"Good day, Lord Stark."
Garon stepped forward and respectfully bowed toward Eddard Stark.
Ned rose from his seat at the head of the hall and personally walked forward to help him up.
"You look much stronger than before," Ned said with visible approval as he patted Garon's shoulder. "It seems you've worked hard these past months."
"To guard Deepwood Motte for my liege lord, one naturally needs a strong body," Garon replied with a smile. "Besides, before my father passed, his final instruction was that I should never beco complacent, lest I disgrace House Glover's honor."
A trace of approval flashed through Ned's gray eyes.
"Good."
Ned nodded slowly.
"Galbart raised an excellent son."
Then, after a brief pause, Ned looked directly at Garon and continued calmly, "As for your marriage proposal, I agree to the betrothal between you and Sansa."
Although Garon had already guessed the outco before arriving at Winterfell, hearing Ned confirm it personally still caused excitent to surge through his heart.
Even Robb grinned broadly beside them.
"What else did you expect?" Robb laughed. "Garon, we're practically family now."
Ned also smiled faintly and nodded in agreent.
However, before Garon could speak further, Ned added, "Still, Sansa is only eleven years old. The marriage itself must wait a few more years."
"Do you have any objections?"
Garon imdiately shook his head.
Naturally, he had no objections.
Right now, what mattered most was securing the legal legitimacy of the engagent itself. The actual marriage could wait.
Seeing his response, Ned appeared satisfied.
"You must have noticed while entering Winterfell that the castle is preparing to receive the King."
Ned changed the subject as he continued, "King Robert will arrive within a few days. At that ti, I intend to have both the King and the old gods witness your betrothal to Sansa."
"So remain in Winterfell for now."
"Once the betrothal is formally announced, you may return to Deepwood Motte."
Garon imdiately understood Ned's intentions.
Having the King witness the engagent personally would make the marriage far more difficult for anyone to oppose later.
"As you command, my lord."
After responding respectfully, Garon deliberately asked with a puzzled expression, "But why would His Majesty suddenly travel all the way north to Winterfell?"
Ned's expression darkened slightly.
A trace of sorrow appeared in his eyes as he thought about Jon Arryn's death.
In truth, Ned already understood why Robert was coming north.
But many matters regarding the royal court were not suitable to discuss openly.
Thus, Ned rely shook his head without explaining further.
Clearly unwilling to continue discussing the topic, he instead prepared to let Robb show Garon around Winterfell.
However, just as he was about to speak, another matter suddenly ca to mind.
"Garon."
Ned hesitated briefly before speaking seriously.
"There is sothing I should tell you beforehand."
"My ward, Theon Greyjoy of the Iron Islands, currently lives in Winterfell."
"With the King soon arriving, I hope the two of you do not create trouble for one another."
Ned knew Theon's arrogant and prideful temperant very well.
Likewise, he also understood the hatred that existed between House Glover and the Ironborn.
If the two young n clashed recklessly before the King arrived, things could easily spiral out of control.
Garon naturally understood Ned's aning imdiately.
Ned was warning him not to provoke conflict with Theon Greyjoy.
However, from Garon's position as heir to Deepwood Motte, there was no way he could imdiately agree without hesitation.
"The North rembers."
Garon t Ned's gaze calmly.
"My lord, forgive , but I cannot retreat before an Ironborn."
The mont those words were spoken, Ned imdiately felt a headache forming.
If he had known matters would beco this troubleso, perhaps he should have invited Garon after Robert's departure instead.
After all, the hatred between House Glover and the Iron Islands ran far too deep.
For countless generations, the Ironborn had raided the western shores of the North, worshipping the Old Way and believing that "what is dead may never die."
Whenever the Ironborn invaded the North through the Sunset Sea, Deepwood Motte always stood on the front lines of resistance.
Because of this, House Glover's sigil was a silver ironwood tree with scarlet leaves upon a white field.
Their words were equally resolute.
Blood and Iron.
Generation after generation, the Glovers had defended the Wolfswood against Ironborn raiders like an unyielding shield for Winterfell.
Nine years earlier, Balon Greyjoy had raised his banners in rebellion and declared himself King of the Iron Islands.
Eddard Stark answered King Robert's summons and called his banners to war.
Galbart Glover had personally led the forces of Deepwood Motte south to crush the rebellion.
During the assault on Pyke, Galbart was struck in the chest by an arrow while leading the attack.
