Jon Snow

Robb Stark shifted in his saddle uncomfortably. They had been marching for the past week. He was growing impatient with every minute. He had rode at the head of the vanguard from the beginning of the march. Each day he would ask one of his bannermen to join him and Jon, so they might speak while they marched. He always listened to every lord, showing no favorites. Jon thought he looked exactly like their father.

Lady Catelyn Stark seem to grow worse with every day. Lord Hoster's silence was beginning to take a toll on her. Her husband and daughters were still captive at King's Landing and news of her brother's captivity didn't do any good to her. Jon felt sorry for her, eventhough she made his life miserable.

Ser Brynden Tully had been given the command of the outriders by Robb. The news his scouts brought were nothing but confirmation of what they already knew. Walder Frey, The Lord Of The Crossing sat sealed within his walls with four thousand men.

"He should have been at Riverrun with Edmure," Catelyn muttered.

"Four thousand men? He means to join us surely. We have four times his number." Theon declared.

Jon sighed. The Greyjoy had a knack for saying stupid things.

"Expect nothing of Lord Frey and you will never be surprised." Catelyn said.

"What do you think he will do, my lady" Robett Glover asked. He was riding with Robb today.

Catelyn sighed. "To be honest, I doubt even Lord Frey knows what Lord Frey intends to do."

"We must have the Twins" Robb said with vigour. "It is the only way across the river. You know that."

"So does Walder Frey," Jon added.

Robb declared for them to make camp between the kingsroad and the river. This was where Theon met them with news from the Blackfish.

"Ser Brynden says to tell you that he has crossed swords with the Lannisters. There are a dozen scouts who won't be reporting to Lord Tywin anymore." Theon said. "Ser Addam Marbrand commands their outriders and he is pulling back south. He says that Marbrand knows where we are but the Blackfish swears that the Lannisters will never find out about the split."

"Unless Lord Frey tells him" Catelyn added sharply.

"Ser Brynden's has placed his best bowmen around the Twins, my lady" Theon grinned. "We have enough birds to make a pie."

"Has the Blackfish found a way across the Green Fork?" Robb asked

"No" Theon admitted, "The river is running fast and high. Ser Brynden says it cannot be forded."

Robb cursed. " Damn the old man"

"We need that crossing, Robb" Jon reminded him.

"I know, I know." He sighed and turned to his mother, "What would father do?"

"Find a way South. Whatever it took."

The next morning Ser Brynden Tully himself came to Robb. Jon looked at the renown warrior with nothing but respect. He was tall and lean. His face was craggy and windburnt, his features lined and weathered by time. His had flowing grey hair and cheerful blue eyes. He wore leather-and-mail, with and obsidian fish fastening his cloak.

His face was grave as he dismounted. "We found bodies of the Lannister scouts. It seems that Ser Addam's men have crossed swords with the Freys"

"Surely this is a sign that Walder Frey means to join us," Theon said.

"There is a difference between defending land and giving open war, Greyjoy" Jon reminded him.

They mounted their horses and started riding south.

"If Walder Frey doen't join us, We will have to tear down Twins." Robb said.

"Easier said than done, I'm afraid." The Blackfish cautioned. "By the time you assault his walls Tywin Lannister will take you from the rear."

"If you don't get that crossing, we have to retreat and deploy at Moat Cailin."Jon told Robb.

"Are you suggesting that we abandon my family, bastard" Catelyn said venomously. Her angry blue eyes unnerved him.

"No, my lady. We would defeat Lord Tywin's host at Moat Cailin and then march on the Twins. By then Walder Frey would be lenient to us as we would have beaten Tywin Lannister, the only man Lord Frey even remotely fears."

Catelyn was shellshocked by this. Robb smiled at him.

"This one has a good mind for warfare" The Blackfish said with a chuckle.

It was noon when they came across the Twins, the seat of House Frey.

The Twins were two identical stone castles standing on a margin of the Green Fork of the Trident. A stone bridge arched between the castles, with the bridge footings rising from within the inner keeps. The bridge was wide enough for two wagons to cross abreast. It was the only crossing point over the Green Fork for hundreds of miles in either direction, from the north to the western riverlands.

