Three days had passed, and Robb found himself standing on the banks of the Green Fork, just a mile away from the Twins. The day to execute their plan had come, however, along with it had come some of the densest fog he had ever seen. The weather was growing more and more unpredictable by the day, constant signs that winter was truly coming for Westeros. The more immediate problem was that he could barely see several paces in front of him, let alone the gates of the Twins.
"We should wait this out, your Grace," the Blackfish advised. "We're already taking a damn risk believing the words of a bloody Frey woman. Add going in blind and it's the makings of a massacre."
"No question it's not ideal," Robb admitted. "Though, if we can't see them, they can't see us either."
"But if we get stuck outside the gates, we won't be hard to miss with a flurry of arrows raining down on us. Men panic, and it will be chaos."
Robb rubbed a hand down his beard, contemplating his next move. He knew his Uncle's concerns were well founded, and a cautious approach was wise in the situation. However, his desire to get north and return home to Winterfell had made him restless…and likely a touch reckless. The reckless side was winning the battle of wills in his thoughts.
"You're right. We can't risk getting the men stuck in a logjam outside the gates. They'll move too slow if things turn sour and the castle is sealed."
The Blackfish sighed. "I'm sensing a 'however' coming."
Robb looked at his Uncle's grim face and couldn't help but grin. "However, that means we should go in fast, and get out fast, if the circumstances call for it."
"Horseback?" the Blackfish guessed.
"Horseback," Robb agreed. "No infantry. Two hundred, may three. We'd be a much smaller number, but we could come up with greater surprise on the gates. Riders in the rear would signal our men to the west and to the south, once we're sure the gate is secure."
"If the skies were clear, I'd call it foolish, but the fog is just a much to our advantage as theirs, maybe more so. What will be especially foolish is when you next tell me you intend to lead the charge at the gates, your Grace."
"I'll ease your worry, somewhat Uncle," Robb stated. "While I'll be riding with the men, I want some of our best archers riding at the front. As soon as we reach the gates, a volley of arrows through the doors should give us some breathing room to get inside the gates and form up some defensive lines inside the gatehouse while we wait for our reinforcements."
"The larger issue is that, unless the gods are truly blessing us, Walder's likely to be in the other castle. It's where his seat is, and that ancient cunt isn't traipsing around between castles anymore," the Blackfish noted.
"One step at a time, then," Robb responded "We take the western castle, then we secure the bridge and the Water tower. If we cannot infiltrate the eastern castle, then at the worst we'll have old Walder trapped. I'm sure between Greywater Watch, Oldcastle and White Harbor, they could muster enough men to blockade the other entrance, nothing in or out. Walder's got enough mouths to feed just within his own family, they'd surely burn through their rations in no time."
The Blackfish patted Robb on the shoulder. "I have to commend you, Nephew. You've got the mind of a seasoned commander. Your youthful exuberance, on the other hand, is going to bite you in the bollocks one day."
"Not today, Uncle. Not today." Robb placed an arm around his Uncle's shoulders. "Come, let's see to the preparations."
Xxxxxxxxx
Robb adjusted his breastplate, checking the fastenings one last time before he mounted his horse. He swung the beast around to face the rest of his men, around three hundred riders in total. His Kingsguard surrounded him, ready to protect their King's back as he rode into danger once again. Grey Wind paced back and forth beside him, ready to to be unleashed to his natural talents.
He drew his sword, holding it high above his head. The men quieted, leaving only the sound of three hundred horses moving about. "I've asked much of you all over these many months. And every time I have asked, you've proven your quality beyond my greatest expectations. It is my greatest honor to ride and fight beside you. Now, we have one more fight in front of us. One more fight that afterwards will see us back to our homes and our families, to prepare for the coming winter."
Robb turned his horse, pointing his sword toward the Twins. "Walder Frey has spent a lifetime hiding in the shadows, seeking his ambitions on the backs of better men. He has skirted his oaths and he has plotted against us, and he has spilled the blood of our brothers in arms, including my own. Today, justice comes for Walder Frey. The north remembers!" A chorus of echoing cries followed the King's words.
Robb spotted the Blackfish mounted a short distance away. "Form up your men, Uncle. We'll fall in behind."
"Yes, your Grace. Archers, with me!" Fifty Riverrun riders, all with bows over the their backs, rode forward, forming up behind the Blackfish, who was leading the charge to the gates. "Ride hard, men! Let's take that fucking castle!"
The Blackfish set off with his men, and Robb moved to his own. He would be leading the second wave, while the Greatjon led the third. Robb encouraged his mount forward, and the rest of his men followed, Lucas Blackwood and Dacey Mormont on his left and right. Grey Wind glided out in front of them all. While they rode at a good pace, it was not overly blistering, as the fog still hindered their sight lines. They kept close to the river bank to guide their direction.
In what felt like mere minutes, Robb could see the blurry outline of the Twins, which was shortly followed by shouting in front of him. Then there were suddenly people scurrying and running for their lives around them, some of them desperately pulling carts or livestock with them. He breathed a sigh of relief, when he realized they were not his men, but villagers who had been either en route or leaving the castle. It was apparent that at least that part of Roslin Frey's statements had been correct, as they were supplying the castle.
