Winter's size had long exceeded everyone's cognition; flying was like a gale sweeping across the snowfield, and also like a large modern airliner, blocking out the sun.
Lynn pondered.
If not for the Dragonpit limiting Winter's growth, perhaps it could have grown another meter.
Ned Stark sat on Winter's broad back.
Cold wind poured into his mouth and nose, but it made him feel a long-lost comfort.
King's Landing, that city full of conspiracy and stench, was finally left far behind.
He looked back.
Lynn and Myrcella sat close behind him, and further back was Jaime.
The face of this former Kingsguard wore a complex expression mixed with novelty and wariness.
However, the fearless Jaime only felt an inexplicable dizziness, always wanting to vomit.
In less than two days, they covered a journey that would take ordinary people more than half a month.
When the grey outline of Winterfell appeared on the horizon, Ned's eyes moistened slightly.
He was home.
The gates were already open.
Robb Stark, wearing heavy furs, was pacing anxiously at the gate.
He was still waiting for news of capturing Theon.
When he saw that ungrateful Winter carrying his father back, the anxiety on his face was instantly replaced by huge surprise.
"Father!"
"Why are you back?"
Winter landed; Ned dismounted, landing steadily on the snow.
Looking at his eldest son who had grown taller than him, looking at that face seven or eight parts similar to his but younger and more determined, feelings mixed in his heart.
He had been away too long; this little wolf had matured.
Robb stepped forward quickly, just about to give his father a hug.
But the moment he met Ned's gaze, his movement stiffened abruptly.
Ned's gaze was calm.
But under that calmness, a blizzard about to erupt seemed to be brewing.
"I heard,"
Ned's voice was very low.
"You locked your mother up?"
A layer of fine cold sweat instantly appeared on Robb's forehead.
He instinctively took half a step back, feeling he wasn't facing his father, but the awe-inspiring statue of the Old King outside Winterfell.
"I... Father, I was..."
Robb's tongue tied in knots.
"Mother insisted on going to Riverrun; that letter was too weird, I was afraid..."
"So you locked her in her room?"
Ned's tone didn't change at all, but the oppressive feeling grew stronger.
Robb's heart sank to the bottom.
He knew what he did was right.
But facing his father's questioning, he still felt guilty.
Finished, this beating today was unavoidable.
Just when Robb was ready to accept his father's anger, Ned suddenly reached out and patted his shoulder heavily.
The force was so great that Robb's body swayed.
"Well done."
"Huh?"
Robb looked up abruptly, his face written with astonishment.
A smile finally appeared on Ned's face.
Only in that smile was a bit of weird gloating.
"You are already a qualified lord, knowing how to make difficult decisions."
"However..."
Ned leaned close to his ear, lowering his voice.
"You'd better figure out how to resolve your mother's anger yourself."
"Don't count on me; I just want a good hot bath now."
With that, Ned strode towards the castle, leaving a bewildered Robb messy in the wind.
Ned had suffered Catelyn's nagging for too long; seeing Catelyn suffer at Robb's hands, he was in a great mood for a moment, but he couldn't show it...
Lynn walked over, also patted Robb's shoulder, smiling.
"Get used to it; your father was suffocated in King's Landing."
Jaime followed behind, watching the interaction of this father and son, the corner of his mouth twitching uncontrollably.
Northmen's way of expressing fatherly love was really... uh, unique.
As for Winter, looking disdainfully at Robb who wanted to join the fun, not even giving Robb a straight dragon face.
Robb only felt "betrayed by everyone."
Lynn watched this scene, feeling very relieved.
The tragedy of the Stark family in the original show wouldn't repeat; this time they would have a completely different perfect ending, also settling his regret back then.
...
Winterfell, Great Hall.
The firewood in the fireplace burned vigorously.
Catelyn Tully paced back and forth in the room, like a she-wolf trapped in a cage.
When the door was pushed open and Ned's familiar figure appeared at the door, all her anxiety and anger turned into a burst of tears at this moment.
"Ned!"
Like a swallow returning to the forest, she threw herself into her husband's arms, crying loudly.
Ned hugged his wife tightly, feeling the trembling of her body, his heart full of guilt.
"I'm back, Cat, I'm back."
After crying for a long time, Catelyn slowly calmed down.
She wiped away her tears, but immediately remembered the humiliation of being imprisoned; she pushed Ned away, glaring at Robb who followed in.
"You unfilial son! How dare you lock me up!"
Robb shrank his neck, looking at his father for help.
But Ned walked to the fireplace to warm himself, pretending not to see anything.
Just kidding, he wouldn't step in at this time; whoever stepped in would be unlucky.
Playing dumb was the wisest choice.
"Mother, I..."
"Alright, my Lady, don't blame Robb too much."
Lynn's voice sounded timely.
"Robb did it for your own good."
"Riverrun is now a dragon's pool and tiger's den; going there is truly a point of no return."
Robb cast a grateful look.
This is a damn good brother!
Catelyn's attention was immediately diverted.
She then realized Lynn, Myrcella, and even Jaime Lannister had come.
She looked at Lynn, asking urgently.
"Lynn, what on earth happened at Riverrun? My father, he..."
"No, we'll talk about this later."
Catelyn suddenly looked around, frowning deeply.
"Where is Sansa? Why didn't my Sansa come back with you?"
Mentioning this name, the atmosphere in the hall instantly became somewhat strange.
