The Redfish (Edmure SI) chapter 119

Familiar places

Edmure POV

Arianne looked at herself through the mirror with her new earrings made of silver. Her eyes seemed to shine as she inspected herself. I was satisfied that she liked it. But I wasn’t ready to get up from the bed just yet as I enjoyed the view before my eyes. Arianne knew where I was looking very well, and I could tell she enjoyed the attention as she smiled widely.

It was easy for me to be lost looking at her. I have missed waking up with my loved one next to me. To be able to enjoy every moment we have together. The past year has taken a toll on me, but now I can finally relax. There weren’t any more enemies for me to concern myself with. No duties that needed my presence. It seemed all my fights were finally over.

“You know you didn’t need to get anything for me,” Arianne said as she got dressed in my displeasure.

“It was nothing,” As Arianne covered her smooth olive skin with a silver and golden dress, I forced myself to get up. “But seeing it, I thought of you, and it seems I was right to buy it for you.”

“Lady Shireen will be leaving today to join Oberyn and end the war,” Shireen informed me as I got dressed.

“Did you have time to plan my visit to the Riverlands?”

“I have, but don’t rush it,” Arianne answered. “I have to inform the lords of your will visit so they can be prepared to take you in.”

“Don’t you start to worry about my safety,” I replied, knowing what Arianne was most concerned about. “I will have my guards and travel on the major roads.”

“Shut it. If I have to lock you up in the Black Cells to keep you safe, I will do it,” Arianne wasn’t taking a no for an answer, and I gave up on convincing her otherwise.

Seeing that I didn’t speak back to her, Arianne smiled, satisfied with her victory. Soon, she left our chambers as she had work to do. I, on the other hand, went to the dining hall to have my breakfast. The Red Keep was the same as I remembered. The long stairways and even longer halls led to the same places. Apart from the décor, nothing has changed.

Instead of red and gold, it was black and red, the colors of Targaryen. Still, I could see that Jaehaerys also managed to get some grey in. Despite all that has happened to him, he still refuses to relinquish his Stark heritage. It was commendable. Nobody should forget one’s roots, and I was glad that Jaehaerys wouldn’t rush into the future and forget his past.

“Lord Tully,” I was stopped in the middle of the hall by Kingsguards.

“Your Grace,” I bowed to Queen Margaery. “To what I own the pleasure?”

“Nothing serious, Lord Tully. I just wanted to see you before you left again and welcome you back,” Queen Margaery smiled sweetly at me before leading her Kingsguard away.

It perplexed me what she wanted. I feared it was some kind of power play but refused to think about it. I had enough of playing games. For all I know, she just wanted to see me. I had nothing to do with her and didn’t even belong to the small council, so it was hard to believe she was scheming something. And before she could even make a move, Arianne would know about it.

…

I found Shireen playing with my children after I ate breakfast, and I was wondering where they would be. Axel and Geralt played with sticks while Elia and Shireen were immersed in some old book with a leather cover. I didn't feel I should get involved because Ser Davos was looking after them, and the guards were stationed around them.

It made me smile that Shireen was making friends with my children. And even though she hasn’t agreed to it yet, the proposal to marry Geralt into the Baratheon family still stands. And even though I wanted Geralt to inherit Harrenhal before I wanted to give him Casterly Rock, lord of Storm’s End sounded fitting. And it wasn’t like he couldn’t have more children with Arianne to give out the castles, even if it would take effort to convince her.

Leaving the children to do as they wished, I walked away. As I passed through the courtyard, I saw Jaehaerus sparring with his Kingsguard. Ser Robar Royce and Ser Rolland Storm faced Jaehaerys on two versus one spar. From what I could see, it didn’t look like the Kingsguards were holding back. It was surprising to see the young King so skilled with a sword.

Not wanting to disturb them either, I left the courtyard. I wandered around the Red Keep for a good hour until I got bored and left for the library. Without any duties to do, there wasn’t much I could do. At times like these, I miss Patrek the most. He would always find something to drag me away to. Most of the time, he would get into trouble.

While reminiscing about the times I spent with Patrek, I looked through the books I should bring on the journey to the Riverlands to have something to read to the children. Few history books and few fairy tales seemed like it would be enough. But to be safe, he took a few books about the legendary figures of the Seven Kingdoms.

“Lord Tully,” One of Arianne’s guards found me as I was piling up the books for taking. “Princess Arianne would like to meet you.”

“Very well, where is she?” I asked, setting the books down.

“In her solar.”

“Take these books to my chambers. I will see her,” I ordered the guard, filling his hands with my books before leaving.

Getting to Arianne’s solar took some time as I had to take a stupid amount of stairs and hallways. I had forgotten how big the place was and how much time it took to get from one side of the Red Keep to another. On the way, I noticed how people would look at my scarred face, some with disgust, but those who knew who I was looked at me with fascination. I guess I can live with that.

