Difference between revisions of "A Game of Thrones-Chapter 31"

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{{Infobox Chapter AGoT
 
{{Infobox Chapter AGoT
| pov = [[Tyrion Lannister|Tyrion]]
+
| pov = [[Tyrion Lannister]]
 +
| place        = The [[High Road]] on the way to the [[Eyrie]]
 
| title = Tyrion IV
 
| title = Tyrion IV
 
| page = 274 (US bantam HC)
 
| page = 274 (US bantam HC)
Line 10: Line 11:
 
}} __NOTOC__
 
}} __NOTOC__
  
[[Tyrion Lannister]] finds he is being taken to the [[Eyrie]] instead of [[Winterfell]], and is not longer so confident since he knows his rescuers will be fooled. As he is attempting to convince Lady [[Catelyn Tully|Catelyn]] that he did not attempt to kill her son, then are attacked by the [[Mountain clans]]. Cat agrees to let him and his men assist in the fight. During the fight, he saves Cat. Afterwards, he tells her that Littlefinger’s story has a hole: he would never bet against his [[House Lannister|family]].
+
[[Tyrion Lannister]] finds he is being taken to the [[Eyrie]] instead of [[Winterfell]], which will fool any attempt to rescue him. His attempts to convince Lady [[Catelyn Stark|Catelyn]] of his innocence are interrupted when the [[Vale mountain clans]] attack. During the fight, Tyrion saves Catelyn and afterwards he explains that [[Petyr Baelish|Littlefinger]]’s accusation has a hole: Tyrion would never bet against his [[House Lannister|family]].
  
 
== Synopsis ==
 
== Synopsis ==
As [[Tyrion Lannister|Tyrion]] thinks that there is another debt owed the [[House Stark|Starks]] as watches his horse be butchered by the [[sellsword]] [[Chiggen]], a horse given him by his brother [[Jaime Lannister|Jaime]] on twenty-third birthday. The sellsword [[Bronn]] tells Tyrion that none of them will go hungry, to which Tyrion replies he does not like eating horse, particularly his horse. Bronn responds that the [[Dothraki]] like horse better than other meats. Tryion thinks that maybe his horse is lucky since he has many more hard cold days ahead of him. This is the third horse the group has lost.
+
As [[Tyrion Lannister|Tyrion]] watches the [[sellsword]] [[Chiggen]] butcher his horse, he chalks up another debt owed to the [[House Stark|Starks]]. The mare was a gift from his brother [[Jaime Lannister|Jaime]] for his twenty-third name day. The sellsword [[Bronn]] tells Tyrion that none of them will go hungry, but Tyrion replies that he does not like eating horse, particularly his own horse. Bronn responds that the [[Dothraki]] like horse better than other meats. Tyrion reflects that maybe his horse is the lucky one, since he has many more cold hard days ahead of him. As he walks away from the sellswords, Tyrion thinks back bitterly to the night at the [[inn at the crossroads|crossroads inn]].
  
