Worlds Collide 2 : A LOTR/GOT Crossover. The Two Towers.

Chapter 6: The Dead Marshes.

After a long trek through Emyn Muil, Gollum had led Frodo, Sam, Meera, and Bran through the rocks.  

"See? See? We've led you out. Hurry, Hobbitses. Hurry!" Gollum said. "Very lucky we find you." 

They climbed up another pile of rocks to see Mount Doom in the distance. 

"Least we're steps closer." Bran commented. He looked at the black sky. 

"Any sign of Hodor and Jojen?" Meera asked. 

"Not looking like it." Bran answered. He then looked out over what looked like swampland in the distance. "That doesn't look like the Neck." He said. 

They walked more down before Sam placed a foot on the ground below the rocks, and it sank. 

"It's a bog. He's lead us into a swamp." Sam said. 

"A swamp, yes, yes. Come, Master. We will take you on safe paths through the mist. Come, Hobbits, and friends! Come! We go quickly." Gollum gestured them to follow. "I found it I did. The way through the Marshes. Orcs don't use it. Orcs don't know it. They go around for miles and miles. Come quickly. Soft and quick as Shadows we must be." 

"Suddenly, it reminds me of Home." Meera commented. 

"Your homeland is a swamp?" Sam asked. "Why'd you want to live in a place like that?" 

"House Reed has been ruling the Neck for Centuries. Originally, it was ruled by a man named the Marsh King. Until Bran's Ancestor, Rickard Stark defeated him and took his daughter as his wife. House Reed has been a Vassal of House Stark ever since." Meera answered. 

"But why hold such a place?" Sam asked. 

"The Neck is a strategic holding point to anyone who tries to invade the North." Bran answered. "From Greywater Watch, the Reeds rule. But they also share a border with the Riverlands. Ruled by my Mother's Family: The Tully's. The problem is... the Vassal House they border is with House Frey."  

"You can't trust House Frey." Meera warned Frodo and Sam. "They're vile and corrupt bastards who try to steal Reed lands." 

"And also because they killed Robb Stark and his family at a wedding." Frodo added, to the surprise of Meera and Bran. "Sansa told me." He explained.

"I felt I saw it happen." Bran said sadly. "I see things. Sometimes, I see the future. And a sign of the Three Eyed Raven." He then looked around as they stopped to rest. "I will say though. This place sounds much more quiet than the Neck." 

"You're not wrong about that." Meera agreed. 

"There's been no sight nor sound of a bird for two days." Sam said. 

"No, no birdses to eat." Gollum said looking around. "No crunchable birdses." Then he started thrashing around. "We are famished! Yes! Famished we are, precious!" And then he lunged down on the ground and grabbed a worm. Wiggled it around and slurped it up. 

Bran looked at the scene. "Don't get any ideas." Meera told him. 

"Oh, believe me. I'm not eating worms." Bran assured. "Not since that one time when Arya flung a worm at Sansa's dinner plate that one time, and then Sansa screamed and flung it on my plate." Then he looked around. "Although... Ravens do eat worms." 

"We've got the Lembas bread." Meera pointed out. 

Frodo ripped off a piece and threw some to Gollum. "Here." 

Gollum turned around. "What does it eats? Is it tasty?" He asked. He then took a bite and started coughing. If he felt the Elvish Rope burn him. He was not going to like the Elvish Bread in his throat. "It tries to chokes us! We can't eats Hobbits food!" He screeched like a Drama Queen. "We must starve!"