The Crossed Rose - GoT - R.S.

Harrenhal and a marriage

So, yes, the tension of the room could be cut with a sword, but before Robb could draw his to defend Dahlia's honour, the girl spoke up.

"Well, then, shall we have a seat?" She asked, trying to sound as polite as possible.

At that, everyone nodded, taking their seats again. Dahlia could almost roll her eyes at the way Robb grabbed her hand in his and held it while she sat down as he stood beside her. Only when she was comfortably sat on her chair did he sit down on his and Dahlia could have reprimanded him for it, claiming she wasn't a child and she could still sit herself down, thank you very much, but now, the act brought a comfort to her that she couldn't really deny at the moment. So she let him, holding his hand over her lap underneath the table as they stared at her brothers in front of her.

"Thank you for riding here so quickly." Robb spoke up, as soon as he sat down, as a means to properly start the meeting. "I know travel isn't easy in these times."

"The roads are crawling with cutthroats and bandits." Lothar said, a smirk on his face that made Dahlia's skin crawl a little. "When the King and the Queen in the North summons us, we come."

"Our father has instructed us to tell you that his men will be at your disposal if his terms are met." Black Walder said, turning to look at Dahlia again.

"Very well." She nodded. "And those terms you speak of?"

"Lord Frey demands Harrenhal and all its attendant lands." Lothar said, as Dahlia frowned.

Harrenhal? What did her Father even want with Harrenhal? She had been there for a few weeks and vowed never to come back there. For all she cared, Harrenhal could stay lordless for a while, but if her Father wanted to cast his banners down on the walls of the damned castle, then so be it. She nodded her head once, ready to concede to those terms, but Lord Edmure didn't seem all that keen in offering Late Walder Frey another keep for himself.

"I don't think that's..."

"We are fighting for the North." Robb interrupted him curtly, as Lord Edmure bit his tongue quietly. "Harrenhal is not in the North. It is his once the war is over and we have no further strategic need for it."

"And there's something else." Black Walder said.

"And I do not think our Lord Father's next request will sit well with her Grace." Lothar said and, just like that, Dahlia felt her stomach drop a little.

Everyone in the room turned to look at her then, expecting a reaction, but Dahlia gave them none. Instead, she kept her chin up and her face as neutral as possible. To anyone who didn't know her, it must have seemed as if the words hadn't affected her at all, but Robb knew better. And if he was to go by the way her hand gripped his in her lap, he could guess she was as nervous as he thought she would be.

"We will do whatever we can to give Lord Frey what he needs." Dahlia finally spoke up, though her jaw was clenched and the words tasted bitter in her mouth. Lothar smirked a little again.

"Not what, whom." He said, and, when his eyes feel on Lord Edmure across the table, Dahlia knew her suspicious were right.

Her Lord Father wanted yet another marriage for one of his daughters and, unless he was planning on marrying off her sister Tyta - which he had probably given up on already - there was only one more Frey girl who could be offered. And the thought alone made Dahlia feel sick.

"What?" Lord Edmure asked, when all heads in the room turned to look at him. "Hum, no."

"Our father requires Lord Edmure to wed one of his daughters." Black Walder said, as Lothar nodded.