Raventree Hall

[Percy Rivers]

Edmure looked into Rhodri's face, and let out a cough that rattled his lungs, "No, I-I do not." He inclined his face to the maester, "I come from Riverrun. I left after the Ironborn razed it."

[Lord Rhodri Arryn]

"And what of the Ironborn? Where have they gone?" Rhodri asks.

[Horas]

"You left after they razed it? We'd heard every man, woman, and child was slaughtered once the Greyjoys took the castle. How did you survive?" the maester asks.

A hot bowl of broth is brought before them, and the maester tilts it to Edmure's lips when he is ready.

[Percy Rivers]

"Oh gods, forgive me, I was the one sent by Callen to ensure the Ironborn's loyalty to him. When they said that they would support Callen they took that as permission to raid the Riverlands under his name." He coughed again and spluttered the hot soup all over himself.

[Horas]

The room seems to grow colder. 'Ironborn' is not a popular word in the Riverlands these days.

Without warning, one of the Blackwood guards savagely kicks Edmure in the ribs. "My cousins were at Riverrun, you bastard," he snarls in a low voice. None of the Blackwoods make any move to restrain or discipline the guard, though the maester looks a little shocked.

[Percy Rivers]

Edmure keeled over and vomited over the ground, and started muttering to himself again, still delirious from his ordeal outside. "Oh gods forgive me, I should never have trusted them, I should have known they would do this. Ask them for loyalty and they'll stab you in the back." He reached for his knife and tried to plunge it into his own heart, but could not hold it steady enough.

[Horas]

With his father still on his way back home and his older brother out in the field, Ryan Blackwood is the castellan of Raventree Hall. He stares down at the pathetic seaman for a moment, then says,

"Take this man to a bed. And take his knife away -- I won't have him kill himself in these halls."

A pair of guards haul Edmure to his feet, caring little for his comfort, and lead him away. The maester trails in their wake, still holding the half empty bowl of soup.

[Lord Rhodri Arryn]

With Edmure removed to rest, Rhodri turns to Ryan Blackwood and mentions the betrothal. "Perhaps I should meet and pay my respects to my future good-cousin?" he asks.

[Horas]

Ryan nods absently, his mind still on Edmure. "You'll find Taria over there," he gestures across the hall, "with her ladies."

On the far side of the hall is a cluster of women engrossed in conversation. All seem in good humor, and none seem to have noticed Rhodri.

[Lord Rhodri Arryn]

Lord Rhodri Arryn crosses the hall with noble bearing. As he approaches, he says to the assembled women, "I was hoping to be introduced to Lady Taria Blackwood. I am Rhodri, the Lord Arryn of the Eyrie," and bows.

[Horas]

"Oh! You must be Lord Jon's cousin!" one of the women gushes. Plainer and plumper than her younger sister, but not entirely uncomely, Taria Blackwood stands. Raven-black hair falls in ringlets around her shoulders. "You must tell me all about him. I am ever so eager to meet him," she blushes. "Is he as gallant as the singers say?"

[Lord Rhodri Arryn]

"He is gallant indeed. The finest sword in the Vale save only Lord Wyndham. I admit I have always admired and envied his skill, and I see that I have cause to envy him once more," Rhodri says gallantly.

[Percy Rivers]

The maester's boy came trudging down the stairs, a notice in clutched in his hands. His face grew red as he handed it to Rhodri. "I'm sorry my lord, I read it, it-it says your the Hand now."

[Horas]

Taria swoons, and her ladies giggle behind her. "I will be the best wife I can be to Lord Jon. Do you think it would be too presumptious to greet him in a dress of bronze silk?" Taria asks the question as if there is not a more important issue in all of Westeros.

[Lord Rhodri Arryn]

"I, yes, -" Rhodri is distracted by the news. "Bronze would be best. It is the color of ou-, of his house."

Hand. I said I did not want to be Hand. But if it has come here by raven, he must have announced it to the court. There is no backing out now.

"Lad, messages to the Rookery should always be delivered to the Lord of the House. The Maester, and his ravens, are in his service, not mine. But thank you for the courtesy, and I shall convey this to the Castellan."

Rhodri straightens his back, and looks back at the women. "Mi'ladies, please, let me know if you have any more questions on Lord Jon or life at Runestone. But for the moment, I must speak with the Castellan."

As Rhodri crosses the hall, he sees Eddard Tully, the Black Turtle, and nods in respect.