The dungeons of The Twins.
It was even damper here than the Black Cells of the The Red Keep.
Cold, damp water seeped from the cracks in the stone, pooling on the floor in stagnant puddles that smelled of mildew.
The back of Edmure's head was throbbing painfully.
Every heartbeat pulled at the nerves there.
It felt like someone was repeatedly striking him with a warhammer.
He was confined in a narrow cell, his hands and feet bound by heavy iron chains.
"Awake?"
An aged voice came from outside the bars.
Walder Frey's wrinkled old face, like a dried-out ghost mask, was pressed against the bars.
His pair of cloudy little eyes glittered with unconcealed malice and schadenfreude.
"My future good son-in-law, how do you feel?"
Old Walder's address made Edmure's stomach churn.
"Lord Frey, what kind of promise did my sister give you that made you so willing?"
"What she can give you, I, a lord, can also give you!"
Old Walder shook his head.
"No, child, you can't give it."
"Can you give me Lysa's flesh?"
"Will you personally move against House Tully because of the hatred between Hoster and me?"
"Can you bear an heir to the Vale?"
"Do you really think you are a lord?"
"You are only one in name right now; the King's decree has not yet been issued."
"As long as you are obedient, not only will the The Riverlands be mine, but I can also gain a foothold in Lysa's Vale."
"All of this only requires dealing with that brat Lynn. His group of wildlings don't even have decent weapons and armor; they are nothing to fear. Not to mention that Balon of the Iron Islands is already preparing."
"Iron Islands, the Vale, the The Riverlands—a three-pronged attack! I don't believe anyone can withstand it!"
"So, my good son-in-law, as long as you are willing to obey, everything can pass peacefully."
"But if you are disobedient... hehe..."
"I'd like to see if the bones of the lord of riverrun are harder than those of ordinary men."
"Tell me, should I test the hardness of your bones right now?"
Edmure ignored him, simply turning his head away.
He finally understood why Old Walder supported Lysa.
It was a joke; he couldn't give Old Walder any of those things!
First, he was not a woman, so he couldn't satisfy Old Walder, who had nothing to do but want to sire children, nor could he satisfy his perverse desire to conquer the mistress of the Vale.
Second, he could not bear children with inheritance rights to the Vale, and as long as he was controlled, the The Riverlands would also belong to this old dog... Money could not buy him; talking was useless. He could only express his stance through action.
"Oh ho, hehe, quite spirited."
Old Frey was not angry.
He clapped his hands, and two burly, fierce-looking members of House Frey walked in and opened the cell door.
One of them was one of Walder Frey's most notorious sons, "Black Walder."
"Father sent me to teach you what obedience means."
Black Walder sneered, pulling a leather whip with barbs from his waist.
"Crack!"
The whip tore through the air and struck Edmure's back fiercely.
The prison uniform instantly ripped, and a bloody welt immediately appeared.
The intense pain caused Edmure's body to arch sharply, but he gritted his teeth tightly, not letting out a single whimper.
"Oh, you can endure quite a bit."
Black Walder became intrigued.
"Crack!"
"Crack!"
"Crack!"
The whip fell again and again, each strike drawing a spray of blood.
Edmure's back quickly became a bloody mess, and his consciousness began to fade.
He thought of his father, his uncle, and the trout banner of Riverrun fluttering in the wind.
"Family, Duty, Honor..."
He repeated the words in a voice only he could hear.
These three words were his last spiritual pillar.
"Still chanting your ridiculous motto?"
Black Walder looked as if he had heard a joke.
He stopped whipping, squatted down, grabbed Edmure's hair, and forced him to look up.
"Your family?"
"Your sister will lie on my father's bed, begging like a dog just to gain the support of House Frey."
"Your honor?"
Black Walder spat on Edmure's face.
"Your honor is right here under my feet, worthless!"
Edmure's eyes snapped open, instantly filling with bloodshot veins.
"You... lie!"
"Lying?" Black Walder smiled even more cruelly.
"It seems you can't see the situation clearly."
"I'll let you see with your own eyes whether or not I am lying."
He stood up and winked at the other member of House Frey.
The man brought in a banner from outside.
It was the trout banner of House Tully.
Black Walder took the banner and waved it in front of Edmure.
Then, right in front of Edmure, he unfastened his trousers.
Using the banner that symbolized the honor of House Tully, he wiped his filthy groin.
"No—!"
Edmure let out a heart-rending roar.
He struggled like a madman, the chains clanging loudly as he pulled them.
He wanted to rush forward, to tear the two bastards who defiled his family's honor into pieces.
But he was tightly chained; there was nothing he could do.
He could only watch helplessly as the banner was thrown onto the ground and stepped on in the filthy mud.
Edmure's spiritual pillar completely collapsed at that moment... In the woods beside the riverbank, a luxurious tent had been temporarily set up.
Incense burned inside the tent, but the fragrance could not conceal the decaying stench of age and lust emanating from Walder Frey.
Lysa was naked, allowing the hand, withered like a chicken's claw, to roam over her body.
Her eyes were closed, but the face that appeared in her mind was Petyr's, handsome and ambitious.
