Neither Gendry nor Daenerys, who were beyond the Wall, had ever seen such heavy snow.
Cold winds howled along the Kingsroad, with nowhere to take shelter.
"Roar." Balerion roared in the sky, a result of ice, snow, and cold being elements opposed to the dragons.
But the Fire Magic Gendry wielded had steadied the dragon's mood considerably, making him less irritable.
"What heavy snow!" Daenerys shouted.
"I fear there will be more to come." Gendry laughed heartily. All the snow turned to rising mist before it could touch his clothes.
Southerners have never known ice, snow, and cold, yet they have to endure such bitter temperatures, Gendry thought. But he had no choice.
In the past, the Winter Wolves had marched south. Now it was the Winter Deer marching north. If the Battle of the Wall was lost, they would have to activate a second defensive line, with Luan River Castle as the point of contact.
Snowflakes drifted down near the dragons, only to turn to rising mist in the heat surrounding them.
When Gendry saw the Golden Four-Part Banner and the White Icefield Running Wolf Banner flying atop the tallest tower, the midpoint of their journey appeared before them.
Winterfell was a vast, complex castle covering several acres, with two thick curtain walls and a village outside its gates.
Winterfell itself had been built around an ancient Godswood and a hot spring. Hot water flowed through pipes within the walls to warm the rooms, making Winterfell more comfortable than other castles during the harsh northern winters.
Gendry and Daenerys's visiting party was much smaller than the one King Robert had brought north. There were only two people and two dragons, but to the Northmen, this visit was a grander occasion than King Robert's.
This was the first time dragons