Jasmine_Oreno
wait, I thought the ritual was only two weeks prior. You're telling me he managed to become a guard and take command of drills and earn the loyalty of the guards over their own Lord in only two weeks?
No. He's been a guard of Winterfell since the first chapter which is multiple years before the most recent chapter. In that time he has slowly taken over more of the responsibilities of master at arms since everyone expects him to take that position in the future. The men are more loyal to him over Eddard because he is one of them. He is a guard of Winterfell, he spends far more time with them and has dedicated most of his life to training alongside them.