No matter what the Freys had done at the Red Wedding, their family was nearly wiped out, making them one of the victims. Today, three Freys came to participate in Arya's grand trial.
Mariah Dayne, Arayla Frey, and Marissa Frey—a mother and her two daughters.
Clearly, this was the result of careful selection by the Dragon Queen.
Mariah Dayne was the biological younger sister of Willem Dayne.
The plump Walda, whom Roose Bolton once regarded as his lifeline, was her second daughter.
Over eight hundred people died at Casterly Rock, and the Frey daughters and daughters-in-law were nearly wiped out as well, but Mariah was an exception.
Not because she was especially lucky, but because she had been unfortunate earlier in life.
Her husband, Merrett Frey, had been hanged by Lady Stoneheart years ago. After losing her husband, life in the overcrowded Twins became difficult, so she returned to her maiden home with her daughters to live a modest life.
Misfortune may be a blessing in disguise, and blessings may hide misfortune.
For the past three years, she had stayed in Darry with her two daughters, thus avoiding the twin massacres at the Twins and Casterly Rock.
After the male line of House Darry was wiped out by the Mountain, the legitimate daughter of House Darry became the heir.
With no male heirs left, Darry attracted the attention of the Lannisters. The one-armed Lancel became the rightful lord of Darry.
To legitimize his claim, Lancel married Mariah's eldest daughter, Arayla, known as "Gatehouse Aly."
Lancel had cuckolded Jaime, and fate punished him for it.
Aly earned the nickname "Gatehouse Aly" because of her promiscuity. She would open the gates for any knight who approached.
At fourteen, she was discovered in the stables with three stable boys. Later, her parents had no choice but to marry her off to a low-ranking knight.
When her husband died in the War of the Four Kings, Aly, as the eldest daughter, became the first in line to inherit Darry, and Lancel stepped in to take over.
Without exaggeration, Aly was the most infamous wanton woman in Westeros. A large part of why Lancel went to King's Landing to become a monk was because of her infidelity—and because she even despised him for not being equally promiscuous.
It was said that any man in Darry who was capable had knocked on Aly's gatehouse door.
Once, when Jaime passed through Darry, Aly even tried to seduce him in front of her husband, creating an extremely awkward scene. As soon as Jaime left, Lancel went to the Great Sept.
However, the Dragon Queen could not tolerate Aly using the name of House Darry while behaving as the most scandalous woman in the Seven Kingdoms.
She stripped Aly of her title in Darry but arranged for her to inherit the Twins instead.
Aly, as the legitimate granddaughter of Walder Frey, had the right to inherit the Frey titles and lands.
As the niece of Willem Darry, the Dragon Queen would protect her and ensure she lived freely, but she could only indulge herself under the Frey name.
Even if she became the most notorious noblewoman in Westerosi history, it would be the Frey name that was recorded, not Darry.
Aly was overjoyed and deeply grateful, repeatedly praising it as "the Dragon Queen's grace."
Trading the Twins, known as the greatest city in the Riverlands, for the small, dilapidated, and barely noticeable Darry—only a fool would refuse.
The greatest city in the Riverlands was not Riverrun. It had once been Harrenhal, and later the Twins. Spanning both sides of the river, the Twins was far more magnificent than Riverrun. It also possessed the only stone bridge across the Trident, and the toll alone had made House Frey one of the richest upstarts in the Seven Kingdoms.
Darry, on the other hand, was small and run-down.
However, Gatehouse Aly clearly did not know the Dragon Queen's future plans for Darry. Otherwise, she would never have agreed to the exchange.
As for Darry now—
Mariah Darry was only thirty-six. Daenerys was currently seeking a new marriage for her, looking for a reputable, capable, and wealthy bachelor.
Unlike her daughter Aly, Mariah was a typical Darry—exceptionally beautiful, dignified, gentle in temperament, and talented.
She was the kind of noblewoman who was both powerful and graceful, with no shortage of suitors.
In fact, Mariah had once had a son, known as Little Walder. He had been fostered at Winterfell and later died at the hands of the Starks.
Mariah's life had been tragic. In her youth, her four brothers died for the Targaryens. As an adult, with House Darry in decline, she had been forced to marry into House Frey, a marriage she deeply resented. In middle age, she lost her only brother and nephew during the War of the Four Kings, followed by her husband, her son (Little Walder), her sister (who had also married into House Frey and died at the hands of the Starks), and her daughter (Fat Walda).
Had Daenerys not arrived, when the Long Night came, Darry would likely have been destroyed, and Mariah would either have died or lived out a miserable old age.
Now, her fortunes had turned. She had encountered a Dragon Queen who sought to repay old debts. If she lived to sixty, she would surely see a glorious Darry and become a powerful matriarch like the Queen of Thorns.
