Chapter 118: The Biggest Winner
After spitting out his wine, Egger coughed and wiped his mouth while making a point to glance at Roslin Frey's eldest brother—who, by age alone, looked old enough to be her grandfather. Judging by the rapid transformation of the Frey heir's expression from bewilderment to ecstatic joy, it seemed this good news hadn't even reached the bride's own family beforehand. It was entirely Robb Stark's personal decision.
The patriarchs of the Northern Houses, such as Karstark and Umber, were frantically shooting looks at their young lord, desperate for him to retract the request. But Robb Stark didn't spare them a single glance, keeping his eyes fixed on the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, awaiting a reply.
...
Robert's face darkened. As the best friend of Robb's father and the head of House Baratheon, he was clearly dissatisfied with the wife his nephew had chosen for himself. That the Freys were fundamentally unworthy of the Starks was a fact recognized across the Seven Kingdoms—especially since Robb was the firstborn and heir.
In his mind, the best move for his foster son would be to marry that cunning little girl from House Tyrell, binding the North and the Reach together to maximize interests and consolidate the peace of the realm.
That said, a King's promise is no joking matter. While this marriage was unsatisfactory, it at least posed no threat to the rule of the Iron Throne. Robert quickly composed his emotions and looked at the representative sent by the Freys for this campaign. "Stevron! Can you speak for your father on this matter?"
Of course he couldn't; everything in House Frey was traditionally decided solely by the old Lord Walder Frey. But Stevron Frey knew that if he dared say no now, his father would beat him to death when he got home. "I can, Your Majesty! On behalf of House Frey, I consent to this union!"
"Very well. In that case, hurry up and bring that little sister of yours over." Forgetting the slight unpleasantness that occurred during Egger's reward earlier, Robert's interest was piqued. He hadn't performed many royal betrothals, and since things had come to this, he might as well enjoy it. "Since the Seven Kingdoms are gathered here today, let's not pick another date. Let the peaks of the Vale and the nobility of all Westeros witness this marriage! Someone, find me a septon, quickly! Robb, put on a good show; you're entering the bridal chamber tonight!"
...
The Freys received their orders, and one agile fellow scurried out of the tent to fetch the bride. The remaining people in the tent immediately erupted like a boiling pot of water. Several Northern nobles quickly surrounded Robb, frowning and whispering, clearly disapproving of the match. However, many more had already begun congratulating both families—some cheering for the Young Wolf winning a beauty, others congratulating the Freys on landing such a prestigious husband. The shift from total silence to total chaos happened so fast it left even Egger dumbfounded: the boy's parents knew nothing yet, and you, the uncle, are holding the wedding already?
Such an absurdity, coming from Robert's hand, was... perfectly in character.
A King certainly has the right to command a marriage, provided the parties and their families are informed and willing. When the Mad King chose Jaime Lannister for the Kingsguard, Jaime initially thought it an honor, but Tywin viewed the King as a mortal enemy from then on. Robert seemed wild and eccentric, but he knew exactly what he could and couldn't get away with. He would never haphazardly assign marriages for the children of vital vassals or uncrowned kings like Robb or Margaery; whether the individuals obeyed was one thing, but if the parents disagreed, it could spark a rebellion.
But this time was different. Robb had requested this marriage himself; Robert was merely going with the flow. As for how Ned and Catelyn would react once they heard the news... let them argue with their son themselves.
As for the Freys, they would be laughing in private. Who had time to care what they thought?
Egger rubbed his temples. A man who can't keep his sword in its sheath will be his own undoing. Still, Robb marrying Roslin... was at least much better than marrying a battlefield nurse or some minor noble whose name Egger couldn't even remember. For one thing—the Red Wedding was now officially impossible.
Egger felt a pang of pity for Robb's father. Don't be misled by an outlier like Ned Stark. In an era where gender equality hasn't dawned and nobles and commoners are practically different species, traits like purity, abstinence, and monogamy were never the primary virtues praised by the Starks or the Northmen. One only had to look at Ned's brother, Brandon Stark, who loved bloodying his spear and took a roguish pleasure in taking maidens' virtues.
As a modern man, Egger would outwardly condemn the act of being intimate with someone without taking responsibility. But in reality, as a lord and a father, Ned's Second Son Template of restraint and education was bound to cause problems. The more you forbid something, the more a child becomes obsessed with it or lets it ruin them. Suppression is never as good as guidance. If Lord Stark had introduced Robb to the charms of women earlier—letting his heir understand the noble game where women are like clothes, but vassals are like brothers—then Robb wouldn't have been controlled by his lower half the moment he saw a pretty girl, ignoring his family's interests.
