GOT: Chapter 313/314

Chapter 313: The Messenger of Light

Aegor was also staring at the fire, lost in thought.

Cotter Pyke staying at Castle Black instead of leaving surprised him greatly. The good news was that this meant the loaned grain arriving across the sea was unlikely to face problems at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea's port. The bad news was that he now seemed obligated to honor his earlier promise to create a position like Deputy Commander for Denys Mallister and consult him on any future changes to the Night's Watch's laws.

Could it be that Denys had written to Cotter Pyke to tell him not to leave?

Still, he did not plan to dwell on it or try to counter Denys's maneuver. Compared to what he had already accomplished in the Gift, backed by the Night's Watch industry's strength and his good relations with House Stark, this minor scheming was harmless. Besides, the privilege he had lost in their wager had no written contract or legal standing. Whether it was honored depended entirely on a verbal agreement.

And verbal agreements were for gentlemen, not scoundrels.

If Denys managed Shadow Tower well and faithfully guarded the westernmost end of the Wall for him, without any major incidents, Aegor would gladly be the "gentleman." But if some unavoidable change occurred, the choice to burn bridges or discard the donkey after crossing the river would be entirely his. There was nothing to worry about.

This was the benefit of being Lord Commander. With a proper title, his words carried weight. His power might not have grown overnight, but from now on, the Gift, an area nearly the size of the Crownlands, was within his sphere of influence. As long as he did not provoke divine wrath or violate the North's interests, whatever he chose to do, no one would dare point fingers.

More than Shadow Tower, Cotter Pyke at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea troubled him more, especially with Yohn Royce, the former Lord of Runestone, still by his side.

Enemies were easy to make and hard to deal with. In the cliché of countless tales, those he had offended, if not killed, would linger in the shadows, only to strike at a critical moment and ruin important matters.

You can watch for a thief for a thousand days, but you cannot guard against him for a thousand days. Aegor still had many plans to see through and could not keep an eye on Yohn Royce constantly. Preventing that classic "raise a tiger to be bitten later" scenario required serious thought.

…

While he pondered, the sword at his waist suddenly began to tremble.

At first, Aegor thought someone passing behind him had bumped his scabbard. But after turning his head, he saw everyone standing still in solemn mourning. Instead, the trembling from the sword belt grew stronger and even began to hum. It was as if someone had hidden a vibrating device inside the hilt.

Like anyone else would, Aegor instinctively gripped the hilt and, after holding it for a moment, drew the blade slightly to see what was happening.

The sound of a dramatic "screech" existed only in his imagination. In reality, aside from the faint friction of metal, he heard nothing.

But the moment the small section of blade near the hilt was exposed to air, it erupted with blinding light. The brightness was like staring directly into a welding arc, forcing Aegor to turn his head away at once. In his hand, the steel sword had become a sun forged from metal. Even before it was fully drawn, the light was intense enough to dim the flames of the pyre.

Everyone instinctively shielded their eyes or turned away, but the light was not only blinding. It seemed to pulse, shifting color in a steady rhythm, casting its glow across Castle Black and the nearby stretch of the Wall as if dozens of searchlights had been aimed at them.

While the crowd was still stunned, Aegor was the first to react. He pressed the sword back into its scabbard with his palm.

The light vanished instantly, and their vision seemed to darken, as if night had suddenly fallen.

Several seconds later, as their sight returned, the Night's Watch erupted into a noisy uproar.

Had it not been the weapon of the new Lord Commander, someone might already have stepped forward to draw it themselves to satisfy their curiosity.

…

"Why hide it? That is your glory, Commander," Melisandre's voice rang out through the noise. She did not seem to raise her volume, yet it carried as if amplified. She pointed at Aegor. "The Lord of Light has seen the crisis facing his people and has sent the prophesied hero, bestowing upon him the power of fire. That sword is Lightbringer, and the hero foretold will wield it to lead us in defeating our ancient enemies, passing through death, despair, and failure, and into a bright future."

The Red Priestess was not popular at the Wall, but after witnessing her powers, few dared to call her a fraud. Her words instantly stirred the crowd.

"So that's Lightbringer?"

"Where did he get it?"

"If it's that bright, how can he fight the White Walkers without going blind?"

"Maybe just shining it on them will melt them!"

"Hells, if that's true, I could do it too!"

As the legendary sword of Azor Ahai, Lightbringer's name was well known. This claim sparked even louder discussion. Some of the brothers who had already converted to the Lord of Light even gazed at Aegor with open fanaticism.

Aegor's face darkened.

No one knew better than him what his weapon really was. It was neither Valyrian steel nor the work of a master smith. It did not even have a name. It was a standard steel sword, purchased in bulk from weapons merchants in King's Landing, likely forged by apprentices or common smiths rather than masters. It might be of slightly better quality than the one broken by a White Walker three years ago, but Lightbringer? Impossible.

