The tents of Winter Town surrounded Winterfell.
More and more people poured into Winter Town. After the houses in Winter Town were sold out, Eddard ordered that these people be housed in tents, but this was only a temporary solution. Winter Town had to be expanded.
Eddard walked through the crowd in Winter Town. Shepherds leading cattle and sheep, pig herders driving pigs, and farmers driving carts loaded with grain all knelt to Eddard. The most common phrase Eddard heard in the crowd was, "Lord Eddard, please take us in."
When winter came, Winter Town was the hope for these people to survive the cold winter.
"Rest assured," Eddard said, clenching his right fist. "I give you my word of honor that I will lead you to a good life."
The residents who had bought houses began to be responsible for repairing them. Some residents began to cultivate the land they had bought, planting seeds, planting hope.
Winter Town was almost entirely made up of wooden houses. It was close to the Wolfswood, where wood could be obtained locally, while the price of stone was much higher.
Lord Eddard recruited a thousand people to enter the Wolfswood to fell timber. At the same time, Eddard took out the timber stored in Winterfell, and the first batch of houses broke ground. Among the workers building the houses, only a very small number were carpenters and stonemasons. Fortunately, building civilian houses did not require too many skilled workers.
In Eddard's plans, Winter Town was to become a city. He intended to build stables to breed warhorses, forges to construct armor and weapons, and barracks to train soldiers.
These crucial military facilities couldn't be mere wooden huts; their fire resistance was too poor. Stone buildings were much safer and more durable. To accomplish these plans, Winterfell needed to recruit more skilled craftsmen.
The celebration for the birth of Eddard's youngest son, Rickon, was held as planned in Winterfell, and lords from all over the North began to arrive.
The first to arrive was Lord Cerwyn of Cerwyn, whose castle was only a half-day's ride from Winterfell. Lord Cerwyn brought a troop of cavalry and a wagon train laden with corn, grain, and a cart of battle axes as gifts for the Warden of the North. Lord Cerwyn stared at the bustling crowds in Winter Town, his eyes wide with shock.
"Lord Eddard, have we already entered the winter? Even in winter, I've never seen Winter Town so lively."
Next, Lord Glover of Deepwood Motte arrived with his brother, Robert Glover, leading cavalry and a wagon train. The steel gauntlet banner of House Glover flew in the wind. Among the Glover contingent were the leaders of the wolf-kin tribes: the Forest, Trunk, Tree, and Branch clans, all vassals of House Glover.
House Glover's gifts to Winterfell included two wagons of salmon and abalone, a wagon of wild boar meat, and a crate of animal hides. Their land was mostly woodland and coastal, with little arable land, so their gifts primarily consisted of game and seafood.
Lord Roose Bolton, with his soft voice, arrived with the cavalry and wagon train from the Dreadfort, the terrifying flayed man banner fluttering behind them. Lord Bolton offered gifts of fox pelts, mole pelts, deer hides, and some finished fur coats.
Theon Greyjoy smirked, "Lord Bolton, these skins are undoubtedly the work of the Flayers' knives. Did you do them yourself, pray tell?"
Lord Roose Bolton stared at Theon with his cold, icy eyes, a cold smile playing on his lips, but he said nothing.
Lord Wyman Manderly of White Harbor arrived at Winterfell with a large retinue. Six hundred knights in gleaming steel armor caused the residents of Winter Town to crowd around for a look.
The hot-tempered Greatjon Umber, bearing House Umber's broken chain giant banner, arrived with his men. The Greatjon was nearly seven feet tall, almost as tall as Hodor, Winterfell's simpleminded stableboy. Though his son was called Littlejon, he was even taller than his father. House Umber's attendants were almost all giants, over six feet tall. It was no wonder people said that House Umber had giant blood.
House Umber's gifts to Winterfell included beef, seal skins, and ten carts of grain. Lord Hornwood's gifts were venison, antlers, and deerskins. Lord Locke of Oldtown brought produce from the Bite.
Maege Mormont of Bear Island brought her daughter, Dacey Mormont. Maege was a gray-haired, short woman, and like her daughter, she was clad in armor. Bear Island's gifts were fish from the Bay of Ice and bearskins.
Lord Rickard Karstark of Karhold's gifts were wild boar meat, mead, and grain; House Karstark was a branch of Winterfell.
Lord Wyman Manderly was as fat as a mountain, each of his fingers as thick as sausages. His belly was so large it seemed to contain all of White Harbor. He was a jovial fat man, nicknamed "Lord Eel." Because of his weight, Lord Wyman could only travel by palanquin, which also earned him another nickname, "Lord Fat-as-a-Horse."
