"I was just telling your sister…" Ramsay turned to Talia. "Father's been looking to make a match for me. And Talia has been such a good company…" He gave a smug grin to Rodrik as he sat down. "Think she likes me?" Talia paled, turning to Rodrik pleadingly as he clenched his cane. "Or maybe your mother. A flower plucked is still a flower." His smirk widened and Rodrik glared. "Just dies more quickly. We could be a family, Lord Forrester. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"You'll never marry either of them." Rodrik growled.

Ramsay waved his hand dismissively. "Never's such an awfully long time." He got up from his chair. "But let's put our happy day to the side for a moment. Walk with me." He approached Rodrik, noticing how he was clenching the hilt of his sword. "Oh, you won't need your sword. Not where we're going."

"I'm not going without my sword." Rodrik sneered.

Ramsay scowled. "I'm afraid you are. Here. I'll help you." And before Rodrik could do something, Ramsay pulled his sword out of the scabbard and placed it onto the table as Ramsay smiled in satisfaction. "There. Doesn't that feel better?" He then turned to Talia, who shivered. "Oh, you're coming too."

"This is lord's business, not a child's." Rodrik protested.

"I say she comes. I don't trust her with my men." Ramsay gave Rodrik a pointed look, the message clear as Talia tensed, while Rodrik clenched his cane.

Talia reluctantly got up as they followed Ramsay out of Ironrath into the woods.

Talia was with Rodrik at her side, his arm around her shoulders, while they followed Ramsay. "How fares your father, Lord Bolton?"

"Better than yours." Ramsay taunted. "Polite of you to ask." He stopped and yanked Talia off Rodrik, grabbing her by her wrist. "I loved playing in the woods, when I was your age. Still do." He looked around, reminiscing on old times. "So many places to hide…" He smirked. "I've gotten very good at finding people."

Talia turned to Rodrik, begging look in her eyes. "Rodrik—"

"It's alright, Talia." Rodrik assured.

"That reminds me…" Ramsay looked displeased. "Where's Gryff? I expected to be greeted by him on my arrival. Bit of a disappointment to show myself in. And here I had such high hopes for Ludd's son."

"How should I know? Gryff and his men are not my concern." Rodrik said dismissively.

Ramsay glared at him." My concerns are your concerns. I assume you forgot that when you took them prisoner." Rodrik tensed. The traitor must have already told Ramsay, whoever he was. Ramsay sighed, looking disappointed. "I really hoped things might be difficult with you. I hoped we could be friends. After all, I was generous. I've allowed you to keep half your forest. Your livelihood. Yet you went behind my back, and called in the Glenmores." Screams echoed in the distance, as if someone was being tortured and Rodrik paled, wondering who had become Ramsay's victim. "I'm not sure how you managed that. The Glenmores have sworn their loyalties to my father."

"Lady Elaena Glenmore is our guest. The soldiers accompanied her to ensure her safety." Rodrik said.

"If a safety is her concern, perhaps she should not have come to Ironrath." Ramsay said before they stopped. "Well, I'm certainly glad we've sorted this out." He held Rodrik's shoulder. "Thank you for being so forthcoming. But there's still a price." Ramsay continued walking down the woods and Rodrik was worried what was the price before he and Talia gasped at the sight. "Ah. Here we are."

Arthur was naked from waist up, strapped to a rack and cuts on his chest and two Bolton soldiers were at his side. Rodrik paled, realizing Ramsay was punishing Arthur for disobedience.

"Arthur!" Talia cried out.

"Rodrik!" Arthur wailed.

Ramsay glared at Rodrik. "You disobeyed me." He punched Rodrik in the gut as he fell down. "You disrespected me." He kicked Rodrik, who groaned.

"Please! No!" Talia begged as she knelt towards Rodrik.

"Someone has to pay." Ramsay pulled out a knife, nearing Arthur, who paled. "You didn't think it would be you, did you?" He gave Rodrik another sinister grin. "You're damaged goods. Someone else's leftovers."

"Arthur's done nothing wrong. If you want to hurt someone, hurt me." Rodrik said.

"No, Rodrik!" Talia protested.

Ramsay turned to him. "Why bother? You're nearly a corpse already." He cut Arthur across his cheek as Arthur screamed.

"No!" Talia exclaimed.

"Stop!" Rodrik shouted.

Ramsay whirled on Rodrik, glaring. "Look at what you've done. I hope it was worth it." He turned to Arthur with a sadistic smile. "Is it worth it, Arthur?"

"Please, stop!" Talia begged, covering her eyes, while hearing Arthur's screams as Ramsay cut into him. "Please! Please!"

"Talia, don't look away." Ramsay warned as he turned to her. "It's very important you see what comes of disobedience."

"Rodrik! Make him stop! Please! Do something!"

"Talia, don't look." Rodrik shielded her eyes.

Ramsay neared them, more angry. "Look at him, Talia." Talia, with tear-filled eyes, looked at maimed Arthur. "See what your brother's done."

Ramsay neared Arthur, who had begging look in his eyes. "Please, Lord Ramsay."

Ramsay patted Arthur on his cheek. "Sorry, but they'll never learn otherwise."

