New Allies:
Astrid, Edward and Cullen took their horses through the path through the Riverlands. They had barely stopped for anything since they had to get to the Twins and warn the king before it was too late. Despite their best efforts, they had to rest at night otherwise the horses would tire out. One night Astrid had a nightmare and that morning, her worst fears were realised. Her dream had not just been a dream but reality. In her dream she had watched a massacre at the Twins and saw her cousin Robb get murdered. She watched as her good friend Galmar Stone Fist was murdered and so many other lords but an interesting thing was that it seemed that the Boltons and the Freys had instead joined with Stannis Baratheon instead of Tywin Lannister. Somehow she felt like what she had seen was not just a dream. Before she left Winterfell and joined the Company of the Rose, she remembered Old Nan telling them stories of Greenseers, people who could see the future in their dreams. Astrid did remember that sometimes she would have dreams of the past and future.
Later that very same day while travelling, they could hear the sounds of fighting and they saw a bunch of men fighting each other but something odd was that all of the men were wearing the same emblem, a grey sun on black, the sigil of House Karstark but she recognised Torrhen Karstark was trying to defend himself with a few men from other Karstark men which also had some Frey and Bolton men. The three of them quickly charged into the fray to protect Torrhen and soon enough, Torrhen was safe.
"My thanks my friends." Torrhen stated "I wasn't sure I would make it out alive."
"Why would your own men attack you?" Cullen asked
"Because they serve a traitor in my family." Torrhen hissed "We were all at the Twin for the wedding between Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey but the Frey's turned on us. They slaughtered us all including my father. Lord Bolton was also slain by his own men under the commander of his bastard. I was able to escape but these men chased me until you came."
"What about my father?" Cullen asked
"Commander Joseph escaped." Torrhen confirmed "He even managed to kill the traitor Walder Frey. Brynden Tully also managed to escape but most of the men at the Twins were slaughtered. They're already calling this event the Red Wedding. Everyone is outraged but there doesn't seem to be much we can do. The enemy has more men."
"Not for long." Cullen stated "Once we get home then we will fight these traitors!"
Torrhen sighed "But it also seems that they sided with Stannis Baratheon. I heard them talking about how he was heading north."
Astrid lowered her head "So even though I stopped Tywin from giving his backing, Frey found a new backer!"
"Stannis must be rebuilding his forces after his loss at the Blackwater." Edward stated "He'll start in the north and then work his way down."
"He'll have both the Karstarks and Boltons on his side." Torrhen sighed "I believe that my great uncle Arnolf Karstark is behind my men's betrayal. He was always power hungry and so sided with the Freys in this betrayal. Now he has the second most men in the north now behind the Boltons."
"What about the Umbers?" Astrid asked
"Lord Greatjon has been taken captive and his second son was killed." Torrhen confirmed
"But Smalljon is with us at Harrenhal." Astrid said
Cullen sighed "Alright, I'm sending a message to Harrenhal. We're evacuating to the North. We'll meet us at Winterfell once we get there and we'll have Moat Cailin on high alert. As long as we hold it then the betrayers are trapped south."
"I just hope that we don't face a war on two fronts." Torrhen sighed "Because I heard that Stannis is heading north."
…
Braavos, also known as the city of a hundred islands was built on many islands in a natural lagoon. The city was founded by escaped slaves from Valyria and so the city was often called the bastard daughter of Valyria. The city was also the most powerful of the Free Cities though this was often disputed by Volantis. The reason the city was so powerful was because of it's strong trade with Westeros since it was very close to the land and also because of the Iron Bank of Braavos, a bank that gave loans out to lords and kings and if you did not pay them back, then they would fund their enemies.
This was why Stannis Baratheon had come to the city to talk with the Iron Bank. The idea had come from his top man Davos Seaworth who had a history with the Iron Bank. He and Stannis knew of the huge debt that king Robert had built and so he hoped to use that to get support and money that he could use to take the Iron Throne. It was risky but Stannis was a dutiful man who knew not to mess around with the Iron Bank, they were more dangerous than many people often realised.
