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Chapter 25

A lion, a wolf, and an eagle

Tyrion POV

Looking back, I saw the Wall getting smaller and smaller with every step my horse took. It is fascinating how such a structure can hide over the horizon. It would be nice to stay there if not that damn cold and snow. Even when the sun was up high in the sky, the northern wind will always remind me that I am down here, on the ground.

It was a relief when I saw the Last Hearth. The keep was old and ragged, but it stood firm and proud. The most important thing was the warmth of the fireplace and the strength of the Umber ale. Everything else was just an afterthought to me. So I was glad that the Umbers didn't give us many courtesies and led us straight to the Great Hall and offered a hot meal with ale.

The Greatjon was a giant of the man. The only other person I could compare to him would be the Mountain. Well, the Mountain was taller than him, but I would gladly spend more time with the Greatjon than the Mountain. And we did spend time drinking and eating, and singing. I don't remember what went after the last part, and looking at Jon and Patrek, I would bet the fortunes of House Lannister that they don't remember too.

"Ah, the little giant. Come, have a meal with us," Greatjon's voice rumbled in the hall as I entered it to have a meal.

"No ale today?" I ask, taking my seat at the table.

"Haha, no, you just too late. We drank it already, haha," Smalljon remarks with a loud laugh.

"I see, maybe it is for better. Otherwise, you would keep us in this keep forever, making us drink till we can't move," Patrek replied, slowly getting to the table, looking worse than me.

"Ah, the young eagle finally decided to join us," Greatjon comments, "Only the little wolf is missing."

"I think it is better he is missing. You don't want to know what he's doing right now," Patrek responds with a smirk.

After light breakfast and with Jon hobbling to the table to not find anything left for him, we started to discuss our journey. We seemed to go the same way, Patrek going to Riverrun with Jon to report back to Lord Tully. I was going to the capital. So till the Crossroad inn, we would travel together. Jon wanted to stop by Winterfell one last time before going back to the South, and I agreed, not rushing back to see my dear sister. Or gods forgive to see my father.

…

Winterfell loomed over the horizon as we neared it. After spending a week in the Last Hearth, finding interesting books from the Maester chambers, and borrowing them, the journey wasn't that unpleasant. People call the Northerner's savage, but they have the oldest and rarest books in all of Seven Kingdoms. Only the Citadel would have these books, as I have never seen any of them in the Casterly Rock of the Red Keep.

Well, most of the books were about legends of the old world before the First men arrived. About giants and children of the forest, about the old gods and greenseers. Tales of the First men war against them, then accepting them, and lastly joining together to stop the White Walkers. There were many mentions of Bran the builder and the magic of the Wall.

Winterfell had become somehow more quiet than previously. Robb Stark was the one who greeted us with his lady mother and little brothers. The welcome was as warm as the Wall, the Stark boys were delighted to meet Jon again, but Lady Stark looked at him with cold eyes. Patrek was like a friend of the family and the only person Lady Stark seemed to be happy to see. I, on the other hand, was just here. They showed courtesies to me, but that was all they did to welcome me.

It wasn't surprising that the next day Jon asked when we were leaving. Even Patrek didn't jape or ask why he didn't want to stay longer. With new duties, Robb didn't have much time to be with his brothers, and Lady Stark clearly didn't like to see the bastard with her youngest. She didn't want to see him at all.

So after few days of preparing and resupplying, we left for the South. With my two guards, Patrek and Jon, with half a dozen of Mallister guards, I rode on the Kingsroad. Jon was quieter on the road than ever before. The only thing more silent was his white wolf. Even Patrek didn't know what to say to the boy. Well, good thing I never care about what I say.

"You should have stayed in Winterfell for more time," I comment. "Even if Lady Stark didn't like it."

"I wanted to leave not because of Lady Stark," Jon replies.

"Oh, then why did you rush to escape the Winterfell walls so eagerly?" I ask. "Even if my father never wanted me in my home, I still like to stay in it."

"That why I left. Because it didn't feel like home anymore," Jon responds. "I thought that it would be hard to leave, but when I walked in the halls of Winterfell, it felt like I don't know them anymore. I remember all the rooms, corridors, towers, and stairs that I could walk in the dark without getting lost."

"But?" I urge him to continue.

"But I felt like a stranger visiting the castle, and not like returning to home. And now I don't know if I have any place to call home. It is a scary thought," Jon ends the conversation with a sad smile.

Indeed, not having a place to call home is a scary thought. Even if I didn't like Casterly Rock much, I still could not think of any other place to call home. I spent a lot of time in the court, but even there was a feeling of distance. I could not imagine how Jon felt right now, no matter how much I thought, and I thought about it a lot.

Jon POV

The rain seemed never to stop this time at the Neck. The swamps got broader, and the only safe place was on the road. We should have stayed at the Moat Cailin, but who could have predicted this kind of weather. For days now, as we rode, the rain didn't stop. It was hard, stormy rain, just a cold drizzle that colored everything grey.

We couldn't ride fast as it was hard to see, and if we fell from the road, it would be hard to get back on it. The only castle near there was Graywater Watch. It was said that this castle is constantly moving and impossible to get to without the guidance of Crannogmen. So we stayed on the road and toughed it out. We were eating cold meals and wearing damp clothes.

It wasn't surprising when one of the Mallister guards got a high fever and started to cough aggressively. The closest village was leagues away, and if the rain didn't stop soon, others would get sick. But there was no other way but forward. Once we leave the neck, maybe we find a dry spot to have a camp, someplace under trees or a farmer's house.

"So long till we leave this god's forsaken place?" Tyrion asks.

