Count Tarly signaled for the servants to prepare the feast before continuing, "I am honored that you came to Horn Hill in person to discuss this matter with me." He glanced at his wife and daughters seated beside him. "I have three daughters. My eldest, Samantha Tarly, is married to Ser Mund of the Hightower family. He is also the heir to Hightower."
Jacaerys's expression changed for a moment, but quickly returned to normal. He silently watched as the Tarly servants brought forth dish after dish. Horn Hill was far wealthier than Nightsong, and its meals were much more varied. Roasted quail was merely an appetizer here. All manner of fruits and vegetables from the Reach plains had been made into salads, soups, or minced and mixed with unidentifiable spices. The most eye-catching dish was a salad of summer vegetables with walnuts, grapes, star anise, and crumbled cheese, mixed with apples, raisins, and walnuts. Of course, the feast's focus was the great quantity of game. Donald Tarly had specifically sent hunters deep into the woods, which was why their table held so much meat.
The whole roasted pheasants were fragrant and crisp. The Tarly cooks had also borrowed methods from Dorne, marinating chicken in lemon juice to make lemon-braised chicken. Besides chicken, there were the usual roasted lamb chops. The rest were rarer dishes: roasted squirrel, roasted lark, venison chops, venison stewed in honey, and an enormous whole boar roasted through and through. Its belly was stuffed with all kinds of nuts, while a huge apple had been placed in its mouth to enhance the flavor.
Besides the usual bread, Count Tarly had prepared an enormous mutton pie. Its crisp crust was packed with mutton, and grease sizzled out when it was cut.
"My second daughter, Sansa, is nineteen this