12. Revenge at the Twins.
Having taken the North, they were now marching South to continue on their mission. By day the large party kept marching on the Kingsroad and they only stopped at night. Sometimes they slept under the stars, sometimes in holdfasts and farms. Melisandre made sure to keep the army of whitewalkers hidden from the curious and prying eyes of the local people. It was no use scaring these people half to death with visions of creatures beyond their comprehension. Every time they stopped or met people along the way, Catelyn and Sansa reassured them and promised them the Starks would be back in Winterfell and that Winterfell would regain its former glory. People prayed for their victory but most of all for the return of more peaceful and better times. Nobody talked about what had taken place at the Dreadfort, nobody deared. If they didn't talk about it, it was not real, they thought. But it still lingered on everybody's mind.
"Mother, what happened at the Dreadfort? What happened to those men?" asked Sansa when they stopped for supper.
"I don't know, but I don't like it one bit. And to be honest, it scares me" her mother replied.
"That was Dark Magic, milady" replied Osha. "We should not be playing with that. That's not something we can control. That red lady, she's dangerous"
"I don't want that to happen in King's Landing, mother. I hate a lot of people there, but some were very nice to me. I don't want Tommen to get hurt" said Sansa. "He's a really nice boy. And Margaery, and Tyrion."
"I know sweetling. I'll try to stop this before we get there."
"Milady" said Osha "I think you know what you need to do."
Catelyn looked at the wildling and remained silent. She looked at Sansa sitting in front of her. She looked at Rickon sitting to her side. This war had torn her family apart. She had to put an end to it before it ripped what little remained of her family to pieces. That night, as she hugged her sleeping son, she wondered, and not for the first time, if this was the right course of action.
A few days later they found themselves on the outskirts of the Twins. Melisandre led her army of whitewalkers to the gates and demanded the portcullis be opened. All she got in reply was a shower of arrows. As she became a Shadow the arrows just went through air. Arrows could not hurt the whitewalkers either. When the shower of arrows stopped, the creatures stomped into the castle forcing the gates. Panicking and shaking in fear the guards at the Twins retreated back into the yard only to be met by these creatures in person. Most of the Frey men were killed by icy blades engulfed in flames, others died as their own hearts stopped beating at the sight of these monstrous creatures. By the time Stannis's men entered the castle, there was very little for them to do.
Stannis had ordered Melisandre and Catelyn stay outside with the children and Osha, and set three of his men to guard them. Seeing that the fight was over, both Melisandre and Catelyn made it inside the walls. They all went straight to the dungeons to free the prisoners. Catelyn stared at all the men she hadn't seen since the wedding and they all looked back at her.
"Lady Stark, you're alive!"
"They killed King Robb!"
"Vengeance!"
"Kill the Freys!"
"The North Remembers!"
Edmure could not contain his joy at seeing his sister again.
"Cat, you're alive!" he cried. "They told me you were dead"
"Oh Edmure! I'm here, I'm not dead. Are you alright? Where's your wife Roslin?"
"They have kept her in one of the rooms upstairs. She is carrying my child. Oh, Cat, I didn't know! We didn't know. They came to our room the following morning. They showed me Robb's body. They even showed me a body that looked like yours. I really thought you were dead."
Not wanting to tell him the truth, at least for the time being, Catelyn just hugged her brother. They walked out of the dungeon hand in hand and went to find Roslin.
Catelyn then turned to Melisandre but the Red Lady read her thoughts.
"I know what you want. It's time. Close your eyes."
"This is the last one." Catelyn promised.
The Shadow knew these halls. She had been here before, happier times. As a child, as a young girl, and later as a woman. A wedding, a celebration. Music. The shadow remembered the music. Boom, boom, boom. That is no tune for a wedding. The Shadow found its way to its destination. The Shadow remembered this room. Blood. Arrows. Swords. Blood. Screams. Despair. Love. Blood. Boom, boom, boom. No, the Shadow needed to get the sounds out if its head. We will take no vengeance, the Shadow remembered somebody had promised. But now things had changed. Vengeance, vengeance, vengeance, the Shadow repeated like a mantra. And there he was, old and decrepit sitting on his high chair, the man this Shadow hated the most.
"No!" he yelled in panic. "What are you? You're dead. I saw you die!"
"Yes" Catelyn replied. "You saw me die. You also saw my son die. All his men, as well. Men I knew, men I trusted. You deceived us. You betrayed us" she continued as she calmly approached him. "You broke bread and salt with us and then betrayed our guest rights." She was only a few steps away from him now. "You had my son filled with arrows. I myself was shot in my back. You had my son's heart pierced with a blade. My own throat was cut with a blade. But I have blades, too" she said as her arm extended into a blade. "And mine are long and sharp, my lord, as long and sharp as yours" she sang as she stood face to face with Lord Walder Frey. "May the Stranger take you to the deepest of the seven hells and make you pay for your crimes" she said as she thrust her arm into his chest. Walder Frey fell to the floor with a loud thud. "Should I cut your head and sew it to a lion you so cowardly serve?" she said and watched as the light faded from his old eyes.
Mother? "Robb? Oh Robb! My son!" What are you doing Mother? You have a kind soul. This is not you. "It is now, Robb. I have avenged your father and you. I have found Sansa and Rickon. I still need to find Arya and Bran. And if I don't find them, somebody will pay." No, mother. Stop. You have avenged me and Father and I thank you for that. You can stop now, you can rest. "I miss you, Robb. You were my first son. I can still remember your little red face when you were born. I watched you grow into a boy and then into a man. I watched you die, Robb. No mother should see her own children die." Go Mother. Go with Sansa and Rickon. They need you too. Tell them I love them. "I love you." Me too. Take care of yourself, Mother.
Unable to hold the tears which were flowing freely down her face, Catelyn retreated into the Shadow again and went back to Melisandre.
"I am done. Thank you."
TBC
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Cheers.
