Chapter Text
Ser Brynden Tully was a broken man.
He was forced to flee the place of his birth, fair Riverrun, his beloved niece and nephew slain by the treachery of the Boltons and Jaime Lannister, and his foolish nephew is now held prisoner by those inbred Freys it was grim fortune for the Blackfish.
He should have slain that wretch, though instead, he chose to mock him as the lamed lion. But it seems that the one mocked in the end was himself; there is no doubt that he underestimated the "Young Lion", and now he has paid dearly for his folly.
He had managed to escape by swimming under the portcullis that had been slightly raised at the Water Gate. He now roamed the Riverlands dressed as an outlaw while deciding what his best course of action was; for a while, Brynden had considered venturing to the lands of Lord Blackwood as they had been fast friends of his brother for many years or perhaps even taken shelter with the Whents.
Although that plan was cut short when he overheard at a Lannister camp, Lord Blackwood had forfeited Buckle, Woodhedge, Honeytree, Crossbow Ridge, and Lord's Mill, which is less than Lord Bracken desired. The lamed Lion also took one of Tytos's sons, Hoster Blackwood, as a hostage.
"It was grim fortune with the surrender of the Blackwoods. The last smouldering embers of his nephews' reign had been extinguished now the Riverlands would be ruled by lesser men"... It seemed he had only one course left to take.
He would have to go to the Vale of Arryn.
The relationship between him and his niece had been soured since he abandoned his duties as Knight of the Gate to join Robb and Cat in their grand rebellion, though if Bryden was honest, his relationship with her was rather patchwork at best .. Lysa's mind began to slip after each miscarriage and wedding her to a man old enough to be her grandfather hadn't helped matters. Lysa had been a soft, shy, and timid girl in her youth, prone to tongue-tied silences and fits of giggles. Her years at King's Landing changed her significantly, however, turning her into a woman who is by turns proud, fearful, cruel, dreamy, reckless, impulsive, timid, stubborn, vain, and inconstant.
Yes, Lysa was foolish to ever think Baelish would love her but to marry her to Jon Arryn... That was rather cruel even for Hoster.
But still, Jon Arryn tried to be a good husband to Lysa ... Only his time had passed, and Lysa was above all a Tully from "Riverrun". Her duty to her family should come before all else. Although she refused to comply out of fear. Still, Brynden knew there was something more to it; all his intuitions told him something darker was afoot.
Although the way things were, he had no choice; if Brynden wished to bring the lions to heel, he must plead for the Knights of Arryn to ride to war.
With that not-so-encouraging thought, he set off for the Vale with a very vague hope of enlisting his niece's help.
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He roamed the Red Fork until dusk; Brynden settled on the banks of the fork and lit a small fire and began to prepare his supper several trout he had caught in the shallow stream.
It was there when the Blackfish heard slight breakage of branches near him, though he gave no sign he was aware of their presence; however, he subtly brought his hand to his sword only to hear the sound of breaking leaves.
"Shit, there's more than one," The old Tully thought with annoyance.
Knowing that happenings were about to get unpleasant, the legendary Knight cast one of his hunting knives into the woods, and a yell of pain was heard.
They instantly fell on him like rats, and Brynden quickly dispatched them as they were mere bandits.
He had already killed two of them when he suddenly felt great pain in his shoulder, and he spied an arrow that had pierced his mail.
"Uugghh," Bryden grunted in pain, but he had little time to think as the bandits pinned him to the ground.
"The old fucker must be wealthy…" said one of them.
"That doesn't matter; let's cut his throat and leave him for the wolves," Said the one with his head on the ground.
"Wait ... help him up," Said one of them, a voice far younger than the rest.
"His skill with a sword is incredible ... He killed two of us easily," Said another.
"Outlaws ... Brynden thought, cursing his rotten luck and more because he was wounded.
Brynden was dragged before the fire and met the leader of the merry band of bastards.
But Brynden was surprised when he saw a skinny boy with freckles and red hair; he was actually quite young, no more than fifteen winters... And he had a bow in his hand.