The negotiations had gone well and now Stannis had the money to try and hire some sellswords to fight. Stannis did not trust men who fought only for hold but right now, he needed the men. He also had another opportunity to get more men. Before leaving for Braavos, they had received word from the Night's Watch and this was another opportunity to get more men and so the Wall was their next destination. They had completely abandoned the south and now intending on marching south from the north getting more men as they went along. He had already gone along with a plan to force to north to join them although that plan had not been entirely successful. It had also cause Davos to begin questioning things.
"Your Grace." Davos said to Stannis as they stood on the deck of his ship that was about to depart from Braavos "Are you sure we can trust the Boltons and these people?" he questioned "I know men and the north is known for being untrusting of outsiders and plus they have a saying, the north remembers."
"The Starks are supposed to be loyal yet they decided not to help their rightful king even though Lord Eddard knew the truth." Stannis hissed "Had Eddard lived his sense of loyalty would have obliged him to help me. Instead his son had ambitions and he had to pay for that."
"There will be those who will fight for the Starks. They will not forget this." Davos said "The company of the Rose will carry on fighting for an independent north."
"With all the men we gather, we will have the forces to overpower them." Stannis said "Besides I have no intention of allowing the Boltons to rule the north, the Lord of Winterfell must always be a Stark and right now there are three left. Two young children and a bastard son. I will intend of having one of them rule."
"Jon Snow is a Night's Watchman." Davos sighed "He won't help you, not when you killed his brother."
"There is still the two young children." Stannis said "I am ordering them to be captured alive. The young Rickon will be my hostage and when he is of age, he will be installed as Lord of Winterfell."
Davos sighed "I hope you know what you're doing. I have stood by you since your brother's rebellion." He said and then he walked away.
…
Joseph Rostark along with the survivors he had gathered from the Twins were making their way through the lands of the Neck. The Neck was the southernmost part of the North and was known to be a very marshy land. The land was covered in swamps and bogs and the waters here were home to dangerous creatures such as snakes, insects and lizard lions. Many trees were half drowned and covered in fungus so it was a difficult place to live in but the Crannogmen, the natives of the region made it their home ruled by their overlords of House Reed. The only safe road through this land was the Kingsroad which went through a narrow causeway protected by Moat Cailin in the north. Joseph knew that this place would be key to their campaign to protect the north. No southern force had ever actually managed to penetrate Moat Cailin with an army and going around was not an option as the swamps of the neck would defeat an army without enemy forces attacking, plus the Crannogmen would know how to fight using a gurilla style. Right now they had to secure Moat Cailin.
As the group which consisted of Joseph, Olyvar Frey, Gared Tuttle and Rodrik Forrester made their way through the road, they soon found a camp with the fire still smoking. Checking it closer, it looked like something had attacked them as they found signs of a quick and sudden assault with arrows but Olyvar found something.
"My former family was here at some point." He said holding a piece of tunic which had the sigil of House Frey on it "I can't say if this was their camp or if they were the attackers though."
Joseph then saw tracks in the mud "It looks like they went this way. We should check it out before heading on so we can see the threat posed."
The four of them carried on until they came across what seemed to be the attackers of the camp and it looked like the camp belonged to the Freys when he saw something that shocked him. Standing on a set of makeshift gallows with a tree branch used as hanging ropes and some logs as the stools, he saw members of his family. First was his older brother Merrett Frey and the second was Petyr Frey know as Petyr pimple due to his face being covered in pimples and was the youngest son of Ryman Frey, the new lord of the Twins and head of House Frey.
The gang that held them seemed to be a ragtag group of bandits but Joseph saw that the leader seemed to be more than just a simple outlaw. Rodrik seemed to recognise him "Beric Dondarrion?"
The man known as Beric just smiled "Indeed." He replied "We're the brotherhood without Banners."
Joseph heard about the Brotherhood, they were a group of people who did not take sides but mainly fought the Lannisters to protect the people of the Riverlands but they would also use ransoms to gain funds "What are you doing with them?" he asked
"Hanging them." Beric replied "They took part in a crime against the Gods."
"Slaughtering guests after inviting them into their home." Thoros of Myr, a Red Priest replied "All gods see that as a crime, one of the worst committed. For such a crime they shall be hanged."
"I've got no problem with that." Joseph said "I would take any opportunity to get justice. But let me kill him." He pointed at Merrett "He killed one of my best friends."
