Chapter 37:

JAIME

Jon's uncle, the Lord Commander, had decided to set up camp after they had travelled up the Kingsroad nearly a day. It was already getting dark, and the only castle close by was the Twins, much to the lords' dismay, so they decided to turn off the Kingsroad and set up camp nearby.

None of the lords had any desire whatsoever to deal with the likes of Walder Frey, who would most likely insist on them taking one of his daughters for wives.

Jaime shook his head to get the thought out of his mind. As he did, he turned around and looked at his companions.

He already knew Jon, Prince Oberyn and the Hound. He had seen Beric Dondarrion, Thoros of Myr, and the Lord Commander at court. He was very familiar with the Tarlys by reputation as Mace Tyrell took full responsibility for the Battle of Ashemark, leaving Lord Randyll seething silently with the knowledge that he defeated Robert Baratheon's forces.

As for the final companion, Jaime knew nothing about him except that he was a distant cousin to Ser Ilyn, the King's Justice, and that his uncle Kevan had sent him to watch over him. He had told his uncle that it wasn't necessary since he already had a squire.

"Ah yes, the last son of House Targaryen," Uncle Kevan had said to him. "Jaime, why didn't you tell me?"

"You were loyal to Father for so many years, Uncle," Jaime told him. "Tell me, if Father were still alive, what would he have done if he found out my squire was Rhaegar Targaryen's son with Lyanna Stark?"

Kevan sighed. "He most likely would have informed his Grace of your new squire's true identity."

"Most likely?" Jaime scoffed. "He would have done so in a heartbeat."

"Yes, he would've," Kevan said. "Before he would have scolded you for bringing shame and disgrace upon our House the way you did. Jaime, what in gods' names were you thinking, sleeping with your sister?"

"Cersei and I were two halves of the same soul," Jaime said. "We belonged with each other."

"I don't want to hear anymore of this," Kevan said.

"Well I'm afraid you'll have to, Uncle," said Jaime. "Father's dead, so I'm afraid he can't have this conversation with me. You will just have to do. Good thing, too, since Father always tended to see things his way. He didn't care about our happiness, we were just pawns in his game. He didn't see, like I did, how hurt Cersei was when Robert cuckolded her with a different whore every night producing a bastard, so where was the harm in getting back at him?"

"Did it never occur to you that you might be bringing harm to your own House?" Kevan said in a scolding tone.

"Ah yes," Jaime said before he mimicked his late father. "'All that we do is for the glory of House Lannister.'"

"That's enough, Jaime," said Kevan. "I don't care about why you decided to disgrace our House, and quite frankly I don't want to know. Tywin and Cersei are dead, so let's just leave their ghosts in the past where they belong."

Jaime stood silent as Kevan continued.

"I understand your decision to not tell me about Jon Stark's identity," Kevan said. "But you seem to forget there is one difference between your father and I."

Jaime raised his eyebrow. "And that is?"

"I am not Tywin Lannister, not will I ever be," Kevan said.

Jaime smiled before he gave his uncle a hug, of which he returned. "It's really so good to see you again, Uncle Kevan."

"And I you, dear nephew," Kevan said. "I must insist that you take the Payne boy with you, however. I know you trust your squire well enough, but please do so for me. I couldn't stand to see you hurt."

"Alright, uncle," said Jaime. "I'll do as you say."

Jaime was brought to the present when he heard a whistle followed by horses galloping. He stood up as did the others, who unsheathed their swords in case bandits decided to attack them.

Suddenly the riders came into view, all of them had a weaselly appearance to them , with most wearing cloth coifs on their heads. Jaime and the others instantly knew that the sons of House Frey had found them.

"May we help you, my lords?" the Payne boy asked.

"What business do you have camping out on our father's lands?" one of the riders said.

"We did not mean to intrude--" said the Payne boy.

"Quiet, boy!" shouted the rider. "You are to come with us, our lord father would wish to speak with you."

None of them argued back, for doing so would have led to their deaths had they pressed upon insulting House Frey even more than they felt they were.

All of them rode to the Twins, where the bridge was lowered. They all rode in before they were asked to dismount, before being led inside the castle to the main Hall, which was filled with more weaselly looking men, who were supping as they stopped eating. At the front of the hall was a large table with a bald man, who looked more like a vulture than he did a weasel. His head was spotted with age, with scrawny shoulders and a long pink neck. By his side was a young girl, who looked very uncomfortable as the man fondled her breast with his hand.

