A/N: Well, this is gonna be a fun chapter. Definetily one of my favorite to write so far. I particularly enjoyed the final conversation. Arya is still not in this chapter (and won't be for the next few chapters) for tension building reasons. But I promise we'll get back to her soon!

Bonus: I've had a playlist made for this fic for awhile and though I'm not going to fully share it yet (because it has some spoilery things on it I think), I do want to share some tracks so, our song of the day is Warpath by Tim Halperin and Hidden Citizens. Enjoy!

Chapter 38: Blame

Robb did not bring any of his bannermen to meet with Tywin, which Catelyn thought was the wisest course. She had seen the chaos the Lannister lions caused in the camp when they appeared on the hill. Some of the men insisted that Tywin had come to fight for the Freys and would betray them at any minute. Others did not care if Tywin came to help or not. They did not want to fight alongside a Lannister. Some of the lords agreed with Robb: that they needed all the help they could get. But even his greatest supporters were wary of the red and gold banners on the horizon.

So Robb took Catelyn and Edmuere with him-along with a small passel of his most loyal guards-to meet with Tywin. Edmuere to represent the Tullys. Robb to represent the Starks. And Catelyn...well she insisted on going with him. The lives of her children were on the line, after all. Robb seemed to understand that because he did not argue with her.

Catelyn was far more worried about Edmuere dealing with Tywin than anyone else. Edmuere had never been a clever man and he wasn't particularly strong willed either. Lord Tywin would sense weakness in him the moment he walked into the tent, and rambling, which her brother was prone to do, would not help their case.

"Do not speak to Lord Tywin," Catelyn advised him. "Truly, I cannot emphasize that enough."

"I'm Lord of the Riverlands, Cat. I can handle him," Edmuere said.

"You cannot," Catelyn said. "Don't speak."

Lord Tywin did not have any of his banner men with him when Robb arrived. Only Jaime. Catelyn wondered if the Lannister bannermen were reluctant to ally with the Starks as well. Robb had killed many of their men in battle, after all.

As much as her son hated Tywin, he kept those feelings to himself when they entered the tent. He bowed his head but only slightly. "Lord Tywin."

"Lord Stark." Tywin glanced from Robb to Edmuere, sizing him up. "Lord Tully."

Her brother did not manage a reply. He simply gave a nervous nod. Tywin's calculating gaze had struck him dumb. Robb, fortunately, was not as easily intimidated.

"I was glad to see your banners on the horizon this morning," Robb said.

"Were you?" Tywin asked.

"You have the men we need. I'm not sure if Ser Jaime explained our situation," Robb said.

"He did," Tywin said. "I am curious about that situation. Jaime was not present when you held court for obvious reasons. When your bastard brother made his plea for the Night's Watch, did any of your bannermen seem eager to contribute troops?"

Catelyn studied him carefully, wondering what he was getting at.

"No one is ever eager for war," Robb replied. "Especially a war with one hundred thousand wildlings."

"Then was anyone in strong support of sending men to the wall?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because this attack on the wall divided your forces just before Walder Frey declared war. You must have suspected by now that he could have spies or allies in the north," Tywin said. "My question stands."

"Lord Bolton," Catelyn murmured. "Particularly his bastard son. He made a particularly grand speech in favor of defending the wall. They sent a good portion of their forces north."

"Who told you this? Bolton's men?" Tywin asked. "I suggest you check the validity of that claim. The Bolton's are not your allies."

"I sent a raven to the wall," Robb said. "My bastard brother Jon Snow confirmed that the Boltons are there."

"And you believe Jon Snow is to be trusted?"

"I would trust him with my life," Robb said without hesitating. "Nevertheless, I will keep an eye on the Boltons. But regarding them...I have a few questions for you," Robb said. "You sent Arya home with a letter warning me of the Freys and the Boltons. The Freys I understand. I broke a vow to Lord Walder and he is not the type of man to forgive. But why the Boltons? Why did you suspect them of treachery? You did not give specific reasons."

