Chapter 3: Gathering at Winterfell

Eddard stood on the battlements of Winterfell with Jon, Theon, and Robb, watching the surging crowds on the Kingsroad, where a continuous line of horse-drawn and ox-drawn carts stretched to the edge of the horizon.

After the cavalry and ravens of Winterfell spread the news, it caused a sensation among the common folk of the North, and people from all directions began gathering at Winterfell.

They set out from Deepwood Motte in the west, from the Mountain Clans in the north, from Last Hearth and Karhold, from the Rills and Barrowton in the south, from the villages outside White Harbor, from Old Stones, Flint's Finger, Widow's Watch, and the Dreadfort; people drove cattle and sheep, pulled carts full of grain and daily necessities, and brought their families, pouring into the Winter Town below Winterfell, just as they had for countless winters over the past thousands of years.

The only difference this time was that it was still summer.

Robb frowned, "Father, I don't understand. At first, you invited the people of the North to settle in the Winter Town, and no one came. How is it that so many are coming now?"

Before Eddard could answer, Theon interjected, "Lord Eddard set the price for every house and an acre of land at 100 copper pennies. That price wouldn't even buy a piglet, so these farmers are looking for a bargain. There's also a chance for legal hunting if they come to Winterfell, so naturally, they came."

Eddard smiled, "Theon, you only stated part of the reason. Do you know the deeper reason?"

Theon shook his head, and Jon said, "Lord Eddard, I know."

Eddard looked toward Jon, "People often say bastards are good at reading people and discerning the truth. Jon, why have these people gathered at Winterfell?"

Jon said coldly, "Because of the fear of winter."

Correct, that is the fundamental reason.

Duke Eddard had put out the word that once the houses in the Winter Town were sold, they would no longer accept other Northmen when winter descended, and this terrified the people of the North.

Summer had lasted for six years now, but even the longest summer has an end. The elders of the North had all witnessed the power of winter; some winters could last for ten years, and food shortages and the cold would plunge the North into a frozen hell. When winter arrived, the Winter Town would be their only hope.

When Eddard first invited the commoners to settle in the Winter Town, these people either waited and watched or had no intention of coming at all. However, once they heard that Winterfell was selling off houses in the Winter Town at a low price and would not accept refugees once the houses were sold out, the tide of people began to surge toward the Winter Town, driven by their fear of winter.

Outside Winterfell, a tent was set up where Vayon Poole was in charge of the sale of houses; 100 copper pennies could secure a house and an acre of land. People lined up in long queues.

Jory Cassel, the Captain of the Guard of Winterfell, led a troop of cavalry and spearmen to maintain order among the crowd, while Farlan, the Master of Kennels, stood guard in the distance with a pack of hounds.

The residents coming to settle in the Winter Town had their carts and wagons loaded with goods. Eddard saw an old man with a white beard whose cart was piled high with wine, a woman whose cart was crowded with goats, and a boy whose ox-cart held cages of chickens, ducks, geese, and rabbits.

A butcher's cart was filled with pork; Arya was chatting with a butcher's boy, and Bran followed behind his sister.

Sansa, Jeyne Poole, and Beth Cassel walked through the crowd, their faces beaming with smiles.

When Duke Eddard appeared in the crowd, it immediately caused a stir, and people knelt one after another to pay their respects to Eddard.

A sturdy old man with a full head of silver hair walked up to Eddard, "Lord Eddard, my name is Karon, a smith. I worked in a smithy in White Harbor for decades, and I also had the honor of serving Lord Karstark in Karhold."

"But every winter, I would bring my family to live in the Winter Town. I was born in the Winter Town, and my three sons and six grandsons were born here; this is my home. I will never forget the kindness of House Stark in taking us in during the winter, but this is the first time I've come to live here in the summer."

Duke Eddard smiled, "Karon, settle down here from now on! We will face the winter together. If you are willing, you can also come to Winterfell to forge for me; I have a smith named Mikken, and I need more smiths."

Karon nodded, "It is my honor to serve Lord Eddard. My sons and grandsons are all smiths or apprentices."

Now that the population of the Winter Town was growing, the existing mills, smithies, and inns could not meet the needs of so many people. Eddard was planning to establish a forge in the Winter Town, and he needed smiths like Karon.

Ten days later, all the houses in the Winter Town were sold out, and nearly twenty thousand people had flooded into the Winter Town. At night, Eddard stood in the castle library, looking out through the window; every house in the Winter Town flickered with candlelight and torches.

Vayon Poole placed a thick ledger on the desk.

"My lord, this is the registration list for every resident. Every house in the Winter Town has been sold, and with the taxes collected, the total income is 286,600 copper pennies. The Winter Town is at full capacity, but there are still many people who did not get a house, and some are requesting to live in the castle."

Jory Cassel, the Captain of the Guard, said, "My lord, the Winter Town is now overcrowded, and it is difficult to maintain order. If so many outsiders are allowed to live in the castle, my guards will not have enough manpower. I think we should have these people return the way they came."

"No," Eddard refused flatly, "They have traveled thousands of miles with their families to come to the Winter Town; how can we send them back? If the guard is short-handed, recruit directly from the townspeople."

Eddard turned to the steward Vayon Poole, "Vayon, arrange for these people to stay in the castle. The abandoned First Keep can be used; just clean out the rats and spiderwebs inside."

Maester Luwin was startled, "Lord Eddard, didn't you say that once the Winter Town was full, you would no longer accept anyone?"

Eddard had indeed spread the word, claiming that once the houses were sold and the town was full, they would no longer accept people for the winter. This was merely a strategy Eddard used to coerce the people of the North into settling in the Winter Town, but the honest Maester Luwin had taken it for the truth.

Eddard sighed, "That is true, but I am a soft-hearted man; I cannot refuse my own people."

Vayon Poole looked troubled, "Lord Eddard, we do have a lot of empty space in Winterfell, but there are still many people on the Kingsroad, surging toward Winterfell. If we try to accept every Northerner, our castle's supplies will be exhausted before winter arrives."

Eddard laughed, "Do not be so pessimistic. These people have brought food, and besides, it is not winter yet; they will not just sit and eat away our stores. The land outside Winterfell will soon be cultivated, and manors will be built one after another. With more labor, our granary reserves will only become more abundant."

"Perhaps!" But Vayon Poole's expression clearly showed he did not agree, "I can manage for now, but if there are too many people, I won't be able to arrange places for them to live."

Eddard gazed at the lights of the Winter Town outside the window, a victorious glow shining in his eyes.

"Set up the tents from the storehouse, build tents outside the city walls, and establish temporary shelters. We will be expanding the town soon anyway; by then, there will be more houses to accommodate those who come later."

(End of chapter)