The North.
Winter had come.
Heavy snow fell from the heavens, turning the entire land into a kingdom of white.
Along the King's Road outside Winter Town, the snow had been cleared to both sides, where it had piled up like two white walls.
Behind them stood the ancient and imposing Winterfell, resembling a massive gray beast quietly lying beneath the endless snowfall.
The cold wind howled, but it could not conceal the suppressed excitement among the people of Winter Town.
Ever since Glover had reached the Neck, Winterfell had received word that the soldiers who had marched south would soon be returning.
The lords responsible for holding the various territories of the North had also gradually arrived at Winterfell over the course of half a month.
Because of this, they had been fortunate enough to witness House Manderly transporting ship after ship of grain from the Reach through White Harbor and onward to Winterfell.
An entire fifteen thousand wagonloads of grain had arrived.
Not only had it filled every granary in Winterfell, but the armories, wine cellars, and every other place capable of storing provisions had also been packed full.
The abundance of food brought smiles to everyone's faces.
They no longer felt much fear toward the coming winter or the battles that lay ahead.
Now, the Northern nobles and the common people who had come to Winter Town for the winter had all gathered along the King's Road.
The nobles were wrapped in thick fur cloaks, while the commoners wore woolen clothing to keep out the cold.
Their breath formed clouds of white mist as they gazed expectantly toward the southern horizon.
Finally.
The trembling of the earth arrived before the sound of hooves.
A black-and-sky-blue army slowly appeared in the distance, like a blade tearing through the snowstorm.
Perhaps because they were approaching Winterfell, Andar Royce and his three thousand Vale cavalrymen tacitly slowed their pace, allowing the more than five thousand Northern soldiers to march at the front.
Their armor was battered, their cloaks stained with blood, and every face was marked by wind, frost, and exhaustion.
Yet without exception, their backs remained straight, and their eyes burned with a fire called "invincibility."
At the very front rode Galon on a brown horse.
He wore his distinctive smoke-black scale armor, with a heavy black bear fur cloak hanging from his shoulders as he slowly led the army forward.
Behind him was a funeral wagon pulled by three black horses, covered by the banner of the direwolf.
"The Kingmaker!"
Someone shouted first.
Immediately afterward, a wave of cheers erupted like a tsunami.
"Kingmaker Galon!"
"Kingmaker Galon!"
The cries shattered the falling snow and echoed throughout Winterfell.
This was the North's highest tribute to the hero who had turned the tide when all seemed lost and saved the realm from collapse.
Galon's expression remained stern.
He did not respond to the cheers.
He simply led the army silently into Winter Town.
But after the people saw the army in its entirety, the cheering finally began to fade.
A faint sound of sobbing gradually emerged.
They were the voices of those who had lost their loved ones.
The atmosphere became filled with grief... The same was true of Sansa Stark, the current Lady of Winterfell.
She wore a gray velvet gown embroidered with a silver direwolf and a snow-white wolfskin cloak.
Surrounded by Jon and the others, she stood at the main gate to welcome the returning soldiers.
When she saw the funeral wagon carrying her father's remains, Sansa's eyes immediately reddened.
But she had grown considerably after everything she had endured.
Forcing herself to look away from the wagon, Sansa stared dreamily at the man walking toward her through the snowstorm, the man who had promised to protect her for the rest of her life.
"I'm back, Sansa."
When that familiar voice reached her ears once again, Sansa could no longer hold back her tears.
She abandoned all restraint and hurried forward.
"Galon, I've missed you..."
Under the gaze of countless people, Sansa rose onto her toes and kissed him deeply.
It was as though she wanted to convey all the longing she had carried inside her to the man before her.
Galon embraced her, returning her affection.
Everyone around them watched kindly.
No one interrupted.
Only after the two finally parted did the crowd's attention return to the solemn occasion.
"Don't cry anymore. It's all over now."
Galon gently patted Sansa's back.
His gaze swept over Jon, Arya, Maester Luwin, and his uncle Robett before finally taking the heavy greatsword Ice from the wagon and handing it to Maester Luwin.
