"What a gaze full of resolve. I like it."
Robb met the other man's eyes, smiled, grabbed the hilt of the dagger, and flung it out.
Marquis Frey let out a scream like a slaughtered pig. "My foot!!!"
The dagger pierced straight through Marquis Frey's foot. The tip sank into the floorboards, while the hilt trembled violently above his foot.
Hearing the noise, the Frey family descendants outside all poked their heads toward the reception hall. When they saw that Marquis Frey wasn't dead yet, disappointment flashed across their faces. One by one, they withdrew resentfully and resumed guarding outside.
Robb looked at the screaming Marquis Frey. "Perhaps now you understand your situation. Honestly, I don't mind killing you."
"Robb… my lord," Marquis Frey's face was deathly pale. "Whatever you want, just say it. I will satisfy all of it."
Over ninety years old, Marquis Frey had no intention of dying like this. He hadn't yet tasted enough of the nectar of his newly married sixteen-year-old wife. Terror filled his heart, and he was absolutely certain that if the young lord before him felt even slightly displeased, his head would fall to the ground at once.
Robb spoke calmly, "It's very simple. I only hope you will honor your oath—pledge loyalty to my grandfather, open the city gates, and allow my troops to pass through Luanhe City."
Marquis Frey hurriedly cut in, "No problem! I can have the gates raised immediately!"
The reason this old weasel agreed so quickly was because he already knew Robb had brought only three hundred cavalry. Even if he let these three hundred men into the city, he himself had four thousand troops under his command—an overwhelming advantage. There was no way the other side could seize Luanhe City with just three hundred men.
Moreover, the situation at Riverrun was tense. The other party would never waste too much time entangling with him here. As long as he let them pass, Robb would surely rush nonstop toward Riverrun, and his own life would be preserved.
A delighted smile appeared on Robb's face. He stepped down from his seat and walked up to Marquis Frey. "I'm very glad we could reach an agreement so quickly. Such a friendly negotiation. See? There was really no need for things to get this ugly."
The old weasel cursed furiously in his heart, but put on a flattering smile. "You're absolutely right."
"But," Robb continued, "I'm still a bit worried. After my troops cross the river, you'll be right behind me—four thousand men in total. That's rather frightening, isn't it?"
Marquis Frey hastily assured him, "I swear I will never do anything that would disgrace my honor."
Robb didn't buy it at all. "You once swore an oath to my grandfather too. Now it seems your oaths are about as useful as toilet paper. How about this—let your son Stevron Frey accompany me on campaign. And to bear witness to our friendship, I'll have my Uncle Edmure marry one of your daughters. What do you think?"
Marquis Frey only wanted to stay alive. "Fine. No problem!"
He had so many sons and daughters it was ridiculous. Giving up two of them was nothing, and he wouldn't feel the slightest pain.
Robb smiled. "As for your four thousand soldiers, I'd like to borrow them."
Marquis Frey replied with utmost sincerity, "Alright! Take them all. They'll go with you to Riverrun."
As if! The moment you leave Luanhe City, I'll send men to hunt you down, you bastard!
Robb burst into laughter. "You misunderstand. After humiliating you like this, I wouldn't dare use your men right now. Your troops can stay in Luanhe City. Once I've dealt with the Kingslayer, I'll come back and borrow those four thousand soldiers."
What does this brat mean? Marquis Frey realized he could no longer see through the boy before him. Every move Robb made landed somewhere completely unexpected. His original plan had been utterly disrupted, and from start to finish, he'd been dragged along at the other's pace.
Is this little brat really only fifteen years old?
But… in the end, he's still too green. Does he think the battlefield is child's play? Three hundred men, and he wants to defeat the Kingslayer? Marquis Frey calculated rapidly in his heart. War was a slaughterhouse, and this boy clearly didn't understand its cruelty. When he gets crushed by the Kingslayer, I'll settle today's humiliation in full. When that time comes, I'll have the entire Stark family buried with him!
Robb understood his thoughts perfectly. This vindictive old weasel would never swallow this humiliation, and Robb had deliberately given him yet another reason to betray him.
The Red Wedding storyline was extremely important to Robb. It was a rare major event. Because there was an information gap between himself and his opponents, as long as he made good use of it, Robb could achieve exactly what he wanted.
Hopefully Uncle Edmure wouldn't mind that he'd arranged a marriage for him in advance. It was said that this old weasel had a daughter who looked fairly decent—his uncle should be satisfied.
With the negotiations more or less concluded, Robb smiled and pulled the dagger out of Marquis Frey's foot. Blood immediately sprayed out, and the screams became unending.
"Give the order to open the gates and let my troops cross the river," Robb said, looking at that twisted face with great satisfaction.
Once the wolf cavalry marched neatly across the bridge, Robb also brought Marquis Frey to the city gate to join up with his troops.
As agreed, Ser Stevron Frey had already donned his armor and was following within the ranks of the wolf cavalry.
Marquis Frey was on the verge of tears. "N-now you can let me go, right…? My foot is still bleeding. If this goes on, I'll die!"
Robb looked troubled. "By rights, I should let you go. But how can I be sure you won't lead four thousand men to chase me down?"
"I swear I absolutely won't do that!"
"See? Swearing again." Robb tapped the old weasel's face with the flat of the dagger. "I told you—your oaths are worthless."
Marquis Frey said tearfully, "Th-then what do I have to do for you to believe me?"
Robb thought for a moment. "Call over your other sons. You'll travel with us for five kilometers. After that, you and your sons can return to Luanhe City."
Without waiting for Marquis Frey to agree or not, Robb tossed him straight to Theon. "Stop the bleeding in his foot. Otherwise this old thing will be dead in no time."
The wolf cavalry carried Marquis Frey along as they advanced. As promised, Robb allowed the Frey family to take Marquis Frey back at a point five kilometers away.
"Old man, when you get back, do two things. Prepare a grand wedding—and get those four thousand men ready to march."
Most of Luanhe City's soldiers were infantry, focused on defense. Once separated by five kilometers from a cavalry force, they might as well be declared permanently incapable of catching up to Robb's troops.
As for the pitiful Marquis Frey, before leaving, he was even punched once by Robb. The blow was enough to knock him unconscious for a full day and night. By the time he woke up and tried to issue orders, the world might already be completely overturned.
After passing through Luanhe City, the wolf cavalry encountered no further obstacles. They galloped like the wind, charging straight toward Riverrun.
Following beside Robb, Stevron Frey couldn't help but ask, puzzled, "Why did you make me come with you? My father has countless sons. He doesn't care whether I live or die. Using me to threaten him is impossible. And those conditions you discussed with him—there's no way he'll agree to them after what you did."
Robb rode on horseback, nudging his mount with his spurs. "Doesn't matter. Once I defeat Jaime Lannister and reclaim the Riverlands, it won't be up to him anymore. As for why I want you with me—do you really not know, heir to a marquisate for sixty long years?"
Stevron Frey didn't answer directly. "You're that confident you can defeat the Kingslayer?"
Robb gazed ahead. "I have never doubted myself."
(End of Chapter)