"I'll never be able to mock Edmure ever again. I was beaten by bandits lead by a fucking green boy," Brynden thought with shame.
"Good evening, Ser… Don't worry about your wound. It's only superficial", Said the freckled young man taking one of Brynden's fish and giving a signal; the men released him and allowed Bryden to eat his supper.
"Who are you?" Brynden asked warily.
"They call us the 'Brotherhood Without Banners' ..." The boy said with pride in his voice.
"Beric Dondarrion's band of outlaws?" Brynden asked curiously.
However, a flash of sorrow filled the look of that young man.
"Not anymore ... Lord Beric died recently ... Now we are led by someone else."
"It's a shame, but such is the way of war... So let me go, and I'll be on my way," Brynden said, taking another fish.
"Ser ... I offer you a place in the brotherhood .." Said the young man.
"How do you know that I am a Knight boy?" Brynden enquired, hoping to get a measure of the boy.
"Such a stalwart warrior can only come from the Tiltyards…." The young man said.
"That doesn't prove anything, boy; a gifted swordsman can come from anyplace; you just have to look hard enough," Brynden said, biting his fish.
"Wait ... I know him ..." Said another of the outlaws.
At that moment, Brynden's heart began to pound harder.
"He's the 'Blackfish' ...," said one of them, the one who had wanted to slash his throat.
A murmur of surprise ran through the little camp.
"Well, damned if I'm a knight, one who lost his home and is now on the run from the Lannisters", Brynden snarled.
"Well, that explains his talent…" said the freckled boy.
"And now?" Brynden asked, pulling a waterskin filled with wine from his hip.
"Now you will come with us; there is someone in our brotherhood who will be thrilled to see you," Said the freckled boy standing up.
"Do I have a choice?" Brynden asked rudely.
"No ... though you are not our prisoner, it would do you little good to flee Ser Tully the Riverlands will be teeming with Lannister soldiers who I'll wager are eager to claim your head and the keep it would suborn... Don't despair, Blackfish, no harm shall come to you under our care, and I offer an apology for our altercation ... We shall take you to our Lady who will no doubt be overjoyed to see you," Said the boy.
"Do I know her?" Brynden inquired.
"Quiet, well, it's your niece Catelyn," Said the boy feeling instantly threatened by Brynden's gaze.
"Don't jape, brat, my niece is…." Said the old Trout angrily.
"No, it's not like that ... Come with us, and you will see that we are honest, I swear by the old and new gods," Said the nervous boy and an annoyed Brynden nodded reluctantly.
"If you lie, brat ..."
"Angus, my name is Angus, and I'm not lying," Said the archer bowing.
Brynden sighed as this would be a long night.
"Let's go…." He said and led Brynden into the woods.
They walked among the trees for at least an hour guided by the light of the full moon and stars overhead; Brynden was growing somewhat agitated; he was spent and simply wanted to rest ... But the notion that his niece Cat could be alive made him continue advancing nearly blind.
Until they reached a deep cavern guarded by two ragged-looking guards, Angus the archer spoke with them, and although they looked at him with surprise, they did not give him a gracious welcome, but they did not bar his entry.
The walls of the cave consist of stone and soil interrupted by the vast roots of weirwoods. The hollow hill has numerous tunnels, crannies, and crevices. The Brotherhood build a firepit which has stained the ceiling of the largest cavern. One section of the weirwood roots seems to form a stairway leading to where the Brotherhood's leader may reside in a tangle of roots. Men, women, and little children live within the cave.
"Very well, we are here .." Said the young archer.
"And my niece?" Brynden asks impatiently.
"In the deepest part of the cave... She doesn't like to show herself... She only lets Thoros attend her," Angus said with pity in his voice.
"Thoros of Myr?" Brynden asked, genuinely confused.
"He will explain everything," Said the archer guiding him through the cavern until he heard two voices conversing and managed to see a thin and stocky man of middle age dressed in red robes talking to someone covered by a great cloak.
"Thoros of Myr?" Brynden asked incredulously because the Thoros he remembered was obese and reeked of liquor, but now he seemed someone different.
