Here is chapter four, hope you guys like it !
Chapter 4: The Freys
Previously:
Inside the room waited the House Frey members, men and women and children, innumerable sons, grandsons, daughters and granddaughters of Walder Frey looking at her with terror in their eyes as she crossed the last doors her mother and brother had ever crossed alive.
Arya entered the great hall of the Twins where the most important members of House Frey had taken refuge as soon as the first guardsmen had started to die.
- Who dares invade the holdfast of House Frey? Intoned the old Lord. He looked frail, with his balding head and the furs warming his ancient thin legs, but his gaze burned with uncontained hatred.
- All your men are dead, Arya answered, and your lives are mine to do as I please. If one of you do not bear the name Frey and do not fight under the twin towered banner, speak now. But if I find that you have lied I will torture you for so long you will forget even your own name and my wolves will refuse to eat your putrefied flesh.
There was a silence, then a movement in a corner, and the Lord Frey shrieked in furry.
- Shut your mouth, woman, or I will pierce you with my own sword.
Two wolves rushed forward and were on Lord Frey in less than a second, stopping their fangs mere centimeters from his skin and growling. Arya walked to them and put her sword the Lord's throat.
- Touch the one who wanted to speak and I will behead your Lord, she told the others, then my wolves will finish you all, or maybe just eat some parts.
A woman of maybe twenty years of age walked slowly out of the corner she stood in, a girl of two in her arms.
- Who are you? Arya asked.
- I… I am Roslin Tully, Ser. And this is my daughter, Catlyn of House Tully.
- Tully? Arya asked, not bothering to correct the woman's assumption of her gender. She still wore her wig and had not given her name, small surprise that those people took her for a man. "I do not know any Roslin Tully".
- I am… Lord Edmure's wife, Ser.
Arya looked at her. So this was the woman her uncle had wed. Their wedding would always be remembered as one of the greatest betrayal ever committed. Strangely Arya had never thought of her or her uncle when thinking of that night, and she thought she probably wasn't the only one.
- Is Lord Tully alive?
- He is, Ser. The is in one of the cells, in the dungeons, she said, and Arya felt some bitterness in her tone.
- Lady Tully, take you daughter and wait for me in the corridor. My business here is not over yet.
The woman nodded and went out without protest.
- Who do you think you are, boy? One of the Frey screamed? You think you're strong, with your little wolves? Our men…
- Are all dead. And I am no boy, traitor, Arya answered, taking her wig off. I am Arya Stark of Winterfell and I am here to avenge the deaths of my mother and brother.
Everyone started whispering between themselves in the room, men, women and children alike.
- But I do not intend to let my wolves eat you alive, Arya said. Every one of you will have the opportunity to fight for his life and the lives of those he wants to protect. If one of you wins my wolves will go and you will live. If I win, you die.
- Walo, Lord Frey ordered, kill this Stark bitch.
- With pleasure, My Lord. He towered over Arya, twice her size, and was very clearly a seasoned fighter. It did not matter. Too slow.
He walked to the center of the room and she took her position in front of him. He had just started raising his longsword when Arya attacked. She didn't need to wait any more, she had observed him from the instant he had answered Lord Frey and knew exactly how he would react. Her thin dagger went through his eye and dug a hole in his brain long before he finished his first move.
- Is that the fiercest you have to present? Arya asked.
Another Frey walked to the front, then another and another. Soon Arya needed to order her wolves to move the corpses from the center of the room so that she could keep moving.
And then only Lord Frey, seated on his old wooden throne, three of his closest heirs and women and children remained.
Arya nodded.
- I think I won't kill you right away, she said. I believe a public execution would be more satisfying, don't you think ?
- You still have to beat me, girl, one of the three heirs said, but his tone was unsure. After all he had just witnessed fifty of his kin slaughtered by this girl.
Arya hummed, looking at the three men and smiling.
When they fought the youngest of the three was almost good at it and she needed four moves to win, her thin blade against his throat. She took his weapons and asked a wolf to make him stay put while she fought the other two. When that unpleasantness was finished (she despised fighting someone she wanted to kill and not killing them in the fight), she turned to the women.