Lord Wyman's gifts to Winterfell were a dazzling array. There were fruits from the Vale, honey and watermelons from the Reach, golden wine from the Arbor, fire wine from Myr, a perfume from Pentos for the ladies and the Duke's daughters, lobsters, crabs, whale oil, a delicate baby carriage, and a pile of wooden toys.
The gifts from the Mountain Clans were also generous. Chief Wull, Chief Riddle, Chief Flint, and others presented herds of goats, goat's milk, venison, pheasants, and fur cloaks, along with amber trinkets.
Lord Rodrik Cassel of the Neck generously offered Winterfell fifty warhorses, three carts of freshwater fish, and five carts of grain. Lord Cassel's brothers and sons were all present.
Accompanying Lord Cassel was his daughter, Lady Barbrey Dustin of Barrowton.
At every harvest feast in Winterfell, Lady Barbrey Dustin would always be "sick" and deliberately absent. Winterfell was already used to it. This widow who ruled Barrowton had come to Winterfell to pledge her loyalty only a handful of times.
Now, Lady Dustin had actually come to Winterfell to attend the celebration for the Northern Duke's youngest son. Eddard had symbolically invited her, not expecting her to come, yet she did.
Lady Barbrey had chosen a black gown. In the South, where The Seven were worshipped, this was the color of mourning. Her skin was pale, and her expression was cold, as if wrapped in a shroud. Lady Barbrey's gifts were also meager: a cart of greens, a cart of radishes, and a cart of turnips. Many of the greens were even yellowed and withered, as shabby as could be.
Eddard couldn't help but notice Domeric Bolton, Lady Barbrey's attendant. He was a moderately built, slender young man with long brown hair, refined and gentle. He was the son of Lord Roose Bolton, and the heir to the Dreadfort.
The other lords around were amazed by Lady Barbrey's gifts. Greatjon Umber chuckled, "Barbrey, you're being too stingy! The Duke Eddard has a new son, and all you brought were these?"
Lord Wyman chimed in, "Exactly! It's harvest season. Giving vegetables as gifts, Lady Barbrey, you're being too much."
Lady Barbrey's smile seemed to chill the air. "I apologize. My lands have suffered from Ironborn raids, and some of our granaries were burned. I also need to prepare for the sacrifices at Barrowton, to commemorate our First King, to commemorate the ancestors of the First Men. It costs a lot of money. Lord Wyman, you clearly don't understand. You southern lot, with your faith in The Seven."
Lord Wyman Manderly could only shut his mouth. House Manderly was rich and powerful, which inevitably caused jealousy among the other Northern lords. Their family had fled from the Reach to the North, and they followed The Seven, which meant House Manderly was politically isolated and alienated by the Northern lords, who believed in The Old Gods.
Lord Cerwyn said, "Lady Barbrey, you've frightened our Lord Wyman. Besides, talking about commemorating the dead at a birthday party is unlucky."
Barbrey scoffed. "We people of Barrowton live beneath the tombs of the First Kings, never daring to forget those who have passed. Without death, where does new life come from? Lord Cerwyn, perhaps you've long forgotten our great ancestors, but I haven't."
Lord Wull, who was from the Mountain Clans, couldn't stand it any longer. The Mountain Clans were always known for their hospitality and were loyal to Winterfell. Lord Wull, nicknamed "The Great Keg," had a fiery red beard that reached his beer belly. He roared, "What's wrong with you, woman? Today we celebrate the birthday of Lord Eddard's son, and you're here yammering about commemorating the dead. Good heavens, are you saying only you are the most filial?"
The Wull clan was the most powerful among the Mountain Clans. As soon as Lord Wull spoke, the heads of the Riddle, Flint, and Norrey clans came up to surround Lady Barbrey. Lady Maege Mormont also spoke to rebuke her. Lady Barbrey just sneered without a word, as if she was enjoying the encirclement.
Lord Rodrik Cassel quickly stepped forward to mediate for Lady Barbrey, while Lord Roose Bolton spoke softly to smooth things over.
Catelyn held the infant Rickon, with Eddard standing behind her. They watched the argument Lady Barbrey had started from a distance. Catelyn complained, "Barbrey is simply awful. That widow shouldn't even be here, going on and on about the dead at Rickon's name day celebration. And that dress! All that black, the color of mourning."
For northerners, black might bring the Night's Watch to mind more readily, but to southerners, black clothing was more often associated with the Stranger, the silent sisters, and death. Catelyn, from House Tully of the Riverlands, was a devout follower of the Seven, and naturally saw Barbrey's long black gown as a provocation.
Eddard murmured, "She's a troublesome widow."
....
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