He then remembers back at the inn when he was taken captive. When his guard [[Jyck]] goes for his sword, Tyrion stops him knowing that would only get them killed. Lady [[Catelyn Tully|Catelyn]]. As Tyrion watches, Lady [[Catelyn Tully|Catelyn]] raises as dagger stating that it was used to attack her son, and made the deep cuts in her hand. All the people in the inn, who were friendly enough before, are seem now to be screaming for his death. Tyrion knows that he has no chance against this crowd with only his two men, [[Jyck]] and [[Morrec]], and his dagger (his other companion, [[Yoren]], being of the [[Night's Watch]] he knew would do nothing). He tells the crowd that he will accompany Lady Stark to see justice. The Bron steps forward to relieve them of their weapons, and then [[Winterfell]]’s [[Rodrik Cassel|master of arms]] without is whiskers states “Good.” Cat states that they are taking Tyrion to Winterfell for justice. Tyrion now has a chance to look over the crowd, and sees that things are not too bad for him. He announces that anyone that reports to his father of his capture will get a rich reward (Tyrion knows that his father would not, but Tyrion would make up for it). Ser Rodrik then tells the crowd that they are to remain silent about what has happened, and Tyrion thinks that he is a fool if he thinks word will not get out. Lady Catelyn then asks for help in getting Tyrion to Winterfell, and many rush forward. As they bundle him out of the inn he is not afraid, and is sure that they will never get him to Winterfell. Then a hood is pulled over his eyes and they make a hard gallop through the rain away from the inn. It was dawn and the rain had stopped when they pull the hood off, he sees that they are on the road to the [[Eyrie]], and Tyrion loses hope. He knows where they are bound, these were the lands of the late [[Jon Arryn]], and his wife [[Lysa Tully|Lysa]] was a [[House Tully|Tylly]], he did not look forward to meeting Lysa again. What was more galling than the abduction was that Lady Catelyn had outwitted him.
+
When they took him captive, Tyrion had stopped his guard [[Jyck]] from going for his sword, knowing it would only get them killed. Lady [[Catelyn Stark|Catelyn]] showed the wounds on her hands all around, claiming they had been caused by [[Valyrian steel dagger|Tyrion's dagger]] during an attack on her son. All the people in the inn, who had been friendly enough before, started screaming for his death. With only his men Jyck and [[Morrec]] to defend him, Tyrion had no choice but to surrender; his other companion [[Yoren]], being of the [[Night's Watch]], was sworn to take no part in such matters.
  
He was spared the hood, and after the second night they unbound his hands, and later hardly bothered to guard him There was nowhere for him to go; the terrain was hash and wild and road no more than a stony track and mountains contained [[Shadowcat|shadowcats]] and the dangerous [[Mountain clans]] that are no more than brigands.
+
[[File:Hidden Vale PassTysen Johnson.JPG|thumb|350px|left|The [[Mountains of the Moon]], by Tysen Johnson © Fantasy Flight Games]]
  
As he travels he makes sure he knows all their names as they travel so that he can property pay them back: “A Lannister always pays his debt.” He has a particular enmity towards the singer [[Marillion]], who was responsible for this mess, and now was looking for words that rhyme with “imp,” like gimp and limp, for a song about this adventure.
+
Catelyn stated, often and loudly, that they were taking Tyrion to [[Winterfell]] for justice. Tyrion had looked over the crowd and seen that things were not as bad as they seemed. Of the roughly fifty men in the common room, Catelyn Stark roused only a bare dozen. He announced that anyone who reported his capture to [[Tywin Lannister|his father]] would get a rich reward. Ser [[Rodrik Cassel|Rodrik]] then ordered the crowd to remain silent, and had Tyrion struggled not to laugh at the thought that Rodrik was fool enough to believe they would.  
  
Cat, Ser Rodrik, and several others are discussing their situation and the pursuit by the Lannisters when Tyrion breaks in with the comment of that there is small chance that the pursuit would reach them. [[Kurleket]] snaps that Cat did ask his views, but Cat allows him to speak. He tells them that if there is a pursuit it will be heading up the neck, and not towards Eyrie. He states that they will find no help until they reach the Vail, and they will only lose more mounts, which burdens the others more. The pace could also very likely cause Tyrion’s death, which she obviously did not desire; if she wanted him dead, he would be dead already. Cat replies that Starks are not murderers, and Tyrion states he is also no murderer. He follows by telling her the he is not stupid, and would not arm a common footpad with his own blade. Tyrion can see for a moment doubt in Cat’s eyes, but she instead asks why [[Petyr Baelish|Littlefinger]] would lie. Tyrion’s response was that it was in his nature, and he mentions how [[Petyr Baelish|Littlefinger]] often boasts of having taken Catelyn’s maidenhead, which angery Cat says is a lie. She calls him an evil man and he calls her a fool, continuing by stating Littlefinger only loves Littlefinger, and was only interested in sex with her. Kurleket puts a knife to Tyrion’s throat and asks if he can bleed Tyrion. She tells Kurleket to let him talk, and he asks how Littlefinger claims he obtained the blade.  She tells him that he won the dagger from him at the tourney where the [[Loras Tyrell|Knight of Flowers]] unhorsed his [[Jaime Lannister|brother]].  
+
Catelyn then asked for help in bringing Tyrion to Winterfell, and was rewarded with several recruits. As they bundled him out of the inn he was not afraid, sure that they would never get him to Winterfell. Then they pulled a hood over his eyes and made a hard gallop through the rain away from the inn.
  