- Which of you married into House Frey? Arya asked.
Ten women stepped forward.
- Which of you do not have children? The girl continued.
Only three women didn't have children. Arya searched her pouch and took out a vial.
- If you drink this you will lose any child you are carrying. If you prefer not to drink and die to protect them, be my guest.
All three of them drank.
- No one carrying the name Frey by birth will survive this night, Arya said, because such is the will of my vengeance against a House of vile traitors hated by the gods themselves. But if perchance your children were bastards of some passing peasant, and you said so now in front of these witnesses, they would not have to die.
The first woman understood very quickly and spoke up.
- My daughters are not trueborn, she said. I got them from a… knight I met, I do not know his name.
- My son and my daughter too, another woman immediately said, they are Waters, My Lady.
- And my children, another mother said, pushing forward a boy of three or four.
At the end all the women had spoken.
- That is a lot of bastards, Arya noted, amused, looking at one of the boys who looked very clearly like a Frey. Well, the Freys are already traitors; it is not surprising that their children are bastards. I am not here to kill the sons of some peasant, My Ladies, she continued.
Without hesitating an instant she raised her knife and killed the two young women born Frey and who had no mother do declare them bastards. None of them had children, of course, since they still lived in their House holdfast and so were not married. The women left calmed down as Arya didn't move to attack any of them. Then she turned towards Lord Walder Frey.
- I don't intend to fight a girl more suited to warm my bed and carry my bastards than hold a sword, Lord Frey intoned.
- I am obviously more suited to kill Freys, seeing that I am not pregnant and most of your kin has already died at my hands. But id does not matter; I have other things to take care of. I do not bother minding what you intend to do or not to do, Frey. You will tell me, now, who else betrayed my family.
- That's all you want, girl? The old man exclaimed, obviously thinking that she wanted to exchange his life for the information. Bolton, Tywin and Cersei Lannister, they are the ones who betrayed the Starks. I was only a tool in the hands of your real enemies, and…
The wolf waiting near Lord Frey bit his arm, his fangs sinking into the old flesh through the rich silks and furs. That had the expected result and Frey didn't finish his sentence, occupied by groaning in pain.
- Ladies, Arya said, I will this room for now. My wolves have been ordered to eat any of you who moves, talks or does more than sit and breathe. I would suggest you keep an eye on your children, apparently their flesh is very tender.
And Arya left to join Roslin Tully, winting in the corridor. The Lady looked at her strangely and Arya remembered she still didn't know who she was.
- I am Arya Stark of Winterfell, she introduced herself, and you married my uncle Edmure, making you my aunt, if what you said was true.
- I don't understand, the woman said, I thought all the Starks were dead.
- I am still alive, and I might not be the only one. Us Starks are hard to kill. Take me to my uncle.
The woman looked to the closed doors behind them.
- Are they all…
- No. Lord Frey and three of his heirs are alive awaiting their public execution tomorrow morning. More than that I have somehow discovered that all the children in the room are apparently bastards named Waters, so I didn't have to kill them. It is an interesting turn of events. Naturally if any of them turned out to be a Frey after all I would have to kill them. But the two Frey women are dead.
- Oh, the young woman said. Arya decided then that she was not totally hateful. And the little girl in her arms had the same hair as Sansa did, and was a new Catlyn Tully. This woman could not be absolutely awful.
The mother blocked her daughter's vision while they crossed the corridors where had fallen the poisoned guards. Here and there a wolf was feasting on a corpse. At her side Nymeria and ten other wolves kept their eyes on their surroundings, searching for threats but finding none.
Edmure Tully was kept in a relatively comfortable cell, with real walls stopping the cold air from entering and a high thin window to differentiate night from day. He had a bed with enough blankets not to be sick and a desk with a candle, ink and paper. It was far from the luxury normally offered to captive Lords but it wasn't the worse place in the world.
He looked very surprised to see his door open, looked at Arya with a startled gaze. Then his eyes turned to the wolves behind her and his wife and daughter behind them.
