Chapter 3
True to his word, Willamen secured their father's blessing to travel to the capital for the Hand's Tourney. Perwyn would be traveling with them as well which gave Melara some peace. As far as she was concerned, only the children that had been born to Bethany Rosby had some sort of decency in them.
Perwyn had made it his unofficial role to look after all four of his younger siblings since the death of their mother but it had been Roslin who needed it the most. She had always been a sickly girl but it seemed to have increased after Bethany's death.
Melara's second oldest brother Benfrey was already married and didn't live in the Twins anymore, having secured his own small keep in the Riverlands that the Tullys had gifted to him upon his marriage to his wife Jyanna.
Benfrey had been one of the Frey's who was the most quiet, but he was dangerous with a blade and one of the few people that Melara wouldn't want to meet in a fight if she didn't have her magic.
He had been the one who had trained her with a sword the most even though she had already known how to use one.
Melara had used the excuse that she was going to visit her brother in his small keep that was called White Water but she had really made use of the time to pick up a sword with Benfrey and train as hard as she could.
When she was still a child, Benfrey had seen her natural talent with a blade and wondered at it for a while. Deciding he was going to train her himself, her and her older brother had spent many an hour duelling at night on either side of the Twins.
Benfrey had no idea that his sister had known how to use a sword before she had been somehow reborn into this world as Melara Frey, so her progress with a sword in leaps and bounds astonished him.
She was faster with a blade than anyone he had ever seen and had possessed such blistering speed with her feet and he had to use ever muscle and foot to the full when practicing with her.
All in all, the five siblings loved each other dearly and even though Ben didn't live in the Twins anymore, Melara still wrote to him almost every day.
She was glad that her second oldest brother had gotten out of the keep and was doing well. His wife Jyanna was a sweet woman who had birthed him two children already named Osmund and Della who gave Ben great pride.
Their small keep was a warm and comforting one that Melara truly felt she could let her guard down in.
Since Bethany's death, the five siblings had banded around one another to comfort each other, especially when their father married his sixth wife Annara Farring.
On top of the many children that Walder Frey possessed, there were countless bastards he had had fathered over the years as well.
Several of them had shown up at the keep so far over the years but only two daughters had actually stayed by the name of Walda.
Inwardly Melara had scoffed at the stupid name but kept her jokes to herself. She had learned a bit of self-control as Pansy Parkinson before she had come to be a Frey.
All of Walder's bastard children had inherited the weasel like features that were so characteristic of house Frey, but somehow it made them appear either even crueler or more dense than usual.
For example, Melara's bastard sister Walda was a pudgy woman who most likely would not be able to achieve a match above her station before she had come to the Twins.
Unfortunately for the rest of the Frey brood, those in the Twins were the only ones who knew that the two girls were bastards as Walder had claimed them as his own.
That would have been a nice gesture if it had been done for the sake of the girls themselves, but Melara knew Walder had done it only so he might be able to achieve better matches for them and thus gain more power for himself.
She had tried once a year ago to reach out to her bastard sister's but they had shunned her effort because as Roslin told her, Melara was the most beautiful Frey girl who had walked the halls of the Twins.
Melara had laughed at her youngest sister but she was also painfully aware of how true it was. Most Frey's had dark brown hair and brown or black eyes. Melara was the only one who had been born with jet black curls and jade green eyes that had come from Bethany. All of her other siblings had brown eyes or irises so dark a green they looked brown as it was. Only Melara's were jade green.
Looks didn't really matter much to Melara and they had mattered even less to her as Pansy. Hell she had been called pug faced for the first three years of school before puberty had hit her like a hippogriff and the boys started taking notice.
By the time she was seventeen and fighting in the war, Pansy had been one of the most beautiful girls next to her best friend Daphne Greengrass with her silky blonde hair and blue eyes.
And now it seemed her looks from her first life had carried over to her second.
But now she saw them as a blessing and a curse. Her father would look at her with greedy eyes as if she were his ticket to an alliance with a much more powerful house than the Freys.
Gods she hated that man.
More than once, Melara had longed for a return to the time when she was Pansy Parkinson and she had had a father who actually cared about her wellbeing and didn't see her as just a pile of coins or a legion of foot soldiers or mounted knights.
