell.

Prince Oberyn still didn't like me much, but he wasn't as hostile as before. I made friends with his daughters, even if at first they wanted to just spy on me. Not taking it as an offense, I trained with Obara and Nymeria, talking about medicine and poison with Tyene. Soon we become close to Oberyn's displeasure.

"Can I ask for a favor, Tyene?" I ask her after thinking about it for the past week.

"Sure, what would you like for me to do?" She replies.

"I want a poison that would kill an old man in some time," I explained what I wanted. "Could you make it?"

"I don't know, how old the person would be?" She asked.

"Over sixty," I tell her.

"Well, I could create something that would make him sick or weak." She says. "Over a couple of days, the person would die. It would be similar to the tears of the Lys."

"Good, I would like to have it before I leave, if it isn't too much for you," I tell her.

"It's no problem. I should be able to make it in a week." She replies to me.

"Good, I will be in your debt." With those words, I left to find Patrek.

…

Patrek was genuinely enjoying the hospitality of the Martells, visiting the most expensive brothels and drinking the best wine. But it has to come to an end. After hearing about the tourney at Highgarden, I decided to participate. So in a couple of weeks, we will be leaving.

On the one hand, Patrek wanted to go to the tourney and have some fun. On the other hand, he didn't want to leave his comfortable lifestyle. Well, I didn't give him a choice. He was going with me, even if he didn't want to.

"Get up." I throw him out of his bed and say.

"Just a little more time." He pleads with me.

"Get up now, you lazy pig," I order him. "You have gotten fat and weak. It is time for some training. Otherwise, you will embarrass the Riverlands in the tourney."

"Getting up, getting up." He stands up as I was about to pour some water on him.

"Good, I will be waiting for you at the courtyard," I tell him and leave him to prepare.

...

At the courtyard, I expected to meet with Obara or Nymeria. Still, it was prince Oberyn who was waiting for me. Looking at him, I see that he has a spear with a blunt tip in his hands. Knowing he wanted to have a spar with me, probably to beat me up for some reason. I took a dull sword and a wooden shield and stood before him. Without any words, we walked to an arena.

"I understand that you don't trust me, but I have to ask you, why do you hate me so much?" I asked him.

"Why would you think that I hate you?" He asked back sarcastically.

"Maybe you stare at me with eyes full of passion," I tell him. "It is hard to know with you."

His reply was thrust of his spear at my head. I batted it with my shield and swung my sword at him from above. He just stepped back, making distance from me. The only way, I knew, how to fight a spear wielder was by getting close to him. So I went at him, taking a hit with my shield and thrusting my sword at his chest.

"You good, I give you that." Prince Oberyn says to me. "But you need be faster if you want to defeat me."

With those words, in quick sequence, he took a step back, spun the spear over my legs, and as I was falling, he stepped close to me. Dancing on my chest and pointing his spear at my neck, I had no chance to even react.

"Well then, I will need to become faster," I tell him with a surprised voice.

"You will if uncle would let you go." Princess Arianne says, showing herself from out of nowhere.

"It was just a spar, my dear niece. There is no need to look at me like that." He explains to her.

"Don't worry, princess, he didn't hurt me much," I tell her too, as prince Oberyn takes his foot of me.

"Father has asked for you, uncle." She tells us.

"Then I should go." He replies and leaves.

"I am sorry about my uncle." Princess apologizes to me.

"Don't worry, I understand why he doesn't like me," I reply to her.

"Still, it isn't how a prince of the Dorne should be acting in front of the guest." She says with a frustrated voice.

"It's easier to hate," I explain to her. "It helps put the pain away, even if it's just for a moment."

"You look weird when you start talking like an old man." She giggles at me.

It's hard to understand her sometimes. She is at the age when she knows how to use her charm but is still an innocent girl. Princess Arianne doesn't dress like most dornish women. She likes to wear long dresses, with jewelry everywhere she can fit. Showing her elegant charm, but at the same time demonstrating her house's power and wealth.

"He does look weird," Patrek says, deciding to finally show up. "Sometimes it feels like he has already lived a lifetime."

A lifetime, thinking about my previous life, I don't see how I could have learned anything from it. Being just a young man, without any talents or interest at anything. A boy who followed what his parents and teachers told him because he knew no better. Because it was easier to do what other wanted him to do than thinking for himself.

No, only in death did I learn what is essential in one's life, at least what is crucial in my life. A purpose, a goal that you can dedicate yourself to, it could be anything. I didn't have it in my past life. I didn't want anything, but it's different now. Even if I fail, I still leave something behind.

"Don't get smart with me, Patrek," I reply to him. "You still have to beat me at least one time before I let you go."

Looking at his aghast face, I knew he didn't like his chances. He isn't bad but just too lazy to improve himself.

…

After a couple of weeks of training, we left for Highgarden. It was a mistake to travel on the horse. The heat was just unbearable, at least at Sunspear, you get a nice breeze from the sea, but inside the desert, all you get is hot sun and sandstorms.

