4:40 in the afternoon.
The sky was overcast, with heavy clouds hanging low overhead.
The distant thunder had grown louder. A torrential downpour was only moments away.
Roughly three kilometers from the western castle of the Twins, the Northern army was methodically setting up camp.
On an open stretch of ground near the edge of the encampment, Galon and Rodrik stood glaring at one another, locked in what appeared to be a heated argument.
At least, that was what the Frey servant waiting nearby with Harlaw's horse believed he was seeing.
"What are they arguing about?"
The servant frowned to himself.
Walder Frey had ordered him to overhear the conversation between Galon and Harlaw if possible.
Unfortunately, the strengthening wind that preceded the coming storm scattered most of their voices.
No matter how hard he strained his ears, all he could hear was the whistle of the wind.
From where he stood, he could only see the two men confronting each other with tense expressions.
About fifteen minutes later, Rodrik waved a dismissive hand and turned away with an annoyed expression.
As he passed the Frey servant, he let out a cold snort.
"We're going back."
Without waiting for a reply, Harlaw mounted his horse and galloped toward the Twins.
The servant sighed helplessly, glanced once more at Galon's grim face, then mounted his own horse and followed.
By coincidence, they crossed paths halfway with Ser Patrek, who was leading a group of servants delivering food and wine to the Northern soldiers.
The two groups rode past each other without stopping.
As for Galon, he had already learned everything Rodrik could tell him about the Freys' preparations.
Because of Roose's constant vigilance, Harlaw did not know every detail of the evening's plan.
One thing, however, was certain.
The soldiers stationed in the eastern and western castles had not been concentrated in one place.
When Roose had left the Crossing with five thousand troops, over two thousand had belonged to House Bolton.
The remainder consisted of soldiers from various Riverlands houses, including House Darry, House Goodbrook, and several lesser lords.
Many of those families had once served House Targaryen.
Although they had sworn allegiance to the Iron Throne after Robert's Rebellion, their loyalty to House Tully had never been especially strong.
Even so, they felt little more loyalty toward House Frey.
Because of this, Walder Frey had stationed those forces in the eastern castle while leaving only part of them there as a garrison.
The western castle itself contained roughly two thousand soldiers.
Tonight's feast would also be held inside the great hall of the western castle.
After hearing this intelligence, Galon quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
If all six thousand Frey and Bolton troops had been concentrated in the western castle, taking it without catastrophic losses would have been nearly impossible.
He stood silently for a moment, thinking through every detail.
Only when the first cold raindrops struck his face did he come back to himself.
"So, it's begun."
Looking up toward the heavy clouds, Galon allowed the icy rain to sharpen his focus before turning toward his command tent.
Inside the command tent, Lady Mormont, Greatjon Umber, Lord Cerwyn, and the other lords had already been waiting for some time.
"Well?"
Lady Mormont asked immediately.
"What did Harlaw tell you?"
Galon nodded and repeated everything Rodrik had revealed.
"The great hall in the western castle can hold around eight hundred people.
But there are at least two thousand soldiers stationed throughout the castle."
The moment he finished speaking, everyone's expressions darkened.
"My lord," Lord Cerwyn said worriedly, "are we really going inside?"
"The Freys and Bolton will never allow us to bring many men with us.
If only a few hundred, or even a few dozen, enter the castle, then even if Lord Rickard manages to open the gates, we'll all be dead before our army arrives."
Lord Blackwood nodded in agreement.
"My lord," he urged, "I know your courage is beyond question. But once we're inside those walls, personal valor won't matter."
"They outnumber us, and they have crossbows. They'll overwhelm us almost immediately."
Galon had already considered every one of these concerns.
"You're right. It is dangerous."
His eyes swept across everyone present.
"Which is exactly why, the moment we enter the feast, we must seize Walder Frey and Roose Bolton.
Only then can we buy enough time."
Lord Blackwood frowned.
"Even then, it's madness.
My lord, forgive my bluntness, but even if the plan succeeds, most of us who enter that castle won't survive.
I propose we gather our forces and storm the castle instead."
Galon immediately shook his head.
"Storm it? How?"
He looked directly at Blackwood.
"The Twins sit astride the Green Fork. The castles are among the strongest fortifications in Westeros.
Even if our infiltrators help us capture the western castle, they can simply retreat into the eastern one.
What do we do then?"
He paused before continuing.
"The Lannisters are right behind us.
The Freys and Bolton may learn the true outcome of the Green Fork at any moment.
