For days, Gared walked down the path to get to Ironrath to bring the news of Lord Gregor's death to Lady Elissa and on the way there, he wanted to check in on his family that had a small farm nearby but dread flooded Gared, when he saw on the road footsteps, blood and dead pigs lying around. And in that moment, he started to hope nothing had happened to his parents or sister. They were just pig farmers, who would hurt no one.

More worry filled him, when Gared saw his father's cart flipped over and then he overheard voices coming from where his family's farm was as he was slowly sneaking in to see what had happened.

"Lord Bolton better give us fucking titles for this."

"Winter may be coming but at least he'll have his bacon."

Gared overheard sadistic laugh as he saw three Whitehill soldiers killing the pigs around the farm. The Whitehills. Bitter rivals of House Forrester for generations and also the loyal vassals of House Bolton. With the Starks gone, the Boltons had been gaining control of the North and Gared could only dread what were they going to do to his family, both in blood and the guardians who had taken Gared in.

One of the Whitehill soldiers spotted Gared as Gared recognized him. It was Britt. One of the more sadistic men-in-arms of the Whitehills. "Move along, boy. There's nothing for you here."

Gared then saw right behind the soldier an elderly man bleeding out and coughing blood, leaning onto the wall of his small house. "Father…"

"I said, move on. Now leave. Unless you want to get fed to the fucking pigs." Gared rushed to his father as Britt then raised his brows. "I recognize you. You're a Forrester squire." Another Whitehill soldier got into Gared's way, glaring at him in disgust. "Former Stark bannermen have no claim on land anymore. Or haven't you heard? The Starks are dead." He then noticed Lord Gregor's sword strapped to Gared's back. "Where'd you get that sword…?" He circled around Gared like a feral animal ready to pounce on its prey. "Not a chance that sword is his. Must've stolen it. Out here by himself. Probably a deserter."

"None of your fucking business." Gared glared.

Britt narrowed his eyes before smirking as he aimed his blade at Gared. "We're gonna feed you to the fucking pigs."

Gared pulled out Gregor's sword as the soldiers almost laughed in amusement.

"That's sword's too big for you, boy. You can barely pick it up." Britt gloated.

"Get. Off. My. Land." Gared growled.

"This is Bolton land now, boy." Britt and his men aimed their weapons at him. "Lord Bolton is the new Warden of the North. I reckon he'd like a proper lordly sword like that."

Gared parried an attack as Britt struck with his sword but Gregor's sword was too heavy for Gared to fight properly. He barely managed to defend himself as he heard his father cough behind him. Gared turned to him in horror. "No…"

"I'll have that sword, boy."

Gared turned to Britt again before glancing at the sword, then meeting his eyes. "Aye. You'll have it."

With a roar, Gared attacked but was pushed back. Gared again attempted to attack but Britt managed to disarm him and shove him as Gared fell down. Britt picked Gregor's sword before turning to his two cohorts. "All right… finish this fucking pig farmer."

"Pathetic…" Another soldier neared Gared but Gared picked a pitchfork and blocked before the soldier could strike him and disarmed him of his sword before jamming the pitchfork into his neck. The soldier gagged and fell down and Gared dodged, when another Whitehill soldier came at him with a spear.

Britt attacked with Gregor's sword but Gared tackled him, causing for Britt to lose his grip on the sword as it fell down. Gared attempted to pick it up but Britt stabbed him in the thigh with a dagger as Gared screamed in pain. Gared grabbed Britt's dagger before he could finish Gared off and both men struggled before Gared disarmed him and knocked him on the ground.

But because of the injury in his leg, Gared was barely able to stand as the other Whitehill soldier attacked with his spear. Gared managed to pick Gregor's sword and block before he knocked the soldier down, aiming the sword at him as the soldier's eyes filled with fear.

"Mercy…! Please…! I beg of you… I have a family… they'll never survive without me… I have no quarrel with you…! I-I was only following orders…!" The images of Gared's parents' and his little sister's dead bodies flashed in his mind as Gared raised the sword. "No, please!"

Gared impaled the soldier with Gregor's sword as Britt got on his horse, glaring at Gared before riding off. "Lord Whitehill will see you hang for this. That much I promise."

Gared approached his father, who was barely awake. "Father?"

