Brandon Stark, the first of his name, and the builder of the fortress Winterfell itself, has been ruling from his seat of power for over twenty years, and the realm has been at peace... Untill now. Old friends, Brandon Stark had made a bethrothal between his eldest son, Benjen Sark, and Jonothor Mudd's youngest daughter, Jyanna Mudd, as a way to bring their houses even closer. Once Jyanna reached the age of fourteen, she was sent, by her father, with a large guard detail, to Winterfell, to wed the Prince of Winter. However, once they neared Moat Cailin, they were assaulted by an Ironborn raiding party in the dead of night. The attack resulted in the butcher of all the guards, and the kidnapping of Jyanna Mudd, in which Bennarion Harlaw, commonly known as "the Reaver", takes her for a salt-wife, and quickly puts a child in her belly.When news of this attack reached Winterfell, Benjen was furious, and he rode out with the large majority of the Winterfell garrison, and picked up more of the Castle Cerwyn garrison, riding hard south through the neck. Brandon, upon learning that his son was riding with most of his force south, called his banners together, along with his brother-in-law, William Woodfoot, to bring a monstrous force down on the Harlaw's.
Knowing that they'll need ships to reach Harlaw, Brandon sends a force under his half-brother, Galbart the Dreadwolf, to take the city of Barrowton, a city that is in the hands of House Ryswell of the Rills. This initiates a war with the Ryswell's, when Galbart not only takes Barrowton, but sacks it as well. With a fleet under construction, Brandon turns his atention to raising the levies, and preparing for the treacherous march down the neck.
The Stark's of Winterfell have been awakened, and they intend to show the Harlaw's the true meaning of their words: Winter is Coming...