While Garon slept deeply within his chambers, another conversation was unfolding elsewhere in Winterfell.
Inside Sansa Stark's bedroom, the fire in the hearth crackled softly, casting warm orange light across the room.
Catelyn Stark stood quietly beside the fireplace, watching Sansa, who had just returned from the Great Hall.
"Mother?"
Sansa looked at her with slight confusion while gently closing the bedroom door behind her.
"Old Nan said you were looking for . Did sothing happen?"
Then, as if suddenly realizing sothing, a trace of shyness appeared upon her delicate face.
"Could it be..."
Sansa quickly walked over and wrapped both hands around Catelyn's arm, swaying it lightly in a playful manner.
"Mother, is it about and Garon becoming formally engaged tomorrow?"
Although she had only t Garon twice that day, his words and actions had already left a very favorable impression upon her.
The resistance she initially felt toward the engagent had quietly disappeared.
In fact, part of her now hoped the engagent could happen even sooner.
However, seeing the unmistakable affection upon Sansa's face, Catelyn felt as though she had just been struck by lightning.
She truly had not expected her daughter to fall so quickly.
Catelyn's expression stiffened slightly before she finally asked in a strange tone,
"Sansa... you truly wish to beco engaged to Garon Glover?"
Sansa lowered her head shyly and nodded.
"Oh, Seven Hells..."
"Sansa, that is Deepwood Motte!"
"It lies deep within the Wolfswood."
"There are no beautiful flower gardens there, no sweet southern fruits, and certainly no warm southern weather."
"You would spend your life enduring endless cold while listening to wolves howl every night."
Once she began speaking, Catelyn could no longer stop herself.
One criticism after another poured from her mouth as she described the harshness of Deepwood Motte.
In truth, Catelyn simply could not bear the thought of her daughter suffering in the bitter cold of the North for the rest of her life.
Sansa listened with growing confusion before finally interrupting her mother's endless complaints.
"But Mother, isn't Winterfell the sa?"
"I've grown up in the North all my life, and I've always lived quite well here."
Instantly, Catelyn found herself speechless.
Sansa had never once left the North since birth.
She had never seen the prosperity of the Reach, the warm breezes of the Stormlands, or the fertile beauty of the Riverlands during sumr.
For a mont, Catelyn genuinely did not know how to explain the difference.
Her lips moved slightly as she tried to organize her thoughts and once more describe the beauty of the South in hopes of persuading Sansa.
Unfortunately, before she could speak again, Sansa suddenly asked a question that struck directly at her heart.
"Mother... after all these years living in Winterfell, do you still prefer the South?"
Catelyn froze completely.
A strange feeling of sha suddenly rose within her chest, as though the deepest thoughts hidden within her heart had just been exposed.
anwhile, Sansa continued speaking without noticing the change in her mother's expression.
"I'm not like you, Mother. I was born in the North."
"I'm a daughter of House Stark."
"There's nothing wrong with marrying another northern lord."
"And besides... Garon truly cares about ."
A faint blush spread across Sansa's cheeks as she lowered her voice shyly.
"I... I think I like him too."
"Mother, don't you wish for to marry soone I truly like?"
"Just like you and Father."
Catelyn once again found herself unable to respond.
She genuinely loved Ned Stark deeply and had never regretted marrying him.
It was precisely because she understood the hardships of the North that she wished to spare Sansa from enduring the sa life.
The words of House Tully had always been Family, Duty, Honor.
To Catelyn, family would always co before everything else.
Looking at Sansa's happy expression now, however, she could not help wavering slightly.
"If Sansa can truly be happy... perhaps marrying Garon would not be so terrible."
But that thought lasted only briefly.
"No."
"Deepwood Motte cannot possibly bring her happiness."
The mory of what Theon had told her earlier imdiately resurfaced in her mind.
The thought of Garon associating closely with Jon Snow caused Catelyn's resolve to harden once more.
Carefully adjusting her expression, she decided to approach the matter from another angle.
"If you can truly be happy, then naturally I would not oppose it."
Catelyn gently held Sansa's hands while speaking softly.
"I'm only worried that you are still too young and may be deceived by sweet words."
