Editing Cregan Stark (section)

===The Dance of the Dragons===
For over a century after the [[Targaryen Conquest]], House Stark remained largely disinterested in royal politics and aloof from affairs at court. Upon the death of King [[Viserys I Targaryen]] in {{Date|129}}, the [[blacks]] of Queen [[Rhaenyra Targaryen]] opposed the [[greens]] of King [[Aegon II Targaryen]] during the [[Dance of the Dragons]].{{ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - The Blacks and the Greens}} [[Jacaerys Velaryon]], [[Prince of Dragonstone]], was sent to gain additional support for his mother Rhaenyra's claim to the [[Iron Throne]].{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - A Son for a Son}}

After flying on his [[dragon]], [[Vermax]] to the [[Eyrie]], [[Sisterton]], and [[White Harbor]], Jacaerys arrived at [[Winterfell]] to negotiate with Lord Cregan. According to Grand Maester [[Munkun]], Cregan and the prince got along well, as Jacaerys reminded Cregan of his late younger brother. After spending time drinking, hunting, and training, Cregan and Jacaerys swore an oath of brotherhood. In contrast to Munkun's writings, Septon [[Eustace (Dance of the Dragons)|Eustace]] claimed that Jacaerys spent his time trying to convert Lord Stark from the [[old gods]] to the [[Faith of the Seven]]. [[Mushroom]] claimed that Cregan had a half-sister, [[Sara Snow]], who slept with Jacaerys, and that an angry Cregan only relented after being told that Jacaerys and Sara had secretly wed in the [[godswood of Winterfell]]. Archmaester [[Gyldayn]] is skeptical of Mushroom's ribald stories, however.{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - A Son for a Son}} Regardless, Lord Cregan and Prince Jacaerys reached an agreement, known by Munkun as the [[Pact of Ice and Fire]], which stated that the future firstborn daughter of Jacaerys would one day marry Cregan's son, [[Rickon Stark (son of Cregan)|Rickon]]. Cregan pledged his support to the blacks.{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - A Son for a Son}}

[[Roderick Dustin]], [[Lord of Barrowton]], commanded the first host of northmen who marched south, known as the [[Winter Wolves]], older men who feared a long winter. Roddy the Ruin's host helped the blacks achieve victories over the greens in the [[riverlands]], but the Winter Wolves were eventually lost in the [[First Battle of Tumbleton]]. [[Desmond Manderly]], [[Lord of White Harbor]], also sent soldiers by sea to support Rhaenyra. The White Harbor men were led by Desmond's two sons Ser [[Medrick Manderly|Medrick]] and Ser [[Torrhen Manderly]].{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant}}

Prince Jacaerys was killed in the [[Battle of the Gullet]],{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - The Red Dragon and the Gold}} and Queen Rhaenyra [[Flight to Dragonstone|fled]] [[King's Landing]] after the [[Storming of the Dragonpit]]. While Rhaenyra was at [[Duskendale]] in {{Date|130}}, Cregan sent word from Winterfell that he would gather for her a host of ten thousand northmen, although their march south would need to wait until the last harvest before winter was brought in.{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Overthrown}} Rhaenyra was slain when she returned to [[Fall of Dragonstone|Dragonstone]].{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Overthrown}}

Although King Aegon II returned to King's Landing to rule, Lord Stark honored his word to the blacks and marched south with the second northern host in {{Date|131}}; Eustace claimed Cregan had twenty thousand men, while Munkun believed the number to be eight thousand northmen.{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - The Short, Sad Reign of Aegon II}} While the northmen were still on the march, the [[rivermen]] defeated [[Borros Baratheon]], [[Lord of Storm's End]], in the [[Battle of the Kingsroad]], and Aegon II was soon [[poison]]ed in the capital.{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - The Short, Sad Reign of Aegon II}}