Hearing the still familiar voice, Catelyn·Tully seemed to go back twenty years and take her back to her childhood.
She smiled from the bottom of her heart and said, "Uncle, aren't you also far away from home?"
Brynden·Tully pointed at Bloody Gate Fortress and said, "Cat, my home is here."
Uncle Brynden and her father have been at odds since Catelyn can remember. When she was eight years old, the two brothers had a big quarrel. Her father accused Uncle Brynden of being the black sheep of the Tully family, Uncle Brynden smiled and said that their House Tully logo was Trout jumping out of the water, so he should be Blackfish, not a black sheep... From that day on, he took the black Trout as his coat of arms.
The dispute between them did not end until the day she and her sister got married. It was at the wedding banquet that uncle Brynden announced to his father that he would leave Riverrun with his little niece Lysa to serve her new husband, Duke Jon·Arryn of Eyrie.
"Your home is in my heart..."
Catelyn's hands were clasped tightly, and her eyes were always on her uncle. "My uncle, take off your helmet. I want to take a good look at you again."
In Catelyn's the Maiden era, his father was often too busy and his mother was too sick, so the children of Duke Hoster shared their joys and sorrows with Uncle Brynden.
No matter Catelyn and Lysa, or Edmure·Tully and his father's adopted son Petyr·Baelish, Brynden uncles listened patiently, laughed at their successes, and expressed sympathy for the troubles caused by their naivety.
"I'm afraid that after all these years, I still can't see where I'm going..."
Although Sir Brynden said so, when he lifted up his helmet, Catelyn thought he had lied... Although his uncle's appearance was weather-beaten, and the years had stolen his reddish-brown hair, leaving only a head full of gray, his smile remained the same, his thick eyebrows as fat as caterpillars remained the same, and the smile in his deep blue eyes remained the same.
"Kid, you shouldn't be here at this time."
"Uncle, I am no longer a child."
"Little Cat, you just look grown up..."
Sir Brynden turned in the direction of Bloody Gate, and he continued, "You need a fireplace and hot tea now."
Catelyn jumped on the horse and followed Sir Brynden.
Long battlements were built on the dangerous cliffs on both sides, and the mountain road shrank to barely enough space for four people to ride side by side. Two Broken Towers were clinging to the rock walls, connected to each other by a weathered gray stone sealed arch bridge.
Catelyn could feel the silent faces watching them from the archery holes in the tower, the battlements and the stone bridges.
In front of the thick city gate, Sir Brynden stopped his horse. He looked at Catelyn and his party and said loudly, "In the name of Duke Eyrie, the guardian of Vale of Arryn, the real Warden of the East In the name of Robert·Arryn, I let you pass Bloody Gate and ask you to maintain peace in his name."
Catelyn said loudly, "I, Catelyn·Tully, the Duke of Winterfell, the wife of Warden of the North's Eddard·Stark, in the name of Lady of Winterfell, through Bloody Gate, promise peace."
After Catelyn finished speaking, a smile appeared on Sir Brynden's face, "Let's go."
Catelyn rode next to Brynden, and her Winterfell guards followed behind.
Vale is bathing in the morning light.
After passing through the shadow of Bloody Gate, Catelyn arrived at the other end of the stone fortifications. The peaks and mountains suddenly spread out in her field of vision, and the green fields, blue skies and snow-capped mountain tops suddenly appeared. It was so beautiful that she could not breathe.
The canyon stretched before them, until it reached the misty east.
Vale is a peaceful and quiet country, protected by mountains on all sides, with fertile black soil inside, wide and gentle rivers, and hundreds of large and small lakes that are as bright as mirrors in the sun. The fields are full of barley, wheat and corn.
Catelyn and others continue riding.
In a stone house at the west end of the canyon, Catelyn stood at the window and looked up. The mountains to the north were so close that he seemed to be within reach.
The firelight jumped in the fireplace, adding warmth to the room.
Sir Brynden, who was sitting in front of the fireplace, turned his head and looked at Catelyn, with a smile on his face, "Little Cat, you just look grown up."
Hearing her uncle's joke, Catelyn's cheeks turned slightly red. She left the window and sat in front of the fireplace.