Finally, the fog broke and the castle entrance was clearly before him. The Blackfish and his archers had already dismounted just before the drawbridge. Their bows were drawn, and they were loosing arrows through the thankfully open gates. Robb watched as Frey guards scrambled frantically to try and close the, but one by one they were felled by Tully arrows. The archers had formed on either side of the drawbridge, leaving it open for Robb and his men. Sword drawn, Robb charged hard at the bridge, passing over it unimpeded, and only slightly avoiding an arrow coming down from overhead. A second wave of Frey men were attempting to form up a defense inside the gatehouse, but Grey Wind leapt above their shields, biting into one guard's shocked face. The sheer scene of seeing a man's face ripped off spooked the other defenders, setting them on their back foot. Robb took advantage of their distraction and crashed his horse through, bringing down his sword in bruising strikes, slicing into his foes.
The horses quickly became cumbersome to maneuver in close quarters, so Robb dismounted, pulling his shield from where it had been attached to the saddle. "To me! To me!" Robb called. His guard was beside him in an instant, a block of shields and swords pushing the disoriented Freys backwards. Robb shoved his sword through one man's neck, while Lucas Blackwood opened the belly of another, spilling slippery guts onto the stone floor. Robb staggered back a step as a crossbow bolt split the top of his shield, splinters flying. The first bolt was followed by another, and Robb looked upwards to see lines of archers beginning to rain down their missiles on them from the castle' upper levels. There was a large entrance hall just in front of them, but they would be easy targets in the open if they moved further inside.
Robb turned and saw Gendry smashing his hammer through man's eye. He grabbed the young man, pulling him close so that he could hear his words. "I'm going to lead the men up to clear the walls and the outer defenses so that we can flank them, but we'll need cover. Go back and tell the Blackfish to move his archers inside the gatehouse and to fire towards the men up top."
Gendry nodded, already back stepping. "Right away, your Grace."
Robb turned his attention back to the fight, clashing swords. Spotting stairs in the gatehouse, he shifted, calling out, "to the walls! Up the stairs!" Robb reached the steps first and began climbing. He cut down two guards trying to make their way to the gate, pushing them to the side. Robb looked back and saw the Smalljon Umber and Lucas Blackwood leading a group of a dozen men behind him. He fell back and locked shields as they methodically made their way up the tower. They met limited resistance before finally reaching the battlements.
The archers and crossbowmen defending the castle's front wall were distracted at the incoming invasion below, so they cried out in terror as Robb and his men immediately set upon them, hacking off limbs and throwing the bodies down into the courtyard below. The quality of the Frey's defense was dismal. Robb could not help but think that if they had actually showed up for battles over the years, they may have been better fighters.
The front walls were cleared almost completely within a matter of minutes, with some of the defenders simply abandoning their posts and disappearing into the depths of the castle. Looking down, Robb saw that the Tully archers had made It inside the gatehouse and were unleashing their arrows up towards the castle's defenders. This cleared the way for their third wave of men led by the Greatjon to storm the inner chambers of the castle.
Robb and his guard methodically moved through towers and rooms, dispatching the remaining defenders with little incident. They circled the walls until they converged on the keep, where a number of men had already surrendered to the Greatjon and the Blackfish. The castle secured, Robb sheathed his sword and approached his Uncle.
"Losses?" Robb asked.
"Minimal," the Blackfish answered. "Twenty at the most, plus a few more with bolt holes in them. No sign of Walder, though no surprise."
"Secure the prisoners, but then I want to move on the bridge," Robb instructed.
"Should we wait for our reinforcements?" The Greatjon questioned.
"No. We've caught them by surprise. Let's secure the Water Tower before quickly before they have a chance to properly man it."
"We'll get it done," the Greatjon stated, before turning to the men who were milling around. "Formations! We're moving on the bridge."
The bridge was large enough to fit lines six-men wide. Shields locked, Robb's forces moved out into the open air. The Water Tower stood high at the center of the bridge, and Robb could see men up top with bows. There were also numerous arrow slits in the tower walls, and after his men had made it halfway to the Tower, missiles began to crash down on them once more. Several of his men fell to arrow wounds, but their lines pushed on. The doors at the base of the tower were a thick combination of wood and steel, which were unfortunately sealed shut, barred from the inside.
"Form up on the door!" Robb roared, as the men crowded against the reinforced tower door. "As one! On my count. 1…2…3, push." The crush of Robb's soldiers heaved against the door, barely causing it to shake. Five more tries, and no further progress was made. Robb screamed in frustration as another arrow took a man to his left, the lifeless body falling against him. "Fuck," he cursed, looking left and right as if a solution would suddenly be found.
"Maybe we should pull back to the castle, your Grace," Lucas Blackwood proposed. "We need a fucking ram. The door is too thick."
"The longer we wait, the more they bolster their defense," Robb lamented any such delay.
