The setting sun slanted over the Red Fork, where a young woman stood alone on the riverbank.
The cold wind raged, whipping her cloak about and fully revealing her slender figure. Beneath her hood, brown eyes gazed toward the distant north.
"Congratulations, my lady." The speaker was a man dressed as a maester, seemingly close to thirty years old. His name was William Frey, the third son of Lord Walder Frey and Lady Bethany Rosby, his sixth wife. Two years earlier, he had sworn his vows to become a maester.
According to the Citadel's arrangements, Maester William was meant to be sent to Longbow Hall in the Vale to serve House Hunter. Yet at the time, Lord Crabb—now Gryn I—had launched his conquest of the Vale, shocking the Seven Kingdoms. Ancient Vale houses such as the Hunters were annihilated, vanishing completely into the river of history.
Until the "Red Wedding" at Riverrun, Maester William had remained at the Citadel, waiting to serve some lord of Westeros.
"William, brother."
Though House Rosby had never been known for strength, Lady Bethany had borne old Walder four sons and a daughter: Perwyn, Benfrey, William, Olyvar, and Roslin Frey.
Compared to the children borne by his other wives, Lady Bethany's children were exceptionally outstanding.
William had forged his own maester's chain at a young age. Roslin was a rare beauty of House Frey, whom old Walder called his treasure. Perwyn, Benfrey, and Olyvar were upright, brave, and loyal—veritable anomalies among the "weasel" family.
Old Walder was cruel and merciless, and most other Freys were scoundrels, but these full siblings had loved one another since childhood.
After a long silence, Maester William slowly said, "Sister, leave the remaining enemies to me."
The young woman finally turned her gaze toward him. "William, the fire of hatred