But she had the mind of a twenty three year old in a fifteen year olds body so there were some things she knew about how to adapt and how to rise above expectations.
And it wasn't as if she didn't have love around her either. Her two oldest brothers were knights and though Will was excellent with a bow, there were times when she was certain he had a gift for healing as well and should look into becoming a maester.
But she had a feeling that no son of Walder Frey's would not become a knight engage in any other type of occupation than that of the sword.
But there would be a time coming when all of the Freys swords would be crossed in battle and brother would fight against brother.
Olly was a bit disappointed that he was to remain behind but given that he was only sixteen and his two older brothers were already competing there was no need for him to do so as well.
Besides, someone had to keep an eye on Roslin and seeing as how the rest of the Rosby children and some of the other Freys were at the tourney, Olly was the only one who could be trusted in the Twins.
Melara was excited to leave the Crossing and experience some form of life outside of the Riverlands, but more importantly, she was just happy to be away from her father.
She was also happy to have a place to train with her brothers out from under Walder Frey's watchful eye.
Perwyn was going to compete in the tourney and hopefully bring honor to the name of Frey….or at least that had been what her father had said.
And once Will had told Walder that why the three Freys were in the capital, they might look for more agreeable matches for Melara, she had seen the old man's eyes gleam and knew that they had him.
Of course they didn't really intend to do so, but why tell the old man the truth when the truth didn't really matter?
So he had agreed with his blessing and that he expected Melara to represent well the name of Frey as they didn't really know who was going to be there.
She pasted on a smile and nodded but inside wanted to roll her eyes. There had been many times when she had hexed the man throughout her life and no one had known she had done it.
Of course her brothers had fixed her with looks when she did as they knew, but Melara hadn't cared.
The moment Melara went to her chambers to pack for the journey to the capital, Roslin came in and sat down on the bed looking sad.
"What's wrong?" Melara asked.
"Do you have to go?" Roslin asked looking upset.
Melara smiled before sitting down on the bed and taking her sister's hand in hers. Even though only one year separated them, sometimes Melara felt as if she were a decade older.
Perhaps that was because she was mentally but Roslin didn't know that. Melara found she had had to be the guiding hand for her sister since their mother had died and she wasn't well used to doing that.
She had always been someone who was rather brash and that hadn't changed with her rebirth as Melara, but a new sort of compassion had. Melara had no qualms whatsoever about killing someone as she had done it in her first life and spilling blood did not faze her.
She was fierce and proud and more than a little dangerous and willing to get her hands dirty to get done what she wanted to get done.
But Roslin wasn't like that.
She was sweet and innocent and sensitive with sad eyes and had a very tender heart. There was no way she could have picked up a sword to kill a man like Melara could or respond with blistering sarcasm as her older sister could.
She was as meek as a mouse and there were times when Melara feared such a nature would work against her in the world she lived in.
People would use her and abuse her and no one would care because she was a woman, and women from noble houses were seen as no better than cattle to be bartered with.
In the Frey household, this was so commonplace it was laughable.
And that was one of the reasons that Melara often worried Roslin. There was no fight or fire in her and she was just as likely to cower in a corner before she would do something violent.
She would obey their father's command and marry the man he chose for her no matter who he was or how bad he was.
She had a good deal of patience as well though that was in direct contrast to Melara's tight as a vice constancy. For all of Roslin's good qualities however, Melara knew her sister wouldn't last long in the world outside of the Twins if she didn't grow a backbone and soon.
"You'll be fine," Melara replied as soothingly as she could. "Olly's staying here with you so you won't be alone."
"I know," Roslin said. "But it's not the same as when you're here. I can't talk to Olly like I can talk to you."
"Well I would hope that there would be a difference in how you talk to Olly and how you talk to me," Melara joked. "There are things that you tell me that would make Olly blush."
Her jesting worked and a small smile crossed Roslin's pale face.
That was another reason that she and all the rest of her brothers worried for Roslin the most out of all of their siblings. She had always been a sickly child, but perhaps that was because Bethany had been ill when she had given birth to her.
Roslin was only a year younger than Melara but she was small for four and ten and not petite either. Where Melara was tall and slender, Roslin was delicate and frail.
She didn't eat enough and she often didn't get enough sleep.
