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Jon nodded his head, "I know handing me their ancestral sword is a big thing, saving Jeor Mormont's life is something I should do aas he is the commander but him handing me that sword means he trusts me a lot"
"This is Valyrian steel."
"It was my father's sword, his father before him. The Mormonts have carried it for five centuries. it was meant for my son Jorah. He brought dishonour to our House, but he had the grace to leave the sword before he fled from Westeros."
"My lord, you honour me, but I can't -"
"Oh, you can. And you will. I wouldn't be standing here if it wasn't for you and your beast. A bloody dead man tried to kill me, so you'll take it. I'll hear no more about it. Is that understood?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Right. Now, don't think this means I approve of this nonsense with you and Alliser Thorne. That's a man's sword. It'll take a man to wield it."
"I'll apologize to Ser Alliser tonight."
"No, you won't. I sent him to King's Landing yesterday. The hand that your wolf tore off that thing's wrist - I've ordered Thorne to lay it at the feet of this boy king. That should get young Joffrey's attention. And it, uh, puts a thousand leagues between you and Thorne. Now go and put your sword somewhere safe and bring me my supper."
"Guess the dislike for Ser Alliser isn't just a you thing" Robb smirked, elbowing his brother gently.
"He isn't a likeable guy" Jon shrugged with a small smile.
[At the Crossing, Catelyn returns from her conversation with Walder Frey at the Twins, and finds Robb and the others having a meeting in his tent.]
"Well? What did he say?"
"Lord Walder has granted your crossing. His men are yours, as well. Less than the 400 he will keep here to hold the crossing against any who would pursue you."
"Cat... what did you promise him in return?" Ned muttered softly. Wars forged alliances in only one way. He dared to not sneak a glance at Arya or Bran, praying he was wrong.
"What does he want in return?"
"You will be taking on his son Olyvar as your personal squire. He expects a knighthood in good time"
"Not a bad trade" Brandon the Elder muttered.
"Fine, fine. And?"
"And Arya will marry his son Waldron when they both come of age."
"I don't want to marry the son of some craven Lord!" Arya exploded.
"You must! It is to save your father and help your brother" Catelyn explained calmly.
"Bullshit! You could have offered him Bran or Rickon too! He'd have jumped at those offers too!" Arya glared at her mother.
"It is necessary for the war. Your father and I got married in similar circumstances."
"You can't compare father to Late Lord Frey's son!"
"You don't know how good he could be" Ned intervened in support of his wife.
"With how mother talks about the man, how can his son be any better?" Arya scoffed. "She wouldn't have done it if it was Sansa instead of me. A prince for Sansa while a Late Lord's son for me."
"Arya!"
Arya did not look back at her mother, refusing to even acknowledge when her mother called for her.
Ned grabbed her hand when Catelyn went to stand.
"Give her some time to go understand what's at stake here for everyone and she will come around."
Catelyn nodded and relaxed in her seat.
"She won't be happy about that. And?"
"And when the fighting is done you will marry one of his daughters. Whichever you prefer. He has a number he thinks will be suitable."
"I see. Did you get a look at his daughters?"
"I did."
"And?"
"One was - Do you consent?"
"Can I refuse?"
"Not if you want to cross."
"Then I consent."
"Walder Frey played a nice little game here to earn himself some valuable connections" Oberyn chuckled. "All the Riverlands Lords must be on the same thought process."
"What exactly do you mean by that?" Catelyn asked, puffing up in outrage.
"Didn't your father promise his men only if Lord Stark marries you, and Lord Arryn marries your sister?"
"It is not the same!"
"I suppose for you it was not, since you were betrothed to Brandon Stark before Eddard Stark. But you can't argue that it is the case for your sister. Married to a man so much older than she is. But what is a daughter to the ambitions of a father, no?"
"Don't speak as if you wouldn't do the same" Catelyn snapped.
"Things are a little different in Dorne. If my daughters don't approve of it, I won't be marrying them off. It was the same for Elia. Otherwise, she'd be married to a Hightower instead of the Prince."
"Perhaps she'd have lived if she had married that Hightower" Catelyn said, cooly.
"And perhaps your sister would have been kinder to you had you or anyone presumed to ask her about what man she wished to marry" Oberyn cut back, his tone so cold it made many flinch.
Not Catelyn though, she kept her head high and matched his gaze until Ned made her look away.
Oberyn though kept his gaze on the woman.
[Back at Castle Black. Jon goes to see Maester Aemon, finding him cutting meat to serve to the ravens.]
"Sam said you wanted to see me?"
"I did indeed. Perhaps you would be kind enough to assist me. Tell me, did you ever wonder why the men of the Night's Watch take no wives and father no children?"
"No."
"So they will not love. Love is the death of duty. If the day should ever come when your lord father was forced to choose between honour on the one hand and those he loves on the other, what would he do?"
"He would do whatever was right, no matter what."
Would I? Ned thought. He had already done so, but there was a threat to his daughters' lives now. Would he still hold his honour strong and push on? Consequences be damned?
"Then Lord Stark is one man in 10,000. Most of us are not so strong. What is honour compared to a woman's love? And what is duty against the feel of a newborn son in your arms? Or a brother's smile?"
"Sam told you."
"We're all human. Oh, we all do our duty when there's no cost to it. The honour comes easy then. Yet sooner or later in every man's life, there comes a day when it is not easy. A day when he must choose."
"And this is my day? Is that what you're saying?"
"Oh, it hurts, boy. Oh, yes. I know."
"You do not know. No one knows. I may be a bastard, but he is my father and Robb is my brother."
"The gods were cruel when they saw fit to test my vows. They waited till I was old. What could I do when the ravens brought the news from the South: the ruin of my House, the death of my family? I was helpless, blind, frail. But when I heard they had killed my brother's son and his poor son and the children! Even the little children."
Most eyes lowered at the reminder.
"Who are you?"
"My father was Maekar, the first of his name. My brother Aegon reigned after him when I had refused the throne. And he was followed by his son Aerys whom they called the Mad King."
"You're Aemon Targaryen."
"Many forget that because of how long he'd been separated from the rest of his family" Rhaegar smiled sadly.
"I'm a maester of the Citadel, bound in service to Castle Black and the Night's Watch. I will not tell you to stay or go. You must make that choice yourself and live with it for the rest of your days. As I have."
[Across the Narrow Sea, the Dothraki are on the move. Drogo leads them but seems to have fainted. Daenerys rides right behind him.]
"He does not look so good" Jaime pointed out.
[Drogo falls off his horse.]
"And that is worse" Tyrion added.
"He fell from his horse. A Khal who cannot ride is no Khal."
"He's tired, that's all. He needs to rest. We've ridden far enough today. We'll camp here."
"This is no place to camp. A woman does not give us orders. Not even Khaleesi"
"We'll camp here. Tell them Khal Drogo commanded it."
"You do not command me, Khaleesi."
"This is bad" Rhaegar muttered. Those were clear signs of a conflict about to break out.
"Find Mirri Maz Duur. Bring her to me."
"The witch? I'll bring you her head, Khaleesi."
"Bring her to me unharmed or Khal Drogo will hear why you denied me."
"Perhaps it was the Witch who did it" Varys leaned forward with a friendly smile. "Never trust a Witch's word, Princess. Hardly will they speak true."
"I remember you saying it the first time" Daenerys murmured.
Varys lowered his head. Somehow he had heard it.