They are interrupted by the cry from a lookout that there are riders, and Cat responds immediately by arranging the defense. Tyrion screams to Cat to arm them, that she will need every man; they both know that the Mountain Clans would willing to slaughter Lannister and Stark as they slaughter each other. [[Lharys]] slides down the ridge with the news that there are around 25 men: Milk Snakes or Moon Brothers; the clans know that they are here. Ser [[Willis Wode]] asks the singer for help with his breast plate, but he is frozen in fear, but Morrec springs to his assistance. Tyrion further pleas with Cat telling him that there would also be men wasted guarding them. At her request, he gives his word that he put down weapons when the fight is finished, and she orders them armed. Morrec arms himself with a bow being better with it than a sword, and Bron rides up to offer Tyrion a double bladed axe which feels uncomfortable in his hands; Bron tells Tyrion to pretend he is splitting logs. Tyrion joins the singer in his hiding place, who tells Tyrion that he is a singer and wants no part of the fight. Tyrion forces his way in. The clansmen boil into sight armed with a wide variety of weapons. The knights and sellswords meet the charge. As the others shout “Winterfell” and “[[Harrenhal]],” Tyrion has an urge to stand up and shout [[Casterly Rock]], but the insanity passes. Bron charges through the clans cutting through foes right and left, while Ser Rodrik hammers the big man that was the leader. The singer shrieks when a rider leaps over them, and Tyrion charges when the rider turns, cutting the horse’s neck, and after the rider and his horse fall together on top of the singer, Tyrion buries the axe in the man’s neck. Tyrion uses this opportunity to step on the singer’s fingers. After that Tyrion keeps on the fringes, leaping out to cut at the legs of horses, and kills a wounded man; he takes the man’s helm. Tyrion watchs Jyck killed and then comes across Kurleket’s body; helps himself to Kurleket’s dagger. Then hears a woman scream. Tyrion goes to her aid even as he thinks that he should let them have her. Tyrion gets the first man in the knee, and Cat kills a second after he reels from Tyrion’s blow. The third man makes a quick retreat, and the fighting is over. As Bron helps himself to Jyck’s boots, he asks Tyrion if it is his first fight, which Tyrion confirms. Bron then tells him that he needs a woman now; nothing like a woman after a man’s been bloodied. Glancing over to Cat, who is dressing Rodrik’s wound, states he is willing if she is.  
+
It was dawn and the rain had stopped when they finally pulled the hood off and Tyrion saw they were on the [[high road]] to the [[Eyrie]], not the [[kingsroad]] to Winterfell, and lost hope. Any pursuit would be looking in the wrong direction and these were the lands of the late [[Jon Arryn]], and his wife [[Lysa Arryn|Lysa]] was a [[House Tully|Tully]]. What was more galling than the abduction was that Lady Catelyn had outwitted him.
  
Looking over the clansmen and their weapons he notes that they are thin, ragged men, with unimpressive weapons. The leader who had been in a shadowskin cloak is not as big as he thought now that the shadowskin cloak was gone (the singer had taken it), and his great sword was a poorly made notched weapon. They had only three dead: [[House Bracken]]’s men at arms [[Mohor]] and Kurleket and Tyrion’s man Jyck. Tyrion remembers Jyck’s bareback charge, and thinks of him as a fool to the end.
+
He was spared the hood after that, and after the second night they no longer bound his hands. Still later, they hardly bothered to guard him at all; there was nowhere for him to go. The terrain was harsh and wild and the road no more than a stony track, and the mountains contained [[shadowcat]]s and the dangerous [[Vale mountain clans]].  
  