"Hehe... I never thought that old man Hoster could sire a daughter as fine as you..."
Walder Frey's voice sounded, panting right next to her ear.
"The women of Riverrun truly are different..."
"Is Catelyn the same as you?"
Lysa's body stiffened for a moment, then relaxed again.
She opened her eyes.
Looking at the old face pressed against her, a flicker of barely noticeable disgust crossed her eyes.
But Lysa curved her lips into a seductive smile.
"Lord Frey, as long as you enjoy it."
Her voice was sickeningly sweet.
"As long as you help me secure the The Riverlands, never mind me, even my sister—if you want her, I can send her to you."
"She will certainly come to Riverrun."
"Hahahaha!"
Old Walder let out a triumphant cackle.
"Good! What an opportunistic woman!"
"Don't worry. As long as your useless brother is willing to obey and announces his marriage to my daughter."
"I guarantee that in the entire The Riverlands, apart from House Frey, no one will dare to say no to you!"
"A lord of House Tully becoming my son-in-law by marriage..."
"Hehe, if that old fool Hoster knew, he'd probably be so angry he'd swim back!"
A hint of satisfaction flashed in Lysa's eyes.
"His bones have been eaten by fish. How can he rise from the dead and swim back?"
Lysa's thoughts drifted.
Father, do you see this?
House Frey, which you despised the most, is now my strongest ally.
Your most prideful son is about to become the laughingstock of the entire Seven Kingdoms.
House Tully, which you guarded your whole life, will soon change its name to Arryn, or perhaps... Frey.
This is the result of you forcing me!
If you had only agreed back then, none of this would have happened.
You caused all of this!
You deserve it!
...After an unknown period, Edmure awoke from his unconsciousness.
He was brought out of the dungeon, changed into clean clothes, and seated in The Twins's banquet hall, famous throughout the Seven Kingdoms.
The hall was brightly lit, and the long tables were laden with rich food and fine wine.
The descendants of House Frey, along with the vassals of House Tully who had been summoned overnight, were all gathered.
Everyone was smiling, and the atmosphere appeared warm and peaceful.
Edmure sat expressionlessly in the seat of honor, like a puppet on strings.
Beside him sat Walder Frey and his sister, Lysa Arryn.
His back was still burning with pain.
But worse than the physical pain was the spiritual humiliation.
Yes, he had finally compromised.
After enduring a full night of torture, he finally signed the "alliance" drafted jointly by Lysa and Walder Frey.
As the lord of riverrun, he would announce an alliance with the Vale to jointly oppose the "tyranny" from King's Landing and destroy Lynn, the upstart who "framed" Petyr!
At the same time, he would marry Walder Frey's youngest daughter, Roslin Frey.
Of course, it would only be a marriage in name, not to be consummated.
His current status was lower than that of a dog.
Furthermore, old Walder held his "Covenant."
Though called a covenant, it was actually his confession.
It included how he "killed" his own father to seize power... If he refused, Lysa would destroy House Tully.
Without the support of House Tully, dealing with him would only be a minor inconvenience for her; he knew this better than anyone now.
What he had to do now was first ensure House Tully survived, and then find the right time to tell everyone the truth!
He had tampered with the envelope sent to Winterfell; his eldest sister Catelyn would definitely sense something was wrong, and she would certainly bring soldiers when she came here.
At that time, it would be the perfect opportunity!
He decided to temporarily endure the humiliation.
When the time came, he wouldn't mind letting Lysa taste his wrath!
"My Lords! My Lords!"
Walder Frey shakily stood up and raised his cup.
The hall instantly fell silent.
"Today is a good day!"
Old Frey's voice was sharp and excited.
"Not only have we welcomed the new master of Riverrun, Lord Edmure!"
"We shall also witness House Tully and House Frey, the two oldest houses in the The Riverlands, forging an unbreakable alliance of blood!"
The vassals below erupted in cheers and applause.
Most of them were unaware of the bloodshed that had occurred on the riverbank last night.
They merely thought this was a political move by the newly appointed Lord Edmure, eager to win over the powerful House Frey to consolidate his position.
This was quite reasonable.
One might even say, it was very shrewd.
With House Frey supporting Edmure, anyone wishing to cause trouble would have to think twice!
Unfortunately, the daughters of House Frey were notoriously ugly; it was hard to describe.
"Lord Edmure will marry my most beloved daughter, Roslin!"
"Our two houses will join forces to jointly protect the peace and honor of the The Riverlands!"
The applause grew even louder.
Roslin?
The woman who was naturally delicate, fair-skinned, pretty-faced, with long chestnut hair and brown eyes?
Now no one thought old Walder was putting on a show.
Because this daughter was the only one old Walder had who was presentable.
Such looks paired with a Lord like Edmure were reasonable enough.
Edmure looked at the familiar faces below the dais.
They were the vassals of House Tully; their ancestors had fought alongside his ancestors.
But now, they were applauding his shame.
A metallic taste rose in his throat, and Edmure forcibly swallowed it down.
He knew that from this moment on, he was no longer the lord of riverrun.