One look and Jon saw that this castle could not be taken by force. Spearmen stood alligned on every battlement. Archers stood at every crenelation and tower. The gates were barred and closed while the drawbridge was closed.

The Greatjon started to swear and curse as soon as he saw their obstacle. Rickard Karstark stared at the castles in glowering silence.

"That cannot be assaulted, my lords" Roose Bolton announced.

"Nor can we take it by siege without an army invested on the other castle" Helman Tallhart added gloomily.

The drawbrige was lowered and two dozen knights rode out to greet them. Four of them dressed in expensive armor, causing Jon to guess that they were Lord Frey's sons. They bore a banner of dark blue twin-towers on a field of pale silver-grey.

They all look like weasels, Jon thought.

A man past sixty rode forward in front of them all. "I am Stevron Of House Frey and the firstborn of Lord Walder Frey" he said politely, "My father has sent me to greet you and inquire as to who leads this mighty host."

"I do" Robb spurred his horse forward, Grey Wind and Ghost at his side.

The old knight looked onto Robb with amusement in his eyes. But when his gaze met the direwolves, Jon could swear that he saw fear in those watery grey eyes.

"My lord father would be most honored if you would break bread with him in the castle and explain your intentions here."

Ser Stevron's words erupted a cacaphony of voices from the northern lords.

"You must not do this, my lord," Galbart Glover pleaded with Robb. "Lord Walder is not to be trusted."

Roose Bolton nodded. "Go in there alone and you're his. He can sell you to the Lannisters, throw you in a dungeon, or slit your throat, as he likes."

"If he wants to talk to us, let him open his gates, and we will all share his meat and mead," declared Ser Wylis Manderly.

"Or let him come out and treat with Robb here, in plain sight of his men and ours," Jon Snow suggested.

The Frey knights were rapidly losing interest.

"I will go" Catelyn Stark declared loudly, much to the surprise of Jon and the others.

"You, my lady?" The Greatjon was flabbergasted.

"Mother, are you certain?" Robb asked.

"Never more," Lady Catelyn said confidently. "Lord Walder is my father's bannerman. I have known him since I was a girl. He would never offer me any harm."

She is lying. Jon realised. She doesn't want to pass up the opportunity to cross the Twins peacefully.

"And I will escort her" Jon announced.

"You?" Robb asked incredously.

"I am certain my lord father would be pleased to speak to the Lady Catelyn," Ser Stevron said interrupting their confusion. "To vouchsafe for our good intentions, we will allow this good ser to escort your lady mother and my brother Ser Perwyn will remain here until she is safely returned to you."

"He shall be our honored guest," said Robb. Ser Perwyn, the youngest of the four Freys in the party, dismounted and handed the reins of his horse to a brother. "I require my lady mother's return by evenfall, Ser Stevron," Robb went on. "It is not my intent to linger here long."

Ser Stevron Frey gave a polite nod. "As you say, my lord." Catelyn spurred her horse forward and did not look back. Jon followed her lead. When they saw Ghost following them the Freys were displeased.

"The boy can come " Stevron Frey spoke in a soft tone "but not the monster"

"Ghost, stay" Jon commanded. The Frey escort enveloped them as they rode to the Twins.

Nearly ninety, Walder Frey was completely bald, and his head was spotted with age. He had a simmilar weasely appearance to his sons. His shoulders were scrawny and his long neck pink. He had a receding chin, under which loose skin dangles. He looked at them with runny and clouded eyes. He sat at the seat of the Lord of the Crossing, a massive chair of black oak. Its back was carved in the shape of two towers joined by an arched bridge.

"Lord Frey, It is my pleasure to see you after all these years." Catelyn said courteosly. Jon stood a few feet behind Lady Catelyn.

"Is it?" Walder Frey asked through his toothless mouth.

So much for courtesy, Jon thought.

"What do you want here?" He continued rudely.

Jon could see that Lady Stark was having a hard time controlling her temper.