He glared at Melisandre. In his vision, still spotted from the blinding glare, a black circle obscured the center, preventing him from even focusing on her face. He had to fix his gaze on the hem of her robes instead.

"Melisandre, we will discuss this sword tonight. For now, I need to speak frankly to all the brothers of the Night's Watch. If you do not plan to take the black, please excuse yourself." His voice was cold as he tilted his head. "Jon, escort Melisandre back to her chambers."

Having just declared a miracle and ready to press her advantage, she was suddenly ordered to leave. Melisandre froze, a flicker of doubt and displeasure crossing her face. But in the next moment, she composed herself and bowed slightly. "In that case, I will obey the Commander's command."

Aegor was truly angry. It was not that she had created a miracle to build his momentum, nor even that his eyes had been nearly blinded. It was that she had not warned him beforehand.

Melisandre was one of the few people willing to devote everything to the defense of the Wall, and she wielded great power. Aegor valued her highly. But that did not mean he would tolerate her acting independently here. He was accustomed to working by plan.

His plan for today was clear: hold the succession ceremony, rebuke his former opponents, and issue his first set of orders as Lord Commander.

Her actions had not only disrupted that plan but had also challenged his authority.

Becoming a hero, raising his personal prestige, even becoming an object of worship—all of that was useful for boosting morale and securing the Gift. But the order of importance mattered. Was his authority strengthened by the hero's title, or did it rely entirely on it?

If it was the latter, he would rather have none of it. Anything granted by others could be taken away just as easily. Aegor had built his position step by step and trusted in his own ability. Influence that rested on such an unstable foundation was unnecessary.

And this was not the first time she had acted on her own.

Was it deliberate, or did she truly lack political sense?

Either way, it was time to make the point clear. The Wall and the Gift were now his, Aegor's. Whatever Melisandre wished to do, she would need his approval first.

Under the puzzled gaze of the crowd, Melisandre left the courtyard. The tall, slender woman walked past them and out of sight.

As she left, the trembling in Aegor's sword ceased. He did not mention the weapon's strange behavior. The onlookers, uncertain of his thoughts, stayed silent, waiting for the cremation to end.

…

The firewood and bodies glowed golden-red in the flames, gradually blackening as they burned. When the pyre reached its peak, the flames began to falter, flickering in the wind. After a long wait, the final bright flame was extinguished by the next cold gust, leaving a pile of smoking ash. The unburned bones still lay in place, resting quietly in the hot embers.

Only then did Aegor step forward from the ranks of his men. He ascended the steps of Castle Black's hall, leaned on the railing, and prepared to give his succession speech as planned, formally opening the prelude to a new era for the Night's Watch.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 314: Three Major Changes after Taking Office (Part 1)

The cremation ended.

Aegor had originally planned to wait until Maester Aemon's ashes were collected before proceeding, but it would take more than ten minutes for the pile to cool enough to touch. Continuing to stand in mourning during this time felt unnecessary, yet simply standing idle was too awkward. A thought struck him, and he decided to make a small adjustment to his plan on the spot, making use of the gap.

"Never has the Night's Watch faced the crisis we face today!" Aegor's loud opening quickly quieted the Castle Black courtyard. After a pause, he emphasized again, "Never!"

The crowd quickly realized this was his inauguration speech. One after another, they looked up at the new Lord Commander, curious to hear what he would say.

"The Night's Watch was founded after the War for the Dawn. Our purpose was to be ready to act immediately and stop the enemy's attempt to destroy humanity the moment they returned. No one expected that this wait would last thousands of years. Until now, when we have declined to the point of almost disappearing, we who were about to watch the black-clad order fade into history have encountered this damned second coming of the White Walkers!"

Countless brothers of the Watch had grumbled this in their hearts. Hearing the Commander voice it openly immediately shortened the psychological distance between him and many of them.

"This time, we have no Children of the Forest wielding magic as allies, nor a legendary hero like Azor Ahai to lead us in a decisive battle against demons and monsters." He raised his hand high, pointing to the Wall behind him. "But unlike the pioneers who fought the White Walkers in the War for the Dawn, today you have this seven-hundred-foot Ice Wall, and you have me, a new Lord Commander of the Night's Watch!"

"Beyond the Wall, the Haunted Forest, the Frostfangs, the Frozen Shore, and the Land of Always Winter have completely fallen under the control of those creatures. Countless dead, beyond numbering, are commanded by the White Walkers, casting hungry eyes toward the Seven Kingdoms. And within the Wall, the kings and lords of the South are still locked in bitter struggle over an iron chair, with no thought to other concerns. At this critical moment, the Wall's defenders have successively lost excellent and respectable brothers like Benjen Stark, Jeor Mormont, and Maester Aemon. We even spent months just to barely resolve our differences, end the election, and select the Commander who will lead us in the coming war."