He was merely a pathetic puppet.
Now he relied entirely on his eldest sister Catelyn... The North, Winterfell.
A raven flew through the gray sky and landed on the highest watchtower of Winterfell.
The letter was quickly delivered into the hands of Robb Stark.
When Catelyn Tully saw the familiar wax seal on the letter, her heart plummeted.
It was a letter from Riverrun.
She tremblingly tore open the envelope, her blue eyes quickly scanning the paper.
Then, her body swayed, and she nearly lost her footing.
"Mother!"
Robb quickly reached out and steadied her.
"What is it?"
"My father... he..."
Catelyn's voice was filled with uncontrollable trembling and grief, and tears streamed down her face.
"He has passed away."
Robb's mind went blank.
Lord Hoster... Although he had only met him a few times, he was still his grandfather.
He took the letter and quickly read it through.
The letter was written by Uncle Edmure, the handwriting as messy and chaotic as ever.
The letter stated that Father Hoster Tully had died of illness.
Aunt Lysa Arryn had arrived at Riverrun for the funeral.
And he, Edmure Tully, as the new lord of riverrun, had decided to marry into House Walder Frey to consolidate stability in the The Riverlands.
The letter concluded with a gracious invitation from Edmure.
The event was set for just fifteen days later.
As the eldest daughter of House Tully, Catelyn had to return to Riverrun immediately to attend her father's memorial service and witness her brother's wedding.
Everything seemed perfectly reasonable.
But Robb smelled something extremely dangerous in it.
"Mother, you cannot go back."
Robb's voice was utterly firm.
"What did you say?"
Catelyn jerked her head up, looking at her son in disbelief.
"That is my father! And Riverrun is my home!"
"No, Mother, don't rush. This is too fast!"
Robb slammed the letter onto the table.
"Grandfather has been ill for a long time, four or five years, if I recall correctly?"
"And if I'm not mistaken, his health improved last year. There's no reason for him to suddenly pass away."
"Why did he die immediately after Aunt Lysa arrived at Riverrun?"
"And Uncle Edmure!"
"He just inherited the lordship; his foundation isn't stable. Why is he in such a hurry to marry into House Frey?"
"All of Westeros knows that Walder Frey is a greedy, cunning old fox; he never makes a bad deal!"
"He wouldn't agree unless there was something in it for him."
"Edmure must have promised Walder something!"
"This letter is suspicious in every way!"
"Robb!"
Catelyn's voice suddenly rose.
Grief and anger caused her to lose her composure.
"Those are my family! My father is dead, and my brother is getting married, I must go back!"
"This is a trap!"
Robb practically roared.
"Mother, if you go back now, you're walking straight into a snare!"
"Let me be blunt with you."
"There is definitely something fishy going on!"
"I don't care!"
Catelyn snatched the letter back, her eyes filled with determination.
"I am a daughter of House Tully, and I must return!"
"Even if it's a trap, I will walk through it!"
During their argument, the letter was torn apart.
A small slip of paper hidden in a false bottom appeared before them.
"What! Edmure has been taken control of?"
"No, I must go there!"
It would have been better if she hadn't seen the note, but after Catelyn read it, she became even more agitated.
Watching his mother, Robb felt a deep sense of helplessness.
The members of House Tully... they always act rashly.
This was too foolish... He thought of Lynn.
If Lynn were here, he would surely find a way to persuade his mother.
But he had received a letter three days ago stating that his father and Lynn would return to Winterfell as soon as possible to discuss the upcoming battle plans.
But no matter how fast they were, they couldn't possibly return to Winterfell within fifteen days, could they?
What if he detained his mother first?
Once the thought appeared, it refused to leave.
He would take the beating if he had to; it was better than watching his mother walk straight into a trap... Robb's gaze hardened.
If his mother insisted on going, he would lock Catelyn up first and wait until his father returned!
That settled it!
He accepted the punishment!
Robb paced restlessly around the room; he urgently needed someone to consult with.
Someone who could help him analyze the situation.
Theon.
That was the first name that popped into his head.
He spun around abruptly and rushed out the door.
"Theon! Where is Theon Greyjoy?!"
He shouted at the Guard outside.
Several Guard exchanged glances.
One of them hesitated for a moment before answering carefully.
"My Lord... Lord Theon... he rode out early this morning, saying he was going hunting in the woods..."
"Alone?"
"Yes... yes, alone."
Robb's heart sank instantly.
At this crucial moment?
He quickly rushed into Theon's tent.
The tent was empty, and the bedding was neatly made.
But the dagger on the table, which he never parted with and was engraved with the kraken sigil, was gone.
The map of the Iron Islands hanging on the wall was also missing.
Theon Greyjoy ran away?
Damn it!
He knew better than anyone what Theon running meant.
He was the ward of the Iron Islands!
If that was the case, were the Iron Islands involved too?
Robb immediately shouted in panic.
"Everyone, hurry and chase him!"
"Do not let Theon get away from me!"
Meanwhile, a major event occurred in King's Landing.
King Robert had broken his leg and was gored by a boar, leaving him critically injured!
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