FicWad

Chapter 28: the Late Walder Frey gets what's coming to him
SAM

I awoke confined to a cell in an unknown location. My attire had been replaced by rough spun woolen robe that was of a brownish hue. My mask was not present. I can only surmise that the person who had relieved me of my clothes, has also absconded with my mask. I soon learned the identity of my abductors when the door opened to allow the ingress of a man dressed in similar attire as myself. This man had a heptagram carved into his forehead and was armed with a short device that’s purpose was obviously to inflict flagellation.

“Confess!” commanded my tormenter.


JON

Lady Whent was not pleased to offer us hospitality, but could not refuse the King. Harrenhal’s dungeons were oversized, like everything else about this castle and with a little crowding could accommodate all of the prisoners we had taken in the battle. It was surprising that there were so few Freys amongst them. Apparently, there had not been that many Freys to begin with, except amongst the leaders of this insurrection, and most of them had been burned to death in Edric’s firebombing runs.
Once the prisoners were secure, the King wanted to celebrate our victory with a feast. I thought interrogating the prisoners should be our next priority, but as leading general of the army, I could not escape the King’s rowdy presence. The same held true for Bran, the Lord Paramount of the Riverlands and for Edric, who had been publicly seen producing a second Field of Fire. So we had to endure the endless drinking and toasts. I could tell Lady Whent was not pleased to have this drunken revel inflicted on her either, even if her Great Hall was large enough to accommodate us. The bards that had followed both our armies were commanded by the king to form one Big Band, which provided music for the party that was a mixture of Jass tunes from Kings’ Landing, local Jazz tunes and Rokenrole songs from the North. This went on for hours before the King staggered away from the party with one of the whores. Bran was passed out drunk by then. But Edric and I had been able to practice some moderation. I was still on my first cup of wine and Edric had only drunk three, including the one that the King had made him chug down.
After the King Left, I went to begin interrogating the prisoners. Edric helped Bran to his room by levitating him there. As we parted ways, Edric apologized for getting too drunk to help me and promised to do so in the morning.


EDRIC

Ugh! That party went on way too long! In fact, it was still going on!. My father, the King had kept drawing attention to me, telling everyone that I was his natural born son and how the Targaryans had dragons and now we have wizards! I tried not to get drunk, but the King wouldn’t let me, even made me chug a cup of wine with him. Bran and Jojen drunk until they were passed out. Jon wanted to interrogate the prisoners tonight, but I was too drunk to do that safely. I levitated Bran back to our room. I would come back for Jojen. I had staked out a room for us that was near the top of a melted tower and was inaccessible without flight. But first I had to get rid of all the bats and cast a few scurgifies. Once that was done, I remembered the Hoares that had died here. I had thought they might be ghosts. But only wizards became ghosts after death. Nevertheless, I called them up one by one and sent them on to the afterlife. The entire castle felt more cheerful after that. Or maybe it’s the wine kicking in. I’m really drunk . . .


The next morning I was very grateful that I had the foresight to make some hangover potions before we left Riverrun. When we interrogated the prisoners, we found that there really were fewer that expected Freys amongst them and that Septon Walder was amongst those I had roasted in fiendfyre. The Late Walder Frey had kept most of his troops at home, guarding the Twins.
I also became the subject of an interrogation, myself, as we were accosted by Bran’s great Uncle, Brynden.

“I’d like to speak with Bran alone,” said the Blackfish.

“It’s alright,” replied Bran. “I trust Jojen, Jon and Edric completely. Anything you can say to me, you can say in from of them.”

”Very well,” huffed the Blackfish. “I’m concerned about this magic business. I want to make sure you are not using it to control Bran. If you were, that would give you control of the Riverlands.”

“Lord Tully, I can assure you that none us are using magic to control Bran in any way,” I explained. “Bran is my best friend and my student, I don’t use magic to control him and because he’s a Lord, I don’t have as much control over him as a professor normally would over a student.”

“Bran agreed to let me be his general because I know how to lead armies and because of his age,” said Jon. “I may give him the best advice I can, but in the end, HE is Lord Paramount and we follow his orders.”

“I think Lady Margaery controls him,” offered Jojen.

“Yes, she does,” agreed Bran.

“What do you mean?” asked the Blackfish, with concern. “How does she control you?”

“You know. With the marriage bed,” replied Bran, with a blush. “After spending a night in bed with her, I agree with pretty much anything she wants, because I want her to do that to me again the next night.”

Ser Brynden just burst out laughing at that.

