CHAPTER 106
Winterfell passed through the night without further incident.
Garon, however, had not slept for even a moment.
He spent the entire night patrolling the freezing walls of Winterfell, inspecting the defenses, encouraging exhausted soldiers, and remaining vigilant against the possibility of another surprise attack from the Ironborn.
Only after dawn broke did Maester Luwin arrive in haste.
The old maester's face was filled with grief.
"Lord Garon, Ser Rodrik is fading. He wishes to see you one last time."
Garon's heart immediately sank.
Although he had not spent many years in Winterfell, he had always gotten along well with Ser Rodrik Cassel.
Before King Robert's visit to Winterfell, the two had often sparred and trained together in the mornings.
Garon deeply respected the old knight's loyalty and character.
Without hesitation, he set aside his duties and said solemnly, "Maester Luwin, take me to him immediately."
The two quickly descended from the battlements and hurried toward a chamber inside the Great Keep that had temporarily been converted into a sickroom.
As soon as Garon entered, the strong scent of herbs and blood struck him.
His eyes fell upon Ser Rodrik.
The old master-at-arms lay on the bed wrapped in bloodstained bandages.
His face was as pale as snow.
During the desperate fighting at the Hunter's Gate the previous night, not only had Ser Rodrik lost his right arm, but he had also suffered a terrible wound to the chest from the axe thrown by Euron Greyjoy.
Despite Maester Luwin's best efforts, there was little more that could be done.
Garon's expression darkened with sorrow.
Beside the bed sat Beth Cassel, Ser Rodrik's daughter.
Her eyes were red and swollen as she quietly wept.
Sansa stood behind her, equally grief-stricken.
At that moment, Ser Rodrik noticed Garon's arrival.
A faint glimmer appeared in his cloudy eyes.
"Ga...ron..."
His voice resembled a broken bellows, weak and barely audible.
Garon immediately stepped forward.
Beth moved aside.
Kneeling beside the bed, Garon grasped the old knight's remaining left hand.
"Ser, I am here."
Ser Rodrik used the last of his strength to tighten his grip.
His gaze remained fixed on Garon.
"Winterfell... Stark..."
"It... it's all entrusted to you..."
"Ga... Garon... promise... me..."
"You... you must hold it..."
"Until... until Lord Eddard... and Robb... return..."
His life was slipping away.
Every word caused his chest to rise and fall painfully.
Garon understood exactly what the old knight meant.
Ser Rodrik was entrusting Winterfell, Bran, and Sansa to him.
Taking a deep breath, Garon met his gaze and spoke with absolute seriousness.
"Ser, I swear upon the honor of House Glover."
"So long as I draw breath, Winterfell will never again fall into enemy hands."
"I will defend it to the death until the Starks return."
Relief appeared in Ser Rodrik's eyes.
The tension in his body gradually faded.
The final trace of concern lingering within him disappeared.
With great difficulty, he turned his head toward Beth.
His lips twitched slightly, as though he wished to offer his daughter one final smile.
But before he could do so, his remaining arm fell limply onto the bed.
A loyal servant of House Stark had passed from the world.
"Father..."
"Father!"
"Wake up, Father..."
Beth threw herself over Ser Rodrik's body and burst into uncontrollable sobs.
Sansa could no longer hold back her tears.
The others in the room lowered their heads in mourning.
Garon silently sighed.
Slowly rising to his feet, he bowed his head and observed a moment of silence.
Then he turned toward Maester Luwin and Sansa.
"Ser Rodrik served House Stark faithfully for decades."
"He devoted his entire life to Winterfell."
"Now that he has died protecting it, please ensure that his funeral is conducted with all due honor."
Maester Luwin nodded heavily.
He and Ser Rodrik had worked side by side for many years.
Naturally, he would not neglect his old friend.
Garon looked once more at the old knight's body.
A sigh escaped him.
At the same time, he began considering who should oversee Winterfell going forward.
"Next, I still need to organize forces to eliminate the remaining Ironborn throughout the North."
"Winterfell needs someone trustworthy to guard it."
"Otherwise, if Ramsay Snow takes advantage of the situation as he did in the original timeline, everything could become troublesome."
