Edmure I

They had been marching from Kings Landing for just more than a week and had just arrived at Rivvrrun where much of the Riverlands host was meeting, when a rider arrived from Seagard announcing it had fallen. He had immediately sent Ravens to the Twins, Fairmarket and Oldstones, who have their forces ready as soon as possible as their host was marching tonight. He wondered if the Frey's forces would begin sieging Riverrun as he asked, or if he himself would have to ride to the Twins himself, so Lord Walder Frey could exact some price from him most likely the marriage of one of his daughters to him.

Wind was hitting him, nearly knocking him of his horse, as his cavalry host of 2000 rode North, even as the wind and the rain lashed down on them making their white fingers tighten on to the reigns as it got harder to hold on and see in front of. As his family in the North said, Winter is coming. They hadn't had rain like this in months but right now it made their ride to Seagard even harder. They should be there in a few hours if they continued at this speed, they had already collected the forces from the Fairmarket and Oldstones. His infantry host consisting of 3000 not including the Frey host was marching farther behind. He had decided to rush ahead with cavalry and try and seal the Ironborn in Seagard.

It was strange as he rode at the head of the column, for the first time going in to battle he was afraid, not of the enemy but of himself. All the other times during the previous were other men had constructed the battle plans; he had merely followed their plans and led the men into battle. Now he was leading men into battle and constructing the battle plan and if it failed and lead his men to their deaths, there would only be him to blame.

"Damm it, I knew they wouldn't be here," he cursed as they saw Seagard approaching, with banners of the Kraken flying

"The Late Lord Frey lives up to his name," jested Ser Marq Piper.

"He should learn some respect, I am his liege lord's son, and I gave him orders, he needs to learn who is in charge."

"Be cautious, Edmure. Lord Frey is one of your most powerful bannermen, and he knows it, and he also knows that you need him, which makes him want something from you and you know what that is," advised Lord Tytos Blackwood, riding up behind him.

"If I go to Lord Walder, he keep defying me, but if I send someone else he will take offence."

"Lord Walder Frey is prickly but we need his troops."

"You are right," he agreed, thanking Lord Tytos, turning to Lord Clement Piper "You will take command of the siege force and await my return. Ser Marq , my friend choose 50 men, we will go to the Twins, Lord Karyl Vance you will accompany me as well."

He could see the Twins, rising in the distance, it was hard to imagine that only it had only been built 600 years ago or so, and House Frey was a younger house then most in Westeros, but had become powerful and rich by charging people to cross the bridge that had taken 3 generations to build and was originally timber.

He hoped Lord Clement Piper could handle the command of the seiege, hewould have left it to Lord Blackwood but that would have aggravated Lord Bracken.

He had decided the send Lord Vance with Marq Piper in first, to treat with the Late Lord Frey, since he didn't want to look like he was coming begging to Lord Frey. Walder Frey needed to learn his place, and it was beneath his liege lord, not equal or above beneath and Edmure would remind him of that. Somehow! He suspected that Lord Frey would "request" that he betrothed one of his daughters. Although he was against the idea of bowing to Walder's demands, it would have its advantages, binding their houses together my marriage would hopefully make them more loyal. Maybe if he made it seem like it was his idea, and he chose to come here.

Walder's POV

"Lord Edmure insults me, sending in his little follower and one of his Bannermen to treat with me," he sneered, sitting in his chair looking down on them.

"We are not here to treat with you, we are here on Lord Edmure's orders to deliver a message, we had sent it by raven "but it must have been shot down by the Iron Born, otherwise you would have already been laying siege to Seagard as the message had said"," Lord Vance offered cynically, a faint of a smile appeared on the lords face.

"Yes, yes, I would have, as one of his Loyal bannermen but unfortunately no ravens have arrived, but my host is gathered here, as I was anticipating those orders" ah the boy was clever after all he thought, making it seem like I wasn't disobeying orders saving me face and making me owe him for not pressing the subject of disobeying orders.

"Of course you would have, as you said you are one of his 'loyal Bannermen' and for that Edmure offers you a reward. He knows you have many daughters and granddaughters to wed off, he will take one of his choosing as his wife, if you would allow," Ser Marq answered, maintaining his voice as neutral as possible showing no hint of annoyance or anger.

