Chapter 3: The Crossing

POV Lord Auster Tully

The rains were coming down particularly hard the farther north they went. The mud-splattered shields of the Tully knights did little to assuage his concerns about the meeting. Certainly, it was snowing north of the Twins, and the Starks would be in their element. Auster had sent Kyva south to meet with the Tyrells, a far easier task than the one he was up to.

On his father's death bed, Lord Tully made his son promise that he would return to negotiate with the North and the Vale, to bring back an alliance that had been faltering. The product of his mother's prompting, the three sides had finally agreed on a meeting place – the Twins, where the lord of House Frey sat. Almost perfectly between the three camps, it was the natural choice, either that or Greywater Watch.

The alliance of the Vale, Riverlands, and North had been falling into disrepair. The Starks were too busy focusing on themselves to be any use in the South, and the Vale had shut its doors to outsiders for years. That had forced Auster and the rest of his house to focus south. If he could salvage some sort of deal with the other two, it would put his house in much better position. It would calm the concerns of the Freys as well, who had been fretting about an open assault from the North in the event of unrest.

Auster had brought his younger brother, Kell, with him to the Twins. He was training to be a knight, and this would be a way to prove himself. The two looked rather similar. Auster was just a shade smaller than his youngest brother, but his features were more defined. That, and Kell had a less tired-looking face than he did.

Auster sighed as they went up the long path that led to the Twins' towers. Lord Frey had insisted on being present at the meeting, to 'facilitate'. It rang hollow in Auster's mind, as Frey was supposed to be on his side, not presenting as some neutral party. However, he couldn't think of a way to decline politely, so he agreed.

The rain had slowed the closer they got to the Twins. The dark, grey river was barely taking on any water by the time they had arrived. Too bad the rest of their clothes were soaked. Glum-looking Frey guards came to escort them to the keep, showing them where to dry their soggy clothing.

It had been years since Auster had been to the Twins. Even now, as he looked around the ancient castle, nothing had changed. Changing wasn't really a Frey thing.

Auster had brought a change of clothes, knowing that it was important he look his best. A regal blue cloak surrounding lighter colors of grey on the inside, with the Tully fish emblazoned on the front. His brown boots fit in well with the pants.

There was a knock on his door. Auster went to go get it, swinging it open. He half expected it to be one of the Freys telling him that it was time. Instead, it was his little brother, likely to tell him the same thing.

"Ready?" Kell said, his voice light and upbeat. "The Starks just arrived and there's word the Arryns are just down the pass."

Auster gave a firm nod, having picked his brother to be his security attaché as he was the only one he trusted to be in an enclosed room with Freys, Starks, and Arryns and not spread it around. Kell was still in his guard uniform but had presumably wiped off the wetness with a rag.

The seat of House Frey was an old, dark oaken seat. The wood was so dark it could've been black. Lord Frey was an aging man, with greying hair and a now-enlarging belly. His wife was a wisp of a woman, standing off to his right. She had nice light brown hair, which had passed along to some of her children, which were standing with her. Freys had always been a fertile bunch, and they had six children between them. Five boys and one girl, there were.

A simple three-sided table was set up in the middle of the room, not ten feet from where Lord Frey was seated. He had to admire the wooden table the Freys had probably made themselves – it had carvings of a wolf on one side, a falcon on another, and a fish on the last. They hadn't spared much expense, it seemed.

Auster turned to his brother. "You can stand three feet behind me. No farther no closer. The Starks and Arryns will do the same."

Kell gave a simple nod and stood where Auster had told him to. The massive door opened and in came the Starks. The lord, Cregan, towered over even Kell, having to be at least a half foot taller. A young man came in with him, which was likely his guard. Cregan had the icy grey eyes of the Starks, piercing anyone who would look him in the eyes. He had on various pelts and coats, likely to help with the wretched winter.

As he came to sit down, Lord Arryn entered as well. By far the oldest out of the three, Lord Jasper Arryn was at least 50, and perhaps older. He looked normal enough, with pale skin and black hair. His son, Ronnel, was the only one who accompanied into the room. Certainly not as his security, as the younger lord had a belly that could match Lord Frey's. Auster's lip curled when Lord Arryn, likely purposefully, brushed past his brother.

"Welcome to the Crossing," Lord Frey said from behind them. "A meeting of the great houses of Stark, Tully, and Arryn. Lords of the North, Riverlands, and Vale. Former allies in the War of the Usurper, come to the great crossing to discuss creating an alliance that lasts generations. It is my great honor as Lord of the Crossing to welcome you all here."

Neither Lord Arryn nor Lord Stark said anything, so Auster bowed his head to his bannerman. For the first time, he saw a glimmer of thanks in the old man's eyes. His gaze was caught by the eldest and youngest Freys. The eldest had a look of disgust on his face that was likely only matched by his father. The youngest was staring down Kell. Uncomfortable, Auster turned back to the table.

"Why am I here?" He heard Lord Arryn mutter under his breath as he pulled out some papers and spread them along his side of the table.

"I am thankful Lords Stark and Arryn made it safely to the Twins. First, I would like to offer either of you to come forward with any proposals of your own," Auster began.

Lord Arryn looked Auster straight in the eye. "I know your sister's down in Highgarden. There's word the ironborn are wanting to discuss a marriage with the Tullys as well. Why are we here, if the Riverlands has no intention of marrying anyone of significance to either the North or the Vale?"