Tywin regarded Robb in silence for a moment, as if debating an honest answer. At last, he exhaled. "I told you four years ago that if you rejected my offer of peace four years ago I would destroy your house and name. It wasn't an idle threat. I was in contact with those who had lost faith in you. Walder Frey was one. He wanted to take the Riverlands from the Tullys. Roose Bolton was another. He hoped to become warden of the north in your absence. I did not promise them anything, but when you accepted peace, they lost their chance."

A wave of fury rolled through Catelyn. Roose Bolton had fought alongside Ned more than once. He was not a kind man, but she at least thought he would be honorable. "How long was Lord Bolton against us?"

"Since Ned Stark's death," Tywin said. "He did not think the Starks would survive a war with the Lannisters and he doubted Robb would try to make peace after his father fell. He hoped to outlast you."

Robb's jaw clenched. "What plans did you conspire with these traitors then, Lord Tywin? Did you bid Roose Bolton stab me in the back? Or did you ask Walder Frey to lure me into some trap?"

"I did not bid or ask anything," Tywin said. "But I did not protest their plans either. It was not a clean way to end the war, but it would have ended it."

Robb did not reply but anger was written on every line of his face. Catelyn felt the same fury in her own heart. Tywin Lannister was a man devoid of honor.

"Walder Frey is not a brave man," Tywin continued. "He knew I would not back him once you made peace, and I did not expect him to pursue the Riverlands any further. But he has been spending these past few years wisely. Riling the small folk against you. Convincing others in the Riverlands to rebel against the Tullys. Our Master of Whispers caught wind of several suspicious movements from the Freys. That prompted me to send the letter with your sister."

"And the Boltons? What are their suspicious movements?" Robb asked.

"None," Tywin said. "They seem far too content and supportive of the Starks. It contradicts what I know of them."

"Too content," Robb murmured. "Arya said the same thing."

"You had her watching them?" Tywin asked.

"Yes," Robb said. "She's usually rather good at going unnoticed. But they did notice her. Roose Bolton and his bastard both made a point to speak with her."

"I don't know much of the bastard," Tywin said. "Though I have no doubt he is dangerous if he's learned anything from his father."

"Apparently they both went to the wall. Though now we have reason to check that again," Jaime spoke up. "Arya has good instincts. If she suspected the Bolton's of some plot, I'm inclined to believe her."

Catelyn studied Jaime. It was strange for him to speak highly of Arya or put trust in her. But then, he had been acting familiar around Arya ever since he arrived in the north. She had wondered why more than once.

"I'll send men to investigate Lord Bolton," Robb said. "If he is, indeed, in league with the Freys, or has plots of his own, he may have other allies in the north. I don't want to move on him and lose the trail on the others. In the meantime, something else has me confused."

"And what is that?" Tywin asked.

Robb's eyes glinted like steel. "Why are you here, Lord Tywin?"

"Why am I here?" Tywin repeated. "This is a rebellion, Lord Stark."

"Yes. And you left us to deal with the last one alone. You offered no help with quelling the Greyjoys. I'm surprised to see you offer help now."

Catelyn glanced from her son to Tywin. She wondered if he was trying to force some sort of confession from him. To admit that Arya had indeed saved his life and that he owed her a debt. Tywin was not one to walk into such a trap.

"Arya Stark is my ward. It's a personal insult to House Lannister," Tywin said.

"Most people don't go to war for their wards," Robb said.

"You're right," Tywin said. "It happens that she is important to my family's legacy."

"Father," Jaime muttered under his breath. Suddenly, the Kingslayer looked like he would like to disappear.

Catelyn's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

Tywin held her gaze. "Arya is engaged to marry Jaime."

Catelyn wasn't sure what she expected to hear but it was not that. To her right, she was aware of Robb taking a furious step forward. She threw out her arm to stop him though she wanted nothing more than to launch herself forward as well. At Tywin or Jaime. She wasn't sure yet.

"So that's your plan? A perfect way to keep Arya permanently in your hold," Robb snapped. "I don't suppose you've told Arya about this."

"Actually I have. She's known about the match for over a year now," Tywin said. "I suppose I can understand why she didn't tell you."

"This is crossing a line, Lord Tywin," Catelyn muttered. "Arya is still a Stark."

"And once she returns to King's Landing, she will become a Lannister," Tywin said.

