Bringing the Dawn

XVIII.

Catelyn Tully Stark

On route from Winterfell to Greywater Watch, 299AC

It had been a long time since Catelyn had left Winterfell. And it had been even longer since she had last made any kind of dealing politically. It had been a topic she was always good at, but she was nowhere near as clever as the Spider. That much she knew for certain. She'd only met him a handful of times, and every time he always knew exactly where she was, who she was with, why she was there, and what was going to happen. A part of her doubted anyone had a network of spies as expansive as he. Everyone keeps spies, she herself has some, and she convinced Ned to get a few as well when he first rode off to join in the rebellion. He had not taken kindly to that, thought it too southern, but she was saved when Wyman Manderly confirmed he had a network himself. It was only then he had agreed to take on a few, but it was not a network by any means. It was the bare minimum to keep her paranoia at bay.

She remembered being twelve and her father pulling her aside to show her the betrothal offers she had been given. Even then she had thought of the implications of it all, and she knew the most advantageous for her House was undoubtedly Brandon Stark, but she had been hesitant. Godswoods were nothing new to her, nor were heart trees. They had one in Riverrun as did many of the great houses down south. But unlike their northern counterparts and the Blackwood's, did not worship the religion. She had been anointed under the seven-pointed star and her gods had faces. Faces she could describe in perfect detail without needing a reference. The North was a strange place to her. 

Nonetheless, she knew her position as the eldest daughter of Lord Hoster Tully, so she had watched as he wrote a response to Lord Rickard agreeing to the match. She didn't meet her intended for a few more years, on her sixteenth name-day. Less than a year before he was taken from her and she had wed his younger brother in his stead as custom decreed. Brandon had been loud, boisterous, ambitious, and vain. It was a welcome change for Catelyn, the south was filled with people who as Ned referred to them were nothing but overgrown roosters and peacocks. As degrading as it was, it was a relatively accurate description.

In the years prior she had read up on as much as she could about the culture she would be thrown into, and she had surprised him greatly with her knowledge regarding it. He was honest with her too, how he had already sired two bastards but promised her in both the Sept and the Godswood he would never sire another once they were wed. His words had been sincere, and she believed him. But then the day came, only a few days after they agreed on a date for the wedding when he said he had to go away for some time as he had unfinished business. She'd kissed him for the first time that day and little did she know it was the last time she would see him.

A month later her father received the raven that he had been imprisoned for threatening Prince Rhaegar in front of King Aerys. She had been confused, not knowing why he had gone to the Red Keep. But then whispers of rebellion and oath breaking began, and a few days later they received a raven from Rickard confirming what had happened. A month after this both father and heir were dead, now knowing she would have to wed his younger brother. A man he had spoken often about over how quiet he was. Apparently a total opposite of Brandon, and it set dread in her stomach. She had liked Brandon, a lot, and now she had to wed someone she had never met before.

To think that was almost eighteen years ago now, and she could remember every part of it as if it had all happened the day before. From the dark green dress that she was wearing with silver trimming, to the deep red Edmure had been wearing when their father had confirmed they were going to war against the Targaryen's, and the pale silver Lysa preferred. To the way she'd had her hair intricately braided to look like she had a crown atop her head with a couple of loose ringlets dangling around the sides of her face.