Chapter 39: The Scarlet Wedding (Part II)
The Bolton family is one of the oldest, most powerful, and most notorious nobles in the North. About a thousand years ago, the Boltons finally surrendered to their old rivals, the Starks, and swore to renounce their tradition of skinning their enemies alive. Three hundred years later, however, the Bolton rebelled again. Haron Stark besieged the Castle of Terror for two years before forcing the hungry Boltons to surrender and lower their banners again. For centuries thereafter, the Boltons remained loyal to the Starks, despite rumors that they secretly skinned prisoners and displayed them in a vault in the Castle of the Derrors.
For hundreds of years, the Boltons have been loyal to the Starks, fighting them on several occasions, such as the War of the Usurpers or the War of the Five Kings. However, its ambitions have never stopped. For hundreds of years, there has been a plot to replace the Stark family.
This time, Rob reversed course, angered the Frey family, and gave Bolton hope. He didn't think that Robb's immaturity would help him become a true king. After much thought, he secretly contacted the Frey family. After learning that the Lannisters were on board, Burton became more confident about the operation.
It's just that Bolton at the banquet has been remembered with sweat soaking his underwear. Because he had given the signal, but had not received any response. At the same time, old Frey also sensed that something was wrong, and his subordinates should have acted at this time, but he did not hear any movement in the rear. It was as if all the ambushers had disappeared.
The band on the second floor played the music of the wedding banquet as if they hadn't seen the code. If someone approached them, they could see that behind them, a dozen crossbows were aimed at their backs.
The banquet was held in such an eerie atmosphere. Rob didn't seem to see the atmosphere on the stage, but kept urging Frey's wedding to continue. Old Frey was old, but he wasn't confused. When you see the scene in front of you, you know that you have lost the initiative. It's just that as an old aristocrat, it is inevitable to be thick-skinned. He immediately borrowed the slope to get off the donkey and announced that the wedding would continue.
Until a couple entered the cave room, Rob had no other indications. I just turned around and went back to rest. Seeing this, Bolton immediately ran out of the hall, hoping to know what had happened. The guards who came over told him everything that had happened tonight.
"I see, have we already been exposed? But he didn't choose to get rid of us because he still needed us. It's just that Rob, this kid, is much more terrifying than I thought, so the immaturity he showed before was just a disguise? Bolton made up Robb's intentions in his own mind.
Rob, who returned to the tent, did not rest, but just stood in front of the map and fell into deep thought. His expression shifted, sometimes angry, sometimes hesitant, as if he was facing a major decision. After almost an hour of consideration. Rob finally made up his mind.
He called his guards and ordered, "Go and get someone for me." Of course, if he doesn't come, change another one. ”
Most of the soldiers in Twin Rivers were already drunk by this time. After all, neither in terms of numbers nor the amount of alcohol, they could not compare to the knights of the North. The very few soldiers who didn't drink too much were also on guard. Tonight's arrogance had already exceeded their expectations, if the knights of the North made a move at this time, they would have no room to fight back, and their allies the Bolton family did not make the slightest move.
It wasn't until the wedding was over that the soldiers gradually relaxed. It seemed to them that there should have been a change of plans, and nothing would happen tonight. However, just when they had just let their guard down. The northern soldiers, who had just been drinking with them, suddenly turned their faces. As a drunken knight of the Frey family was cut throat, a killing in the lotus leaf suddenly unfolded.
The knights of the Frey family, who were already at a disadvantage, and most of them were drunk, and they were still in a state of siege, and their blood flowed in an instant. Immediately after that a group of knights stormed the castle, and then there was a new killing.
Rob stood in the tent silently listening to the screams outside, a hint of dismay flashing across his face, but it was quickly replaced by another resolute expression. This time the betrayal was unsuccessful. Let this young 'young wolf master' begin to transform from an immature general to a qualified leader.
At dawn, the killing finally stopped. The whole castle was filled with the smell of blood. Old Frey hid in his room and did not react. He was relieved that no one had entered his room. As long as he doesn't die, it doesn't matter if it's his soldiers, his daughter, his wife, or his son.
At 10 o'clock in the morning, the Stark family will continue to march through the Twin Rivers as agreed. This is also part of the agreement, and after the marriage, the army of the Stark family will receive a pass to the Twin Rivers. Frey Sr. went out to see off the Stark army. It was completely unclear from his face that his castle had been purged last night. The armed forces directly under him were almost wiped out. The number of soldiers in the entire castle has dropped to less than 30% of the original number.
It's a pity that he thought the matter was over, but there was still one thing left unresolved for Rob. Betrayers must be punished.
"Last night my soldiers were attacked by the Frey family, and in self-defense we fought back and won. But as our allies, the masters of the Frey family. The Four Societies did not respond to the violation of our covenant. Uncle Bolton, what kind of punishment will he be punished for breaking the wartime covenant between the nobles? ”
When Rob asked the question, Bolton sensed something was wrong. But there were thousands of pairs of eyes staring at him all around. He couldn't pretend he hadn't heard.
"Should be sent to the gallows." Burton said this with difficulty, he had already guessed what was going to happen next.
"In that case, Uncle Bolton will take me to execution. Time is of the essence, decapitation will do. ”
Old Frey saw that the situation was not good, and he could not defend himself, so he turned around and wanted to run backwards. It's just that what he didn't expect was that behind him, his eldest son Edwin Frey suddenly drew his sword and directly killed the last guard next to Old Frey. At the same time, he commanded all the soldiers to retreat, exposing old Frey alone between the two armies.
Bolton was also a decisive man in killing, and he knew that today was inevitable. Without waiting for Frey to say anything that should not be said, he directly cut off the old Frey's head with a sword. This old brute, who had lived for more than eighty years, died under the betrayal of his relatives.