Stannis and his army had smashed the wildlings. Mance Radar was taken captive, and his men had scattered like leaves before a storm. Brian and Steve had brought the giant horn back to Castle Black.

Now Stannis was talking to Stewie. "Stewie Griffin. Everyone thought you were dead."

"Reports of my death were greatly exaggerated," Stewie said. "What do you want from me?"

"I want the North."

Stewie didn't understand. "Shouldn't you be talking to my brother Chris? He's king in the North."

"Stewie…" Stannis's voice was as gentle as he could make it. "Chris is dead."

"What? How?"

"He was murdered by the Freys."

Tears stood in Stewie's eyes. Chris had been an oaf, but Stewie had still been fond of him.

"I know how you feel," Stannis went on. "I lost my brothers too."

"That isn't the same," said Stewie. "You hated your brothers. You were fighting a war against Renly."

"They were still my brothers," Stannis said. "Did you know that Renly actually came to my house right after Robert died? He told me he was going to declare himself king, and he wanted me to help him fight Joffrey. But I said, no, I should be the king, I'm the older brother. We argued for a while. He mocked me, defied me, threatened me… and then he reached into his pocket. I thought he was drawing a blade and went for my own one… but he pulled out a peach instead and offered it to me. Was his purpose to make me show fear? Or was it one of his pointless jests? When he spoke of how sweet the peach was, did his words have some hidden meaning?" The king gave a shake of his head, like a dog shaking a rabbit to snap its neck. "Only Renly could vex me so with a piece of fruit. He brought his doom on himself with his treason, but I did love him, Stewie. I know that now. I swear, I will go to my grave thinking of my brother's peach."

"I still don't see what this has to do with me," Stewie said.

"With your brother gone, you're the heir to Winterfell," said Stannis. "The Northmen do not know me, have no reason to love me, yet I will need their strength in the battles yet to come. I need a son of Peter Griffin to win them to my banner. We'll be a team, just like your father and my brother. Together, we can defeat the Lannisters and the ironmen."

For a moment Stewie was tempted… but then he remembered the raven. "I'm sorry, Stannis," he said. "There's something more important I have to do."

That night he had another weird dream. Several images rushed through his mind. He saw swarms of crows. He saw an army of wights. He relived the fall that had paralyzed him, but still couldn't see who had pushed him. He saw the three-eyed raven taking flight in a darkened corridor and landing on a tree. He saw his father being led to his execution, the Red Keep abandoned and covered in snow, and the shadow of a dragon flying over King's Landing.

And then he saw a weirwood tree on top of an otherwise barren mountain. A gravely voice told Stewie, "Look for me beneath the tree. NORTH."

Stewie snapped awake, out of breath.

That morning he went and found Dipper and Mabel. "I know where I have to go," he said. "But you two don't have to come with me. It'll be dangerous. You can leave and try to find your great-uncle if you want…"

"And leave you on your own?" Mabel said. "Don't be ridiculous!"

"We've come this far with you," said Dipper. "We can go a little farther."

Stewie smiled. "Thanks. You're good friends."

They set off again that day with Hodor, heading north through the gate. Brian was there to bid them goodbye. "Be careful out there, Stewie," he said.

"I will," said Stewie. "You be careful too."

The wildlings had fled after Mance was captured. No one molested Stewie and his friends as they traveled.

Not that day, at least.