A/N: Aight as I mentioned before, in this arc I'm starting with different PoV's, mostly because I want to show battles properly. I'm trying to give each character their own voice, but it's kinda hard.
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Marching down the causeway filled the host with tension, I could see how the lords started talking less and less with each mile we got closer to the Twins. Robb had announced that he would divulge his plans once we got a word with Lord Frey. The only thing that Robb divulged was that he wanted to cross at the Twins, but it wasn't pivotal to our campaign. Maybe not the most reassuring thing to tell your army but still necessary if we wanted flexibility.
There was always the fear a host would disintegrate to boredom way before it faced any battle, so, back at the Moat, I got myself all the bards I could find, separated them in a few troupes and tasked them to rotate through the column while on march.
As the saying goes 'a bored soldiers are mutinous soldiers', I wanted to minimize any internal conflict before facing whatever the lions threw at us.
When camped, we would lightly drill our levies. They were still far from a professional army but that wasn't why we were doing it. Besides of boredom, we were training our levies to make them see themselves as soldiers.
A farmer would piss himself and run like hell once he saw cavalry charging his position, a soldier, would curse his luck and hold his ground. Thankfully Northerners were surprisingly fast at adapting to a soldier's mindset. Well, maybe not surprising, our land is harsh and cold, it should come to reason that it also breeds grim and defiant people.
While I was trying my best to manage our soldiers, my brother was managing his lords. Robb was at the front of the army, about a hundred yards in front of me, and each day he would ask a lord to join him as we marched. That was a great move, it showed respect to all the Northern lords equally and in turn help deflate the tension they felt.
On the other hand, Ser Brynden took charge of the scouts. A hundred handpicked riders, among them Ryk, to screen our movements. The news they brought back were odd, if you didn't knew of Lord Frey's reputation beforehand that is.
The Freys had massed a force of around four thousand in their castles on the Green Fork. Before the talk with Ser Brynden, I'd have thought they were to join us. Now however I reckon they are there to increase the infamous 'Frey toll' even more.
Depending on the price Lord Frey sets, Robb will choose what is to be done from the options we had defined back at the Moat.
It was still morning when I saw Theon Greyjoy, house Stark ward and another of Ser Brynden's picks for scouts, coming close to the head column. News, most likely.
I rode to get close to the column head, in part curiosity, in part boredom guided me there. Theon was, for the first time since I met him, serious when he approached Robb.
"There's been a battle in Riverrun, the Kingslayer smashed Lord Edmure's host and took him captive."
Lady Stark paled at the news, while my brother did his best to keep his icy mask on.
"Where did you hear this?" asked Robb.
"From a Lannister outrider we captured, Ser Brynden was hunting another group when he sent me here," said the Greyjoy.
The moment the news hit the lords at the front, I could almost see the gray blanket of gloom that threatened to envelop us all.
"Riverrun is a strong castle that has never fallen by storm, my lords." I tried to change their views, "if anything, the Kingslayer will break his host in house Tully's mighty castle walls."
Lady Stark gave me a glare and I feared that she would blow out, it was her brother and her house who were in danger after all.
"Jon Snow speaks true my lords, Riverrun will weather any storm," she said instead. It seems she understood what I wanted to do, I'd give her a nod in thanks but I knew it would only offend her.
"Riverrun will not fall, we will lift the siege long before it does my lords," confidently declared Robb and the gathered lords chorused his words. "Theon, what about the garrison?"
"Lord Blackwood and the survivors are defending the castle."
"I've met Lord Tytos Blackwood before, he's a honorable and dutiful man, my lords. I trust him to hold my home," said Lady Stark.
The lords seemed appeased with this, now they had another clear mission at hand. Break the Lannisters before they could break Riverrun. Lady Catelyn did her best to hide her worries and anger behind her eyes.
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It was near midday when their vanguard came in sight of the Twins, the Frey seat of power.
Catelyn had been tense for a long while, ever since her son Bran… she didn't want to think about it, not now. Right now she needed to focus on the present, for she had a role to fulfill.
Back in the Moat, late at night, after Robb had a meeting with her uncle, and the bastard. Robb told her that since she would not be returning to Winterfell, he needed her help. Apparently, her uncle thought her to be the best suited to negotiate with Lord Frey.
Her uncle Brynden had been very vocal about 'Late Walder Frey' too many a times in the past for the prideful Lord Frey to accept any negotiation attempt from him. Robb was just too valuable to parlay with the man who had a son married to a Lannister. The other Northern lords didn't have the diplomacy skills to get their host across the Green Fork, none of them had established talks with any river lord after all. As for the bastard, Lord Frey would take offense and refuse to negotiate with him, she knew.
So, the task fell on her lap. When her son asked her, the first thing he did was to reassure her that his plans didn't depend on a good negotiator and that she could refuse and that he would never think less of her.
It is true that Catelyn felt apprehension of treating with lord Frey on her lonesome, but she could understand her son's reasoning and no matter how he said it, she knew his plan would come easier if Lord Frey let them cross.
