On My Honor ‣ Jaime Lannister

The Last Good Night

CATELYN

From what Catelyn Stark remembered of old Walder Frey, she knew he was an unpleasant sort of man only ten namedays away from 100 years alive. It seemed the man was too stubborn to croak, which was inconvenient for everyone he met since he had a habit to make everyone despise him. Robb needed his army to cross the Green Fork of the Trident river system to get an advantage over Tywin Lannister's army. Unfortunately, Walder Frey was the Lord of the Crossing and ruled the Twins, which meant he controlled who crossed the Green Fork. Lord Walder was a sworn sword for the Tullys, so Catelyn had known him all her life. She hoped she could appeal to nostalgia to win his favor and allow the troops to cross the Green Fork.

She found herself inside the Twins with the old Lord Walder and his numerous offspring staring their beady eyes at the Stark woman. She had to hide her distaste of the lord, especially when she gazed upon his child bride. She was hardly older than Sansa and she could not help but feel pity for the girl who was forced into this arrangement. Lord Walder liked his girls young, but this was nauseating. She was only thankful Naya was not by her side so the old lord wouldn't sneer and make horrid, lewd comments. If he dishonored her daughter, Catelyn would not hesitate to retaliate.

"What do you want?" Walder Frey asked with a pronounced lack of hospitality.

"It is a great pleasure to see you again after so many years, my lord," Catelyn replied with the commonly expected formalities.

"Oh, spare me," he grumbled. "Your boy's too proud to come before me himself. What am I supposed to do with you?"

"Father, you forget yourself," his firstborn son, Stevron Frey, interjected. "Lady Stark is-"

"Who asked you?" he interrupted. "You're not Lord Frey yet, not until I die. Do I look dead to you?"

"Father, please-" one of his many bastard sons attempted.

"I need lessons in courtesy from you, bastard?" he asked. "Your mother would still be a milkmaid if I hadn't squirted you into her belly."

She had been around rowdy men, but most had the formality to not be vulgar around a woman. It seemed Lord Walder didn't care. 

"All right, you come forward," he beckoned the lady.

She stepped forward and he begrudgingly kissed her hand to make a point. Catelyn had to admit she did not like the gesture either.

"There. Now that I've observed the courtesies, perhaps my sons will do me the honor of shutting their mouths."

"Is there somewhere we can talk?" she requested.

"We're talking right now." After a pause, he relented. "Fine. Out! All of you!"

His many children filtered out of the room until the pair and the child bride remained.

Tapping her on the bottom, he added "Oh, you too!"

As the girl fled the room, Catelyn felt horrible for the girl and could not help but feel worse that she would push her children into a similar predicament for the sake of crossing. Though, if luck was on her side, they would not be stuck in such an unfortunate situation as the girl and perhaps fall for their partners in time as she and Ned did. 

"Fifteen, she is. A little flower. And her honey's all mine."

Concealing her disgust, she replied, "I'm sure she will give you many sons."

"Huh. Your father didn't come to the wedding," he pointed out.

"He is quite ill, my lord," she excused.