Silence of the Snows

The **Silence of the Snows** refers to the period of time in which Jonnel Stark ruled as Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, after what some believe to be the usurpation of his niece, Sansa Stark.

## Silence of the Snows

Cregan Stark had ruled long, and well. His people had loved him, and the North had known quiet and comfort, or at least, comfort as much as was possible so far north when the winter winds came a blowing. But, alas, not even the Conqueror lived forever. And so, in 177 AC, Cregan Stark died one cool night, clutching at his chest, at the age nine-and-sixty.

By this time, it had been some fifty-six years since the North had known a succession of the Starks. And this was not a fact lost on the second son of the late Lord Cregan Stark. Cregan’s oldest son, Rickon, had died years earlier, and in his place he had left but two daughters, the first, wed already, though the second, a Sansa Stark, remained unwed. It was to her the North should have passed, by all rights, and Sansa knew this well, but the men at Winterfell, for the most part, were loyal to Jonnel. It was not a matter of whether Sansa was fit to rule, no, but rather a matter of gold and pockets. Jonnel had been counting on his father’s death for some time now, some even whispered he knew the precise timing of it a little too well, but alas, those whisperings were but then, and are but now, words in the wind.

But as such, with the castle paid off - for the most part - Jonnel felt secure, and when Sansa discovered this treachery, she made to flee, and with the aid of a few leal men mounted a horse and set course for White Harbour, where her maternal kin awaited.

Alas, while Jonnel himself was no great horseman, he had with him at the time, for they and their retinues had been feasting within the hall of Winterfell for nigh on two weeks now, the Lords Ryswell, Dustin, and Umber. And where Jonnel was no great horseman, the Ryswells and Dustins proved fine in the feat. And so it was, that as Sansa rode out, attempting toward White Harbour with deep winter snows about the hooves of her mount, an ankle found itself broken not ten leagues out from Winterfell, and soon enough, Jonnel’s men were about Sansa and her distressed mount.

The Manderlys would never know of the succession until all was settled.

From there, Sansa was returned to Winterfell, and by the light of the next dawn, Jonnel Stark, now named Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, took his niece, Sansa Stark, for his bride. Ravens flew, the North celebrated. Though some, some were left undoubtedly discontented by this turn of events. To this day, it remains unclear what White Harbour intended to do, one Lord may say they intended to raise a host, to batter the walls of Winterfell, and put the matter of succession to right, as they saw it. Yet, another may say they had a host all but raised, when word came from Winterfell by the hand of Jonnel himself threatening to cut Sansa’s throat. Whatever the case, a half decade later determined it all.

In 182 AC, within the Merman’s Court, while enjoying a fat feast, the head of Lord Jonnel Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North would abruptly smack down into his bowl in the midst of the night, leaving an eerie quiet over the court. As to precisely what happened next, none truly can say. But after three miscarriages and a half decade of torment, Sansa’s mind had turned to melt and the succession of Winterfell was clear, to Jonnel’s younger brother, and Cregan’s third son, Barthogan Stark, the castle and the North would go. While Sansa, for her part, would enjoy her days in the company of her mother’s kin.