282 AC, Riverrun:
The training grounds of Riverrun are rowdy. Petyr Baelish, known as Little finger is currently getting ready to duel for his beloved. He is incessed. How can he not? His beloved Cat got raped by a barbarian(his opinion). He will get her justice and will get her for himself. He is determined to win this for her honor. He is putting on his armor. It was the only valuable thing in his house. He inherited it from his father which he used in the war of NInepenny kings. It is a bit rusty since it wasn't properly maintained.
He decided to wear only Chainmail. But he never knew that he would regret it very much. He arrived at the training grounds to see Cat intimate with the northern savage. He turned away from the scene to see Lord Tully and his son who is helping with Brandon's armor. Seemingly noticing his presence, Brandon greeted him.
" Ah Littlefinger, you are early. Are you that eager to get beaten? "
" Unlike you northern savages, we follow proper customs " he quipped which only earned him a glare from Lord Tully and a murderous look from the Stark. He ignored him and walked up to Cat.
"Lady Catelyn, May I have the honor of having your favor. "
Catelyn truly did not know what to think of him. She always thought him to be her brother since his own is an idiot. But now even he is behaving like an Idiot. Did he seriously think she would give him her favor when he is fighting against her betrothal?
" No, Petyr stop this madness. I thought you to be my brother why must you do this. I am happy with him. I favor my betrothed Brandon Stark. "
Brandon laughed at that " I know you would choose wisely Cat. I will not disappoint you. He must really have a little brain as well to ask for your favor." he finished while looking down on Petyr from his height.
This caused petyr to have murderous look in his eyes. He called her cat right in front of him and he couldn't understand Cat. He is fighting for her. How could she favor the one who raped her? (A/N: She bro-zoned you. Get a hint .)
Before he could retort, Castellan Ser Desmond Grell came to both of them and shouted to ready their positions. " On Guard!.... Begin"
As soon he shouted he backstepped to the edge of the ring. The rules are simple. Fight till one yield dies, or is incapacitated. Both fighters rushed at each other but to any discerning eyes, it is obvious that Little finger is outmatched. Disregarding his small stature, he couldn't even hold the blade properly. Brandon quickly started to play with him much to the sneers and japes of the audience. Petyr in his rage says something he would regret. "You think you have everything, don't you? I have won something you couldn't."
" Oh, what is that? A Dwarf Contest?"
" Cat's First time," Petyr replied with a smug grin but silence filled the grounds while contempt in Brandon's eyes turned murderous.
Brandon stepped into Petyr's already faulty guard and swung his sword in a vicious diagonal slash. Petyr couldn't even react to get his sword to block. The chainmail stopped the strike from being fatal but it did damage his internals. He could feel the blood in the back of his throat. Brandon did not stop at it. He delivered strike after strike and Petyr desperately tried to deliver a strike but all were stopped by his castle forged armor. After a few strikes, he couldn't take it anymore and he fell barely holding his consciousness.
He could see Brandon getting ready to stab his heart. He did not even get a chance to yield. He gave up on his life and he could hear a scream of "Stop!!!" and he blacked out.
" Stop it, Bran. We both know it's not true. Spare his life."
" Why are you stopping me? I even went easy on him on your request but he spurned your kindness and dishonored you. "
" You protected my honor by winning with my favor Bran but cannot see someone I grew up with dying before me. "
Brandon weighed his options and ultimately decided to keep his lady happy. He then turned to Lord Tully who has a serious look on his face.
" I spared him once for Cat my lord, but if I see him again, It won't be a good picture."
" Don't worry, he won't cause you any inconvenience."
He snorted at that and with a last look at Petyr stormed out with Cat in tow.
The once silent audience started to whisper to each other.
" Guards get him out of my sight. Tell maester Lyman to make him recover as quickly as possible. "
Lysa came out of the shock and tried to walk to her beloved Petyr but was stopped by her father.
" Don't make it worse. Go back to your quarters."
Lysa showed her reluctance but Lord Tully did not budge. Knowing she cannot visit her lover now, she stormed off to her quarters thinking of ways to sneak into the maester's room.
Lord Tully sighed looking at her youngest daughter. He is rather fond of his eldest daughter who accepted her marriage and seeing their interaction it is promising to be a good one.
He then notices his brother Brynden practicing with other knights in one corner of the grounds.
" Family, Duty, Honor" I mumbled his family's motto. Duty presides over honor in the order. But his brother forsaken it for some honor and chivalry. If only he had agreed to that Redwyne marriage, we would have gotten richer than Frey's. He wondered if he should get a marriage to blackwood or brackens but quickly dismisses remembering the rivalry and the political issues.
"We were never kings but became one of the great houses. We did that not by fighting on the field but by fighting in these halls." He remembered his father saying it once, right before he went off to fight in the war of Ninepenny kings. After witnessing the war he understood that very well. But his brother who had gotten fame in the battle did not realize it. The burden of a Lord and warden at that.