Ser Willis Wode urges Cat to proceed on in haste. Cat wants to bury the dead, but he replies the soil is to stony so Cat states they will gather stones for cairns. Bron tells Cat that he will not help since he wants to live. Ser Rodrik tells Cat the Bron is right; if they stay there they will attack again. Angry, Cat agrees, and they will ride at once. Now there are plenty of horses. As Tyrion Jyck’s horse, [[Lharys]]demands the dirk, but Cat intercedes, tell them to give him back his axe; he also acquired a helmet during the battle.  
+
As they travel, Tyrion makes sure to remember the names of all his captors so that he can properly pay them back: “A Lannister always pays his debt.” He has a particular enmity towards the singer [[Marillion]], whom he blames for the whole mess, and who is currently looking for words that rhyme with “imp” for a song about this adventure.
 +
 
 +
Catelyn, Rodrik, and several others are discussing their situation and the pursuit by the Lannisters when Tyrion breaks in with the comment that there is small chance that the pursuit will catch them. [[Kurleket]] snaps that Catelyn did not ask his views, but Catelyn allows him to speak. Tyrion explains any pursuit will be heading up the [[Neck]], not towards the Eyrie. He states that they will find no help until they reach the [[Vale of Arryn|Vale]], and that at their current pace they will only lose more mounts, which burdens the others more. The pace could also very likely cause Tyrion's death, which Catelyn obviously does not desire. Catelyn replies that Starks are not murderers, and Tyrion states he is also no murderer. He follows up by telling her that he is not stupid, and would not arm [[catspaw|a common footpad]] with his own blade.
 +
 
 +
For a moment, Tyrion can see doubt in Catelyn’s eyes, but she asks why [[Petyr Baelish|Littlefinger]] would lie. Tyrion replies that lying is in Littlefinger's nature and mentions how the man often boasts of taking Catelyn's maidenhood, which Catelyn angrily denies. She calls Tyrion an evil man, but Tyrion calls her a fool, continuing on to say that Littlefinger only loves Littlefinger and was only interested in sex with her. Kurleket puts a knife to Tyrion's throat and asks if he can bleed him, but Catelyn again tells him to let Tyrion talk. Tyrion asks how Littlefinger claims he obtained the blade. Catelyn explains that he won the dagger from Littlefinger at the [[tourney on Prince Joffrey's name day]] where the [[Loras Tyrell|Knight of Flowers]] unhorsed Jaime.
 +
 
 +
[[File:Romain Leguay ser Bronn.jpg|thumb|350px|[[Bronn]] fighting clansmen, by Romain Leguay © Fantasy Flight Games]]
 +
 
 +
The cry of a lookout interrupts them, alerting them to incoming riders, and Catelyn immediately arranges the defense. Tyrion screams to Catelyn to arm him and his serving men, because she will need every man. Both he and Catelyn know that the mountain clans—who are perfectly happy to slaughter each other—will slaughter Lannister and Stark alike. [[Lharys]] slides down the ridge with the news that there are around twenty-five men: [[Milk Snakes]] or [[Moon Brothers]]. Ser [[Willis Wode]] asks Marillion for help with his breastplate, but the singer freezes with fear. Instead, Morrec springs to his assistance.
 +
 
 +
Tyrion pleads again with Catelyn, insisting that she cannot afford to waste men guarding them. At her request, he gives his word that he will put down the weapons when the fight is finished, and she orders them armed. Morrec arms himself with a bow, being better with it than a sword, and Bronn offers Tyrion a double-bladed axe. When Tyrion comments on his inexperience with an axe, Bronn tells him to pretend he is splitting logs.
 +
 
