He makes himself presentable, too, and then he is off to go do a bunch of war-related planning and organisation. He needs to get headcounts from his bannermen and for his own people, and have the first of their strategic meetings about what to do next (which will predictably mostly be led by Zakary).

The meeting goes well past lunchtime and so the people participating have their meal delivered by servants—though Zakary insists that none of them enter the actual room they are discussing things in, the added comfort is not enough to justify the risk of leakage. He has four ideas of possible things they could do as well as a list of pros and cons and a partial accounting of necessary numbers and resources needed for each. The other lords who will be making decisions are invited to critique and to provide information that might make one or another plan better, and to suggests modifications or their own ideas.

Anavett has less personal responsibilities than her husband, she could conceivably spend the day in recreation if she wanted to, but she doesn’t. If nothing else, she’s been the de facto lady of the Tully household since her mother’s death. It's become her habit to manage it accordingly, and it would probably worry many of the staff if she didn't get right back to it the minute she could. Plus, she enjoys it. Besides, there are four armies (Stark, Baratheon, Arryn, and Tully) currently being fed, clothed, armed, and housed primarily by the Riverlands, so it is safe to say no one will turn down a helping hand in keeping it all as organized as possible. Feeding armies on purpose keeps them from doing things like sacking villages for the supplies they need! Yes, they're allied, and stealing things from the vassals of the lord they're allied to is frowned upon, but it can still happen. The best way to keep an army from doing stupid things to stay fed is to feed them.

As expected, lords Karstark and Umber make several japes about Alisander's prowess in bed and his marine wife not knowing what she signed up for. He takes them with good enough grace, manages to not blush at all and to only give curt responses that nevertheless completely fail to disabuse anyone of the notions being put forth.

When they're done it is almost supper time, but Zakary pulls Alisander aside and finds a secluded corner of the keep to talk.

"So."

"...so?"

"Suppose I should be giving you congratulations. You performed your duty admirably."

"Oh, fuck you, Zak," and now he's blushing.

Zakary grins and shakes his head. "I am just happy my pupil learned well enough—"

Alisander thinks Zakary needs to be punched a lot more often than he is.

He was expecting it, though, and blocks the punch easily. "Your worries about not liking women seem to have been entirely unfounded, then?"

"Yes. Zak, is there a reason you wanted to talk or are you just fishing for all of the sordid details?"

"Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea of the details by now, wolf."

"...you also listened."

"It would have been a lot stranger not to, we're brothers, people would be suspicious."

"And you got off on it."

"Of course I got off on it. —not right then, obviously, but my Alis being that good with his wife, who by the way sounds delightful—"

Zakary blocks another punch and then Alis folds his arms and looks away, blushing harder. "You should not say things like these. If anyone hears you I will have to duel you for her honour."

"The acoustics here are great, which is to say they're shit and you can't hear anyone two yards away from you."

"Zak, can you get to the point?"

"You," he says, locking his eyes onto Alis's, "are very concerned about something."

"If you haven't noticed there's a war—"

"Brother when have you ever successfully lied to me?"

"Gods take you, Zakary. Is this a checkup on how I am? I am doing great, thank you very much, my wife is in fact lovely, our night together was bloody perfect—"

"And you asked Lord Manderly to welcome her in White Harbour while we're off at war."