In order to welcome his brother, Duke Stark ordered the kitchen to prepare the best food and hold a grand banquet.
At the same time, many northern knights and nobles from all over the world gathered in Winterfell. Now the entire northern kingdom is actively preparing for war. The reason is naturally to respond to His Majesty the King's call and prepare to cross the sea to attack the continent of Essos.
The Targaryen Remnant.
Although the other local nobles in the Seven Kingdoms were quite dissatisfied with His Majesty the King's conscription, because they had just responded to a call and fulfilled their vassal's obligation to be loyal to the King.
His Majesty the King seems to be a militaristic and warlike king who never considers real problems and only spends money drinking and visiting brothels.
Moreover, frequent wars will only lead to a shortage of young people in the territory, and even food harvests, which will damage the fundamental interests of the local nobles.
So the nobles from all over the Seven Kingdoms except the North were ready to randomly send some old, weak, sick and disabled people to deal with the problem.
This is even the case in the valley. The old Duke is old, not to mention that he is now far away from King's Landing, and his influence on the valley has become much smaller.
The Duke of Winterfell, Eddard, is different from other nobles in the country. He and the current King Robert care about each other as close as brothers. Naturally, he unconditionally and fully supports the king's call. Now the entire Northern Territory is preparing for war with all its strength.
.
However, even though Eddard is the Duke of Winterfell and also has a noble and ancient surname like Stark, his choice still caused some criticism from the nobles in other places in the North.
Duke Stark, who got drunk and cursed them in private, was a loyal dog and didn't think about the children of the North at all, but in the end he obediently sent them out.
And Benyan returned at the right time. Nobles and knights from all over the north were in Winterfell. Eddard just happened to hold a grand banquet as a swearing-in banquet before the expedition, and at the same time to welcome Benyan back.
Bunyan himself had no objection to this grand banquet.
But he soon appeared in his brother's room because he told Ed that he had something to talk to him alone.
…
Click——
When the two people entered the room, Bunyan turned around and closed the door.
"what happened?"
"Bunyan."
Ed, who was standing in the room, looked at Bunyan, the smile on his face faded slightly, and then he asked in a low voice.
He knew that his brother was definitely not an aimless person. His sudden return this time must have something important to do, and he also asked to have a detailed discussion with him alone.
"Ed."
At this moment, Bunyan also looked at his brother's weather-beaten face with sharp eyes, and then said in a serious voice.
"Winter is coming."
After Bunyan finished speaking, there was silence in the room.
Ed didn't react at first. He didn't know why Bunyan suddenly mentioned the family's motto, thinking it was some kind of secret code.
But then his expression suddenly changed.
"What?"
In winter, for people in other places, the weather may just get colder, and they may even cheer for the occasional heavy snowfall. However, for this region in the north, every time the seasons turn to cold winter, it is a huge test.
.
The white snowflakes are like life-threatening white devils, harvesting the lives of people in the northern border. After a long winter, countless families in the northern border have been destroyed.
The whole family even trembled and hugged each other and froze to death of starvation in the house. When they were found, they had frozen into a block of ice and could not be separated. There are countless such human tragedies.
"How did winter come so quickly?"
Ed Stark's expression changed drastically. He did not expect that winter would come so quickly this time.
However, no one knows the news of winter's arrival better than the Night's Watch Corps stationed on the Great Wall.
Not even the Citadel.
Because these Night Watch brothers guarding the Great Wall are the first to feel the cold than other places in the Seven Kingdoms.
"The motto that winter is coming is to remind us never to forget winter, because it can come at any time."
"And... reality is so fast, brother."
Bunyan's face was serious, and white breath came out of his mouth.
"look..."
Looking at the white breath exhaled, Ed's face became serious. Even if there was no fire in his room, the temperature had dropped very quickly.
Click...
Ed's leather-gloved fingers clenched slightly into a fist, and his joints made a crisp sound.
Every cold winter is equivalent to a war with demons in the North, and the outcome of losing the war is death.
"I know, Bunyan."
"thanks for your reminder."
The man with long dark brown hair looked a little ugly, but he still nodded slightly seriously.
"Father."
At this moment, a girl quietly opened the door and poked out her little head.
She has soft long maroon hair and a pair of beautiful blue eyes, perfectly inheriting her mother's excellent genes.
She saw her father, her beautiful eyes blinked slightly, and then she ran over and grabbed the corner of his clothes.
"Mother said that the banquet is ready, and asked you to..."
The girl hid behind her father, secretly glanced at this weathered man who was somewhat similar to her father, and then spoke timidly.
"And...Uncle Benyan will go with us."
Benyan had left Winterfell since she was born, so she had only heard of this name, but this was the first time she had seen it.
"Okay, Sansa."
"Tell your mother and we'll be there right away."
Ed ruffled his daughter's hair slightly, bent down and rubbed her face, and then let her leave first.
Then he raised his head and looked at Bunyan again.
"Your niece, Sansa."
Bunyan also turned his head and watched the girl running away with her long skirt, and nodded slightly.
"I heard about it."
"A very cute girl, she really looks like Kate."
Then Bunyan touched his body, but there was nothing on him except a sword and a dagger hidden in his boots.
The man's palms stiffened for a moment, and for the first time, an embarrassed expression appeared on his unsmiling cheeks.
"I came here in a hurry. I should have brought something back..."
However, Ed looked at his brother's embarrassed look, and a smile suddenly appeared on his face that had been serious just now.
"Bunyan, you are still the same as before."
Wow——
Ed then patted his brother on the shoulder, and the two brothers hugged for the first time since meeting.
After the hug, the smile on Ed's face disappeared again, he looked at Bunyan's cheek, and then said solemnly.
"Well...I know what to do next."
"I will write a letter to Robert myself explaining this."