"I am honored," Jason said, graciously accepting Edmure's gratitude.
After a few more words of thanks, Edmure asked hesitantly, "Lord Jason, if I may ask, what do you intend to do with the Freys?"
Jason's gaze subconsciously shifted to the woman standing beside Edmure, who kept her head down, daring not to look at him.
Seeing this, Edmure grew nervous. "Roslin is my wife," he said quickly. "She has nothing to do with what her family did. While I was imprisoned, she stayed with me, she encouraged me. She is nothing like the others."
Jason could see Edmure's body was trembling slightly. He knew the man was terrified that he would arrest his beautiful wife and lock her away with the rest of her kin. He had no intention of doing so. Whether for Edmure's sake or because Roslin herself was innocent, it made no difference.
"My lord, you can rest assured," Jason said, his tone gentle. "I have no ill will towards your wife."
After comforting the visibly relieved Edmure and Roslin, Jason continued, "As for the rest of House Frey, my plan is to take them back to Winterfell, along with the Boltons. There, they will be judged by the houses of the North for conspiring to murder Robb Stark and the northern lords. They will receive the punishment they deserve."
"And, as the Freys were your vassals, I would like to formally invite you and the lords of the Riverlands to come to Winterfell to witness this trial."
Jason looked at Edmure with a small, knowing smile.
Edmure nodded, a look of grim satisfaction on his face. "You are right. The crimes of House Frey and House Bolton are unforgivable, even by the gods. They deserve to be judged! I will summon my vassals and join you in Winterfell for the trial."
"Excellent. I shall await you and your lords in Winterfell."
Jason politely said his farewells to Edmure Tully and even assigned a team of soldiers to escort him and his wife safely back to Riverrun. After collecting the spoils from the Twins and securing the Frey prisoners, Jason led his army back toward the North.
The campaign had been a resounding success. By personally leading his army to defeat Roose Bolton and Walder Frey, he had captured the murderers of the King in the North. He had not only cemented his army's fearsome reputation throughout Westeros but had also placed the northern houses and House Tully deep in his debt. This would prove invaluable for his future plans.
In the Red Keep of King's Landing, the Lannister family attended a dinner hosted by King Joffrey.
Joffrey sat at the head of the long table, a golden circlet resting on his brow. To his left sat his mother, the Queen Regent Cersei, and to his right, his grandfather and Hand of the King, Lord Tywin.
Prince Tommen sat beside their mother, while Lord Tywin's younger brother, Ser Kevan, sat next to him. Further down were Jaime and Tyrion.
With Stannis defeated and driven back to Storm's End and the Tyrells brought into the fold through the betrothal of Joffrey and Margaery, King's Landing was finally stable. The threat of war no longer loomed over the city.
However, Joffrey had just received a whisper from Varys. The Starks, with the help of the foreigner Jason East, had not only defeated his newly appointed Warden of the North, Roose Bolton, but had also captured the Frey stronghold, reuniting the rebels of the North and the Riverlands.
This news had sent Joffrey into a rage. He was the king, and these rebels deserved to die.
"Lord Tywin," Joffrey demanded, his voice sharp and petulant. "I want you to lead your troops north immediately! Capture the remnants of the Tully and Stark families, and that foreigner, Jason East! Bring them to King's Landing, and I will cut off their heads myself on the steps of the Great Sept of Baelor!"
The young king puffed out his chest, trying to project an air of royal authority. "I will stick their rebellious heads on the walls of the Red Keep, so everyone in Westeros will know the price of defying the Iron Throne!"
Cersei lifted her chin, fully supporting her son. "He's right, Father. You should take the armies of the Westerlands and the Reach and crush these rebellions for good. And don't forget Stannis, sulking in Storm's End. Capture that traitor and behead him as well. Then no one will ever dare to question Joffrey's throne again!"
Lord Tywin remained silent, his face expressionless. He slowly cut the roast meat on his plate, as if he hadn't heard a word his grandson or daughter had said.
"Heh," Tyrion took a sip of wine and let out a small, mocking sneer, glancing at the young king and his brainless sister.
Jaime simply frowned. He looked from Joffrey and Cersei to his father, knowing they were all too stubborn to listen to anything he might say. He chose to remain silent. Myrcella and Tommen, too young to understand, simply enjoyed their food.
Joffrey stared at his grandfather, waiting for an answer. But Tywin kept his head down, methodically eating his meal, his face a calm mask. He offered no reply. The arrogant young king's pale face flushed with anger.
CRASH!
He slammed his wine glass down on the table. His face was now red as blood as he glared at Tywin, wishing he could shatter the glass on his grandfather's head. But he didn't dare. Since childhood, he had been afraid of this man, with his calm face and cold, indifferent eyes. Joffrey would never confront Tywin directly.
Still, he was the king, and to be ignored by a subject was a disgrace. The anger in his heart momentarily overwhelmed his fear. "Lord Tywin, your king is speaking to you! How dare you, as Hand, ignore your king? Do you wish to be condemned?"
"Joffrey, what are you saying?" Cersei's face changed instantly, and she scolded her son in a harsh whisper. "Apologize to your grandfather! How can you speak to him like that?"
Cersei knew better than anyone that her and Joffrey's hold on the Iron Throne depended entirely on her father's support. Without the Lannister armies, they would have been captured and beheaded by Robb Stark or Stannis long ago.
"He is my grandfather, but I am his king!" Joffrey shouted, sweeping the rest of the glasses from the table in a furious tantrum. "He dares to ignore the king's words! That is disobedience! It is a humiliation!"
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