The group made a hasty retreat following the incident with the dog. Throughout the return journey, Edmure never slept; he remained deep in conversation regarding unit tactics, armor specifications, and the various logistical burdens of war. Vyman noted that Edmure placed far more importance on the preparations made before a battle than the heroics on the field itself. He quietly pointed this out to Hoster, hoping the Lord would tailor his future expectations for his son.
In a surprising move, Edmure candidly explained that his physical prowess was already on par with a novice knight. He assured them his strength would continue to increase at a rapid pace, so they need not fret over his martial training. To prove his point and cement their trust, he revealed his Endless Quiver ability. Without prying eyes around, Edmure saw no reason to hide such a blatant advantage. The more satisfied Hoster became with his heir's gifts, the smoother Edmure's entry into Riverlands politics would be. Vyman was ecstatic; unlike the Faith of the Seven, the Citadel harbored no innate animosity toward magic, and many Maesters would risk their lives for a glimpse of the arcane.
"Do you feel anything when the arrow appears?" Vyman asked, his eyes wide. Hoster, too, was squinting at the quiver, looking for a charade or a tavern trick. "An energy, perhaps? Or a divine favor?"
"Not really," Edmure replied. "It's as if the arrow I shot never truly left the quiver. If I etch my name on an arrow and fire it, I'll find the same arrow waiting for me a moment later."
In his mind, Edmure equated it to a glitch in the world's code, a firing mechanism that failed to trigger the decrease ammo command.
"Most fascinating," Hoster pitched in. "It will be invaluable in a fray. Perhaps you should try javelins or throwing axes. The Ironborn are famous for hurling them to break shield walls before a charge. Most carry small hand-axes, but I've heard of brutes who carry two great axes—one for the throw and one for the kill."
"Javelins, perhaps," Edmure mused. "I can use them from horseback. But for most encounters, the bow remains superior."
"Suit yourself," Hoster gave a dry chuckle. "Perhaps one day you'll shoot a dragon from the sky. It seems the magic of Westeros is awakening; perhaps even the land itself can no longer tolerate the Targaryens. Next, I'll hear the Starks have found the Children of the Forest. The North still hates that their King knelt to a foreigner without a fight."
The trip ended as the towers of Riverrun came into view on the third evening. Hoster immediately sequestered himself with Vyman to handle pending administration and plan Edmure's heirship ceremony. House Tully was in a delicate diplomatic position due to the brewing rebellion; Hoster wanted a grand ceremony to settle the succession, but he didn't want to draw the ire of the Iron Throne by gathering too large a host of vassals. Edmure suggested keeping the ceremony simple and following it with extensive tours of their vassals' domains later.
Returning to his solar, Edmure slept through the entire next day. On the second evening, he took his Myrish paper and went to Catelyn, asking if she had any love stories to lend him. Blushing, she showed him her stash, a collection of tales from across the realms. Curiously, they all followed the same trope: a highborn girl and a suitor of lower standing who grow up together, face separation, and are eventually united by the grace of the Seven. Petyr had clearly spent significant effort curating her educational material.
For the next three days, Edmure locked himself away. He painted with a fervor that produced vivid colors and lifelike, geometrically perfect details. Yet, he felt nothing, as if he were merely executing a program that generated art rather than creating it. What the household didn't know was that Edmure frequently sneaked out of his solar through the window. Heights that would be suicidal to others were mere obstacles to him. He made several trips to his father's solar to observe scene. He accidently eavesdropped on multiple occasions, and once even observed Hoster and Catelyn enjoying a quiet view together, much like the scene in his painting.
[Stealth: Level 1 | +10% Stealth per Level] Level 10: Obscurity from tracing by superhumans Level 100: Obscurity from tracing by Gods Level 1000: Apotheosis
The Stealth perk was a welcome surprise. After his Threat Detection had been bypassed by the dog, he felt he needed a passive defense against supernatural threats. In daily life, however, he intended to stay visible; a nobleman's power was built on being seen. He even went as far as to order a batch of high-quality arrows with his name etched into the wood, ensuring others would know who shot it.
With the gift for Catelyn finished, Edmure turned his attention to her books. The learning didn't level up. He decided to try if it was triggered by new language. He will ask Valerian scrolls from Vyman. But before returning the books, as a mischief, he changed the names of all protagonists to Catelyn and Petyr. He made annotations on the pages, wrote who was loosing tangible things in the relation and who was profiting with least efforts. After all, all good love stories need a villain.