"My brother is a great man. But when it comes to his youngest son, he is blind as a mole," Genna sighed. "Let's talk about something more cheerful. Tell me about Margaery—what kind of person and queen she is, how she cares for you and helps you. I'm so sorry I couldn't attend your wedding, Joffrey. I would be very pleased if you would tell me about it in detail…"
The human mind is a curious thing. Not long ago, I had ended up in Westeros, and it so happened that from the very first days I was surrounded mostly by Lannisters. I watched how they lived, how they thought, how they intrigued, how they loved and hated, and I saw both their strengths and their weaknesses. And now I had taken their side myself, and somehow—imperceptibly, yet quite naturally—I had begun to regard their interests, sorrows, and joys as my own. In this world, every great house has its virtues and its vices, but because I had come to feel sympathy for the Lannisters and to associate myself with their House, it was their—or rather, our—strengths and weaknesses that now seemed the most compelling…
After dinner, Jaime immediately took the bull by the horns and ordered the Freys to hand over the prisoner, Edmure Tully, to the king.
"Lord Commander, but he is our prisoner," Ryman objected timidly, and his son nodded just as timidly.
"So what?" Jaime snapped. "You've been idling away for months, accomplishing nothing. It forced both the king and me to march here. The prisoner is ours now, and we shall resolve the matter as we see fit."
Ryman muttered something under his breath, and Jaime, who had already turned away, spun back to face him.
"And another thing—we've heard rumors that every day you drag Tully out to the ramparts and pretend you're about to hang him. What the fuck is all this nonsense?"
"It's a demonstration," Ryman tried to justify himself. "We hoped it would break the spirit of the besieged and force the castle to surrender."
"Scum…" Jaime muttered through clenched teeth and shook his head. "So much for your progress. Here's the deal — the prisoner will be here in two hours."
Ryman looked at me with a confused, wounded expression.
"Do as you are told," I said with a frown.
"Yes, Your Majesty," he nodded, bowed, and left, accompanied by his son.
"Damn ferrets," Daven's voice rumbled, thick with contempt. "I didn't like their antics either, but the place swarmed with Freys. It wasn't in my interest to quarrel with them, straighten them out, or start seizing their prisoner. They could have taken offense and withdrawn their troops, and then I wouldn't have had enough men for a proper siege."
Jaime went off to negotiate with the Blackfish. He didn't allow me to accompany him, saying it would be unacceptable for the king's prestige.
We remained in the tent. The Freys and the other lords departed, leaving only me, Daven, and Genna. The old woman began by praising Lord Tywin and me for the fact that Riverrun was not going to her.
"That is very wise, Your Majesty. My idiot rejoiced, blubbering over this castle, never bothering to think of what would come next."
"It's good to see that you understand that."
"I have always considered Riverrun too dangerous a gift, Joffrey," she said. "The Tullys and the Arryns would inevitably lay claim to it, and the river lords would start stirring up trouble. But Darry Castle—that will be just right!"
"So it shall be, Grandmother." I smiled, beckoned Jacob Liddon, took the royal decree, and handed it to her. "From this day forth, Darry and all its lands shall pass to you and your descendants forever."
"That's wonderful!" The woman was genuinely delighted, proving that she was guided by reason rather than blind ambition, unlike many of the Freys "I'll go gladden my husband," she sniffed with a little scoff and departed the tent.
Jaime returned an hour later, and from his composed yet sullen expression, Daven and I immediately understood that he had heard nothing good.
"The Blackfish is as tough as dried horse shit," Daven grinned."So what did he tell you?"
"He said he doesn't give a damn who we execute beneath the walls—whether it's his half-witted nephew, the king himself, or the Seven. He won't surrender the castle," Jaime said, sitting down on a bench and studying me thoughtfully. "And he doesn't care how long the siege lasts, even if it drags on until next Winter."
"Then it's time we spoke with Lord Tully," I said. "Everything is unfolding exactly as we expected."
"Care to enlighten me?" Daven asked.
"Of course." I nodded to Jaime, and he began to outline our plans to kinsman.
Daven Lannister settled himself comfortably at the table, reached for a barrel of wine, drove a dagger into the bottom, loosened the staves, and began to pour the dark liquid into a large silver jug. He filled three massive goblets, handed one to me, left the second on the table for Jaime, and took the third himself.
"I'm in charge of the wine," Daven declared, taking a deep draught and emptying half the goblet in a single swallow.
(End of Chapter)
P@treon: /SadRaven
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I apologize, I just noticed that chapter 84 wasn't posted. Apparently there was some kind of glitch with Webnovel, since all the chapters are set to automatic posting for me.
In any case, it's fixed!