Cersei and Catelyn arrived at the dungeons of Winterfell together. Both covered their noses with their sleeves, for the stench was unbearable, especially for highborn ladies.
When they reached Ygritte's cell, they saw the red-haired wildling woman.
"Catelyn, look, she has red hair too. Doesn't she resemble your sister Lysa? In King's Landing, Lysa's red hair always drew attention," Cersei remarked.
Seeing Ygritte's red hair, Catelyn was also flooded with memories.
"Wildling girl, what is your name?" Cersei asked.
"I am Ygritte, of the clan Kissed by Fire."
"Kissed by Fire. What a beautiful name! If you weren't a wildling but a lady of the South, I imagine you would be pursued by many noble youths and knights," Cersei said.
"For the sake of the Mother, Ygritte, if you have any requests, speak them. Lady Catelyn and I will do our best to help you."
"I... I... I..." Ygritte hesitated, acting as if she didn't know whether she should speak.
"Speak, child. I am Lady Stark, and this is Winterfell. No one will make things difficult for you!" Catelyn Tully seemed to have momentarily forgotten that Ygritte was a wildling and a prisoner.
Ygritte gritted her teeth and told the story she and Lancelot had fabricated together.
"What? Jon? He actually did such a thing? He... he... he!"
Lady Stark became strangely agitated. She had always worried that Jon Snow might one day usurp her son Robb's birthright.
A White Wolf ascending to the lordship of Winterfell would be a humiliation to her.
But now, she held something that could be used as leverage against Jon Snow. She was delighted.
"Lady Stark, it seems you need to discipline Jon Snow properly!" Cersei said.
"Ygritte is so pitiful; we cannot let her die in the trial by combat like this!"
"I say, Lady Stark, why don't you take Ygritte as your foster daughter? How about it?"
Catelyn Tully understood Cersei's intent. She wanted to embarrass House Stark. But this was a small embarrassment. If it could secure Robb's future lordship, Catelyn could tolerate it.
"Ygritte, are you willing to take Lady Catelyn as your foster mother?" Cersei asked.
"I am willing! Mother!"
Ygritte immediately kowtowed to Catelyn with a loud thud!
When she lifted her head, her forehead was red, clearly showing she had used too much force.
Catelyn Tully immediately wanted to help her up, but the cell door was locked! She called for the jailer to open it.
"My Lady, she is a wildling! It's dangerous to let her out," the jailer warned.
"I said open the door. Is my authority not enough to command you?" Catelyn said coldly.
The jailer had no choice but to unlock the cell.
Catelyn entered and led Ygritte out of the dungeon.
The other wildlings watched her leave in silence, saying nothing.
After leaving, Cersei immediately began spreading rumors: Catelyn Tully has taken a wildling as a foster daughter! And Jon Snow had an affair with that wildling woman!
Catelyn first took Ygritte to the hot springs for a bath, then gave her a set of her own old clothes to wear.
When Ygritte appeared before her again, Catelyn felt as if she were seeing her younger self—so full of life and vitality.
---
Lancelot invited Jon Snow for drinks, getting him thoroughly drunk before sending him back.
On his way back to his room, Jon Snow was ambushed. Someone threw a sack over his head, and three or four people started beating him with sticks.
Jon took a beating. By the time he struggled out of the sack, the assailants were long gone, leaving only the sack behind.
"What the hell happened? I actually got beaten up inside Winterfell?" Jon Snow looked around in confusion.
Arya, Myrcella, and Sansa ran back to Sansa's room, panting heavily.
They had just beaten up Jon. It was so thrilling, so satisfying!
"That idiot Jon will never guess it was us! Hahaha, big dummy!" Arya laughed.
"Jon won't die, will he?" Myrcella asked worriedly.
"No, no, I'm sure he's alive and kicking!" Arya assured her.
"I really didn't expect Jon to hurt a wildling girl's feelings. He really deserved that beating!" Sansa said through gritted teeth.
She and Myrcella had heard the story about Jon Snow and Ygritte from Arya. It matched what Cersei and Catelyn had heard in the dungeon almost perfectly.
"By the way, I heard Ygritte has been released. Let's go see her!" Sansa suggested.
"Let's go!"
The three of them went to Catelyn's chambers and met Ygritte. Dressed in noblewoman's attire, she indeed looked like a lady of high birth.
"Mother!" Sansa greeted Catelyn.
"Lady Stark!" Myrcella curtsied.
Arya was much simpler; she threw herself into her mother's arms.
"Mother, I heard you took Ygritte as your foster daughter. Does that mean she's my sister now?" Arya asked.
Catelyn Tully nodded.
"Not only is she your sister, but I will also betroth her to Jon Snow!" Catelyn announced.
As long as Jon Snow married Ygritte, he would never have a sliver of a chance to claim Winterfell.
If Jon's wife was a wildling, he would absolutely never win the hearts of the North. Robb Stark's position would be as solid as a mountain.
---
Meanwhile, Eddard Stark received news that Catelyn had taken the wildling woman away. He was astonished and went to find her. He found Catelyn teaching the girls needlework!
Eddard Stark knocked gently on the door.
"Cat, I need to speak with you. Please come out for a moment!"
Catelyn told Ygritte not to be afraid and walked out alone.
They went to the Godswood, standing beneath the Weirwood tree.
Only then did Eddard Stark ask, "You took that wildling woman. What are you doing? Not only is she a wildling, but she is also supposed to participate in the trial by combat!"
"I have taken her as my foster daughter, and I will betroth her to Jon Snow! As for the trial by combat, let's forget about it!" Catelyn Tully declared.
"Cat, you!" Eddard Stark looked at her in confusion, not understanding what had gotten into her.
"Did the Queen make you do this?" he asked suddenly.
"Although she went with me to the dungeon, taking Ygritte as a foster daughter was my own decision. It has nothing to do with her," Catelyn said.
Eddard Stark didn't possess the political cunning for this. He hadn't been raised to rule since he was a second son; if Brandon hadn't died, Eddard wouldn't be Lord of Winterfell.
Unable to make a clear judgment immediately, Eddard decided to seek counsel from Maester Luwin.