Seeing Sansa preparing to argue again, Catelyn imdiately changed the topic.
"You already know that King Robert will arrive in Winterfell in three days, correct?"
Sansa nodded obediently.
Catelyn smiled faintly.
"This ti, not only the King and Queen are coming north. Their children will also accompany them."
"Do you understand what that ans?"
Seeing Sansa's puzzled gaze, Catelyn patiently explained further.
"The King's eldest son, Prince Joffrey, is close to your age."
"And King Robert intends to strengthen the bond between House Baratheon and House Stark through marriage."
Sansa's eyes widened instantly.
"Mother..."
"Do you an I might beco Queen?"
Seeing the obvious excitent on her daughter's face, Catelyn smiled warmly.
"Yes, my sweet girl."
"You could beco the future Queen of the Seven Kingdoms."
At those words, Sansa beca so excited she nearly jumped up imdiately.
She pulled her hands free from Catelyn's grasp and began pacing around the room excitedly.
"... Queen?"
A dazzling smile spread across Sansa's face as countless fantasies instantly filled her mind.
She imagined herself walking through the Red Keep in magnificent dresses while noble lords and ladies bowed before her.
However, the excitent lasted only briefly before she suddenly realized sothing important.
"But Mother... Father has already promised to Garon."
"How could Father possibly agree to another marriage alliance?"
Catelyn had not expected Sansa to react so quickly.
She paused montarily before speaking reassuringly.
"Do not worry, Sansa."
"I will persuade your father."
Yet the smile upon Sansa's face gradually faded.
She understood imdiately that her mother herself lacked confidence in changing Ned Stark's decision.
After all, throughout the North, everyone knew one truth.
A promise made by Ned Stark carried enormous weight.
Sansa bit her lip lightly before speaking with difficulty.
"Father will never agree."
"He already promised my engagent to Garon."
"And Father never breaks his word."
A complicated ripple stirred within Sansa's heart.
After remaining silent briefly, she slowly turned and walked toward the bed.
"Mother... I'm tired."
"I want to sleep early tonight."
Seeing this, Catelyn sighed inwardly.
She already understood that tonight's conversation had failed completely.
After softly wishing Sansa goodnight, she quietly left the room.
When Catelyn finally returned to her own chambers, ntally exhausted, she discovered Ned Stark standing naked beside the open window.
Cold northern wind continuously poured into the room, causing the flas within the fireplace to flicker wildly.
Catelyn involuntarily shivered from the sudden chill.
Seeing this, Ned imdiately closed the window and pulled the thick curtains shut.
The cold wind was instantly blocked outside, and warmth gradually returned to the room.
Catelyn silently removed her outer garnts and sat before the dressing table while slowly taking off her jewelry.
"You spoke with Sansa?"
Although he already knew the answer, Ned still asked calmly.
Catelyn did not wish to respond.
However, Ned continued speaking on his own.
"Catelyn, although Sansa inherited your appearance, she is still a Stark at heart."
"And since she is a Stark, how could she possibly despise the cold of the North?"
"From the very beginning, your thinking was mistaken."
Those words imdiately ignited Catelyn's temper.
She slamd her jewelry heavily onto the table and turned angrily toward Ned.
"Of course."
"You are all Starks."
"And I'm the only outsider in Winterfell!"
Ned walked over behind her and gently placed both hands upon her shoulders.
"You are the mother of five Stark children already. How could you possibly be an outsider?"
Then he smiled faintly and continued,
"Sansa and Garon clearly care for one another."
"So why must you insist on becoming the villain in their story?"
"If you truly cannot bear it, then I promise you this."
"When Arya marries in the future, I will let you decide everything."
Catelyn turned sharply and glared at Ned.
Yet in the end, she was so exasperated she simply leaned forward and bit him lightly on the shoulder.
"Not only am I already the mother of five Starks..."
Her lips curved upward slightly.
"I may soon beco the mother of a sixth Stark as well."
With that, she pounced onto Ned like an elegant noble cat leaping toward its prey upon the bed.
Ned laughed deeply before imdiately turning over and embracing her in return.
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