[Riverlands]
Meanwhile, in the Riverlands, just outside the Twins, a massive castle that served as the stronghold of House Frey, a raven was seen flying out of a window on the castle when suddenly an arrow hit it, killing it instantly.
Theon Greyjoy, the one who fired the fatal arrow, rushed over to it, retrieving the message it was carrying.
He brought it back to ROBB, who was standing with a group of his advisiors, including his mother, Catelyn, Rodrik Cassel, Garth Dragen, Ethan Snow, Greatjon Umber, Rutherford and Harold Quinn, and Carmine Grayburn. Robb briefly read through the letter.
"It's a birthday message to his grand-niece Walda."
"Or so Walder Frey would have you think." Theon told him, doubtfully.
After all, they had seen countless raven leaving the castle since their arrival.
"Keep shooting them down." Catelyn told him, causing him to nod. She then turned to her son. "We can't risk Lord Walder sending word of your movements to the Lannisters."
"We need to cross... and we need to do it soon. The longer we wait, the less time that Father, Sansa and Arya have." Robb responded.
"But will Lord Frey even let us cross?" Carmine asked.
"He's Grandfather's bannerman. We can't expecting Lord Walder's support?"
"Expect nothing of Walder Frey and you'll nevr be surprised." Greatjon spouted.
"The man's nothing but filth. He'll warm up to you, call you his greatest friend, and when he's done with you he'll slit your throat and throw your corpse into the Green Fork." Garth told them.
"Sometimes a slit throat doesn't look half as bad when dealing with Late Lord Frey." Ethan concurred.
Rutherford and Harold noticed someone coming over in the distance.
"Look." Rutherford pointed.
Everyone turned their attention to two riders approaching with the banners of House Frey.
"Father rots in a dungeon. How long before they take his head?"
Rodrik glanced at Robb.
"You're sure you still want to negotiate with this child raper?" He asked.
"Just march up to the gates and tell him you're crossing. We've got five times his numbers. You can take the Twins if you have to." Theon said.
"Not in time. Tywin Lannister marches north as we speak." Greatjon replied.
"The Freys have held the crossing for 600 years, and for 600 years they have never failed to exact their toll." Catelyn expressed.
Robb faced Theon. "Have my horse saddled and ready."
"Enter the Twins alone and he'll sell you to the Lannisters as he likes!" Greatjon told him,
"Or throw you in a dungeon. Or slit your throat." Theon added.
Carmine glanced at Theon and Greatjon. "Look, I don't like Lord Walder either, but I think you both may be overreacting...."
Greatjon scoffed in response. Robb looked uneasy as he saw the Frey riders getting closer.
"At least take some men with you, Lord Robb." Harold suggested.
"My father would do whatever it took to secure our crossing. Whatever it took." He glanced at his mother who was looking at the riders, worried. "If I'm going to lead an army, I can't have other men doing my bargaining for me."
"I agree." Catelyn said before pausing. "I'll go."
"You can't!" Robb protested.
"I have known Lord Walder since I was a girl. He would nevr harm me." Catelyn stated firmly.
"Unless there was a profit in it..." Greatjon muttered, causing the others to look at each other, worried.
"I'm not comfortable risking that." Robb told her.
The Frey riders had finally reached Robb's host. After speaking with Robb, they agreed to escort his mother to speak with Lord Walder.
[The Twins - Main Hall]
Lord Walder Frey, an elderly man in his early nineties, was sitting down in the main hall. With him was a very young girl - his wife, Joyeuse Erenford, who was no older than fifteen. He was surrounded by his many children and grandchildren, both trueborn and baseborn.
Catelyn stood in front of him, feeling many eyes on her.
"What do you want?" Lord Walder asked.
"It is a great pleasure to see you again after so many years, my Lord."
"Oh, spare me. Your boy's too proud to come before me himself. What am I supposed to do with you?"
As he was speaking to her, he was groping Joyeuse's bottom, which she clearly does not like.
Walder's firstborn son and heir, Ser Stevron Frey, spoke up.
"Father, you forget yourself. Lady Stark is here -"
"Who asked you? You're not Lord Frey yet, not until I die. Do I look dead to you?""
One of Walder's bastards, Ryger Rivers, also spoke up.