"Uncle, Vale is so beautiful."
Brynden's voice was low and hoarse. "Beauty is just the appearance. I have seen a lot of ugliness hidden under the beautiful scenery recently."
Catelyn is holding a cup of hot tea in his hand, his blue eyes showing doubts.
"Cat, you should send a letter first, Vale is not calm."
Catelyn looked sad. "Uncle, I have indeed learned a painful lesson. Wildling at the foot of the mountain harassed us day and night. We lost a total of six people. I almost thought we were doomed."
"They are the Mountain Clans tribe of Mountains of the Moon. After Lord Jon died, these Wildling became more and more bold."
"Lysa didn't send troops?"
Sir Brynden stared at Catelyn for a while and said, "Cat, it seems that you have not received your husband's letter."
Catelyn's eyes were mixed with resentment and uneasiness. "Uncle, I am here just for my husband and children. Lannister Queen is simply a lunatic. She not only framed Ned for rebellion... but also forced Sansa to write down the crime..."
Her eyes became a little moist. "Robb has summoned House Stark's vassals to rescue Ned, and the North's army is heading south. I came to see Lysa for Vale's cavalry..."
Catelyn looked at Sir Brynden firmly, and then said, "Uncle, I must save my husband and daughter from Cersei."
After Catelyn finished speaking, Sir Brynden nodded slightly. "Cat, don't worry, the Tully family and the House Stark army can ensure the safety of your husband and children."
"Uncle, I want to see Lysa as soon as possible."
Sir Brynden said slowly, "Cat, not long ago Vale's important nobles received your husband's handwritten letter, and he investigated the murderer of Lord Jon..."
Catelyn's eyes moved. "Is the murderer Lannister?"
Sir Brynden shook his head. "Cat, your husband said that Lysa·Tully poisoned and murdered Lord Jon."
Catelyn was shocked, and she looked at her uncle in disbelief.
Sir Brynden continued, "When I wrote the letter, Robert had not passed away, and Ned still lived in Tower of the Hand."
Catelyn turned pale and murmured, "How is it possible... how is it possible..."
Sir Brynden said in a deep voice, "It is indeed unbelievable, but everyone believes in Ned's character. Cat, you know your husband better than anyone else."
"The Gods, why is this happening!", Catelyn's pupils dilated, her lips trembled slightly, and the terrible news made her feel like the world was spinning.
"Little Cat, are you okay?"
"Is my sister crazy? How could she do such a cruel thing?! The Gods What should she do?!"
Sir Brynden stretched out his big hand. He tried to comfort his heartbroken niece like he did when he was a child, but he was held tightly by Catelyn. She buried her face in his palm, and he felt the hot tears.
Family, responsibility, honor... Sir Brynden looked at Catelyn and sighed secretly.
Catelyn looks strong on the surface, but deep down she has been worried about her husband and children. She is awakened by various horrific nightmares every night, and hearing such shocking news today finally made her collapse.
After a while, Catelyn let go of her uncle's hand and let out tears like a child beside her uncle, which made her heavy heart feel lighter.
"Cat, our Lysa is still safe."
Catelyn picked up the tea cup and took a sip. She was a little embarrassed and said, "Uncle, I may be exhausted."
"Children, people are not iron. Men need wine and women need tears."
"Uncle, I am no longer a child."
"Little Cat, Ned is a good husband."
Catelyn wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and looked at his uncle with red and swollen eyes doubtfully.
"A good husband will let his wife retain her girlish nature."
Catelyn couldn't help laughing, she said helplessly, "My good uncle, I am already a mother of five children."
Sir Brynden smiled gently and said, "Cat, I plan to leave with you, and together we will save your family from Lannister."
"Uncle, this is really exciting news, Robb needs your help..."
As he said that, Catelyn's excited voice turned into worry. "My sister... is Vale very bad now?"
"Almost everyone is filled with righteous indignation. Lord Jon is deeply loved by Vale people. Lysa has committed an unforgivable crime."
Catelyn already knew that her sister had made an unforgivable mistake, so she was even more worried.
"Then Lysa..."
