The Riverlands, Harrenhal.
Candlelight flickered as Tywin Lannister and Eddard Stark sat opposite each other in the vast hall of Harrenhal.
"Lord Eddard Stark, regardless of who is right or wrong, this war is over. Tomorrow morning, I will go to the Riverlands to negotiate with your son, Robb Stark, to exchange you for my son, Jaime Lannister."
Tywin Lannister spoke, his tone as majestic and stern as ever.
Even though the war had reached a point where House Lannister was the weaker side, Lord Tywin never showed the slightest concession.
"Indeed, this war should end."
Eddard Stark replied, his expression utterly indifferent, as if the war sweeping through the North, the Westerlands, and the Riverlands had nothing to do with him.
Tywin Lannister stared intently at the face of the Lord of Winterfell, Eddard Stark, but was surprised to find not a trace of emotion on his face.
There was no sadness, pain, or anger; it was as if this man was born cold-blooded and unfeeling.
"The lords of the Westerlands, the North, and the Riverlands have suffered heavy casualties," Tywin Lannister continued, probing further.
"Indeed."
"Many have died in this war, and countless commoners have been displaced."
"Indeed."
"..."
"Indeed."
Constant probing, constant indifference.
The two appeared to be engaged in a verbal sparring match for some time, but in reality, it was Tywin Lannister doing all the talking while Eddard Stark merely nodded along.
"The night is deep. Please, Lord Eddard Stark, go back and get some rest. You will be able to go home tomorrow."
Tywin Lannister had completely lost patience. He did not know if this Lord Eddard Stark was naturally stone-faced or truly heartless, uncaring about the lives of his own family's soldiers.
Regardless, Tywin Lannister felt he could not communicate with someone whose words and expressions were flawless, which made Lord Tywin, who always liked to hold the initiative in every aspect, feel very uncomfortable.
...
The Riverlands.
To ensure the smooth conduct of the exchange ceremony, the stern Lord Tywin Lannister made a rare concession, allowing the people of the North to decide the time for the hostage exchange.
The two sides stood on opposite banks of the turbulent Red Fork, gazing at each other from afar.
The sun hung high, a gentle breeze blew, and the rushing currents of the Red Fork incessantly lashed against the red rocks on the shore.
To maintain fairness and justice, Tywin Lannister and Robb Stark agreed to send envoys to exchange hostages at "Lord Harroway's Town," located at the confluence of the Trident.
Because the road was long and bumpy, Tywin Lannister had specially prepared a luxurious and comfortable carriage for the Lord of Winterfell, Eddard Stark, for his journey, and he had personally watched Eddard Stark step inside.
Catelyn Tully and her son, Robb Stark, of the North, disregarded any danger and personally escorted the kingslayer, Jaime Lannister, with a few attendants to the agreed-upon location.
Even the cautious Tywin Lannister decided to go and exchange the hostages himself. Kevan Lannister had originally suggested going in his stead, but was refused by Tywin Lannister.
He was no longer the stern, cold-blooded strategist on the battlefield; he was merely a father longing for his son to come home.
Even Tyrion Lannister, who accompanied them, felt a pang of jealousy. His brother, Jaime Lannister, had been captured, and his father was willing to risk danger to personally ransom him back.
Yet, if it were him who had been captured, his father would probably wish for him to die out there immediately.
"Lord Tywin Lannister, I have brought your son, Jaime Lannister. Where is my father?"
The war is over, Robb Stark thought to himself.
As long as he exchanged the kingslayer, Jaime Lannister, for his father, Eddard Stark, this war that had inflicted heavy casualties on the North, the Riverlands, and the Westerlands would be over.
"I want to see my son first!"
"I want to see my son, Jaime, safe with my own eyes. If you dare to harm him, I will cut off your father, Eddard Stark's, head!"
This was his usual caution. Although Tywin Lannister wanted the hostage exchange even more than Robb Stark, he had to confirm that his son, Jaime Lannister, was still alive and well.
Tywin Lannister still spoke with authority, yet he clearly lacked the composure he had when the war first began.
Only when Robb Stark gave the order for Edmure Tully to lead the tightly bound Jaime Lannister out from the ranks did Tywin Lannister finally set his mind at ease.
His son, Jaime Lannister, looked fine; he was not missing any arms or legs.
"Lord Eddard Stark, come out."
Tywin Lannister nodded with great satisfaction and then called out to the carriage beside him.
His expression was relaxed, and his mood began to brighten; it seemed everything was about to end.