...
"Your Majesty, this—holding a wedding without even notifying the Hand of the King—is surely improper."
"Bloody Kingsguard..." Robert roared. "Everyone calls you 'Barristan the Bold.' If you ask me, they should call you 'Barristan the Buzzkill.' Now, take this jug of wine and get out of the tent. Don't come back until you've finished it!"
The white-clad old man stood stunned for a few seconds. He scanned the celebratory feast, which had devolved into a mess, sighed, and obediently took the wine Robert handed him before leaving the tent.
A few minutes later, Robb's bride—Roslin Frey, whom Egger had wanted to see earlier—was escorted into the tent by her kin.
The atmosphere reached a fever pitch as the shy, timid girl entered. Many nobles had seen Roslin Frey before, but tonight, illuminated by the firelight and contrasted against her rather homely relatives, she appeared more beautiful than ever. Her slender figure was encased in a pale, form-fitting gown that accentuated her fair skin. Her soft, chestnut hair was styled in loose curls cascading down to her waist. Her delicate, refined face featured large brown eyes that sparkled like starlight in the candlelight.
Her appearance finally caused even the sullen Northern lords to join the revelry. Though her status was a bit lacking, her beauty made up for some of the disappointment. If such a beauty was to be the future Mother of the North, they could seemingly accept it.
"She is indeed a beauty. Even I feel a bit of a stir seeing her."
Such a comment about a bride was a bit forward, but fortunately, it came from Margaery Tyrell. Egger couldn't ignore her, so he raised his cup, nodding in agreement while admiring the beauty.
A blushing and sweet Roslin was pushed into Robb's arms. Robert loudly announced the start of the ceremony, and the lords began banging their bowls and tables... though a septon hadn't been found yet, no one cared about such details.
...
Robb's bride was indeed enticing, but having had a girlfriend and hailing from a modern world filled with photo filters and plastic surgery, Egger's resistance to beauty was much higher than that of the average person in this world. After admiring her for a while, he eventually looked away.
Margaery shot a curious glance at Egger. "Men of the Night's Watch are forbidden to take wives. When you look at a woman, what do you think?"
(Can't take a wife, but that doesn't mean we can't touch a woman.) Of course, such a blunt answer was impossible with this calculating young girl. Egger adopted the stony expression of his old superior, Benjen Stark. "We take Duty as our wife and Honor as our concubine."
"Pff—" Margaery, for once, didn't act. She rolled her beautiful eyes slightly and pouted in a moment of genuine girlish annoyance. She glared at the Watchman, mentally replaying every detail of their meeting and conversation. She didn't feel she had slipped up or revealed anything, so how did this man in black become so guarded? Forget getting him to spill secrets; even a casual chat resulted in such a stiff response. "You are truly a dull man."
Egger also felt he was being a bit over-cautious and quickly managed a smile. "There are no ladies on the Wall. Facing a lady like Miss Margaery makes me quite nervous. If I have offended you, I beg your pardon."
"Hmph—" Watching a wedding while achieving almost none of her goals for this northern trip, Margaery lost the mood for play-acting. She gave a huff and turned away, refusing to speak further.
The moment Robb asked Robert for the betrothal, Egger had shifted from the protagonist to an irrelevant minor character. But the person talking to him was a high-born lady, after all. "It is too loud here, and I feel a bit lightheaded. I shall take my leave." He apologized to the Little Rose, turned, and left the tent.
Chatting with a beauty was pleasant, but Egger had always been a realist. Margaery Tyrell was never going to be his intimate companion, and talking to her required constant vigilance against traps. Such mental exhaustion was better avoided.
The boisterous wedding scene was left behind. While it wasn't exactly quiet outside the tent, it was far better than inside. By the moonlight and the torches scattered throughout the camp, Egger saw Barristan, who had just been kicked out by Robert.
The old knight in white plate was sitting on a low bench a few meters from the tent entrance, taking sip after sip of the wine Robert had bestowed upon him. His once upright and heroic silhouette now looked remarkably lonely.
This fellow is far too obedient. Does he really intend to finish the wine before going back in, or is he simply drowning his sorrows?
Even though Barristan had tried to spoil his good thing earlier, Egger still admired his integrity and extraordinary skill. It was never a bad idea to get acquainted with such a powerful character.
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