Chapter 2
Unsurprisingly, Maester Vyman was in the highest tower of the castle. He also looked none too pleased with my new plans for the guard. He had enlisted the steward, a sour looking old man named Utherydes Wayn, in his attempt to convince me to give up my folly.
As Vyman launched into another long winded and convoluted explanation as to why my plan was unfeasible, I finally decided to cut in. "Maester, I understand the concerns, truly I do. But I'm not asking for your opinion on whether it should be done, I'm asking whether we have the funds to do it."
Vyman gave a smile that was likely supposed to be grandfatherly, but came off closer to condescending. "Lord Edmure, I know this is a trying time for you with your father. I know you feel you need to step into his boots. But a folly such as this is not the answer. Your father did not make his name from being rash or headstrong. We are only here to give you advice, we only want to help you. You don't want your first action in your father's name to be one that undermines the reputation of house Tully."
"Maester. I hear your advice, but my role is to make these hard decisions. Yours is to advise me in how best to implement those decisions." A little rude perhaps, but we had been going in circles for the last hour.
Vyman didn't like that answer though, and the grandfatherly smile became notably strained. And was that a flash of anger in his eyes? "Lord Edmure. I am merely an adviser and a servant to the Lord of Riverrun. I seek to help the lord govern, to be the lord's support. The lord. I serve Lord Hoster, and I cannot think he would support such a rash move."
"You serve house Tully Maester. And I am speaking for house Tully. Now. Can it be done." Yes, I was out of patience with him.
I could feel tension building in the air. I didn't remember Vyman being portrayed with so much spine in the books, but he was definitely determined to stop me. Finally he cleared his throat. "Lord Edmure, your question on funding is complicated. There are many variables…"
There was a dry cough to our left and I started. I had forgotten Utherydes was in the room too. The gaunt man slowly slid a large tomb across the table, and puckered his lips as he inserted himself into the conversation. "Lord Edmure. The accounts. Your lord father's stewardship has seen the Riverlands flourish." A withered finger traced down the ledger book, Vyman's and my own eyes following it. I wasn't quite sure what currency in Westeros bought, but that sure looked like a lot.
"We have enough then?"
A smile as dry as his cough, and Utherydes continued. "In the short term my lord. Even with the most generous estimates, we should be able to meet your needs and demands. The Riverlands may lack the wealth of the Lannisters, but it is still prosperous, especially with the long summer. Whether it will be sustainable in the long term to maintain, feed, and cloth such a force is another matter. We could certainly maintain it for a few years, but I would have concerns that in winter the cost would outstrip our resources significantly, and in a few years…"
"Ahem" Vyman cut the man off with a scathing look before turning back to me. "As I said Lord Edmure, not feasible."
He was getting on my last nerves. "Enough Maester. The steward was talking. My god man, stop with the complaints and try to be constructive."
Vyman seemed to be puffing up in anger as I talked, but then froze. He cocked his head, looking for all the world like a bird that had just spotted something shiny or unusual. "My god? What god is that Lord Edmure?"
Damn. That had just slipped out. Damn my American vernacular. I desperately searched my head for an explanation that would fit with what I knew of Westeros. Why did he pick up on that? Why did he care?
"Ahh. Maester." I quickly put on a pious face. "As I'm sure you know, the seven are often viewed simply as aspects of one god. Considering that, the term seems most appropriate."
Vyman was still eying me with oddly. "Yes. The Seven-As-One. I had not realized you had such an interest in theology my lord."
"Yes well. Be that as it may. Let us not sidetrack" I turned back to Utherydes. "We can clearly cover the cost, so we will. Please provide Ser Desmond with the funds he will need, and if any other concerns come up let me know immediately."
The steward gave a short bow. "Yes my lord. And if I may say, it is good to see you stepping into your role so decisively." I was vaguely amused by the comment. There was a man who clearly knew it was smart to be in the graces of the soon to be lord.
As the steward made his way out, Vyman quickly refocused on me. "My lord, I don't mean to retread this. But your father would not approve of such rash actions, a strong lord must think of the long term."
Truth was, Vyman would likely be right if I didn't have the advantage of hindsight. I'm sure a guard of the size I was envisioning was pretty unpractical in a feudal society like Westeros. But I wasn't thinking long term. Between the coming war and the wintry apocalypse, the Riverlands going bankrupt in five or six years was low priority. Knowing what was coming, having that extra cadre of armed troops was well worth wasting some coin that would otherwise end up in Lannister or Frey hands.
