I want every Northern maester to look for references on dragonglass. Dragonglass kills walkers and is more valuable than gold to us now. We need to find it, mine it, and make weapons with it. And everyone between the ages of 10 and 60 will train every day! - Jon Snow speaks for the first time as King of the North.
_ It's about time we taught the boys to fight! - shouts one of the Northern lords, causing a collective celebration until His Majesty clarifies.
_ Not just the boys. We won't be able to defend the North if only half the population knows how to fight, at least to defend themselves.
_ I don't intend to stand around knitting while men fight for me. I may be small and a girl, but I don't need any man's permission to defend the North. - the confident posture of the representative of Bear Island makes Diane and Brienne smile hugely simultaneously. The northern women were also made of very resistant material, after all - We will train every man, woman, boy and girl on Bear Island.
Young Lyanna Mormont's speech is enough to reverse the men's initial distrust, giving the White Wolf the floor again.
_ Thank you very much for your trust, Lady Mormont. I myself asked the princess of Themiscire, Diana, to help us prepare the most appropriate training for girls and women from the North. We want to make sure we are preparing ourselves in the best possible way. - the mention of the Amazon who was so important in the victory over the Boltons raises everyone's confidence even more - With that in mind, we must strengthen our defenses. The only thing separating us from the Night King's Army is the Wall, and the Wall has not been well protected for centuries! I am not the king of the Free Folk, but for us to survive this ordeal together...
_ Do you want us to occupy the castles? - Tormund stands up as the closest thing to a Free Folk leader and faces the White Wolf. Robb Stark stood beside the bearded redhead, still trying to go unnoticed as a wildling. At that moment, he admired his half-brother's ability to unite such different communities and propose so many ruptures in the traditional way of life of the North. Jon seemed to be a really good leader in his first days as king.
_ The last time we saw the Night King was at Hardhome and the nearest castle is at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea...
_ So, I'm going there! It seems we've become the Night's Watch after all!
Tormund's mockery generates discontent among the lords, but it amuses his own. Robb also allows himself to laugh at the provocation fired by the wildling for a second, but he wonders if his path would still be tied to that of the Free Folk. That could mean that he was about to take a path completely separated from his inseparable traveling companion in this new life. However, the Young Wolf's reflection is temporarily suspended due to an untimely discussion between the King in the North and the new Lady of Winterfell.
_ If the walkers somehow pass the Wall, the first castles on their way are Last Hearth and Karhold.
_ The Umbers and the Karstarks betrayed the North, Your Majesty! - complains the representative of the Knights of the Vale - Their castles should fall, without leaving a single stone unturned!
_ The castles committed no crimes and we need all the fortresses for the war to come. We should hand them over to new families, families that supported us against Ramsay! - Sansa says, without giving the King in the North a chance to speak. Robb senses that this could be Jon's first provocation not only as king, but also as a Stark.
_ The Umbers and the Karstarks fought by our side for centuries. They were faithful for generations. I would not condemn families for the mistakes of reckless children, nor would I force them to leave their ancestral homes. - Jon's speech was interrupted by Sansa once again. From a distance, the Young Wolf could understand the thirst for revenge that afflicted his sister and the conciliatory tone of his brother. He himself had had similar situations with advisors and his mother during the war.
_ So there is no punishment for treason or reward for loyalty? - Sansa's answer makes Jon raise his voice for the first time.
The punishment for treason is death and both men responsible for this died on the battlefield. When I was Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, I executed men who betrayed me. I executed men who refused to follow orders. My father always said that the man who passes sentence should wield the sword. And I try to live by those words. - the princess of the Amazons is frustrated by the progress of the meeting for the first time.
The world of men, including men who seemed to be fair like Robb and Jon, was too brutal and cruel - But I will not punish a son for the sins of his father nor will I take a family from the home that was theirs for centuries. That is my decision and that decision is final. Ned Umber and Alys Karstark.
Then, the princess of the Amazons watched a boy younger than Rickon and a young woman practically the same age as Sansa stand up, visibly fearful. She might be new to the world of Westeros, but she understood that just their presence in Winterfell required a lot of courage and a bit of faith. And everyone could find a bit of that in the King of the North's next speech.
Jon Snow did not propose any punishment for children who were still grieving the death of possible parents or uncles. The White Wolf asked them to renew their oath of loyalty and to respond in 'times of need'.
"Yesterday's wars no longer matter. The North must unite, all of the SURVIVAL NORTH." The king's speech and the renewed promise: Now and forever!
The eldest Stark disappeared from the Great Hall before the end of the first meeting of his half-brother's reign and headed for the room that had once belonged to his father and himself for a brief moment.
That was a gesture of greatness and wisdom. Jon managed to win over the new and old lords of the North. Jon had been better than him. And Sansa could be much more political and strategic than both of them. The opening of the door makes Robb move away from his own thoughts and happily discover the face of his traveling companion.
_ You have no reason to be so worried, Robb Stark. At least, not now. - Diana says before getting even slightly closer to the only occupant of the room.
_ The princess of the Amazons speaks as if she has known me all her life. What happened in the great hall does not concern me I worry, I know my brothers will be better leaders than I. I wonder what will become of me from now on. I can't keep sneaking around in the shadows of my home, but I also don't feel like I can go any further North with the Free Folk. I know my path is tied to yours.
_ I've been telling you that since the day you returned to this world, in fact. - the warrior princess mocks amusingly at the obvious and late perception of her traveling companion, however, the intimate moment is undone with the untimely entrance of the Stark brothers.
Rickon settles into the chair next to his older brother and huffs in irritation at the endless discussion between the new lords of Winterfell. Jon and Sansa were still dealing with the issues after the young woman's public challenge in front of her brother and new king. However, the final part of the conversation hits the former King of the North right in the face.
_ You need to be smarter than our father. We need to be smarter than Robb during his reign - the redhead becomes aware of everyone's presence around her, sighs and resumes speaking - Robb, I love you and I loved our father, I hear him talking about him every day... But you made stupid mistakes and we all lost a lot because of it. - the firstborn nods slightly and Jon doesn't fully understand the communication between his brothers.
_ And how should I be smarter? By listening to you? - Jon's direct question breaks the young Stark's confidence a little.
_ Would that be so terrible? - replies Sansa, visibly affected.
_ No, but you, above all, need to understand when to impose your opinion. I am the same Jon and I deeply consider the advice of everyone here. EVERYONE. - the repetition is emphasized and clearly directed at Robb and Diana - But when you, Sansa, do this publicly, you compromise me before the lords of the North.
_ Someone must always make the final decision, but no one needs to rule alone. And a well-thought-out strategy will always be better than a frontal, untimely attack. And I think you have much more to do with the first option than the second, Sansa. – Diana's intervention ends up ending any kind of questioning between the siblings.
Despite their unbreakable bonds, the Starks still needed to recognize themselves in that new constellation. And they needed to do it before the Night King knocked on the doors of Winterfell.