"Originally, I hoped Ser Rodrik would remain behind."
"But now..."
After thinking for a long moment, Garon realized that Jon Snow was perhaps the most suitable choice.
The only issue was whether Jon would be willing to stay.
"Never mind."
"I'll discuss it with Jon later."
Just as Garon made his decision, a commotion suddenly erupted outside the room.
His brows furrowed.
Exchanging a glance with Maester Luwin, the two stepped outside together.
There they found a young noble arguing loudly with one of the Deepwood Motte guards.
"It is Cley Cerwyn..."
Maester Luwin's expression darkened.
His old friend had just died, yet Cley had chosen this moment to cause trouble.
Still, considering the young man's status, he restrained himself and asked.
"Cley, what are you doing?"
The moment Cley saw Maester Luwin, his eyes lit up.
"Maester Luwin!"
"I heard the Glover reinforcements have arrived!"
"Quickly, send troops to retake Castle Cerwyn!"
Ever since Castle Cerwyn had fallen to Euron Greyjoy, the young lord had been consumed by thoughts of revenge.
The previous night, he and his sister had been hidden away for safety.
After Garon's arrival, Maester Luwin had become occupied with organizing Winterfell's defenses and had temporarily forgotten about them.
Only this morning had Cley learned that the Ironborn had been driven away.
Without hesitation, he rushed over.
He desperately wanted House Glover to help him reclaim his home.
Maester Luwin looked somewhat awkward.
For a moment, he did not know how to respond.
Instinctively, he looked toward Garon.
Garon noticed his expression and asked.
"Is this the heir of House Cerwyn?"
Maester Luwin nodded and introduced the two men.
Only then did Cley realize that the tall and handsome warrior before him was the Glover lord who had saved Winterfell.
"Lord Glover!"
"Please send troops to retake Castle Cerwyn immediately!"
"That bastard Euron burned my home."
"I want him to pay in blood!"
His eyes were bloodshot with fury.
His voice trembled with hatred.
In truth, even without Cley's request, Garon already intended to recover Castle Cerwyn as quickly as possible.
Its position was far too important.
Located only half a day's ride from Winterfell, it represented a constant threat if left in Ironborn hands.
"I promise you."
"Castle Cerwyn will be retaken."
Garon's voice remained calm.
"But not immediately."
"We need time to prepare."
Cley looked confused.
"Prepare for what?"
"My Lord, every moment we delay means the Ironborn continue ravaging my lands!"
Garon patiently explained.
"When I received Winterfell's plea for help, I rode ahead with only the cavalry because I feared Winterfell might fall before reinforcements arrived."
"Although Crow's Eye was forced to retreat last night, I do not believe his losses were severe."
"First, I need to inspect the battlefield and determine the true state of the Ironborn forces."
Cley froze.
Only now did he realize that Garon had come to Winterfell's rescue with a relatively small cavalry force.
"My infantry force is still on the march."
"They should reach Winterfell by tonight at the earliest, or tomorrow at the latest."
"Until then, you will remain in Winterfell."
Seeing no alternative, Cley reluctantly nodded.
Once the young lord calmed down, Garon returned to discussing Ser Rodrik's funeral arrangements with Maester Luwin.
Given the current circumstances, the funeral could only be simple.
Even so, it was conducted with the dignity and respect deserved by a man who had devoted his life to House Stark.
After everything had been arranged, Garon once again set aside thoughts of rest.
Without delay, he gathered his men and headed toward the battlefield outside Winterfell.
He intended to personally inspect the aftermath of the previous night's fighting and determine the next step in his campaign against the Ironborn.
{🥳 Loving the story so far? Craving more chapters? 🥰
If you're enjoying the journey, don't forget to vote with your Power Stones! Every Power Stone helps the novel reach more readers and motivates me to keep the updates coming. 💙
Support me on Patreon and unlock 60+ advance chapters right now, plus 3 fresh chapters every two days to keep you hooked! 🎉
✨ Subscribe or grab lifetime access with a one-time purchase... your choice, no pressure!
👉 /mythborne }