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HOGWARTS: REGULUS LORD OF THE STARS
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American Horror: Grind Edition
The Great Hall of Riverrun no longer echoed with the songs of bards.
Blood trickled down the steps of the high dais, merging into rivulets that flowed slowly across the floor.
A heavy, metallic scent hung in the air, mixing with the smell of roasted meat and fine wine, creating a nauseating, macabre stench.
Edmure Tully stood below, staring blankly at the scene.
His hand still gripped his sword, but from start to finish, he hadn't swung it once.
Because he didn't need to.
The Frey soldiers, who moments ago had been grinning savagely about slaughtering them all, were now being sent to hell one by one by Lynn's White Walkers.
The Blackfish, Brynden Tully, stood beside him.
His weathered face wore an expression of extreme complexity.
"Lord Lynn..."
Brynden spoke with difficulty.
"These... sons of House Frey..."
He pointed to the Frey men who had thrown down their weapons, kneeling on the floor, weeping, soiling themselves in terror.
Among them was "Black Walder" and dozens of Walder Frey's other sons and grandsons.
And, of course, the pitiable daughters of House Frey.
Lynn's gaze swept over the shivering remnants of House Frey.
He saw the fear in their eyes, the despair, and the deep-seated malice hidden beneath it.
He smiled.
"Ser Brynden, how do you think traitors should be dealt with?"
Brynden fell silent.
By Westerosi tradition, for a heinous crime like violating Guest Right, the main perpetrators must die. The house would be stripped of its lands and titles, never to rise again.
Betraying one's liege lord carried the same penalty.
Both were capital crimes.
But to exterminate them root and stem...
It wouldn't sound good if word got out...
"Walder certainly deserves to die ten thousand deaths," Brynden finally squeezed out through gritted teeth.
"But... isn't this going a bit far?"
Lynn looked like he had heard a funny joke.
"Ser, this is exactly what is needed."
Except for Walder's pitiful daughters, who had suffered enough bullying and oppression, every male of House Frey deserved what was coming.
Letting a tiger return to the mountain was never an option.
Lynn walked up to one of the kneeling Frey sons.
It was "Black Walder," the one who had just been screaming for revenge.
"Black Walder, is it?"
Black Walder trembled violently, not daring to look Lynn in the eye.
"You had courage a moment ago."
Lynn's voice held a playful tone.
He reached out and gently patted Black Walder's cheek.
The touch made Black Walder shake like a leaf in a storm.
"Tell me. If you had won today..."
"How would you have dealt with the Tullys?"
Faced with Lynn's question, Black Walder opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
This wasn't a question he could answer freely.
Lynn was just making sure he understood why he was dying.
What would he have done?
He would have killed Edmure, killed Brynden, killed every Tully man.
Then, he would have given Catelyn and the other Tully women to his soldiers to be raped and abused.
Finally, he would have burned Riverrun to the ground, erasing House Tully from the face of the earth.
Just like the Lannisters did to the Reynes.
"It seems you already know the answer."
Lynn withdrew his hand, his smile turning cold.
He turned to face all the Tully bannermen, his voice echoing through the Great Hall.
"My Lords, listen to me."
"I, Lynn, am not a bloodthirsty man."
"But neither am I a soft-hearted fool."
"If I let any of them go today, it would be irresponsible to you, to the Riverlands, and to the future of the North!"
Lynn's gaze swept over everyone present.
"From this day forth, House Frey will disappear from the map of Westeros!"
"Their castles, their lands, their wealth..."
Lynn paused.
"Will be shared among you! Among all the warriors loyal to the North and to House Tully!"
"But only if you do your part!"
"I never give handouts for free."
This statement was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating massive waves!
All the Tully bannermen held their breath, disbelief and wild joy exploding in their eyes!
The Frey wealth!
Holed up in the Twins for centuries, exacting tolls on that damned bridge—how much gold had the Freys accumulated?
It was a fortune enough to make every noble in the Riverlands green with envy!
And now, Lynn was saying he would give it all to them?!
They never dreamed they would get a share!
"Lord Lynn is wise!"
"House Frey deserves it!"
"Traitors should meet such an end!"
The nobles, who moments ago had reservations about extermination, instantly changed their tunes.
Knightly honor? Mercy?
In the face of tangible profit, those things were worthless!
They looked at the kneeling Frey men not with pity, but with greedy green eyes.
Those weren't people.
Those were walking vaults of gold!
Lynn watched with satisfaction.
This was exactly the effect he wanted.
Use Frey blood to feed this pack of Riverlands wolves.
Tie them to his war chariot through sheer profit.
If he succeeded, they got soup.
Simple logic.
From now on, Lynn was their interest.
In other words:
No Riverlands noble would stand by if Lynn was in danger.
Anyone who moved against Lynn moved against the entire nobility of the Riverlands!
"Do it."
Lynn gave the final order to the White Walkers behind him.
"Don't make it too quick."
The Walkers raised their ice swords again.
This time, they were met not with resistance, but with desperate wails and heart-rending pleas for mercy.
Lynn didn't watch any longer.
He walked over to Edmure and Brynden.
"Lord Edmure, Ser Blackfish."
"Riverrun is in your hands now."
"I need you to immediately consolidate all Tully forces."
"Three days from now, I want to see your banners beneath the walls of the Twins."
"The Twins?" Brynden was confused.
"Most of the Frey men are dead here."
"What... do we still need to do at the Twins?"
"Finish the job."
A cold killing intent flashed in Lynn's eyes.
"Walder Frey has countless bastards scattered across the Riverlands."
"I want you to find every single one of them."
"Every male, young or old, is to be executed."
"I want the name 'Frey' to be history."
Brynden and Edmure felt a chill run down their spines.
Ruthless.
This was even more ruthless than Tywin Lannister!
This was truly ripping out the roots, taking the soil with them, leaving nothing behind!
"What? Can't do it?"
Seeing the hesitation on their faces, Lynn's tone became slightly mocking.
"If you think it dirties your hands..."
"I don't mind letting my guards do it for you."
"No! We can do it!"
Edmure gritted his teeth, almost shouting the words.
His eyes were bloodshot.
Thinking of his father's miserable death, thinking of how close House Tully came to annihilation...
There was only endless hatred in his heart.
Mercy?
For pigs and dogs like the Freys, what mercy was there to speak of?!
They didn't deserve it!
"Good."
Lynn patted Edmure's shoulder.
"Remember, mercy to the enemy is cruelty to yourself."
"Robb's army is on the way."
"When you join forces, strike the Twins with the fury of a storm."
"Burn their castle to the ground!"
"Hang their bodies from the walls!"
"I want all of Westeros to know the price of betrayal!"