Only A Northern Song ~ Game of Thrones / Willas Tyrell ~

Chapter Fifty Three: Family Duty Honour

They arrived at the gates of Riverrun after three weeks, taking a slower pace due to poor weather, but by the time they found themselves at the great keep the sun was shining once more.

They set up camp around Riverrun, making sure the keep was protected well enough should any Lannister parties hear that the Stark twins had decided to revisit the place of their birth to form an alliance with their uncles. There were plenty of tents housing Tully men and Riverlands banners, and seeing the two parties together - Northern and Riverlands - it formed quite a vast crowd. Most of their bannermen had decided to stay with the camp, but Robb and Eddmina had led the riding party, followed by Garlan, Dacey Mormont and their most trusted guards, not to mention the two direwolves who seemed to grow bigger everyday.

Upon their arrival, they rode up to the gates, and were allowed entry as the portcullis was raised and the drawbridge lowered, surrounded by flags of the jumping trout. Trout's were nowhere near as familiar as direwolves, yet it was the symbol of their mother, and after months of travelling it was almost nice to be near a friendly banner, and it felt almost like a homecoming. It almost felt like a piece of their mother, waving to them as the flags wafted in the wind, and after weeks of her absence it was bittersweet and heart-warming all the same.

They emerged through the gates into a courtyard, and the two Tully men were waiting for them. They had not met many times, Eddmina's memories of them were sparse save the few stories her mother had told her, but they were family, and considering the state they were in any family was a welcome sight. The younger one was their mother's brother, Uncle Edmure, and he looked a typical Tully. His hair was similar to Robb's though had lost the curls and redness with age, and he sported the same blue eyes as both twins. He wore his armour with obvious pride, though it was not nearly as weathered as the armour worn by his own Uncle, the older, more worn-looking man who stood at his side. Brynden Tully had been like a second father to Lady Stark and her siblings according to the stories, and his nickname of the Blackfish due to his outsider status in his family meant Eddmina took an instant liking to him; she had often felt the same in her own family, after all. Both men seemed happy at the sight of the Stark twins, though familial greetings had to wait as Robb dismounted his horse, and the pair of them knelt respectfully.

"I will never get used to that," Eddmina confessed in a whisper to Garlan as the pair of them got off their own horses, handing the reins to nearby stableboys as they made their way to join Robb.

Garlan offered her a small smile, but had no time to make a remark, as they had reached the Tully's. They had risen from their kneeling, but upon seeing Eddmina they both bowed lowly. It took her by surprise at first, until she remembered the circlet she wore on her head, and the fact men called her Princess. If Robb being king was still jarring, then her own title was just as shocking. She shook her head, gesturing for the men to rise as she held her hand out to shake.

"Uncles," she greeted them both, placing herself at Robb's side while Garlan stood behind them both. "It is good to see you both. I trust you're well and the war hasn't caused too many problems for you."

"Gods, don't you sound like an old war general!" Edmure remarked lightly, laughing at his niece's seriousness.

It took Eddmina back a little, considering she thought she'd sounded friendly. Perhaps she had forgotten what actual kindness sounded like since she had spent months of speaking formally, not allowing herself to express many emotions should men want to use them against her and make her seem weak. It had been an old habit to speak in courtesies when she was trying to shield herself, and it had clearly been excellent armour for her in wartime. She had not expected to fall onto them in front of her uncles, and she hadn't expected Edmure to pick up on it. Eddmina couldn't help but feel a little humiliated, though she managed to keep her face straight and not show her disappointment that her first greeting with her Uncle hadn't been entirely kind.