We don't have the luxury of a prolonged siege. We must take the risk. At the very least, we have to rescue Lord Edmure."
His voice grew heavier.
"Otherwise, we Northerners can simply march home."
"But what about the Riverlands?"
"Don't forget, Kevan Lannister is dead. Even if you wished to surrender now, the Lannisters might not accept it.
As your ally, I cannot stand by while the Freys deliver you to the Lannisters as gifts."
Lord Blackwood's face darkened.
"My lord... why didn't you stop Lord Rickard?"
Galon answered calmly.
"How was I supposed to stop a father from avenging his sons? And besides, weren't you standing there yourself?"
Blackwood fell silent.
His own men had died beneath Lannister swords. Not only had he failed to stop Rickard, he had even cheered him on.
Now they had no choice but to see the matter through.
Seeing his discomfort, Galon eased the tension. "Fortunately, we aren't without advantages."
Looking around the tent, he continued in a much lighter tone. "My lords, do I truly strike you as someone eager to die?"
Once every eye was on him, Galon revealed his final card.
"I still have another ally inside the Twins besides Harlaw. He'll open the gates for us.
If necessary, he'll even seize control of the bridge towers and prevent movement between the eastern and western castles.
Once the castles are isolated, all we have to do is hold Walder Frey and Roose Bolton hostage until our army enters.
According to my information, although the great hall can accommodate eight hundred people, there's a small chamber on its western side.
It can hold at most one hundred.
The entrance is extremely narrow. No more than three or four men can enter at once.
If we hold that room, we can survive until our reinforcements arrive."
Galon carefully laid out every remaining step of the operation.
When he finished, however, the others still looked uneasy. The risks remained enormous.
"My lords," Galon said, his voice growing firm, "we are descendants of the First Men."
"The blood of honor runs through our veins.
Are we really going to stand by and watch oathbreakers trample our honor beneath their feet?"
His sharp gaze swept across the room.
"You may tolerate it. I, Galon Glover, will not."
Those words left everyone with little room for hesitation.
Greatjon slammed one fist into his open palm with a thunderous crack. "Then let's do it!"
"If the Protector of the King isn't afraid, why should I be? My life is yours."
Lady Mormont nodded.
Lord Blackwood and the others followed shortly afterward.
At this point, they could only trust Galon and see the plan through to the end. Whether they lived or died would be left to the will of the Old Gods.
Lord Cerwyn finally spoke.
"My lord, getting us inside won't be difficult. But are you certain your intelligence is reliable?"
"What if..."
Galon cut him off.
"There are no 'what ifs.' Everything I know came directly from Ser Patrek Frey of the Kingsguard.
He was cast aside by House Frey and forced to leave for Sea Dragon Point.
I was the one who recommended him for King Robb's Kingsguard.
King Robb showed him nothing but kindness. The Freys treated him like a servant.
He knows exactly where his loyalty belongs."
There was no longer any reason to conceal Patrek's involvement. Galon openly explained the plan they had devised together.
As everyone listened, the atmosphere gradually improved.
"If that's the case," Lord Cerwyn said quietly, "then for the North, we'll see this through."
"That's right."
"We'll settle things with those Frey jackals."
House Blackwood still honored the Old Gods, and the blood of the First Men still flowed fiercely through their veins.
Galon smiled.
"Rest assured. We're going to win.
My lords, there's little time left. Choose your men... Not many. But only the best.
As soon as we leave, I'll send word to Lord Rickard to bring the hidden army into position."
Everyone nodded.
At that moment, hurried footsteps sounded outside.
A soldier called from beyond the tent. "My lord! The Twins have delivered food and wine!"
Galon exchanged a glance with the others. "I know. I'll inspect it myself."
Once the soldier departed, Galon lowered his voice.
"To be safe, don't let the men eat anything from the Twins. We can't rule out poison."
Lady Mormont and the others nodded.
Together, they stepped outside.
When Galon saw that the supplies had been delivered by Ser Patrek himself, a faint smile crossed his face.
Finding an excuse to send the other Frey servants elsewhere, he quietly approached Patrek.
"My lord," Patrek whispered, "I've gathered a few trustworthy men inside the family."
"They aren't important people, but several of them are assigned to guard the bridge towers tonight."
Making certain no one was nearby, Patrek reported everything he had accomplished over the past several days.
After returning to the Twins, he had remained quietly in his old quarters for two days.
Only after confirming that no one was paying attention had he begun contacting old friends.
