Chapter 7. The Wolf and the Sword
A scout rides towards Owen's main force as it marches towards the Twins. "My Lord…"
"What news of Winterfell…"
"It is surrounded by Bolton men…Five hundred strong…"
Killen and Caully Stryder are on their horses next to Owen as the Stryder army marches by, "Who leads them…" Caully asks.
"Ramsay Snow…"
Owen nods, "Ramsay doesn't need our help…On to the Twins!" Owen's forces reach the Twins two weeks after Bane had taken back Deep Wood Moat.
The Twins
Walder Frey is in the throne room making plans with a Sell-sword captain. "My lord father…" Lothar Frey says entering.
"What is it?"
"Owen Stryder is here…He requests an audience with you…"
Walder waves the sell-sword off, "He alone…"
"Ten thousand men encamped out of bow range…"
"Show him in…" Frey considered the fact that the Stryders could be an ally in his plans, but despite the defiance and isolation of House Stryder they have never raised the sword against the Starks. Owen Stryder could be going to offer Robb Stark aid, but why such a small force?
An hour later Owen Stryder entered the hall, "Greetings to Walder Frey…Lord of the Twins…"
"Can't say I ever had a Stryder in my presence before…"
"None of my kin have ever been this far south before…But the name Walder Frey is not unheard of at Guardstone…For six hundred years the Freys have held the crossing and for 600 years they have never failed to exact their toll."
"So its passage you want…"
"Aye!"
Walder leans back in his chair, "The name Stryder is well known at the Twins as well…The Bloody war is a tale well known even to my children…Masters of war…Masters of the Sword…They call you…Though no Stryder has ever answered the call of House Stark in over a thousand years…So I ask…Why does the Lord of Guardstone wish to go south…"
"To pledge fealty to the King in the North…"
Walder takes his goblet and drinks, "You disappoint me Lord Stryder…"
"Why is that?"
"To gain passage through the Twins the Young Wolf swore to marry one of my daughters…Not long after the dog marries some girl…In secret…he made a deal with me and broke his word…"
Owen nods, "A King should keep his word…"
"Aye so why would you want to swear fealty to such a man as that…"
"With all due respect Lord Frey…House Stryder was allowed to keep its lands so long as we paid our tribute…We chose Isolation from the rest of the North…History is being made…The North and the River lands can free from the south and independent…Don't you want to be a part of history…"
"A King should keep his word…"
"So should a bannerman…"
Walder stands up, "I beg your pardon?"
"I know what the Tully's call you…The Late Walder Frey…Late to the battle of the Trident…A Lord should honor his oaths…Before he asks for boons from his King…"
"Robb Stark is no King of mine…"
"The Tully's have sworn an oath to him…That makes him your King…"
"You come into my home…"
"Before either of say something we regret Lord Frey why don't you name your price...for passage across the Twins…"
Walder Frey sneers and sits down, "Swords made of Valaryen Steel…"
"How many?"
"One thousand!"
"And a chest of gold dragons…That there be no ill will between us…I will leave the swords in a cart on the other side of the river…Your men can take possession after we have crossed the twins…"
Walder nods, "Done!" As Owen leaves Walder Frey sneers, "Done and done…With all of you…"
Owen's army marches through the twins and leaves a wagon of one thousand swords of valaryen steel for Walder Frey's men. Caully pulls his horse up to Owen's side, "You know uncle we could have crossed the river without making a deal with Walder Frey…"
Owen smiles and looks at his nephew, "I know nephew…But I didn't want Walder Frey to see what we are capable of."
Harrenhall
Robb's army had been at Haranhal for three days. Ever since the battle of Yellow Fork the morale of the army had sullen. Catelyn Stark the King's mother had released Jaime Lannister into the custody of her vassal Brienne of Tarth. So Robb placed his unrepenting mother under house arrest. Then there was the fact that he lost Walder Frey as an ally after marrying Talisa Maegry.
Robb is in a meeting going over troop movements with his banner lords. Winterfell is in ruins and Theon Greyjoy is now a captive of Ramsay Snow. A Stark enters and whispers into his ear. Robb looks at the soldier, "My Lords we have a visitor…Owen Stryder…"
The hall breaks into an uproar, "SILENCE!" Roose Bolton screams.
"I will meet with him here…"
Talisa joins Robb, "Owen Stryder?"