It took but a moment for Catelyn to reassure her son that she would be her champion on this fight. And like that, her son explained what he wanted, the price he was willing to pay and alternatives. She on her part found that the sweet and brave boy who used to train with wooden swords up to last year, had grown cunning and resourceful.
There was one point she was able to wrestle from her son, however. He accepted to increase the toll he was willing to pay for the crossing. Nothing too outrageous, but enough that would make it hard for Lord Frey to outright refuse.
Catelyn's thoughts were interrupted when a party of dozen knights rode out from the Twins to confront them. At the head of them Ser Stevron Frey, a grey old man heir to Lord Frey, spoke.
"My lord father sent me in his stead to inquire as to who leads this host and what is your purpose."
The lords were about to grumble but her son spoke first, "I lead this host, as for our purpose… we march to seek justice for my father."
The grey knight kept his eyes on Robb and gave him a nod, "My lord father wishes to receive you in our castle and talk over a meal."
Her son's bannermen were about to start a ruckus protesting over each other, but before they could offend Ser Stevron and his kin, she offered to go.
The Northern lords wanted to question her decision but her son raised a hand to silence them, "Lord Walder is my grandsire's bannerman, he would never dare to harm my mother. Besides, I think Lord Frey would prefer to talk to a fellow riverlander."
This, they had planned. To earn themselves all the goodwill they could from Lord Frey's kin. And, by the softening of the old knight's eyes, she thought they were achieving it.
After sharing a look with her son, Ser Stevron escorted Catelyn while leaving Ser Perwyn, the younger Frey, with their host. Once they went past the castle gates, Catelyn had to steel herself for what was to come, Lord Frey was a cunning and ambitious man who wouldn't move before reaping the most benefits or ensuring his side would be the winner. They had to exploit this.
Once at the great hall of the east castle and with Lord Frey seated, Catelyn took one last deep breath, "It is a pleasure to see you again after so many years, my lord."
"Spare me the pleasantries, Lady Catelyn. Is your boy too proud to debase himself and talk to me?"
Exactly as she remembered him, a curt and prideful man who thinks the world owes him for existing. She'd do good by not reacting to his obvious taunts.
"Father, Robb Stark and Lady Catelyn thought you would be more amenable to talk to our fellow riverborn," Ser Stevron explained.
"Last I remember, I asked to meet the host's leader, not his mother. I am old but I remember very well," Lord Frey shifted his gaze to Catelyn. "Why are you here?"
"To ask you to let us cross, my lord. My son and his bannermen need to cross and relieve Riverrun." There was no need to hide anything, at least not now.
"Heh, to Riverrun. I called my swords to go there, I did. But your fool brother lost before we could march and I ask you, was it my fault?"
Catelyn almost scoffed at Lord Frey, but that wouldn't do as they still needed his bridge. "Not your fault, my lord. But you can't talk about my brother that way either."
Lord Frey gave a dramatic sigh that sounded more like a scoff, "Fine, I apologize for calling your brother a fool, but he still lost, do you deny it?"
"No, my lord. That is why we have to cross."
The hall grew silent, the few conversations the other Freys had stopped once they heard her repeat herself.
Expecting negotiations to begin, most likely. She had no doubt in her mind they would be trying to benefit themselves. Before Lord Frey could command his family to leave them alone, she started.
"We can offer you steel for the crossing, my lord," she did her best to swipe her gaze through the entire hall.
"Why do I care about mere steel when I can ask gold or silver? Hhmm."
"Ahh, forgive me my lord, for I misspoke. I meant steel trading for the Twins. Winterfell is able to produce more steel than the whole Riverlands and Crownlands combined. And my son is prepared to include the Twins as partners to sell our steel south of the Neck." This time, she didn't have swipe the hall for murmurs and whispers to begin.
"Heh, lofty claims my lady. I wonder why I don't believe them," Lord Frey had a nasty smirk. "Why then isn't Winterfell trading with the rest of the Realm?"
Indeed, Catelyn would also ask that in Lord Frey's place, "We trade with the Free Cities and the Summer Islands, my lord," the reason being that they pay more was left unsaid but heavily implied. "But my son is ready to include your noble house. As for proof, Ser Stevron saw the vanguard of my son's host." She moved her gaze to the old knight. "You saw the soldiers, ser. All wearing plate."
"I did," confirmed Stevron. "Father, as far as I could see, the levies were wearing helmet, plate, greaves and vambraces."
The whispers in the hall increased. Lord Frey had an ugly frown on his face, pondering. For a moment Catelyn believed he would relent and spare her son from facing Tywin.
"That is a good offer my lady. But what assurances can you offer when I open my doors and your son crosses? What if he denies your word after all is said and done?"
She immediately understood what Lord Frey wanted, if only the man could ask without insulting her or her son's honor.
"A betrothal then," she said through gritted teeth. "My uncle Brynden with one of your daughters." This was the increased price they had discussed back in the Moat. Her uncle wasn't pleased but he understood the need and in the end accepted to do his duty if negotiations came to this.