Vyman was going to be a problem though, I could tell. I'm sure in some ways he was a very responsible Maester, but besides from being nosy and suspicious he seemed to view Edmure as a snot nosed kid who couldn't be trusted with his father's car keys. Or his father's castle in this case. And since I was now Edmure, that posed a problem. I sensed he was a bit sneaky as well. Hadn't it been him that 'accidentally' read Cersie's letter to Jaime at one point? Plus, his loyalty was clearly to my father, not myself. Something needed to be done. But how do you get rid of a Maester? I couldn't just send him away, especially when he was treating my father's illness. Hmm. Or at least not without a replacement.
"Enough Maester." Time to explore this idea a bit. "That topic is settled. But while I have you here, I'm hoping you could write to the Citadel."
If Vyman had been wary before, he was twice as wary now. "The Citadel Lord Edmure?"
I nodded firmly. "Yes. I want you to ask if they can send an additional Maester to Riverrun." I held up my hand to stall his surprised outburst. "No worries Vyman, you have been doing a fine job. I appreciate all you have been doing for father. But with father so sick, and now all the work I am putting on your lap with the Guard expanding, I think we could use the help. A young new Maester, someone to help ease the burdens you don't have time for." And with any luck, once we had a new Maester, ease Vyman out the door.
He seemed to guess at some of my thoughts though, because he was looking at me with those suspicious eyes again. "That is highly unusual My Lord. I assure you there is no need…"
I cut him off with a raised hand. "It is no criticism of you Maester. We could simply use the extra help, and I do not think the Citadel would balk at sending the Lords Paramount of the Riverlands another Maester to help. I know Lord Stannis currently has two Maesters."
Vyman looked taken aback at that. "Lord Stannis? I don't… how do you… that is I wasn't aware the Citadel had sent Lord Stannis a second Maester."
"Be that as it may, they have. And therefore they can surely spare us one as well. Please write to them immediately."
Vyman gave a hesitant incline of his head that seemed to signal agreement, and I took that as my cue. With a lordly nod back, I was out the door and heading down those stairs.
—
It was later that afternoon and I was enjoying a mid-day meal of some heavy bread and roasted river trout. The Tully kitchens were excellent, though so far the menu was heavy on fish. It mildly amused me to imagine that the Tullys ate their own sigil pretty much every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. That aside though, things seemed to finally be going well. Not to jinx it, but the word about the changes to the guard had been sent out, I hadn't heard anything else from Vyman, and the castle was humming.
Of course, I should have known better than to think that, because as soon as those words entered my head I saw a large, old, bald man stomping down the great hall with a thunderous look on his face. Worse, the two Tully Guardsmen standing behind me, my supposed protection, seemed to be shrinking back instead of confronting the old man. It would have been almost comical if the old guy hadn't looked so angry.
"Lord Edmure!" He was practically thundering as he stood in front of me. "Lord Edmure." He took a huge breath and looked like he was about to launch into tirade, when he noticed the two Tully Guards practically quivering behind me. "Perhaps we could speak in privacy?"
Who was this guy? I suppose if he was going to murder me these two behind me were clearly not going to stop him, so I gave a nod of agreement.
The old guy immediately pivoted to face the two guardsmen more directly. "Jemm! Perse! Are you mice or guards of Riverrun?" The two guards managed to straighten up under his barking voice and fierce glare. "You heard his lordship. Get going, and I expect to see you in the training yard at third bell."
"Yes, Captain." That was Jemm.
Perse gave a rough bow. "Yes, Ser Ryger."
Shit! This was the Ser Ryger that Desmond had been going on about before? I eyed him warily, mind racing, as the two guards beat a hasty retreat. They had called him captain. It was starting to make sense why Desmond had been so shocked I was talking to him. And why he had kept bringing up that Ryger person when I talked about expanding the guard.
Ryger waited until the two guardsmen were out of hearing range, before pivoting back to me. "Lord Edmure."
"Ser Ryger."
"I've known you since you were a boy. I've served your father for over thirty years. Since I was a boy myself."
"Ser…"
Ryger powered right over me. He must be truly upset, I think he was the first person at Riverrun to actually cut me off. "I've given my life in service to House Tully. I've served as Captain of the Guard for twenty years. And now… and now…"
"Ser…"
His face was starting to turn beet red, and now he looked less angry and more like a dog I had kicked. "Have I failed you in some way Edmure? Do you no longer wish me as Captain of The Guard?"