 +
Tyrion joins Marillion in his hiding place. Marillion whines that he is a singer and wants no part of the fight, but Tyrion forces his way in. The clansmen boil into sight, armed with a wide variety of weapons and led by a towering man in a [[shadowcat|shadowskin]] cloak armed with a greatsword. The knights and sellswords meet the charge. As the others shout "Winterfell" and "[[Harrenhal]]", Tyrion has to repress an urge to stand up and shout "[[Casterly Rock]]". From his hiding spot, Tyrion sees Bronn charge through the clansmen, cutting through foes right and left, while Rodrik hammers the leader. Marillion shrieks when a rider leaps over them. When the rider turns, Tyrion charges and cuts the horse's neck so that the rider and his horse fall together on top of Marillion. Tyrion then buries his axe in the man's neck and uses this opportunity to crush Marillion's fingers with a boot.
 +
 
 +
For the rest of the battle, Tyrion keeps on the fringes, leaping out to cut at the legs of horses and kill wounded men, taking a helm from one. Tyrion watches Jyck get himself killed, then comes across Kurleket's body and helps himself to the man’s dagger. Then he hears a woman scream. Tyrion goes to aid Lady Catelyn even as he thinks that he should let them have her. Tyrion gets the first man in the knee and Catelyn kills a second as he reels from a blow by Tyrion. The third man makes a quick retreat, and the fighting is over.
 +
 
 +
As Bronn helps himself to Jyck’s boots, he asks if this is Tyrion's first fight, which Tyrion confirms. Bronn then tells him that he needs a woman now; nothing like a woman after a man’s been bloodied. Glancing over to Lady Catelyn, who is dressing Ser Rodrik’s wound, Tyrion quips that he is willing if she is.
 +
 
 +
Looking over the dead clansmen, Tyrion notes that they are thin, ragged men with unimpressive weapons. The leader in the shadowskin cloak is not near as big or terrifying as he seemed now that the cloak is gone, and his great sword turns out to be notched and poorly made. They have only three dead: the [[House Bracken|Bracken]] men-at-arms [[Mohor]] and Kurleket, and Tyrion's man Jyck. Tyrion remembers Jyc'’s bareback charge and thinks of him as a fool to the end.
 +
 
 +
Willis urges that they must proceed in haste before more clansmen arrive, but Catelyn wishes to pause to bury the dead. When Willis points out that the soil is too stony for graves Catelyn suggest they gather stones for cairns. Bronn tells Catelyn that she can do as she likes, but that he and Chiggen have better things to do than pile rocks, such as breathing. When Rodrik agrees with Bronn, an angry Catelyn agrees and they ride on. Now there are plenty of horses. As Tyrion mounts Jyck's horse, Lharys demands the dirk Tyrion took from Kurleket's body, but Catelyn intercedes, telling them to give him back his axe as well.
 +
 
 +
Tyrion is pleased to learn that Marillion the singer has broken several ribs, four fingers, and lost his harp. Tyrion is less pleased to find Marillion has also acquired the magnificent shadowskin cloak. The singer, for once, has nothing to say, and Tyrion can see him cringe when they hear shadowcats fighting over the bodies they left behind. He trots up to the singer and taunts that "craven" rhymes nicely with "raven". Then he moves up to ride next to Lady Catelyn. Picking up the conversation from before their interruption, Tyrion points out that there is a serious flaw in Littlefinger's story: he ''never'' bets against his family.
 +
 
