While Benjen was telling Jon about what had happened to Lord Eddard in King's Landing, Jon's brother Robb Stark had already led the Northern army to the vicinity of the Twins.
At that time, Catelyn Tully had already left the Vale. After learning of Robb's movements, she rushed to catch up and met the Northern host near the Twins.
Originally, the Northern army should have reached the Twins much earlier, but they were delayed while crossing the Neck. Days of heavy rain had turned the roads to deep mud, and the rising water levels in the swamps had flooded parts of the route, forcing them to halt for several days in the castle at Moat Cailin before they could continue south.
Worse still, bad news had come from the south—Lord Tywin had taken complete control of Harrenhal and the surrounding lands. There was no way for the Northern forces to cross the Trident using the southern bridges or take the River Road to reinforce Riverrun.
"We can cross the Green Fork, pass through Seagard and Oldstones, and follow the coastline to reach Riverrun," Dacey said, tracing an arc across the crude map on the table. "When Prince Lynd crushed the Iron Islands rebellion, he took this route."
"How are we supposed to get across the Green Fork?" Rickard asked, frowning.
"Through the Twins, of course," Dacey replied.
Roose Bolton shook his head slightly. "The weasel in the Twins won't just let us pass. We're not Lord Lynd Tarran," he said. "After Prince Lynd forced his way through the Twins all those years ago, old Walder's been strengthening the walls ever since. They're higher now, better defended, with siege weapons stationed all around. Even with tens of thousands of men, we can't storm the Twins. And if we try, the Westerlands army could march north along the Kingsroad and trap us between them and the Freys. That would be disastrous."
He glanced at Dacey. "Perhaps, Lady Dacey, you could call upon your connection to Prince Lynd—"
"No," Dacey interrupted firmly before he could finish. "I am Dacey Mormont, Lady of Bear Island and a Northern commander. I no longer speak or act under Prince Lynd's name."
Everyone in the tent exchanged looks at her resolute tone. No one argued, but it was clear they weren't pleased with her decision.
Catelyn spoke up. "Let me go and speak to Lord Walder. Perhaps I can convince him to let us cross."
Robb looked at his mother, considered for a moment, then gave a nod. But he didn't let her go alone—he sent Dacey to accompany her.
...
When Catelyn and Dacey arrived outside the gates of the Twins, the guards immediately sent word to Lord Walder.
"They brought Dacey Mormont with them? Are they trying to pressure me by invoking Lynd Tarran?" Lord Walder growled, a look of irritation crossing his face. The memory of being forced to submit to Lynd all those years ago still stung his pride.
Stevron Frey, standing nearby, spoke in a low voice. "I don't think the North meant anything by it. Dacey left Summerhall, didn't she?"
Unlike his father, Stevron didn't view that old memory as a humiliation. On the contrary, he saw the campaign against the Ironborn as one of his proudest moments. Yes, he had been compelled to march under Lynd's banner, but it made him part of a legendary war. He could still remember the way Lynd had crushed the rebels. Bards had turned those battles into songs sung in every tavern, and Stevron's name appeared in many of them—more than Lord Walder's, which had given him more renown than his father ever had.
"Has your brain gone as dry as your hair? You really think Dacey Mormont is no longer tied to Summerhall?" Lord Walder snapped, glaring at his son. "They say they're staying out of the war, but now they're pushing pieces like Dacey Mormont into the game behind the scenes. That prince of ours is a sly one!"
"So what should we do now?" Edwyn Frey, Stevron's grandson, asked, unable to keep silent.
"If Lynd Tarran wants to pretend he's sitting out, we'll play along," Lord Walder said after a pause. "Forget about Dacey Mormont. Focus on the Starks."
Then, in a darker tone, he added, "Go on. Bring in our guests. Let's have a proper chat."
...
A negotiation that would prove crucial to the outcome of the war between the North and the Westerlands began inside the walls of the Twins. The Freys, confident in their position, controlled the talks from the start. Lady Catelyn had only two things she could leverage—her own status, and Dacey Mormont. But Dacey never stepped in. She didn't invoke her former ties to Summerhall, didn't pressure the Freys. She simply stood beside Catelyn like a silent guard.
As they left the Twins with the terms laid out by House Frey, Catelyn couldn't help but feel a twinge of resentment. Dacey hadn't helped at all—she had just stood there.
"What? You want me to marry Walder Frey's daughter?" Robb's face turned pale with shock, his eyes burning with fury as he listened to the terms Catelyn had brought back from House Frey.
The Freys were widely regarded as the ugliest family in the Seven Kingdoms, and Walder Frey was so old that his daughter was unlikely to be young—or fair-looking. Being told to marry some ugly old woman felt like a deep and personal insult.
"No! Having the heir to the Warden of the North marry a weasel is an affront not just to House Stark, but to the dignity of the entire North!" Rickard Karstark was the first to explode in outrage before Robb could even process the shock.
The other Northern lords erupted with anger as well, shouting that they should raze the Twins to the ground, drag old Walder out of his weasel den, and have him flayed and beheaded.
Only Roose Bolton and a few others remained calm.
Once the shouting had settled somewhat, Roose stepped forward and placed a fresh intelligence report on Robb's table.
"This just came in from the south. Tywin Lannister has taken full control of the Riverlands south of the Red Fork, all the way down to the Tumblestone. His vanguard has already crossed the Trident and split into two forces. One has sealed the Bloody Gate, which means even if the Vale changes its mind, they can't send aid. The second force, about thirty thousand men, is marching toward us."
