Winter's Fire → Game of Thrones

lxviii. Answers

I had spent the last two days either in the Godswood or my chambers. The only time I was not in one of those places was when I was in the kitchens making myself something to eat. I had no interest going to other parts of the castle, seeing how the glass garden was destroyed and everywhere else was filled with Bolton men.

Maester Wolkan had come to see me to check on me though. He was also kind enough to give me some information. Apparently Lord Umber is yet to swear his allegiance to Roose Bolton. Along with House Umber, houses Mormont and Forrester have refused to swear allegiance to House Bolton.

Another interesting piece of information is that a number of lords only swore allegiance to House Bolton, not to Roose Bolton himself. Maester Wolkan is certain most bent the knee out of fear. Only houses Karstark, Whitehill, Tallhart and Dustin seem to genuinely support House Bolton. House Tallhart was even made into a lordly house for their allegiance.

Maester Wolkan had most recently come to inform me that I was being brought a chest that had once belonged to Robb. It was yet to be destroyed and I needed clothes, so I was hoping to find something within it. The belongings of my other siblings had already been destroyed though. It meant that if I did not find anything in here, I would have to find a way to make money and buy myself warmer clothes.

The chest was sitting in the middle of my chambers when I arrived back from the Godswood. It looked similar to the one sitting in front of my bed. It was very clearly Robb's though. I remembered it from when we were children and would sleep in each other's rooms some nights for the company.

When I opened the chest I could not help but feel disappointed. There were only a few shirts and a single fur pelt sitting in it. I had hoped to find more of Robb's things. Reminders of him. Because these clothes were not the ones he had worn when I last lived in Winterfell, and they were not the clothes I had gotten accustomed to seeing him in before he died.

I picked up the fur pelt and let it sit in my hands. It was soft and probably had not been worn all that often. It seemed like it was one of those things that was for important occasions.

As I placed the pelt on my bed, I noticed a flash of metal in the chest. When I pushed past the few remaining shirts and the single pair of riding pants, I found a pin. Not just any pin though. It was one that had been given to Robb when we were children.

The pin was the sigil of House Stark, with a direwolf head in the centre. It was made of iron, but it was still quite light. It was not beautiful. It was plain and simple. Yet, the sight of it brought a feeling of comfort.

I took the pin out and closed the chest that had once belonged to Robb. I then got dressed for the day, adding Robb's fur pelt over the top and pinning it in place with the direwolf pin.

Looking in the small mirror in my chambers, I almost looked like a proper lord. All that was left was some finer, hopefully warmer clothes. The basic clothes that had been too big for me as a girl would have to suffice for now though. I could always make up for it by holding my head high and behaving as any other lord or lady does.

Snow was falling when I exited my chambers. It was slowly beginning to cover the courtyard and I was sure that, by the day was over, it would be completely covered. I had no complaints though. I have always loved the snow and how Winterfell looks when it is covered in it.

I did not love my activities for today though. I was on my way to confront Roose Bolton. I had to do it eventually, so I felt it best to get it out of the way sooner rather than later. I also had to deal with meeting Ramsay Bolton and his lackeys at some point too.

Roose Bolton was in my father's solar. I knew he was there because he simply was not the man to conduct business in his personal chambers and there were few other rooms he could use. Using my father's solar would also be symbolic to him. It would remind himself, and others, that he is the new Warden of the North.