Roslin was pretty in her own right but whenever anyone told her so, she would always smile and say, "you should see my sister. Everyone says she's the beauty of the family."
Melara hated it when Roslin talked like that because she always said it in a sad tone like she wished she could be half as beautiful.
And that wasn't fair.
But then there were many things in this world that weren't fair and just as men were cruel so was beauty, to those who had it and those who didn't.
Melara was different because she didn't care as much but when she was in the walls of the Twins, social convention dictated that she had to wear a dress and look beautiful.
It was bloody annoying at times, but she understood the necessity.
Melara was still a Slytherin at heart and there were times when a snake had to shed its scales and put on new clothes.
She cautioned herself that this was likely to be one of those times.
Roslin still looked nervous and Melara knew for a fact that she was terrified of their father. I hope Olly can keep an eye on her while we're gone and that nothing bad happens. I'd hate to be labeled a kin slayer if we return and I find out the weasel bastard has hurt Roslin in any way.
Part of the reason Melara disliked her father so much was the fact that he reminded her a good deal, in the physical sense at least of Argus Filch from Hogwarts. She had hated that old man with a passion, not just because he was an embittered squib who was jealous of every child in the castle because they had magic and he didn't, but also because he had been rude, a liar and didn't care about the wellbeing of those around him at all.
All that bloody old man gave two shillings about was his damn cat, Melara thought wryly to herself as she and Roslin sat on the bed. I wonder if that flea bitten thing is still alive or if it' died by now.
"Why are you smiling?" Roslin asked and Melara blinked, realizing she had lost herself in the past again.
"No reason," she replied. "Cheer up. We won't be gone for longer than two moon and will return before you know it. Perhaps if you talk to Olly he and you can go and see Ben and Jyanna for a while. I know Osmund and Della would love to see you."
Roslin's face lit up and Melara felt satisfied knowing she had used the right words. Roslin loved her niece and nephew to pieces and the feeling was mutual. Roslin never smiled so much when she was around her brother's children and the color would come back to her face because of it.
It would be good for her to spend some time with them.
"Would you like that?" Melara asked upon seeing the smile on her sister's face.
Roslin nodded eagerly so her older sister nodded sharply. "Good then. I will speak to Olly about going to father and telling him you wish to see Ben. I don't know why he would have a problem with the idea. Ben's keep isn't far. Stay as long as you like as well. I have a feeling father will not care."
And Melara knew he wouldn't.
Walder Frey barely paid attention to anyone other than his three eldest sons and since none of the children Bethany Rosby had given him occupied either of those spots, they pretty much were allowed to do as they wished. Within reason of course.
Soon after, Roslin left to speak with Olly and Melara was once more left alone.
She bolted the door and flopped back down on the bed, knowing she should continue packing but deciding she had a few minutes to get her thoughts together.
In all actuality they would probably be gone for more than two moons as it was several weeks ride to the capital and the tourney would be for at least a week or more with feasts in between that they would have to attend.
They would be gone for around three months Melara was sure, but there was no way she wanted to tell her sister that because she knew it would make Roslin feel even worse.
Hopefully she and Olly would be able to stay with Ben the entire time they were gone unless they were summoned back to the Twins by father.
But Melara had a feeling he wouldn't do that. He was far too busy scheming to pay attention to what his younger children were doing. The antics of some of his older sons were so laughable at times that he had to expend a good deal of energy just bringing them.
She would be fine.
And if she wasn't….well like she said, Melara had no problem getting her own vengeance.
Hell, she had done it in the past.
And if it was necessary…she could do it again.
Ω
The day the three Freys left for the capital with some of their soldiers dawned clear and cool. The temperature had always been slightly colder in the Riverlands than the rest of the south, but it was nowhere near as cold as the north.
Having lived in a place where it was winter nearly six months of the year before the weather turned warm again, Melara was well used to the cold and it didn't affect her.
What did bother her though was that she had to ride in the small Frey wheelhouse while her older brothers rode on horses with their swords at their sides.
Melara knew full well why this was necessary however and so simply grit her teeth together and bid Roslin and Olly goodbye before climbing into the wheelhouse and shutting the door behind her.
The moment they had crossed the bridge and the Twins were out of sight behind them, Melara leaned back in her seat and breathed a sigh of relief.
