act ii. chapter lv

TULLY NO MORE
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CATELYN MOVED LIGHTLY ACROSS THE WOOD FLOOR to meet her sister in the hallway. The castle seamstresses had fitted her mother's white gown to Catelyn's own young curves. It was not much different on her than it was on Minisa Whent. It was silken and a time-faded white. Two silver trout replaced the nine silver bats along the collarbone.

Half her hair was in a bun on top of her head, and the rest fell in soft, red ringlets around her face and neck.

Before her stood her little sister, a young girl of only four and ten. Lysa too wore a silk wedding gown. It was fashioned anew for her small frame and for the fact that she did not receive one in her mother's dowry. Not one stitch rivaled that of Catelyn's. Lysa's had been thrown together in less than a fortnight, for the arrangement between Lysa and the rebellion leader, Jon Arryn has been made in haste.

"You look beautiful, Lysa," Casterly told her sister quietly, as she placed a hand on her arm. "Lord Arryn is lucky to have you as a bride."

Lysa glanced down at the floor. "I could never look as beautiful as you, sister. Lord Stark holds the true honor."

"We are both going to be the wives of Great Lords, sister," Catelyn reminded. "You mustn't be so down about it. Today is a happy day."

Lysa hid her face farther. "For you perhaps. I still love another man... and Lord Jon Arryn is decades older than our lord father." Catelyn could hear her tears through her voice. And she knew this was not fair to Lysa. She knew of Petyr Baelish's true intentions as well.

"Lysa, we have been through this." Catelyn took her lightly sister's hand in her own. "Petyr did not love you, dear. He longed only to see your eyes looking at him

and the heat between your legs. He is a monster."

Lysa ripped her hand from Catelyn. "Lies!" She seethed. "Nothing but lies! I love Petyr and Petyr loves me. I will never be a proper wife to Jon Arryn. NEVER!"

Catelyn quickly placed her hand over her little sister's mouth and hissed for her to be quiet. "Have you no clue what you are saying, Lysa Tully? Dishonorable, treacherous words those were, sister. Who are you?"

Silent tears rolled down Lysa's cheeks as Catelyn removed her hand from her mouth. "Lysa Tully," she cried.

Catelyn nodded. "What are the Tully words?"

Lysa broke down into sobs. Catelyn had to hold her up. She spelled her clean across the face. "Stop your blubbering. What are our words?"

Lysa bit her bottom lip and took a deep breath as she touched the red mark that Catelyn's hand left on her pale face. "Family. Duty. Honor."

"Do your duty, Lysa Tully. No matter how hard it is."

Lysa gave Catelyn a nasty look. "I know how long you were crying about Brandon. I know father gave you this same talk about having to marry Eddard Stark. You are a hypocrite, and you are still getting the better end of the deal. Eddard stark is still a young man. And you are going off to live in the vast north. Jon Arryn barely has any teeth left. And I will be kept away in a tall mountain for the rest of my years."

Catelyn grimaced. "I will take my husband as he is, for I have been promised him, and him to me. You should do the same as well."

Lysa smiled with evil fit in her eyes. "So you will take him with his preexisting love for that Dornish bitch, Ashara Dayne, and the possible existence of a bastard by his seed?"

Those words made Catelyn's blood boil. The fact that even the most honorable man in all of Westeros would dare choose another woman above her. The faintest possibility that he may already have a first child- or worse- a first son. "Those are lies as well. Rumors. Ashara Dayne and Eddard Stark have not been together since the harrenhal tournament. That was well over a year ago."

Lysa scoffed and shrugged her shoulders, turning away from her sister. Cately huffed. "When will the father be here?" she wondered allowed.

And, as if on cue, Hoster Tully came forward through two great doors and presented his arm to both his daughters. "Are you ready, my river gems?" He asked them.

Lysa and Catelyn smiled as sweetly as they could and took his arms. Behind the gigantic doors before them, music began to play. Two of Hoster's men pulled open the doors, revealing the great sept of Riverrun to be filled with guests, a large band and choir at the end of the aisle, and two unmarried great lords of Westeros.

Catelyn's heart tried to jump out of her chest, but seeing Eddard stark there at the altar made her forget her longing for Brandon. The Quiet Wolf, The Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, and the most honorable man in all of Westeros was hers and hers alone, soon by law and by the sight of the gods.

