Northern at Heart [ GoT ]

T W E N T Y

Today was a monumental day for Marla and Robb—today, she traveled north, to the Twins. Robb was set to apologize to Walder Frey for the broken oath. Though she hated to admit it, she couldn't help but feel her stomach churn with anxiety. She knew it wasn't her fault that Robb betrayed Lord Frey, nonetheless she felt utterly responsible. Robb broke the oath out of his love for her. She pictured herself standing in Lord Frey's great hall, with his family's judgmental eyes on her, mumbling under their breath the words whore or slut.

Nobody would've supported Robb's marriage to Marla if it had been made public from the start; they weren't a fruitful match. House Ashwood would've provided nothing to the war cause, because House Ashwood is made up of Marla alone. She has no great army, no important bridge, nothing that can help the her husband defeat the Lannisters. After the death of her parents, her house died, and its strength with it. Their marriage is held together by nothing but love—and sometimes, that cannot be enough.

Marla's handmaiden ran a fine comb through her hair and pulled the two front sections back out of her face, securing them into a braid. Marla stared at herself in the mirror; her cheeks looked fuller due to the pregnancy, but she didn't mind it very much. She looked a lot healthier now than she had a few months back, when she still resided within the Red Keep.

She heard the door jolt open, and glanced over her shoulder to find Robb standing in the doorway, "We're leaving soon, my love. Do you have everything packed for the wedding?"

Pressing her lips into a thin smile, she nodded. Edmure Tully was set to marry one of Walder Frey's daughters; poor fellow. He wasn't happy about it—that's for certain—but it had to be done for the good of the Northern cause. However, that didn't stop him from complaining incessantly.

Robb escorted Marla to the courtyard where Robbs's bannermen were gathering, all preparing for the ride north. Robb was dead-set on Marla riding in a carriage rather than being mounted on a horse due to her fragile state of pregnancy. No matter how stubborn the Ashwood girl could be at times, she decided to obey her husband to keep his mind at ease. The King in the North already had a enough stress weighing him down, she didn't want to add anything else that might worry him.

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Robb, Marla, Lady Catelyn, Robb's advisors, and the army made up of Stark bannermen arrived at the Twins in good time, and right away the King and Queen in the North were escorted to the Frey's Great Hall.

They stood before old Walder Frey in all his wrinkled and decrepit glory.

"My honored guests," Lord Frey began, "be welcome within my walls...and at my table." His voice was like sandpaper and a scowl darkened his face. "I extend to you my hospitality and protection in the Light of the Seven."

Robb's face remained calm and stoic as he prepared to reply, "We thank you for your hospitality, my lord." He paused. "I have come to make my apologies, my lord, and to beg your forgiveness."