"Ah he has finally decided my house is worthy of a marriage with my Liege Lord," he goaded, chucking to himself, "And what about you Ser Marq, you are still unwed would one my descendants be worthy of you." His gazed shifted from Lord Vance to Ser Clement, looking at the young knight, hoping further increase his influence throughout the Riverlands houses, already one of his descendants was betrothed to Ser Garlan Tyrell as she was from a Crakehall.

"They would be worthy of me, Lord Walder but unfortunately I have recently been betrothed to Alys Karstark."

"A worthy match eh, well tell Lord Edmure that I accept his proposal and would welcome the wedding here, I am a bit too frail to come down his seat, I will miss the wedding of ym daughter to Robb Stark, I do not wish to miss another."

"OF course Lord Walder, that should be acceptable, we will make our leave along with your host to go rid the Iron Born from our shores," replied Lord Vance firmly, not giving him a chance to ask for more, turning around and making their way out as he said after them.

"Yes, yes minus some to stay here and guard the twins, my grandson Ser Ryman will lead them for you, now go."

Edmure's POV

After Lord Vance and Ser Marq had returned with Lord Freys host to where he was camped with his personal guard, they marched back to Seagard at their fastest pace to find their forces camped around the edge and an orangey hue rising in the distance by the sea, behind seagard.

A rider rode out to meet them as they arrived, holding the banner of his house.

"Mi'lord Edmure, the Ironborn are trapped in Seagard, we arrived just as a force of theres were trying to return the their ships, we cut them down in the path and Burned the ships, We belive Victarion Greyjoy commands the castle, as the Greyjoy flag flies, Lord Jason Mallister also arrived, just before sunset. His fleet smashed what remain of the Iron fleet, we believe the rest of them have gone back to the Iron Islands. Lord Mallister's fleet has gone to join them and pick up the Northern Host. From Thorren Square, they have left a token fleet here to transport us to the Islands when we have finished here," he blurted out rather rushed, making it difficult for him to take it all in.

"Bring the Lord to the command tent, we finish this tonight, I will not let Iron Born be on my lands for another day," he declared, and there was a cheer behind him, from his men.

In the command tent sat most of his nobles lords or their sons, looking over a basic layout of Seagard, most of the town outside the wall had been burnt, some of the people had escaped but a lot they believed were dead or inside the castle captive and in some way probably better off dead. There was no news of Patrek Mallister, who had arrived at Seagard shortly before it was attacked. They could only hope that he was alive, as he and Dacey Mormont during the war had fallen in love and were due to be wed, it would destroy her if he was killed.

"Lord Mallister, I know they could kill your son, if he is still alive, if we attack but we have no proof he is still alive. It will be dawn soon, we attack at just before first light," he declared and everyone stayed silent not arguing with him, they waited for their orders.

"Lord Bracken and Lord Clement Piper, you will attack first, firing ballista and catapults from the ships, drawing their main attention to the west wall by the sea, send your troops to scale the walls with ladders and grappling hooks, be as ferocious as you can, cause mayhem. Use the catapults sparingly; we still want Seagard left after this battle. At the same time , you Lord Bracken and Ser Ryman Frey will lead the assault on the opposite side with a ram to smash down the gate, more of our forces will scale the walls on that side."

"Forgive me Lord Edmure, what if they do have prisoners, they will all be killed, we must at least try and prevent that, mustn't we?" asked Lord Blackwood quizzically.

"Yes we must, that is where myself and Lord Mallister come in, as I have been here many times, I know Seagard almost as well as Lord Mallister I think, we will lead a small force each, each consisting of 15 knights over the 2 walls not yet covered by the attack. We will use the burnt town as cover to sneak up on the walls, and use grappling hooks to sneak over while they are focused on the 2 large forces at the other sides. We will find prisoners if they are alive and keep them alive until we take the castle. Does everyone understand the plan?"

"Yes, my lord," they all answered, and filed out of the tent to prepare the forces for the coming battle.

