personal6

Harrenhal

Edmure POV

After leaving Highgarden, our next destination was King's Landing. I needed to meet with Lord Jon Arryn, the hand of the King. It was on the way traveling on the Roseroad, as I didn't want to go through Westerlands.

It was a quick ride. There were no problems along the road, the weather was nice, without any rain. The road itself was well maintained. We only stopped at the inns for rest and didn't stay for long at any castle. Even I got tired of traveling all around Westeros, not talking about Patrek, heir to Seagard. He had to come back home too.

When we arrived at King's Landing, the first thing I wanted to do is to turn around and leave. The smell was unbearable. It hits you hard and won't leave. As it was my first time here, I just couldn't believe how people lived here. It was hard to think that people would ever get used to it.

After getting a piece of clothing to cover my mouth and nose, I rode to the Red Keep. My retinue following close. In truth, I have no wish to meet with my good brother Lord Jon Arryn or my sister Lysa. But it would be disrespectful to not visit them if I was close.

Jon POV

Going through the papers again and again, I could not see the end of it. King Robert's spending became more disastrous after the Greyjoy rebellion than ever before. The queen, too, has her needs. The finances are going downfall faster and faster with each day.

We will need to borrow more gold soon. As I was thinking of the things that must be done, I hear a knock. After telling them to come in, a servant came inside. She gives me a respectful bow.

"Lord Arryn, ser Edmure Tully has come and requested for a meeting." She informs me.

"It's that so?" I ask. It's has been a long time since I met him. "Tell him he can wait for me in my manor."

"Very well, my lord." She gives one last bow and leaves.

Lysa will be delighted to see her brother at least. She was pretty lonely here for some time now. The last I heard of him was when he participated in the tourney of Highgarden. He should be six and ten name days old now. How fast the time flows.

…

After finishing the work, I went straight to my manor. It should have given some time for Lysa and Edmure to talk. It has been longer than seven years since they had met each other.

At the manor, a servant informed me that my good brother and wife were waiting for me at the dinner table. As I got close to the dining hall, I could hear them talk.

"How can you even eat anything with that smell." I hear a male voice complain.

"You get used to it after staying here long enough," I tell him after entering the room.

"Lord Arryn, it was a long time." A young man greets me. His auburn hair was brighter than Lysa's.

"Please, we are family. Call me Jon." I reply to him, gods, how much he has grown up, there are no signs of the boy left in him.

"Very well, Jon," He responds with a smile, but he covers his mouth and nose with clothing after a moment.

"Please sit down. The food should be coming soon," I tell him, and we both sit down.

"So, how are things going on in the capital?" Edmure asks after the food is put on the table.

"It is acceptable for the most part. The queen is pregnant with the third child," I inform him. "For how long are you going to stay?"

"For a day, I just can't stand the smell." He informs me.

"You should get used to it. Who knows, maybe you have to take a position in the small council in the future." I tell him jokingly, but he is a bright lad. Who knows, maybe he will be needed in the council.

"Maybe one day, but not for now." He responds with a laugh.

"I heard you traveled to the Dorne," Lysa Inquires.

"Yes, Dorne had become too distant. It is time to bring them back to the hold." He tells us.

"It wasn't the brightest plan, but you did succeed in it, didn't you?" I ask interested in what he had accomplished.

"I did. The marriage between princess Arianne and me will happen in three years." He answered positively.

Good, at least some better news. It seems that the peace will last for longer than ever. Edmure has accomplished something that I have failed. Now thinking about it would be not a bad idea to have him as a member of the small council. We could use a better master of coin.

Oberyn POV

Finally, back home at Sunspear, even if I haven't accomplished what Doran wanted. I did have a better understanding of Edmure. Thinking about the trout, I met with my dear niece on the way to her father.

"Uncle, you have come back," She states after seeing me.

"I have," I reply simply.

"I hope you weren't a nuisance to Edmure." He tells me.

"What? You care about your fiancé more than me?" I asked jokingly. "On the subject, what do you think of him."

"Of Edmure? He is a handsome young man but somehow acts more like my father than a man of this age," She says after thinking for a few moments.

"Really?" I asked. To me, he is still a hotheaded fool.

"Well, he talks about things, like my father would talk," She replies.

"I see. Well, I have to meet with your father, so see you later." I tell her and go past her.

…

Doran was working on something when I found him in his solar. Looking intensely at the papers on his table. He gave me a look and mentioned me to sit. After taking the seat in front of him, he put the documents on the side.

"How was your journey, brother?" He asks me.

"It was failure mostly. The trout saw through the Fowler twins. Tyrells refused my proposal," I answer him.