"Pardon, your Grace," Gendry interrupted from behind him. "There was a thick, wood beam inside the castle. It looks like it was used to secure the inner door against an incursion from the bridge. If I can scrounge some spare steel from the castle, I could hammer in some handholds for a ram."
"How quickly can you do it?" Robb asked.
"Give me ten minutes and ten men, your Grace. I'll get it done." Gendry was already spinning his hammer in his hand, as if planning its coming strikes.
Robb nodded. "Go. Be quick about it. If this works I'll give you a castle when this is over."
Gendry's eye's widened, but he immediately turned and squeezed his way to the rear of the lines. Robb turned his attention back to the door, making sure his shield was still covering everything important. After a series of long, long minutes, there was a commotion behind him. Looking back, the center of their force parted, revealing ten of his men carrying the giant beam, Gendry trailing behind them. There were random nails and steel rods sticking out from the sides, which Gendry had apparently managed to repurpose from other uses in the castle.
"Let them through!" Robb ordered, standing aside himself so the the men were right at the door. "Break the fucker down! Cover them!" Robb raised his shield higher, personally giving cover to one of the men holding the ram. The men took a coordinated step back, then smashed the ram against crevice between the double doors. Whereas the doors had barely moved earlier, this time they groaned, metal hinges bending, wood splitting. There were concerned shouts within the Tower, and justifiably so, because on the second swing of the ram, there was an even louder crack, the doors now bending inwards.
"One more time, boys!" Robb encouraged. "Prepare to charge the doors!"
The ram holders took an extra step back this time, then rushed the door again. On impact, the doors completely surrendered, collapsing inwards as the supports broke. As soon as the doors cleared, arrows flew from inside, felling several of the men still staggering with the momentum of the ram. Robb pushed pass them, running forwards and sticking his sword through one of the bowman. His men followed, slaughtering every enemy in sight. "Clear the tower!" Robb ordered, as his men began climbing upwards.
Robb pushed through and saw that the doors to the other side of the Tower were wide open, a few of the defenders running back across the bridge towards the eastern castle. Some of the men behind him had realized that their King had drifted alone outside, forming up around him again. Robb took a few more steps out onto the bridge, watching the castle. For some reason, it seemed to be eerily quiet now. No Frey force was on its way to impede them.
All of a sudden, the castle doors opened, and a lone rider trotted out onto the bridge. The rider raised a white banner in the sky, waving it frantically.
"Well, look at that," the Blackfish muttered. "I always knew they were fucking cowards, but I expected at least a few days of delay before they bent over."
"Put our archers up top for cover," Robb called out behind him, before turning to his Uncle. "I'll believe it when I see it." Robb moved forward slowly with his guard until he was standing halfway across the bridge. The Frey rider slowly met them until they were only a few paces apart. "Speak your terms," Robb prompted.
"We wish no more hostility, your Grace," the man started. "We shall stand down, if you promise to spare the lives of those remaining in the castle."
"Walder Frey is simply going to surrender?" Robb questioned.
"Pardon, your Grace, but Lord Walder no longer commands the castle," the rider answered.
"Who commands the castle?"
"Ser Perwyn, your Grace. He has taken command of the castle and the guard, myself included."
"And where is Lord Walder now?" Robb inquired.
"Dead, your Grace."
"How did he die?"
"An unfortunate accident. It seems he slipped and fell on several knives, your Grace."
Robb sighed internally. He had so looked forward to taking the old traitors head, but somehow he had little surprise of the fact that his own kin had done the deed first. "Terms are accepted. Open the castle doors. Have the rest of your guard abandon their posts, lay down their arms and march onto the bridge so they can be secured and accounted for by my men. No harm will come to anyone else, if my instructions are followed. Any treachery, and I'll hang every last man by the neck off of this bridge. You'll be the first. Am I understood?"
"Understood, your Grace. Very clearly."
"Good. Put any remaining of Walder's kin in the Great Hall. I'll meet Ser Perwyn there once the castle is secured and we'll settle our debts for today."
"At once, your Grace."
Robb watched the rider trot off again towards the castle. "What a fucking day," Robb muttered.
"I hope you don't mean to leave all the Freys here to their own devices," the Blackfish stated. "Leaving one of them as Lord of the Crossing is one thing, but leave a bunch of those sniveling rats here and they will plan and scheme unrestrained."
"We'll leave a strong garrison at the castle for an indefinite time," Robb responded. "Seeing as the Tullys are their liege Lords, I'll leave it to you, Uncle, to determine what happens with the rest of them."
"Can I send them all to the bloody Wall?"
"Hmm, best not. They'd just as likely figure a way to knock the thing down, and then we'd all be fucked. I won't do that to Lord Commander Mormont. You'll figure something appropriate out." Robb turned to head back through the Tower.
"Where are you going?" The Blackfish asked.
"I think everything's well in hand here. Get word to the rest of our forces the day is won and they can stand down. I'm going to go find a raven. I need to tell my Queen I'm finally coming home."