A Game of Thrones 4-Book Bundle

curious sort of lady, at least he had the grace not to say
so.
    â€œBrienne was with Renly when he was killed, as was I,” said Catelyn, “but we
had no part in his death.” She did not care to speak of the shadow, here in
the open with men all around, so she waved a hand at the bodies. “Who are
these men you’ve hanged?”
    Edmure glanced up uncomfortably. “They came with Ser Cleos when he brought the
queen’s answer to our peace offer.”
    Catelyn was shocked. “You’ve killed
envoys?
”
    â€œFalse envoys,” Edmure declared. “They pledged me their peace and
surrendered their weapons, so I allowed them freedom of the castle, and for
three nights they ate my meat and drank my mead whilst I talked with Ser Cleos.
On the fourth night, they tried to free the Kingslayer.” He pointed up. “That
big brute killed two guards with naught but those ham hands of his, caught them
by the throats and smashed their skulls together while that skinny lad beside
him was opening Lannister’s cell with a bit of wire, gods curse him. The one on
the end was some sort of damned mummer. He used my own voice to command that
the River Gate be opened. The guardsmen swear to it, Enger and Delp and Long
Lew, all three. If you ask me, the man sounded nothing like me, and yet the
oafs were raising the portcullis all the same.”
    This was the Imp’s work, Catelyn suspected; it stank of the same sort of
cunning he had displayed at the Eyrie. Once, she would have named Tyrion the
least dangerous of the Lannisters. Now she was not so certain. “How is it you
caught them?”
    â€œAh, as it happened, I was not in the castle. I’d crossed the
Tumblestone to, ah . . .”
    â€œYou were whoring or wenching. Get on with the tale.”
    Edmure’s cheeks flamed as red as his beard. “It was the hour before dawn, and
I was only then returning. When Long Lew saw my boat and recognized me, he
finally thought to wonder who was standing below barking commands, and raised a
cry.”
    â€œTell me the Kingslayer was retaken.”
    â€œYes, though not easily. Jaime got hold of a sword, slew Poul Pemford and Ser
Desmond’s squire Myles, and wounded Delp so badly that Maester Vyman fears
he’ll soon die as well. It was a bloody mess. At the sound of steel, some of
the other red cloaks rushed to join him, barehand or no. I hanged those beside
the four who freed him, and threw the rest in the dungeons. Jaime too. We’ll
have no more escapes from that one. He’s down in the dark this time, chained
hand and foot and bolted to the wall.”
    â€œAnd Cleos Frey?”
    â€œHe swears he knew naught of the plot. Who can say? The man is half Lannister,
half Frey, and all liar. I put him in Jaime’s old tower cell.”
    â€œYou say he brought terms?”
    â€œIf you can call them that. You’ll like them no more than I did, I
promise.”
    â€œCan we hope for no help from the south, Lady Stark?” asked Utherydes Wayn,
her father’s steward. “This charge of incest . . . Lord Tywin
does not suffer such slights lightly. He will seek to

wash the stain from his daughter’s name with the blood of her accuser, Lord
Stannis must see that. He has no choice but to make common cause with
us.”
    Stannis has made common cause with a power greater and darker.
“Let
us speak of these matters later.” Catelyn trotted over the drawbridge, putting
the grisly row of dead Lannisters behind her. Her brother kept pace. As
they rode out into the bustle of Riverrun’s upper bailey, a naked toddler ran
in front of the horses. Catelyn jerked her reins hard to avoid him, glancing
about in dismay. Hundreds of smallfolk had been admitted to the castle, and
allowed to erect crude shelters against the walls. Their children were
everywhere underfoot, and the yard teemed with their cows, sheep, and chickens.
“Who are all these folk?”
    â€œMy people,” Edmure answered. “They were afraid.”
    Only my sweet brother would crowd all these useless mouths into a castle
that might soon be under siege.
Catelyn knew that Edmure had a soft heart;
sometimes she thought his head was even softer. She loved him for it, yet
still . . .
    â€œCan Robb be reached by raven?”
    â€œHe’s in the field, my lady,” Ser Desmond replied.