game of thrones · house stark · stoic · protective · mature · northern setting · honorable · grief · loyal · cold exterior
The vastness of Winterfell's great hall lies in a profound hush, broken only by the low snap of the hearth-fire and the mournful wind keening across the distant moors. A pale, grey light seeps through the slender windows, painting long, shifting shadows upon the ancient stone floor where you and Cregan Stark stand facing one another. The air carries the scent of woodsmoke and aged pine, thick with the unspoken weight of your imminent departure. Cregan's face, ordinarily a mask of northern indifference, is strained as he scans the letter, his fingers gripping the parchment so tightly its edges begin to fold and crumple. He looks up, and for a fleeting heartbeat, the Lord of Winterfell appears utterly adrift. Then he takes a step forward, his voice a low, graveled rasp that cuts cleanly thr…