Gods I didn't realize how much I hated that place, she thought to herself. This trip is going to be a much needed sabbatical from the Twins. Part of me wishes that I will find a husband on this trip, marry quickly and never have to return to the Crossing.
That wasn't really how she felt, but it was a testament to how much she hated the place that wishing for her own marriage to get away from it was her first thought.
When she had been Pansy, she had been no stranger to the idea of marrying young. If she hadn't decided to become involved with Ron Weasley, than Pansy might have had an arranged marriage with Draco and married him right out of school.
Seventeen was rather young to be married at but seeing as how she was only a year away from that herself, it wasn't that big of a difference now.
Bloody hell how the times have changed, Melara thought to herself wryly.
A second later she grimaced as that phrase was so characteristic of Ron Weasley.
There were times when she still missed that weird red head. He hadn't been perfect, but he had been hers and she had loved him fiercely.
After the war, Potter had all but dragged him over so that he could ask her out and Pansy had accepted with a smirk.
They had been together ever since and the brunette was willing to say that it was without a doubt the happiest time in her life.
She would never have imagined herself with Ron Weasley when she was eleven years old but it was ironic what the future had in mind. I probably would have hexed the person who told me my future into oblivion.
But Ron had been a surprisingly patient individual and a very good listener. He was vocal when he needed to be and she was surprisingly good at talking him down when he was quick to fly completely off the handle as he sometimes did.
They had been a good pair and she had known beyond a shadow of a doubt that he loved her.
Melara felt the corners of her eyes stinging and she cursed before passing a hand before her eyes to rid them of any stray moisture.
Gods, she hated crying. Her face would heat up and her green eyes would turn glossy, making her an embarrassing shade of pink.
When she had still been Pansy, the former Slytherin had conditioned herself from a young age to never cry. She had worked on that conditioning so much she had thought after the war and Daphne died that the only thing she would have been able to feel was abject rage.
Ron had held her until she was able to cry and let it all out and he had earned a special place in her heart for that before he had ever even asked her out.
Melara leaned against the open window of the wheelhouse and looked out at the clear blue sky and the sun that was beginning to break through the clouds high above her. She could hear the sounds of the river even as they rode away from the Twins.
It was the one sound that soothed her in that keep and she had sat by the river for hours in the years past just thinking how different her life was now.
When she had been Pansy, she was someone who was tough, never let her feelings show on her face and had been quick with her hands and even faster with her mouth.
It had been hard but her brothers had had to drill it into her that she needed to control that sharp tongue of hers otherwise it would get her into trouble down the line. Pansy wasn't bothered by it. She knew she had the magic to back up what she said and because all of her family were Muggles of the most pathetic sort, she didn't fear them.
But that didn't mean that she didn't want to protect those who didn't have magic.
Perwyn, Willamen, Benfrey, Olyvar and Roslin were the most people in the entire world to her and she would slaughter a thousand other Freys before she would let any harm come to them.
Melara blinked and shook off the dark thoughts.
Now's not the time for that, she thought to herself. Olly and Roslin will no doubt spend the next little while with Ben and gods hope they don't return until we do. With any luck that weasel bastard will be dead soon too.
Now was a time of celebration. The realm was celebrating the appointment of a new Hand and her brothers were to compete in the tourney that was to come.
Perwyn would no doubt do well, but there were times when she was a little worried about Will. He had expressed a desire to be a knight just like Olly had but there were times when she felt he would be much better as a maester. Perwyn and Ben already were knights, they didn't need to add a third.
But there was no way Melara would ever tell him that so she had kept her silence and watched and supported her brother whenever he picked up a sword.
I hope for his sake that he does well in the tourney, Melara thought as she leaned out the window and watched Will riding with Perwyn at the head of the small column of Freys.
The two were riding their black destriers and talking quietly amongst themselves. Wyn would no doubt be telling Will about what to do in the tourney and what to avoid as he had competed in tourneys before.
He'll do well, Melara thought looking at her brother with pride. Wyn had been knighted a while ago and he was a good, decent and honest man who would no doubt be a fine ruler of his own keep one day.
I wish to god he would be the Lord of the Twins and the Crossing after the Lord Weasel passes, Melara thought to herself. He would be far better than Edwyn. The gods only know what a cold unfeeling imbecile he is.