"Blackfish... Of all the people that could appear around here... I never imagined that one of them would be you," Said the drunken Knight with some mirth.
At that moment, the hooded figure jumped up and wanted to hide in the shadows, but the red priest did not allow it.
"Cat?... Is it truly you? .. They told me that you had perished along with Robb and the rest of his men," Brynden asked excitedly, but the figure covered itself with the cloak fiercely.
As soon as he said this, the hooded figure squeezed his hands very tightly.
"Ser Brynden ... your niece ... She is no longer the same," Thoros said compassionately.
"What befell my niece?" Brynden asked, looking at Thoros warily.
"Are you aware of the rumours concerning Lord Beric's immortality?" Thoros asked with a grim countenance.
"It just seems like they've killed him several times, and it doesn't matter because he always came back; what was it now, six seven?" Brynden asked, annoyed.
"Yes, but he actually died seven times; the seventh was the final time", Thoros said as Brynden looked at him as if he had lost his mind.
"Speak plainly, Thoros," Brynden barked in annoyance.
"We had lions on every side, and I thought I was doomed with the rest, but Alyn shouted commands and restored order to our ranks, and those still ahorse rallied around me and cut our way free. Six score we'd been that morning. By dark no, more than two score were left, and Lord Beric was gravely wounded. I drew a foot of lance from his chest that night and poured boiling wine into the hole it left, but Beric succumbed.. … "Thoros said.
Brynden only scoffed at the priest.
"I ... I had already forgotten my faith, but he was my friend, and I resolved to give him the Last Kiss, a burial rite of the R'hllor. "But while performing the last kiss, Beric was resurrected in front of my eyes ... It was a miracle of the Lord of Light, "Thoros said with tears in his eyes.
Brynden did not know whether or not to believe this bizarre tale but decided to wait for the priest to finish.
"After that, I realized that my faith had returned and that my god was the only god that existed, so we both founded the" Brotherhood Without Banners ", and I continue to resurrect Beric by means beyond my comprehension, and I had greater fortune seeing visions in flames."
"What does that have to do with my niece?" Brynden asked.
"Aye Ser, The Freys slashed her throat from ear to ear. When we found her by the river, she was three days dead. Harwin begged me to give her the kiss of life, but it had been too long. I would not do it, so Lord Beric put his lips to hers instead, and the flame of life passed from him to her. And... she rose. May the Lord of Light protect us. She rose.", Said the red priest as the Blackfish looked at the hooded figure in shock.
"By the gods ... Cat, if it's really you ... Let me see you ... Please," Brynden said with tears in her eyes.
The hooded figure gave no sign of hearing him ... Until she stood up ... And a pale hand began to lower her cloak.
"My Lady? ..." Thoros said, and Brynden hoped to see again the face of his niece as well as the red hair of his family, but the truth was terrible to behold.
Her flesh had turned the colour of curdled milk, Half of her hair is gone, and the rest is white, dry and brittle. Her eyes look like two red pits, burning in the shadows... Although her features slowly appeared to be filling with flesh again. Her throat is still open, although her wound seemed to be mending very slowly.
"By the gods…." Brynden said in horror.
At that moment, that figure who had been his niece pinch closed her slashed throat.
"Hello, uncle…" she said though her voice was more akin to a death rattle.
"Even then, her voice is difficult to understand because of the wound," Brynden thought with tears in her eyes.
"Despite her resurrection, Lady Catelyn's wounds were only partially healed, Ser Brynden, leaving her mutilated and unable to speak ... However, since a few days ago, we noticed that the wounds began to heal flesh has knitted itself together, and her hair has regained some of its lustre, each time she speaks better ... When she awoke, she could not speak, "said Thoros, looking at the Lady of Winterfell with compassion.
"Is this the mercy of your Red God, Thoros?" Brynden said, looking at him with tears in her eyes.
"The designs of the Lord of Light are a mystery for the most part, but there is no doubt that the Lord has a task for your niece, so he guided her back and filled her with new life," Thoros said.
"Oh, Cat ..." Brynden said, wanting to get closer, but she moved away and looked down, clearly ashamed of her horrid appearance.