In tune with the music, Hoster Tully walked his girls down the aisle, shortening the gap between them and their new husbands. As Catelyn got closer, she did begin to feel bad for her sister. There Eddard Stark was, adorned in his leather coated armor and towering furs that sat regally on his young, strong shoulder. He had was a long scar on his face and lines of worry on his brow, but he was as young as ever.

Then there was Jon Arryn. His grayed hair was thinning and cut short. His icy blues eyes were full of age and experience. His mouth was sunken from his lack of teeth, and Catelyn knew his breath smelled rotten. He was tall. So tall that he could be considered scary. His belly protruded over his belt from years of drinking. And he looked a Lysa like she was fresh meat.

Catelyn looked at Ned's eyes, scared that he would be looking upon her in the same fashion, but his face only confused Catelyn. His gray eyes resembled a storm. And his gaze avoided Catelyn at all costs. Even when Hoster placed her hand into Ned's, he looked from the ground to Hoster, then to the Septon, not once making eye contact with Catelyn.

It confused her, to say the least.

She looked around to see what people filled the hall. They were other lords. No women except for those who lived there at the Castle. And the lords were not only from the Riverlands, but from the Stormlands, the Vale, and the North too. Robert Baratheon stood out among them. It was then that Catelyn realized: her wedding was not one of tradition.

It was an agreement in the war. A treaty. A battle. All these men in attendance were commanding troops. And Lord Stark needed her father's men. Catelyn wondered if Lord Stark did love another woman. And was that woman that Fallen Star of Dorne?

Jealousy and betrayal flowed through her veins like the rapids of a river. She was not brought back to herself until the Septon called upon her and Ned.

"Look upon each other and way the words."

A shot of nervousness stabbed her heart. What if she did not say the words right? All the words she had practiced in her chambers late at night left her head. She was afraid she would get them wrong.

She looked at Eddard for reassurance. It was then that

he finally looked her in the eyes. She immediately noticed that he seemed sad. But he gave her a nod that telling was alright and that she could say that word. And so they began. She looked down at her and Eddard's hands as they were tied together gently. Lysa, Jon Arryn, Carley, and Eddard Stark all began to speak.

"Father, Smith, Warrior, Mother, Maiden, Crone, Stranger..."

"I am his and he is mine..." Catelyn and Lysa said together, Lysa's voice timid and shaky, and Catelyn loud and cold.

"I am hers and she is mine..." Jon Arryn and Lord Stark said. Jon spoke as if he were leading an army, his voice full and strong. Eddard sounded as though someone was holding a knife to his throat.

"... from this day until the end of my days."

Eddard next her glance and moved away. "With this kiss," he said. " I pledge my love to you, Catelyn Tully."

His rough fingers gently held her jaw and placed a loveless kiss on her lips. The two of them turned out to the crowd, who were cheering wildly. Jon Arryn held up Lysa's hand, and they bowed before the crowd.

"To the reception!" Jon Arryn announced. Catelyn glanced over at Ned, trying to read him. She found it quite obvious that he did not want to be here. But why? He was nice enough to her when he spoke to her before he left to save Robert at the Stoney Sept. The newly married couples began their descent down the stairs to the alter and back out onto the aisle. The Septon, the aides in waiting, The family, and so one followed them out of the sept. They all went to the great hall where the feast was already prepared.

The Tullys sat at the head table along with her and Ned, and Lysa and Jon Arryn. Jon Arryn has insisted that Robert Baratheon had a seat at the high table and it seemed that her father could not say no. Robert sat on the other side of Lord Eddard.

Lord by lord, they came up to present blessings and gifts and words of praise and good luck to the newly married couples. Catelyn was so distracted by how distracted her new husband was that she could not take in the splendor of her wedding feast.

He had not even spoken to her except for his vows. It went on into the night. He barely even ate. It made Catelyn self-conscious about eating. She looked around to observe the people who were drinking and eating and having great fun. Robert had to have been on his 3rd bottle of wine, and Jon Arryn, his fourth plate of food. He even managed to make Lysa laugh multiple times. Robert continued to bump his friend on the shoulder and get him into conversations, but Lord Eddard never seemed to want to move even his fork.

"Lord Stark," Catelyn had finally found the courage to say. Though she could not find any words to follow,

"Lady Stark," he said back, his gruff voice laced in dismay. Shock entered her chest upon hearing her new name come out of her new husband's mouth.