Although he survived, the injuries never fully healed.
For years afterward, the wounds repeatedly worsened until even Winterfell's maesters could do little beyond easing his suffering with milk of the poppy.
Eventually, the old lord died from those lingering injuries.
As Galbart's only legitimate son and heir to Deepwood Motte, Garon was naturally destined to inherit that hatred.
Whether emotionally or politically, reconciliation with the Iron Islands was impossible.
Either the Ironborn would destroy Deepwood Motte one day.
Or the North would eventually crush the Iron Islands completely.
There could never truly be peace between them.
Because of this, Garon had long prepared himself ntally to face Theon Greyjoy upon arriving at Winterfell.
Unfortunately for him, Ned also saw through his thoughts clearly.
"This is not a request."
Ned's expression beca stern.
"It is an order."
"The North must not lose face before the King."
Hearing this, Garon imdiately understood the hidden aning within Ned's words.
As long as matters remained honorable, Ned would not interfere further.
A strange glint flashed briefly through Garon's eyes.
After a mont of silence, he finally nodded.
"As you command, Lord Stark."
Only then did Ned quietly release a breath of relief.
He turned and exchanged a glance with Robb.
anwhile, Robb himself did not think too deeply about the issue.
In his eyes, Garon rely disliked Theon because he was Ironborn.
And honestly, even Robb occasionally found Theon's arrogance difficult to tolerate.
Seeing his father's signal, Robb imdiately understood.
"Co on, Garon."
He grabbed Garon's arm enthusiastically.
"I'll show you around Winterfell and introduce you to my brothers and sisters."
Garon only had ti to nod respectfully toward Ned before Robb pulled him from the hall.
Watching the two young n leave, Ned could not help sighing softly.
Lately, too many troubling matters had piled onto his shoulders.
Jon Arryn's death.
The King's arrival.
The affairs of King's Landing.
The unrest spreading throughout the realm.
Everything made him feel increasingly uneasy.
"Winter is coming…"
Ned muttered quietly to himself.
At that mont, Catelyn Stark happened to step into the hall.
Hearing those words, she imdiately paused.
"Ned…"
She quickly walked toward him.
"Has sothing happened again?"
Ned returned to his senses and shook his head tiredly.
"Nothing."
"I was only thinking about the hatred between House Glover and the Greyjoys."
Catelyn instantly understood.
Then, as if recalling sothing important, her expression beca complicated.
"Ned…"
There was hesitation in her voice.
"I still believe you should not agree to Sansa's betrothal."
"The King will arrive within days, and given your friendship with Robert, he may very well propose a royal marriage alliance."
"If that happens, Sansa could beco Queen one day."
The mont she brought up the matter again, Ned's expression darkened noticeably.
Over the past few days, the two of them had already argued repeatedly over Sansa's future marriage.
Ned simply could not understand why Catelyn was so determined to marry Sansa into the royal family.
Suppressing his frustration, he interrupted her once more.
"Cat. We have already discussed this."
After taking a breath, Ned continued patiently, "Galbart Glover fought and bled for both and the North."
"His injuries from the Greyjoy Rebellion eventually claid his life."
"His final wish was only that I honor this marriage arrangent."
Ned's voice beca firr.
"Would you have throw away my honor and betray a loyal bannerman who sacrificed everything for House Stark?"
Catelyn naturally understood how much Ned valued honor.
She also knew that continuing the argunt now would only end the sa way as before.
Thus, she chose silence outwardly.
But inwardly, her thoughts remained unsettled.
"When Robert arrives…"
A trace of hope appeared in Catelyn's heart.
"Perhaps the King himself can persuade Ned to reconsider."
In her eyes, becoming Queen of the Seven Kingdoms was far preferable to marrying the heir of Deepwood Motte.
No matter how honorable House Glover was, it still could not compare to the Iron Throne.
anwhile, Garon remained completely unaware of his future mother-in-law's thoughts.
And even if he knew, he would not care much.
As long as Eddard Stark upheld his promise, once the betrothal beca official, there would be almost no possibility of reversing it.
Besides, arguing with Catelyn Stark now would only damage his relationship with House Stark without offering any benefits.
At that mont, Garon followed Robb through Winterfell's stone corridors toward the training yard.
Just as they arrived, they saw ten-year-old Bran Stark standing in the snow practicing archery.
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