However, after quite a while, he did not see Lord Eddard Stark emerge from the carriage. Tywin was somewhat puzzled and called out inside a few more times.
"Eddard Stark!"
"Lord Eddard Stark!"
What is going on?!
Tywin Lannister began to feel that something was wrong, for not only was there no movement in the carriage beside him, but a pungent, foul odor suddenly wafted from inside.
"Addam! Addam! Come here quickly and see what is going on!"
Tywin Lannister shouted for Ser Addam Marbrand, who was behind him, to come forward. Since Tywin's mother was from House Marbrand, and House Lannister and House Marbrand often intermarried, the two houses had a close relationship.
Furthermore, Ser Addam Marbrand had served as a page at Casterly Rock since he was a child, was a childhood friend and close companion of his son, Jaime Lannister, and had effectively grown up under Tywin Lannister's tutelage.
Therefore, upon hearing the order, Ser Addam Marbrand immediately hurried forward. After all, this was a matter concerning the life of his good friend, Jaime Lannister!
He first shielded Lord Tywin behind him, then drew his longsword and carefully pulled back the black curtain of the carriage.
But as the scene inside was revealed, Ser Addam Marbrand's heart went cold. He thought to himself: This is bad!
...
Catelyn Tully stared intently at the carriage, her eyes filled with longing; she wanted to see her Ned the moment he appeared.
But as Ser Addam Marbrand slowly pulled back the curtain, a curled-up, motionless corpse lay inside the carriage.
"No!"
At that moment, Catelyn Tully let out a heart-wrenching scream, for she recognized it.
That was the garment she had personally dressed him in before he departed, and that was the face she had once kissed with true love; it was her husband of many years, Eddard Stark.
The body of Lord Eddard Stark no longer held any warmth; instead, it had become cold and stiff.
House Stark often said that winter is coming, yet he had died on the eve of winter's arrival.
What a tragic sight it was.
His mouth was wide open, and his grey eyes protruded. His usually serious and earnest long face now looked ghastly and terrifying; it was evident that he had endured extreme agony before his death.
His lips were a bluish-purple, and even the nails on his hands were bluish-purple; it was clear he had died from a potent poison.
"Lannister!! Are you playing games with me!" Seeing this tragic scene, Robb Stark's eyes instantly turned red.
He had never imagined that the last time he parted with his father in Winterfell, the next time they met, he would see his father, Eddard Stark's, cold corpse.
"You have truly gone too far!"
Robb Stark drew his longsword and pointed it at Lord Tywin Lannister ahead.
Behind him, the lords and knights of the North and the Riverlands were all furious, their eyes wide with rage.
With the crisp sound of blades being drawn, everyone unsheathed their longswords. They were only waiting for the young wolf to give the order, and they would rush to fight these arrogant Lannisters to the death.
Looking at his father, Eddard Stark's, already cold corpse, Robb Stark first felt deep sorrow and despair, followed by a huge sense of imbalance and powerlessness within his body, leaving him dazed and dizzy.
With an incredibly heavy heart, he held back his painful tears.
In his eyes, his father, Eddard Stark, had always been the pillar of the family; as long as his father was there, the home would always be warm.
But from this moment on, he no longer had a father.
...
It was not just the people of the North who were shocked; even Lord Tywin Lannister, standing opposite, was greatly surprised.
Tywin Lannister stood stunned on the spot, then felt a chill run down his spine, straight into his marrow.
Only last night, he had chatted with Lord Eddard Stark for a while and watched with his own eyes as the guards took him back to rest.
And just this morning, when they were about to set off, he had personally seen him into the carriage and spoken a few words to him.
What is going on?
Moreover, judging by the state of the corpse, he should have been dead for at least a day.
Then who was he talking to last night?
And who was he talking to this morning?
A ghost?
A hallucination?
Was Eddard Stark killed by the legendary ghosts of Harrenhal?
Lord Tywin Lannister, who had always been confident, guilt-free, and a non-believer in ghosts and gods, could not help but fall into deep thought.
The Lord of Winterfell, Eddard Stark, was actually dead! And at such a critical moment of hostage exchange between the two sides. Now, there was no possibility of peace talks between the Westerlands and the North; what awaited them was an even more tragic war to come.
Tywin Lannister did not know what was going on either; it was truly unbelievable.
Even Jaime Lannister, who was standing beside Robb Stark and bound tightly, was stunned.
He thought to himself: How much must his father, Lord Tywin, hate Eddard Stark to have let him die in such a painful way.