- Am I asleep? He asked, agape.
- No, Arya said simply. Uncle, I am Arya Stark of Winterfell and I have take the Twins from the Freys.
Edmure looked at her for a long time and nodded, recognizing her at last.
- Arya ? I… I thought you had died. By the Seven, Arya !
Then the shock of his niece's survival wore off and Edmure registered the rest of what she had said.
- What do you mean you have taken the Twins? With what army?
- With my wolves, she said, gesturing to Nymeria, letting Lord Tully look at the ferocious beasts. They were not doing anything now, just looking at him defiantly, but even then they looked dangerous.
- With… your… wolves, Edmure repeated, as if he couldn't really believe it. And the Freys? The guards?
- The soldiers, the knights and the guards are dead, Arya answered without emotion.
So are all the Freys except the Lord and three of his heirs. My wolves are keeping their eyes on them upstairs. But first, is this truly your wife? And your daughter?
- Yes, Edmure answered.
- Very well. Are you well enough to walk up right away? Arya asked, looking at her uncle's ragged look.
Edmure nodded.
- Lady Tully, Arya said, looking at her aunt and the child in her arms. Maybe it would be better if you went to your own chambers and stayed there for a time. He will stay with you to make sure no wolf or man attacks you, she added, pointing to one of the wolves who had followed her downstairs.
- My Lady, if you allow me... I would like to inquire as to what will happen to us...
- I will not harm my uncle's wife not my cousin, Arya answered truthfully. However I fully intend to destroy House Frey and each and every member of it so that it's name will disappear forever. Nothing you can do or say will change my mind on this.
- Lady Arya, about the children you spared...
- The bastards? What about them?
- If my Lord Husband agrees to it, I thought they might enter our household...
- Once I have killed the last Freys I will offer the opportunity for the wives I spared to go back to the Houses of their birth. If they will it, after signing the papers declaring them bastards they can take their sons and daughters with them. If they don't you are welcome to them. You will have time to think on it, however.
In the end Arya was grateful for Roslin's presence. She took charge of the servants and women left, ordered the hallways to be cleaned, the bodies to be burned and the blood to be washed. All night the sickening smell of burning corpses floated through the halls but Arya slept through it all.
A wolf groaning viciously and a terrified shriek woke her up. After her eyes adapted to the harsh light of the sun penetrating the room through the windows she saw that a young serving girl had tried to bring her breakfast. Nymeria and the three wolves guarding her had not liked that at all.
- Calm down, Arya said, smiling to the girl. The wolves immediately stopped growling and laid down peacefully again.
- Who are you ? Arya asked the girl.
- Me name's Alyis, M'Lady. M'sorry for wakin' ya, I...
Arya shrugged.
- I don't bite, Alyis. You don't need to be scared. Your name isn't Frey, is it ?
- Oh, no, M'Lady.
- Then I don't have anything against you. Now, can you find me some hot water for a bath and clothes at my size ? Male clothes.
- yes, M'Lady, answered the small serving girl, leaving Arya's breakfast on the bedside table.
Arya smiled to herself. Even after all these deaths, even after she had poisoned all those men, the servants kept serving breakfast and bringing hot water.
Naturally the young girl didn't take even a bite of her food before checking it for poisons with the kit she kept on herself at all time. She was immune to most poisons used in these parts but she would rather be cautious than dead, in case her would be assassins used some rare poison.
Well, she guessed the servants had really disliked their previous masters, seeing as there was absolutely no poison in her food and drinks. Once she was full Arya took a bath and let the servants brush her hair and dress her. They weren't perfect but the clothes she wore must have belonged do some Frey lordling and fit her well enough. She ordered the servants to wash her old bloody clothes but kept all her weapons on her. You never could be too well prepared.
A quick check in Nymeria's mind told her her wolves had eaten their fill from the corpses during the night and would not be hungry for a week. It was a nice thought that the Frey men and bannermen would sustain her pack for the days to come. Lord Frey might appreciate the fact.