"Father, please -"
"I need lessons in courtesy from you, bastard? Your mother would still be a milkmaid if I hadn't squirted you into her belly."
The was an uncomfortable pause where Catelyn briefly looked away. Walder turned to face Catelyn again.
"All right, you come forward."
He waved her towards him. Catelyn warily approached him and offered him her hand, which he took and kissed, but smacked his lips on her hand. Catelyn was clearly less than thrilled.
"There. Now that I've observed the courtesies, perhaps my sons will do me the honor of shutting their mouths."
Several of his children looked away, embarrassed. Catelyn looked around at them before looking back at Walder.
"Is there somewhere we can talk?"
"We're talking right now."
Catelyn had an annoyed look on her face that clearly said 'You know what I mean.'
"Fine. Out! All of you!"
They all gradually filed out of the room. As they left, Walder slapped Joyeuse's behind, causing her to let out a small gasp.
"You too." He told his new wife.
She departed, Walder gingerly standing and observing the girl as she walked off.
"You see that? Fifteen, she is. A little flower." He licked his lips. "And her honey's all mine." He chuckled lecherously as he wandered off.
Catelyn looked slightly disgusted. "I'm sure she will give you many sons."
He scoffed. "Your father didn't come to the wedding."
Catelyn followed him. "He is quite ill, my Lord."
"Didn't come to the last one, either. Or the one before that. Your family has alwys pissed on me."
"My Lord, I -"
"Don't deny it. You know it's true." He interrupted, causing an annoying look to fall on Catelyn's face. "The fine Lord Tully would nevr marry any of his children to mine."
"I'm sure there were reasons why -"
"I didn't need reasons. I needed to get rid of sons and daughters. You see how they pile up?" He paused. "Why are you here?"
"To ask you... to open your gates, My Lord. So my son and his bannerman may cross the Trident and be on their way."
"Why should I let him?"
Catelyn was losing her patience. "If you could climb your own battlements, you would see that he has 20,000 men outside your walls."
"They'll be 20,000 corpses when Tywin Lannister gets here. Don't try and frighten me, Lady Stark." He turned his back on her again. "Your husband's in a cell beneath the Red Keep, and your son's got no fur to keep his balls warm."
"You swore an oath to my father!"
"Oh, yes, I said some words... and I swore oaths to the crown too, if I remember right."
Catelyn closes her eyes exasperatedly.
"Joffrey's king now, which makes your boy and his corpses-to-be nothing but rebels, it seems to me. If I had the sense the Gods gave a fish, I'd hand you both over to the Lannisters."
"Why don't you?"
He faced her again. "Stark, Tully, Lannister, Baratheon....give me one good reason why I should waste a single thought on any of you." He regarded Catelyn shrewdly.
Soon after her return, she found her son had gone to battle.
Catelyn and Ser Rodrik Cassel now sat on horseback, waiting for Robb and his bannermen.
"We should go, my Lady."
"No." She looked down.
"My lady!" Rodrik called, causing her to lift her head.
She watched as Robb and the soldiers return, letting out cries of joy.
What she did not expect to see was Jaime Lannister being thrown to the ground.
"By the time they knew what was happening, it had already happened." Robb told his mother.
"Lady Stark. I'd offer you my word, but I seem to have lost it." Jaime said, his arrogance still present, even in chains.
"It is not your sword I want. Give me my daughters back. Give me my husband."
"I've lost them too, I'm afraid."
"Kill him, Robb. Send his head to his father. He cut down ten of our men. He killed Lord Rutherford. You saw him." Theon advised.
"He's more use to us alive than dead. Take him away and Put him in irons. Let him sit in his own shit." Robb told his men.
"We could end this war right now, boy, save thousands of lives. You fight for the Starks, I fight for the Lannisters. Swords or lances, teeth, nails—choose your weapons and let's end this here and now." Jaime offered.
"If we do it your way, Kingslayer—You'd win. We're not doing it your way." Robb denied.
"Come on, pretty man." Greatjon said, leading Jaime away.
"I sent 2,000 men to their graves today." Robb spoke, sounding guilty.
"The bards will sing songs of their sacrifice." Theon said.
"Aye. But the dead won't hear them. One victory does not make us conquerors. Did we free my father? Did we rescue my sisters from the Queen? Did we free the North from those who want us on our knees? This war is far from over."
And he was right. It was only about to begin.