Chapter Twenty-Nine

Robb awoke to the smell of Nyra's hair. He opened his eyes slowly, letting them adjust to the sunlight shining in. It had been raining for almost three days. The sun was a welcome sight. He sat up to find Nyra snuggled against his arm. He moved as easy as he could so not to wake her. He slipped free and quickly dressed. He had something he needed to take care of with Lord Frey.

The old man was allowed to roam his tower freely. Robb didn't like the idea. It worried him. He moved the daughters to other Twin tower in hopes that might bring him to heel. It only managed to make the man worse in his temper. He started to leave when he looked back at Nyra. She snuggled against the covers as she pulled them up where he had lay. He bent down and gently kissed her cheek.

The walk to the castle made Robb nervous. It had been almost too easy to get Nyra out of his dungeons. He kept wondering if Lord Walder had something up his sleeve. The old man was dangerous. Ser Mariek meet him as he walked through the portcullis.

"How is Lady Nyra, your grace?" he asked as he fell in step with Robb.

Robb had to fight back a smile. Nyra had still been weak the night before, but not so weak that she could not make the night wonderful. He looked over at Ser Mariek and gave him a nod and smile.

"She is better this morning," Robb admitted. "She was sleeping when I left."

Mariek nodded. The two men walked into the castle. It was quiet inside except in one room. Robb heard Lord Frey shouting at all of the men. Robb tried to put on a thick skin as he opened the door. Robb's men stood at each door and watched everything. Lord Frey sat in the middle of the room on a high chair. His eyes fell on the young king and silence quickly fell over the room.

Walder Frey stared at the boy as he walked closer. His sneer grew larger as the young wolf stopped in the middle of the room. Robb stared at the men but kept looking around. Something was eating at him. He could hear Grey Wind and Nightshadow howling. Grey Wind had been on edge from the moment they arrived.

"How long am I to be a prisoner in my hall, your grace?" Lord Frey asked with a sharp laugh.

Robb looked up at him. "As long as I feel it is necessary."

Lord Frey laughed until he almost choked. Robb felt hairs on his neck stand. Something was wrong. He didn't expect Lord Walder to fear him. He had an army in sons. But the man didn't even seem to notice that he was in prison. Robb checked the upper levels again only to find Nyra and his men staring back at him. He turned back to Lord Frey to find that he was smiling.

"Do you find something amusing, Lord Frey?" Robb asked.

The old man made his heh laugh. The sound made Robb want to run a sword through him at that moment. It was then he noticed a movement at the back of the room. Shadows moving strangely. He started to say something when pain shot up his leg. He fell to his knees and turned to find an arrow protruding from his calf. He reached to grab it when there was a bloody scream from the corner. Robb tried to stand when he saw Nyra being dragged toward Lord Frey.

"Leave her alone!" Robb yelled.

Nyra's dress hung loosely from her shoulder. Her hair was falling across her back in a wild mess. She looked as afraid as Robb suddenly felt. Lord Walder's oldest son and one of his many bastards held her firmly. Nyra tried to pull free when another rain of arrows fell toward Robb.

"ROBB!"

Mariek grabbed his shoulder. Robb started to fight him when he slid across the floor. He was out of distance from the across when he turned to Mariek. He saw the man fall to floor as he took the wounds that were meant for him. Robb cursed himself. He should have seen this. Frey had this planned. He thought at first these were Lannister men until he saw a falling, black horse on one of the shields. They were Harker's men.

"Stop this!" Nyra's voice ran out over the popping of arrows.

Robb looked up to find, that for a moment, the arrows had stopped. His leg throbbed and burned. In all the commotion, he didn't notice that the shaft had been broken.

"It looks like I have something you want, boy," Lord Frey mocked. "How about I keep the girl and let you live?"

Nyra suddenly lashed out connecting with Lord Frey's old face. The sound echoed in the empty hall as everyone turned to look. The old man moved faster than anyone thought possible and had Nyra by the top of her dress. She let out a yelp. Robb slid from his hiding place, fighting to stand.

"Lord Walder," he bellowed. "If you lay a hand on her so help me, I will kill you here and now."

Lord Frey's hand stopped. He held the grip tight on her dress though. If she moved wrong, she forced the fabric to give. She wanted to struggle. Robb could see it in her eyes.

"What is this, Lord Frey?" Robb asked, limping closer to him. "Is this your vengeance for the wrong I did your family and your honor. What about your treatment of Nyra? You imprisoned her under false pretenses."

Lord Walder seemed to be thinking. Nyra looked around. It was then she noticed someone in the rafters moving. She thought it was another bowman until she saw the arrow; it was a crossbow.

"Robb, get down!" she screamed.

Robb started to turn when there was a loud growl. It came from two different directions. Nyra turned to see a swirl of black fur grabbing for the arm that held her. Pressure soon lifted from her arm. She brought her arm down in a hard fist against Lord Walder, winning her freedom from his grasp. She fell back over a body to find Nightshadow standing over Walder's bastard son. Grey Wind stood over the cross bowman with blood dripping from his snout.

The archers were trying to hit the wolves, but they moved faster then the shadows the men had come from. It wasn't long before the room was silent. Nyra crawled over Robb. He wouldn't put weight on his leg. The arrow had only made a small puncture wound that hurt when he walked. He seemed to be surprised by what had happened too.

"How did they get out?" Nyra whispered as she pressed against his chest. His arms around her brought only a small measure of comfort. She couldn't stop shaking.

Robb started to answer when he saw his mother standing in the doorway. She held a bloody knife in her hand Nyra looked up at her and an understanding seemed to pass between them as she held tighter to Robb. He slowly climbed to his feet, pulling Nyra up too. Nightshadow rubbed his nose against Nyra's skirt. Nyra touched the wolf's ears as he whined a little.

"Good boy, Shadow," she whispered.

"Let's get you out of here," Robb said, running a hand over her hair.

Nyra looked up at him. "You are the one that is hurt."

Robb winced as he put weight on his leg. He knew Nyra was right in what she said. But he couldn't see doing anything about it right now. He started to walk when he felt Nyra pull away from him. She was looking at a body on the floor. She yanked free and went over to the body. She sobbed suddenly. Robb walked over and found that it Ser Mariek. He was dead. Nyra cradled his head against her lap. Tears ran down her face as a reality came crashing in on her. She had lost everyone she cared about.