“Why don’t we let Ser Bryden speak with Bran alone for a while,” offered Jon. “Just for his peace of mind, so he can be sure we’re not controlling him.”


According to Jojen’s and Bran’s divinations. We had plenty of time to make it to the Twins as Jon wanted us to arrive around the same time as Lord Stark’s Northern Army. The King was happy with this plan too. My father did find time during the noontime meals, when he was no longer hungover and not yet drunk, to engage me in conversation about what I wanted from life. He had been very pleased to see me cut loose during the battle, and kept hinting that being a magic teacher and sworn sword was not enough for me.


We also got ambushed by Lady Whent.

“I wish to speak with my nephew,” announce Lady Whent.

“Nephew?” asked Bran.

“Yes, nephew,” explained Lady Whent. “My late husband was your grandmother’s brother. That makes you my nephew by marriage. I am the last of the Whents, even though I married into the family. After I am gone, you will no doubt be petitioned by many who want Harrenhal for themselves. I would hope that you would deny them all. I would like to see this castle remain in the family. Can you promise me that it will go to one of your sons, and not be given out as a reward to some loyal Bannerman?”

(And here I was, thinking that this place would make a good location for a magic school. Not now. But maybe there will be enough of us that Bran’s grandchildren could study here?)

“Yes, Aunt Shella,” replied Bran. “I think I could agree to that.”

“And if I die before your son is grown, appoint a temporary castellan to hold it,” asked Lady Whent.

“Jon could do that!” replied Bran.

“No, no, no! I’m going to be marrying the Queen,” demurred Jon. “The Red Keep will be my Castle.”

“Well you could hold it temporarily, until you get married,” offered Bran. “But hopefully, Aunt Shella will still be alive until then.”


JON

I couldn’t believe the King would be able to engage in that many days of non-stop debauchery. And it didn’t stop once we got the army moving. While I was trying to instill discipline in the levies, training a squad each night and making them march every other hour while we were on the road, the King was bringing the party along with us. No longer were the camp followers kept to the rear, now they were mixed in with the troops. It was fortunate that we were in no hurry to get to the twins. By the time we did arrive, the Northern army had also begun to arrive. We waited until both hosts were completely assembled before beginning the assault. In the meantime, we surrounded the castle on this side of the Green Fork river and put them under siege, while the Northern army did the same to the other castle. The Freys were shooting down any ravens that flew over the castle and we were doing the same to any that left the Twins. So Edric was tasked with carrying messages to and from the other side of the river to co-ordinate our attack.
The Twins were a pair of castles with a bridge between them. There was also a moat around each castle that the river flowed through and a drawbridge that could be lowered to cross the moat. Normally, this would be a tough castle to siege or storm. In order to siege it, you have to besiege both castles on both sides of the river, which we had done.
Our plan to storm the Twins was to have Edric apparate to and from the middle of the bridge. He would then turn a rope into a portkey to the bridge. We’d use the portkey to transfer a large number of men to the bridge. Half would go one way to open the gate and lower the drawbridge. The other half would do the same on the other side of the river. I volunteered for to be at the far end of the rope so I wouldn’t kill any of our own men once we were on the bridge. Bran and Jojen would stay safely out of bowshot from the castle, guarded by Summer and Ghost, as well as a couple of squads of human guards. They would stay back and use their wands to try to take pot shots at the Frey soldiers on top of the castle.

“three, two, one” counted down Edric, before the portkey whisked us to the bridge.

It felt like being ripped to shreds by a tornado! I took all that pain and channeled into into the Dark Side. Once the pain had ended, I drew my bastard sword and charged at the double doors at the end of the bridge. With a Force push, I slammed them open and killed the armed Frey men on the other side. Once they were all down, I kept going, killing my way through the castle until I reached the outer gate. I killed everyone there, but didn’t bother with lowering the drawbridge or opening the gate. The Tully soldiers who were following me could take care of that. Instead, I kept running through the castle killing every Frey I met, man, woman or child. After I had cleared out the ground floor, I went up the stairs and did the same on the next floor up, then the next one. I kept on killing until I had cleared the castle completely. Now that I was on the roof, I looked over at the other castle. The fighting was still going on there. But it looked like most of the Northern army had breached the castle and they had thing in hand. Their half of the battle will soon be over. I sat on the roof and started to meditate. I needed to bring myself back from the Dark Side.


EDRIC

When we appeared on the Bridge, I was in the middle, but chose the group invading the South side of the Twins. Jon was in good form, dodging and weaving and leaping over his foes as his sword cut through them like a hot knife through butter. When we got to the gate, he didn’t bother to open it or lower the drawbridge.