"What is my niece doing with you?" Brynden roared before wrapping his hands around Thoros throat, but the red priest did not recoil in fear nor even flinch.
"Where else would she go? .. She's is no prisoner nor a hard-won prize. She accompanied us of her own free will after Beric's death, your niece was guided to us, and she has been mostly considerate ..." Thoros said.
"Mostly?" Brynden asked.
"The goal of the sorority has always been to protect commoners since the beginning of the war, and while for the most part, we have stayed true to that goal, the truth about Ser Brynden is that ever since your niece arrived… She is consumed with a desire for vengeance on anyone she thinks betrayed her and her son, Robb. She hangs any men associated with the Freys, Boltons, or Lannisters, even if they had nothing to do with the "Red Wedding" or if they are boys," said Thoros looking at Catelyn reproachfully.
"And is that a wicked deed?" Brynden asked more calmly.
"The men she leads indeed violated the sacred right of hospitality," Thoros said as Brynden closed his eyes in horror and then looked at Catelyn with something akin to grief and disappointment.
"They must ... Die ... The Freys, the Lannisters and the Boltons ... They must pay ... For me ... Robb," Catelyn said with hoarse whispers full of pain, although they did not know if they were from the pain of trying to speak or the grief of memory.
Despite disapproving of what she did, none here could fault Lady Stark for her grief nor her desire for revenge.
"Cat ..." Brynden said with tears in his eyes.
For a few moments, everyone was silent until Thoros spoke.
"Ser Brynden, now what shall you do? ... I have no illusion that you would join our merry band, but you could be of great help to us," Thoros asked.
Brynden sighed and was silent as he pondered his course of action; he remembered the words of his house.
Family, duty and honour
Brynden did not guess how it was possible that Catelyn could be alive; he had never believed in the powers of the Gods, yet here was proof of their sorceries.
He disapproved of his niece's cruelty ... But he couldn't judge her after what she had experienced ... Now, he only had one choice.
"I will take my niece ... We will journey to the Vale where my other niece Lysa rules," Said the Blackfish.
"As far as we know, Lysa Arryn did not send a single sword in defence of" Riverrun "when the war started… So why do you think she will aid us now?" Angus asked.
Brynden didn't know what to answer instantly.
"She has to ... She may be an Arryn by marriage, but above all, Lysa is a Tully of Riverrun "... She has to agree," Said the Blackfish trying to convince himself.
At that moment, Catelyn got up and shook her head.
"No ... we must find the Walder Frey so I may fucking geld him," Cat snarled.
"Cat ... Be reasonable you can't continue your Vendetta like this, sooner or later they will all be caught ... Our ancestral home has been given to those disgusting Frey, and your brother Edmure is still a prisoner ... If we want to free him and reclaim our home we need soldiers, we need Lysa's men, "Brynden said trying to reason with her.
And he apparently succeeded because Catelyn didn't try to deny his arguments.
"Revenge ... Hostage ..." Catelyn said hoarsely to Brynden's confusion.
"Hostage?" He asked Thoros in confusion, who only laughed for a moment.
"You will not believe it if you do not see it ... Come with me, the others see that Lady Stark is well taken care of," Thoros said, and the others nodded.
The red priest and Catelyn gestured for him to follow, and Brynden, intrigued, did so. Following them until he reached a corridor where he could see three people chained
"Did you capture some Lions then?" Asked Brynden, intrigued.
"See for yourself," Thoros said, and Brynden walked over.
"Yes, the most valuable of all ... Here they are", Said one of the guards who were guarding them.
Brynden took advantage of the torch fire and got a better view of the three hostages:
The woman is unfeminine in appearance and is considered unattractive by Westerosi standards. She is tall, muscular flat-chested and ungainly, with long, shoulder-length brittle straw-coloured hair and broad, coarse features that are covered in freckles. Her teeth are prominent and crooked. Her mouth is wide, her lips are swollen, and her nose has been broken more than once. She has large, beautiful blue eyes. Her fingers are thick and callused.
To be frank and not that Brynden wanted to be rude, the girl had the face and teeth of a horse.