"What? A little fish can't take a bit of heat." Prince Oberyn comments on me as I wipe sweat from my eyes.

The only thing I hated more than the heat was Prince Oberyn. He enjoys finding any faults in me and making fun of me. As we were going in the same direction, it was decided that we should go together. Prince Oberyn knows the lands better, they said, he will guide you, they said. Being naïve, I listened to them, not thinking of how irritating he can be.

"Do you want water, Ed?" Patrek asks with a smile. "It should be hard for you out of the water."

Damn both of them, I could manage Patrek when he was alone, but now becoming friends with Oberyn, I starting to think about how to kill him. Our destination was Skyreach, the house Fowler seat. After it, we would go through Prince's Pass to reach the Reach, no pun intended.

"Haha, how funny," I reply to them.

Only a couple more days till we reach the seat of Fowler and pass Prince's Pass, then the heat would be bearable at least.

…

We were met with Lord Franklyn Fowler and his two twin daughters at the Skyreach castle gate. After introducing themselves to us, we were led to the dining hall. Patrek and I were seated next to the twins having a small meal, while prince Oberyn was next to Lord Franklyn. I knew that Prince Oberyn had his own goals by traveling to the Reach.

Even while the twins tried to distract us, I still glanced at prince Oberyn as he talked to Lord Franklyn. After dinner, the twins suggested giving us a tour around the castle. Patrek agreed instantly. I, too, decided, even if I knew they had some ulterior motives.

Keeping an eye on them and not leaving Patrek alone, what all I could do. They tried to seduce us, for what purpose, I don't know, but I didn't let it happen. Keeping Patrek in his room, so he didn't do anything stupid. Lord Franklyn probably wanted one of his daughters to become the lady of Seagard.

The following morning, we left at my insistence, as I didn't know what prince Oberyn and Lord Franklyn were planning. I didn't want to give them any chance to succeed, so I decided to leave as fast as possible.

…

I might have been a little paranoid at the Skyreach, but I definitely felt something was wrong. Maybe I should have tried to find out more information before leaving. But what is done is done, no need to overthink about it.

Highgarden was just passed Whitegrove, so we were close enough, the heat become bearable. From scorching sun to lovely sunny days. Only stopping at the Whitegrove for the night and continue our journey the following morning.

We arrived at Highgarden just as they were preparing for the tourney. Lord Mace Tyrell let us stay at the castle to wait for the tourney. I have accepted his invitation, as I wanted to get more familiar with the Tyrell family.

Willas Tyrell was a four and ten name-days old, very courteous young man. He speaks with a soft and respectful voice. He is something that you want to be friends with. Garlan and Loras Tyrell were more interested in the tourney and about prince Oberyn and me, as we both have the word red in our nicknames. Margaery Tyrell was just a little girl who followed her brothers and looked at everything with curious eyes.

Deciding to entertain the boys, I told them about the battle of the Old Wyk. They listened with a fascinating look, but Garlan was more interested in details than his little brother.

…

In the following days, more and more people came. The castle of Highgarden is massive, so Tyrell's can fit many people in their guest rooms. Seeing that lords and knights from Westerlands, Riverlands, and Vale, I decided to socialize among them.

"Ah, if it isn't ser Edmure, I was expecting to meet you at the tourney of Lannisport, but you never came." Ser Lyle Crakehall says to me with his booming voice.

"It is nice to meet you too, ser Lyle," I reply to him.

"So you decided to participate in this tourney, but not at the Lannisport?" He asks me.

"I was just tired of the war and wanted to come back home as soon as possible," I explain to him. It seems people have noticed my disappearance at the Lannisport tourney. "I see Lord Yohn Royce. I should greet him too, have a nice day ser Lyle."

"Aye, you too, lad." He replies to me as I move to Lord Yohn.

"Lord Yohn, it is nice to meet you finally." I greet him.

"Oh, if it isn't young Edmure, last time I saw you, you were just a boy." He tells me. "But look at you now, a grown man, a blooded warrior too."

"I see you are with your sons," I say, seeing three boys similar to Lord Yohn.

"Oh, where are my manners." He replies with a small laugh. "This is my eldest, Andar, my second son Robar and my youngest Wymar."

"It's nice to meet you all." I greet them, and they welcome me in return.

"I thought I see you at the Lannisport last year, but I heard you decided to go home instead." Lord Yohn tells me.

"It seems many people wanted to see me. If I knew I am that popular, I might have come," I reply to him with a laugh.

"Many have heard how you ate late Lord Drumm alive. People were wondering what kind of monster you are." He says with a loud laugh. "I just couldn't believe that the boy from Riverrun was so fearsome."

"War changes people, Lord Yohn," I reply to him.

"Aye, that true, after one war, your sisters have to leave, and at another, you have to participate." He says, this time with a solemn voice. "I am thankful that my boys didn't have to experience the cruelty of the wars."

"Let's hope they never have to." I agree with Lord Yohn and move on to talk with others.

It was a long day, talking and getting to know other lords and some knights.