But that was decades in the future. For now, she had to cooperate with the Dragon Queen in completing Arya's final judgment.
"Your Grace, my view is the same as Prince Gendry's. Even the gods should not condemn Lady Arya's revenge. I personally admire her will and courage. However, too many Freys have died," Mariah said cautiously, her brows slightly furrowed.
"And you, Arayla Frey?" Daenerys asked.
Gatehouse Aly had no interest in the trial. She had been flirting with nearby knights the entire time.
She had not inherited her mother's beauty—her nose was too sharp and her chin weak—but her figure was excellent, with long legs and a full bust.
At twenty-one, in the prime of her youth, her seductive gaze still attracted many men, even those aware of her reputation.
Hearing the question, she answered without hesitation, "Your Grace, whatever you decide, I will obey completely on behalf of House Frey."
Daenerys turned to the next victim. "Jeyne Westerling, what about you?"
Jeyne, Robb's wife, was also very beautiful, with chestnut curls, a heart-shaped face, large brown eyes, a delicate temperament, and a slender figure with notably full hips.
The lord of Crag was a Westerling, while the countess came from House Spicer—descendants of spice merchants and foreign witches.
Robb's meeting and romance with Jeyne had all been arranged by her mother, Sybell Spicer.
Ironically, while Sybell and her brother Rolph Spicer acted as spies beside Robb, her eldest son was an honorable knight who remained loyal to the king he had sworn to serve.
He drowned himself in the river to follow Robb in death.
As a reward for betraying Robb, Rolph Spicer became the lord of Castamere, and Sybell's children were married into House Lannister.
For this reason, Arya only killed the Spicers at the Crag and did not harm the Westerlings.
Jeyne, her father, and her younger brother all survived.
After the Battle of Winterfell, with Castamere abandoned and undefended, the newly appointed Lord Rolph moved his family to his brother-in-law's castle.
In fact, before becoming lord of Castamere, Rolph had already been acting castellan of the Crag, managing it during his brother-in-law's absence.
When Arya had escaped from the Crag, the rope she used to descend the wall had been deliberately left behind.
It was no mistake. Arya had done it intentionally, to warn the guards: an assassin had entered, clean up the bodies, and remain vigilant.
Thus, even without Daenerys, the Crag would not have fallen suddenly like Casterly Rock.
Today, Lord Gawen of the Crag and his eldest daughter Jeyne were both present.
However, only Jeyne was considered a victim and sat in the front row. Despite losing his wife, Lord Gawen's opinion was not considered by the Dragon Queen.
"My mother is guilty. My uncle's family is guilty. I am ashamed of their actions.
They betrayed Robb. They deserved their fate. Arya was right to avenge her brother and mother.
I… I represent both House Westerling and House Spicer in renouncing all claims against her."
At this point, Jeyne, who should have been Lady Stark, broke down in tears and covered her face.
She did not want to speak on behalf of Westerling and Spicer.
She was Robb Stark's lawful wife.
She was also a Stark.
But after what her mother had done, she no longer had the right to speak of Robb or their marriage.
That marriage had been lawful, proper, and blessed by the Seven, yet it was still a shameful conspiracy.
Daenerys sighed. "Jeyne, your mother's actions have disgraced your house, but your loyalty and that of your brother are enough for House Westerling to stand proud before anyone—even the Starks."
The Starks present had complicated expressions but did not comfort her as Daenerys did.
This was their first formal meeting. To them, she was nearly a stranger, while Robb had been their brother for over a decade.
It was impossible for them to feel no resentment.
The nobles in the hall, however, being uninvolved, were more objective and expressed sympathy for Jeyne.
"We can confirm that the only person involved in the case is Arya Stark. No other Stark participated.
All victims acknowledge that Arya's revenge was justified, but also that her slaughter was excessive. The fall of Casterly Rock and the Lannisters, the deaths of millions, and the shift in Westeros's war against the dead are all directly her responsibility. Therefore, her crimes are immense."
"Does anyone object?"
Daenerys looked around. No one spoke, not even Jon and Sansa, though their faces showed concern.
"For such crimes, only the death penalty remains," she declared.
"Ah!" A few people cried out, but more than ninety-nine percent showed expressions of relief.
Unexpectedly, the dwarf also exclaimed, seemingly shocked by the verdict.
"Arya, do you have anything to say?" Daenerys asked.
"It is fair. I have nothing to say."
"Then let it be carried out immediately. We are short on time—we must rise early tomorrow to fight the dead. Arya, choose your method of death."
"I…" Arya glanced at the great raven on her shoulder and hesitated. "I admit my guilt and accept Your Grace's judgment, but I do not want to die."
(End of Chapter)
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