"Hmm, then it is true, Tyrells want to marry into royalty." He mutters to himself, as I barely could hear him. "What do you think of ser Edmure?"

"He's a little paranoid. Once he saw that something was amiss at the Skyreach, he wanted to leave as soon as possible." I inform him.

"He is careful and knows when it is better to leave," Doran responds with a nod.

"At Highgarden, he confronted me. Saying that he didn't like our little plans and that he would make us pay if we did something to hurt his family." I continue my report.

"He didn't know what you were doing, and you probably didn't give him any reason to trust you," My brother states.

"Why are you making excuses for him? He insulted me, the gall of him." I complain. "So you won't change your plans with him?"

"It would be risky. Our last plan could only have worked if nobody knew about it." He explains to me. "Now it is too late. We lost Viserys, and Edmure isn't a fool if we cancel the marriage. He would know what we are trying to do."

"So, we just going to give up on the years of hard work?" I asked, but even I knew that it was a risky plan.

"What hard work? I always kept my distance from the dragons. We lost nothing," He responds to me.

"Still, Arianne won't have any chance to become a queen with this marriage," I tell him.

"Maybe it is for the best. My gout is getting worse. In ten years, I won't be able to rule as I do now," Doran tells me. "Quentyn isn't here for me to teach him how to rule, and Trystane is too young."

"Still isn't here better suitors?" I ask.

"Who? Willas Tyrell? Maybe Theon Greyjoy? Perhaps they will be great men in the future, but Edmure is already more capable than most lords out there." He dismisses me.

It seems I am the only one who doesn't like the fish knight.

Edmure POV

Redfish, people called me, it could be worse. Someone might have spread the name of the fish knight or something like that. The Redfish moniker gives me some prestige and fear among other lords, but I don't really like the name. Well, I don't like the color red, so maybe that is why.

After leaving the King's Landing, our next destination was Harenhal. It was on the way, and I wanted to meet my aunt Lady Shella Whent. I am her heir in some convoluted way. It was better to know her more.

Lysa seemed fine but different from what I remember. She looked down on me and not in the sense that I was younger, but in the sense that I was below her. She became more arrogant and prideful than she has the right to be. I didn't like it, so I spoke a little with her.

At a slow pace, as I liked to enjoy the scenery, we reached the infamous castle of Harrenhall. It was massive but needed a lot of repairs. At first glance, it looked like an impregnable castle, but after taking a good look. I saw many places enemies could exploit.

At the gate, we were greeted by ser Willis Wode, a landed knight of House Whent. After informing who I was and that I wanted to meet Lady Whent, I was led to the main hall where Lady Whent held her court. Seeing me, she dismissed everyone else.

"Hello, aunt Shella." I greeted her.

"Why have you come here, boy?" She asked. "Now calling me your aunt too. After my husband died, your father seemed to have forgotten about me."

"My father is a busy man," I tried to defend my father but was interrupted.

"Don't give that bullshit. I know there isn't anything worthy for him here," She tells me.

"Don't be like that, aunt. I have come to visit you after all," I said with a warm smile.

"And I asked, why you have come?" She states, not believing me at all.

"Can't I visit the infamous castle? And I am your heir after all," I respond to her, still keeping my smile.

"An heir? Don't make me laugh," She says and looks around. "There were six houses before ours, who took this castle for their own. Do you know what happened to them?"

"I do. Your house is the seventh one. It is a holy number." Again I try to lighten the mood.

"But it isn't a holy place. This castle belongs to the dead, no one else," She tells me.

"Enough of this nonsense. I didn't come here to talk about the dead," I got tired of it. "I come here to talk about the living, about your family, your legacy."

"Oh, so now you show why you are called the Redfish," She responds calmly. "Just say that you want this castle, boy."

"Even if I wanted, I would never have it. I have Riverrun. Harrenhall is too far for me to look after," I inform her. "But my children could, and even if I didn't have them, there is the Starks."

"The Starks, the Tullys, or the Arryns, what does it matter?. Why have you come there? You could have waited till I died and claimed it to whoever you wanted to," She asks.

"Because as it stands, this castle is worthless to anyone," I explain to her. "I want to repair it. Don't worry, I will send the resources you might need."

"You don't need to even ask for my permission, do you?" She asked me, and I shook my head. "Fine, it seems that I don't have a choice anyway."

"I am sorry if I sounded commanding, but it has to be done," I tell her.

"Apologizing, that new. At least you have some manners left," She responds and dismisses me.

Well, I don't blame her for being cold. She lost all her family and now is alone in the castle, with the only ones keeping her company being ghosts of the past. I decided to stay here for a few days, look around and talk with her. That is the least I can do.