The Redfish (Edmure SI) chapter 75

Unexpected encounter

Tyrion POV

Drinking and whoring were all I wanted now, yet it didn’t bring as much pleasure as I expected. Everything seemed empty. The gold poured from my purse as wine spilled from my cup, yet what did matter? Well, I didn’t have anything else to complain about. I could only enjoy the empty pleasure as nothing else was left for me.

Besides Bronn and a few other household guards, everyone else took what they could and ran away. That bastard Qyburn sold himself to one of the Magisters. My gold was running out, too. I could get a job somewhere. Even though I am a dwarf, I am a well-educated dwarf. Someone could make good use of me, yet it felt meaningless. A Lannister working for few scraps to survive, our name means nothing anymore.

“Still mulling over there, Tyrion?” Bronn asked, sitting next to me in one of the taverns of Lys. I have long forgotten where I was.

“What else is it for me to do?” I asked.

“Don’t know, don’t care,” Bronn replied. “But you will need to keep out of the harbor.”

“What for?” I asked.

“Seven ships arrived in the morning,” Bronn answered. “They are from the Iron Islands.”

“Ironborn?” I asked, surprised a bit. “What are they doing here?”

“Who knows, but nothing good will come of it,” Bronn replied. “We are going deeper into the city. There is a brothel with all kinds of people inside. Even if they come, nobody will notice you there. Stay a few days there before the Ironborn leave.”

“Hide in the brothel? Well, that’s fine with me,” I said. “What about you?”

“I will take Tregar and Godwyn and try to get some information from the Ironborn.”

“You will need to drown them in ale for them to talk,” I said before throwing him a purse of gold. “Find everything they know.”

“Will do.”

I didn’t even know why I cared. The Ironborn meant nothing to me, yet I was curious about what had come to Westeros. Have the Westerlands already fallen? What happened to the other Kingdoms? I should forget about it, but part of me was still hoping uncle Kevan put on a fight against the mighty Fish. After all, we lions shouldn’t be afraid of fish.

…

Indeed the size of the brothel in the city’s center is different from that in the harbor. This one was like a palace, with never-ending halls. It was damn expensive too, yet it was filled with people from around the world. A dwarf wasn’t that out of the place that someone would notice him.

As I was enjoying my wine while sitting on the lap of an olive-skinned woman, I heard a commotion. I didn’t want to end this empty pleasure too early, so I was ready to take the woman to a private room. Of course, a knife was put to my neck before the woman screamed in terror.

“Tyrion Lannister, you will come with me.”

The man was big and broad, well every man was like that compared to me. It seems that I was fucked this time. No Bronn to get me out of this situation. I let him handle me as he wished. He was lifting me on his shoulder before running out of the brothel. Was he sent by Edmure Tully, or someone wanted revenge for what my father had done?

“Why don’t you kill me?” I asked as we walked through the streets of Lys.

“It is not by my hands you will die, but at those whom your family has wronged.”

Probably half of the world was wronged by my father. Well, shit, I had to keep calm and think of how to escape. I killed Lord Tywin Lannister. Even if I can only live in dark, shit-filled streets, I will not die at the hands of some vermin who only can think of taking revenge when the lion is already dead.

“Have my family nor wronged you too?” I asked. I needed information about whom he was working with.

“There is a family that lost everything because of your father’s ambition,” The man replied.

“Targaryen,” I replied, the only name I could think of. “So, King Jaehaerys had found me already.”

It meant it was Edmure Tully who found me. I would be brought to the feet of the king while he sentences me for my crimes. He will hold a show for the people. I have no chance of living if I am brought to Westeros. The man believed in his mission, so I don’t think gold would mean anything to him.

The man kept to the shadows. He looked around carefully, probably looking out for my guards. Too bad he was wasting his strength. But it wasn’t good for me too. If nobody noticed him while we walked through the shadows, nobody would come to save me. On the other hand, why would anyone even come to save me? As I thought so, an arrow came from nowhere and hit the leg of the man.

“Tyrion Lannister, you are coming with me,” A man with a bow pointing at us came.

“Theon Greyjoy,” I remember the face of a boy in Winterfell.

“Long time no see,” Theon said before dragging me away from the old man.

Theon seemed in a hurry as he didn’t care for people looking at us as he dragged me. Now, I was confused about what was happening, and before long, we were close to the harbor. No matter what I tried to say, Theon didn’t listen. Was he the one who came with the Ironborn? Where did he want to take me to?

I wouldn’t say I liked how I was handled like an animal. I was dragged and tossed around, but all I could do was keep quiet and follow my kidnapper’s lead. Still, I held hope as we reached the harbor. Bronn should be somewhere close. Knowing that, I tried to distract Theon by stopping and trying to run away. While Theon was busy restraining me, Godwyn came from behind him and knocked him away from me.