“You two!”I commanded, indicating a couple of Tully soldiers. “Follow Ser Jon, at a distance. Do not interfere with him or he will kill you. When he gets to the top, guard the stairs, so no one can disturb him, until he is ready to come down. The rest of you, help me get the drawbridge down and this gate open!”

When we got the gate open to let the Southern Army in, my father, the King, was in the vanguard, war hammer in hand, ready to bash any Frey he could find.

“Ser Jon has got this castle in hand, your grace,” I announced. “We need to get across the bridge and aid the Northern host.

“Right! Let’s go help Ned! Charge!” yelled the King, as he raced through the castle to the bridge and across it.

I ran along side of him. By the time we got to the other gate, it was already open and the Northern army was pouring in. I fought alongside my father, until we had the castle completely subdued. It was easier than I thought it would be. I expected there to be more Freys than this. When we, the leaders of these armies, entered the Great Hall of the Northern castle, we were finally able to confront Lord Frey. In addition to myself, my father, the King was there, along with Lord Stark, his son Rob and his dire wolf, Greywind, Ser Bryden and lots of other Northern, Riverland and Crownland soldiers.

“So, it’s come to this, has it,” began Lord Frey.

“I must confess I am a bit surprised at all this,” mused Lord Stark. “You never struck me as much of a religious man.”

“Oh, I don’t give a shit about the Seven!” growled Lord Frey. “This was a power grab, pure and simple! That’s why I didn’t send many of my boys to fight in the crusade agains the tree worshipers. I just sent enough to stir things up.”

“I’m surprised at how easy it was to take the Twins,” mused the King. “I thought there were a lot more Freys than this.”

“There are,” agreed Lord Frey. “While you were busy fighting the other Riverlands Houses and coming after me, my boys have been taking Riverrun. I’m sure they have done it by now. And if my boys are anything like me, they’ve probably all taken a turn with that witch, Lady Tully, before they cut open her belly and showed her her baby. So let’s make a deal. . . . I’ll give back Riverrun, if you give me back my castle. Also I want Lord Tully and the Stark heir and you, your grace, to each marry one of my granddaughters. It doesn’t matter which one. Take your pick. I don’t give a shit which one you take.”

Everyone was fuming now. We couldn’t believe the audacity of this man. There was silence for a full minute before the KIng broke it.

“Take him!” commanded the King, as Lord Stark and Rob rushed forward to drag him out of his chair. “Take him out on his bridge!”

“You can’t do this to me!” protested Lord Frey. “I’m Lord Walder Frey, Lord of the Crossing!”

When we got the center of the bridge, the King directed the Starks to hold him so his head was pressed against a support column of the bridge.

“I Robert Baratheon, King of the Seven Kingdoms of the Andals, First men and Rhoyhim to sentence you to die! Do you have any last words?”

“My sons will avenge me! We Stand Together!” said Lord Frey.

The King took his war hammer in both hands, swung it and bashed in Lord Frey’s head!


JOFFREY

We were just finishing our break about to start our next set and Colleen still wasn’t back yet. She was still upstairs with Podrick fuckin’ Payne! Pod had been one of the recent recruits that had come as part of the new recruits from the Westlands rebellion. And the first time he tried to buy one of the girls, she liked it so much she wouldn’t take his money. Pretty soon ALL of the girls wanted to find out what the big deal was. In order to prevent them from fighting over him, he set a rule that none of them could do him again, until all the girls had a turn. But they were allowed to have him in groups, which the madame limited to three, because he wasn’t paying them. So when the band took a break, Colleen and two other girls went upstairs to have a good time with him. And she still wasn’t back yet. I had planned to sing a series of duets with her, starting with “She Loves you”. Instead, I had to start with “Wall of Boredom”, an original song I had written about being a night lookout on top of the wall. I followed that with one of the songs I hate, but is simple enough for the rest of the band to follow: “It’s only Love” Then we did: “House of the Rising Sun” and “The Citadel” before Colleen finally joined us and we could sing “The Sounds” of Silence”. We were half-way through it when I heard a scream in the distance, then someone ran into the Mole Hole and yelled:

“Wildings! Wildlings are attacking!”

“Go to the privy, jump in, and hide there until it’s safe,” I told Colleen. “I have to get back to the wall!”

“I know what to do when the Wildlings come,” replied Colleen. “I’m from this town, ya know!”

I rushed out of the bar followed by my audience.

“Go. We’ll hold them off long enough for you to get back to Castle Black,” said of the musicians who had come to hear me play. My fans were protecting me from the Wildlings!