"Gared… you survived…" His eyes were getting wet. "Your sister… She hid…" He turned to the meadow. "I tried to stop them…" He held Gared's hand before going limp as he tilted his head, while Gared's eyes got wet.

"I'll kill the men who did this!" Gared vowed before he managed to find his sister's body and covered them both in a sheet, mourning.

As soon as Gared buried his family, he limped to Ironrath. One of the guards at the gate widened his eyes before turning around. "It's Gared! Get the Castellan! Tell him his nephew survived!"

The gate opened as Gared, panting out, entered the courtyard of Ironrath but soon enough fell down due to exhaustion and the injury in his leg.

"Gared!"

He looked up to look into his uncle Duncan's eyes. "I was too late… they were already dead…" Gared whispered, his eyes getting wet as Duncan could barely hold back tears. They killed his brother and niece.

Duncan turned to one of the guards. "Bring the maester. Meet us in the Great Hall. Quickly!"

Gared's vision blurred as he passed out because of the injury.

When he came to, Maester Ortengryn was tending to Gared's injury in the main hall of Ironrath, while Gared was telling him what had happened.

"Two Whitehill soldiers?" Ortengryn asked.

"And a Bolton." Gared nodded, anger filling him. "They killed my family. And for what?!" He could barely breathe. They were just innocent pig farmers who never did anything to anyone. What kind of monsters would do such a thing? "My sister… she… she was only eight years old."

Ortengryn gave Gared a look full of sympathy. "This never would've happened with the Starks in power. It's… unimaginable. Unacceptable. You have my condolences."

"Thank you, Maester."

Ortengryn examined Gared's wound. "The blade cut deep, but I should be able to save your leg." He opened the wound with a knife as Gared hissed. "Your justice was swift. Some will call it vengeance. No doubt the Whitehills will claim it was murder." He looked at Gared in sympathy again. "It was your family. I can't say I would've done any different than you. But the Whitehills won't see it that way."

"It was justice. They got what they deserved." Gared snapped.

Ortengryn nodded. "They did indeed. We can't let the Whitehills let walk over us." Gared then opened his wound, groaning in pain, while Ortengryn put in some maggots, as Gared closed the wound, trying to keep his groans quiet. "These are dark days, I fear. To lose the Lord of the House and the eldest son through such a despicable act of treachery and betrayal." He turned to the family portrait of the Forresters above the fireplace. "Greater Houses than ours have fallen in times such as this. The late Lord Forrester was a good man. And poor Rodrik… a serious man, but he would've made a good lord…"

"What do we do now?" Gared wondered.

"The future of this House is in Lord Ethan's hands now. Although he is young. And altogether unprepared to lead."

Gared sighed. That was what he was worried about. Ethan was still just a young boy. He loved art, music and books. He couldn't possibly be ready to be a man, much less the Lord of the House. The only other viable choice was Gregor's second-born Asher but first of all, he had been exiled into Essos and second of all, he had always been hotheaded and passionate. His heart was in the right place, but Gared was uncertain if Asher was fit to be the Lord of the House.

Gared groaned as Ortengryn was bandaging his wound as the Maester turned to him. " I understand from your uncle that Lord Forrester saved your life."

"He did." Gared nodded and hissed from the pain.

Ortengryn raised an eyebrow. "Rather odd, though, that he chose to save you, his squire, and not his son Rodrik. Not that Rodrik couldn't handle himself. He was as good with a sword as any man I've seen. Unfortunate the Citadel doesn't train maesters in the art of warcraft."

Gared sighed. "Rodrik had already fallen... there was nothing we could do."

Ortengryn nodded. "I'd imagine Lord Forrester would sacrifice himself to save anyone from his house, high or low." He finished bandaging Gared's wound. "Lady Forrester will be here any moment now. I'd like you to walk for m first. To see if you can put any weight on that leg."

Gared got up and limped as he walked down the main hall, examining the family portrait and the ironwood shields hung up on the walls. The strongest wood in Seven Kingdoms. The treasure of House Forrester. Ortengryn was unconvinced but Gared had assured him he was fine. Gared looked up at the family portrait. They had all treated him like he was one of their own, Rodrik, Asher, Ethan and Ryon treated him like their own brother. To Mira and Talia he was like their older brother. He only wished that Asher was here. He was always passionate, fierce and strong. That was something they would need right now with the Boltons laying claim to the North.

