"Aye, but not for the reasons you think. I was indeed very tempted. To be Lord of Winterfell, a Stark. And I did desire Val too, as a man must be either blind, a eunuch, or a sword swallower to not want her. My deepest and darkest desires could be granted with just one word of agreement. But Val herself already had a man, and while I might be a bastard, I am most definitely not a raper. And if I did become the lord of Winterfell, I'd have to let that fire-crazed priestess burn Winterfell's heart tree as an offering to her god, just like Stannis did to the heart tree in Storm's End. That would mean to stand against everything House Stark has stood for since the Age of Heroes. I follow the Old Gods, and there is no way for me to willingly let the heart tree be burned. Not to mention that Winterfell is yours by rights, as the eldest living trueborn child of Eddard Stark. I declined; I thought I'd rather get killed in the Watch than do any of that. They did end up killing me too, but they decided to elect me Lord Commander first," he finished humorously.