chapter 179 part 2
Ser Brynden extended a large hand, trying to comfort his heartbroken niece as he had when she was a child, but Catelyn grabbed it tightly. She buried her face in his palm, and he felt the searing heat of her tears.
*Family, Duty, Honor...* Ser Brynden sighed inwardly as he looked at Catelyn.
...
Catelyn was strong on the surface, but her heart was filled with constant worry for her husband and children. Every night, she was awakened by various terrifying nightmares. Coupled with the shocking news she heard today, she finally broke down.
After a long while, Catelyn let go of her uncle's hand. Weeping at his side like a small child allowed her to vent, making her heavy heart feel much lighter.
"Cat, our Lysa is safe for now."
Catelyn picked up her teacup and took a sip. She felt a little embarrassed. "Uncle, I might just be exhausted."
"Child, people aren't made of iron. Men need wine, and women need tears."
"Uncle, I'm not a child anymore."
"Little Cat, Ned is a good husband."
Catelyn wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, looking at her uncle with reddened, questioning eyes.
"A good husband lets his wife keep her girlish nature."
Catelyn couldn't help but laugh. She said helplessly, "My good uncle, I am already a mother of five."
Ser Brynden smiled gently and said, "Cat, I plan to leave with you. Together, we will rescue your family from the hands of the Lannisters."
"Uncle, this is truly exciting news. Robb needs your help..."
As she spoke, Catelyn's excited voice turned to worry. "My sister... is the Vale in a bad state now?"
"Almost everyone is filled with righteous indignation. Lord Jon was deeply loved by the people of the Vale. Lysa has committed an unforgivable crime."
Catelyn already knew her sister had made an unforgivable mistake, which made her even more worried.
"Then Lysa..."
"Lysa will be safe for the time being. She claims Eddard's letter is a malicious slander and says it's a northern plot to seize the Vale. Many in the Vale believed her explanation and chose to support her."
He added, "Lysa has driven all suspicious persons from the Eyrie and sealed all the entrances. She firmly believes the Eyrie is impregnable and that no enemy can breach it."
"Uncle, how are you now?"
Ser Brynden looked worried. "I spend my days busying myself with sending all sorts of supplies up to the Eyrie in the baskets. It's the only thing this uncle of hers can do now. Not long ago... the Eyrie was crowded with Lysa's suitors, as numerous as crows on a battlefield. Now... those suitors have almost all joined the Alliance of the Righteous."
"The Alliance of the Righteous?"
Ser Brynden nodded. "The lords of the Vale have formed an alliance. They claim they will use all necessary means to bring Lysa to justice."
Catelyn exclaimed, "Does that mean... they will raise their banners?"
Ser Brynden sighed. "Sooner or later. Civil war in the Vale is now unavoidable."
He paused, then added, "The Alliance of the Righteous won't trust me, and Lysa only trusts her household knights."
"Household knights?"
Ser Brynden's voice was tinged with helplessness. "Most are sworn swords from the houses of lesser lords of the Vale. They have sworn to be loyal to Lysa alone, may the gods protect her."
Catelyn leaned back, her eyes fixed on the ceiling as she thought for a long while. Finally, she spoke: "Uncle, my heart is uneasy. I want to see Lysa as soon as possible."
Ser Brynden advised, "Cat, because of Ned, she will most likely not welcome you."
Catelyn's voice was filled with determination. "Uncle, I believe Eddard would not slander Lysa, but I must still confirm it with Lysa face-to-face. Even if there is not a sliver of hope, I wish this to be a misunderstanding."
...
...
By the standards of the kingdom's nobility, the Eyrie was not large. It was just seven slim, white towers bunched together like spears in a basket, perched on the mountain peak.
Though the Eyrie had no stables, smithy, or kennels, its granaries were as large as Winterfell's, and its towers could house five hundred men-at-arms.
Petyr Baelish, his clothes somewhat disheveled, stepped out of the basket with the help of a young servant. Looking around, the castle seemed unusually desolate compared to his memories.
...
*Tap, tap, tap, tap.* The sound of Petyr's footsteps echoed through the great hall built of white stone.
"Petyr!"
A voice filled with excitement rang out. Lysa's bloated figure appeared, and she ran toward Petyr, holding up her skirts.
Petyr showed an elegant yet weary smile. He turned toward Lysa and slowly spread his arms.
Lysa threw herself into Petyr's embrace, holding him tightly as she cried, "Petyr, my Littlefinger, is it really you? I'm not dreaming, am I?!"
Petyr gently patted Lysa's back and said warmly, "It's me, my Lysa. I've finally come to see you."
Lysa sobbed, "Your man sent me a raven, saying you were thrown into the black cells. I was so scared. I have nightmares every day. I was so afraid of losing you, oh..."
Petyr whispered comfortingly, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. I'm here. I'm here."
Petyr's low, hoarse voice quickly soothed Lysa.
He gently pinched Lysa's chubby cheeks and curled his lips into a slight smile. "My Lysa, you still love to cry so much. You really are a girl who never grows up."
Lysa easily grew shy in front of Petyr. "I'm not crying anymore..."
Lysa looked at Petyr. Her blue eyes were pale and moist, and the color of her lips was very faint.
"Petyr, how did you escape?"
Petyr's eyes trembled slightly as he said, "My Lysa, I thought I alone could bear the blame for murdering Jon Arryn, so I allowed myself to be taken. But I never imagined Eddard Stark would still refuse to let my beloved girl go..."
As he spoke, he stroked Lysa's hair dotingly and continued, "If I want to leave, no one can stop me... When I learned that rebels had risen against you in the Vale, I came back. I will protect you forever, my Lysa."
"Petyr..." Lysa was so moved that she began to weep again.
Her voice was full of regret. "My Petyr, you love me so much, yet I doubted you! I was just too scared. I felt like everyone would try to harm me. I lived in fear every day. Please forgive me, you must forgive me!"
(end of chapter)