Rodrik's journey to the North brought him to the bustling port of White Harbor, where the Manderlys received him with grand hospitality. Lord Desmond Manderly, tall and plump with a thick white beard and keen eyes, welcomed Rodrik into New Castle with great pomp. His sons, Ser Marlon—serious and clean-shaven with a knight's demeanor—and Triston, the younger, a jovial and flirtatious man with a talent for music, joined the reception. The feasts were legendary in White Harbor, and Rodrik, for the first time in years, let himself indulge.
Vaeron, ever the rogue, matched Rodrik cup for cup, turning dinner into chaos. Between toasts, songs, he started a competition with Merlon Manderly of their archery by shooting apples on each other's head. If Rodrik was sobre he would not let this happen but he was also wasted & was enjoying the party. In North celebration are not like souther balls & dances but here it was raw, unfettered & fun.
In their cups Lord Desmond & Rodrik was having a drinking competition where they were competing drink for drinks. All around them people were cheering & bets were being placed. Vaeron bet on Desmond.
Rodrik trying to take large breaths & trying to keep the world in correct angle even though it's trying to tilt itself " So Lord Desmond there is no shame in accepting defeat I mean with age a persons capacity does decrease it's understandable".
Desmond who was also drunk heard that & got serious " Bring the drum " his people laughed & brought two whole drums of alcohal so potent that even smelling it would get you drink.
Rodrik got first confused them when he saw Desmond lifting the whole drum & started drinking directly from it. Rodrik's spirit also get ignited & he did the same. Then there was only blackness.
In the morning eyes opened & came with it a ming splitting headache. It took some time for him to get his bearings then he felt a persona sleeping with him on his bed. First he thought that he has seduced a las & got a little happy about that. But when the body moved & he sawa the face he screamed & ran away from there as that was Lord Desmond. Outside of his room from which he ran away Nyra was standing with medicine. Rodrik stopped looked at Nyra, looked at the medicine, looked back at the room & after some time asked " How, What?".
Nyra replied " After you drinking completition you hugged & swore to be brothers & then passed out but was not willing to let go of each other so we just shifted you both to same bed"
Rodrik flabbergast " What if something happened?"
Nyra " Like what?".
Rodrik thought & then decided to not answer that question & move away from there.
With a pounding head and dry mouth, Rodrik and his entourage departed for Winterfell. Vaeron moaned all the way, while Nyra rode with practiced silence, eyes scanning every snow-dusted ridge for trouble.
It took days across the frost-covered Kingsroad. Wolves howled in the night and northern winds lashed against their cloaks, but finally, the grey walls of Winterfell rose before them, stark against the whiteness of the land.
Rodrik and his company reached Winterfell after days of cold and snow-covered travel. Greeted by Lord Rickon Stark, his younger brother Bennard Stark, and Rickon's son, eleven-year-old Cregan Stark, the entourage was offered warm shelter within the stone walls of the great keep.
That evening, a hearty supper was held in the Great Hall. The hall echoed with simple, honest laughter, the warmth of the fire reflecting in the dark Northern eyes of the Stark family. Rodrik dined with them, speaking with Cregan and Bennard, learning more about the northern lands. The Starks were direct and unadorned in speech—no honeyed words or subtle maneuvers. It was refreshing.
The next morning, young Cregan gave Rodrik a tour of Winterfell. He led him first to the crypts, the underground resting place of Stark ancestors. The cool, damp air carried the weight of generations. Cregan proudly explained the tales of each statue they passed—how the first Stark came with the direwolves, how King Torrhen knelt to Aegon. Afterward, they wandered the godswood, where the heart tree stood tall and solemn, its red leaves rustling in the cold breeze. Rodrik stood silently before the weirwood, absorbing its ancient energy.
Later that day, Rodrik requested a private audience with Lord Rickon.
In Rickon's solar, lit dimly by a hearth, the two men exchanged minor pleasantries about the journey and the weather before Rickon, ever direct, steered the conversation forward.
"You did not come to Winterfell to discuss snowfall," Rickon said plainly. "What brings you to the North, Lord Rodrik?"
Rodrik nodded and unrolled a modest parchment map. "I come to ask a permission from you Lord Stark & for your agreement I will repay North with ideas—ways to bolster the North's strength. Greenhouses using glass I've developed in the Vale—capable of growing food year-round. Mining equipment designed to work even in hard, frozen rock—there are veins here yet untapped. And once the railway is complete through the Vale, I plan its extension through the Neck and into the North."
Rickon listened quietly, his grey eyes unreadable.
"These are generous proposals," the Stark lord finally said. "And rarely are such boons offered freely. What do you want from the North, Lord Arryn?"
Rodrik met his gaze evenly. "I seek your permission to conduct limited operations beyond the Wall. Not for conquest—only trade and exploration."
Rickon's brow furrowed. "Trade with the Free Folk? Have you lost your sense? Would you arm them next?"
Rodrik held up a hand calmly. "No weapons. Only food, clothing, and supplies. In exchange, I want knowledge. I believe there's more north of the Wall than savage clans. Culturally. Geologically. Strategically."
Rickon remained silent, the fire crackling between them.
"There's nothing the Free Folk have that the Vale needs," he finally said. "Only trouble."
"Then let me bear the trouble," Rodrik said simply. "Let the risk be mine. If I fail, you've lost nothing. If I succeed… perhaps there's more to gain than either of us expected."
Rickon studied him long and hard. "You're bold. And boldness is often mistaken for madness. But the land beyong the wall doesn't come in my territory Lord Arryn. I can't dictate the terms on that land & my people has suffered long because of the freefolks & I can't in good conscience do anything that will benefit them"
Rodrik said "you don't need to do anything my lord I will manage all these things but I don't want to confront the Nights Watch & I know that you have influence among them as mostly their food & supplies are supplied by you."
Lord Rickon " I won't say that North doesn't require the help you are offering but first I would need to understand. You yourself has started a war with mountain tribes who was causing you same problems Freefolks are causing us. So why such sympathy for the Freefolks.
Rodrik " I can tell you Lord Stark but you won't believe me".
Lord Rickon " Let's hear it first then I can decide that".
Rodrik thinking for a long time & finally deciding to tell the truth " I think that Giants are real & still exists beyond the wall. Through the trade I am going to collect information about them then connect with them & take them to Vale"
Lord Rickon froze for some time then a tiny laugh cought in his stone face " You are chassing fairy tales Lord Rodrik".
Rodrik " Let it be fairy tale Lord Rickon but I want to persue it. Only help I want from you is to convince Nights watch for not attacking us & when I take giants back open the gates for me"
Rickon looked at Rodrik & said " You got a deal Lord Rodrik but be aware we won't be able to help you in your venture beyond these two points"
Rodrik nodded. "Nor would I ask you to."
With that, the two lords parted with mutual agreement.