"Maester, this is the Stark greatsword, Ice."
"Please keep it safe for Lady Sansa."
Maester Luwin looked sorrowfully at the greatsword but did not take it.
He was old and frail, and the weapon was too heavy for him to carry. Instead, he beckoned to a tall servant and had him take the sword.
Once the servant had carried Ice away, Galon gave another order.
"Maester, please arrange accommodations for Lord Royce's army.
They are our allies and have come to help us resist the wildlings.
Also, prepare food and lodgings for the returning soldiers. Let them rest properly."
Maester Luwin looked at Galon, who commanded respect without needing to raise his voice, and answered respectfully.
"Yes, my lord."
With that, he passed Galon and headed toward the rear of the column.
"Come. Let's take Lord Eddard home first."
Galon nodded to Jon and the others before speaking softly to Sansa.
He then returned to the funeral wagon and personally pushed Ned Stark's remains through Winterfell's main gate.
At the end of the entrance stood Catelyn, sitting in a wheelchair and wrapped in thick furs.
Her face was pale, almost as white as an Other.
She looked completely different from the woman Galon had seen in the Riverlands.
Every breath required tremendous effort.
"My lady, your health..."
Galon stopped and looked at the dying Catelyn, immediately asking with concern.
"Still... still... not dead yet."
Catelyn motioned for her maid to push her closer.
Her cold, trembling hands gently touched Ned's stone coffin, sorrow filling her eyes.
"Ned... wait... wait for me."
"I'll soon... soon come to be... with you..."
Her whisper caused Sansa and Arya to shed tears once again. Even Jon's expression darkened.
Clearly, Catelyn did not have many days left.
"Galon... take... take Ned... to the crypt..."
"Let him... reunite... with the children..."
Catelyn raised her head and looked weakly at Galon.
"Yes, my lady."
Galon nodded firmly.
He then pushed the stone coffin through the courtyard and toward the crypt.
The Winterfell crypt was cold and damp.
It was where generations of Starks rested.
By the flickering light of the torches, Galon and Jon worked together to push Ned's stone coffin into the empty place that had long been prepared for him.
To the right of it, Robb and Rickon had already been laid to rest.
Catelyn forced herself to rise from her wheelchair. She touched the cold stone statue, tears silently running down her face.
Sansa and Arya bit their lips tightly, refusing to let themselves cry aloud.
Jon knelt on the ground and solemnly bowed to the man who had raised him.
"Rest in peace, Lord Eddard."
Galon looked at the stern stone face of the statue and silently said to himself:
"Your daughters, your family, your North, and everything you cherished, I will take care of them for you."
A flicker of emotion passed through his eyes, but soon his expression returned to calm.
"My lady, the crypt is cold, and it is not good for your health. We should go outside."
After a moment, Galon spoke gently.
Catelyn coughed heavily twice before slowly sitting back down in her wheelchair.
"Galon, push me outside."
Galon nodded.
He was about to leave when he glanced at Jon.
Jon was still kneeling before Ned, completely immersed in grief.
"Jon, you..."
"Galon, I want to be alone for a while... I want to stay here and speak with my father... with Lord Eddard."
Galon's eyes flickered.
He did not try to stop him.
"Very well."
"When you've calmed down, come find me. I have something to discuss with you."
Without Bran's interference, Jon's true parentage was destined to be buried forever with Ned's death.
The only person who knew the truth was Howland Reed, who remained hidden at Greywater Watch, making it difficult for outsiders to reach him.
'It's time to move him to a different position. Giving the Dreadfort to Stark's bastard shouldn't meet much resistance.'
Galon silently considered the matter as he pushed Catelyn toward the exit.
A moment later.
They emerged from the crypt.
Outside was a reunion of the living.
In the courtyard, returning lords embraced their families and wept together.
Greatjon and his sons were nearly crushed by the embrace of their uncle, Hother Umber.
Lord Seaworth looked on with relief at his children, safe and sound.
Lord Rickard embraced his daughter, tears streaming down his face, while his eldest son, who had been exchanged and returned, stood beside them with a joyful expression.