"Lysa will be fine for the time being. She said that Ned's letter was a deliberate slander, and that it was a conspiracy by the North to rob Vale... Many Vale people believed her excuse and chose to support her."
He added, "Lysa expelled all suspicious people in Eyrie and blocked all entrances. She firmly believes that Eyrie is unbreakable and no enemy can break it."
"Uncle, how are you now?"
Sir Brynden looked worried. "I am busy loading various supplies into Eyrie's Sky Cell Basket every day. The only thing my uncle can do now is this. Not long ago... Eyrie is crowded with Lysa's suitors, as many as crows on the battlefield. Now... almost all those suitors have joined Declaration of Lords Declarant."
"Declaration of Lords Declarant?"
Sir Brynden nodded. "Vale nobles have formed an alliance, and they said they will use all necessary means to make Lysa get the justice he deserves."
Catelyn exclaimed, "That means... will they raise troops?"
Sir Brynden sighed, "Sooner or later, Vale's civil war is inevitable."
After a pause, he added, "Declaration of Lords Declarant will not believe me, but Lysa only believes in her trusted knight."
"The Confidant Knight?"
Sir Brynden's tone showed a little helplessness. "Most of them are sworn knights who were born in the little lord Vale. They swear allegiance to Lysa. The Gods bless her."
Catelyn leaned back on the chair. She raised her eyes and stared at the roof and thought for a while, then said, "Uncle, I feel very uneasy. I want to meet Lysa as soon as possible."
Sir Brynden advised, "Cat, because Ned, she will most likely not welcome you."
Cat's voice was full of determination. "Uncle, I believe Ned will not slander Lysa, but I still want to confirm with Lysa face to face. Even if there is no hope, I hope this is a misunderstanding."
According to the standards of the nobles in the kingdom, Eyrie is not large in scale, with only seven white spiers huddled together like arrows in a tube, sitting on the top of the mountain.
Although Eyrie has no stables, the Smith shops or kennels, its granary is as big as Winterfell's, and the castle tower is enough to accommodate five hundred soldiers.
Petyr·Baelish was dressed in a somewhat embarrassed manner. He left Sky Cell Basket with the help of a young waiter... Looking around, the castle seemed extremely desolate compared to the past memories.
Tap tap tap tap, Petyr echoed everywhere as she walked in the hall made of white stone.
"Petyr!"
A voice full of excitement sounded, and Lysa's bloated figure appeared. She held up her skirt and trotted towards Petyr.
Petyr showed an elegant and tired smile, and he slowly opened his arms towards Lysa.
Lysa threw herself into Petyr's arms. She hugged him tightly and cried, "Petyr, my Littlefinger, is it really you? Am I not dreaming?!"
Petyr patted Lysa on the back and said warmly, "It's me, my Lysa, I finally see you."
Lysa choked with sobs. "Your men sent me a letter saying that you were imprisoned Black Cells. I'm so scared. I have nightmares every day. I'm so afraid of losing you, wuwuwu."
Petyr comforted softly, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, I'm here, I'm here."
Petyr's hoarse whisper quickly soothed Lysa.
He lightly pinched Lysa's chubby cheeks, raised the corners of his lips slightly, and said, "My Lysa, you are still so crying. You are really a girl who has not grown up."
Lysa easily becomes shy in front of Petyr: "I won't cry anymore..."
Lysa looked at Petyr. Her blue eyes were dim and moist, and her lips were very light in color.
"Petyr, how did you escape?"
Petyr's eyes trembled slightly, and he said, "My Lysa, I thought that I alone could bear the crime of killing Jon·Arryn, so I just surrendered, but I didn't expect that Eddard·Stark still didn't let go of my beloved girl..."
As he spoke, he stroked Lysa's hair lovingly, and continued, "If I want to leave, no one can stop me... When I learned that Vale was your rebel, I came back, and I will always protect you, my Lysa."
"Petyr...", Lysa was moved to tears again.
Her voice was full of regret. "My Petyr, you love me so much, but I doubt you! I am mainly too scared, I think everyone will harm me, I live in fear every day, please forgive me, you must forgive me!"