WARS TO COME, game of thrones

𝐈𝐈. pups

"Lord Rickard Karstark and his sons!"

They had arrived before Anrir and his companions and were now officially welcomed.

Anrir watched the lord he knew from the Trident greet Eddard and his young son Robb, who stood with the entire Winterfell household in the castle's largest courtyard. Rob was three, with red curls and blue eyes that made him absolutely adorable. He looked wide-eyed at the hulking Lord Karstark, who bowed his head to Eddard and then set off for the great hall.

After greeting him, Anrir swung off his horse, which was taken from him by a squire and brought to the stables.

"Lord Anrir Riverfall, heir to Jon Arryn!"

Anrir walked up to Eddard and his lips parted involuntarily into a grin. "Ned," he greeted him, and they embraced in the firm, rough manner befitting childhood friends who had gone into battle together. "Where's the little wolf I'm here for?" Anrir asked, grinning at Ned. Now that they were adults Anrir was almost a head taller than him, a distance Ned would never catch up with.

Eddard still wore his hair long and a shadow of a beard adorned his cheeks. He looked older than the twenty years he counted.

"In the hall, with her mother. Cat doesn't want her out in the cold." "A Stark doesn't catch a cold that quickly," Anrir snorted, making Eddard laugh. It was still the best feeling in the world and he wished he could just kiss him, show him how much he had really missed him. Ned seemed to read his mind, because he urged Anrir in a composed tone: "Go to her. Catelyn will be happy to see you." So Anrir detached himself from the sight of his friend and followed by his knights he entered the great hall of Winterfell.

The tables were almost bending under the dishes laid out and there was a joyful bustle. Almost immediately he lost his companions and failed to spot Catelyn's  red hair in the crowd. Instead, he bumped into Howland Reed and they too embraced, only this time there was really only friendship and the memory of a shared fight between them.

"You look good, Riverfall," Reed looked him up and down, "Ser Barristan will always be visible, but still... You look good." Anrir laughed, "Take off your shirt and show the world how Rhaegar's guards have riddled you like a piece of cheese."

Reed smacked him and Anrir grinned to himself. "When do we get to meet your first offspring?" Reed teased him, who had become a father for the first time earlier in the year. "Be patient. I need a wife first anyway." "Oh, any woman will do for most people," Reed chuckled and Anrir rolled his eyes. "Don't let your wife hear you say that." "Are you going to tell her?" Reed looked at him critically. "Jyana, where are you?" Anrir crowed out jokingly and burst out laughing when the much smaller Reed tried to put him in a headlock.

"Anrir!" Interrupted by Ned's voice, Anrir pushed Reed away and turned to his friend, who must have come into the hall at some point. "Come, I'll introduce you to Sansa," the young lord urged him and led him through the crowd, which made room for him respectfully. They met Catelyn at the head of the hall, where she was sitting with a blanket on her lap. Robb stood beside her, holding on to a corner of her dress. But in her arms was a small child, only a few days old. Little Sansa Stark was sleeping peacefully, despite the noise, and sucking her thumb.

"She's adorable, Catelyn," Anrir said warmly and really meant it. The little girl had red fuzz on her head and Anrir was sure that she had also inherited her mother's blue eyes. Somehow it made it easier for him that she looked like a Tully. "Thank you, Lord Riverfall," Ned's pretty young wife looked at him with a polite smile. "I'll take her and go with her and Anrir out for a quick breath of fresh air," Ned announced in an amused tone that enhanced Anrir's smile and also seemed to keep Catelyn from protesting. She merely admonished her husband with a quiet "Be careful" before placing his daughter in his arms. Sansa was wrapped in blankets and Anrir doubted that she would get cold.