The King's entourage originally had a hundred knights, split between the Baratheon and Lannister families.
With each knight having their own squire, and the Queen having some handmaidens, the entire procession numbered over two hundred people.
Along the way, other free riders joined the King's entourage, and even after reaching the North, people still traveled long distances to join the King's procession.
Today, Mufasa saw some men dressed in black coats coming from the North to join the King's entourage.
The leader, a thin man around forty years old, wore a black cloak sewn with red silk thread.
The King allowed them to join because this man could sing. He had conquered Robert with a song called "The Dornishman's Wife."
The procession continued, and about half a day's journey from Winterfell, they passed through the town of Torrhen's Square.
Earl Torrhen led his family out of the town to greet the King.
Robert nodded in acknowledgment but did not stop in Torrhen's Square, as Winterfell was close.
Ahead, more than a dozen cavalrymen appeared, bearing banners with a grey direwolf, and rode towards the King's entourage.
"Your Majesty, I am Jory Cassel, captain of Lord Eddard's guard. Lord Eddard sent me to welcome you."
"Ah, Jory. I fought alongside your father back in the day! I can't believe you're now Eddard's guard captain," Robert replied from atop his horse.
"Lead the way!"
Jory Cassel's father was one of the men who followed Eddard Stark to the Tower of Joy and died there. His body was never recovered.
Mufasa, riding the white lion Hraka, walked beside the carriages. If he got too close, the horses wouldn't be able to handle it.
However, the man in the black cloak with red stitching, his mount wasn't afraid of beasts; it could even approach Mufasa.
Mufasa curiously checked his stats.
"Name: Mance Rayder"
"Identity: King Beyond the Wall, King of the Wildlings, former Night's Watch ranger"
"Occupation: Free Folk, King"
"Strength: 15"
"Speed: 16"
"Intelligence: 30"
"Spirit: 50"
"Magic: 5"
"Talent: United Front. Can gather people of many different races and tribes to unite against a common enemy."
He was the King Beyond the Wall, Mance Rayder. Should I report him to Robert? Mufasa wondered.
"Forget it, it's just my word against his! If Robert asks me how I know his identity, what do I say?"
Mufasa decided to temporarily put Mance Rayder's matter aside.
"Ser Mufasa, a man who dares to ride a lion is rare, even in ancient times!" Mance Rayder suddenly spoke to Mufasa.
"And you, minstrel? There aren't many minstrels like you in the North, are there? Would you be interested in developing your career in the South?" Mufasa asked.
"Me!" Mance Rayder was momentarily speechless, unsure how to answer. If he went South, what about the Beyond the Wall? All those wildlings would be scattered without a leader.
"Ser Mufasa, I am a free man of the ice and snow; I cannot stand the boring games of the southerners," Mance Rayder said.
"Is that so! But as a minstrel, you can't live in the wilderness like a wildling. You must serve some lord, mustn't you?" Mufasa asked again.
Mance Rayder fell silent again. He knew that minstrels rarely came to the North, and his identity might be suspected by this Mufasa.
However, he was still confident that Mufasa would never guess that he was the mighty King Beyond the Wall, leader of the Free Folk.
"Minstrel, perhaps in Winterfell you could gain the appreciation of Lady Stark. Then you could take the opportunity to stay there, wouldn't that be good?" Mufasa continued.
"I have other things to do; I won't be staying long in Winterfell!" Mance Rayder said.
"First, you don't want to go South, and second, you don't want to stay in Winterfell. Do you perhaps intend to go across the Narrow Sea?" Mufasa asked.
"Perhaps, I have other choices!" The minstrel looked towards the distant North, where there were still vast, open lands.
Mufasa didn't speak to him anymore, because if he continued, Mufasa feared Mance Rayder would simply run away.
The King's entourage arrived at Winterfell.
From afar, Mufasa saw a majestic city, built with two inner layers. The inner castle was said to be eight thousand years old, with the first stone personally laid by Brandon the Builder.
King Robert, accompanied by two white-cloaked knights, was the first to enter Winterfell, with the others following close behind.
When Mufasa rode in on the giant white lion Hraka, many people cast curious glances at him.
A lively little girl couldn't help but exclaim,
"He's riding a big lion! Who is he?"
"Arya, don't talk! The King is coming!" A tall, red-haired, young girl next to her said, pulling her hand.
Mufasa looked at them.
"Arya, Sansa!"
"Next to them are Robb Stark, Bran Stark, and the youngest, Rickon Stark. Behind them are Jon Snow and Theon Greyjoy."
Finally, Mufasa's gaze fell on Eddard Stark and his wife, Catelyn Tully. Mufasa thought of his lucky cat, also named Cate, and regretted not bringing her along.
King Robert came before Eddard Stark. They first met as lord and vassal, then embraced tightly like brothers.
Mufasa could tell that Robert was happier in front of Eddard than he was in front of Renly or Stannis.
"Eddard, come, let's go to the crypts. I want to see her!" Robert said.
"There's no rush to see a dead person, after all, she's been dead for over ten years!" Cersei said coldly at this moment.
"Woman, don't meddle in the King's affairs!"
King Robert and Eddard Stark still left.
Cersei, with her children, exchanged pleasantries with Catelyn Tully.
However, Cersei seemed to remember something, and she looked towards Mufasa.
"Mufasa, come here. Let the Stark family see our little knight of House Lannister!"
Cersei's face showed a proud smile as she said this, as if Mufasa were her own son.
Mufasa jumped off Hraka's back and walked in front of the Stark family.
He first bowed to Catelyn Tully, then took Sansa's hand and kissed it. His noble etiquette was perfectly executed.
"Your name is Mufasa, and you are a knight of House Lannister?" asked a short, simply dressed little girl.
Mufasa saw that she had a long face, like a horse, which was typical of the Stark family's appearance, just like Eddard Stark.
"That's right, Lady Arya! I am Mufasa Lannister," Mufasa said, and gently ruffled her hair.
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