 +
==Character List==
 +
{| class="wikitable" width="100%"
 +
|- valign="top"
 +
| style="width:50%;" |
 +
'''Appearing:'''
 +
{{Columns|3|
 +
*[[Tyrion Lannister]]
 +
*[[Chiggen]]
 +
*[[Bronn]]
 +
*[[Catelyn Stark]]
 +
*[[Rodrik Cassel]]
 +
*[[Marillion]]
 +
*[[Willis Wode]]
 +
*[[Kurleket]]
 +
*[[Lharys]]
 +
*[[Mohor]]
 +
*[[Morrec]]
 +
*[[Jyck]]
 +
}}
 +
| style="width:50%;" |
 +
'''Mentioned:'''
 +
{{Columns|3|
 +
*[[Jaime Lannister]]
 +
*[[Masha Heddle]]
 +
*[[Yoren]]
 +
*[[Tywin]]
 +
*[[Walder Frey]]
 +
*[[Lysa Tully]]
 +
*[[Jonos Bracken]]
 +
*[[Petyr Baelish]]
 +
*[[Joffrey Baratheon]]
 +
*[[Jaime Lannister]]
 +
*[[Loras Tyrell]]
 +
}}
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==Places and Terms==
 +
{| class="wikitable" width="100%"
 +
|- valign="top"
 +
| style="width:50%;" |
 +
'''Places:'''
 +
{{Columns|2|
 +
*[[Winterfell]]
 +
*[[Crossroads Inn]]
 +
*[[Casterly Rock]]
 +
*[[Riverrun]]
 +
*[[King's Landing]]
 +
*[[High Road]]
 +
*[[Harrenhal]]
 +
}}
 +
| style="width:50%;" |
 +
'''Terms:'''
 +
{{Columns|2|
 +
*[[Dothraki]]
 +
*[[Khalasar]]
 +
*[[hedge knight]]
 +
*[[sellsword]]
 +
*[[man-at-arms]]
 +
*[[Valyrian steel dagger]]
 +
*[[Tourney on Prince Joffrey's name day]]
 +
*[[Mountain Clans]]
 +
*[[Milk Snakes]]
 +
*[[Moon Brothers]]
 +
*[[shadowcats]]
 +
}}
 +
|}
  
Tyrion is pleased that the singer had broken several ribs, lost his harp, and 4 broken fingers, but had acquired a magnificent shadowskin cloak. The singer, for once, has nothing to say. Tryion can see that the singer cringes when he hears the shadowcats behind them. He trots up to him and comments that craven rhymes nicely with raven. Then he moves up to ride next to Cat. He tells her that he was saying before they were interrupted that there is a serious flaw in Littlefinger’s story: he never bets against his [[House Lannister|family]].
 
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
Line 36: Line 125:
  
 
== References and Notes ==
 
== References and Notes ==
* The synopsis was copied from AOL member vbkorik27 previously at [http://web.archive.org/web/20080228051425/members.aol.com/vbkorik27/summary/legend.html].
 
  
[[Category:A_Song_of_Ice_And_Fire_chapters|A Game of Thrones: Chapter 31]] [[Category:A_Song_of_Ice_And_Fire_chapters--POV_Tyrion_Lannister]]
+
[[Category:A Song of Ice And Fire chapters|A Game of Thrones: Chapter 31]]
[[fr:A Game of Thrones, Chapitre 32, Tyrion]][[ru:Игра престолов, Тирион IV]]
+
[[Category:A Song of Ice And Fire chapters--POV_Tyrion_Lannister]]
 +
[[Category:Chapters which take place on the High Road]]
 +
 
 +
[[es:Juego de Tronos-Capítulo 31]]
 +
[[fr:A Game of Thrones, Chapitre 32, Tyrion]]
 +
[[ru:Игра престолов, Тирион IV]]
 +
[[pt:A Guerra dos Tronos - Capítulo 31]]

Latest revision as of 04:44, 21 March 2022

Tyrion IV
A Game of Thrones chapter
AGameOfThrones.jpg
POV Tyrion Lannister
Place The High Road on the way to the Eyrie
Page 274 (US bantam HC) US HC (Other versions)
Chapter chronology (All)
Tyrion III
Eddard VII  ← Tyrion IV →  Arya III

Tyrion V

Tyrion Lannister finds he is being taken to the Eyrie instead of Winterfell, which will fool any attempt to rescue him. His attempts to convince Lady Catelyn of his innocence are interrupted when the Vale mountain clans attack. During the fight, Tyrion saves Catelyn and afterwards he explains that Littlefinger’s accusation has a hole: Tyrion would never bet against his family.

Synopsis

As Tyrion watches the sellsword Chiggen butcher his horse, he chalks up another debt owed to the Starks. The mare was a gift from his brother Jaime for his twenty-third name day. The sellsword Bronn tells Tyrion that none of them will go hungry, but Tyrion replies that he does not like eating horse, particularly his own horse. Bronn responds that the Dothraki like horse better than other meats. Tyrion reflects that maybe his horse is the lucky one, since he has many more cold hard days ahead of him. As he walks away from the sellswords, Tyrion thinks back bitterly to the night at the crossroads inn.

