Setting out once more, the garrison at Darry had been halved again. Lyonel said order in the surrounding lands was steadily improving and that fifty men should be enough to keep the area south of the crossroads secure, but Tyrion still left him a hundred.
Not just Darry—everything along the River Road to Harrenhal was handed over to Lyonel to oversee, including the authority to distribute farmland to the peasants.
"You're killing the rest of the Freys, yet you trust this one?" Greatjon couldn't make sense of it.
"He may be a Frey, but he's a Lannister," Tyrion replied.
The two of them rode at the head of the column. Brienne guarded the lady's carriage in the middle.
"What were you and that ugly wench doing?" Greatjon went on. "The ladies seemed quite pleased this morning."
"I'll remind you that I'm the commander," Tyrion said. "Shouldn't you be paying more attention to me?"
"I'll bury you," Greatjon grunted. "House Frey has five or six times your men."
"Walder Frey will only take me alive and squeeze Casterly Rock for favors," Tyrion said. "You'd better pray I don't lose, or Arya will end up married to that little weasel."
...
Riverrun's camp looked bleak; from a distance, it seemed as though the besieging army had been cut in half. Only the Lion banner and the Twins' banners still flew in full number. Most of the Three Rivers lords had gone. Tyrion called a council at once.
Daven's beard and hair had grown thicker, and he reeked. He sat on Tyrion's left. Edwyn Frey and Rivers sat on his right. A few Riverlands lords lingered at the far end, but only two familiar faces remained—the two Vance lords. The rest were young strangers.
"Where has everyone gone?"
"Traitors," Edwyn Frey snarled. "Where else? They've all walked off!"
"Lord Clement Piper has taken his men back to Pinkmaiden," said Walder Rivers. "He insists he must return to harvest the wheat, or they won't survive the coming winter."
"Lord Piper speaks no falsehood," Norbert Vance murmured, his eyes clouded. "Winter is nearly here."
Karyl Vance nodded his agreement.
Tyrion knew that House Vance of Atranta and House Vance of Wayfarer's Rest were branches of the same house. They weren't powerful, but Dafyn Vance had married Maegelle Frey, linking the Vances to the Freys. That was the only reason they'd stayed.
The Pipers of Pinkmaiden were gone. The Smallwoods of Acorn Hall had taken two-thirds of their men, including all their cavalry and heavy infantry, leaving only spearmen and the old, weak, and sick behind.
House Blackwood of Raventree Hall was under attack by Janos Bracken of Stone Hedge. Their feud was ancient. Stone Hedge had been burned by Gregor Clegane, while Raventree Hall had changed hands several times in the Lannister–Stark fighting. Now the Blackwoods refused to swear to the Iron Throne, and Lord Bracken had set his sights on the Blackwood Vale.
"Ever since you left, these Riverlands lords have gone wild," Edwyn Frey complained. "Especially since the prisoners were sent here from The Twins. Not that I mean to blame you, my lord, but Ser Daven… he spends every day drinking and making merry with those captives."
"Lord—he's the Lord of Castamere," Tyrion corrected him. "Their disobedience comes from your loss of authority…"
"And from the lack of supplies," Daven cut in. "People are starving, and you only look after your own. Tell me—where's all the grain coming from the Crossing? You don't care how many mouths need feeding, do you?"
"Lies!" Edwyn's face turned scarlet.
"Lord Vance," Tyrion turned to the other side, "whose bread are you eating?"
"Our supplies come from Atranta and Wayfarer's Rest," said the blind old lord. "We provide for Smallwood's men as well. But we cannot feed more than we already do."
"So," Tyrion said, fixing Edwyn with a stare, "Daven is telling the truth."
Edwyn flushed deeper, like a trapped weasel, his mouth opening and closing without a sound.
"My lord, food is scarce in The Twins as well," Walder Rivers added. "The northerners send letters every week demanding support. Compared to the Riverlands, the North has already seen light snow. Their situation is worse."
Daven cleared his throat.
"Such considerate allies," Tyrion said with a laugh. "Marry a Frey woman and you'll never starve. Dismissed. The Freys may stay—we have matters to discuss."
Everyone but the Freys and the Lannisters filed out of the camp.
"Have all the prisoners from The Twins been brought?"
"They're all here, under my custody," Daven said. "Those northern lords, and the southern lords who refuse to surrender, tremble every day under my... torment."
"I suggest executing Edmure Tully," Walder Rivers said. "Just as Black Walder took Seagard—he threatened to kill Patrek, and Lord Jason opened the gates."
"Since we're speaking of Seagard, Black Walder, and Mallister," Tyrion said, "did Black Walder send the Seagard prisoners? Did you summon him to join the siege?"
"Yes, my lord. But he ignored the order," Edwyn Frey said angrily. "By now he's probably sitting comfortably in Seagard, eating Mallister bread and drinking Mallister wine, waiting for us to fall apart and get strung up by outlaws."
"Petyr was hanged, and so was Merrett Frey, when he went to pay the ransom," said the bastard of the Wards.
"And my father," Edwyn added.
"Yes. He'll gladly watch us die," Tyrion said with a nod. "I'll go to Seagard and deal with him myself."
"You? My lord?" The two weasels looked startled. "What do you plan to do?"
"If he has any sense, he'll bring his soldiers to join the siege—along with Seagard's supplies and the Mallister captives," Tyrion said. "I won't have us suffering while others refuse to contribute to the cause."
"Quite right. Everyone should do their part," Edwyn Frey agreed with a nod.
"And if he refuses? How do you intend to deal with him?" Walder Rivers asked, looking uneasy.
"I am Lord of the Riverlands. Defying my command is treason, and he'll be treated accordingly," Tyrion said. "Are you planning to plead for him?"
"No, my lord. I think that's entirely appropriate," Edwyn Frey said, nodding. "My men can't be there in person, but I'm more than willing to offer whatever support is needed."
"I need your crossbows—all of them—along with bolts," Tyrion said. "And armor and spears. My soldiers won't wear Lannister gear. They'll use Frey equipment."
"It is our pleasure, my lord."