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After what Jimmy had done overnight personally crafting a bearskin saddle for her Sansa gave up any thoughts of escape.
Under Jimmy's lead, they pushed forward at a relentless pace.
As they passed by Winterfell at a distance, Sansa couldn't help but look back.
Her eyes were filled with longing.
Jimmy rode up beside her.
"What, want to go there?"
"I can take you, There's even someone you know inside."
"Theon's there, though… he's barely recognizable anymore."
"Theon?" Sansa's expression hardened. "He deserves whatever happened to him."
"That ahead should be Last Hearth, right? House Umber has always been loyal to us, We could—"
Her words were cut off by Jimmy's cold laugh.
"Loyal? Oh, very loyal."
"So loyal that they captured your brother Rickon and sent him straight to Ramsay."
"Only reason he didn't end up as a flayed trophy is that someone ambushed them in the Wolfswood and rescued him."
"Otherwise, if you went to Winterfell now, you might've seen your brother's skin hanging there."
"What? That's… that's impossible!"
"What's impossible about it?"
"Other than Jon, are there even any Starks left that matter?"
"If the Starks are nearly wiped out, why would House Umber stay loyal?"
"A handful of children against Roose Bolton's seasoned army?"
Jimmy's tone was blunt.
"Not to mention, Greatjon Umber is still a prisoner at the Twins."
"After the Red Wedding, Roose Bolton and Walder Frey became allies."
"Even if Hother Umber didn't want to, he'd still have to support Bolton."
"And honestly? He doesn't mind all that much."
"Mors Umber might hesitate, but until he sees a real chance for the Starks to rise again, he won't oppose his brother."
"This isn't about good or evil."
"If Bolton wins, Hother survives and House Umber endures."
"If the Starks win, Mors becomes the victor and House Umber still endures."
"That's how smaller houses survive."
Jimmy glanced ahead.
"Alright, that's enough lessons for today. Let's move."
---
By now, Sansa trusted Jimmy completely.
She knew this road truly led to Castle Black.
He really was taking her there.
---
"Rumble…"
Jimmy suddenly motioned for everyone to hide.
From within the trees, they watched a cavalry force thunder past.
A red banner bearing a fiery stag fluttered in the wind.
"Stannis…" Brienne gripped the hilt of Oathkeeper tightly, anger flickering in her eyes.
"What's he doing here?"
"Quiet," Jimmy said. "Unless you plan to take on several thousand men head-on."
Once the army passed, the four of them stepped back onto the road.
"Why is Stannis here?" Brienne asked, echoing Sansa's thoughts.
"What else?" Jimmy replied casually. "He lost his base, so now he's come north looking for a new one."
"With what he's got left, no lands, no steady income—how long can he even sustain himself?"
"He probably thinks he can defeat Roose Bolton."
Jimmy smirked.
"But this is the North."
"Fire doesn't always burn here."
"That flaming stag of his? He's likely to suffer badly."
"Might even lose his life."
Jimmy turned his horse.
"Come on, None of this concerns us."
"Not a single one of them is a good person anyway."
"If any of them die, it's not exactly a tragedy."
---
They continued north.
Soon, a sprawling, chaotic camp came into view.
South of Castle Black, stretching for several miles, stood a sea of fur tents.
The entire place was noisy, disorganized, and reeked of unwashed bodies.
"What… is this?" Sansa frowned. "Weren't there supposed to be very few men of the Night's Watch?"
Jimmy drew his massive blade and rested it on his shoulder.
"Stay close to Sansa."
"Those look like wildlings."
"But the Night's Watch banner is still flying over Castle Black…"
"Something's changed."
"I'll go check."
"If they attack me, you run."
"If I wave you over, then come."
With that, Jimmy rode forward alone.
---
After a short while, he waved.
The others cautiously approached.
"These ten horses are ours," Jimmy said casually. "The rest are yours."
"Take me to Castle Black."
As they walked, they finally learned what had happened.
Jon Snow was now Lord Commander of the Night's Watch.
He had allowed the wildlings to pass through the Wall.
Because beyond it… something far worse than wildlings had appeared.
The White Walkers.
"The White Walkers? Aren't those just stories to scare children…" Sansa blurted out.
"Then you should ask your bastard brother about that," Jimmy said lazily.
He sheathed his blade and carried it on his shoulder, completely unconcerned.
---
The gates creaked open.
"Creeeak…"
The black-clad brothers on the walls were clearly tense.
Especially with so many wildlings nearby, they had their bows drawn even before anyone came close.
If not for the name "Sansa Stark," they might not have opened the gates at all.
A group approached.
At their head was Jon Snow, dressed in black, accompanied by a dozen men.
"Sansa!"
"Jon!"
The two remaining Starks rushed into each other's arms.
At last, Sansa could cry without holding anything back.
---
"I'm sorry to keep you waiting," Jon said afterward. "And thank you, all of you, for bringing Sansa here."
"I don't have much to offer in return, but—"
"No need," Jimmy waved him off. "I've already been paid."
"Though I've got a question."
"What exactly is going on here?"
"The Wall is supposed to keep wildlings out."
"So why are there so many inside?"
Jon answered seriously.
"The White Walkers have returned."
"The Night's Watch needs help."
"If we leave the wildlings beyond the Wall, that's forty or fifty thousand enemies."
"But if we let them in…"
"We gain seven thousand defenders."
"Jimmy… the White Walkers are real."
"For the sake of Westeros… will you help defend the Wall?"
Jimmy stared at him.
Jon… did you just casually play the 'for Westeros' card on me?
That confidence was something else.
Jimmy stood up, circled around Jon, then patted his shoulder.
"Jon."
"That's not how you ask for help."
"I'll stay here for two days."
"I want to see what these White Walkers actually look like."
"But right now, you've got bigger problems."
"You need to calm your Night's Watch brothers."
"How many of them come from the Gift or the New Gift?"
"The hatred between them and the wildlings isn't something you can erase with a few words."
"Or even with the threat of White Walkers."
"When I came in, I had bows aimed at me the entire time."
"Your brothers are far too tense."
"That's not what peace looks like."
Jimmy yawned.
"Hey… you."
"That fat one."
"Got any spare rooms? I've been traveling for days. I want a proper sleep."
"Huh?" Podrick looked up, confused.
"Not you," Jimmy said, pointing past him.
"I meant that fat one."
Samwell Tarly.
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