"What use do I have for an old knight with no lands? One of my sweet daughters married to a man twice or thrice her age?" spat Lord Frey with raised brows as if challenging her to say anything.
Catelyn did her best to hold her temper. It wasn't enough. She was about to explode when the hall did before her.
"Father! The Blackfish is a renowned knight and a Tully too." Said some stooped Frey of fifty and some years.
A few other Freys said similar things. That they should accept the offer, that they should march with the Starks to free their liege lords, that they should make new friends in the North. Nobody said anything about how profitable the steel trade would be, but Catelyn was certain that was what most of her unlikely allies wanted the most.
She wanted to pull them by the ears and throw them in the vanguard against the Lannisters.
"Silence! Silence, you witless idiots. I didn't ask any of you! I'm Lord Frey!" The Lord of the Crossing did his best to silence the hall. What he said however, made Catelyn aware that he wasn't going to bend.
At this point Catelyn knew part of the hall was with her, it was expected as most of the Freys here had nothing to inherit and they were the ones who wanted something to their legacies. As such, she was tempted to take control and raise a hand and ask for silence, but doing so would make Lord Frey completely lose his head so she kept her quiet.
However, she wouldn't let Lord Frey take charge of the situation either, so when the hall started calming down she acted before the old lord could send his family away. "Since you wouldn't accept my uncle, I wonder what would you accept, my lord," Catelyn said.
Lord Frey was gave the hall a harsh look, as if challenging them to raise their voices against him, when nobody did, he spoke. "What about your boy, my lady. Word is he lacks a betrothal, he could pick any of my daughters."
If Catelyn didn't know her son had a plan, she would've accepted right then and there. In fact she was sorely tempted to accept, if only to avoid her son facing Lord Tywin in the field. It was hard, Catelyn had to admit, to trust her boy to know what's best.
In the end, however, it wasn't only her son who she trusted, the Blackfish too had vouched for her Robb's plan, and as such, she followed suit. "I'm afraid that is not something we can offer, my lord." She could offer platitudes and excuses as to why that is, but the talking had been long, her patience thin and she didn't want to offend lord Frey, at least not now.
Lord Frey was clenching his jaws and the hall was growing unsteady. It was there that Catelyn realized they wouldn't cross the Twins that day.
Option two it is.
"It seems, we won't reach an agreement for today's crossing, my lord." The hall silenced at her words, before they could react she continued. "However, I am here for another matter. My son will defeat Lord Tywin," When talking to the Blackfish, he told her that here, she would have to be a mummer and pretend as if she was putting a brave mask.
Before she could continue, Lord Frey scoffed, "A green boy can't defeat the old lion. Stop with the mummery and let us discuss the terms of the betrothal." The whispers and murmurs of the hall started once again, this time she couldn't hear any on her favour.
Catelyn couldn't remember the last time she was this wroth. She had been dismissed, her family disrespected and the plight of her and hers ignored in this hall. Were she the same scared girl who left her home to be a lady of a far away land, she'd have exploded then and there. But the North and her lord husband had taught her a different kind of wrath, icy cold.
"When, my son defeats Tywin," she said, with steel in her voice. "We'll come back here. When that time comes, we want to cross to Riverrun."
The Lord of the Crossing looked around and a jeer plastered on his face, "There's no way for a green boy to win in battle against old Tywin. But I'll be a mummer too, my lady," the old man scoffed. "if your son wins, I'll open my gates and let your Northerners cross."
Catelyn took a long breath to soothe herself. "You are most generous, my lord." She turned and started walking. "I'll be taking my leave then, my son wants to gain a few miles yet."
"When you come crawling back to me, bloodied and defeated, begging me to let you cross, know that this is the most generous you'll ever find me." Catelyn could almost hear the snarl on Walder Frey's mouth. She kept walking.
"When we come back bloodied and victorious, know that this was the most generous you'll find my son."
It was done, Catelyn had managed to get a public declaration from Lord Frey to let them cross. Now, they only had to win against Tywin on the field.
Catelyn suddenly felt a cold breeze on her back but refused to shudder, she wouldn't give that satisfaction to the Freys, and with her head held high, she walked out of the great hall.
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A/N: That the Freys have the only crossing in the Green Fork is BS, I reread this part of the book and it says "[the Green Fork] can't be forded, not this far north" so it implies that there may be a ford south of the Twins. I was tempted to just 'AU it' and make a small ford close to Fairmarket. However, having a ford there would make it possible for Tywin's host (at least his riders) to easily assist Jaime, so in the end I kept it as in canon.
So, as I was saying, I simply can't believe that this is the only place you can cross the Green Fork, instead of being a 'natural developing of the world', to me it seems more like GRRM wanted the Freys to have the only way to cross the Green Fork and so it is like that. A reason to maybe justify that the Freys have the only crossing of the Green Fork may be due to politics(?), but at the same time, were the Freys powerful enough to enforce this?
Of course I may be wrong and my modern day perspective is tainting my opinion. It may be true that situations similar to this happened in history.
*Sigh, sorry for the rant, lol. Now give me your comments.