If Robb had married the Frey.

[Erkan12]

Roose would not betray him if he was married with frey girl, since no RW. He return his home with frey alliances and throw ironborns from north. He lost war against iron throne, it means he can not take kings landing against lannisters+tyrells, this is not a problem for north or defending the north, he was still control many great northern house like manderly, mormont, umber...

i even doubt that lannisters and tyrells go to north and attack them, maybe riverlands but north is too harsh for that summerboys

maybe if they return north, roose and karstarks plan something but i doubt that too...

[Team Martell]

The marriage to Jeyne Westerling happened well after his cause was hopeless.

Theon's betrayal, Catelyn's betrayal, and Edmure's great tactical error ended his hopes. Marrying Jeyne Westerling only set up his doom at the hands of the Freys/Boltons.

[Beorn Snow]

I don´t understand why people think he´d have lost anyway. Iron throne cannot conquer the north, especially during winter.

Walder Frey probably would´ve been pleased to have his grandchild eventually a king in the north. He´d be a sort of a Tywin of the north. However the Frey´s family interests are mixed, they´v marriages all over the place probably, and are more bound to the south. The twins however profit most from a peace between the north and the south. That way they can exact some toll from travellers.

On the whole a peace brokered between an old Robb and an older Tommen would´ve been nice a few decades later, or their sons agreeing on borders.

[Amadeo78]

Robb wouldn't have had to even marry a Frey if he had simply seceded and remained North. He was King in the North, as the ancient Starks before him. Starks NEVER ruled the Riverlands, and he never should have added that to his responsibility. The Riverlands are ravaged in EVERY conflict, he wouldn't have been able to hold them.

The King in the North should have stayed in The North.

That would have been declaring that his sisters lives were forfeit and a King who doesn't avenge his fathers murder and then doesn't try to save his siblings (innocent girls) would have lost support from his people.

[shearstone]

If Robb had got to the North he'd have kicked out the Iron born (most left after Balon's death anyway) he then could have stayed up north until Tywin's death with the Tyrell's at Storms End, needing to deal with the Ironborne invasion and the Frey's not besieging Riverrun he could have easily swept back down south and cleared out the remaining Lannister's. Once Aegon lands it becomes pretty much a stalemate but who knows what happens after Aegon lands and the Dany but Robb would be in a good position come winter.

[Hodor Blackfyre]

If, If, If. What if Joffrey didn't behead Ned and sent him to the wall? Then Robb would be Lord of the north with no need to raise his banners. But then the book wouldn't be interesting.

[Victor227]

The Freys definitely wouldn't have done what they did if Robb had kept his word with them. As King in the North, he gave Walder Frey an immense incentive to remain on-side. Without that, no Frey is -ever- going to be directly associated with a main royal bloodline, especially not when you consider what they did in revenge later. It's a boost in prestige that outweighs what the Lannisters could offer them to betray Robb in the fashion they did, and face the long-term consequences to their reputation.

After things went south (losing Winterfell, Lannister/Tyrell alliance) I'd imagine Walder would have encouraged Robb to surrender the Riverlands to a Frey-brokered peace, but sneak back up North and close the border behind him. The Freys are elevated to royalty, the Kingdom of the North is secure, and the Riverlands go back to the throne in peace. It's a good outcome for Walder. After all, all the Lannisters offer him for eternally damning the reputation of his house is a couple marriages to cousins, and Emmon Frey getting Riverrun (he doesn't get the authority associated, just the castle and lands).

[timenyart]

Robb lost when he sent Theon to Pyke. When the Ironborn invaded the North, and took several territories including Deepwoode Motte, Winterfell, Moat Cailin, and eventually Torrhen's Square.

After the Ironborn invaded, the already disloyal Roose Bolton started kicking it into overdrive. Keep in mind that first battle in which Roose spared most of the men sworn to his house while putting forward Karstarks, Cerwyns, and Manderlys and in particular Lord Hornwood, was probably just petty one upping his fellow lords, taking advantage of weakening them so that when he returned North he could gain land rights or even land outright. It probably wasn't disloyalty to Robb himself.

After the Ironborn invaded Roose started prepping the ground for his betrayal, specifically he gave orders Robb would've never given, in Robb's name, in particular ordering Lord Helman Tallhart and Robett Glover to advance on Duskendale. A crushing Defeat that Roose helped create intentionally.

The word that Bran and Rickon were dead was what caused Catalyn to release Jaime, and Robb to seek comfort in his healer at the Crag, Jeyne Westerling. It really all boils down to Robb sending Theon to Pyke and not seeing the potential of Ironborn invasion.

Granted Robb trying to ally with House Greyjoy is itself pretty smart, but he should've sent a better spokesman, and worded his letter significantly better ( don't try to give Balon a crown idiot)

And Balon should've looked beyond petty vengeance and seen the logistical problems with trying to conquer the North. He should've instead seen how becoming a King and invading the Westerlands making common cause with Robb Stark would've gained him vengeance and wealth in equal measure, and stood a better chance of success. Though Balon blames Tywin's continued existence for not attacking the Westerlands, that is kind of BS since Tywin would've attacked Balon eventually for putting a crown on his head again.

Also for those who think the North is in danger from southron invasion via Sea. Um probably not. Look at the map, a Southron invasion would probably come from the Narrow Sea, the Eastern Coast is dotted with Castles, Rams Gate, Oldcastle, Widow's Peak, Karhold. And up a River there is the Dreadfort. Winterfell is up the White Knife River but that is protected at the Mouth by White Harbor, a large city that has a fmr. Castle turned Prison right outside its bounds in the Wolf's Den, and if you get past that you have the Large City walls to pass, and beyond that the well fashioned New Castle. Then up River is Castle Cerwyn and Winterfell itself.

Even if such an Army got beyond the coast ( unlikely) then they'd have to march through a Northern Winter ( again unlikely) think about how hard Stannis had it when he was marching to Winterfell in ADOD.

Invading the North via Sea is difficult, and invading during Winter is dang near impossible. If Robb escapes back North he's safe.

The Riverlands on the other hand are not.

[OnlyOne]

Never trust a Frey.