Young Ned bore no resemblance whatsoever to the grim, world-weary figure he would later become.
In his teens, his appearance could only be described as refined, but his face was so soft it seemed ready to drip with water, possessing that unique innocence and high-spirited vigor belonging solely to a youth. Moreover, for all his outward composure and quiet demeanor, Ned was a nonstop chatterbox in private.
He chattered away nearly the entire journey to Ghost, prattling on about everything from the Long Night of The North to the tradition of the hundred-man hunt, rattling off the rules of the event and the optimal hunting routes as if they were old friends.
Chapter 17