The raging snow seemed as though it would never stop, howling between heaven and earth. Monotonous weather. Despair-inducing weather.
"My lady, it's cold here," Rodrik Cassel said atop the Lookout Tower. He was also an assistant to Catelyn, Winterfell's temporary castellan.
Lady Catelyn shook her head. "I am the Duchess of Winterfell. This is my fate. The soldiers are all enduring the cold, and Eddard and the king are at the Wall."
"Traces of dead things have already appeared in the Wolfswood. There are no more wolves howling." Rodrik gazed worriedly at the distant woods. They had felled a stretch of trees nearest the castle, but it seemed far from enough.
"Prince Oberyn, thank you for your generous assistance," Catelyn said to the Red Viper.
The Red Viper waved a hand, then smiled mockingly at himself. "These are all the king's orders, but I'd barely served as commander of the knights before I had to flee into Winterfell."
Only after taking over had the Red Viper realized how difficult this task was. The snowy roads were hard to travel, and with no settlements around, the North was simply too vast. When the Wight Horde intercepted them, the Red Viper wisely chose to flee to Winterfell.
"Hold firm and wait for Eddard and the king's men," Catelyn said, laying out her thinking. She dared not let Winterfell's soldiers fight recklessly either. They would simply hunker down; at least Winterfell was strong.
"You handle commanding the city's defenses. I'll lead the cavalry," the Red Viper said.
Cavalry charges were also what the Dornish did best.
Shadowy figures appeared across the snow. The army of dead things was a quiet army, making little sound.
The dead things had no banners or slogans, only eyes of startling blue, like cold stars.
"Sound the war