"If I remember correctly, there should be a farm just outside the neck. We can seek refuge here," I answer and hope that I remember correctly.

"Jon has a good memory. If he says that there is a farm, then there is. So just endure a little more," Ser Patrek tells us with the best smile he could offer.

We reached the farmhouse on the next day's evening. It was a relief that we wouldn't need to spend a night outside. Half of the men were already sick. The other half was too tired to take care of themselves, not talking about looking after the sick. The house wasn't big, but it would be enough for men to rest on the ground.

"Good ser's and lord, what brought you to my humble house," An old man greets us with caution and distrust in his face.

"I am ser Patrek Mallister. We would like to have some rest and refuge from this rain if you would be kind enough," Ser Patrek introduces himself. After hearing the Mallister's name, the farmer relaxes a bit.

"Of course, what kind of man I would call myself if I couldn't help those in need," The man replies. "Come, the fire is still burning. You should warm yourselves first."

After leading us to the fireplace, we all undressed and offered blankets. Two young men brought boiled water for us to drink. When we became cozy, a woman brought soup with vegetables and some bread. We were cramped inside the room with a fireplace and quickly retained our body heat.

"I am sorry to say, but there isn't enough place for all of you to sleep in," The farmer tells us. "But I sure that barn would be warm, and hay would be soft enough to sleep on."

"Are you telling for my lord to sleep in your dirty barn?" One of Tyrion's guards inquires with an angry voice.

"I think that it will be fine. After going to that rain for so long, any dry place is a blessing," Tyrion shuts his guard and agrees. "But I would ask you to let the sick sleep by the fireplace if it isn't too much?"

"Of course, I have blankets prepared for you," The farmer replies, relaxed.

We left the fireplace for the six men with fever and went into the barn. Even with cows and chickens inside, I slept like a rock. I was only waking up in the late afternoon of the next day. Not feeling my damp clothes on me and being dry myself felt more than refreshing.

Patrek bought a few chickens from the farmer and let the house woman prepare us soup with them. The warm meal with meat in it was the most delicious thing I had ever eaten.

…

After spending three days at the farmer's house, the sick got better, and we had dried out our clothes. Horses were well-rested too and ready to travel. So not waiting for any more, Patrek gave a gold dragon to the family, and we left. The rain at this point had stopped, and the sun had shown itself to us once again.

The rest of the journey towards Crossroads Inn was silent and slow. As there was no need to hurry and we were already weary and tired of the long journey, we rode slowly but steadily. We were stopping by every village and inn to rest for the nights. It did take more time than expected to reach the Crossroads, but we reached it nonetheless.

"So, what the plan?" Tyrion asks after ordering some ale in the inn.

"We stay for the night and go to Riverrun first thing in the morning," Ser Patrek answers.

"Well, then I hope for a pleasant journey," Tyrion replies. "I think that it was enough traveling for me, for a while at least. Can't wait to get to the King's Landing and…."

Before he could finish his words, two dozen men entered the inn. They were going straight to us. After getting to our table, they unsheathed their swords and pointed them at Tyrion. Before I could get my sword from my belt, the leading man started to talk.

"In the name of Lady Arryn, you, Tyrion Lannister, are to come with us and to answer for the crime of poisoning the late Lord Jon Arryn," The man declares loudly.

"What is the meaning of this? Put your sword down," Ser Patrek commands. "Who are you do disturb the peace in the Riverlands?"

"I am Ser Lyn Corbray, and I am here by the Lady Lysa's orders. I have all authority I need to capture the vile murderer of our late lord," Now named Ser Lyn Corbray replies. "Don't stand in our way Mallister,"

After taking a look at our men, who were tired of the long journey and then at two dozen knights standing in front of us, Patrek could only stare at him. Even I knew that those men wouldn't back down from the fight, but just to let them take Tyrion didn't feel right.

"If I am accused of such a crime, that I gladly let you lead me back to the Red Keep and stand in my trial before the King," Tyrion says calmly.

"You won't go to the King's Landing. You are coming to Eyrie of the Vale," Ser Lyn tells us.

Looking around, I could see that most men and women had left the inn. It was just us, the knight of the Vale and few sellswords that I had seen before in Seagard. Even if we start to fight them, it would be hopeless for us to win. Patrek and Tyrion knew this too.

"Very well, I will come with you willingly," After few tense moments, Tyrion says with a defeated voice.

"Ser Patrek, we can't let them do this," I tell Patrek after the men leave with Tyrion.

"No, and we won't. Paper I give a gold dragon for paper and ink!" Patrek yells out, and the matron quickly runs to us and gives Patrek a piece of paper and a bottle of ink. "You two, you are Bronn and Chiggen. My father had dealt with you before, I am right?"

"You are," The tall man with long black hair answers.

"There are dozen gold dragons in this pouch. I want to hire you to go with my squire to deliver this letter to Ser Brynden Tully. He will give you more gold afterward," Patrek tells them, and after looking at each other, they both agree. "Jon, take the healthiest men we have and go to the Bloody Gate with those knights. You have to keep Tyrion alive. Otherwise, we will face war."

"Why you don't go with me? I'm just a bastard, but you are heir to Seagard. Surely your name means more than mine," I ask.

"It seems that my name means nothing to them. Go meet with Ser Brynden. He should have some say in the Vale. I will go to the Riverrun and let Lord Tully know of what happened," He explains to me. "Go, we don't have much time, and remember Tyrion must live no matter what."

"Understood," I reply and take four of the Mallister guards and the two Sellswords with me to catch up with Tyrion.