Yet there were many lonely figures among the crowd.
The knights of House Hornwood searched for their family members for a long time, only to find no one.
In the end, all they received was a tattered banner.
Lord Tallhart stood silently before his brother. Their entire family had been slaughtered by Euron.
House Flint of Widow's Watch had suffered the same fate...
Slowly, the sounds of crying overwhelmed the laughter.
Galon looked at the scene and spoke quietly.
"My lady, let Arya push you back to your room. I'll stay with Sansa and comfort these people."
Catelyn nodded.
Galon turned and gently ruffled Arya's hair before taking a letter from inside his clothing and handing it to her.
"Arya, this is a letter from His Majesty."
"He entrusted me to deliver it to you personally."
Arya had just buried her father and was deeply depressed.
She casually took the letter without saying anything and pushed Catelyn toward the main castle.
After Arya had gone some distance away, Galon accompanied Sansa toward the lords who had lost their loved ones.
"My lords, I know that nothing can make up for the pain of losing those closest to you."
Sansa took a deep breath, her voice filled with grief.
"But please believe me. Their blood was not shed in vain... They died with honor, for the North and for their homes."
The others looked at Sansa before eventually turning their eyes toward Galon.
Galon remained silent for a moment before speaking. "Lady Sansa is right... Your families died with honor."
"Winterfell will not abandon anyone who gave their life for the North."
He paused before making a solemn promise.
"We won the war in the south, and I won a rich share of the spoils for you and the North.
White Harbor has already delivered fifteen thousand wagonloads of grain.
Another thirty-five thousand wagonloads of grain, along with several million gold dragons, will arrive in the North in due course.
Every family will receive generous compensation from Winterfell according to their contributions and losses.
This winter, in my capacity as Kingmaker and Warden of the North, I promise you that not a single subject of a loyal Northern house will starve to death."
As his words ended, the crying gradually faded.
Galon's concrete promise was enough to ease much of their grief.
They wiped away their tears and escorted Galon and Sansa toward the council chamber.
Time was pressing.
Galon needed to know immediately what the wildlings had been doing recently and what the latest reports from the front said.
Inside Winterfell's great hall.
As the castle closest to the Wall, Last Hearth's Hother Umber spoke first.
"Kingmaker, the Wall has now been completely occupied by one hundred thousand wildlings.
But strangely, Mance Rayder has not continued south. Instead, he has remained at the Wall.
They now occupy every castle along the Wall, as though they intend to remain there permanently."
Hother Umber's words sparked discussion among the returning lords.
"What the hell is Mance Rayder planning?"
"Exactly. Do they intend to become the new Night's Watch?"
"Hahaha..."
After learning that the wildlings had not continued south, the atmosphere in the hall became considerably lighter.
Some even began joking about it, drawing laughter and curses from the others.
At that moment, a somewhat plump young man stepped forward.
"My lords, perhaps I know why."
Galon turned his head and looked at him.
"Who is this?"
"The Night's Watch steward, Samwell."
Samwell briefly introduced himself before continuing.
"Kingmaker, it is because of the Others. The Others have appeared beyond the Wall!"
The instant the words left his mouth, the entire hall fell silent.
"The Others?"
"You mean the Others from the old songs?" Greatjon rose to his feet and sneered. "Boy, have you been frightened out of your wits?"
"Shut up, Jon!"
Hother glared at his nephew.
"What he says is true. The Others have indeed appeared beyond the Wall."
The returning lords looked incredulously at their families.
One by one, they received the same confirmation.
"Old Gods..."
"Fuck, the Others are real?!"
"Damn it. Did you capture one alive?"
Sansa, seated at the head of the hall, shook her head.
"The Night's Watch only witnessed them. They did not capture one alive."
Samwell added:
"It wasn't only the Night's Watch. The farmers living near the Wall saw them too.
Those free folk have occupied the Wall because they want to widen the tunnel entrances, allowing the giants and mammoths to enter the North and escape the Others."
Boom!
The hall erupted once again upon hearing about those creatures from legend.
