Game of Thrones: The Frozen Throne

Eddard and his financial advisor, Clare, arrived at the market outside Winterfell, escorted by Jory Cassel, the captain of the Winterfell guard, and a squad of soldiers.

Bran clung to Catelyn's leg, pleading, "Mother, buy me this knight!"

Septa Mordane held little Rickon in her arms, standing behind Catelyn. Catelyn scolded, "Bran, you're already an older brother, yet you still want toys? Let's go!"

Eddard noticed the toy Bran wanted—two wooden puppet knights in the hands of a merchant. The merchant appeared to be in his forties, with brown hair beginning to gray, and wore a blue-gray robe.

The merchant, not wanting to miss a business opportunity, manipulated the toy knights, making them clash. Shields and lances collided as Bran watched, mesmerized.

"Young lord, look how fun these toy knights are! Let me tell you, south of the Neck, every noble boy in a castle has a set like this."

Bran pleaded with Catelyn, "Mother, look how fun they are! If we buy them, I can play with Rickon, and Robb and Jon can play too."

At the mention of Jon's name, Catelyn's face darkened. She said coldly, "We have no money."

Eddard and Clare approached, and Bran immediately ran to Eddard. "Father, look at these toy knights! Don't they resemble the White Knights of the Kingsguard?"

The merchant's gaze lingered on the direwolf sigil on Eddard's chest.

"This must be the famous Lord Eddard. My lord, why not buy the toy knight? Your son loves it so much."

Clare, standing beside him, asked, "How much for the toy knights?"

The merchant smiled. "These are handcrafted, pure wooden toys. A pair of knights costs only two silver stags."

Eddard now understood why the merchant had set up his stall at Winterfell's gates. Common folk couldn't afford such expensive toys.

Clare gave Catelyn a flattering smile. "Lady Catelyn, why make Bran sad? I'll pay for it."

Since Clare had come to Winterfell as a financial advisor, Catelyn had deliberately kept her distance and even suggested to Eddard multiple times that he should be dismissed. Now that Bran wanted a toy, Clare seized the opportunity to win favor.

Catelyn responded coldly, "How generous of you." Taking Rickon from Septa Mordane, she turned and walked toward Winterfell's gates.

After Clare paid, Bran eagerly took the puppet knights from the merchant and began playing with them.

Eddard noticed the stall was filled with various wooden toys—pinewood-carved warships, elmwood bears, hornbeam monkeys, wooden dogs, wooden fish, and mostly knight figurines.

"Did you make all these yourself?" Eddard picked up a knight figurine—a silver-haired, handsome knight charging with a longsword.

The merchant nodded. "Lord Eddard, my name is Douglas. My family has been carpenters for generations. My grandfather made coffins, but my father switched to making toys. When I was young, my father took me across the Seven Kingdoms, selling wooden toys—King's Landing, Oldtown, Lannisport—we traveled everywhere."

"My father visited so many places. He always set up his stall near castles because farmers' children couldn't afford our toys. Many famous knights played with my father's toys as children—Prince Rhaegar, Lord Renly, Ser Jaime… Back then, Jaime was just a boy playing with toys, not yet the 'Kingslayer.' Oh, and even Gregor Clegane, the 'Mountain.'"

Eddard frowned at the mention of Gregor Clegane. "The Mountain, Gregor Clegane? I heard that when he was a child, he burned his younger brother, 'The Hound' Sandor Clegane, for taking his toy knight. Half his face was melted… Could it be—"

Douglas sighed. "Yes, my father was the one who sold Gregor that toy. At the time, Gregor was only a teenager, and Sandor was just seven. Who would have thought he would do something so horrific over a toy? When we heard what happened, my father fled from Clegane's Keep that very night."

Eddard stared at the puppet knight in Bran's hands, deep in thought. Sandor had suffered his infamous burns over a toy—such was the allure of toys for children.

His gaze returned to Douglas, who was dressed in a black velvet coat, with a jade bracelet on his wrist. Among the merchants, he was clearly well-off.

Eddard had an idea. "Douglas, how long do you plan to stay in Winterfell?"

Douglas sighed. "Not long, I fear. Lord Stark, there are too few knights in the North, and the children here don't seem as interested in knights. My knight toys don't sell well north of the Neck. Even if I set up a stall near a lord's castle, they may not buy them."

"When I traveled up the Kingsroad into the Riverlands, I thought the first place to sell toys would be Barrowton. But when I got there, I found out Lady Barbrey was a childless widow, so I had to keep moving north. In Torrhen's Square and Sevenstreams, I didn't sell much either."

"I plan to head to White Harbor. I hear the Manderly family is devout in their worship of the Seven and has over a hundred landed knights. Maybe I'll have better business there."

Eddard said, "Douglas, if I hire you to make toys for me, would you be willing?"

Douglas's eyes lit up. "Of course! What kind of toys does Lord Stark wish to commission? The legendary direwolf? A Northern king? Or perhaps the wildlings beyond the Wall?"

Eddard shook his head. "You misunderstand. This isn't about a single commission. The North has plenty of wood, and I've been meaning to establish a toy workshop, but I haven't found the right person to run it. I believe you are the perfect candidate. Are you interested?"

Douglas hesitated. "Lord Stark, I'll need time to think. This is a big decision—I should at least discuss it with my children."

Eddard met Douglas's three sons, aged between fourteen and seventeen. Douglas had spent years traveling with them, making and selling wooden toys. All three were apprentice carpenters.

Douglas introduced his sons to Eddard. Eddard said, "Fine lads. What about their mother?"

At the mention of his wife, Douglas looked sorrowful.

"When my youngest son was born, we were in King's Landing. My wife wanted me to buy a house there, but I refused. She was tired of moving from place to place. I told her that if we saved more, we could settle in Oldtown, where our sons could study under the Maesters. Maybe one could even become a Maester someday."

"But as we traveled north, we stopped at Harrenhal. The lady of Harrenhal had no children, but many of her landed knights bought my toys. I made a good profit there. But one night, my wife ran away—with one of Harrenhal's sellswords."

Eddard said, "Wandering the roads forever isn't a way to live. Stay in my castle. Here in Winterfell, Maester Luwin can teach your children to read, and my own children can help as well. They may not become Maesters, but they won't be illiterate. If you work for me making toys, you'll be well paid. You could buy a house in the Winter Town for your sons. Or, if you choose to stay in Winterfell, there will be a place for you here."

Douglas looked at his sons, contemplating for a long while. Finally, he nodded. "Alright, Lord Stark. I'll serve you. Who could refuse an invitation from Eddard Stark?"

Bran cheered. "Father, if Douglas stays in Winterfell, does that mean I can play with all these toys?"

Douglas laughed. "Young lord, you can play with them as much as you like."

Bran gained a pile of toys. Eddard gained a skilled toymaker.

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