Arya asked a servant she met on the stairs about where she could find her uncle, her aunt and her cousin and went to them. They had stayed in Roslin's chamber's for the night, two small room more fitting for a servant than a Lady of House Frey, let alone House Tully. Still, it was a vast improvement on her uncle's cell.
- Lady Arya, Roslin exclaimed, a servant just told me you had woken up.
- I must thank you, I believe, Lady Roslin, for organising the servants after I retired to sleep.
Roslin gave a small bow. Technically she was Lady of a Great House and Arya's aunt, which meant that in normal circumstances Arya should have bowed to her, not the other way around. But these weren't normal circumstances and there was no doubt who was in command, with her wolves still patrolling the halls and the men she had killed not yet buried. Here and now, her voice was law.
- If you'll excuse me, I have to go to the kitchen and make sure the pots where I poured poison yesterday have been correctly washed. When I come back up I would like to talk to you, uncle, aunt, Arya said. Little Catlyn might be better off not hearing our words.
Arya noded to them and walked away. In the kitchen she found some servants washing up. A young lad shrieked like a girl when he saw her and bowed, cheeks reddening. The others followed suit.
- Stand up. I'm here to warn you that you will have to wash all the pots and cooking instruments you used yesterday at least five times.
The people of the village to the east of the Twins had probably noticed the black smoke coming out of the fortresses for a long time, now, even if they had not heard the noises of death in the night. It was time to speak to them. But first, Roslin and Edmure Tully. She found them easily enough, they had sent a servant after her to show her the way to the room where they had chosen to meet her. She knocked after the servant had departed.
- Lady Arya, you have said you wished to speak with us?
Roslin was obviously trying to hide her fears and disquiet. Arya simply nodded.
- Lady Roslin, I would like for us to be able to speak frankly to each other. However I am aware that yesterday I killed most of your House and family. I will understand if it is too hard for you to speak to me, and will not resent you for it.
Lady Tully closed her eyes a moment, but answered with a straight voice, even as a tear made its way along her pale cheek.
- I had two sisters, and they died by your hand yesterday night, Lady Arya. However… House Frey has never been a loving family. Lord Frey, my Lord Father, did not know our names, let alone whom we were the daughters of, and he was not the only one. My daughters were violent, jealous, hateful, and put me through hell since my wedding three years ago, harassing Catlyn too. I mourn their deaths, but I also mourn their lives, and the women they might have been if they hadn't been born in a family as twisted as ours. I am able to speak to you, Lady Arya.
- Thank you for your sincerity, I will offer mine in return. I have not attacked the Twins to free you, nor you, uncle, nor your daughter. The truth is that I didn't know you were here, or even alive. My only goal by taking the Twins was to destroy the Freys. So, I ask you, are there other Freys alive somewhere? Do I have enemies left carrying this name?
- My Lady, Roslin answered, I was far from my Lord Father's intrigues, but even I know this, as my aunts, nieces, cousins and sisters seemed to enjoy reminding me each time they had the chance. Since I have married my Lord Husband the Freys govern House Tully's city of old, Riverrun. Black Walder rules the Three Rivers city as Lord's Frey bannerman.
Arya thought about it. Riverrun would be easier to take than the Twins, and would also cost less lives, for all that it was bigger. The weeks she would loose there before turning North to kill Bolton would be well spent. Then, truly, House Frey would die. Until she killed them all, destroyed each and every smallest member of it, it could grow back as a bad weed in a garden did, invading everything.
- Lady Roslin, I imagine House Frey has some way of calling their people to the gates? Arya asked.
- Yes, Lady Arya, a great bell can be rung in the East Fortress' Sept, to call up the people of the city down bellow to hear a message from their Lord.
- Perfect. Please order the servants to ring the bell while I fetch the last Freys of the Twins for their execution. My wolves will not move for anyone else.
About half an hour later Arya stood on the wooden stage the Freys of the Twins used to speak to the people of their town. There were whispers going through the crowd, people wondering what had happened.
Arya spoke.
