In the dungeon of the Twins, it was damp and cold.
Bethen was cold, hungry, and thirsty.
He had no idea how long he had been there; days lost their meaning in the darkness, and he could only vaguely calculate the passage of time by the number of times the guards threw down moldy black bread.
Every time he chewed the dry, hard bread, he would recall the moment of his capture.
The Frey Family's soldiers had guessed his purpose in crossing the river; war had already broken out, and if he wasn't going to the North after crossing, his destination could only be the lands of Arthur.
For some reason, the commanding officer directly ordered their arrest.
And Bronn, that cunning bastard, had sensed danger before the Frey Family's soldiers appeared, and his figure had already vanished while Bethen dealt with the Frey Family's soldiers.
He tried to sit up. Death was not terrifying; what was terrifying was that he had failed Arthur's trust.
This was the first important task Arthur had given him, and he had messed it up. Arthur had given him everything, yet he couldn't even accomplish such a simple task. Shame gnawed at his heart.
From the end of the darkness came heavy footsteps.
The cell door was pulled open, and Barna and the other commoners who followed him instinctively raised their arms, trying to block the sudden bright light of the flames that appeared in their eyes.
A guard poked Barna with the end of a spear: "Get up! Walder wants to see you!"
"Get up! Quickly!"
Barna's legs were already numb. He tried to stand up but stumbled, almost falling. The guards had no patience; two of them stepped forward, one on each side, to hoist him up and lead him out of the cell.
The path from the dungeon to the main keep was long, and the long-lost light made him dizzy.
He was hoisted up by two soldiers, one on each side, and dragged step by step into the main hall of the Twins.
The hall was wide but dimly lit, with dust covering the old tapestries, and a stale smell permeated the air.
More than twenty oddly shaped men and women stood in rows on both sides.
The two soldiers pressed his head forward.
Barna looked up and saw a small, thin old man sitting on a high-backed oak chair at the end of the hall.
His skin was like crumpled parchment, loosely hanging on his bones, but his cloudy small eyes sparkled with a shrewdness and meanness unbefitting his age, like a rat.
He was wearing a luxurious robe, with several grease stains on his chest, and was currently cutting a steak in front of him with a small knife.
Barna immediately guessed his identity: Walder Frey, Lord of the Twins, a Great Lord of the Riverlands.
Walder Frey saw Barna and the other ragged prisoners being brought in.
His voice was sharp and aged: "Look, look, who are these people?"
"Clearly a noble's steward, yet he claims to be a merchant, carrying a large amount of weapons and equipment, trying to sneak across my bridge." Barna thought of Arthur's instruction not to reveal his identity before leaving, and still wanted to argue that he was indeed a merchant, not Arthur's man.
But Walder Frey gave Barna no chance to speak, and began to complain to himself:
"Do you know how important my bridge is? How many noble lords and merchant caravans pass through here every day?"
"My family must ensure that every passerby is innocent, and that no spies or assassins, no one with ill intentions, can infiltrate the Riverlands."
"And you didn't even report your identities! Leading to such a serious misunderstanding!"
He pointed his finger at the two rows of people around him.
"These are all my children and grandchildren, for the peace of the Riverlands. Hmph, I am clearly protecting everyone, but some people are always ungrateful."
Barna endured the soreness in his legs and the hunger in his stomach, trying to stand straight. He lowered his head, listening to the old man's incessant performance, and his heart actually brightened and filled with joy.
He was making excuses, justifying his actions. This meant he wasn't going to kill people, and Arthur must have gained a significant advantage or even won on the battlefield.
Barna seized a moment's pause and spoke in the most respectful tone possible: "Lord Walder Frey, we are not spies; we are just merchants from King's Landing…"
Walder Frey impatiently waved his hand, cutting him off.
He forced a false smile, a smile uglier than a cry: "You don't need to hide anything from us."
"I know, I know."
"This is a misunderstanding, a regrettable misunderstanding."
He turned to his sons.
"My children were too nervous and mistook a lord's steward for a suspicious person. I have already severely reprimanded them."
The Freys in the hall let out a few dry, echoing laughs.
Walder Frey turned his gaze back to Barna, leaning slightly forward, his small eyes narrowing.
His voice lowered: "However, this misunderstanding isn't entirely a bad thing."
He drew out his words.
"It allowed me... the good fortune to hear about your remarkable master, Arthur Black Lion."
He took a sip of the wine offered by a serving girl and licked his lips with his tongue.
"I hear that young Black Lion, Arthur, defeated a larger force outside Willow Wood City and captured the House Ryger's castle."
"He won all four Trials by combat, has now reclaimed his lands, and has successfully established himself."
"Hmph, remarkable, truly remarkable."
Walder Frey's gaze swept over his descendants standing on both sides of the hall, his eyes not like he was looking at his own blood, but more like he was examining goods on a shelf.
"How can a promising young lord not have a noble wife?"
He spoke slowly, and Barna had a bad feeling. "How can a rising family not have a powerful ally?"
Barna's heart sank completely, an ominous premonition enveloped him. What exactly did this old man want?
Walder Frey finally revealed his true intentions.
He stood up, a condescending, nauseating smile on his face, and loudly announced: "Therefore, I have decided to bestow a great favor upon your lord."
"I! Walder Frey! Lord of the Twins!"
He raised his voice, ensuring everyone in the hall could hear.
"Am willing to marry one of my daughters or granddaughters to Arthur, Lord of Stinkfort."
He picked up his wine glass and took a sip.
"With the blood of the Frey Family, with the support of the Twins, his position in the Riverlands will be completely solidified. Tell him, this is my goodwill."
The hall was silent, and Barna's mind went blank.
Walder Frey nodded with satisfaction, as if everything was under his control. He waved his hand, as if shooing away a fly.
"Go back, tell your master to consider it carefully. A marriage alliance with the Frey Family is not something just anyone can obtain."
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