personal6

Chapter 38

Price too high

Arianne POV

The men in arms walked proudly through the gates of the Riverrun. As they should, the news of the victory against the Kingslayer had already reached us. Everyone applauded the heroes who returned, threw tomatoes at the Kingslayer bound, and dragged behind a horse.

The man was beaten, eyes black, nose bloody. Still, I could recognize a Lannister anywhere, even though that dirt and blood. Once the men reached me, I stepped away and let Lord Hoster Tully step forward.

"My Lord, I bring you the Kingslayer." At Lord Ryger's words, people cheered.

"And my son?" The Lord of the Riverrun asked in a quiet but demanding tone.

"He rode to join the North and finish the Lannisters for good."

"As expected from my son. Go, take the prisoners to the dungeons, and you, my loyal people, go enjoy ale as much as you want."

At the words of the Lord of the Riverrun, the men in arms started to cheer. Everyone else, too, joined the festive mood. It was nothing more than a mummers show, but a necessary mummers show. My thoughts were interrupted when I heard the coughing.

"My Lord, you should retire." I held the hand of Lord Hoster Tully and told him.

"Not until everyone enters the castle, I must look strong before the men."

He was right. There was still Tywin Lannister left to deal with. We could not afford to look vulnerable. Still, there was nothing to be done with the health of the Lord of the Riverrun. It would be already good if he lasted till Edmure returned.

"Don't look at me like that. I am a dying man, but I am still Lord Riverrun. I will stay strong as long as I have to." Hoster Tully told me in a firm tone.

In some ways, he sounded like my father. Maybe it was a common thing among the Lords of Westeros. Or it was just men being men. I understood the meaning of looking strong, but not to the point that endangered your life.

…

The feast ended without any complications. The heroes were celebrated, and the dead mourned. Lord Hoster couldn't last long in the feast, but showing his face and congratulating the men of Riverlands was enough for people to feel reassured.

There weren't many lords gathered, as most of them were still at war by my husband's side. The feast was mostly for smallfolk. To spread the word of Edmure's victory against the Kingslayer.

As the feast ended, I ensured that children were escorted to their chambers safely. I could not let my guard up. If one of Stark girls or, gods forgive, one of my children got hurt, it would be disastrous. I had to spend a lot of time ensuring that the guards were loyal and competent.

"My lady, there is a man who would like to see you," Maester Vyman informed me.

"Tell him that it is too late for any kind of meeting."

"I already have told him so, but he insists that he has important information for you."

"Very well, tell him to come to my solar," Letting a sigh, I told the maester.

"You mean Lord's solar?"

"It is mine, at least until Lord Hoster feels better to resume his duties or my husband returns."

He nodded his head. I didn't like to be questioned, but I knew he was loyal. Well, as loyal as a man can be. If someone else had done so, he would be gone off the Riverrun by the next day. I should ask for my cousins to be sent there. I don't like dealing with fools alone.

Once in my solar, I light up the candles and lanterns. I had instructed guards to stand behind the door. After I sat by the table, someone knocked on the door. A man entered after I told him to do so. As expected, it was our informant. I was curious about what the merchant had to say after the war was almost won.

"My lady, I bring you news from beyond the sea. It is of the most import, especially for your family."

I didn't like how he had a greasy smile on his face. He looked disgusting, but I had to listen to him. It must be important information if he came to see me. Taking a bag of gold coins from the chest under the table, I threw it to him.

"I think that it won't be enough for the information I have, my lady."

"It will be for me to decide if it is enough or not, but I ask, how much do you want?" I replied and prepared to take another bag, not even caring to count.

"Rather than gold coins, I would like something else," He answered me and looked at me. "I have information of the last dragon, of his allies and accomplices."

"Of Viserys? We already know of him and his so-called army."

"Oh, but it isn't about Viserys. There is another dragon. He has joined hands with a certain Kraken."

"Of who are you talking about?"

"I will tell you, of course, if I get what I want."

"What do you want? Land? To become a noble?" I asked, losing my patients.

"Oh, something more," He answered with a creepy smile. "I want you. It wouldn't be a problem for a dornish woman to have fun with someone like me. I heard how open you are in Dorne."

"I see."

I replied to him with a smile and stood up. Walking to a shelf, I took a box from it. Setting it on the table, I opened the box and took a slender Valyrian steel dagger. I made sure that he had a good look at the dagger.