There was only one woman in the whole of the seven kingdoms who matched her description ... Brienne of Tarth.
The second person was a very skinny boy of at least fourteen namedays with fine, straight hair and a thin neck.
However, everything was forgotten when he saw the last person.
It had been a few weeks since I had seen him, and in that time, his beard had grown, and he looked unkempt, and his clothes caked in mud, sweat and blood.
Jamie Lannister "The Kingslayer" had once again become a prisoner of his niece.
At that moment, Brynden couldn't help it and chuckled, his laughter alerting the prisoners who were surprised to see him there.
"It's been a while, Ser .." Said the lamed lion as always as if he were not chained.
"Indeed it has ... But it seems to me that you haven't done very well since our last conversation," Brynden said, unable to conceal his satisfaction.
"No, I'm afraid not, you will see Brienne here was forced by your niece to lure me into a trap, she fooled me into believing that Sansa Stark was in danger of being killed by" The Hound "..." Said the lamed lion in a scolding tone.
"I already told you I'm very sorry, Jamie, I had no choice... They were going to kill Podrick…" The maid of Tarth said.
"Yes, you already told me, but that doesn't change our situation", growled the Kingslayer.
Brynden was just smiling at the scene.
"Maybe this band of outlaws can achieve something after all"... Brynden thought, pleased by this turn of events.
"Care to tell me how you ended up as prisoners?" Brynden questioned, unable to hide his satisfaction.
"Ser Brynden ... This is a mistake .." Brienne said, standing up though still chained.
"A mistake? .. Didn't my niece order you to escort the Kingslayer to King's Landing to exchange him for her daughters?" Brynden asked, not believing a word.
"Jamie ..." The Lannister snarled.
Hearing the haughty tone of the Kingslayer. Brynden looked him in the eye.
"My name is Jamie .." He said this menacingly, his green eyes glittering a poisinous green, and for a few moments, Brynden felt in the presence of a lion about to pounce.
"Very well ... In the same way you, my Lady, had to escort Ser Jaime and bring my niece's daughters back," He said, crossing his arms.
"I did, but when we arrived we discovered that Arya Stark had disappeared since the execution of her father and her sister Sansa disappeared in the midst of the chaos of King Joffrey Baratheon's wedding, there we discovered what happened in the" Red Wedding ", so we decided to find them to take them to venture to Riverrun hoping to leave them with you or perhaps to the Vale with your niece Lysa ... Ser Jaime gave me two bags full of coin, a mail hauberk, a Lothston shield, and a letter signed by King Tommen I Baratheon saying that I was on a royal mission. I was doing rather well until we met the Brotherhood who were led by your niece, "Said Brienne, fearfully remembering Catelyn's appearance.
"I promised his niece never to raise a weapon against a Stark or a Tully again ... In spite of everything, I have kept my promise, no one died in the taking of Riverrun Ser .." Said the lamed lion with a smile.
"Damn ..." Brynden said, clenching his fist in anger.
"Jamie ... not now ..." Brienne said as the young lion sighed.
"Very well ..." Jaime said before slumping to the ground.
"What about us, Ser Brynden?" Brienne asked in fear.
"I don't know; it's my niece who leads these men, not I," He said with a shrug.
"Will they ask for ransom?" Asked the frightened child.
"I truly don't know," Brynden said, annoyed.
"When you have good news feel free to visit us... I like good news," Said the Lannister with an infuriating smile.
Brynden did not answer and walked away from the trio that was chained and approached the red priest.
"Now, what will you do?" Brynden asked.
"What we've always done ... Take care of the Little Ones ..." Thoros said solemnly.
"That's very well and good, but it does little to help me," Said the Blackfish.
"I know ... We are too few to help you recover 'Riverrun', and most of our members are not trained soldiers ..." Thoros said.
"Then give me a few men, I'll take my niece and these three to Vale ... There is no point in them rotting in this cave," Brynden said, thinking the Thoros would refuse, but surprisingly, the red priest agreed.
"It's true; I have no doubt that the Lion Queen and her uncle would pay anything for the Kingslayer ... But ..."