Robb hissed and pushed past Catelyn's arm. But as he stepped forward, Tywin Lannister stood to meet him, his expression hard. With his height, he towered over Robb.

"Don't try it, boy."

"Call me boy again," Robb muttered.

"I will. If you continued to act like one," Tywin said coldly. "Weren't you planning to marry your sister to a Frey boy for that bridge? Tenth or twelfth in line for the seat of the Twins?"

Robb's jaw clenched and Catelyn shuddered. Yes, they had promised Arya to one of Walder Frey's grandsons, and she would have loathed the match. It was a desperate time, and Catelyn had hated to do it. But at least it was a boy her age. Not a Lannister. Not the Kingslayer.

Why hadn't Arya said something? Was she so desperate to keep her family from worrying-to keep the peace-that she would hide such a terrible secret?

"Isn't Ser Jaime a King's Guard?" Edmuere spoke up, breaking the tense silence. Everyone turned to look at him and he shrunk a bit. "I just...Kingsguard can't marry so..."

"Jaime lost his hand in battle. He was unfit to continue as a Kingsguard so King Tommen released him of his duties," Tywin said flatly.

"Right. Of course," Edmuere said, looking suddenly like he would like to flee.

"You were very quiet on that point, ser," Catelyn glared at Jaime.

"It wasn't for me to tell," Jaime muttered, fidgeting with the glove on his golden hand.

"She's a child," Catelyn snapped.

"Her sixteenth name day has passed. She is of age," Tywin said.

"Yes. And more importantly, right now, she's a hostage of the Freys," Jaime raised his voice. "And she might die. Who bloody cares who she's engaged to?" He circled around Robb and Tywin. "I'm leaving."

"This discussion is not at its end, Kingslayer," Robb said.

"Of course it isn't," Jaime sneered. "By all means, convince my father to give up the engagement. Arya and I will both thank you for it."

Robb was just barely holding his temper. If Tywin noticed, he remained unmoved.

"The discussion is at its end. My son could not change my mind. Neither could your sister. What makes you think you have a chance?"

Robb gritted his teeth together and stepped back. "For now, we focus on fighting the Freys. Then we can worry about the future."

Tywin nodded once, pacing back behind his desk.

Robb made to leave and looked at Catelyn, as if expecting her to move as well. She did not. "Go one. I will follow shortly. I would like to speak with Lord Tywin for a moment."

Robb glanced from her to the Lord of House Lannister, worry in his eyes. He did not want to leave his mother to deal with a lion. But her boy forgot that she could be as much a wolf as him. She had teeth of her own.

At last, he nodded and left the tent, followed shortly by her nervous brother. Tywin Lannister did not look up from the papers on his desk. "Why send your son away? I doubt you have secrets from him."

"I don't," Catelyn said flatly. "But my son is determined to keep peace with you and has no choice but to be diplomatic. I don't want him to feel responsible for what I am about to say."

Now, Tywin looked up. He had colder eyes than any man Catelyn had ever met. Most would have been afraid of him, but she had a mother's fury to steady her heart and voice.

"You can't imagine how much I've hated you. Ever since you snatched Arya away from me and to that viper's nest of a capitol."

"I think your hatred is clear enough," Tywin said.

"You're only seeing the surface of it," Catelyn muttered. "You could never understand just how deep it goes."

"In fact, I can," Tywin said. "One of my children was used as a hostage once."

"Jaime was a man grown when Robb took him prisoner. He-"

"I'm not talking about his captivity with Robb," Tywin said. "I'm talking about his captivity with the Mad King."

Catelyn did not quite know how to respond. "He was a King's Guard, not a hostage. The youngest King's Guard in history."

"He was. But Aerys did not name him for his skill," Tywin said. "He named him King's Guard to strike back at me. He robbed me of my heir, which was insult enough. But that wasn't his only intent. He wanted Jaime as a hostage. He wanted someone to burn if I ever moved against him. Just as he burned your late husband's father and brother. He liked to watch people burn." Tywin plucked a wooden figurine from his desk. It looked like a game piece. A king with a broken crown. He rolled it in his hand, almost absently. "I waited in Casterly Rock, wondering when Aerys would tire of keeping Jaime hostage. I wondered when I would receive word that my son was dead."