Her eyes searched around them for anyone that may be watching the two of them specifically. But it was late enough into the party where everyone had found other things to entertain themselves with bedsides the reason for the party. "What is troubling you, my lord."

He sighed, and his brow furrowed together, trying to think of something not to say. Perhaps something that would not make Caaatelyn mad or too worried. " The war," he answered.

"Are you not happy to be married?" Catelyn asked him.

Ned smiled a rather forced one. and looked to his new wife. "I am always happy to do my duty," he answered.

Catelyn grimaced and stared out into the crowd. Neither of them said another thing to the other as the night went on. The drinking and the eating and the laughing seemed to live only outside her and Eddard's boundary of discomfort.

Robert shot up from his seat, his large body crashing into the table and knocking over several drinks and siding people's plates to the edge. He was drunk. "I say it is time for a nice and good bedding ceremony!" He yelled, his loud voice resigning through the entire hall.

Each table exploded into cheers and chants. Men were slamming their classes and utensil on the table and hollering and hosting "BED BED BED BED!"

Fear arose in Catelyn's gut... Eddard seemed as though he would rather die than be here. And Catelyn feared this moment of her wedding above all other things. She gave her new husband a look as the men were coming closer to her and the women coming closer to him.

Ned gave her the same look. He silently agreed that this was not necessary. He stood up. "Stop!"

The entire hall was silenced. "We are in the middle of a war. There will be no bedding ceremony on this night! The feast is over as well. War council will resume in the morning. It is time we all get our rest!"

Catelyn's eyes grew wide as she looked too shocked. Lord Eddard offered her his arm. "How about we retire to outer chambers for the night?" He asked her.

Catelyn nodded, thankful that she did not have to go through the bedding ceremoniously. She took her arm and he led her out the great hall before anyone else. Catelyn did not make eye contact with anyone as she left.

She followed Ned to their master chambers that they were to be staying in until they would go back to Winterfell.

They said nothing when he shut the door behind them. Ned simply removed his furs and placed them on a chair. "It is too hot to wear those down here," he noted.

"I can't imagine having worn them all day."

He sat down in his chair. "It was a long day."

Catelyn nodded. "I can't help but agree, Lord Eddard."

"You are my wife now. Please just call me Ned. There is no need for formalities. He started to take off his boots. Catelyn thought about what was sure to happen. But she was no stranger to sex, thanks to Petyr Baelish. As far as anyone else knew, she was a virgin, but she was thankful for the experience. At least she did not have to be afraid here with Ned.

Catelyn began to unlace her dress. Ned had made it his to his nightshirt and stood up to get into bed when he noticed Catelyn was beginning to take off her nightgown.

He held up his hand and sighed. She noticed that this breath was shakey. Not out of nervousness or anticipation. It seemed almost as though he was holding back tears. "Lady Catelyn. I see no need to consummate if you wish not to. I understand we know each other nearly at all, and I very well may die in this war... You may want our marriage annulled. You never know right now."

Catelyn let her nightdress fall to the floor as she crawled into the bed with her new husband. She ignored his look of discomfort. She was not going to be cheated out of Stark husband. "We married because of the war. Because your brother died. We should consummate before you leave so there is the chance of you leaving another stark heir." Ned's eyes traveled down her body, but he looked away, pulling his knee to his chest. Catelyn began to be offended, but she was not going to let it show. She was going to be a good wife.

Catelyn placed her hand on his chest. "What is the problem, my lord?" He put his hand over hers and sighed.

"I have no problem," he muttered, so low Cathely could barely even hear it. With that, Catelyn took hold of his hand and placed it firmly over her breast, and leaned in to kiss him. He moved his lips away from hers and hesitated for a long moment before kissing her instead on the neck. It confused Catelyn for a second, but his soft neck kisses pushed that confusion out of her mind and replaced it with pleasure. She moved her hand over his ground and pressed gently, helping it grow. Soon she earned a soft moan from her new husband and she smiled. Perhaps he would get a son out of her after all.

A/N: hey guys! sorry for the super late update. Just been really busy with school and stuff. Im mostly free at the moment so you can probably expect chapters again. After all, we are in the final arc of the story! We are reaching the climactic battle!! Next chapter is ASHARA. We will see how she is doing since Ned is married now and it isn't even her. Gosh y'all I'm sorry this story does not have many happy endings lol.