Tyrion rode unsteadily on horseback, feverish.
Early this morning Aunt Genna and Uncle Emmon had arrived at Darry, bearing news of Daven. His cousin had set out from Golden Tooth and was likely already at Riverrun by now.
All the way he had eaten oranges Sansa peeled for him and sipped a brew of orange peel and willow bark, which meant he had to dismount every so often to relieve himself.
After many stops they reached Riverrun as evening closed in.
...
The encampment besieging Riverrun was vast, like a makeshift town. Much as when Jaime Lannister had laid siege, it was neatly divided into three wide quarters. Each sector stood alone yet was linked by planned roads to keep troop movements and supplies flowing.
Within the camps a riot of banners snapped in the wind: the Maiden's Banner of House Piper, the black-and-white quartered flags of the two Houses Vance, the red salmon of House Mooton. Eighty percent of House Tully's vassals had already switched sides. Whether by choice or compulsion no outsider could say; you could only read hints in those silent standards.
Of course there were also the golden lion of House Lannister and the twin towers of House Frey.
Tyrion ordered his party to the camp on the south bank of the Red Fork where the lion flew. Its commander was Daven Lannister.
"Daven, I did not expect you here first," Tyrion said, lifting the flap. "How goes the siege?"
"Ha!" Daven's face brightened. "What have we here, cousin? You look flushed, like a red lion."
"An endless siege. The Blackfish sits in the castle and we sit outside. I have only been here two days." Ser Daven pulled up a folding chair and waved him down.
"The Tullys have decided to play turtle and have not met us in battle. House Frey, for their part, are more nuisance than threat. Take Ryman—he does nothing but drink. Edwyn is worse; not as fat as his father, but his belly is full of rotten water. A proper scumbag."
"What started this?" Tyrion asked.
"Ryman set up a gallows. Every morning he hauls Edmure Tully up, ropes his neck and threatens to hang their Great Lord unless the castle yields. The Blackfish treats it as a joke. Edmure is hauled up at dawn and brought down at dusk. Oh, and did you know Edmure's wife is with child?"
An empty threat only makes your enemy scorn you.
"What? After the Red Wedding Edmure still had time for that?" Tyrion said, bewildered.
"He took her at the Red Wedding itself. Roslin is a sweet thing, not at all like a weasel. Strangely, she has grown fond of Edmure. Pyren overheard her praying for a daughter."
Perwyn was a Frey who had not taken part in the Red Wedding. He was Roslin's brother. Tyrion thought for a moment.
"I see. If Edmure fathers a son, Lord Walder will not need him. Then you could hang Edmure?"
Sansa begged me not to do that.
Lord Gawen Westerling was firmly opposed. His wife was held inside the castle by the Blackfish along with their three children. He feared that if House Frey hanged Edmure, the Tullys would take revenge on him. His daughter had once been the Young Wolf's wife.
Tyrion had never met Jeyne Westerling, but he guessed she must have been beautiful, for she alone had toppled a kingdom.
"Brynden Tully would never harm a child," Tyrion assured his cousin. "He may be called the Blackfish, but his heart is not black." He began to understand why the stalemate persisted. "Tell me your plans."
"The castle is surrounded on all sides. Ser Lyman Frey and House Frey's men hold north of the Stone River, reinforced by the Three-River lords who defected after the Red Wedding—though many of them are unhappy. Luckily their resentment has stayed bottled up so far. My main camp lies between the Red Rivers, facing the moat and Riverrun's gates. The south bank of the Red Fork is ours.
We've built a dam across the Red Fork downstream from the castle. Manfryd Yew and Raynard Ruttiger are in charge of it to make sure no one slips away by water. I've also given them a few fishing nets to catch extra fish in their spare time."
"This arrangement sounds sound," Tyrion said. "So we can starve Riverrun into submission?"
"The Blackfish has already driven out all nonessential people and stripped the surrounding fields. His stores should last two full years."
"And us?"
"As long as there are fish in the river we can hold. What of the horses, though? I don't know. The Freys keep sending supplies from The Twins, but Ser Ryman says he can't even feed his own men and wants us to find our own. Half the men I sent to gather provisions never came back—some deserted, some were found hanged in trees."
"The supply parties?" Tyrion laughed. "I took out two Frey parties. Has that affected your rations?"
"Probably not," Daven replied. "Per your orders, I'd stockpiled early and cut troop numbers. But the Three-River lords are different; they're grumbling. I expect they'll scatter before long."
"I want to negotiate with the Blackfish."
"I don't think negotiation will work."
"I'll offer him generous terms," Tyrion said. "Sansa is my wife. The Blackfish has no reason to keep fighting me."
"I know. You're Lord of Harrenhal, Warden of the Riverlands, and married to Sansa. You and Tully are kin," Daven said. "But if you do this, House Frey will withdraw at once."
"Other lords will back me, so long as Tully bends the knee."
"Enough, my lord." Daven rose and poured a cup of wine for Tyrion. "With what would they support you? Peasants' corpses? Burned fields? When you sent for me I thought we were taking Riverrun."
"I've given up wine," Tyrion said, pushing the cup away. "I'll strike a deal with the Blackfish. I won't rush to take Riverrun. I'll keep the Freys at the castle and drive them apart."
"A sound plan," Daven nodded. "We mustn't rush. If we show our hand too soon the Three-River lords will watch us and the Freys tear each other apart. Their hatred of us lions is no less than their hatred of the weasels."
"Keep this quiet," Tyrion added, rising. "We must not become pawns in the Three Rivers' balance. When we reveal our hand it must be decisive."
"Agreed," Daven said. "Shall I arrange a meeting with the Blackfish?"
"The sooner, the better."
...
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