Catelyn did not reply. Jaime Lannister was a Kingslayer who betrayed the man he was bound to serve. That was what Ned always said and that was what she always believed. She did not consider why.

Tywin looked up at her. "I never received that word, but I paid Aerys back for the threat. I sacked his city and made way for his enemy to take the throne. And Jaime stabbed him in the back. I imagine you wish you could do the same. I imagine you wish that your daughter would run me through."

"She wouldn't have had to," Catelyn muttered. "She could have just let you die."

Now it was Tywin's turn to be silent. He set the king with the broken crown back on the desk in front of him.

"Robb blames himself for Arya and Bran's situation," she said. "But I blame you. Your false promises-your games-are the reason why the Freys are moving against us."

"I didn't promise the Freys anything," Tywin said.

"I won't debate semantics with you. You made Lord Walder believe you would give him the Riverlands. He didn't get them and now he's angry. That's the truth," Catelyn said. "You couldn't beat my son in the field; you decided to use treachery as your weapon. You used treachery and my daughter to earn your victory. And now she's suffering for it."

Tywin regarded her for a long moment. His gaze was hard and his jaw taught with tension. He stayed calm and controlled, however. Catelyn wondered if the Lord of Lannister ever allowed himself a single impulsive reaction. "Do you think it more honorable to win a war on a battlefield, Lady Stark?"

Catelyn was caught off guard by the question. "That is the object of war."

"The object of war is to win, whether on the battlefield or with letters," Tywin said. "It isn't a game. If you lose you cannot try again. And the longer you play it, more people die. I made certain arrangements so that the war would end as quickly as possible. If I had fought the war solely on the battlefield, countless more soldiers and smallfolk would have died. That does not seem honorable to me."

"Don't pretend the lives of others have ever mattered to you," Catelyn muttered.

"I don't pretend anything," Tywin said. "I ended the war to secure the future of my family. But it did save lives, whether I intended it or not."

"And this new war?" Catelyn asked. "Will it save lives?"

Tywin exhaled and sat down at his desk. "I thought your daughter inherited her tenacity from her father. I see I was mistaken."

"You don't get to speak of her," Catelyn muttered. "It's because of you she is in danger."

"You're right," Tywin said. Catelyn did not expect him to say it so bluntly. She expected more empty justifications. Not a blunt admission. "They took the boy to provoke your eldest son. They took Arya to provoke me. I imagine they sent you two of the boy's fingers?"

Catelyn swallowed hard. "Yes...How did you...?"

"Because they sent me two of Arya's," Tywin said.

Catelyn's shoulders shuddered. Part of her had hoped Arya might still be unscathed. Her daughter was strong and fierce, but to imagine her in pain was almost too much. "Why? Why send them to you?"

"She's my ward," Tywin said simply.

"She's your pawn," Catelyn said. "You took her to keep my family in line and you've used her for your own gain ever since then. Why should you care if she suffers?"

"Does it matter?" Tywin asked. Now his tone grew sharp, as if they were entering a conversation he did not want to have. "I've brought soldiers to help your son. Soldiers he sorely needs. I'm sure you would not turn them away."

"No," Catelyn said. "No, we'll take your soldiers and your help, because it is the very least you can do after all of the hardships the Lannisters have wrought on the Starks." She lifted her chin. "And if Arya dies, her blood is on your hands."

He did not reply. But something in his expression did shift. Catelyn could not name the change exactly, but it seemed almost pained. "Agreed," he murmured. "Have you said your peace?"

"For now." Catelyn said. Then she turned and swept from Tywin Lannister's tent.

A/N: Most people: Tywin Lannister is very dangerous and you should not cross him. He is terrifying and all the realms tremble in fear

Stark women: I am fully willing to FIGHT Tywin Lannister with my BARE fucking hands and also my words because FUCK him.

But yes. You all have your big reveal of the marriage plot. Fortuantely, Arya managed to avoid being there for that awkwardness. By being kidnapped. But still her plan worked out!

Thanks for reading, be sure to review and I hope you enjoyed!