Chapter 28 — "The Road South"
Jon Arryn found him in the small courtyard off the eastern wall after the prize giving.
Not in the hall where the celebration was loud and warm and full of lords wanting to talk.
He looked at Alaric for a moment.
"Sit," he said.
They sat on the courtyard bench with the autumn light going thin around them and the celebration noise carrying over the wall like weather.
"I have read a great many reports about you," Jon Arryn said. "From the Blackfish. From Lord Edwyn. From Lord Royce. From Lord Eddard Stark." He paused. "And they have proven themselves correct as you achieved a great thing."
Alaric said nothing.
"You are leaving the Vale."
"Aye, it's been three years . I think I have enough of the mountains."
"Stay away from the Lannisters." Flat. Without elaboration. " They are quite pissed at you . As Merchants are now coming at Vale more, it it means less merchants and trades for them and " Jon couldn't complete
Alaric smiled " Lanisters always pay thier debt and whatever they says "
Jon Arryn sighed " Why are you like your father this much. Learn from your Uncle a bit. Lord Tywin Lannister isn't a man to be trifled with . So be careful."
Alacric nodded but wasn't afraid much though a bit worried as Starks and Lanisters already doesn't have a very good relationship. As His uncle Eddard Stark disapproves the ways of Lord Tywin. This could led to a rivalry if not resolved in a good way.
"The king wants to meet you," Jon Arryn said.
" Really? Why? I know my Uncle and he are friends but I know he won't care for a bastard like me regardless."
"Lord Royce. The Blackfish letters implied something" A pause. " I relayed it. It's a pleasure for his grace to witness young ones achieve as much as you . It thrills him. So if you ever come by King's Landing. Do come and meet him" Jon Arryn said as political correct and nicely way he could that would save the dignity of his foster child.
"When I reach King's Landing I'll come."
"See that you do." Jon Arryn paused. "Robert has been in a particular mood for some time.Be careful with that. Robert's attention is not always comfortable to have."
"I'll survive. I think ." He japed.
Jon Arryn looked at him for a long moment.
"Lord Edwyn speaks of great , The man is a miser when it comes to singing praises." he said. "Lord Royce speaks of you as the best military investment the Vale has made in a generation. Lord Eddard Stark speaks of you in his letters the way men speak of things they are proud of and afraid for simultaneously." He paused. "I tell you this not to flatter you. I tell you because those are three different kinds of trust from three different kinds of men and all of them have been earned." He held Alaric's eyes. "Blackfish offered you a job . Take it. It would be a great job and honour."
But he got silence in return.
At the courtyard entrance he stopped and shook his head
He left.
Alaric sat alone for a moment.
Then he went to find Edwyn.
He found him an hour later.
They sat together.
"You leave tomorrow," Edwyn said.
"Aye, thanks for taking care of me for three years."
Another silence.
Edwyn looked at his cup. Then at the sky. Then at nothing in particular.
"When you came to me," he said. "Three years ago. Through the Bloody Gate. You were thirteen years old and you had a look on your face that I recognised."
Alaric waited.
"My father had that look," Edwyn said. "When he was young. Before the Vale made him into what it needed him to be." He paused. "It's the look of someone who has more inside them than the place they're in can hold."
"I didn't know what to do with you at first," Edwyn said. "Ned sent me a boy. A difficult boy. With Brandon's blood running too hot and Ned's honour sitting on top of it like a lid on something that was going to come off eventually." He almost smiled. "I thought — what am I supposed to do with this."
"What did you do," Alaric said smiling
"I gave you work," Edwyn said. "It's what mountain country does. It gives things work until the work makes them into what they actually are." He was quiet for a moment. "I think it worked pretty good."
Alaric smiled " aye, It worked," he said.
Edwyn nodded once.
He drank from his cup.
"Your father," he said. "Brandon. I knew him. Not well — he was older and wilder and had no particular interest in quiet men from cadet branches in the Vale. But I knew him enough." He paused. "He would have liked you. Not been proud of you the way Ned is proud of you. Liked you. The way men like things that remind them of themselves."
Alaric said nothing as he is always compared with his father , it always ticked the wrong way .
"And Ned," Edwyn said. "Ned has been proud of you since the day you arrived. He just — you know how Ned is."
"I know how Lord Stark is," Alaric said.
"You talked to him," Alaric continued
"We correspond," Edwyn said. Which was not quite a yes and was not quite a no and was very Edwyn.
He stood.
Put his hand on Alaric's shoulder. Briefly. The grip of a man saying something through physical contact that he had apparently decided not to say any other way.
Then he removed it.
He walked back toward the hall.
Alaric watched him go
Next Morning
Harys rode up alongside him as the Bronze Gate fell behind them.
"Well, what's next " he said eventually.
"Well," Alaric said.
"The Reach , it is rich, tourneys , big and lot of grunt work for people like us " Alacric said grinning"
"You know," Harys said. "When you arrived at the Gate three years ago I thought — this is going to be a problem."
Alaric looked at him.
"A problem specifically for me," Harys said. "Because I could see what you were going to be and I thought — that is going to be expensive to be beside."
"Was it," Alaric said smiling
Harys grinned and said
"Worth it," he said. "We have earned much more than we spend and we spend good. So it's been fucking Great."
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