The Stag and The Frog - (GendryxMeera GOT fanfic) Part 1: Alone

37: Borderlands

Catelyn Frey stood on the balcony of the Twins, looking out over the lands surrounding her. In her arms, she was holding her son Walder Frey, named after his father who died before the boy was even born. Her son was the heir of House Frey now after all other male members of the house had been mysteriously killed. But he was just a child yet, not old enough to rule, so his mother was the one current ruler of house Frey. Even though she was not much more than a child herself.

Catelyn had been married off to a man about five times her own age as soon as she was old enough to marry. She had been so very young. Still, she had loved her husband, she had been fiercely loyal to him and now when he was gone she was determined to make him proud. She would make sure his house lived on.

Catelyn wasn't beautiful, brave, clever, or any of the things that people usually are admired for. She was short and dirty blonde hair that always seemed to escape from any fancy hairstyles she tried to put it in. So she usually kept it in two braids. She didn't look regal or fancy. She looked like a peasant girl. But she wasn't. Catelyn was born the youngest daughter of Lord Flint and had been given to Lord Frey in marriage as part of a land deal as the two houses' lands bordered to the North. Catelyn wasn't a lot of things, but she was one thing. She was determined. Determined to not let her husband's legacy vanish forever. Determined to get revenge on everyone who had wronged her husband. Determined to not bow down to anyone again.

And Catelyn had a plan. Because she wasn't going to let House Frey serve under a Stark. Not the one who ruled the North and not the one who ruled from the capital. Her House had not even got invited to the meeting where they had decided the future of the kingdom. She knew the Starks would never respect House Frey and she knew they were somehow behind what had happened to her husband and his sons.

So she would create her own kingdom instead, between the two other kingdoms. In the borderlands. She would unite the lands of House Frey and House Flint and rule it herself until the day her son was old enough to rule. And her kingdom would be powerful as they would be able to control everyone and everything traveling between the North and the South.

But there was one problem. And she was looking at it from up there on her balcony. The Neck. The stupid swamp dwellers. Their lands were in the middle of what was to be her kingdom. Their lands were not really valuable to anyone, as nothing would grow in that swamp. But still, she couldn't let them be, she couldn't let them disturb her kingdom.

She had to vanquish them and take their lands for herself. She had to take down the Reeds so that her kingdom could rise.

***

Meera was in her usual look-out-tree when she saw them coming. It was her daily routine, to survey passers-by on the road to determine if anyone seemed like a threat or if anyone needed to be escorted to her father's castle. What she saw this day certainly seemed like a threat. A threat to their lands and their lives. A threat against everything she held dear.

She saw armies of thousands upon thousands of soldiers coming towards them, trampling the vegetation under them. Scaring all the animals of the swamp. They were flying Frey banners. And she knew trouble was heading their way. The Freys had been their enemies for centuries and even though there were years since the last conflict they always knew another battle was coming sooner or later.

Quickly she made her way down from the tree and started running down the nearest canal. If she made her way to the castle before the oncoming armies she could warn her father and his men. If they knew the armies were coming maybe they would have a chance. If she was fast enough she could save them.

Meera ran faster than she had ever run before. Her spear felt heavy in her hand but she couldn't throw it away. She might need it. The water was knee-deep and she had to pull her knees up high to get better speed. She cursed her lack of stature as it was much easier for taller people to run in the water.