A harvest feast is held at Winterfell in 299 AC during the War of the Five Kings.[1] Besides being a celebration of the harvest, this harvest feast allows the bannermen of the north to meet with Bran Stark, Ser Rodrik Cassel, and Maester Luwin.[2]
Arrivals
[edit]As the Stark in Winterfell, Bran Stark hosts the harvest feast of the north. Lord Wyman Manderly brings a large retinue from White Harbor, including knights, squires, lesser nobility, heralds, musicians, and a juggler; Big Walder and Little Walder Frey break lances with the Manderly squires. In contrast to the Manderlys, the widowed Lady Donella Hornwood arrives with only six men-at-arms, and Cley Cerwyn brings two dozen lances.[2]
Other nobles who arrive include Mors and Hother Umber, Tallharts, and the steward of Deepwood Motte to represent House Glover. Lord Ondrew Locke is too old to make the journey, while Lady Lyessa Flint is pregnant and preoccupied with sickness at Widow's Watch. The Mormonts and Karstarks are fighting in the south with Robb Stark, King in the North. There is no representative from House Bolton.[2]
Bran, Maester Luwin, and Ser Rodrik Cassel meet privately with some of the lords in the Great Keep. Lord Manderly offers to mint silver and build a fleet for King Robb. Lady Hornwood warns that Ramsay Snow, the bastard son of Lord Roose Bolton, is gathering men to the Dreadfort. Rodrik orders the Umbers to work with the Manderlys in building longships to protect against wildling incursions.[2]
Feast
[edit]
At the start of the feast, Bran rides Dancer into the Great Hall of Winterfell amidst cheers of "Stark!" and "Winterfell!", and the northmen, both noble and smallfolk from the winter town, celebrate Robb's victories and the harvest. Bran sits at the high table on the dais with Rodrik and his daughter Beth to his left, and his brother Rickon to his right. Also at the high table are Luwin and the Frey wards. Northern lords are given places of honor on the dais as well.[1]
The food comes from throughout the north and includes aurochs roasted with leeks, venison pies, mutton chops, duck, peppered boar, goose-in-berries, pigeon, capon, beef-and-barley stew, and cold fruit soup. Seafood from White Harbor includes whitefish, winkles, crabs, mussels, clams, herring, cod, salmon, lobster, and lampreys. Additionally, there is black bread, honeycakes, oaten biscuits, turnips, pease, beets, beans, squash, red onions, and wheels of white cheese. Treats include baked apples, berry tarts, and pears poached in strongwine. Flagons of hot spice wine and chilled autumn ale are served to the guests.[1]
Each dish is offered first to Bran, and he offers the most appealing to the nobles, such as salmon to Donella, boar to the Umbers, and goose-in-berries to Cley. To thank Joseth for training Dancer, Bran sends a huge lobster to the master of horse. Bran sends sweets to Hodor and Old Nan out of love, and he sends boiled beets to Little Walder and buttered turnips to Big Walder.[1]
Songs performed include "Iron Lances", "The Burning of the Ships", and "The Bear and the Maiden Fair". Osha breaks a flagon over the head of one of Leobald Tallhart's men when he touches her, and Mikken flirts with a woman who welcomes his attention. The Umber brothers play a drinking game involving slamming their horns together.
During the feast, Alebelly announces the arrival of Meera and Jojen Reed, who have come in place of their father, Howland Reed. Prior to joining the feast, the Reeds reaffirm the crannogmen's oath of loyalty to House Stark.[1]
After the meal is done, the Great Hall's tables are cleared to make space for dancing. Hother Umber blows a large warhorn during "The Night That Ended", while Glover men use bladder and woodharp. Mors Umber begins the dancing by grabbing a serving girl, but he is quickly joined by others. Hodor dances by himself, while Beth Cassel dances first with Wyman Manderly and then with Cley Cerwyn.
Unable to dance, the crippled Bran has Hodor bring him to his bedchamber. En route they see Joseth having sex with a woman in the gallery near the hall. Once back in his room, Bran has Hodor return to the feast. Bran then dreams of his direwolf, Summer, in the godswood of Winterfell.[1]
Aftermath
[edit]All of the lords and knights depart Winterfell within a day or two after the feast, though the Reed siblings remain at the castle with Bran.[3]
While returning to Hornwood, Lady Hornwood is abducted by Ramsay Snow, leading to fighting in the Hornwood between Houses Bolton and Manderly.[3]
Attendees
[edit]Northern nobles
[edit]
Prince Bran Stark- Prince Rickon Stark
Ser Rodrik Cassel- Beth Cassel
Lord Wyman Manderly
Lady Donella Hornwood
Mors Umber- Hother Umber
Cley Cerwyn
Leobald Tallhart
Meera Reed- Jojen Reed
Glover steward
River nobles
[edit]
Winterfell household
[edit]
Other attendees
[edit]- smallfolk from the winter town
- friends from nearby holdfasts
- guards escorting the nobles
- knights, squires, lesser lords and ladies, heralds, musicians, and a juggler, all from White Harbor
Quotes
[edit]The feast makes a pleasant pretext, but a man does not cross a hundred leagues for a sliver of duck and a sip of wine. Only those who have matters of import to set before us are like to make the journey.[2]
—Luwin to Bran Stark
He bid them welcome in the name of his brother, the King in the North, and asked them to thank the gods old and new for Robb's victories and the bounty of the harvest.[1]
—thoughts of Bran Stark
Such food Bran had never seen; course after course after course, so much that he could not manage more than a bite or two of each dish.[1]
—thoughts of Bran Stark
He looked up and down the benches at all the faces happy and sad, and wondered who would be missing next year and the year after. He might have cried then, but he couldn't. He was the Stark in Winterfell, his father's son and his brother's heir, and almost a man grown.[1]
—thoughts of Bran Stark
References
[edit]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 21, Bran III.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 16, Bran II.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 28, Bran IV.