Of course there were times when she herself could be cold and unfeeling but that had more to do with her desire to protect herself and guard her magic as well as her memories of the past.
We all do what we have to do in order to survive in this world, she thought. But there are some of us who deserve to survive more than others.
Later that night when they had called for a halt by the river as they had reached the Kingsroad, the three Frey siblings were all sitting by the fire talking amongst themselves while the guards kept watch.
"You're awfully quiet sister," Perwyn observed from his place as he ate his meal and watched her. "Is something bothering you?"
"Not at all Wyn," Melara responded smoothly. "I am simply glad to be on a new adventure."
"Adventure?" her oldest brother asked laughing. "We're not going to war sweet sister, this is a mere tourney."
"Even still," Melara said calmly. "It can be good to get away from the Twins for a while."
Wyn and Will exchanged knowing looks. "I know it can be rather frustrating Melara, but don't worry. Soon father will find a high lord to marry you off to and you will never have to see the inside of the Twins again."
Melara rolled her eyes at her brother. "You make it sound so easy don't you? I don't wish to be married simply for the sake of leaving the Twins. Contrary to popular belief, I might actually like to marry someone that I may love."
The look on Will's face turned sad. "As much as I would love that for you sweet sister, you know it always doesn't work that way."
"I know," Melara said bitterly as she looked down at her food and thought of Ron. "But that doesn't mean that I can't wish it were so."
There was a long uncomfortable silence in which the siblings looked anywhere but at each other.
Finally Perwyn spoke up again. "Cheer up sister and put a smile on that beautiful face. You may just find your prince in King's Landing."
Melara smirked at him. "What if I don't want a prince? What if I want a warrior instead? What if I want someone who can keep up with me and doesn't possess the intelligence of a tree stump for a partner?"
Despite the joke, Will burst out laughing, lighting the mood immediately. "You just may find that too sweet sister. You must may find that too."
Melara laughed at her brothers.
Contrary to popular belief she really wasn't thinking about marriage and the idea of being with someone that her father picked out was nauseating to her.
She comforted herself with the knowledge that if she didn't like who it was, she could simply just run, disguise herself as a man and get on a boat to the Free Cities. With her magic it wouldn't be hard to find work and she could make a living for herself in one of the beautiful cities there.
She smiled to herself.
It was a nice dream but one that wasn't likely to happen.
And then the words of her father, her real father came back to her out of the fog of the distant past.
If you don't like your lot in life Pans….change it.
Ω
Several weeks later…
I will give the place this much….it certainly is big.
After several weeks' worth of travel Melara and the rest of her Frey relations had arrived at the capital to great fanfare to celebrate the tourney of the new Hand.
It seemed that the entire realm had turned out to observe the event as well and the amount of banners she had seen in the city was nothing short of astonishing.
One would think that the nobles had turned up for a royal wedding with the amount of men that are here.
Thankfully they had arrived a day before the tourney was supposed to start and right now Melara was wandering the halls of the keep after allowing the servants to unpack her things in the chambers that had been set aside for them.
The Red Keep had many rooms and not even three quarters of them were filled with the amount of people that had come for the event.
Melara had seen the Tullys, the Tyrells, the Hightowers, Baratheons, Starks, Lannisters, and more.
There had been no Arryns to speak of but that was understandable given that the heir to the Vale was still only a child no more than ten years old.
Her brothers had gone off to speak to some of the other lords and left her to her own devices, so Melara had taken to wandering the keep.
The Freys had been some of the last to arrive and the keep was already full of people. She had lost count of the admiring looks she had received but all they did was cause her lips to curl and a sneer to appear on her pretty mouth.
Gods don't these people have anything better to do?
It wasn't until she had come across one of the larger balconies that Melara did discover someone doing something interesting.
The sound of laboured grunts caught her attention and she looked up to see a small figure dancing back and forth across one of the balconies with a long thin sword in her hand.
She had short brown hair and a rather determined expression on her face and in her grey eyes as she lunged at an imaginary foe.
She was dressed in a tunic and breeches like a man with her hair tied back and it was plainly obvious that she was practicing the water dancing technique.
Melara stood and watched her for a moment, remembering when her brothers had taught her the same thing. She has to be a Stark, no one else has grey eyes like hers and those are characteristic of the wolves of the north.