When they took him captive, Tyrion had stopped his guard Jyck from going for his sword, knowing it would only get them killed. Lady Catelyn showed the wounds on her hands all around, claiming they had been caused by Tyrion's dagger during an attack on her son. All the people in the inn, who had been friendly enough before, started screaming for his death. With only his men Jyck and Morrec to defend him, Tyrion had no choice but to surrender; his other companion Yoren, being of the Night's Watch, was sworn to take no part in such matters.

The Mountains of the Moon, by Tysen Johnson © Fantasy Flight Games

Catelyn stated, often and loudly, that they were taking Tyrion to Winterfell for justice. Tyrion had looked over the crowd and seen that things were not as bad as they seemed. Of the roughly fifty men in the common room, Catelyn Stark roused only a bare dozen. He announced that anyone who reported his capture to his father would get a rich reward. Ser Rodrik then ordered the crowd to remain silent, and had Tyrion struggled not to laugh at the thought that Rodrik was fool enough to believe they would.

Catelyn then asked for help in bringing Tyrion to Winterfell, and was rewarded with several recruits. As they bundled him out of the inn he was not afraid, sure that they would never get him to Winterfell. Then they pulled a hood over his eyes and made a hard gallop through the rain away from the inn.

It was dawn and the rain had stopped when they finally pulled the hood off and Tyrion saw they were on the high road to the Eyrie, not the kingsroad to Winterfell, and lost hope. Any pursuit would be looking in the wrong direction and these were the lands of the late Jon Arryn, and his wife Lysa was a Tully. What was more galling than the abduction was that Lady Catelyn had outwitted him.

He was spared the hood after that, and after the second night they no longer bound his hands. Still later, they hardly bothered to guard him at all; there was nowhere for him to go. The terrain was harsh and wild and the road no more than a stony track, and the mountains contained shadowcats and the dangerous Vale mountain clans.

As they travel, Tyrion makes sure to remember the names of all his captors so that he can properly pay them back: “A Lannister always pays his debt.” He has a particular enmity towards the singer Marillion, whom he blames for the whole mess, and who is currently looking for words that rhyme with “imp” for a song about this adventure.

Catelyn, Rodrik, and several others are discussing their situation and the pursuit by the Lannisters when Tyrion breaks in with the comment that there is small chance that the pursuit will catch them. Kurleket snaps that Catelyn did not ask his views, but Catelyn allows him to speak. Tyrion explains any pursuit will be heading up the Neck, not towards the Eyrie. He states that they will find no help until they reach the Vale, and that at their current pace they will only lose more mounts, which burdens the others more. The pace could also very likely cause Tyrion's death, which Catelyn obviously does not desire. Catelyn replies that Starks are not murderers, and Tyrion states he is also no murderer. He follows up by telling her that he is not stupid, and would not arm a common footpad with his own blade.

For a moment, Tyrion can see doubt in Catelyn’s eyes, but she asks why Littlefinger would lie. Tyrion replies that lying is in Littlefinger's nature and mentions how the man often boasts of taking Catelyn's maidenhood, which Catelyn angrily denies. She calls Tyrion an evil man, but Tyrion calls her a fool, continuing on to say that Littlefinger only loves Littlefinger and was only interested in sex with her. Kurleket puts a knife to Tyrion's throat and asks if he can bleed him, but Catelyn again tells him to let Tyrion talk. Tyrion asks how Littlefinger claims he obtained the blade. Catelyn explains that he won the dagger from Littlefinger at the tourney on Prince Joffrey's name day where the Knight of Flowers unhorsed Jaime.

