Tommard Tully

20th day of the Seventh Moon

The pen flicked between Tommard's fingers as he struggled to find the right words. The right words to inform her mother's subjects that war was coming to their doorsteps. What would his mother say? How would she break the news?

The time has come. Those were the last words Lady Agnes had uttered before she left the capital, marching back on the King's Road.

Simple, concise, to the point.

Would those be the last words he'd hear from her? That question popped into Tommard's mind more and more often as he and his mother aged.

The Lord sat at his desk, cleared from all the tomes and scrolls that had filled it throughout the day. He stared into the darkness, a single candle as his only companion.

It must have been the hour of the bat, but weariness and exhaustion were the last things on Tommard's mind. Instead, frustration reigned supreme.

Frustration with his inability to stand by his family. Frustration with his seat in the King's council, which kept him in the capital... and frustration with his knowledge that he was doing the right thing.

He could do nothing but write.

Lords and Ladies of the Riverlands,

I needn't tell to you that the realm has fallen into war. Many of you, by now, have already prepared for the worst, rallied a number of your men and are waiting for the right time to act: before her departure, my Lady Mother has let me know that the time has come.

As warden of the North, I urge you to raise your men and lead them to Riverrun, where you shall receive Lady Tully's hospitality and discuss our next moves.

These are troubling times for our Kingdoms. The Riverlands have barely recuperated from the last conflict and war has broken once more. We realise that this may be a great sacrifice for you and your families.

For the time being, any number of fighting men will be welcome - but we urge you to ready more men for the future. War will surely overflow from the borders of the Reach.

Family, Duty, Honour,

Ser Tommard Tully, Warden of the North and Master of Laws of the Seven Kingdoms