CHAPTER 31 | THAT DAMNED MILL

THEY laid Robb's grandfather in a pile of hay on a small boat that was rolled off the shore. They laid a Tully flag on him, along with his sword. Freya stood beside Lady Catelyn, watching Robb and his uncle, Brynden Tully, also known as the Blackfish, push the boat onto the lake nearing the castle at Riverrun.

Freya wore black on the occasion, along with her new family. She never thought that she'd ever meet the Blackfish or Edmure Tully, but there was a first time for everything.

Robb retreated from the water to stand beside his wife, who locked her arm around his. She kissed their conjoined hands, a gesture that he solely appreciated, but neither saw Catelyn starring daggers at them.

Edmure walked onto the deck, striding away from the other members of his house that resided on the shore. He held out a bow and readied an arrow in it. Sticking the arrow in a flame, Freya watched it light up as Edmure sent the arrow into the air. It missed, so he sent another. This, again, did not work, causing Robb and Freya to chuckle softly.

Edmure didn't have another chance to try, because the Blackfish was already shoving him out of the way. He set the arrow aflame and sent it out from the bow. Finally, the arrow pierced the side of the rolling boat perfectly, and within a second, a fire emerged.

Catelyn bowed her head, releasing a tear. Freya felt as if she were transported to another world, and somehow, she felt no remorse for this death. She was thrust into a new family that she knew nothing about, nor they for her. How was she to feel empathy of this death when she knew nothing of Robb's grandfather? Freya watched the boat roll across the river slowly, and she wondered what the man was like.

The Blackfish walked away from the deck angrily. Freya knew that she'd have to talk to both him and Edmure soon enough.

•••

Much to Freya's surprise, both her and Robb was asked to join in a discussion with Edmure and Brynden Tully, by the Blackfish himself. Robb was staring out at the sea in Riverrun's great hall, although their great hall came with peeling paint and dust. Freya stood beside her husband, clasping her hands. Edmure quickly shuffled into the room, holding out his arm in confusion. "I don't understand," he complained. "Why did you invite his wife?"

Freya glanced up and narrowed her eyes. "I beg your pardon? What does the armor on my body tell you, Lord Edmure?" She fidgeted with the chainmail. "This isn't an accessory. I'm not just a wife. I'm a co-leader and soldier."

Robb chuckled softly from her left while the Blackfish scoffed at his nephew. "You clearly have not been reading any of the reports," he said with a shake of his head. Brynden turned to Freya. "You were trained by Mikael Stokeworth, correct? The best swordsmen on the Iron Islands?"

Freya grinned. "You are correct, my Lord. I started from a young age, and after I became a ward to the Starks, Lord Ned Stark trained me."

Edmure's mouth opened slightly, and this caused the Blackfish to laugh. "Read your reports, Edmure."

Edmure closed his mouth and nodded. He cleared his throat before saying, "If I may, nephew, I encountered a situation with one of my lieutenants at the Stone Mill, which may have some bearing –"

"Why don't you shut your mouth about that damned mill?" Brynden sneered. "And don't call him, 'nephew.' He is your King, and the woman who you just mocked is your Queen."

Edmure smirked. "Robb knows I meant him no disr –"

"You're lucky I'm not your King." Bryden scolded, walking closer to him. "I wouldn't let you wave your blunders around like a victory flag."

"My blunder sent Tywin's mad dog scurrying back to Casterly Rock with his tail between his legs." Edmure defended, causing Freya to then stand beside her husband and lay her head on his arm. "I think King Robb and Queen Freya understand that we're not going to win this war if they're the only ones winning battles. No, there's glory enough to go around."

Robb enjoyed the feeling of his wife's head on his arm, but he still found the courage to exclaim, "It's not about glory!"

Both Robb and Freya turned, but she allowed her husband to walk towards his uncle. "Your instructions were to wait for him to come to you."

Edmure lifted his hands out in shock. "I seized an opportunity!"

Freya strode forward to stand by Robb. She clasped her hands together. "If you don't mind me interrupting," she said, "but what value was the mill, Lord Edmure?"

He paused, thinking over his answer. "The Mountain was garrisoned across the river from it."

"Is he there now?" Freya asked, quirking a brow upward. "No, he is not."

"Of course not. We took the fight to him." Edmure defended his actions. "He could not withstand us."

Robb clenched his fists. "I wanted to draw the Mountain into the West, into our country where we could surround him and kill him. I wanted him to chase us, which he would have done because he is a mad dog without a strategic thought in his head. I could have that head on a spike by now." He glared at his uncle. "Instead, I have a mill."

Edmure blinked at his statement, and even Freya was petrified of his anger. She laid a hand on his arm, waiting for his chest to stop breathing heavily.

"We took hostages," Edmure finally stated. "Willem Lannister. Martyn Lannister."

Freya's brow furrowed. "Aren't they only about fourteen years old?"

"Martyn is fifteen, I believe," the Blackfish answered.

Robb walked closer to his uncle, narrowing his eyes in his direction. "Tywin Lannister has my sister. Have I sued for peace?"

"No," Edmure replied.

Freya crossed her arms over her chest. "Do you think he'll sue for peace because we have his father's brother's great-grandsons?" She asked. "He could barely give a shit about them!"

Edmure looked to his feet as Robb sighed, "How many men did you lose?"

"Two hundred and eight," Edmure said softly. He swallowed down a lump in his throat. "But for every man we lost, the Lannisters –"

"WE NEED OUR MEN MORE THAN TYWIN NEEDS HIS!"

Robb's outburst caused Freya to jolt, a surprising action that she did not do often. Robb barely ever raised his voice that high to her anymore, nor would he fucking dare. She glanced up at her husband as Edmure looked away. "I'm sorry," the uncle whispered. "I didn't know."

"You would have," Robb snarled. "Right here – today – at this gathering, if you had been patient."

The Blackfish exhaled furiously. "We seem to be running short of patience here."

"You know who isn't?"

Freya watched Robb walk back to the window, staring out at the vast river. She looked down at her feet, hands falling on the hilt of her sword, and she muttered, "Tywin Lannister."

•••

A/N: THE REAL DRAMA HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN Y'ALL