In the courtyard of Riverrun.
Hundreds of female relatives of House Frey were herded together like sheep to the slaughter by Tully soldiers acting on Lynn's orders.
Dressed in plain, drab clothing, they looked no different from commoners.
It seemed they hadn't lived well under the Frey roof.
Faces devoid of color, eyes empty.
Among them were Walder Frey's countless wives and mistresses.
His dozens of daughters, granddaughters, even great-granddaughters.
Three days ago, they lived in the gloomy shadow of House Frey.
Now, they were prisoners of Lynn.
What terrible fate awaited them?
Rewarded to soldiers?
Sold to brothels in Essos?
Or... massacred in a pit like the women of House Reyne?
Fear tightened around their necks like a noose; they didn't even have the strength to cry anymore.
Roslin Frey stood at the front of the crowd, guiding these pitiable women.
She had changed into a clean servant's dress, her hair neatly combed.
Compared to her sisters—disheveled and filthy—she looked out of place.
She looked at the familiar yet strange faces, her heart a mix of emotions.
There was the sister who always comforted her.
The aunt who secretly slipped her sweets but dared not defy her father's tyranny.
And many more "relatives" with thin blood ties whose names she didn't even know.
Three days ago, she thought she was dead just like them.
Now, she stood here as the victor's handmaiden, examining their fate.
But the result was good.
Because Lord Lynn had decided to spare them.
Roslin could already imagine the ecstasy on their faces when they found out.
Thinking of this, a smile touched her lips.
She involuntarily glanced up at the black figure standing silently on the tower, watching everything.
"Lord Lynn..."
Roslin whispered to herself.
The North, Winterfell.
Ned Stark put down the secret raven scroll and let out a long breath.
He looked out at the fine snow falling outside the window.
As the Long Night approached, the weather grew harsher.
Even at noon, there was no warmth.
The letter was written in Lynn's own hand.
Few words, but shocking information.
House Frey was destroyed. Their women would be escorted to Dragonstone soon.
It even detailed how to secretly manage and supervise them.
Ned frowned deeply.
He expected a bloody purge, but Lynn's method...
Those women would receive a livelihood at the foot of the Wall, surviving by their own hands.
"This Lynn..."
Ned muttered, rubbing his brow.
Then he let out a bitter laugh.
He didn't understand Lynn's theory that "population is wealth," but he understood the meaning behind the action.
Not venting anger on women and children.
Ruthless when necessary, restrained when appropriate.
This wasn't a simple avenger; this was the hand of a qualified leader.
Perhaps Westeros truly welcomed an unprecedented master.
Once Lynn united the Vale and the Riverlands... could he finally lay down his burden?
Ned shook his head and began ordering his men to prepare for the arrivals.
...
Time flew.
Soon, the deadline arrived.
The Twins, the mighty fortress spanning the Green Fork, faced the darkest day in its centuries-long history.
Usually, this place was bustling with traffic.
Caravans and travelers from north and south flowed endlessly, contributing constant wealth to House Frey.
Today, it was deathly silent.
The drawbridges were raised high, the gates shut tight.
Shadowy figures packed the battlements—the remaining Frey garrison.
They were no longer the arrogant soldiers of three days ago.
Faces ashen, eyes full of despair.
On the plain below, a dark tide of an army spread out as far as the eye could see.
The Direwolf of the North, the Silver Trout of the Tullys, and the banners of every Riverlord snapped in the wind.
Tens of thousands stood ready in formation, cold armor reflecting grim light under the gloomy sky.
The oppressive atmosphere made the air feel thick.
Edmure Tully, in brand-new armor, sat on his warhorse at the very front.
Behind him were the Blackfish, Brynden Tully, and all the nobles of the Riverlands.
Looking at the castle where he had suffered the greatest humiliation of his life, Edmure's eyes burned with the fire of vengeance.
Three days was enough for him to regain full control of Riverrun.
With Lynn's "authorization" and the bloody reality before them, the Tully bannermen were unprecedentedly united.
They gathered their armies with incredible speed, pointing their swords straight at the Twins.
"Lord Edmure," a Northern herald rode up, shouting.
"Lord Lynn commands: The time for the assault has come!"
Edmure took a deep breath and drew his sword.
"All forces—"
However, before he could finish...
BOOM—!!!
A sound so heavy it defied description erupted from the Northern lines, instantly drowning out every other noise on the battlefield!
It sounded like an ancient beast beating a war drum, making the earth tremble!
Every Riverlands soldier, including Edmure and the Blackfish, looked in horror toward the sound.
The Northern lines slowly parted, opening a wide path.
A scene no one would ever forget unfolded.
Ten giants, over four meters tall, clad in grotesque, full-body black plate armor like moving fortresses, walked out with heavy steps.
With each footfall, the earth let out a dull boom.
They carried no weapons, just marched in unison toward the Twins, unhurried and unstoppable.
"What... what kind of monsters are those..."
A Riverlands knight's voice shook uncontrollably.
His warhorse whinnied in panic; no amount of soothing could calm it.
Not just him—horses throughout the Riverlands army were in chaos.
It was the primal fear of a creature facing a higher, stronger predator!
"Full-armored giants..."
The Blackfish's lips were dry.