"Once we deliver them, they will kill them ... Regardless of any bargain made," Brynden said without hesitation, and Thoros nodded.
"Yes, I'm afraid, and there is more, the new Hand of the King is Randyl Tarly, that bastard is a narrow man but iron-willed, shrewd and capable, and is considered one of the finest battle commanders in Westeros, and he takes particular delight in slaying outlaws," Thoros replied with annoyance.
"All the more reason to leave for Vale…." Brynden said, increasingly concerned by these turn of events.
"I will have some men accompany you to the Bloody Gate, I am sorry, but we cannot risk being discovered even by your nieces' new husband", much to the bewilderment of Brynden.
"Lysa remarried so soon?" Brynden asked in wonderment.
"Didn't you know Ser? It's the gossip of the whole of Westeros," Asked Thoros.
"I was rather occupied with a fucking siege Thoros…" Brynden replied in annoyance.
"Yes, well... Your niece married none other than The" Lord of Harrenhal "and new" Overlord of the Trident ".."
"Lysa married a Frey?" Brynden asked in disgust.
"Not although perhaps you would have found that preferable Ser Brynden Your niece's new husband is Lord Petyr Baelish," Thoros said, not missing the expression of anger and indignation on Brynden Tully's face.
The knowledge that one of his House's most prestigious titles passed to a sycophantic upstart like Littlefinger filled Brynden with a cold fury so much so Thoros was worried he may throttle him.
Brynden had an appreciation for the boy and often listened to his woes when he needed counsel, but everything changed after he challenged Brandon Stark, for the hand of Catalyn Petyr was scarcely fifteen years old and challenged the twenty-year-old Brandon Stark to a duel for his niece's hand. Petyr arrived with only a helm, breastplate and mail, leading to Brandon taking off most of his own armour. Petyr asked Catelyn for her favour to wear, but she refused, giving it to Brandon instead. Catelyn begged Brandon not to kill Petyr, to which he agreed. While Brandon offered Petyr multiple chances to yield, Petyr refused to give up. In the end, Petyr was staggering and bleeding from a dozen wounds; when Brandon ended the battle with a backhand cut so brutal, Catelyn was convinced it was mortal. Brynden had carried away his body that day, and perhaps he should have cut his throat given all that has happened.
Petyr was given a fortnight to recover at Riverrun, during which time Lysa helped care for him. Unfortunately, Catelyn did not go to see him, and Petyr refused to see his nephew Edmure, who had served as Brandon's squire during the duel. When the fortnight had passed, and Petyr was strong enough, His brother sent Petyr away from Riverrun. Catelyn did not say goodbye to him. However, Lysa had become pregnant with Petyr's child as a result of their second coupling. After Petyr had been sent away, Lysa revealed her pregnancy to Hoster, hoping he would relent and allow Lysa and Petyr to marry. Instead, his brother, the spiteful bastard he was, forced Lysa to drink moon tea to abort the pregnancy.
And in a few years later, he learned that that weak, small and scrawny boy had become the Master of the Coin and was a member of the King's Privy Council news that, to be blunt, did not surprise Brynden since childhood Petyr was rather skilled with the counting of coins some said he could squeeze gold from a stone. Although he had informed Cat that the Imp had been behind the attempted murder of her son Bran, Petyr had stayed in King's Landing in service of the Iron Throne, thus becoming an enemy.
Maybe at some point, Brynden had been fond of him ... But now, there is nothing left of that affection.
While Brynden is meditating on Petyr Baelish without realizing his niece had entered the room, and upon hearing the name of the faithless scoundrel who had betrayed her, she began to make threatening noises drawing the attention of Thoros and Brynden, who, upon seeing his niece outside the room was alarmed.
"Cat?" Brynden asked concenred.
"Petyr ... Traitor ... Damn ... I was deceived," She said while tears streamed his face, which was filled with a terrible hatred.
But that got Brynden's notice.
"He betrayed you?" And she merely nodded since her wound was still relatively fresh, and Thoros pulled a blank scroll from his robes.