"Do you know from where we got this dagger?" I asked, and he shook his head. "Before you, there were other informants. The first one was so eager to serve my husband. He would tell us everything he knew and even bring us gifts. One of the gifts was this dagger. Do you know what happened to him?"

"No, my lady."

"My husband was a generous man too. He would reward the man well. Of course, the informant became too greedy with time, asking more and more. So my husband got tired of him, and the next thing I knew, someone else took his place."

"Are you saying I should be careful of your husband? He is not there. He's far away fighting a war."

"Yes, and I am there," I replied and walked to him. "I do feel lonely sometimes."

"You don't have to, my lady," He told me with eyes full of lust. "You have me. From today onward, you can rely on me."

"But too bad."

"Why too bad?"

"You are nothing," I told him and stabbed the dagger into his chest.

"Please," He begged, clutching the dagger at his chest. "I will tell you what I know. Please save me."

"There will be others. There always will be others. You already are dead," I told him and pushed the dagger deeper. "Once I leave this room, I will order for your body to be disposed of and for your shop, house, and everything you own to be confiscated. You should have realized that we own you. We own everything you have and only tolerate you for helpful information. Too bad you had to ask for too much."

The man died with tears in his eyes. Like everyone before him, he was a weak man, too foolish to realize his place.

Tyrion POV

I was glad to see the King's Landing after so long. Even if we returned not as heroes, but cravens. I knew that word would spread soon how we fled from the North's army. Still, I could understand my father's decision. We simply didn't have enough men.

I could only hope that Jaime had won or at least fled to safety. If I was wrong and he died, we paid the price too high for this war. I didn't like that we left Jaime isolated. But I knew there wasn't much we could do. Still, we should have retreated together.

Before we could rest in the Red Keep, my father called a small council meeting. I was surprised that he included me in this meeting too. The small council room was emptier than I thought. The King sat with a distorted face, and the Queen sat next to him with a similar face.

"What is he doing there, father?" The Queen, my dear sister, asked.

My father didn't answer but looked at the empty chairs and the new face. I, too, was curious about the state of the small council. Littlefinger and the spider were gone, and there sat someone with robes of maesters.

"Where is Lord Baelish and Varys?" Father asked about what I was too curious about.

"They gone, cravens ran away. I have their heads, I swear, grandfather," Father wasn't impressed with Joffrey's conviction if you could call it that.

"Who is he?" I asked and looked at the new member of the small council.

"I am maester Qyburn. I joined the city defense with the Brave companions. The Queen saw fit for me to serve by her side."

"He is no maester, my lord," Pycelle commented.

"He is our new Master of whispers, father." My dear sister said, throwing a venomous look at Pycelle.

My father looked at the new Master of whispers intensively. Afterward, he sat in the seat of the Hand of the King. Nobody voiced any disagreements. I took the seat of the Master of the coin as it was the only seat left empty. My sister was about to say something, but one look from our father, shut her. Well, it was like any other family meeting.

"What news do you have, Master of whispers?" My father asked.

"We just got the news. Lord Renly Baratheon proclaimed himself the King of Seven Kingdoms."

"What? Isn't Stannis still alive?" I couldn't help but ask.

"He is, but he doesn't have an army of near a hundred thousand."

"What of Eddard Stark? Where is he?" It seems that father was more concerned with the North.

"Gone," My sister replied.

"People seemed to disappear quite easily from your watchful eyes. I know you don't like ser Barristan, but shouldn't he be there?"

"Ser Barristan failed his duties. He was dismissed," Joffrey answered, and I could feel my father getting angry.

"By what authority was he dismissed?" My father asked.

"By mines, why do I need an old man who can't do his duties," Joffrey answered.

The situation was worse than I expected. I wonder whether Bronn will run away once he hears of our state. Should I run away with him? It seems that our side has fewer men than others. Well, there still is Stannis and whatever he is doing, but I don't think he will join us.

"I had enough. The meeting is over," My father proclaimed.

As I stood up and prepared to go, I stopped seeing the new Master of whispers going to my father. It was not like I wanted to hear what he had to say to my father, but it would be better to know than not.

"Lord Tywin, a moment, please." The not maester said to my father.

"What is it?"

"I have something to show you, something that might help you in the coming battles."

Now I was curious. I was more curious not what would help in the coming battles but why the not maester would only show it to my father. After all, he could have brought it up in the meeting. I was curious indeed.