WARS TO COME, game of thrones

𝐕. rivers

𝟐𝟖𝟑 𝐀𝐂

Riverrun reminded Anrir of Riverfall. Lying in the water, as if its red walls had grown directly out of it. But Riverrun was smaller and more peaceful, in Riverfall the many arms of the waterfall were like an untamed beast guarding the black fortress.

Anrir pressed his lips together, tightening his shoulders as he rode beside his father across the moat. His father wore white and blue and Anrir wore black, his cloak and an Arryn brooch on his chest. Ned rode to the left of his father, with Rob at his side. He wore the typical clothes of a Northman, with his heavy coat of fur.

In the courtyard, squires took the horses from them and led them into the great hall, where Anrir joined Rob and let his father and Ned go to Hoster Tully. "So, now you're the only bachelor," Rob laughed and smacked him. Anrir didn't want to admit that Rob wasn't technically married yet either, just engaged. "I guess that's the way it is," he said and sighed softly. "But I hope you're no longer a virgin?" "If only you knew," Anrir replied and had to grin a little, which elicited a booming laugh from Rob.

They received confused looks and Rob stifled his laughter and side by side they followed the wedding guests outside. There was no godswood in Riverrun and so the septon would marry the two couples in the open air to honor Ned's culture and tradition. Anrir had to pull himself together not to stare when he caught sight of Tully's two daughters as Rob and he came to a halt.

"She's beautiful," Rob stated matter-of-factly beside him, and Anrir pursed his lips at the sight of Catelyn Tully, the older of the two sisters who would now marry Ned. She really was beautiful in her blue and red dress. Her long auburn hair was loosely pinned up, emphasizing her elegant cheekbones. She had pale and visibly soft skin and blue eyes that showed intelligence. When she saw Ned, her expression changed slightly, but betrayed no emotion. Anrir wondered if she was disappointed to have to marry Ned and not Brandon.

His heart ached and he looked to his father and Lysa Tully to avoid dwelling too much on the source of his pain. The younger Tully was also slender, but much fuller-breasted and might as well be the beautiful daughter of an innkeeper, she lacked the noble beauty and elegance of her sister. Nevertheless, Anrir was happy for his father. Lysa Tully was a beautiful young woman and he hoped she would make his father happy.

It was a quick wedding and Anrir moved away as Rob laughingly cheered Anrir's father and Ned to consummate the marriage today. Anrir sat down at one of the long tables in the great hall and tapped on Beast's hilt.

His thoughts slipped into the future, if they would survive the rebellion and not be crushed by the dragon's army. He tried to imagine his own marriage. His father would probably even give him a good match, perhaps marry him off to the daughter of one of the lords of the Vale, and Anrir would have a task there. Would he be able to love his wife? Possibly not. He could not imagine ever loving anyone again.

He beckoned a maid to pour him wine and he drank in deep gulps so that she refilled his cup immediately. Ned and Catelyn Tully... Stark had probably just consummated their marriage.

Anrir drank wine until his vision blurred and he fought with the Tully soldiers who mocked him as he staggered across the courtyard on his way to his tent that night. When he finally arrived at his tent, his lower lip was bleeding and his right eye was swollen shut. He didn't take the time to change his clothes and once again lay down directly on the cot.

Sleep swallowed him like a monster into whose black maw he sank.

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