Lady Sybelle feigned calmness. "You have no right to treat me this way. I want to see King. I want to tell him that you have insulted me without authorization."
With a tearing sound, she ripped open her collar, revealing a small patch of pale skin.
Looking at the woman's utterly childish threat, Lord Brynden couldn't help but shake his head. "Lady Sybelle, you have betrayed King Robb's respect for you, and the consequence is..."
He looked directly at her. "I will have reason to hang your husband and children."
Upon hearing this, Lady Sybelle trembled and shrieked, "No! You can't!"
She rambled incoherently in her terror. "Robb Stark will kill House Westerling... My daughter will kill us... My husband knows nothing... My children know nothing... You are doomed to fail... I will never let my family be buried with you... You can't possibly defeat Lord Tywin... Lord Tywin will execute all traitors... He will never forgive... I don't want to hear the Rains of Castamere... Never... Woo woo woo..."
Listening to Lady Sybelle's weeping, Lord Brynden only spoke slowly after her cries softened. "I am sorry, though we are family who share a hearth, you have betrayed the King. This is treason."
He paused, then sighed. "Alynne (12-year-old daughter) and Loram... I will try my best to keep them alive."
"Oh, no!"
Lady Sybelle knelt before Lord Brynden, clutching one of his legs tightly, pleading, "Lord Brynden, please spare us. I promise I will never betray the King again. I beg for your forgiveness, for Jeyne's sake!"
Lord Brynden's face darkened. "As Jeyne's mother, you have sullied her reputation. That poor child, you will not even let her soul rest in peace."
With that, he stepped back, shaking off Lady Sybelle's hand.
The Blackfish's strength was great, and Lady Sybelle nearly fell into the mud. She clasped her hands together, humbly begging, "Please, I beg you, give us one more chance. I will spend my life repenting and atoning. Please have mercy."
The atmosphere was heavy with silence, like the calm before a storm.
Deep fear made Lady Sybelle's breathing difficult. Just as she thought she would suffocate, Lord Brynden's voice came through. "I can conceal your shameless actions from the King."
His gaze was profound. "Be honest about what you've done, and what you plan to do. This is your last chance."
Ever since Robb led his army to break through Casterly Rock in the Westerlands, Lady Sybelle had been in secret contact with Lannister.
The letter she gave Robb was indeed real, because House Frey had also been secretly communicating with Lannister.
Giving this letter to Robb was a task Lannister had given her, to arouse Robb's suspicion and anger towards Lord Frey.
And her purpose in leaving the camp tonight was to warn Frey, using a pre-arranged method to send a letter into The Twins, informing them... Robb already knew that Frey had secretly allied with Lannister and believed they had poisoned the wedding. This Stark-Tully alliance was meant to try Frey for treason at the wedding feast.
Lannister wanted a bloody wedding to happen at The Twins.
Lord Brynden clenched his fists. The terrified Lady Sybelle even confessed to secretly putting medicine in Jeyne's drink. She told him she dared not let his daughter get pregnant with a Stark child.
Lord Brynden barely suppressed his anger, took a moment, and said, "In The Twins... who will help you pass the message?"
...Emmon Frey."
Emmon Frey was the second son of Lord Walder and his first wife, Pia Royce. His wife was Genna Lannister, Tywin's sister.
Lord Brynden looked up at the dark night sky, standing motionless... Family, Duty, Honor.
After a long while, he crouched down, gazing at Lady Sybelle. His gaze was sharp, but his face was very haggard.
"You must tell Frey, you must make them believe that if Miss Frey bears Robb's child, that child will at least be the heir to Riverrun. You have a way to turn it into a Lannister promise, don't you, Lady Sybelle?"
Old Walder was extremely cunning; only greed could temporarily blind him. The Blackfish wanted him to feel that as long as this wedding went smoothly, whether Tully-Stark or Lannister achieved final victory, Frey would be a huge beneficiary.
Lady Sybelle's lips trembled as she said, "Lord Brynden, Lord Frey and Madam Gina will definitely confirm this with Lord Tywin... The raven can fly to King's Landing in two or three days..."
Lord Brynden gave Lady Sybelle a cold look and said, "Only if you succeed can Westerling be pardoned."
Flickering firelight illuminated the great hall of The Twins, where fourteen open wooden chests filled with glittering jewels were arranged. The Freys gathered around them.
Old Walder, supported by Roslin Frey, walked with trembling steps, examining the jewels in the chests. "Many of these ornaments I once saw on Targaryen... Now they all belong to my daughter... Hmph... Hmph..."
He paused, then suddenly roared, "Who told you to take them?! Get out, all of you get out! I'm not dead yet, how dare you steal my daughter's things! Get out, all of you get out!"
Amidst Old Walder's curses, dozens of Freys left.
Soon, only Old Walder, Black Walder, and Roslin remained in the hall.
Old Walder continued to examine the jewels. "How did the probing go?"
Black Walder glanced at Roslin, who had her head slightly bowed, and grinned. "Still as arrogant. He still seems to look down on our family."
Old Walder wasn't angry; he curled his lips. "Then he must be suffering terribly. Now he is the one who needs House Frey."
Old Walder stopped, his withered hand patting his daughter's fair hand. "Move all these things into your room. Watch them carefully, don't let those fools steal even one. You should get some rest; you are the bride tomorrow."
Roslin carefully released Old Walder and bowed slightly. "Yes, Father."
As Roslin left, Black Walder, who was staring at her graceful back, was scolded by Old Walder. "Bastard, I'm not dead yet! Show some respect to your great-aunt!"
Black Walder chuckled at his great-grandfather. "My great-aunt is too weak-willed. I'm just worried about her."
Old Walder snorted. "You set up the camp next to theirs. Did Brynden and Robb say anything?"
Black Walder's smile turned strange. "As you expected, Lord Brynden will stay outside the castle."
He paused, then couldn't help but ask, "Great-grandfather, why do you want Lord Brynden to stay outside? Are you planning to..."
As he spoke, he made a chopping motion with his hand.
Old Walder's cloudy eyes flashed with sharpness. "If I truly intended to kill, it wouldn't need to be so complicated. Brynden is a cunning fox; only when he is not present can I see Robb Stark's true intentions. I want to understand House Frey's role in his heart."
Black Walder seemed somewhat surprised. "Do you believe Robb can defeat Lannister?"
"Fool!"
Old Walder glanced at Black Walder. "Sixteen years ago, most people didn't expect Robert to win the Iron Throne from Targaryen."
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