Bronn fighting clansmen, by Romain Leguay © Fantasy Flight Games

The cry of a lookout interrupts them, alerting them to incoming riders, and Catelyn immediately arranges the defense. Tyrion screams to Catelyn to arm him and his serving men, because she will need every man. Both he and Catelyn know that the mountain clans—who are perfectly happy to slaughter each other—will slaughter Lannister and Stark alike. Lharys slides down the ridge with the news that there are around twenty-five men: Milk Snakes or Moon Brothers. Ser Willis Wode asks Marillion for help with his breastplate, but the singer freezes with fear. Instead, Morrec springs to his assistance.

Tyrion pleads again with Catelyn, insisting that she cannot afford to waste men guarding them. At her request, he gives his word that he will put down the weapons when the fight is finished, and she orders them armed. Morrec arms himself with a bow, being better with it than a sword, and Bronn offers Tyrion a double-bladed axe. When Tyrion comments on his inexperience with an axe, Bronn tells him to pretend he is splitting logs.

Tyrion joins Marillion in his hiding place. Marillion whines that he is a singer and wants no part of the fight, but Tyrion forces his way in. The clansmen boil into sight, armed with a wide variety of weapons and led by a towering man in a shadowskin cloak armed with a greatsword. The knights and sellswords meet the charge. As the others shout "Winterfell" and "Harrenhal", Tyrion has to repress an urge to stand up and shout "Casterly Rock". From his hiding spot, Tyrion sees Bronn charge through the clansmen, cutting through foes right and left, while Rodrik hammers the leader. Marillion shrieks when a rider leaps over them. When the rider turns, Tyrion charges and cuts the horse's neck so that the rider and his horse fall together on top of Marillion. Tyrion then buries his axe in the man's neck and uses this opportunity to crush Marillion's fingers with a boot.

For the rest of the battle, Tyrion keeps on the fringes, leaping out to cut at the legs of horses and kill wounded men, taking a helm from one. Tyrion watches Jyck get himself killed, then comes across Kurleket's body and helps himself to the man’s dagger. Then he hears a woman scream. Tyrion goes to aid Lady Catelyn even as he thinks that he should let them have her. Tyrion gets the first man in the knee and Catelyn kills a second as he reels from a blow by Tyrion. The third man makes a quick retreat, and the fighting is over.

As Bronn helps himself to Jyck’s boots, he asks if this is Tyrion's first fight, which Tyrion confirms. Bronn then tells him that he needs a woman now; nothing like a woman after a man’s been bloodied. Glancing over to Lady Catelyn, who is dressing Ser Rodrik’s wound, Tyrion quips that he is willing if she is.

Looking over the dead clansmen, Tyrion notes that they are thin, ragged men with unimpressive weapons. The leader in the shadowskin cloak is not near as big or terrifying as he seemed now that the cloak is gone, and his great sword turns out to be notched and poorly made. They have only three dead: the Bracken men-at-arms Mohor and Kurleket, and Tyrion's man Jyck. Tyrion remembers Jyc'’s bareback charge and thinks of him as a fool to the end.

Willis urges that they must proceed in haste before more clansmen arrive, but Catelyn wishes to pause to bury the dead. When Willis points out that the soil is too stony for graves Catelyn suggest they gather stones for cairns. Bronn tells Catelyn that she can do as she likes, but that he and Chiggen have better things to do than pile rocks, such as breathing. When Rodrik agrees with Bronn, an angry Catelyn agrees and they ride on. Now there are plenty of horses. As Tyrion mounts Jyck's horse, Lharys demands the dirk Tyrion took from Kurleket's body, but Catelyn intercedes, telling them to give him back his axe as well.

Tyrion is pleased to learn that Marillion the singer has broken several ribs, four fingers, and lost his harp. Tyrion is less pleased to find Marillion has also acquired the magnificent shadowskin cloak. The singer, for once, has nothing to say, and Tyrion can see him cringe when they hear shadowcats fighting over the bodies they left behind. He trots up to the singer and taunts that "craven" rhymes nicely with "raven". Then he moves up to ride next to Lady Catelyn. Picking up the conversation from before their interruption, Tyrion points out that there is a serious flaw in Littlefinger's story: he never bets against his family.

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