Auster said nothing at first. He hadn't heard anything about the Greyjoys wanting something like this. "Well, Lord Arryn. You only have one son and I have just two sisters. Perhaps your focus should be on our Northern friend here."

Cregan's gaze swept over where Ronnel Arryn was standing. His lip curled in dislike. He didn't attempt to hide it at all. "My sister will not go with the lordling Arryn. Not in his…present state."

The bluntness of the Starks was famed, but Auster didn't believe that it had come out of his mouth. He certainly didn't blame him. If the Stark sister was anything like Alissa or Kyva, there would've been a steep price to answer for marrying them off to Lord Arryn.

While Jasper Arryn sputtered, Auster took the turn to speak. "Perhaps Lyanna would want to come to Riverrun for a few days? I'm sure she would get along well with my brother Athyn."

Cregan thought about it, Auster could see him thinking it through. "A southerner would not do for any of my siblings. I am here to discuss trade and military only."

They'd barely been in the room together and the biggest thing that Auster had come to the table with was already gone. He suddenly felt the urge to leave altogether, knowing that Kyva and his mother were likely to be successful in Highgarden, or at least in Storm's End. An alliance with the Tyrells would be much more useful than one with Winterfell. Still, he held his tongue.

"About what exactly?" Arryn spoke first.

"Your man here," Cregan pointed at Frey who was watching it all with barely contained glee, "charges a very high price to any Northerner making their way south. I demand levies be taken down at least 20%."

Auster shifted uncomfortably. Sure, Lord Frey was a major pain in Auster's side at nearly all times, but he still was one of his men. "I stand by Lord Frey's decision and levies. As it is his castle, he has no incentive to take them down even further. I remind you that they were lowered just two years ago."

"You call that lowering?" Arryn guffawed. "It was barely 2%."

Auster had no good answer for that, so he simply sighed. "I stand by my first response. If you have an issue, take it up with Lord Frey. I do not pretend to speak for him."

He could tell it had satisfied neither lord. At this point, he didn't much care. From that point on, his biggest concern was that the Freys had been thankful for the front he'd put up. He didn't hold his breath.

"And for the military, Lord Stark?" Arryn's voice was getting snippy and petty.

"I need Vale wood for more ships. The ironborn have been raiding the coasts with more precision and we have nothing to stop them. We need more steel to pass through the Riverlands to make more swords," Stark seemed to have brought a list of concerns along with him. Neither Auster nor Jasper Arryn seemed willing to consent to either term.

The Greyjoys were the biggest navy in Westeros. Even the royal fleet and the Redwynes couldn't match it. The best thing to do was to let them do as they pleased and clean up afterwards. Stark pressed both Auster and Lord Arryn further, but neither budged.

It went like that for hours. Auster would propose something, Arryn would balk. Cregan would ask for something, Auster knew it was out of proportion with what he could offer. Arryn would ask for greater leniency toward his region and Cregan would refuse outright. Nothing seemed to happen.

The big topic came up last: the impending new King. Word had reached the Eyrie as Jasper Arryn was leaving that the king had fallen ill. Few expected him to make it another few years. There had been talk in King's Landing about someone supplanting the Arryns as Warden in the East. Auster dismissed I as folly. Tullys hadn't been Warden in centuries, and didn't expect to be named one now. The other two had other concerns.

They accused Auster of getting in with the Targaryens and forsaking the rest of them. They pointed out that Athyn had gotten to know the Crown Prince well, and had a chance of being named Hand of the King. Auster, of course, denied it.

"I don't presume to know what's going through the Dragon's head," Auster finally snapped at their third combined insistence. "If my brother is the best thing this kingdom has to have as Hand of the King, than I expect him to be named so."

The Stark's eyes flashed dangerously. "If the Riverlands prefer to go it alone, then I suggest that we disband here. None of my concerns have been met with anything but derision from either of you. I will return North." His seat clattered abruptly as he stood up.

"I will return as well," Arryn waved his son from the room.

Before he could get out another word, both lords were gone. Now just he, Kell, and the Freys were standing there, openly watching as the Starks left briskly down the pass.

"Nice," The eldest Frey son chirped. "So that's how an alliance dies?"

"Is it true?" Lord Frey ignored his son. "The ironborn wish for a marriage alliance? Your sister – she is in Highgarden?"

Auster gave a thin nod. "She is in Highgarden, Lord Frey. I do not know anything about the Greyjoys, and do not presume to know anything further. You shall be the first to know if I do learn something. As you can see, this did not go well. The Riverlands need alliances elsewhere, and badly. You saw the way that the Vale and North speak to us. To them, we're an insolent child that needs to be kept in line. The other regions, they do not think of us so. I expect fully to have meetings soon with Lords Lannister, Baratheon and Martell."

Frey seemed at least encouraged by that. "I will be looking myself, too."

"Thank you for your help, Lord Frey. It was most kind of you," Auster gave a stiff bow and headed out with Kell. The fastest horses would take them back to Riverrun by the next day.

A/N: Two chapters two days in a row, you're probably thinking. Actually I wrote the one on Friday, it was just too late to post. I do have the Martells and Greyjoys now! Thanks to those people! If anyone wants to submit more people, whether it be minor houses, or prominent people at a national scale, I would be glad, otherwise I think we've got our cast.

Thanks to Freakdogsflare for the Starks, bucarcar for the Arryns, and UltraCommando0946 for the Freys. Once all this intro stuff is done, the actual story can start in earnest. That's why I wanted to get this out particularly quickly. Thank you all!