The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Lady Catelyn?

The entire room was shocked.

Many people stood up!

Catelyn's heart was pounding fiercely. What should she do?

The real culprit who murdered Bran Stark was right in front of her.

Littlefinger's words seemed to echo in her ears: Who can understand what the Lannisters are thinking? Unless you secretly capture the Imp first and force him to tell the truth. Otherwise, without any evidence, who would dare to touch the King's brother-in-law?

Catelyn touched the Valyrian steel dagger at her waist. This dagger was the evidence. Littlefinger said this dagger belonged to the Imp. In a tourney wager, the Knight of Flowers knocked Jaime Lannister off his horse, and the Imp won this dagger.

What to do?

The opportunity was fleeting!

During the War of the Usurper sixteen years ago, Duke Hoster summoned his vassals and the King's loyalists to fight. However, the Darry, Lychester, and Mooton families of the Riverlands, although vassals of Riverrun, fought alongside Rhaegar Targaryen in the Battle of the Trident. Lord Frey only arrived late with his men after the war. His loyalty was highly suspect. Afterwards, he solemnly assured Duke Hoster that he had always been on their side, but from then on, her father changed his name to 'Late Lord Frey'.

And this inn was located in the territory of the Darry family.

The Darry family had always been staunch loyalists. After the war, they were pardoned by King Robert and submitted to the Tully family of Riverrun, but the loyalty of this family was still untrustworthy.

When Robert Baratheon rebelled, Willem Darry of the Darry family was the master-at-arms of the Red Keep. He protected Queen Rhaella and Prince Viserys, hiding them on Dragonstone. On the night of the storm, he took Viserys and the newborn Daenerys and fled to Braavos. When Robert's navy attacked Dragonstone the next day after the storm subsided, they discovered that the Targaryen bloodline had been continued thanks to Willem Darry's desperate protection, and had not been eradicated by Robert and Eddard.

If Catelyn captured Tyrion Lannister here, it would inevitably ignite a war between the Lannisters and the Starks! Because the Lannisters' poisoning of Jon Arryn and the attempted murder of Bran Stark were both done secretly, with no evidence to prove it. But once Catelyn took action against the Imp, it would be equivalent to the Starks openly declaring war on the Lannisters.

Once the war started, Duke Hoster would undoubtedly stand with the Starks, without a doubt. But it was hard to say whether the Darry, Lychester, Mooton, and Frey families would stand with the Tully and Stark families. Their loyalty had always been unclear.

Apart from the Frey family, who always liked to make choices after the war was over or the situation became clear, the other three families had blood feuds with the Tully, Stark, and Baratheon families. In that battle in the Riverlands, many key members of the three families were killed by the Tully army.

To act or not to act? Catelyn thought about this question a thousand times in an instant, but couldn't make up her mind! Besides, she didn't know if Edmure had returned to the Riverlands yet.

Catelyn felt that her palms were covered in cold sweat.

"My lady, your hand?!" the landlady, Marsha Heddle, said in surprise.

Catelyn looked at her hand. It had been cut by the Valyrian steel dagger at her waist, almost severing her entire palm. Instantly, Catelyn's heart became firm. The perpetrator must pay the price, and she must not let him get away with it. Catelyn's eyes turned sharp and determined as she looked at the Imp, which made the Imp feel confused.

Catelyn stood up, her expression completely changed. The dignity of a Duchess was inviolable: "Marsha, the last time I stayed here, I was Catelyn of House Tully." She could feel everyone's eyes focused on her. Catelyn looked around the room, looking at the knights and sworn swords. "The knight sitting in the corner, is that a black bat of Harrenhal embroidered on your coat?"

The man quickly stood up, respectfully: "Yes, my lady."

"My father is Hoster Tully, Duke of Riverrun. May I ask if Lady Harroway is his loyal ally?"

Lady Harroway was the Lord of Harrenhal.

Hoster Tully's wife was named Minisa Whent, and was a woman of the Whent family. The Tully and Whent families were related by marriage.

The knight firmly replied: "Lady Harroway and everyone in the Harroway family are Duke Hoster's most loyal vassals and allies."

Ser Rodrik quietly stood up and slowly drew his sword from its scabbard. He stood next to Lady Catelyn.

The Imp already sensed something was wrong. The dwarf blinked, he saw Lady Catelyn's hostility towards him, but he didn't understand why? After he peed on the Wall, he became friends with Jon Snow of the Stark family. Jon Snow also asked him to help Bran, hoping to use his intelligence and erudition to help the crippled Bran stand up. The Imp couldn't do that, but he came up with a way to help Bran ride a horse, which was to design a fixed wooden chair, tie the wooden chair to the horse's back, and then fix Bran in the wooden chair.

He fulfilled his promise to his friend when he passed through Winterfell, helping Bran ride a horse. When he saw Lady Catelyn, he was full of joy!

But the change in the situation exceeded the Imp's imagination. He really didn't understand why Lady Catelyn suddenly had such a strong hostility towards him.

"The red horse sigil has always been welcomed in Riverrun," she said to the three people by the fireplace. "My father considers Lord Jonos Bracken to be his most loyal and longest-serving vassal."

The three soldiers had respectful and obedient expressions: "Our lord is very grateful for the Duke's trust."

"I am also familiar with the Frey family's twin tower symbol. Knights, how is your master doing lately?" This was the key, because there were more than twenty people from the Frey family.

The leader of the Frey family stood up. "My lady, Lord Walder is well. He plans to marry a new wife on his ninetieth nameday and hopes to have the honor of inviting the Duke to attend and add glory."

Tyrion Lannister began to retreat, with a forced smile on his lips. He decided that no matter what Lady Catelyn's intentions were, he should leave here. Although he hadn't had a chance to take a bite of the food and wine he ordered.

To retreat quickly when things look bad was the Imp's consistent life motto.

He was a man of great action!

A real man acts when he says so!

However, at this time, Catelyn was sure that he could not escape: "Knights, Tyrion Lannister, as a guest in my house, attempted to murder my seven-year-old son, Bran Stark. This is the dagger his men used to commit the crime, and this is my injured hand." The lady's emotions became agitated, her injured hand pointed to Tyrion, who was retreating. "In the name of King Robert and the noble lords you serve, I ask you to help me capture him and assist me in sending him to Winterfell to be judged by the King's law."

Clang, clang, clang!

More than a dozen longswords were drawn at the same time. Tyrion had just turned to face the door and hadn't had time to run when longswords were pointed at him from the front and back!

Tyrion's mouth was full of bitterness. He looked at his two attendants. One of the guys wanted to draw his sword without knowing whether he was dead or alive. Tyrion quickly stopped him. He looked at Euron, the recruiting officer who was going to King's Landing to recruit soldiers with him from the Wall. The black-clad brothers had retreated to the side, still as quiet as a silent sword.

Tyrion chuckled: "Lords and knights, I'm sure you've all heard of the Lannister family's honor of always repaying debts. What my family lacks the least is gold, and what we value the most is friendship. If anyone goes to Casterly Rock and tells my father, Tywin Lannister, that I have been captured by Lady Catelyn, then he will not only gain the friendship of the Lannister family, but also gold!"

The Imp knew that his father didn't like him. From the moment he was born, his deformity became a scar on his father's honor. His birth caused the death of his mother, and his father loved his mother deeply, and from then on, he never smiled again for twenty-five years. His life and death were not as important to his father as Jaime's. The Imp knew this clearly, but his father could not allow anyone to threaten the honor of the Lannister family.

War, this sow Catelyn has stirred it up, so let it begin!