[DUNGEON, SOMEWHERE]
[RAMSAY blows a horn, waking LORD THEON GREYJOY, who is bound to the X-shaped cross.]
Theon, who had been silent and drawn in all this time, sat up as if the horn woke him from some slumber.
"Sorry. Were you sleeping?"
"Wa-"
"Wa-? Wa-? Water? You want some water. I wish I had some for you."
[RAMSAY holds up the mug from the table next to him. He slowly pours out the water to the floor.]
"That was cruel" Sansa frowned.
"Theon's being tortured here. Nothing is going to be nice" Arya rolled her eyes.
She left out the part where she agreed that Theon deserved it all.
"Let's play a game. Which body part do you need the least?"
"I'll tell you everything, please."
"But you've already told me everything. Remember? Your daddy was mean to you. The Starks didn't appreciate you. One good bit, though. The Stark boys, they're still alive. Wouldn't that be a hunt to remember? You failed, but I'm a better hunter than you."
"Hunt?! Why would he hunt us?! Isn't he from the North?!" Bran asked in fear.
Nobody answered him, but most had an idea of why. The members of the Northern family that guessed wished it was not the case.
"Now how about your little finger? You don't use that for much, do you? No? Good. Let's start with that."
[RAMSAY works at the leather straps on THEON's right hand.]
"You've been wondering why you're here. Haven't you? Where you are. Who I am. Why I'm doing this to you? So guess. If you guess right, I'll tell you. By the old gods and the new, I swear it. You win the game if you can figure out who I am and why I'm torturing you and I win the game if you beg me to cut off your finger."
"He's Bolton's bastard, right?" Robb asked. "I remember Roose Bolton saying he would send his bastard to free Winterfell."
"I think so" Jon nods. "But Theon wouldn't know that."
"Good" Robb muttered. This torture was deserved. A turn cloak like Theon deserved it.
"If I win, you'll let me go?"
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention."
Theon couldn't help the whimper that left his lips.
[RAMSAY brandishes a knife just before THEON's chin.]
"Where are we?"
"The North."
"Too vague."
"Deepwood Motte."
"Terrible guess."
[RAMSAY tortures THEON by stabbing his right pinky finger.]
Theon cried out at the scene, though more to himself, unlike his future self.
"Now, where?"
"Last Hearth."
"Do I look like a fucking Umber to you?"
[This time, RAMSAY holds the knife in THEON's pinky finger for much longer.]
"Karhold!"
[RAMSAY stops.]
"Karhold? How did you know that? Did you see any banners flying when we came in?"
Theon relaxed visibly.
"No. It was just a guess."
"Very good, Lord Theon. And who am I?"
"Torrhen Karstark."
"He's dead. Strangled by the Kingslayer."
"He was your brother. Your father is Lord Rickard Karstark."
[RAMSAY walks away.]
"Gods," Theon said in relief.
Only to tense against when Varys mentioned how both sons of Lord Karstark had died in the war.
This bastard was lying to him! But why?!
"You swore to tell me if I-"
"You're right."
"Lord Rickard Karstark is Robb Stark's bannerman. I betrayed Robb. That's why you're torturing me."
"Yes. You win."
[THEON is relieved. RAMSAY looks dejected, but then rises suddenly, full of energy.]
"Of course, you forgot to ask one question. You forgot to ask if I'm a liar."
[RAMSAY tortures THEON by twisting his knife in the tip of THEON'S pinky finger.]
Theon grabbed said pinky finger tightly as if the thing would start to bleed out if he let go.
"I'm afraid I am. Everything I told you is a lie. This isn't happening to you for a reason. Well, one reason- I enjoy it."
"This is sick" Lyanna muttered, looking green in the face.
"That bastard sounds like he's done this before" Brandon the Elder noted.
"Shouldn't be possible. The torture and Flaying of men have been banned in the North" Ned argued.
"Banned, yes. But who'd tell you if the victims were dead and it was all done in secret?" Brandon questioned.
Ned inhaled sharply before exhaling with a growl. If this was true.
[RAMSAY stops when THEON begs for him to stop and cut it off. He smiles.]
"I win."