"We need some ink ... I'll be back."
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When Thoros returned with ink and Cat still crying and denouncing Littlefinger, began to record the tale of what he had told her when she and Ser Rodrick when they had visited his brothel those years ago.
However, the Imp had told her that he would never bet against his brother under any circumstances and that the dagger was not his, and even if it had been, he would not have been foolish enough to send an assassin wielding a weapon that belonged to him.
Something Brynden agreed on, Tywin Lannister's youngest son, was many things, but he wasn't dull; it was a shame Catelyn didn't realise that until it was too late.
Then his niece told him that Tyrion Lannister revealed to her that in King Littlefinger's Court he had started the rumour that he had taken not only Lysa's virginity but also Cat's when Brynden read that he looked dismayed and furious at his niece who nodded while he had an expression of guilt.
Catelyn had never been with a man other than her husband; Littlefinger would pay dearly for his lies ... She would make him swallow his tongue.
Then Catelyn wrote to him about her conversation with "The Kingslayer" and how he unknowingly affirmed his brother's words by revealing that the dagger did indeed belong to Robert Baratheon. At that moment, Brynden Tully's heart jumped as his niece looked at him in dismay.
Everything that had happened, the war, the death of so many innocents as that of their relatives, including the fall from grace of the Tully and Stark Houses, were due to that lie about Littlefinger's dagger ... The damn bastard had played the game and cared not for the bloodshed.
Brynden got up with a cry of rage as he cursed Petyr Baelish for his betrayal and his unbridled ambition, which had turned them into exiles.
Hoster must be wallowing in his watery tomb, Riverrun in the hands of Walder Frey and his inbred fuck wits, and that opportunistic rat rewarded with a title he had no right to.
Brynden calmed down and sat on the table, gently taking his niece's hands, hoping to calm her broken heart.
"I'm truly sorry, Cat, you trusted that man, and he betrayed you in such a vile way. I know you must feel horrible, but it's not your fault; you've known him since you were children many would have fallen for his honeyed words," Said the Blackfish with tears in his eyes.
"Trust ... In him ... He took advantage of me, of my love for my family ... Of my character ... He betrayed me for ... Revenge for ... Brandon's humiliation ... For not loving him as a man... It caused all this… "Cat said, crying.
"He shall pay for this injustice, I swear by the honour of our house," Brynden said with tears in his eyes, all the while hugging his niece.
They stayed in that position until Thoros of Myr approached them.
"Well, this new information is ... Bitter, true, but there is nothing else we can do at the moment ... Except to exact revenge against Lord Baelish and if so ... Maybe we can help them ..." Thoros said cruelly.
Instantly Brynden stood up.
"Speak plainly, Thoros," said the Blackfish sternly.
"We have spies Ser ... Spies in the Frey and Lannister camp outside" Riverrun "right now, and they have brought us some interesting news," Said the red priest.
"News? .. What news?" Brynden asked.
"Wedding.. in.. our home", Catelyn managed to say with anger and indignation.
"Wedding? Between whom?" Brynden asked, dreading the answer.
"Between Daven Lannister and a Frey maiden, Ser Brynden... As part of the alliance between Tywin Lannister and Walder Frey, a Lannister should marry a maiden of his House ... And now that Riverrun is in Frey hands, our spies think that is where the wedding will take place, "said Thoros with surety.
"And as the new Lord Paramount of these Lands... Petyr Baelish will be obliged to come as it is expected of him .." Brynden replied with a crooked smile.
"That's right…." Thoros said.
"Revenge ... For Robb ... For ... Our home," Catelyn said, getting up from the table with eyes full of hatred.
"This plan is rather foolhardy and could lead to our deaths, but we will not have another opportunity for revenge ... prepare yourself, Littlefinger soon you will know the fury of the Tully's." Brynden thought with glee
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Over the next two months, as they planned how to infiltrate Riverrun and pay their respects to the new Lord of the Trident, Brynden instructed several of the brotherhood in the art of swordplay, he quickly realized that while most were green boys who had never held a sword in their life, they made up for it with tenacity, most of them would be good knights. If only they could pay the expenses of the armour and weapons.
