Boys Like You / Tyrion Lannister

16. Oh, Mother

Rieka was quiet the first week but more excited by the time they were traveling a fortnight they were making great time.

Rieka was excited to sleep in a real bed tonight and they would be at the castle soon enough and she would see father.

"I envy your closeness with your family." Tyrion remarked.

"It makes saying goodbye that much harder." Rieka countered. "You didnt bat an eye when your siblings left in the opposite direction."

"Yes well... I am older than you." Tyrion offered. "Age and maturity... hatred of my stupid family."

"Yes the last one is definitely a good reason." Rieka agreed.

"Looks like a packed inn. We should share a room." Tyrion suggested smiling back at her from his horse.

"Should we?"

"Lets say there is only one bed?"

"Then you sleep in the stables like a gentleman and offer me the bed." Rieka agreed.

"Or we both keep each other warm in this hypothetical turned... reality?"

"You know im going home after I check on my father right?" Rieka questioned as they dismounted.

"I like the north. Your brothers would like the south... lady of casterly rock sounds nice." Tyrion offered. Rieka blushed she would be lying if she said she didnt think about it.

"Lets just make it to the capital first before we start talking marriage."

"You said I had until wengot there to make you fall in love with me. Remember?" Tyrion countered. "How am I doing so far?"

"Good. Which is why leaving is going to be hard. Be less charming tyrion. I thought i had a man like you pegged. I was wrong it seems."

"Come on, lets find a bed and I make you truly fall in love." Tyrion half mused. "I would like room." Tyrion remarked, Rieka hadnt even noticed that he grabbed her hand, it felt natural. 

" I'm sorry, my Lord, we're full up. Every room." Tyrion didn't like that answer. Catelyn tried to hide herself, what was Rieka doing with Tyrion? Why didnt robb keep her at winterfell?

"My men can sleep in the stable. As for myself and my charming companion." He shot a smile up at Rieka. "We don't require a large room." Tyrion countered holding out a shiny coin.

"Truly, my lord, we have nothing." The innkeep corrected.

" Is there nothing I can do... to remedy this?" Tyrion tapped the coin around enticingly. 

"Mum?" Rieka rasped confused.

"You can have my room." A knight with a long crooked nose remarked. Tyrion smiled moving to him.

"There's a clever man." Tyrion agreed giving him the coin. "You can manage food, I trust? Yoren, dine with me."

"Aye, my Lord." Yoren agreed.

"RIeka." Catelyn put down her hood and smiled back at her awkwardly. "Why are you not at winterfell?

"I was always to come south." Rieka countered confused. "Why are you not at winterfell? Robb didnt give me a good answer." Catelyn took a long sip of her drink. 

"My Lord of Lannister! Might I entertain you while you eat? I can sing of your father's victory at King's Landing!"

"Nothing would more likely ruin my supper." Tyrion countered. So now people wanted to help him knowing he had coin to give out. Then he noticed Catelyn right before he was going to take a seat. He looked to Rieka and she seemed tense, confused as well. But Tyrion turned on that charming smile. "Lady Stark! What an unexpected pleasure. I was sorry to have missed you at Winterfell." Tyrion remarked.

"Lady Stark." Heddle repeated.

"I was still Catelyn Tully the last time I stayed here. You, Ser... Is that the black bat of Harrenhal I see embroidered on your coat?" Catelyn stood up moving around to the men in the room.

"It is, my Lady." The knight agreed.

"Mum, what are you doing?" Rieka questioned, Catelyn grabbed her hand smiling more confident than she felt. 

"And is Lady Whent a true and honest friend to my father... Lord Hoster Tully of Riverrun?" Catelyn went on.

" She is." He agreed.

"The red stallion was always a welcome sight at Riverrun. My father counts Jonas Bracken amongst his oldest and most loyal bannermen." Catelyn went on, the knights rose up as they were addressed. Rieka looked to Tyrion confused.

'What did you do?' Rieka mouthed to Tyrion. He shrugged. 

"Our lord is honored by his trust." The next knight agreed.

"I envy your father all his fine friends, but I don't quite see the purpose of this." Tyrion countered confused as he looked around suddenly feeling very small among all the knights rising up. Catelyn moved to another knight and he rose up as well

"Lord Walder is well, my Lady. He has asked your father for the honor of his presence on his 90th nameday. He plans to take another wife." the knight remarked

"This man... Came into my house as a guest and there conspired to murder my son, a boy of 10." Catelyn shouted. 

"Mother he did not!" RIeka corrected. 

"In the name of King Robert and the good Lords you serve, I call upon you to seize him and help me return him to Winterfell to await the king's justice." Catelyn demanded and Tyrion's eyes went wide, what was she doing? He didn't conspire. But all of the knights drew their swords towards Tyrion.

"MOTHER STOP!" RIeka begged. "Tyrion didnt do anything!"