Winter's Fire → Game of Thrones

xxxii. Riverrun

I did not know how to express how wrong I felt attending the funeral of a man I barely knew. I was expected to mourn and act sad, but I just could not bring myself to do it. It felt incredibly immoral, even if he was my grandfather.

Our grandfather's body was on top of a reed boat. Lord Hoster Tully was said to be a kind man, but also a just lord. I never knew him, seeing how my short travels in Westeros did not include Riverrun. That is why it felt so wrong to be here, pretending to mourn him. How can you mourn someone you never knew?

Robb, our uncle Edmure Tully, and our great-uncle Brynden 'Blackfish' Tully, all pushed grandfather's boat into the river. Robb then joined Talisa and Brynden went to Mother's side. That left me to stand by myself as Uncle Edmure got ready to fire a flaming arrow into the reed boat.

Brynden was an older man with grey hair that it turning white. He wears a stern look and his dark eyes watched everything closely.

As for his nephew, despite his age, Edmure seemed quite childish. His square jaw was clenched shut and his blue eyes were watching the reed boat closely. His dark brown hair was thinning, which is usually a sign of stress, though he could not have been that stressed until the passing of his father.

Uncle Edmure fired his shot and missed spectacularly.

He fired a second shot and missed again.

And again...

Clearly Brynden was getting sick of his nephew's embarrassing failures, so he pushed him aside. He then took the bow, lit an arrow and then fired. He turned around before seeing his perfect shot land in the middle of the reed boat just before it rounded the bend in the river. It was a magnificent shot.

After this we all headed back into Riverrun itself. Uncle Edmure was licking his wounds after being shown up so spectacularly. Robb and Talisa were talking to some lords, whilst Mother spoke to others. That left Brynden and I walking alone, behind the rest of the party. It was clear neither of us felt like we belonged.

"Your shot was incredible," I told my great uncle. "I am-"

"I know who you are, Alessia," he said, dismissively. "The exiled daughter of my eldest niece. We all know who you are."

"I am glad to meet someone who's respect I actually have to earn." This caught my great-uncle off guard. "Everyone else just gives me their respect. I appreciate it, but what if I were not the person I am striving to be? What if I lived up to the rumors about why I was exiled? What if I were a blithering idiot?"

"I do not see how you have the respect of the North. You speak like a Southerner."

With that, my great-uncle walked off. I was frustrated with the way he was treating me. That just made me determined to earn his respect, though.

One of the lords of the Riverlands placed a hand on my shoulder and gave me a sympathetic look. He clearly knew how prickly of a man Brynden Tully is. It seemed to serve as a warning that I was in for quite a lot beinghere.

As soon as I was in the castle, I went off to my chambers. I wanted to get my sword, arakh, and dagger before rejoining everyone at some point. I am pretty sure that Robb was calling some kind of meeting later in the day, once everyone had rested. I wish to be ready for it well before it happens.

***

Alios and I made up the day after Robb and I did. He began to understand why I was so angry, although he still did not agree. He was more worried about me after the loss of my younger brothers and my home.

Bran and Rickon's deaths had affected me heavily. My little brothers were my responsibility to protect. I still believe that I should have returned home after seeing Robb, or as soon as I heard they were in danger. I could have fought for them and my home and all of my people who died when Winterfell was burned.