Thanks to Walder Frey's enormous family, the web of relationships inside the Twins was incredibly complicated.
The direct descendants constantly competed to win Walder's favor.
Every profitable position had already been claimed by his sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons.
Collateral branches like Patrek either performed the lowest jobs or left to seek fortunes elsewhere.
Those who remained were mostly common soldiers. Recruiting them had therefore required very little persuasion.
Of course, none of them yet knew what Patrek truly intended.
"Excellent.
The feast begins around six-thirty. I'll arrive at the Twins precisely on schedule.
You'll make your way to the stables beside the main gate around six-forty.
Someone will be waiting there."
Galon quickly continued.
"Our army should reach the castle around seven. Lower the drawbridge at that time.
Once our men enter, immediately lead part of them to seize the bridge towers.
Prevent the Freys from escaping or the eastern castle from sending reinforcements.
The rest will eliminate the Frey guards."
When it's all over, you'll become the new Lord of the Twins."
Patrek's eyes burned with excitement.
"My lord. I swear I'll lower the bridge. No later than seven-thirty, our men will reach the great hall."
Galon nodded.
Seeing others approaching, he suddenly raised his voice and barked a few harsh orders before walking away.
Soon afterward, Patrek supervised the unloading of the food and wine before leading the empty wagons back toward the Twins.
On the return journey, Roose and Walder, still unwilling to leave anything to chance, summoned Rodrik once again to ask about his conversation with Galon.
Following Galon's instructions, Rodrik answered with obvious irritation.
"That fool actually demanded I swear by the Old Gods.
What a joke.
Our alliance was with Winterfell. Who exactly does Glover think he is?"
Roose patiently soothed him.
Only after Harlaw's anger had visibly subsided did Roose begin asking careful questions.
When nothing useful emerged, he dismissed him.
Once Harlaw had left the hall, Roose turned toward Walder.
"I told you already," Walder said smugly from his seat.
"The Iron Islands and House Glover have hated each other for generations.
Whatever arrangement Greyjoy made, it was with House Stark. Not Galon Glover.
Are you satisfied now?"
Roose nodded.
"Even so, this is too important to become careless. There should be fewer Ironborn at tonight's feast."
Walder did not object.
The fewer unpredictable elements, the better.
Had Rodrik not been a useful partner, Walder would never have invited him at all.
"Fifty."
Walder made the decision.
"Together with the men from House Darry and the others, that'll make one hundred.
If they want to eat House Frey's supper, they ought to pay something in return."
His aged eyes gleamed with cruelty.
"Once Glover and the others are captured, they'll be the first ordered to kill.
They'll prove their loyalty with blood. And if they refuse..."
His cold smile said the rest.
Ignoring Walder's amusement, Roose added another reminder.
"And Lord Edmure...
I believe he's begun to suspect something. It would be better if he doesn't appear tonight."
Walder licked his dry lips.
"I've already had sleeping wine mixed into his drink.
He'll sleep until morning. And by sunrise, everything will already be decided."
Roose finally relaxed.
"Then everything is in place.
Once Galon is captured, the troops in the eastern castle will immediately cross over.
Under cover of darkness, they'll attack the camp outside."
Before he could finish, a tremendous clap of thunder exploded overhead.
Boom!
Rain that had only fallen in scattered drops suddenly became a torrential downpour.
Walder burst into laughter.
"The gods truly favor us."
"With rain like this, even if they try to run, where could they possibly escape?"
Even Roose nodded in agreement.
"It's time."
"Let's make our preparations."
The two men rose and began directing their servants as the feast was readied.
Meanwhile, Galon watched the rain intensify outside. A smile slowly spread across his face.
'The gods are with us.'
'The rain will conceal both our movements and our footsteps.'
'Our chances just improved.'
Standing inside his tent, Galon looked at the warriors assembled before him.
"For the North!"
Every man chosen for the feast raised his weapon.
"For the North!"
The unified roar rolled through the tent, low, steady, and filled with unwavering resolve.
"Move out!"
Galon threw on his rain cloak and strode outside.
The warriors mounted their horses one after another and rode toward the Twins.
Half an hour later, after receiving Galon's signal, Lord Rickard arrived at the camp through the driving rain and joined the remaining soldiers.
"For the North!"
"Take the Twins!"
"Advance!"
Thousands of soldiers marched through the storm toward the looming fortress.
__________
Upto 20 chapters ahead on patreon :-
patreon.com/Xorath