“Good to see you, Godwyn,” I said.

I felt relieved for a moment before a sword went through Godwyn’s neck. The man, now with a limping leg, grabbed me by my neck and put his sword near me. Theon was already aiming his bow at us with a notched arrow. Bronn just came to see me taken hostage. He put his hand on his sword but didn’t reveal himself yet.

“Let go of the dwarf,” Theon demanded.

“He is going with me to Queen Daenerys Targaryen,” The man replied.

“He is going with me to King Jaehaerys Targaryen,” Theon responded.

“Boys, let’s calm down,” I said, trying to distract them so Bronn and Tregar would get closer and save me. “I didn’t know I was so wanted. I’m sure we can make some kind of deal.”

They didn’t listen to me. It wasn’t like I expected them to do so, but still, I thought I at least had something to say for them to hear. By now, the people around have noticed the dead body next to us and two men pointing their weapons against each other. Soon we were surrounded by people looking at us with interest.

“Let the dwarf go, or I will bury an arrow in your neck,” Theon said.

“I think you will have to let go of your bow, boy,” Bronn put a knife to Theon’s neck. “Let Tyrion go, and we walk away without any bloodshed.”

“Nobody is going anywhere,” A woman suddenly shouted. “Put down your weapons.”

“I don’t think you should get involved in this, girl,” Bronn said as Tregor walked up to us with his sword raised. “I wouldn’t want to hurt a pretty lady like you.”

“Is that so?” She asked as a dozen men soon surrounded us.

“Lady Asha, what should we do?” One of her men asked.

“Asha? Is that you?” Theon asked as Asha turned to look at him.

“It has been a long time, brother,” she said before motioning to the men around us. “Capture them all.”

Neither Bronn nor the man who tried to kidnap me first tried to fight back. Even Theon was taken against his will, and we were forced onto a ship. Tregar and Bronn were tied up by a rope and locked in the same cabin as the man who started his shit. I was left behind with Theon and the rest of the Ironborn.

“What is this? Release me, sister,” Theon shouted.

“You still causing trouble, Theon. You are embarrassing your family’s name.”

“My family’s name? Heh,” Theon laughed. “The same family that sold me so they could survive? The same family that decided to get rid of me so they could attack the North? You are not my family. You betrayed me, and even then, what have you accomplished but let the Iron Islands fall? It is you who is an embarrassment to the name Greyjoy.”

“Watch your words,” One of Asha’s men kicked Theon.

“It is you who should watch your words, slave,” Theon replied. “I am the rightful lord of the Iron Islands.”

“Enough, Theon. I don’t know what you are doing, but what you said is true. We lost the Iron Islands. A Greyjoy never will rule over Iron Islands, at least while the Targaryen and the Starks are alive.”

“But I could,” Theon replied. “Bring the dwarf to the King and ask for forgiveness. Pledge yourself to him, and we can return home.”

“You would see us beg to return to our home?” Asha asked. “I rather die, and I would never support someone who would do something like this. You don’t deserve to return home.”

“Shut up, you bitch.”

“What?” Asha turned sharply at Theon’s words.

“Who took me away from home? Who let me die at Robb’s hands? It was you. So, don’t dare speak so highly, you who would sacrifice your family for your ambitions. I knew from the beginning that you didn’t want me to return. After all, you would be the only heir left without me. You planned to kill me from the beginning.”

“Enough, Theon,” Asha looked troubled.

“Yes, enough, Asha. Just kill me. At least do it with your own hands.”

“Tie him and throw him with the others,” Asha turned away from Theon and ordered her men.

Well, it seems my family isn’t the only one who is messed up. I sympathize with Theon. Everyone would turn bitter when their family abandons them. Seeing as he is still alive after what the Greyjoys did, it means Robb let him go. In the end, the family that took him as hostage was more of a family than the real one.

“What should we do with the dwarf?”

“Bound him and throw him with the others,” Asha said.

…

It would be an understatement to say it was uncomfortable to be in this room. Bronn and Tregar looked at me for answers. Theon looked at me like he wanted to stab me. The man who started this shitshow was looking around at how to escape this situation. The worst was that we didn’t know what would happen to us.

“I understand why Theon wants to take me to King Jaehaerys. What about you?” I asked the man, who ignored me. “At least you could tell me your name.”

“Jorah Mormont,” He replied.

I hadn’t heard the name for a long time, so it surprised me. Bronn and Tregar introduced themselves afterward while Theon brooded in the corner. Soon we could feel the ship moving as the waves bashed against the ship. I didn’t know where we were going, but I expected it to be a long journey.