CHAPTER TWELVE - WALDER FREY'S DEMANDS
The weather were nice in the North. The sun shone brightly, but you still needed to wear a cloak if you wanted to stay warm. There was no rain or snow in sight, which was good. Even in the shadow of the Twins, which were the residens of Walder Frey, the weather still seemed fine.
Hera squinted her eyes against the blinding sun, as she watched Theon prepare his bow and arrow. She was stood beside Robb and Lady Catelyn up on a hill, while Theon was standing further down. He was going to shoot a raven, which had a message tied to its leg.
The messages were sent to or from Walder Frey, but they were shooting them down because they needed to know if he was plotting against them. Hera's emerald eyes moved to look at Robb. He wore a stoic expression, not a flicker of emotion on his face. She felt her stomach drop, but adverted her eyes back to Theon just as his arrow speared through the raven.
It fell to the ground, and he took the message away from the dead bird. He unscrolled it as he walked back up the hill, before giving it to Robb. Robb gave him a nod as a thanks. He read through the message, sighing as he finished.
"It's a birthday message to his grand-niece Walda." Robb stated as he folded the message.
"Or so Walder Frey would have you think" Theon commented, Hera nodding her head in agreement.
"Keep shooting them down. We can't risk Lord Walder sending word of your movements to the Lannisters." Lady Catelyn said, giving her son a demanding look.
Robb turned sharply towards her. "He's grandfathers bannerman! We can't expect his support?" He exclaimed.
"Expect nothing of Walder Frey and you'll never be surpised." Lord Umber butted in.
"Look!"
They all turned towards the Twins at his outburst, squinting to see what he was reffering to. Two of Walder Frey's bannermen were riding towards them, their flags swaying violently in the wind.
"Father rots in a cell" Robb suddenly commented, causing everyone's attention to move back to him. "How long before they take his head?"
Hera bit the inside of her cheek as she glanced at Robb. He wore an expression mixed with sadness and sleepiness. She knew that the war was taking a toll on him, and that he barely slept. The bags under his eyes were proof of that.
"We need to cross The Trident and we need to do it now" he announced.
"Just march up to his gates and tell him we're crossing! We have five times his numbers. You can take the Twins if you have to." Theon commented again. Hera thought his statement over. If they did that, they would lose more men than they could afford, and they needed as many men as possible when the real battle would begin.
"Not in time. Tywin Lannister marches North as we speak."
"The Freys have held the crossing for 600 years, and for 600 years they have never failed to to exact their toll" Lady Catelyn said while looking at the bannermen who were coming closer by each passing second.
"Well, there's a first time for everything" Hera mumbled to herself, her eyes glued to the bannermen.
"Have my horse saddled and ready" Robb told one of his bannermen, who nodded in answer. Hera's eyes widened.
"Enter the Twins alone and he'll sell you to the Lannisters" Lord Glover exclaimed.
"Or throw you in a dungeon. Or slit your throat." Theon added.
Hera softly grabbed Robb's arm, making his blue eyes snap to her green ones. His eyes searched her face, and he frowned as he took in her worried expression. "Robb, you can't!" She exclaimed in a low voice. "He's dangerous, and I can't bear it if anything were to happen to you!" Robb's face seemed to soften at her words, his eyes staring into her own with a new sort of emotion in them.
He seemed to debate his options as he still looked at Hera. He sighed softly as he gave her an apologetic look. He adverted his eyes towards the two bannermen who were almost at their side. "My father would do whatever it took to secure our crossing." he said, his eyes quickly looking at Hera, before he looked away again. "Whatever it took."
Hera sighed and removed her arm from his, her expression turning back into a neuteral one. Robb shot her a look of sadness, which she ignored.
"If I'm going to lead this army, I can't have my men do all the bargaining for me." he said.
"I agree" Lady Catelyn spoke. "I'll go."
As soon as the words left her lips, everyone broke out into discussion. They were saying how she couldn't go and how it was too dangerous. She interrupted them by waving her hands. "I have known Lord Frey since I was a girl, he would never harm me!"
"Unless there was a profit in it" Lord Umber spoke. Hera closed her eyes with a sigh. Gods have mercy.
*
Later that day, they were all sitting in Robb's tent, waiting anxiously for Lady Catelyn's return. She had been gone for many hours, and it had now turned dark outside. Hera bit her thumb as she stared straight forward, onto the table.
Footsteps were heard, and suddenly Lady Catelyn walked inside the tent. Everyone stood up to greet her. Hera felt her stomach drop as she took in Lady Catelyn's troubled expression. That could only mean that she was bearing bad news.
"Well?" Robb asked nervously, his eyes glued to his mother. "What did he say?"
"Lord Walder has granted your crossing" she announced. Everyone sighed in relief, but Hera knew it was not that easy. No, Lady Catelyn's expression said that there was more to it.
"His men are yours as well" she added. "Less the 400 he will keep here to hold the crossing against any who would pursue you."
Robb nodded at her words.
"And what does he want in return?"
"You will be taking on his son Olyvar as your personal squire. He expects a knighthood in good time."
Robb nodded. "Fine, fine." he answered. "And?"
"And Arya will marry his son Waldrom, when they both come of age" she said.
"She won't be happy about that." Robb voiced. Hera could imagine Arya's reaction. Screaming at them in rage and refusing to marry the boy.
"And when the fighting is done..." Lady Catelyn took a deep breath. "...You will marry one of his daughters. Whichever one you prefer. He has a number he thinks will be suitable."
Hera didn't know why, but the announcement made a lump form in her throat and she suddenly felt saddened. Why did she react like this?
Robb didn't react like she thought he would. Instead of refusing like she thought he would, he remained calm. "I see" he muttered. "Did you get a good look at his daughters?" he asked, which caused Theon to snicker. It also caused Hera to elbow him in his stomach.
"I did" Lady Catelyn answered.
"And?"
"One was..." she trailed off, causing Robb to sigh. "Do you consent?" his mother asked.
Robb looked up. "Can I refuse?"
Lady Catelyn frowned. "Not if you want to cross."
"Then I consent" Robb left the tent after he spoke, probably to get some time alone and to think.
Hera shared a look with Theon, both of them thinking the same thing. They both knew that the marriage would make Robb unhappy, which saddened Hera to think about.
She left the tent soon after that.