“You called for me?” I asked Arianne as I entered her solar after her guards opened the doors.

“Yes, I received a message from Harrenhal,” Arianne said, providing me with the note that a raven brought.

“They have trouble settling the refuges of King’s Landing?” I asked Arianne for confirmation after reading the message.

“I know what you are thinking,” Arianne sighed in defeat. “It should have been dealt with earlier, and we did receive messages asking for help. But we were too busy and had already had to split our resources to support the war in the Stormlands.”

“I understand, and it isn’t an emergency,” I replied, knowing how some things can get buried over others. “I thought of visiting Harrenhal on the way to Riverrun anyway, so I will look at it and see what I can do.”

“That's why I called for you,” Arianne smiled at me. “The word has already spread that you have returned, so I believe many will ask you for help, as many things have happened since you were gone.”

“I guessed as much,” It wasn’t long since the war with the Lannisters and then the war with the Greyjoys, and since I was gone for so long, many were concerned and probably made some questionable decisions without their lord being present. “Don’t worry about it too much. I will deal with it and ensure you can focus on your work.”

“Thank you,” Arianne walked up to me and kissed me after wrapping her hands around my neck. “I got a message from one of my informants. It seems Pentos is trying to make a deal with the Sea lord of Braavos.”

“Then they are out of luck,” I whispered back into Arianne’s ear. “I heard that the Sea lord is sick and indisposed.”

“After we finish the things with the Stormland, I will have Uncle Oberyn not disband the army,” Arianne replied. “Pentos won’t know what hit them.”

That is why I fell in love with Arianne. She had the same thought as I did. At this point, we barely needed to communicate to know what we wanted from each other. But it didn’t mean we didn’t like to spend time together. We just didn’t speak much. And since I would be leaving soon, I picked Arianne up and sat her at the table. It took only one look from me for her to start undressing.

…

“Garth Greenhand, also called Garth Greenhair and Garth the Green, was a mythical High King of the First Men and said to have been the common ancestor of numerous houses from the Reach. His firstborn son, Garth the Gardener, founded House Gardener, the Kings of the Reach. Garth supposedly wore a crown of vines and flowers and made the land bloom.”

I read aloud as my children listened to me in the carriage traveling through King’s Road. It had already been half a day since we left the capital, and the children got bored staring at various villages on the way. While I was surprised to see the villages, as they didn’t exist the last time I traveled through the Crownlands.

From what I heard, they were refugee settlements before becoming villages. Since King’s Landing burned and there weren’t many places to live, the settlements were built. Many didn’t reach Harrenhal, where they were promised housing, and settled in these villages along the King’s Road. Those familiar lands had changed quite a bit.

“Was it true that he led the First men across the Arm of Dorne?” Elia asked, excited to hear more.

“Oh, you heard about it?”

“Uncle Oberyn told me the stories.”

“Well, to answer your question would be hard since it happened many thousands of years ago, and history can be forgotten in such a long time. Or someone could have changed the history to suit their goals. But in every legend, there is some truth.”

“I heard that he predated the arrival of the First Men, making him not only the first human in Westeros but also the only human,” Axel said, trying to sound smart for his age.

“In some tales, he is a god, and in a few of these, the oldest ones, he demands blood sacrifice from his worshippers to ensure a bountiful harvest,” I added. “Like I said, it is only a legend, and people probably tried to change the history to their liking. So, take everything you hear with a good pinch of salt.”

“But lord Mace told me that,” Axel pounded in irritation, and it amused me.

“I am not saying it isn’t true, but lord Mace probably also told you that Brandon of the Bloody Blade is a legendary son of Garth Greenhand. And that he is credited with driving giants away from the Reach and warring against children of the forest, slaying so many at Blue Lake, it became known as Red Lake. Also, he is the ancestor or father of Bran the Builder, making him a possible ancestor of House Stark. Or something along the lines, am I right?”

“How did you know?” Geralt looked amazed at me, like I had done some magic trick.

“I can read minds,” I replied, saddened that they didn’t believe me.

“My lord,” My household knight came to the carriage window to get my attention. “There is a cart blocking the way.”

“It isn’t far from the city. I don’t think it is an ambush,” I replied, knowing what the knight was worried about. “But still set a perimeter and make sure the road ahead is safe.”

When we stopped, I exited the carriage to see what was happening. In the end, there was nothing to worry about as the cart had a broken wheel and fell to its side, spilling the wood it was carrying and blocking the road. Since I was with seventy guards, I instructed some of them to help fix the cart and collect the wood spilled on the road. It took only half an hour for the wheel to be replaced, and the old woodcutter could leave and let us pass.