He had heard Lynn commanded giants, but he never imagined such a terrifying sight.
And that was just the beginning.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
More heavy drumbeats.
Then, a line of equally massive giant archers walked out.
In their hands were longbows taller than two men, strings as thick as cables!
They didn't advance. They simply lined up in front of the formation, nocking arrows the size of spears onto their strings.
Then... the cavalry!
MOOOO—!!!
A roar shook the heavens!
Dozens of mammoths, mountainous in size and draped in heavy iron armor, charged out from the rear!
Sharp steel spikes capped their massive tusks, and on their backs sat giant knights wielding massive chain flails!
Mammoth Giant Cavalry!
They didn't charge immediately, just prowled the flanks of the giant infantry.
Every breath from a mammoth puffed out a cloud of white mist; every stomp shook the ground.
The Riverlands soldiers were stupefied.
Edmure's jaw dropped, staring blankly at this army that seemed to belong in myth and legend.
Armored giant infantry, giant archers, mammoth cavalry...
He suddenly felt that his coalition of twenty thousand Rivermen looked like children with sticks compared to Lynn's terrifying army.
In the face of such absolute power, any strategy or courage seemed laughable.
On the battlements of the Twins.
The Frey bastards defending the castle stared dumbly at the demons descending upon them.
The ten armored giants reached the moat.
Without pausing, they stepped heavily into the water deep enough to drown a horse!
The water instantly swallowed them to the waist, but they marched on steadily, creating massive waves.
Soon, they stood directly beneath the drawbridge.
The bridge was suspended by several chains as thick as a child's arm.
The lead giant raised a massive hand clad in a steel gauntlet and grabbed one of the chains.
Then, under the glazed eyes of the defenders...
He pulled!
CREAAAK—
The teeth-grinding sound of twisting metal filled the air!
The thick chain, forged of hardened steel, was being forcibly... stretched!
The drawbridge shook violently!
"No! Stop him! Loose! Loose arrows!"
The commander on the wall finally reacted, screaming hysterically.
A sparse rain of arrows fell, clinking harmlessly off the giants' black plate armor like hail on a tin roof, failing to leave even a scratch.
The giant ignored it as if a mosquito had bitten him.
He let out a low roar, the muscles in his arms bulging!
SNAP—!!!
A deafening crack!
The incredibly strong chain was... torn apart by his bare hands?!
One side of the drawbridge collapsed instantly, smashing into the river with a massive splash!
He wasn't done!
The other giants followed suit, grabbing the remaining chains!
SNAP! SNAP! SNAP!
With a series of loud cracks, the drawbridge the Twins were so proud of was torn down in the most barbaric, primitive way possible!
Silence on the walls.
Every Frey soldier looked like their soul had been sucked out, staring at the ruined bridge now acting as a ramp.
Below, the Riverlands army was equally silent.
Watching the giants walk out of the river and toward the gate, they felt their worldview shattering...
"Shoot! Shoot those monsters!"
Inside the gatehouse, a Frey bastard commander pointed at an approaching giant, screaming at a scorpion crew.
It was a heavy siege scorpion, capable of piercing the thickest ship hull!
The crew, trembling, cranked the winch and aimed the thick bolt at the giant's chest.
"Loose!"
THWIP—!
The massive bolt tore through the air with a whistle, hitting the giant square in the chest!
THUNK!
A dull sound of impact.
The bolt, capable of piercing stone walls, actually punched through the giant's heavy plate and sank deep into his chest!
"Hit! We hit him!"
The Frey soldiers on the wall erupted in cheers of survival!
However, their cheers died in their throats.
The giant who was hit simply looked down at the "toothpick" in his chest.
Then, expressionless, he reached out and... pulled the bolt out!
Blood sprayed, but he acted like nothing happened, casually tossing the bloody bolt aside.
Then he continued his heavy march toward the gate.
The cheering stopped abruptly.
Extreme terror froze on everyone's face.
Is that... even fucking possible?!
Just then, a horn sounded from the Northern lines.
The row of giant archers finally moved.
With synchronized grace, they slowly drew their massive bows!
Strings that required several men to pull bent effortlessly in their hands.
Full draw!
TWANG—!!!
Dozens of black "spears" whistled with death, tearing through the sky and covering the battlements of the Twins!
A Frey soldier didn't even realize what happened before a massive force hit his chest.
Then, his body flew backward uncontrollably!
He felt himself flying high, far...
SPLAT!
The soldier's body flew over ten meters, clearing the entire width of the wall, and smashed into the street inside the castle, turning into a pile of meat paste!
"AHHH—!"
Another soldier had his thigh exploded by a giant arrow.
Another was pinned to the battlements behind him by the sheer force, screaming inhumanly!
Some giants missed slightly, and their spear-arrows embedded themselves directly into the stone walls!
The battlements instantly turned into a slaughterhouse!
Flesh flew, screams echoed!
One volley from the giant archers caused massive devastation.
The survivors broke completely, crying and fleeing into the castle, unable to organize any defense.
Edmure and the Blackfish stared blankly.
Since when was taking a castle this easy?
Lynn was using the Twins to show the entire Riverlands his terrifying power, capable of crushing anything!
This was a show for them!
"Fuck..."
Edmure whispered unconsciously.