She had known how to use a sword before coming to Westeros but water dancing was very different from sword play that she had known.
It was more elegant and really was more like a dance, plainly used for ceremonial fighting but Melara supposed it did have its uses.
Melara watched her in amusement for a moment before she stepped out from the shadows.
"You're holding it wrong."
The girl whirled around, startled. When she saw who it was, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
She didn't curtsy but given what Melara had caught her doing before she had come along, she didn't expect her to.
"Who are you?" she demanded as she took in the Frey girl.
Melara wasn't put off by her tone, in fact it reminded her of herself when she was a demanding eleven year old. Instead, she decided to answer the girl with bluntness of her own tone.
"Melara," she said. "Melara Frey. What's yours?"
The girl's eyes narrowed in suspicion even further if that were possible. "Arya Stark."
Ah, so she was a Stark. That was interesting. Now what is the daughter of the Hand of the King doing with a sword? That is something that I would really like to know.
The two regarded each other for a long time with eyes unblinking before Arya chose that moment to speak up again. "You said I was holding it wrong. What was I doing wrong?"
"May I?" Melara asked and Arya reluctantly handed the small thin sword over.
"You're twisting your wrist too much," she demonstrated the movement. "Your arm should be relaxed…..like you're holding a quill and are about to write something."
She handed the sword back to her and she regarded her for a moment before demonstrating the proper movement. "Like this?"
Melara nodded. "Just like that. Whatever you do don't move your arm from that position. Keep a tight but firm hold and you won't strain yourself."
Arya practiced the movement for a moment, but then stopped and looked at her carefully.
Melara frowned. "What?"
"You're a Frey," Arya said almost as if it were an accusation.
Melara laughed. "So I am, and you're a Stark. But what of it?"
"Why are you being nice to me?" Arya demanded. "And how do you know how to use a sword anyway. You're a girl like I am."
Melara chuckled again. "An astute observation. My brother's taught me how to use a sword. I've been using one since I was six."
Well that wasn't entirely truthful if she counted her first life before Westeros, but that was better left unexplained.
Arya looked a little envious. "I wish my mother had let me learn. But she wants me to be proper lady just like Sansa."
Sansa must be her sister.
"I imagine if my mother had lived she would have wanted me to be proper lady too," Melara said. "But there's something I learned that I took to heart. If you don't like your lot in life….change it."
"Is Lord Frey married though?" Arya asked in suspicion.
Melara rolled her eyes. "Yes and the Lord Weasel of the Twins is currently on wife number six. But you didn't hear that from me."
Arya's eyes widened. "His sixth wife? Gods how many children does he have?"
"I've lost count," Melara admitted. "I'm only one in a sea of daughters and sons. But that's alright. That means he doesn't notice when I learn how to fight with a sword or shoot a bow. I get a lot more freedom."
Arya's suspicion abated somewhat. "But why are you being nice to me?"
Melara smirked. "I don't think you understood me. You were doing something wrong and I corrected you. I didn't think that was something that could strictly be considered nice."
Arya's suspicion returned in her grey eyes. "I mean aren't all Freys – "
She cut herself off then and looked a bit bashful.
"Go on," Melara said knowing she was about to repeat something she had heard from someone else. "Say it."
Arya looked up at her. "Aren't all Freys untrustworthy?"
Melara wasn't offended. Arya wasn't entirely wrong after all.
"For the most part that's true," she said as she gave Arya back her sword and headed for the stairs of the balcony once more resume her walk. "But there's one thing you don't know."
"And what's that?" Arya called after her.
Melara turned and smirked at her. "You haven't met all of us."
Ω
So I don't want you guys to think that just because Arya and Melara spoke that they're going to be all buddy buddy now. In fact this is going to be the only conversation they have until the Red Wedding. I also feel the need to explain a few things about Melara/Pansy. There's not a lot of character development on her in the books, but we do know that she's bold, brash and protective of what she feels is hers. I wanted to capitalize on those traits here. She's also not afraid to get her hands dirty when the situation calls for it, and she will have to before this story is over. Okay, that's it for now. I introduced Perwyn in this one as I wasn't able to in the last chapter, and he's going to be an interesting character going forward as he's one of the few good Freys. Don't forget to review and enjoy!