Man, I had really stuck my foot in it. I wasn't feeling scared anymore so much as I was feeling like a total jerk. This guy had clearly given his whole life to House Tully, and known Edmure since he was a little kid. It must have looked like I was taking over and shoving him out the door. That I didn't trust him with my big ambitious plans for the guard. I knew what it was like to work years for a company and then feel like they were just pushing you aside for a newer model. I could feel guilt rising up in the pit of my stomach.
As he looked about to start up again, I quickly raised a hand to forestall him. "Ser Ryger." I wish I knew his first name to make this a bit more intimate. "Ser Ryger. I think there's been some misunderstanding. No. I know there has been. As you stand here, I realize how this must look. I blame my own inexperience." Sometimes it was just best to own up to it when you screwed up. "I had been meaning to talk to you, but had not been able to find you in the yard. Yes, I have some grand plans for the guard, but I in no way am unsatisfied with your service. I apologize for the confusion."
That seemed to have taken some of the wind out of his sails. At my apology the red leaked out of his face and he looked a bit less likely to keel over in front of me. "Lord Edmure. There is no need to apologize. It's just. When Desmond told me you had tasked him with recruiting and training the guard…"
I took my lordly privilege to cut him off. Indeed, I even placed a hand on his arm. I'm not sure why, it just seemed the right thing to do. "Again I apologize Ser. This is my own inexperience showing. And exactly why I need men as loyal as you around. As Master of Arms, Desmond seemed the logical person to go to for training and recruiting. However, I did not in any way mean to undercut you. The new guard will still be yours to lead. Indeed, if it grows to the size I anticipate your role will only grow too. I want Desmond to focus on recruiting so you can focus on leading. On forging the guard into a suitable force. I know I'm the man I am today in part because of your training and mentor-ship." Was I laying it on too thick? Probably. Best to scale it back. "I know I can count on you to work with Ser Desmond on this, and to help me with the guard."
That seemed to be the right response, because Ryger had completed his transformation from angry and humiliated to looking proud and pleased. "No, Lord Edmure. No need to apologize. I'm sorry. It was completely inappropriate for me to react like that. I'm… I'm honored you have this sort of trust in me. I won't let you down."
I gave him a hearty slap on the back. "I know you won't. And I want you to start thinking about how we should best arm and train this new guard. Talk with Desmond. I want some heavy infantry. Swordsmen, but perhaps some pikes as well? I trust you fully to come up with the right solution."
Ryger nodded eagerly, a small smile on his face now. "You have the right idea. Ser Desmond said you were thinking of two thousand men?" His round face took on a somewhat eager, foxy, cadence. "We'll make them the envy of Westeros my lord. I'll start thinking about which of the men we can promote to sergeants. And I'll talk to the armorer. But can you imagine the sight of that many proud Tully guards?"
Well here was finally one man I didn't have to sell on the idea of growing the guard. He seemed positively enraptured. Just then though, I noticed Maester Vyman had entered the hall, and was clearly trying to catch my attention. My eyes turned back to Ryger who, reassured I was not firing him, and excited about essentially getting a blank check from me, was waxing on about his ideas.
"Ser Ryger," I cut him off as politely as I could. "I leave this in your and Ser Desmond's capable hands." I nodded my head towards the Maester, indicating my need to consult with him. With a few more 'my lords' Ryger exited the room as loudly as he had entered, though in much better spirits.
One crisis averted, I headed over to Vyman, who was looking far too pleased with himself for my liking. "Maester Vyman. You were looking for me?"
He bowed his head, hands hidden in his sleeves as the smugness fairly radiated off him. "Yes, my lord."
I eyed him warily. I'd only known him a short while, but based on our interactions I didn't think he was so happy about anything I had done. The sooner I could ease him out the better. Speaking of which... "Were you able to send the letter to the Citadel"
The smug expression left his face for a second before returning. "Yes Lord Edmure, a raven was sent this morning."
"Well, what can I do for you Maester?"
And now the smug expression was back twice as strong. "I come from Lord Hoster. Your father..."
I didn't like the sound of this. "He is well?"
"As well as can be in his condition." A sorrowful expression that I would have sworn was false on his face, Vyman continued. "He is most distressed Lord Edmure. This sort of stress is not good in his condition."
I really didn't like the sound of this. "Distressed?"
Now the smugness was radiating from Vyman like a small sun. "He is most concerned with some of the going-ons in his" an emphasis on his "castle. He asked to speak with you at once Lord Edmure. He was most insistent I fetch you to his Solar immediately"
Vyman just continued to flash that damned satisfied smile as he turned around, leading me towards Lord Hoster's study.