The Great Hall

[The Forgotten God]

Winterfell's damaged great hall has been repaired, and the temporary one has been coverted to a massive guest house, housing visitors from many lands, come to seek the counsel of Lord Rickon. The new Great Hall houses over a thousand at full capacity, and the lord and his heir's quarters are higher than anywhere else in the castle, being able to see for miles in every direction.

[Arania Stark]

Arania was cold. Her cheeks and the tip of her nose were pink from the chilly winter wind. Despite these things, she had a smile on her face. The north was very beautiful, with the thick old evergreen forests and the charming blankets of snow that covered everything. Winterfell was impressive, too. A great sprawling place with a forest within the walls...she would not mind living here at all, she thought, and maybe one day she would get used to the cold.

The great hall was, like everything at Winterfell, built on a large scale. As they entered, Arania found that it was pleasantly warm indeed. She pushed back her fur-lined hood and looked about, grinning and feeling butterflies in her stomach. Finally it all seemed real to her.

[The Forgotten God]

Kalvin removes his cloak as little children surround him, chittering away. Apparently he is the local hero. They all shortly step aside, though, as an old, old man approaches them, straight-backed, using only a thin cane to assist him. His beard is thick and white, his blue eyes looking like the frozen skies above them. Kalvin bows respectfully. "Lord Rickon. This is my betrothed, the Lady Arania of the House Hightower." He turns to her. "Arania, may I present Lord Rickon Stark."

[Arania Stark]

Arania made a low, formal curtsey. She studied him carefully, trying not to stare, but very curious about this ancient man who was so universally respected by, it seemed, the entirety of Westeros. "It is a pleasure to meet you, My Lord. I've heard a great deal about you, and..." She could have gone on, and talked about his books, and how Benjen had quoted them and how she had yet to even read a word of them but how she so wished to, but she held her tongue.

[The Forgotten God]

His craggy face smiles...presumably, though the beard essentially covers the entire lower half of his face. "I knew Kalvin would find himself a pretty one one day." He looks her over. "We have a room already made up for you, and your..." he coughed lightly, "lord father sent your dowry on up...these six months ago," he laughed. "Welcome to Winterfell...but don't htink you'll be ruling it yet," he winks. Apparently Kal's charm came from somewhere.

[Amelia Royce]

Prince Benjen had traveled with the happy couple and presented himself to his grand uncle in blacks and greys, a sword at his hip and the direwolf on a badge. He entered the hall slightly after Arania and Kalvin and, upon seeing Lord Rickon, could not help but grin.

"Granduncle," He called out, sketching a bow to the man he owed so much to. "It is good to see you again."

[The Forgotten God]

"Well, well," Rickon says. "The pup's become a proper wolf, now. I hear you've been covering yourself in glory down south. Sorry to have left it so boring up here for you."

[Amelia Royce]

"You should hear my howl," Benjen joked, always in a good mood around the old man. "It's been heavy, down south... Draven had me grasping for some of your old tactics you taught me; especially concerning fighting retreats."

[The Forgotten God]

"Well, those were all theoretical, mind; I never had to use them," he chuckled. "Oh, Ben, the one fun thing about growing old, other than being allowed to look however you want at pretty ladies like Arania here, is being able to say anything you want. I stopped giving a damn when I turned seventy...and you were but a pup then," he said with a grin.

[Amelia Royce]

Benjen laughed. "Well, it works, I can tell you that much. Oh, regarding looking at pretty ladies, you have of course met my wife Catherine?" He gestures back to the hot babe he could call his wife.

[The Forgotten God]

Catherine smiles at the ancient lord with all her dazzle, even as his little namesake gurgles and cries. Rickon kisses her on the cheek and takes the little prince, bouncing him up and down and making some odd noises until he quiets down. "Princess Catherine; you look so like your dear mother. I remember when she was brought up here...couldn't have been more than thirty years ago," he grins.

[Amelia Royce]

"I had thought to name him Eddard, after your father, but Rickon suits him more," Benjen said, smiling at how grandfatherly the old man was. "With any luck we'll have a daughter soon too; if we do we would love to honour your late wife and name her Joanna."

[The Forgotten God]

"Oh, now; this old mans time is almost passed, no need to completely recreate it," he chuckles. He gestures to Arania. "That's her job." He giggles a touch maniacally. He hands Catherine her son back.

[Amelia Royce]

(OOC: Arania, interject!)

[Arania Stark]

((Arania's at work ))

Arania hardly knew what to say. Old Lord Rickon seemed friendly enough, like the rest of the northerners she knew, with a hardened exterior but an amiable and easygoing manner underneath. Her mouth tightened a little as they passed the baby back and forth. She was sure motherhood would suit her far less well than Catherine...not that everything didn't suit Catherine perfectly.

Despite her discomfort, she found herself laughing with Lord Rickon. "We shall see, my Lord. Perhaps soon." Please, Mother, not too soon.