Entry Twenty-Three

Date: 299 After Landing, Winter

Location: Faircastle, Fair Isle

I guess I am giving up all attempts to stay anonymous out here in the West. Tyrion sent a raven with my very simple orders; sneak into the Banefort and capture it. He knows that this will most likely let Stannis know I am here, and helping Tyrion, but he believes this will save more lives.

In the short term, this makes sense. He knows I am capable of such things, and it would save thousands of lives that would normally be lost in a battlefield. Islander and Westlander both. If Jaime was to move his army though the narrow path linking Banefort to the rest of the mainland, it would turn into a bloodbath. And a sea-based invasion would be doomed to failure before it even began. But long term…there is an army on the Westerlands southern border, and could rip through everything up to Castlery Rock before any defense could be marshalled.

Speaking of Jaime, King Eddard has agreed to harbor the Kingslayer from Stannis. Not in the North, but in the Riverlands. I recommended making him the Castle Commander for the Golden Tooth, making him a literal bridge between the Riverland and the West, which Eddard reluctantly agreed to. He wasn't keen on the idea of giving Lannister lands back to a Lannister, but he agreed when I made it clear he wouldn't be the Lord of Golden Tooth, just the garrison commander, and that keeping him close to both Tyrion and us would be a good thing for all involved.

So, Tyrion can get his peace with Stannis and keep his brother alive, the North gets a skilled and capable military commander and a powerful bargaining tool against the West should they try to raise arms against us in the future. Should Jaime wish to settle down and start a family of his own, I'm sure that could be worked out as well. Even while not being a true Lord, without one at the Tooth it would make Jaime a de facto Lord at least. This would also link the West to the North politically, so when war came between Eddard and Stannis we would have one more ally.

Maybe it is just my way of apologizing for cutting off his hand. Then again, all things considered his life seems to be better now for it. His smiles no longer seem forced.

So, as I write this I'm getting ready to go to the docks and sail back to the mainland. Dacey, God love her, doesn't want me to go alone and wants to join me. Normally I would be for that, but since that kiss things have…changed. I don't know, why I'm trying to push her away. Maybe nerves? Peggy was the last woman I cared for, but I was taken from her before I could see how far that road went. Maybe I am afraid of walking another, and finding it cut short. If it wasn't for my blood, it would have been already.

On a side note, I wish I knew more about orbital mechanics. The weather is going colder, the days are getting shorter, but even the Maester can't tell me when the shortest or longest days will arrive. Too irregular. They have a calendar of 12 months broken up into 52 weeks of 7 days, although they have very different names than what I grew up with, which makes it easy to know when it's your birthday and when the mini-seasons phase in and out. But the Long Summer and Long Winter control the length of the day. Too bad…I would like to know when it was time for Yule or Christmas. Maybe I can just fix it to the start of the calendar year? That is one tradition I would like to bring back/invent.

Oh, I suppose I should mention the Queen's sister, Lady Regent of the Vale Lysa Tully has married. Queen Catelyn was reportedly angry about the abruptness, and the lack of invitation, but furious when she learned it was to Petyr Baelish. Baelish was little more than clerk for the crown when I last saw him, Master of Coin, but he had apparently risen to the rank of Lord of Ashford for his service in uniting the Stormlands and Reach together. Now, after marrying Lysa, he would be the Lord Regent of the Vale…