The man stared at them with runny, clouded eyes before he smiled toothlessly at them.

"Well, this is most certainly a surprise," said the man, who Jaime recognized as Lord Walder. "It seems we've got very special guests here tonight, boys."

Jaime saw Podrick shift nervously at the men's stares, while Jon and the others kept their cool.

"Are their men being tended to?" Walder said to the man who found them.

"They came here alone, Father," said the rider.

"Is that so?" Lord Walder stared at them calculatingly. "Kingslayer, how good it is to see you again."

"Likewise, my lord," Jaime smiled humorlessly.

"Oh come now, Kingslayer, we all know House Frey is not regarded in the least bit by any of the other Houses," sneered Walder. "What I would like to know is what are you doing so far away from King's Landing, especially since the last I heard of you, you were proclaimed a traitor by King Robert alongside Ned Stark for harbouring a dragonspawn bastard, as well as fucking your sister."

Jaime kept his cool as did Jon, who he noticed twitch his eye, as Lord Walder and his House laugh.

"Yeah well, your fucking king is dead," the Hound said. "His skull got smashed in with the Dornishman's spear."

The Freys stared at them in shock.

"King Robert is dead?" Walder asked quietly.

"Aye, and his brother has made peace with the Targaryen boy," said Prince Oberyn.

"How can we be sure you're not lying?" Walder asked uncertainly.

Jon grabbed within his pockets for the spare letter that he had, declaring his truce with Lord Renly. Each of the men had a copy to show to any lords who didn't believe them.

"What the hell is this?" asked Walder, who was staring at the paper in front of him.

"That, my lord, is the agreement Lord Renly has made with me," said Jon.

"And who the hell are you?" asked Walder.

Jon moved to speak, before Jaime interrupted him.

"This is Aegon Targaryen, Sixth of His Name, son of Rhaegar Targaryen with his second wife Lyanna Stark, brother to the late Rhaenys and Aegon, children of the late Elia Martell, of whom Lord Renly has made peace with," Jaime said.

Lord Walder stared at Jon in shock, as he locked eyes with Jaime.

You couldn't have just said Jon Stark, son of Eddard? Jon's eyes glared intensely at Jaime, who shrugged helplessly, before turning back to Lord Walder who was busy reading the parchment before putting it down.

"Well this seems perfectly legitimate to me, but how do I know you haven't forced King Renly's hand?" Walder asked pointedly at Jon.

"He has not, Lord Walder," Lord Randyll said, concealing his disgust for the Lord, although Jaime recognized it in his tone. "And Lord Renly, of who my liege, Lord Tyrell, supports, has not taken up the Iron Throne for himself as much as the Targaryen boy, especially since they've agreed to aid each other in the war against the White Walkers."

"The White Walkers," Walder scoffed. "Another Northern tale told by savages to scare their children."

"It is not, my lord," said Benjen sternly. "And I can prove to you right now, the White Walkers have indeed returned."

"Alright, let's have it," said Lord Walder, doubtfully.

Lord Benjen held a bag of cloth with him which held the proof that Jaime and the lords had seen in the court room that Renly had shown them. He pulled out a wight's head as it screeched at Lord Walder, whose eyes widened as the girl next to him screamed her head off upon seeing it, squirming to get away from it. She unknowingly caused the chair Lord Walder was sitting in to fall back and collide with the floor. Lord Walder's feet went up before they fell to the side. Lord Walder lay, unmovingly. The late Lord Walder Frey had indeed become the late Lord Walder Frey.

The men of House Frey quickly rushed to their father and touched his hand, before they dropped it.

"He's dead," they said.

"So will your loved ones, if you don't aid in killing these abominations," Benjen said. "These things do not tire, they do not eat. Their only goal is to kill all that stands in their way and raise them up into their army. Do you wish to see the fall of House Frey so easily?"

None of them said anything, upon hearing the wight's screeching.

Benjen decided that was enough as he placed the wight's head inside the bag.

"How do we stop them?" said Lord Walder's heir.

"We stand together," said Jon. "All of us."