The news didn't dampen anyone's spirits—on the contrary, it seemed to energize the Northerners. They began clamoring for battle, insisting that one Northman could take ten Southerners, and a few thousand of their own would be enough to wipe out the entire Lannister vanguard.
Robb believed Northerners were tougher than Southerners too—but he wasn't foolish enough to underestimate thirty thousand seasoned troops. Especially in their current position, being delayed by that force would prevent them from reaching Riverrun in time. And if Riverrun fell, so would their hopes for the war.
Roose spoke again. "Lord Robb, I must also remind you—Tywin Lannister's sister, Genna, is married to Walder Frey's second son. Tywin's never liked the match and holds House Frey in contempt, but if he chooses to use that tie, the Freys might side with him. Thankfully, based on Walder Frey's behavior so far, it seems the Westerlands haven't reached out to them yet. That's an opportunity—for us to gain an ally and avoid another enemy."
Robb fell silent, absorbing Roose's words. Then he looked around and said, "Leave me. I need time to think."
The men filed out of the tent, one by one. Only Lady Catelyn remained.
"Mother," Robb said quietly, "what should I choose?"
Catelyn didn't answer. She just stepped forward and placed her hand gently on her son's shoulder.
Everyone had expected Robb to deliberate for a long time. But not long after, he called them all back into the tent.
"I will marry one of Walder Frey's daughters and forge an alliance with House Frey," he announced.
A collective sigh of relief passed through the tent. Even the densest among them understood that rejecting the Freys now would mean facing enemies on all sides and losing the initiative. The war would be as good as lost.
Robb's willingness to sacrifice himself for the sake of victory filled them with both admiration and guilt. They knew it was their own failure that had put their liege lord in this position. And slowly, their view of him began to shift—from heir of Winterfell to the Young Wolf, a lord in his own right.
"What about the Westerlands army coming from the south?" Roose Bolton asked.
Robb thought for a moment, then said in a low, steady voice, "We'll send a force to intercept them. The goal is to delay them—as long as it takes for us to save Riverrun."
Silence fell again. They all looked around at one another.
Moments ago, they'd been boasting that a single Northern charge could scatter the Westerlands army. But they all knew better. That vanguard was thirty thousand strong—and it was only the beginning. More Lannister troops were on their way. And if the intercepting force got bogged down, they'd almost certainly be surrounded and wiped out.
Just as everyone was hesitating over who should take on the task of intercepting the enemy, Dacey stepped forward and said, "Let me handle it. My troops are all cavalry—highly mobile, fast in retreat if needed. Even if we run into danger, we can get out quickly."
"I think that's a solid plan," Roose Bolton was the first to voice his approval.
The others soon echoed his support.
Jon Umber then stepped out as well. "Countess Dacey doesn't have enough men on her own. I'll go with her to intercept the Westerlands army."
Robb was just about to agree when Catelyn stopped him.
"No, Lord Umber. Your men are part of our main host—they must stay with Robb. Lord Bolton can send part of his forces to reinforce Countess Dacey."
Roose Bolton turned to Catelyn with widened eyes, opening his mouth as if to argue, but in the end said nothing.
Dacey, however, shook her head. "Lady Catelyn, I appreciate the thought, but my troops are trained and led according to Summerhall's command methods. They're meant to operate independently. If we combine them with Northern forces, their strengths might be compromised. There's no need for reinforcements—I'll take my own men and handle it."
Since Dacey insisted, the rest gave up on sending her support.
Roose Bolton then suddenly added, "Right now, we're still isolated. We need more allies. We should send envoys to Storm's End, Dragonstone, and to House Baratheon to seek support and build a coalition against the Westerlands."
Robb shook his head. "No need to send anyone to Dragonstone. Stannis Baratheon barely has enough men to help himself, let alone us. But Storm's End is a different story. Renly's Stormlands alliance and House Tyrell's Reach forces could march directly into the Riverlands and Westerlands—that would put real pressure on Tywin Lannister." He looked around. "So—who's the right person to send?"
"I believe Lady Catelyn is the only suitable envoy," Roose Bolton suggested.
Robb frowned. He had originally planned to send his mother back to Winterfell to oversee matters there. His two younger brothers were still in the castle, and they needed guidance and protection.
But Catelyn nodded. "Let me go. I'll sail from White Harbor and head straight to Storm's End."
Since she had already made up her mind, Robb didn't argue further. He nodded in agreement.
Just as everything was falling into place, Theon Greyjoy spoke up from the side.
"I can go to the Iron Islands as an envoy and ask for support. If they send a fleet to strike the Westerlands from the sea, the Lannister forces will panic. Their lines will break."
Many of those present supported Theon's idea. Only Catelyn hesitated, then turned to glance at Dacey.
Truthfully, Dacey would be a better choice as envoy to the Iron Islands. Back when she was at Summerhall, she had served as Asha Greyjoy's swordsmanship instructor. In the two years since, while based on Bear Island, Dacey had worked closely with Asha, now the ruler of the Iron Islands. The two had a strong bond. If anyone could persuade Asha, it would be Dacey.
But after remembering Dacey's reserved behavior back at the Twins, Catelyn figured she would likely refuse the assignment, so she chose not to press the matter.
...
Robb and Catelyn entered the Twins and formally signed the alliance and marriage pact with Lord Walder Frey. The Northern host was allowed to pass through the castle unimpeded, and to strengthen the alliance, Walder even ordered Stevron to lead a Frey force to join Robb's army.
At the same time, Dacey led her cavalry south along the Kingsroad, heading straight for the Lannister vanguard.
As Robb's army passed Seagard, Theon Greyjoy set sail in a swift sloop, bound for the Iron Islands.