Robb leans in close and whispers of the blood feud between Houses Stark and Stryder. "They are the greatest swordsman in the North…Probably the world…"
When Owen enters Killen and Caully are with him along with ten men, "Hail the King in the North!" Owen says leading his cousin, nephew and men across the floor through the gauntlet of Northern Lords. Owen drops to one knee then the others.
"The Lord Guardstone may rise…" They obey, "I am surprised to see you and your men here…Lord Stryder…What do you want…"
Owen looks at the other Northern Lords, "May I speak with his grace in private…"
Robb looks at his gathered Lords, "Whatever you have to say to me can be said before my banners…"
"If the King will indulge me…Read these and then we can talk…" Robb's squire takes the letters from Owen Stryder and hands them to Robb. The Lords whisper amongst themselves as Robb reads the letters. He reads the first and looks at Owen. "Read them all milord…"
Robb slips the first letter towards the back and reads the next, his eyes bulge as it is one from his sister to Nathan Stryder. He slowly places that one behind the first and reads the next…
To the Red Rose of Winterfell
Your friendship means more to me than the heart that beats within my chest…More precious than the breath I breathe…I call you a Red Rose…
A Rose that blooms in the harshest of winters…When the moon fades and the stars cease to shine the Rose of Winterfell comforts me…Winter is Coming and it shall not whiter my Rose…Her petals are strong her thorns sharp to keep all enemies at bay…Let all stand in awe of my Rose…Greater than all the flowers of High Garden…More comely than lions of the west…Sharper than the steel of the Stryders…I shall love you always and from afar Sansa Stark…
Love always and never
Your friend Nathan Stryder
In all there were eight letters including the one Bane sent in regards to rescuing Sansa. Then Robb breaks open the seal of the Starks and reads his Sister's letter begging and pleading to marry Nathan Stryder. Robb sighs and looks at Owen then at his Lords. "My King…What does the letters say…" Roose Bolton asks.
"Leave us!"
One by one Robb's banners leave the hall and so does Killen and Caully along with the ten men. Robb stands up and pours some wine. "Would you like a cup Lord Owen…"
"Thank you my King yes…"
"You call me King…My sister is at Guardstone I take it?"
Owen takes the goblet, "Yes milord she is…" He answers before drinking.
"And if I say no to a wedding…"
"I will remain here…Until she arrives at whatever castle you wish her sent...Deep Wood…Last Hearth…White Harbor…When she is safe to your satisfaction I will return home with my soldiers…"
Robb takes a drink keeping his eyes on Owen, "Is it true your army numbers Fifty thousand strong…"
Owen nods, "It has always been so with my house…"
Robb finishes his wine, "I need to speak with my mother first…" Robb leaves the hall and makes his way to his mother's room, which is under guard. When he enters she stands, "Leave us!"
"Has something happened?"
"Read these…" Robb says handing Catelyn the letters.
As Catelyn reads the letters Robb waits in silence, "Sansa!"
"She is at Guardstone…She says she is in love with Nathan Stryder…Owen Stryder is here…If I say no he will remain here until Sansa is sent somewhere of my choosing…To the Manderly's or the Umbers of Last Hearth…"
"You need allies…Walder Frey…"
"Will be dealt with…"
"What does that mean?"
"It means I need to make amends with him…In the meantime what do you say to Owen Stryder's proposal?" Robb summons the Lords to the main hall, "My friends…Nathan Stryder at personal risk to himself rescued my sister from King's Landing…And his father wishes to make amends with House Stark…As such my Sister Sansa Stark will marry Nathan Stryder with my full blessing…" The hall broke into cheers though some were offended that Robb would allow a prize as Sansa Stark to marry Nathan Stryder.
"My King to honor the ending of the longtime feud between our houses I honor you with a sword of Valaryen steel…Its cross-guard the head of a dire wolf…I present to you Wolf's Bane…may it forever stand as a symbol of House Stark's right to rule the North…Hail the King in the North!"
"HAIL THE KING IN THE NORTH!"
A feast was held then the next day a letter came from Rivverun, Hoster Tully had died. "My army can remain here under my nephew's command to hold Harranhal…" Owen Stryder offered.
"Your men have never seen battle…" Roose Bolton argued.
"But they are fresh…Owen is right…Stryder forces will remain here under the command of Caully Stryder…The rest will go to Riverrun…"