"Do so then." Beric said.
Joseph walked over to the stool holding Merrett up and despite his pleading, he kicked the stool over causing Merrett to fall and chock to death as he began swinging. Thoros then did the same to Petyr and the two Freys were dead.
"What where they even doing here?" Olyvar asked
"We caught the younger one with a camp follower after he wandered here." Beric smirked "Saw it as an opportunity so offered a ransom but instead of his father, he sent uncle instead. What a coward."
"So what are you all going to do now?" Rodrik asked
"My god has shown me the path ahead." Thoras said "Cold Winds are rising in the north. That is our next stop if you would have us."
"We would welcome all the help we can get." Joseph said holding out his hand "Welcome to the team."
Beric looked at Olyvar "We can see that you are a Frey as well." He said "But don't worry, the Lord of Light has already shown us that not every Frey is like you. You're not the only one who hates their only family."
"Indeed." A new voice called and Olyvar looked and gasped when he saw who it was. It was his older brother Perwyn "Hello Olyvar."
"I was worried about you." Olyvar gasped
"They tried to kill me." Perwyn sighed "My own men tried to kill me when the brotherhood came out to save me. They then informed me about what happened at home. I hope to try and find you but it seems you found me first. Sadly I'm afraid Alesander Frey wasn't as lucky. They killed him."
"So not only did they break guest right but they commit kinslaying as well!" Olyvar growled "I'm ashamed to be related to any of them."
"They'll get their comeuppance soon enough." Joseph said "Right now we have to get to Winterfell. We'll all meet up there and plan our next move.
…
White Harbour was the only city in the north and the largest settlement. Built at the edge of the White Knife river into the Bite which separated the north from the Vale, it was a large city but was still the smallest city in Westeros compared to King's Landing and Oldtown. Even Lannisport and Gulltown were larger. Still it received a lot of trade from Essos and since it was also built on top of some silver mines, it allowed the ruling House Manderly to become the richest house in the north and a powerful ally of House Stark.
The remaining members of the company of the Rose had arrived in White Harbour and were escorted by the Manderly guards to the Wolf's Den, the castle where House Manderly made their home. They were greeted by Lord Wyman Manderly, lord of White Harbour and one of the fattest people anyone had seen. He had his two granddaughters, Wylla and Wynafryd both of who had tears in their eyes.
"Father." Ser Wendel greeted them. He had been with the Company of the Rose when they went on their mission to King's Landing.
"Son." Wyman greeted "I am glad you're safe. I wish I could say the same for your brother."
"Those bastards slaughtered him!" Wylla screamed "They murdered him and they even tried to say it was the Starks who did it. They claim they broke guest right first, an outright lie!"
"And they even tried to force me and Wylla into marriage agreement!" Wynafryd screamed "I'd rather drown than marry one of those weasels!"
"The remaining Bolton and Karstark men here began attacking our own lands." Wyman stated "They managed to take Hornwood and Lady Donella is dead."
"So what do we do now then?" Sansa asked
"We've received ravens from Moat Cailin." Wyman said "Sansa and Arya are to remain here under my care." Wyman replied "It's too dangerous to go to Winterfell right now."
"What about Bran and Rickon?" Arya asked
Wyman sighed "We've had a raven from Winterfell. Apparently Brandon Stark has vanished. We don't know what's happened but it seems he went off with the Reed children as well as a few servants. He claimed he had something important to attend to. Rickon is still at Winterfell. Astrid considered it too dangerous to move him with the Bolton and Karstark men still here in the north. She wants the rest of you at Winterfell to discuss their next move."
Tytos looked at everyone "The War of the Five kings is over. Now the War for the North begins."
Chapter End: Well this chapter was short but it helped to bring in a few characters to show that they survived the Red Wedding. There will be a small time skip next chapter since all of the characters will be meeting in Winterfell to discuss the war which will take after the books rather than the show so we will be getting characters who didn't appear in the show. I also reworked the Red Wedding chapter as I realized that tow characters who died in that chapter, Wendel Manderly and Smalljon Umber, who also died in the books, were in King's Landing on the mission to save Sansa. So I reworked the chapter to change those characters to Wendel's brother Wylis and Smalljon's brother who while he does have brothers in the books are not named.