Cregan had come into his lordship at thirteen upon the death of his father, Lord Rickon, in 121 AC. During his minority, his uncle Bennard had ruled the North as regent, but in 124 AC Cregan turned sixteen, only to find his uncle slow to surrender his power. (Fire & Blood)

It is reliably reported that Lord Cregan Stark was also offered a place amongst [Aegon III's] regents, but refused. (Fire & Blood)

They sat side-by-side on one of the steps leading to the king's personal suite of rooms in Maegor's Holdfast, a study in contrast in more ways than one. The former Hand's massive hand could easily cover the entirety of the king's face, to begin with. And Cregan Stark, normally not a man known for his volubility, was positively loquacious compared to the reserved and reticent boy sitting next to him.

The king is dead inside, too broken by all he had witnessed and suffered. Cregan Stark had heard this sentiment whispered all too often during his presence in King's Landing, from the tongues of lordlings, squires and servant boys alike. He scoffed at the notion as nothing more than piffle and nonsense. The king had merely learned to hide his pain and his distress, Cregan believed, because that was what boys must do to become men.

And none of the people talking about "the broken king" seemed to have any interest in trying to help him or aid him in any way, in trying to heal his wounds. They seemed more interested in speculating about his fitness for the throne.

"Are you certain that you would not accept a place among my regents, Lord Stark?" the king asked, finally breaking his long silence.

"When I returned to you my chain of office as the King's Hand, you did not hesitate to accept it, and made no effort to convince me to remain as your Hand," Cregan pointed out. "What is so different this time?"

The king did not flush or blush, but answered simply, "I did not want you as my Hand. I never did."

Cregan laughed. "I suppose I did force and bluster my way into the position. But the war is well and truly over now, and my place is in the North. Winter has come, and I must be with my people."

After another long silence, the king finally said, "You told me when you first arrived in King's Landing that false friends were more dangerous to a king than any foe. Do you have any other advice to give me, Lord Stark, now that you are departing?"

"Advice regarding what? Sitting on the Iron Throne? You are asking the wrong man for that."

"Advice regarding regents. My sister Baela told me that you had a regent yourself, when you first became the Lord of Winterfell."

"I did, aye. He was only supposed to be my regent for three years, but –"

"But?"

"Put away your regents firmly, on the very day you turn six-and-ten. Dismiss them without any fear or hesitation; that is my advice to you. Thank them for their service, and dismiss each and every one of them. The longer you wait, the harder it would be. I was too overawed by my uncle for a time, and it took me the best part of two years after I came of age to wrestle power away from him completely."

Aegon stared at Lord Stark with unblinking eyes. Other boys might have gasped with amazement, or had their mouths wide open, but the king simply said, in a barely audible voice, "I could hardly imagine you being overawed by anyone, Lord Stark."

"That is because you have never met my uncle. Those green as summer grass southron lordlings calling themselves 'the Lads' would piss in their breeches at the sight of Bennard Stark. He was the most intimidating of men."

"More intimidating than yourself?" Aegon asked.

Cregan could have sworn that he saw a faint trace of a smile on the king's face, but it was gone almost immediately after it appeared. "More intimidating thanI was at six-and-ten," he replied.

"What happened when your uncle would not relinquish his power as your regent?"

"I struggled mightily with him for control of the North for two years. The last straw was when he arranged a betrothal for me with his niece by marriage, without my leave, without my consent. I already had someone in mind to be my wife, to be the Lady of Winterfell, and it was certainly not with my uncle's niece by marriage."

"What did you do then, Lord Stark?" asked Aegon.

"I threw my uncle in Winterfell's dungeon. And his three sons as well, when they objected and tried to incite the North to rise against me."

The king said nothing, lost in thought, or deep in contemplation.

Cregan continued, "The only one you could truly rely on is yourself. Put your faith in yourself, in your own resilience."

"What if … what if I am not strong enough?"

"I did not say strength, Your Grace. I said resilience."