Just as Mance Rayder and the others decided to return together beyond the Wall, a figure riding a large white lion emerged from the nearby woods.
"One, two, three, four, five... went up the hill to hunt a tiger. Didn't catch a tiger, caught a little squirrel."
Lancelot, riding Hrakkar backward, blocked the only path forward.
"Lancelot Lannister. It's you. How did you know we would take this road? And why are you here?" Ygritte asked.
Lancelot smiled at Ygritte.
"Ygritte, you disappeared for a long time. Sansa and the others couldn't find you, so they came to me. I figured you might have gone to help Mance Rayder escape."
"So you waited specifically for us outside Winterfell. But how did you know our route?" Mance Rayder asked.
"Simple! Since you are wildlings, you definitely wouldn't take the main road. Naturally, I chose to wait for you on the small path." Lancelot waved his hand dismissively.
"It seems we can't return safely beyond the Wall without dealing with you. Mance, give the order! Let's kill him together. He is alone, and we are seven!" Rattleshirt said.
Beside him, Aguda spoke to Rattleshirt.
"Don't forget, he's the one who killed our other companions before—or specifically, his big lion did. We are no match for a lion."
"A wise man! Aguda, although you are young, you possess more wisdom than Rattleshirt," Lancelot praised him.
"Lancelot, for Jon Snow's sake, let us go!" Ygritte pleaded.
"Jon Snow is my brother, but you don't seem to be his wife yet, Ygritte. Don't try to coax me; I'm not that easily fooled," Lancelot replied.
"What exactly do you want to let us leave?" Mance Rayder asked.
"It's impossible for all seven of you to leave. Leave at least two people behind for me. Who stays is up for you to decide!" Lancelot stated.
The wildlings conferred for a moment. Finally, Ygritte and Aguda chose to stay behind. They had made their decision: to trade their freedom—and perhaps their lives—for the freedom and lives of their companions.
"Have you chosen?" Lancelot asked.
"Aguda and I will stay," Ygritte said.
"You two? Not bad, not bad! It seems we really are fated!" Lancelot said.
Then he whistled. The horses Ygritte and Aguda were riding trotted over to Lancelot on their own. They were riding Lancelot's horses, Red Hare and Raven.
"The rest of you, leave! Mance Rayder, until we meet again!" Lancelot said.
Taking one last look at Lancelot, Mance Rayder spurred his horse forward, passing by Lancelot. The other wildlings followed him closely.
Watching their figures disappear into the distance, Lancelot took a rope and bound Ygritte and Aguda.
"Relax, binding you is only temporary! Since Mance Rayder has escaped, you won't suffer much punishment," Lancelot assured them.
Lancelot brought the two back to Winterfell. In the dungeon, some of the other escaped prisoners were dead, while others had been recaptured.
After interrogation, Eddard Stark learned that it was Ygritte who had released Mance Rayder and the others.
"Ygritte, what do you have to say for yourself?" Eddard Stark asked.
"I did what I did. Kill me or flay me, do as you please."
She was stubborn, stretching out her neck as if waiting for Eddard Stark to chop off her head right there.
Eddard Stark frowned, then looked at Jon Snow.
In the end, for Jon Snow's sake, Eddard Stark spared her this once.
"Lord Eddard, how about leaving Aguda to me? I think he's quite capable and want to take him as a squire. What do you say?" Lancelot asked.
Eddard Stark glanced at Aguda. He felt this wildling wasn't like the others—snarling and radiating bestial aggression.
Aguda didn't give off the vibe of a savage, but rather that of a solitary, stubborn young man.
"Very well! Ser Lancelot! Aguda is yours from now on! I hope you manage him well," Eddard Stark said.
Lancelot nodded, indicating he would take good care of Aguda.
Although King Robert heard about the wildlings' escape, this was Winterfell, and the Starks had the final say. Since Eddard Stark wasn't pursuing it, Robert didn't interfere.
With ten days left before their return to King's Landing, King Robert seized every moment to hunt. In his spare time, he visited the local brothels for some fun.
The boars of the North were considerably larger than those in the Kingswood, and their tusks were sharper. Several of Robert's men had been gored and thrown by boars during the hunt, suffering serious injuries.
Then Robert personally wielded his warhammer, crushing the boars one by one.
No one would have expected his weapon to be used for this.
After killing another boar, Robert sat panting heavily on a large rock.
"Lancel! Wine! Your King is thirsty."
A young boy wearing a red doublet embroidered with the roaring lion of House Lannister hurried over with a skin of wine for the King.
Robert drained the wine and tossed the skin aside for Lancel to fetch. He looked at Eddard Stark standing nearby.
"Ned, your North is exhilarating. Let us forget the wildlings, forget the White Walkers, and enjoy ourselves for a few more days before returning to that horse-piss-smelling King's Landing."
Eddard Stark wanted to remind the King not to be careless about the White Walkers.
But King Robert seemed to read his mind.
"I will send Lancelot and Tyrion, along with your brother Benjen Stark, to the Wall to assess the situation. Then we will decide what to do."
"You must know, Ned, I am not truly a fool. Although I am surrounded by liars and madmen, none of them think I am stupid. I just don't want to deal with it."
Hearing this, Eddard Stark knew the old Robert was still there. He hadn't lost his true nature just because he wore a crown.
"Yes, Your Grace! I await your command and arrangements," Eddard Stark said.
"Ned, don't worry about the lands beyond the Wall. If the ancients could defeat the Long Night and the White Walkers with fewer numbers, surely we, with all the knights and warriors of the Seven Kingdoms united, can defeat any terrible enemy."
"We will unite firmly under the leadership of King Robert I of House Baratheon to resist the Long Night and welcome the dawn," Eddard Stark said.
"Hahaha! You rascal, you've learned to flatter too! Those words sound just as sweet as what the other ministers on my Small Council say! Hahaha!" King Robert laughed.