Just as Mufasa and the others were teasing the lion, a rough voice came from nearby.
"What a magnificent lion! Truly majestic!"
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw a man approaching, dressed in a black robe, a black wool sweater, and dark high boots. He had a long face, a typical Stark family feature.
Upon seeing him, Robb, Jon, and Arya all joyfully exclaimed, "Uncle Benjen!"
He was Eddard Stark's brother, Benjen Stark, the current First Ranger of the Night's Watch, who had returned to Winterfell from the Wall for various reasons.
Mufasa also rushed to him and shook his hand.
It was the hand of a living person, warm, not cold.
"Good, good! Your uncle wasn't taken by the Others!" Mufasa said to Robb and the others.
Robb Stark was furious.
"Your uncle was taken by the Others!"
However, Benjen Stark didn't pay attention to Mufasa's strange behavior. He looked at Mufasa curiously.
"Even though I'm far away at the Wall, I've heard rumors about you, Ser Mufasa! The young knight, champion of the tourney, explorer who returned alive from the ruins of Valyria. The Knight of the White Lion!"
"But what I'm most curious about is, the Others you mentioned? Do even southerners now know about the dangerous things appearing beyond the Wall?"
Benjen Stark's reason for returning this time was to ask his brother Eddard and King Robert for help.
Over the past century, the Night's Watch had continuously dwindled in numbers and declined in quality. They could no longer guarantee they could stop the wildlings and even more terrifying things from invading.
"The Others! Haven't the maesters of the Citadel recorded their existence? It's common knowledge, isn't it?" Mufasa looked at him curiously.
"Ahem! Although history records it, too much time has passed, and most people have forgotten the terror of the White Walkers! But we Starks always remember: Winter is Coming."
Benjen said.
Jojen Reed led Brandon Stark to a ruined tower, where there were many black crows.
They all looked at the two humans, seemingly asking for corn.
"Bran, now is the moment for your destiny to awaken!" Jojen Reed said.
His green eyes looked at the most unique crow among the flock, the one with a third eye between its two regular eyes.
The Three-Eyed Raven flew over, seemingly guided by Jojen Reed's green sight, and swooped towards Brandon Stark.
But Brandon Stark was startled and fell to the ground, just a second before the Three-Eyed Raven's beak pecked his forehead.
"Caw, caw, caw!" The Three-Eyed Raven flapped its wings and flew away.
"A crow with three eyes, and it wanted to peck me, it was terrifying! Jojen, let's leave here!" Brandon Stark didn't wait for an answer and went down the ruined tower by himself.
Jojen Reed watched his back disappear around the corner of the stairs. He sighed.
"So it is, I can't change fate, but that person can. How did he do it?"
Jojen Reed thought of Mufasa riding the white lion.
Benjen Stark went to discuss important matters with his brother Eddard and King Robert.
Mufasa took Joffrey, Jon, and others and started playing cards.
"Out of these fifty-four cards, there are actually four Targaryens and three Lannisters, but only two Starks! This isn't fair!" Arya complained.
In her opinion, the Stark family was the strongest family. They even had direwolves.
"Arya, you wouldn't want me to put Torren Stark on, would you? He was the King Who Knelt!" Mufasa asked.
"He doesn't count, but my father does, doesn't he? He's the Warden of the North, Lord of Winterfell, no worse than Tywin!"
Purely in terms of identity, status, and noble title, Eddard Stark was on par with Tywin, but in terms of influence, he wasn't.
"You're right, perhaps we should make some changes to the characters!" Mufasa said.
He thought for a moment, removed Cregan, and replaced him with Lord Bloodraven.
"Ah! Why did you put another Targaryen on and take away one of our Starks?" Arya again looked at Mufasa with dissatisfaction.
"Cregan Stark's contributions and influence are not as great as Lord Bloodraven's," Mufasa said.
Just as they were arguing about who to replace and who to add, Maester Luwin arrived.
"Robb, is it time for your lessons? Oh, what are you all doing?"
Maester Luwin was a short man, dressed in a grey robe, which was standard for maesters, just like the black robes of the Night's Watch and the white cloaks of the Kingsguard.
When Mufasa explained it to him, he thought poker was a good game.
"I suggest, Ser Mufasa, that you include different professions."
"Knights, Maesters, Septons, Lords."
"To make more people want to play this game."
"Among the maesters, there's Maester Lomys Longshanks, who wrote 'Wonders Made' and 'Wonders'. And Maester Gormon, Grand Maester Pycelle, Maester Aemon at the Wall, Maester Marwyn of Oldtown, etc. They are all highly respected and deeply experienced individuals." Maester Luwin said.
"Perhaps you're right." Mufasa said.
"Now, each of the four suits has nine cards without character representation. Maesters, Knights, Septons, Lords, each choose nine people to go on. Perhaps that would be best."
"However, this requires too much research. I wonder if Maester Luwin could help me with the references?" Mufasa asked.
"Gladly!" Maester Luwin said.
Benjen found his brother Eddard and King Robert. The three of them talked a lot about the Wall, the wildlings, and even more terrifying things.
"Not long ago, Ser Waymar Royce went missing. He is the son of Lord Yohn Royce of the Vale, the Bronze Yohn. We need to give him an explanation." Benjen said.
"I know about this. A month ago, the Night's Watch deserter was personally beheaded by me with Ice. He said they saw the Others. Waymar Royce and another ranger were with him. Benjen, what exactly is happening beyond the Wall?" Eddard Stark asked.
"The wildlings are active on a large scale, and their territory is getting closer and closer to the Wall. We need help!" Benjen said.
"Alright, the Wall won't collapse. The wildlings historically only reached the Wolfswood and Long Lake. We don't need all Seven Kingdoms to deal with them! And I came to you, Eddard, for something more important." King Robert said.
"I will appoint you as Hand of the King, and our two houses will also be joined in marriage, my eldest son Joffrey and your eldest daughter Sansa. The alliance between our two families will be even stronger." King Robert said.
Eddard Stark wanted to refuse in his heart. The South was not a place for Starks to go.
His father and brother had gone there and never returned, dying in King's Landing. His sister Lyanna had died even further south in Dorne.
However, Eddard Stark also knew he couldn't refuse, because he and Robert were brothers. The King traveled thousands of miles to find you, and you would send him away empty-handed? Is that something a vassal should do?
He brought you dignity and honor, and you would refuse his good intentions! Eddard Stark couldn't refuse and could only agree to Robert's request.
"I obey your command, Your Grace!" Eddard Stark knelt on one knee.
"Good brother, hahaha, the realm we conquered together, we must also rule together. From now on, the heir to the Iron Throne will have the blood of both the Baratheon and Stark families."
Øóffer going on for diamond tier
pàtreøn (Gk31)
Final Reminder
Grab the offer soon it's going to end If you buy diamond tier you will able to access all my stories