Ned's warming movement stopped; an expression uglier than crying appeared on his face.
"She... she refused to leave."
"Refused to leave?"
Catelyn's voice rose sharply.
"What do you mean refused to leave?"
"Did that little beast Joffrey detain her?"
"No, it has nothing to do with Joffrey."
Ned sighed, looking at Lynn with complex eyes.
"It was she herself... who insisted on staying in King's Landing."
Catelyn was stunned.
Her own daughter.
Sansa, who treated knight novels as bibles and dreamed of marrying a prince.
Would actually voluntarily give up the chance to return to Winterfell, choosing to stay in that place where her dreams had shattered?
"Why?"
Catelyn couldn't believe her ears.
"What is she doing staying there?"
Ned's expression became even harder to describe.
He hesitated for a long time before speaking with difficulty.
"She said... she wants to earn money."
"Earn... earn money?"
Catelyn felt her brain wasn't enough.
The eldest daughter of House Stark, staying in King's Landing to earn money?
What kind of fantasy was this?
"Yes, earn money."
Ned said with a look of despair.
"She said Lynn has to feed so many people beyond the Wall, and raise a dragon; the expenses must be huge."
"As Lynn's fi... friend, she can't sit idly by."
"She even used the jewelry you gave her as capital, taking over a shop in the most prosperous Silk Street of King's Landing, designing clothes and jewelry specifically for those noble ladies."
"She said that's called haute couture, and that slippery soap, I don't understand either."
"It is said... business is quite good, earned a lot of gold dragons."
Catelyn stood blankly on the spot, mouth open, unable to say a word.
She looked at Lynn, then at Ned, feeling like listening to an absurd story fabricated by a bard.
Not astonished that Sansa earned gold dragons.
Arya following Lynn wielding swords and spears, thinking about becoming a knight all day, already gave her enough headaches.
Now, great.
Sansa, her most ladylike daughter who gave her the least worry, actually also... also stayed in that tiger and wolf den of King's Landing for Lynn?
By the Seven.
She felt her two daughters, like two fresh cabbages, were all hogged by Lynn!
And Lynn even led her son onto a "crooked path" right in front of her!
Her Robb had never dared to be so rude to her before.
Catelyn's gaze landed on Lynn.
That look was full of the resentment and helplessness of an old mother.
Lynn felt uncomfortable all over under her gaze, could only chuckle dryly twice.
"That... Lady Catelyn, children grow up, always have their own ideas..."
"Ideas? I think they are bewitched by you!"
Catelyn said snappily.
However, complaining aside, she also knew now wasn't the time to pursue these.
She took a deep breath, putting her daughters' matters aside temporarily, her face becoming solemn again.
"Alright, let's talk business now."
"My father's death, and Edmure's wedding, what exactly is going on?"
"Robb said that letter reveals weirdness everywhere!"
"There was even an interlayer in the envelope; Robb suspected even the content in the interlayer wasn't credible!"
Mentioning this, Ned's face also darkened; he also heard about Riverrun.
He looked at Lynn, signaling Lynn to speak.
After all, Lynn could always "see" some "prophecies" others couldn't see.
Lynn nodded, telling Catelyn exactly what happened.
From Lysa Arryn poisoning Jon Arryn, to her inciting Vale bannermen, to her secret collusion with Walder Frey attempting to annex the Riverlands and the Vale in one fell swoop through marriage and conspiracy.
When Catelyn heard her father, Lord Hoster, likely didn't die of illness but was angered to death by her long-mad sister.
Even... killed by Lysa personally, Catelyn's body swayed, darkness before her eyes, almost falling to the ground.
"No... impossible..."
Her lips lost color.
"Lysa she... how could she become like this... that is our father!"
"For a Petyr Baelish... she actually..."
Sorrow, anger, disbelief...
Various emotions intertwined, almost tearing her apart.
How much she once loved her sister, how much she hated her now.
"Edmure..."
Catelyn grabbed the last straw, asking with a trembling voice.
"How is my brother Edmure?"
"Is... is he okay?"
Lynn was silent for a moment, finally telling the cruel truth.
"Edmure, I'm afraid, has become a puppet of your sister and Walder Frey."
"That wedding is a trap prepared for him, and for the entire House Tully."
"They will force Edmure, as Lord of Riverrun, to acknowledge the alliance with the Vale, acknowledge the marriage with House Frey, tying the entire Riverlands army to their war chariot."
"If Edmure disobeys..."
A trace of coldness flashed in Lynn's eyes.
"That wedding will become his funeral, and also the funeral of the entire House Tully."
"Moreover, that wedding not only targets Edmure but also you, my Lady."
"As long as you attend, the moment you step into the Riverlands, those ambushing cavalry will detain you."
"You will become Lord Ned's biggest constraint."
"So, Robb not letting you attend was completely correct."
Catelyn collapsed completely.
She slumped in the chair, covering her face with her hands, emitting desperate and suppressed whimpers.
Her home.
That Riverrun which once represented "Family, Duty, Honor."
Now fell apart, thoroughly shrouded by conspiracy and betrayal.
Robb stepped forward, placing his hand on his mother's trembling shoulder.
On that young face was written determination and anger inconsistent with his age.
"Mother, we will avenge Grandfather."
"I will also rescue Uncle."
His gaze turned to Lynn; in those grey eyes belonging to House Stark burned a raging fighting spirit.
"Lynn, what should we do now?"