He and his forces were crouching behind a burned hut, it was still pretty dark but just a slight light peering over the horizon, not enough though to make them overly visible. The drums began sounding from the west and east, the signal! His forces were preparing to attack, now was the time to attack.

They ran forward, staying low and undercover where possible, and hugged the wall as they reached it. Silently he signalled to of his men, moving slightly out, they loaded their bows and aimed at the wall, ready to kill any guards who killed them. 2 other men, one of the Ser Marq Piper, the other a Blackwood men at arms, slung their grappling hooks over the wall, with them gripping on to the parapet.

Two by Two they climbed up the wall, a few guards noticed them but thanks to his archers aim, they fell quickly enough before they could raise the alarm. His men quickly secured the area. They could hear screaming and fighting from all over the castle, he saw men climbing over the wall and being met by Iron Born, men were being flung over the wall. He couldn't think of that though, he had a job to do.

His men looked to him, "Head to the keep, that's where they'll be, quickly, silently."

They rushed forward, jumping off the wall into a nearby hay cart, the sprinted towards the keep, no one taking notice of a few men at arms rushing to defend the keep, or so it looked.

"Kill any iron born in there," he ordered, he could already here clash of steel from inside, Lord Mallister must have beaten them to it, he thought.

As the made their way through they barely encountered any resistance that was until they reached the main hall.

All huddled in the middle were about 50 captives, mainly women and children, but he noticed Patrek Mallister, lying at the far end, badly beaten, his gaze then fell on Lord Mallister barley a few feet in front of him swinging his axe around ferociously at an older man who was large and powerful, with a bull's broad chest and a boy's flat stomach. His hair was flecked with grey and he plate armour in and a helm in the shape of a kraken. He smashed back at Lord Jason with his own cruel looking axe, pushing Jason further and further away from the hostages. Lord Mallister's groups were already dead along with half a dozen Iron born, bleeding out on the floor.

Quickly his own men, charged forward battling the remaining Ironborn, while he dashed to help his bannermen.

"This if for my nephew Rodrik," Victarion bellowed at the top of his voice, bashing Lord Mallister's shield in with his axe, splintering it all over, " He was a boy now you fight a seasoned warrior, and you are surely outmatched, Mallister," Victarion spat at Jason's feet before, pushing forward, knocking Jason off balance and narrowly missing him with a crushing blow from his axe which imbedded in the floor

"Finish this now Victarion," he commanded," Your forces are outnumbered, we will take back Seagard in a matter of moments, your ships are burnt, save the lives of your men."

"Never! What is dead may never die, but rises again, harder and stronger! We are Iron Born.", Victarion roared, spinning around to punch him in the nose, with his shield, as he approached on Victarion's other side, trying to buy Jason some time to get up. The punch though, distracted him long enough for Victarion to use to his full attention on Lord Mallister, as Jason jumped back just missing the swipe of the Lord Captain's axe but what Jason did not expect, was Victarion lunged forward at the moment, burying the point and blade of the axe into Jason's stomach, then wrenching it out, pulling his guts out.

"You thought bravely, I gave you a warrior's death," he said, as Jason took his final breath.

Edmure heard an anguish cry from across the room, knowing it must be his friend and heir to Seagard, Patrek Mallister. He ran forward to avenge his loyal bannermen's death, bring up his shield, he deflected a colossal blow from Victarion's axe, whirling around he ducked under another swing, lunging forward with his sword, just managing to strafe his enemies belly, drawing a trickle of blood.

"Ha It is merely a scratch, " Victarion jested, swinging his axe down onto him, he only just brought his sword up in time, the hook of the axe stopping barely an inch away from his face. He pushed back, stabbing and thrusting, trying to gain an opening in Victarion's defence, but none found itself. He was being pushed back, up against the wall, and couldn't get out.

A slash from Victarion's axe knocked his sword out of his hand, it was all over. He couldn't do anything, he was tired, weak. As Victarion brought his axe up to finish he life, his only thought, was for his father, hoping he had done him proud.

Then something made him open his eyes, a warn wet liquid spurted onto his face, he looked up and saw a dagger sticking straight through the Lord Captain's throat, standing behind him stood his friend Ser Marq Piper.