The entire chamber descended into an uproar.
Galon remained silent.
He was thinking about how to defeat and persuade these free folk, including the giants, to surrender while minimizing his own losses.
Gradually, however, the hall fell silent.
Everyone's eyes turned toward Galon.
"Galon..."
Even Sansa softly called his name, looking at him expectantly.
Galon immediately returned to his senses.
"Samwell?"
Instead of making an immediate decision, he looked toward Jon Snow's friend from the original story.
"Are you the son of Lord Tarly?"
Samwell was somewhat surprised, but he nodded.
"Yes. I am Lord Tarly's eldest son, Samwell Tarly."
"Kingmaker, do you know my father?"
The moment he finished speaking, the lords who had fought alongside Galon at the Trident burst into excited laughter.
"Know him?"
"Your father personally knelt before the Kingmaker and surrendered!"
"Hahaha!"
Samwell was stunned.
He had never imagined that his proud father would kneel before Glover and surrender.
He looked at Galon again with a completely different expression.
Galon clapped his hands, silencing the commotion, and smiled.
"Lord Tarly is a brave and capable warrior... The battle at Ruby Ford was not a reflection of his ability."
He focused on Samwell and returned to the matter at hand.
"How many men remain in the Night's Watch, and where are they now?"
Samwell answered:
"After the battle at Castle Black, only a little more than a thousand surviving brothers remain.
Lord Tywin and Lord Jaime are currently leading them and are stationed near the Last River."
Galon nodded slightly.
He was not surprised that Tywin and Jaime had taken command of the Night's Watch.
More precisely, that was exactly why Galon had agreed to allow them to take the black.
He wanted them to make themselves useful within the Night's Watch and contribute the last of their strength toward stopping the wildlings and the Others.
Now, everything was progressing in the direction he had hoped.
Galon looked around the hall before finally turning his eyes toward Sansa.
"The situation at the front is of great importance.
I intend to take the Vale cavalry and rendezvous with the Night's Watch before making further plans.
On one hand, I want to assess the true strength of the wildlings.
On the other, I want to see what these Others actually look like.
As for everyone else..."
He paused briefly.
"The war should not begin immediately. After the spoils have been distributed, return to your respective territories."l
Continue training new soldiers and wait for my summons."
No one objected.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"White Harbor will obey the Kingmaker's command!"
"House Seaworth will obey the Kingmaker's command!"
"Bear Island will obey..."
"Karstark will obey..."
But when Sansa heard the voices filling the hall, she pouted unhappily.
Her eyes were filled with reluctance and dissatisfaction. "Then, Galon, when are you planning to leave?"
"As soon as possible. The military situation is urgent..."
"No!"
Before Galon could finish, Arya pushed Catelyn into the hall from the doorway.
Catelyn was breathing heavily, her pale face leaning weakly against the back of her wheelchair.
She forcibly rejected Galon's decision.
"My lady..."
Galon's eyes flashed with surprise at the interruption.
However, he immediately stepped forward and pushed Catelyn toward the warmth of the fireplace before asking,
"My lady, do you have something to say? The situation at the Wall is urgent. If..."
Catelyn weakly shook her head.
"The Wall is still there. It will not fall in an instant."
"The Others... and the wildlings are not the most urgent matter. The most important thing is..."
She looked toward Sansa.
Her gaze slowly swept across the many lords in the hall before finally settling on Galon.
"I don't have much time left."
Catelyn's weak voice echoed throughout Winterfell's great hall.
"Before I close my eyes, I want to do one last thing for House Stark.
Galon, Sansa has already had her first period. You... you two should be married now."
The moment those words were spoken, Sansa's face turned bright red.
Her eyes flickered nervously, yet she stared firmly at Galon, waiting for his answer.
Galon did not disappoint her.
Without the slightest hesitation, he answered solemnly, "It would be my honor, my lady."
In an instant, thunderous cheers erupted throughout the hall.
"Marriage!"
"Marriage!"
Every lord pounded the tables and shouted, offering the newlyweds a blessing in the traditional style of the North.
__________
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