They had received the news that Riverrun had been delivered to Genna Lannister and her husband Cleos.
Thinking of that poor woman who was given to Walder Frey's inept second son by her cowardly father, Brynden had mixed feelings, as he felt compassion for her due to Cat's recklessness, the children of Genna Cleos and Tion were murdered by Rickard Karstark in revenge for the demise of his sons it was a horrid affair for both sides.
Besides training the men, Brynden also helped with the plan to break into the castle and seize Littlefinger, whom he and his niece prayed would be there; Brynden shared everything he knew about the fortress so that he could plan his entry and escape, and so he revealed the postern gate through which he swam through months ago.
Unfortunately, both he and Cat knew that they could not recover the castle in this way, and they knew it since even if they managed to reclaim it, they would not have enough men to sustain it or the necessary supplies to withstand a siege. No, the purpose was to take revenge for the Red Wedding and capture Littlefinger to make him pay for everything.
Although this was a bitter poison for Brynden and Cat to swallow, revenge was better than nothing.
They planned everything and even details with the help of a bard they call "Tom of the Sevenstreams" it was rather amusing to see him again as Brynden knew his family wasn't overly fond of him; Tom once ran afoul of his blustering nephew Edmure when he stole a girl that Edmure was supposed to bed to take his virginity. But, unfortunately, Edmure had drunk too much and was unable to perform. Tom then made a song about a floppy fish, which led to Edmure's hatred of music. That bastard Tom comes from Sevenstreams in the northern Riverlands. He claims to have fathered at least seven sons long ago and claims they all have beautiful voices.
However, the bard had proven to be a good warrior and spy since he had managed to infiltrate Riverrun several times and overheard news of Littlefingers arrival it seemed the man would be accompanied by a modest company of Knights.
"Perfect, that will be our chance; my brother made a cruel mistake by letting that boy into our home, now I'm going to make amends ... You will have your revenge, Cat." Brynden thought with determination as he sharpened his sword.
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When the night of the wedding finally came, Brynden was in command of a dozen men on the outskirts of "Riverrun" with the purpose of meeting this Bard and his men to infiltrate the castle by one of the canals.
The way to find them was clear, the bard would be wearing a hat crowned by a single red feather, and he would be singing the "Rains of Castamere" to some drunken soldiers.
"At least we'll sneak in unseen." Brynden thought dryly, knowing many things could go wrong.
They walked along the outskirts of the camp sheltered by the trees and the darkness of the forest until they finally heard the horrible song and everyone came to meet them.
A bard matching the description stood in the middle of the soldiers strumming his harp while the Frey men drank and cavorted like animals. Instantly they came up behind and quickly murdered them all by slitting their throats.
"These lackwits were in charge of guarding the boundary ... What else can you expect from the inbred fuckers." Brynden thought with annoyance.
At that moment, the bard stood up and took a bottle of wine from one of the corpses.
That was when Brynden saw Tom fully; he was around fifty years old. He is small and trim, with thinning brown hair. He has thin, foxy appearances with a sharp nose and a wide smile. He wore patched, faded greens and carried a woodman's axe and throwing knives.
Seeing Ser Brynden, Tom's eyes hardened in loathing, clearly displeased to see the man.
"Ser Brynden ... We meet again," He said without hiding his annoyance.
"Again?" Brynden asked, arching an eyebrow as he couldn't recall ever seeing that bard.
"I once wanted to try my luck in Vale, but Lady Lysa led me through the High Road, where the clans of the Mountains of the Moon stole my gold, my horse and even my clothes. I finally reached the Gates of the Blood with nothing but my harp; the guards made me sing two songs before letting me pass, "He said, unable to hide the hatred and indignation in his voice.
Hearing Tom's story and for a moment forgetting his purpose, Brynden did the only possible thing he could do after hearing such a tale.
He laughed ... He laughed out loud as he struggled to hold back the tears that came from his eyes.
He had not been present when that happened, but he did receive news from his guards; he did not know that the bard to whom they did that was the same one who had humiliated his nephew.