Winter Is Coming with Fire and Blood

“This we do know: Cregan Stark and Jacaerys Velaryon reached an accord, and signed and sealed the agreement that Grand Maester Munkun calls “the Pact of Ice and Fire” in his True Telling. Like many such pacts, it was to be sealed with a marriage.”

“Grant me this boon, and I shall never ask another. Do this, and I shall know that you are as wise as you are strong, as kind as you are fierce. Give me this, and I shall give you whatever you may choose to ask of me.” Mushroom says Lord Cregan scowled at that. “What if I ask you for your maidenhead, my lady?”
 “I cannot give you what I do not have, my lord,” she answered. “I lost my maidenhead in the saddle when I was three-and-ten.”
 “Some would say that you squandered on a horse a gift that by rights should have belonged to your future husband.” 
“Some are fools,” Black Aly answered, “and she was a good horse, better than most husbands I have seen.”
 Her answer pleased Lord Cregan, who laughed aloud and said, “I shall try to remember that, my lady. Aye, I’ll grant your boon.”
 “And in return?” she asked.

Prince Aegon, meanwhile, found himself confined to Maegor’s Holdfast with no companions save for the boy Gaemon Palehair. When the prince demanded to know why he was not free to come and go, Stark replied that it was for his own safety. “This city is a nest of vipers,” Lord Cregan told him. “There are liars, turncloaks, and poisoners in this very court who would murder you as quick as they did your uncle to secure their own power.” When Aegon protested that Lord Corlys, Lord Larys, and Ser Perkin were friends, the Lord of Winterfell replied that false friends were more dangerous to a king than any foe, that the Snake, the Clubfoot, and the Flea had saved him only to make use of him, so they might rule Westeros in his name.  

[…] Cregan Stark’s brief service as the Hand of the Uncrowned King ended the next day, when he returned the chain of office to Prince Aegon. He might easily have remained King’s Hand for many years, or even claimed the regency until Aegon came of age, but the south held no interest for him. “The snows are falling in the north,” he announced, “and my place is at Winterfell.”                                                 fire & blood pg.579                                                         illustrations by doug wheatley

“There are worse ways to die. Winter has come, my lady.” “For me, then,” said Black Aly. “Grant me this boon, and I shall never ask another. Do this, and I shall know that you are as wise as you are strong, as kind as you are fierce. Give me this, and I shall give you whatever you may choose to ask of me.” Mushroom says Lord Cregan scowled at that. “What if I ask you for your maidenhead, my lady?” “I cannot give you what I do not have, my lord,” she answered. “I lost my maidenhead in the saddle when I was three-and-ten.” “Some would say that you squandered on a horse a gift that by rights should have belonged to your future husband.” “Some are fools,” Black Aly answered, “and she was a good horse, better than most husbands I have seen.” Her answer pleased Lord Cregan, who laughed aloud and said, “I shall try to remember that, my lady. Aye, I’ll grant your boon.” “And in return?” she asked. “All I ask is all of you, forever,” the Lord of Winterfell said solemnly. “I claim your hand in marriage.” “A hand for a head,” said Black Aly, grinning…for Mushroom tells us this was her intent all along. “Done.” And it was.

Cregan Stark served in that office for a single day, presiding over the trials and executions.