Theon whimpered. No... No, no, no! This could not be happening to him! Why was this happening to him?! What had he done to deserve this?!
[RIVERRUN, GREAT HALL]
[KING ROBB STARK, LADY CATELYN STARK, BRYNDEN "BLACKFISH" TULLY, LORD EDMURE TULLY, "BLACK WALDER" RIVERS, and LOTHAR FREY sit around a large table.]
"They came," Catelyn said in surprise. She didn't expect them to come after what happened.
Ned thought the same thing, though his line of thinking sent him in another direction. Why had they come willingly...
"Our father has instructed us to tell you that his alliance with the North can continue if his terms are met. Lord Frey requires a formal apology for your violation of your sacred oath to marry one of his daughters."
"A given" Brandon the Elder muttered.
"As restitution for this betrayal, he demands Harrenhal and all its attendant lands."
"Can Robb grant that?" Lyanna questioned.
"They named his King of The Trident, so I suppose he can" Rickard answered grimly. Doing so would no doubt set the Rivermen against Robb as well in some way. Harrenhal was a Castle everyone coveted.
"We are fighting for the North. Harrenhal is not in the North. It is his once the war is over and we have no further strategic need for it."
"And there's something else."
"We will do whatever we can to give Lord Frey what he needs."
[BLACK WALDER looks at EDMURE.]
"What?"
[BRYDEN, ROBB, and LOTHAR also stare at EDMURE.]
"No."
"Our father requires Lord Edmure to wed one of his daughters-Roslin."
"How old is she?"
"Nineteen."
"Could I see her first?"
"You want to count her teeth? We depart for the Twins in the morning. We need an answer before we leave and a wedding not more than a fortnight thereafter or this alliance is at an end. Father is old. It will put his heart at peace if he could see her wed to a good husband."
"Bullshit" Catelyn muttered under her breath.
"And his recent experience has made him wary of long engagements."
That made more sense to Catelyn than the old-age bullshit.
[LOTHAR and BLACK WALDER exit.]
"Why should I let that old ferret choose my bride for me? At the very least, I should be offered the same choice you were. I'm his liege lord."
"He's a proud man and we've wounded him."
"You have. He did nothing" Oberyn pointed.
"Robb is his King-"
"Do you expect King Robert to make a mistake and have Ned Stark pay for it?" Oberyn cut her off sharply. "Why must Edmure Tully pay for the mistake his nephew and King made?"
Catelyn and Robb both remained silent. The other Starks remained silent because they agreed.
Especially Arya.
She was pawned off to marry a Frey by her mother after all. Why would she need to suffer that when she had no say in it?
[BRYNDEN stands and walks to EDMURE.]
"Listen to me and listen very carefully. You-"
"Your uncle is out of line, Lady Stark" Margaery frowned. "That is his Liege Lord that he's threatening. Kin or not, such things have consequences"
"Uncle Brynden has always been... rough with my brother" Catelyn sighed. It was because of how naïve Edmure could be. And his general incompetence.
"The laws of gods and men are very clear. No man can compel another man to marry."
"The laws of my fist are about to compel your teeth."
Olenna snorted. The Blackfish was a colourful man. Olenna had heard rumours that Hoster Tully intended to ask her cousin Bethany's hand for Brynden. Good thing he hadn't. Poor Bethany would no have lasted long with this man.
"It's all right. You heard him. If you refuse, our alliance with the Freys is dead."
"He's wanted me for one of his daughters since I was 12. He's not gonna stop wanting it now. When I say no, he will come back and offer me a daughter of my choosing."
"That's a bold assumption" Doran commented. "The better choice for the Freys would be to ally themselves with the Lannisters and the best case scenario is that they would be rewarded for their loyalty to the Crown. Might even earn a Lord Paramount title, considering how the current Lord Paramount is a rebel."
Who's to say they haven't already, the thought came to Ned even without his wishes. But it was a valid thought that made him dread.
"You're willing to risk our freedom and our lives for a chance at a prettier wife?"
"A man has the right to choose his bride. His nephew's fuck ups do not take it away from him" Oberyn said with an easy smile. "You're lucky he is so agreeable. If it were me, I'd have kicked you all out and bent the knee to the Lannisters."
"Aye," Robb sighed.