Blood of Dragons

The evening before the wedding tourney, the Maidenvault, once a place of tears, indignities, and princely ire, welcomed the royal House and the scions of Oldtown and Riverrun for a feast celebrating Ser Jon Hightower and Lady Lysa Tully.

The high table outdid all prior festivities. King Aegon, Queen Naerys, Prince Daeron, Princesses Mariah and Elaena, Prince Aemon and two of his sworn brothers, the Hand Lord Bracken, and Lady Bethany all graced it. Any murmurs prompted by the seating were soon drowned beneath delicacies, wine, and minstrels’ tunes.

The evening’s unusual diversion was a contest of riddles, arranged by the ladies for the knights to solve. The prize was the riddler’s first dance. Lady Tully began with a riddle of age, solved by Ser Omrys Baratheon. Ser Jon Roxton discerned that Lady Hightower’s concerned wit. Lady Halanna Bracken’s proved the hardest, until Lord Ryger found the answer: wine.

Young Nerys Hill offered a brow-tilter concerning Lord and Lady Hightower’s skillful toil, drawing keen eyes toward her father and reviving old whispers around House Prester and Lord Hightower’s ailing sister Lynesse. The mood passed when Arwen Westerling’s riddle of smoke was solved by Ser Jorin Darry.

After plates upon plates came the centerpieces: a massive gilt-adorned meat pie, roasted peacocks, and great salmon. The Beesbury brothers, Sers Arros and Nicol, earned praise for a honeyed wine tap fashioned after the Hightower itself. It was eagerly emptied, along with many other jugs, as the company raised its spirits in defiance of weather growing ever fouler.

The following day, cold rain and fickle mud could not dim the wedding tourney of Houses Hightower and Tully. Five-score knights rode beneath the banners of tower and trout, while the court gathered to watch the bride’s chosen champions and every other contender test his lance.

Ser Bradwell Hightower, Ser Brynden Tully, Ser Dermett Corbray, and Ser Jorin Darry began as Lady Lysa’s four champions, standing undefeated well into the joust. Fortune, however, is never constant. Fell and Royce swiftly bested the elder two heirs; Ser Roland Hunter replaced the son of Riverrun; and Darry, victor of the betrothal tourney moons before, held longer before parting from his saddle.

Others earned their praise without the dignity of the bride’s favor. Ser Ryam Greyjoy, Pyke’s cast-off and now Oldtown’s captain of the guard, rode with the strength of a man whose withered leg had not conquered his spirit. He won a champion’s place from Runestone and held at bay Balian Blackwood, Ser Aldus Ashford, and Ser Ryckon Westerling before conceding when swords succeeded lances.

The Hand’s young nephew Raylan, still a squire, endured seven passes before Lord Farin Prester struck him down. Ser Quentyn, the Fireball and the king’s favorite, overcame the lances of Fell and Caswell before Ser Omrys Baratheon ended his run. Another shock came when Greyjoy and Ser Victor Reyne unhorsed one another in a splendid double fall.

At last, the rain-soaked field welcomed the final contests. Prester and Rivers fell away, leaving Ser Victor Reyne and Ser Omrys Baratheon to ride for victory. Ser Victor claimed the championship, while Ser Omrys took second place.

Lady Tinessa awarded five thousand dragons to Ser Omrys. Lady Sam gave nine thousand dragons and the wreath for the Queen of Love and Beauty to Ser Victor. The heir to Castamere, good-son of Oldtown, laid the crown upon Lady Lysa’s lap, naming the bride worthy and fine queen.

Thus, in treacherous mud and biting wind, the festivities drew to their close. The leaden skies had not banished mirth, and cries of “Riverrun” and “Oldtown” rose together across the field.