And there was no doubt that with the Forresters weakened, the Whitehills would want all ironwood there was around, since it was the Forresters livelihood to process it into shields, pikes, furniture and the sturdiest houses that were. Whitehills had squandered their share but believed that the Forresters had stolen what was rightfully theirs. It was only a matter of time before they would squeeze hard on Ironrath with Lord Gregor, his firstborn and the Starks gone.

The door opened as Lady Elissa and her daughter Talia entered, smiling kindly at Gared.

"Welcome home, Gared. We're all relieved to know you survived." Elissa said.

"Thank you, m'lady." Gared bowed.

"Talia asked to see you." Elissa explained as Talia neared the man, who had been like a brother to her, looking sympathetically, while Gared met the young girl's eyes.

"Gared… I heard what happened… Is it true? Your family…" Gared's eyes got wet as Talia held his hand. "I'm so sorry."

"Me too." Gared nodded.

"Off to bed now. Hurry on." Ortengryn said as Talia left, while he turned to Elissa. "Gared was just telling me how valiantly Lord Forrester fought to the end-even when all was lost. I'm sure Lady Forrester would like to know. Whatever you can recall."

"He loved his family, m'lady. He was very proud of Rodrik." Gared gave Elissa a warm smile.

"Yet he was unable to save him." Elissa looked at the fireplace sadly.

"You were with Rodrik, no?" Ortengryn asked. "I'm sure it was chaos and confusion. But if you can remember anything…"

"He… he fought valiantly, m'lady." Gared said.

Elissa smiled. Of course Rodrik did. He was the family's best warrior. "This has been so incredibly difficult for us. Especially the children. But I was told… I was told you were the last to see my husband alive." She turned to Gared with pleading eyes.

"Yes, m'lady." He nodded.

"I know it may be difficult to remember, but if I may ask, was there anything he said?"

"Any last words before he… passed?" Ortengryn inquired.

Gared considered mentioning Gregor's last words. 'The North Grove must never be lost.' But Gregor had insisted that it was only for Duncan's ears.

"He asked me to return this to House Forrester." Gared pulled out Gregor's sword. "He said this is where it belongs. With his family."

Elissa nodded, her eyes getting wet. "Thank you, Gared."

Gared nodded. "Of course, m'lady."

Suddenly, Duncan burst in with an armored man and burned face. Ser Royland Degore, Gregor's master-at-arms. Stubborn, passionate and impulsive war veteran, who preferred to always solve problems with brawns, rather than brains. "It demands some response!" Royland shouted.

"It's too dangerous." Duncan protested. "Especially now."

"Now is the time to prove our strength! To demonstrate we will stand against aggression!" Ortengryn picked the sword and left as Duncan and Royland continued arguing. "Duncan, this was our land. They were our people. Your family…"

"I share your outrage, Ser Royland, I do. But now is not the time to provoke the Whitehills. Not with Ramsay Snow coming to see us bend the knee."

"The hell with Ramsay Snow. The bastard."

Gared's blood ran cold. Ramsay Snow coming to Ironrath to see Stark loyalists bend the knee to House Bolton. That cannot end well, especially with Gared killing two soldiers of Bolton loyalists. His uncle Duncan turned to him. "Gared, you understand what this means. You killed a Bolton and Ramsay Snow will want his retribution."

"We're the ones, who should be demanding retribution! This happened on Forrester land." Royland yelled.

"They killed my family!" Gared exploded.

Duncan looked at him in sympathy, holding him by his shoulders. "And they'll pay for what they've done. That much I promise. But now is not the time for vengeance."

Royland scoffed. "If not now, when?"

"We have to be smart. Ramsay Snow will be here within the week."

"And what would you have us do-nothing?"

Duncan glared at him, crossing his arms. "I would have us use our heads while they're still attached to our shoulders."

Royland sighed. He felt like talking to a stubborn little child. He turned to Gared, silently asking for his support. "Gared has lost as much as anyone else within these walls. Maybe you can talk some sense into your uncle."

