After everything was settled, Eddard Stark left Robb Stark behind to watch over Winterfell, assigning Maester Luwin and Ser Rodrik Cassel—one for administration, one for military matters—to assist him.
As Eddard Stark's eldest son, it was time for Robb to shoulder significant responsibilities.
Eddard Stark himself, along with his wife Catelyn, daughters Sansa and Arya, sons Bran and Rickon, and their household staff, traveled south with King Robert's convoy.
Accompanying him south were Jon Snow and Ygritte.
Catelyn Tully felt it necessary to keep Jon Snow far away from Winterfell, and Ygritte needed to be educated in the ways of a lady.
However, Lancelot did not head directly south. He and Tyrion accompanied Benjen Stark to the Wall to investigate the situation with the wildlings.
King Robert and Hand of the King Eddard would determine their next steps based on their findings.
The two groups parted ways at the Kingsroad, some heading south, some heading north.
Before leaving, Myrcella grabbed Lancelot's hand tightly.
"Lancelot, you must come back alive!"
Hearing this, Lancelot felt a bead of sweat drop. Is she cursing me to die in a roundabout way? So, he flicked Myrcella on the forehead.
"Ouch!"
Myrcella yelped, clutching her forehead.
"Why are you bullying me!"
"Because you're cute! Hahaha!" Lancelot ruffled her hair.
"Perhaps the wait won't be long. We might even return to King's Landing before you do!" Lancelot said.
"How is that possible? I don't believe it!" Myrcella said, her big eyes filled with disbelief.
"I have Red Hare, capable of traveling a thousand miles a day! It treads on snow as if it were flat ground. It's much faster than your pace!" Lancelot boasted.
"Lancelot, we'll be staying in the Riverlands for a while. Why don't we meet there? I've always wanted to see the Ruby Ford. I wonder if there are any of Rhaegar's rubies left," Joffrey said.
"Joffrey, I want to remind you of one thing. Don't go around bullying people, like butcher's apprentices or anyone else!" Lancelot warned.
"Why would I bully a butcher's apprentice? What if they came for revenge in the middle of the night with a cleaver? I wouldn't dare!" Joffrey replied.
Just thinking about that scene terrified him: someone sneaking into his tent late at night with a cleaver, a flash of the blade, blood splattering on the canvas... and he'd be dead.
Maybe his meat would even be made into pies for Robert and Cersei to eat, and they'd find it delicious.
Joffrey got goosebumps just thinking about it.
Afterward, Lancelot said his farewells to the others one by one.
"Ser Lancelot, when we get to King's Landing, can I join your Lionheart Company?" Sansa asked him.
"Why would you want to join the Lionheart Company? Aside from the founding members, it's mostly just little kids now!" Lancelot said.
Before coming to Winterfell, the Lionheart Company had recruited new members at the North Sea Kindergarten.
"Because I want to understand better what it means to be a lion," Sansa said, a glint flashing in her eyes.
"Fine, as you wish! But you have to pass a test to join the Lionheart Company," Lancelot waved his hand dismissively.
"I will definitely pass the test!" Sansa clenched her fists.
Once all goodbyes were said, both parties began their journeys.
---
Lancelot's group consisted of Benjen Stark, Tyrion, the squires Podrick and Agoda, and the witch Melisandre.
She had initially refused to go to the Wall because her power—the power of the Lord of Light—would be greatly diminished there. Without sacrifices, her power would be weaker than an ordinary person's! Even the Lord of Light couldn't grant her much strength there.
However, Lancelot told her a secret: at Queenscrown, there lay a dragon egg, laid by Queen Alysanne's dragon, Silverwing, when she visited the Wall over two hundred years ago.
Lancelot knew about the dragon egg because he had seen it when the Three-Eyed Raven pulled him into his vision.
Although Lancelot didn't know its exact location, he had distinctly seen a dragon lay an egg in the snow over two centuries ago, and no one had found it.
Perhaps the magic of the Wall made the dragon uncomfortable, leading it to abandon the egg.
Lancelot's group traveled light. Benjen Stark and Tyrion shared Wuzhui, while Agoda and Podrick shared Red Hare.
Lancelot and Melisandre rode the white lion, Hrakkar. Since Lancelot was shorter than Melisandre, he sat in front, with Melisandre holding him from behind. Lancelot could distinctly feel her... unique qualities.
Although Lancelot wasn't sure of her age, he was certain Melisandre wasn't some centuries-old crone maintaining her youth solely through the ruby at her throat.
Their speed was fast, at least three times that of regular horse travel.
Upon reaching the Wolfswood, they encountered another group—Night's Watchmen.
A recruiter named Yoren was scouring the continent for new recruits, usually criminals from dungeons.
This time, he had two prisoners with him: a murderer and a rapist.
"Well now! Benjen! Your party looks quite... exotic! Beauty and the Beast, and a dwarf! Hahaha!" Yoren laughed.
"I am a giant of intellect, not a dwarf," Tyrion retorted, dismounting to relieve himself while addressing Yoren.
"Our giant seems to have some real substance! Hahaha, interesting, interesting!" Yoren laughed heartily, eyeing Tyrion.
"It's too cold. Let's start a fire!" Lancelot said.
It was the perfect opportunity to test his Fire Bird spell.
Lancelot cast the Fire Bird spell at a pile of wood.
Three burning birds, the size of sparrows, flew into the woodpile, instantly igniting the logs.
"Is that sorcery?" Yoren asked.
"You don't look very old! Going to the Wall too?"
"I bear the King's command!" Lancelot stated.
"A criminal command? You killed someone?" Yoren asked, mishearing "King's command" as "fugitive/criminal life" . He thought the kid seemed ruthless enough to kill at such a young age.
"No, Tyrion and I are special envoys of King Robert, heading to the Wall to investigate the wildlings and White Walkers," Lancelot corrected.
"King's envoys... hope you aren't just armchair strategists! The Night's Watch stands apart; we answer to no army, no power, no house of the Seven Kingdoms."
"We are the sword in the darkness, the watcher on the walls, the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, the horn that wakes the sleepers, the shield that guards the realms of men," Yoren recited.
"But the noble black knights of old seem gone forever!" Lancelot countered.
"You!" Yoren glared at him unhappily. Why expose our shortcomings? Can't you let me bask in past glory for a moment?