In Winterfell, as the evacuation began, the permanent population of over twenty thousand was now down to less than six thousand.
The women and children had mostly evacuated, and at this critical moment of life and death, most men ultimately chose to abandon their homeland, with only over eight hundred staying behind.
Including Winterfell's five thousand guards, there were still less than six thousand people.
Milady Catherine originally insisted on staying, but under the persuasion of Lord Ed and the scholar, she left with her two sons, Blan and Rickon, and her two daughters, Sansa and Alya, heading to King's Landing.
Ed's eldest son, Robb, and his illegitimate son, Jon, stayed behind. The two had just celebrated their fifteenth-name day. Initially, Ed was against the two staying, but they consecutively challenged and defeated two of Ed's bodyguards, proving their strength.
With Milady's support, Lord Ed also had no choice but to agree.