"My uncle's right. We need to be smart." Gared said. As much as he wanted to fight back, right now they were at a disadvantage because they were no longer under the Starks protection.

Royland scoffed. "Smart. Eddard Stark was smart-and look where that got him." He crossed his arms. "So, what is to be done?"

Duncan sighed as he turned to the fireplace. "Ultimately, it will be for Lord Ethan to decide."

"He's just a boy who can barely hold a sword. He knows nothing of how to lead men." Royland pointed out.

Duncan whirled on him. "He's the Lord of this House and he needs our help. It's bad enough the Boltons would have us bend the knee and swear fealty. But now… this…"

"But-"

"They'll accuse you of murder." Duncan cut Gared off before he could protest. "And us of protecting you."

"The boy was just defending himself." Royland argued.

"I'm not faulting him for what he did."

"Fuck the Boltons! One of their men killed my family!" Gared snapped.

"Aye. You'll say it was justice. They'll say it was murder." Duncan pointed out. "It's just the excuse Ramsay Snow would need to put us to the torch and kill us all."

Royland laughed. "I'd like to see them try."

Duncan shook his head. "I'm afraid is a risk we cannot take." He turned to Gared sadly. "Which is why you cannot stay."

Royland stared. "Cannot stay…? Duncan. The boy has suffered enough."

Gared paled. Surely his uncle wasn't suggesting… "But… where would I go…?" He suspected what was going to happen next but deep down he was hoping to be wrong. There were only two ways he could escape the wrath of Ludd Whitehill and Roose Bolton. Death or going to…

"The one place beyond the reach of even House Bolton." Duncan said.

"You're sending him to the Wall?" Royland shot him an incredulous look. The House's castellan sending his own nephew to join the Night's Watch? "The boy has done nothing wrong!"

"Not in the eyes of the Boltons." Duncan countered. "I'm afraid it's the only solution. Especially now when the House is so vulnerable."

"Uncle, my place is HERE." Gared protested. He certainly didn't like the idea of joining the Night's Watch. "Who will defend the House? You said we need men who can fight."

"There'd be nothing we could do to protect you. To stay would bring destruction upon us all. I know it's not what you want. I know it's difficult to understand. But you must think of the House."

Gared turned away, considering. He didn't have much choice, did he? "I won't put others at risk." He sighed before looking directly into his uncle's eyes. "I'll go."

Duncan smiled in pride, admiring Gared's bravery. "I know it doesn't seem fair. But it is what's best."

Duncan accompanied Gared to the stables, proud that he was putting the interests of the House ahead of his own, knowing that many of the Houses's best men had volunteered to join the Night's Watch.

Gared vowed to do what was best for the house. Not the easiest but necessary, nonetheless.

"Uncle, I've been waiting for the right moment to tell you…" Gared looked around to be sure no one was eavesdropping or would overhear them.

"What? What is it?" Duncan's brows raised.

"Lord Forrester asked me to give you a message." Gared whispered. "He said 'The North Grove can never be lost…'."

Duncan looked away before looking him directly in the eye. "Sorry. You caught me by surprise. It's not often discussed. If ever."

"He said to tell only you." Gared said.

Duncan nodded. "For a good reason. Most don't even know it exists. They think it's just a myth made up by wildlings and fools. And it's better kept that way. I assume you kept your word. You haven't told anyone else, have you?"

"Of course not. I told no one." Gared nodded. He did fulfill Lord Gregor's dying wish.

"Well done. Lord Forrester was right to put his trust in you." Duncan smiled. "From this day forward, this will be our secret. But soon I may need your help."

"But-"

"I can't say anything more just yet. Just know the North Grove may very well be vital to the future of this House." Duncan looked around to see no one would overhear them. "But don't breathe a word of it to anyone at the Wall. Become a Ranger if you can. It will help."

Gared nodded before he got up on the horse.

"Iron from ice." Duncan said.

"Iron from ice." Gared nodded.

"Remember, you represent House Forrester. Your actions at the wall will reflect the honor and dignity of the House."

"I'll serve with honor."

Duncan smiled at him proudly. "I know you will."

Gared was about to ride off to before Talia stopped him. "Gared, wait!" She handed him her necklace. "Be safe…"

Gared smiled at his surrogate sister before riding off, heading to Castle Black.