- People of the Riverlands, in this place where we are standing today an atrocious crime was committed three years ago, a crime against men and gods alike. The guest rights are sacred! Betraying them during an union before the gods, during a celebration dedicated to their glory, is an horrible monstrosity. I, Arya of the House Stark of Winterfell, have avenged the deaths of my brother Robb and my mother Catlyn Tully by killing all the Freys of the Twins except these four men, because those deserve a public execution for their crimes.
Arya paused, as the people of East Town whispered between themselves. "Arya Stark" some said. "The Young Wolf's sister" others whispered. "Alone?" asked some. But Arya didn't pay them any mind.
- Ser Emmon Frey, I am accusing you of betraying your liege Lord and his House, of violating Guest Rights and the divine protection provided by them. I, Arya Stark of Winterfell, do condemn you to die.
Arya raised the longsword she had chosen for the occasion in the well furnished Frey coffers and let it fall on her prisoner's neck. The kneeling man made a small pained cry, there was the sound of steel crushing bones and cutting flesh, and the head rolled to the ground. The traitor's body fell down on the stage with a thump.
- Ser Edwyn Frey, I am accusing you of betraying your liege Lord and his House, of violating Guest Rights and the divine protection provided by them. I, Arya Stark of Winterfell, do condemn you to die.
And again Arya raised her borrowed sword and let it fall on Frey's neck.
- Ser Sevron Frey, I am accusing you of betraying your liege Lord and his House, of violating Guest Rights and the divine protection provided by them. I, Arya Stark of Winterfell, do condemn you to die.
A third time the longsword fell, leaving a mark in the wood on the ground, under the pool of blood.
- Lord Walder of House Frey, Lord of the Twins and Protector of the Riverlands, Arya said with a smile in her voice. You thought you were all powerfull. You thought surviving eight wives and fathering more than twenty sons would insure your House endurance. Know now that after your head has fallen to this ground, I will ride to Riverrun and kill Black Walder Frey and with him all those who carry your name still in the Seven Kingdoms. This, I pledge to the Old Gods and the New. Soon no one will remember your name.
That, more than anything else Arya could have said, seemed to enrage the old Lord. He started to shriek, insulting her with all his might. The young girl completely ignored it and her calm in front of him was extremely fascinating to the people watching. To them she looked as a representation of justice itself; the young girl standing calmly over the crouching, foul old Lord. Arya had no idea of such thoughts. In that instant, only her vengeance mattered.
- I am accusing you of betraying your liege Lord and his House, of violating Guest Rights and the divine protection provided by them by committing heinous and vile crimes. The gods themselves will smile upon your corpse, Frey, Arya finished. I, Arya Stark of Winterfell, do condemn you to die.
A second later there were no Frey left at the Twins.
The people, even though they were clearly shocked, didn't seem to mourn particularly their old masters or mind greatly their future change in ownership. The general opinion seamed to be that it could hardly be worse than the Old Lord.
- Lord Edmure Tully will stay at the Twins until my sword and my fangs find the Freys in Riverrun, the young girl said.
For a moment, there was silence, then someone shouted.
- Stark!
Arya thought for a second that it was an accusation but immediately a second voice joined the first, and a third one, and soon the whole crowd was shouting.
- Stark! Stark! Stark!
She turned to Edmure, waiting behind her with his wife.
- Why are they shouting my name? She asked. I just killed their Lord.
- The Freys oppressed their people and were far from loved, even before my wedding, Edmure said. I would imagine that it did not improve things.
Arya returned to the room where she had chosen to sleep the night before speaking with her uncle. He had finally accepted - after she had coolly reminded him that SHE had freed him, not an army of men - that she would leave for Riverrun alone. He would summon Lord Mallister, whom he knew had only bent the knee under heavy threats, and would ally with him to take back his lands. At the same time he would look after the Frey children and wives left. For now they had been locked in their rooms and would be let out once there were men to watch them. The servants had acknowledged without argument the change of Lordship, just as the people had.
So... please feel free to leave a review (pretty please ^^)
I hope you liked this chapter, see you next time ! (even though I won't see you and you won't see me...)
Oh, and also, I probably have made translation mistakes, and if so you can point them out and I'll correct them !
Ferz