"Mercy, have mercy! Mercy, my lord!" Talia begged.

"Did Rodrik show mercy to Gryff?" Ramsay turned to them again. "This is his fault." He then turned to Arthur once more. "That's a lot of blood."

"You're right. This is my fault." Rodrik said.

"I told you, Talia." Ramsay said as one of his men punched Rodrik and they held him by his arms and then Ramsay sighed as Arthur closed his eyes. "The poor lad's fainted. Let's give him a minute." Ramsay neared Rodrik, smiling. "You want to kill me, don't you? Release him." He handed Rodrik his knife. "Go on. Prove how strong you are." He placed the knife against his throat. "Do it for Ethan."

"No, Rodrik. He's toying with you!" Talia begged.

Rodrik had enough of it though and tried to stab Ramsay but Ramsay punched him in the stomach, knocking him down as Ramsay laughed. "I'm impressed." Talia helped Rodrik on his feet as Ramsay shook his head. "Lucky for me, you're a cripple." He picked his knife. "I may have misjudged you, Rodrik. I came here to kill you." He smirked in a way that unnerved Rodrik, to say the least. "But now I'm thinking it might be far more entertaining to watch you and Ludd tear each other to pieces." He then glared at Rodrik again. "I never want to come back to this fucking shitstain of a holdfast." He turned around. "I have better things to do than to play wet nurse to you and Ludd. So you'll settle this in your own. Last house standing, wins." He then turned to Rodrik again. "Otherwise I'll kill you both and be done with it."

"You're insane…" Rodrik growled.

"At least I'm not you." Ramsay gave him another smug smirk. "And one more thing." He then turned to Arthur, driving his knife into his gut, slicing it open as Arthur screamed, intestines spilling out as he slumped his head and Talia screamed.

"No!" Talia sobbed, looking away.

"Can't leave a job half-finished." Ramsay said, satisfied before turning to his men. "Ready the horses." He then turned to Rodrik. "Not sure you'll have better luck finding other allies."

Ramsay and his men then walked off as Rodrik stared in despair.

As soon as things settled, Talia had returned to Ironrath, while Royland and his men put Arthur on a corpse cart. Rodrik closed Arthur's eyes. "Arthur… I'm so sorry." This happened only because Rodrik asked for his help.

Royland approached, infuriated. "Why, after all we've been through, must the gods continue to shit on this House? What have we ever done to them? Follow the Starks? Obey the rule of law?"

"Ramsay Snow is a bloody savage. He shames the entire north." Rodrik said, disgusted.

Royland sighed. "Yet we're bound by law to obey him." He spat on the ground in disgust. "Can't believe it's fucking come to this…"

"By the gods, I miss the Starks." Duncan said sadly as he looked around. "The Glenmore guard are gone. Ordered home by Ramsay."

"So much for having allies." Royland shook his head.

"Ramsay said he's not taking sides anymore. He means to let the strongest house survive." Rodrik said. "I intend that to be us."

"You'll get no argument from me." Royland said.

"But can we even fight them?" Duncan pointed out. "We don't have the numbers… We don't yet have Ryon back… And if Mira's right about an army from the south…"

"Right now, everything depends on Asher. Once he and Malcolm bring us more fighting men, then we can take the fight to them." Rodrik said.

"Where is he? Where is my brother?" Elaena demanded as she entered the woods but was stopped by the Forrester guard. "Let me through!"

"Elaena…"

"Rodrik, tell me where he—" Elaena stopped and gasped upon seeing her brother dragged away on a corpse cart and shoved the guards away, nearing the corpse, sobbing. "No. No. Oh, no. No! Arthur, no! Arthur!" Rodrik looked away. He knew who was to blame and it wasn't Ramsay. "It's my fault. I brought him into this. I asked him to help. He did this for me."

Rodrik held her hand. "You can't blame yourself, Elaena. He was a grown man. He made his own choices."

"But he trusted me… he always has…" Elaena sniffed. "I was there the day he learned to hold a bow. He was so nervous, father called him 'Quiver'. And now, to die… like this… tortured… mutilated…"

"Ramsay Snow did this, he's a madman." Rodrik assured.

Elaena glared at him. "Ramsay was here because of you, Rodrik! If we hadn't been your allies…"

"Elaena…" Rodrik wasn't sure what to say. He knew it was his fault and there was nothing he could do to make it right.

"I'm sorry…" Elaena sighed before she covered her face, sobbing.

"Let's get you someplace warm." Rodrik held her by her shoulder.

"How do I do this, Rodrik? How do I keep going? Where do I find the strength?" Elaena sobbed.

"You can't help the dead. So care for the living. For me, that's Ryon, Talia, Mira… and you."

"Rodrik…" Elaena took a breath, managing a half-smile. "You've been such a good friend to me, Rodrik. Right from the very beginning." She turned around. "I should try to get some sleep. I'm not sure I'll be able to…" She swallowed. "But I don't know what else to do."

Rodrik held her hand. "You're not alone, Elaena. I'm here for you, whatever you need."

"Thank you, Rodrik." Elaena sighed, as she placed her head onto his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her, providing whatever comfort he could.