"We want to cross the river, my lord "

"And why should I let you do that? The Starks and the Tullys have always looked down on me."

When he saw Catelyn trying to disagree, he added."Don't you deny it. You know it is true. Lord Hoster alway- Who is that?"

He raised a poxy finger, pointing at Jon.

"That is Jon Snow, my lord. Lord Stark's ba... natural son."

"A bastard, eh?" Lord Walder gave a weasely smile at Jon. "Can't say I blame Lord Stark. I have a few of those myself." He said pointing to his sons and daughters who had clustered at the court.

"We have come here to ask you to open your gates, my lord," Catelyn said politely. "My son and his lords bannermen are most anxious to cross the river and be on their way."

"To Riverrun?" He sniggered. "Oh, no need to tell me, no need. I'm not blind yet. The old man can still read a map."

"To Riverrun," Catelyn confirmed. "Where I might have expected to find you, my lord. You are still my father's bannerman, are you not?"

"Heh," said Lord Walder, "I called my banners, have I not? I was going to send my sons to Riverrun before your fool brother lost the battle."

That's not good.

"My Lord," Lady Stark's voice had lost all courtesy. "What do you want of us to cross the river?"

"Now we are talking." Walder Frey said with a toothless smile

The rest was only haggling.

It was late in the evening when Jon and Lady Stark rode out to rejoin her son and his lords bannermen. Behind them came Ser Jared Frey, Ser Hosteen Frey, Ser Danwell Frey, and Lord Walder's bastard son Ronel Rivers, leading a long column of pikemen, rank on rank of shuffling men in blue steel ringmail and silvery grey cloaks.

Robb galloped out to meet her, with Grey Wind and Ghost racing beside his stallion. "It's done," she told him. "Lord Walder will grant you your crossing. His swords are yours as well, less four hundred he means to keep back to hold the Twins."

"As you say, Mother," Robb answered, gazing at the ranks of pikemen. "Perhaps . . . Ser Helman Tallhart, do you think?"

"A fine choice."

"What . . . what did he want of us?"

"If you can spare a few of your swords, I need some men to escort two of Lord Frey's grandsons north to Winterfell," she told him. "I have agreed to take them as wards. They are young boys, aged eight years and seven. It would seem they are both named Walder. Your brother Bran will welcome the companionship of lads near his own age, I should think."

"Is that all? Two fosterlings? That's a small enough price to—"

"Lord Frey's son Olyvar will be coming with us," she went on. "He is to serve as your personal squire. His father would like to see him knighted, in good time."

"A squire." He shrugged. "Fine, that's fine, if he's—"

"Also, if your sister Arya is returned to us safely, it is agreed that she will marry Lord Walder's youngest son, Elmar, when the two of them come of age."

"Arya won't like that one bit."

"And you are to wed one of his daughters, once the fighting is done," she finished. "His lordship has graciously consented to allow you to choose whichever girl you prefer. He has a number he thinks might be suitable."

To his credit, Robb did not flinch. "I see."

"Do you consent?"

"Can I refuse?"

"Not if you wish to cross."

"I consent," Robb said solemnly.

They crossed at evenfall as a the moon floated on the river. Catelyn rode at the head of the vanguard, with her son and her uncle Ser Brynden and Ser Stevron Frey. Behind followed nine tenths of their horse; knights, lancers, freeriders, and mounted bowmen. It took hours for them all to cross. Afterward, Jon would remember the clatter of countless hooves on the drawbridge, the sight of Lord Walder Frey in his litter watching them pass, the glitter of eyes peering down through the slats of the murder holes in the ceiling as they rode through the Water Tower.

The larger part of the northern host, pikes and archers and great masses of men-at-arms on foot, remained upon the east bank under the command of Robett Glover. Robb had commanded him to continue the march south, to confront the huge Lannister army coming north under Lord Tywin.

As they made their way south, Jon wondered whether he would ever see his father again.

A/N: Some of the chapter is taken from the book as I feel that it is better that I follow G.R.R.M's canon here as he wrote it pretty well. Also guys I am looking for a new thumbnail for this story. If you have any images please feel free to send me the link.