"Next, we face more than a dozen ancient castles in ruins awaiting reconstruction, long stretches of the Wall that have gone unrepaired and uncleared for decades, and tens of thousands of New Gift People who are difficult even to feed. If Commander Mormont were still alive, he would likely frown and declare, 'The situation is not optimistic.' But I will not use noble rhetoric to gloss over peace and conceal the truth. I must tell you plainly: the darkest hour has arrived!"

Aegor suddenly raised his voice. That long list of grim facts had all been for this final turn: "But we will not back down. We will fight to the end! We will fight the enemy at the Great Canyon, we will fight the enemy in the ice and at Seal Bay, we will fight the enemy on the Wall and within the castles, shedding our blood if necessary to stop them from crossing!"

"Even if this greatest defense is breached, we will continue to fight the enemy in the mountains, rivers, swamps, and fields of the Gift, the North, and even the Riverlands and Crownlands. As long as we hold our faith and stand united, we will build another Wall with our flesh and blood until the last man falls, or until we drive those damned creatures back to where they came from!"

Before crossing over, he had disliked overly bureaucratic, drawn-out speeches and reports. For his own inauguration, he had long planned to limit the time spent on empty words. Besides, Maester Aemon's ashes were still outdoors in falling snow, so lingering too long was unacceptable. After a brief pause, he moved quickly to conclude.

"We are isolated and without aid. Even with the most optimistic estimate, it will likely take a few thousand of us to protect tens of millions in Westeros, the Seven Kingdoms. In human history, there has never been a war in which so few have had to protect so many of their own kind. How unfair is that! But we will still fight to the bitter end without hesitation. Why? Because we are the Night's Watch! We are the swords in the darkness, the watchers on the Wall. We are the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, the horn that wakes the sleepers, the shield that guards the realms of men!"

He ended with the latter half of the Night's Watch oath, aiming to stir a response and awaken resonance. His trusted aides, scattered in the crowd, were the first to begin reciting. His supporters joined next, then the neutrals. More and more voices rose, reciting an oath that all knew by heart. By the last line, the entire castle roared as one: "I give my life and honor to the Night's Watch, for this night and all the nights to come!"

---

No one disrupted the speech, but Aegor still felt the atmosphere fell short of his expectations. The black spot in his vision from the earlier blinding light had not faded, making it impossible to see the faces of the soldiers below. The thought crept in that many of them might not have been listening fully, but were instead staring at the sword at his waist, waiting for him to draw it again to strengthen his words.

Although the performance had its effect, judging from the volume of the oath's final roar, his dissatisfaction with Melisandre's unauthorized act only deepened.

But that no longer mattered. A passionate speech could spark temporary fervor, but the White Walkers were not attacking tonight. The outcome of the long war ahead would depend on the quality of soldiers, equipment, and logistics.

And in most of these, the responsibility lay with him, the Commander and decision-maker.

After the speech, Aegor ordered Maester Aemon's ashes to be collected. Once the area was cleared, he began publicly announcing the immediate changes he would make to the Night's Watch.

First, a significant increase in stipends and subsidies for all brothers of the Night's Watch, with amounts varying by post and duty, from two to five times the current rate.

It was not the most important change, but he chose to announce it first because it was tangible and the easiest way to win hearts.

The so-called stipend was essentially pocket money. The Watch provided food, shelter, and equipment, so in theory, no one should need extra. But people had needs beyond bare survival, and the stipend was meant to cover them.

The order had no steady income, so the stipend amounted to only a few coppers a day. It was barely better than nothing. Ordinary brothers often had to save for weeks to afford something they wanted. A man could trade with the Gift's villages for eggs, meat, or cheese to cook a meal. He could go to Mole's Town tunnels for a woman and ease his needs. Or he could save for something bigger, like new clothes, shoes, or even a better weapon.

The obsidian Aegor had used to craft his dagger, which later performed a miracle, had been bought with three months of saved stipends. To have his friend at Eastwatch keep an eye out for such goods from merchant ships, he had spent another two weeks' stipend treating him to a meal.

Because the base amount was so low, even increasing it to two to five times sounded large but placed little strain on the Night's Watch industry.

In theory, a man joining the Watch was bound to guard the Wall whether or not he received a penny. But with the Gift resettlement plan underway, a strange problem had begun to emerge: although the Free Folk gave up almost all property when becoming New Gift People, if they were strong, clever, and lucky enough to find steady work in Crown Town, their wages quickly gave them more ready coin than ordinary brothers of the Watch. If they managed their money well, their lives would soon be more comfortable than those sworn to the Wall.

Aegor was a brother himself. If he let this go on, he would soon be branded as favoring outsiders. Poverty was not the danger, but inequality. When a garrison's morale soured, the consequences could be serious.

Second, changes to the organizational structure.

Internal strife in the Watch had peaked after his sudden rise and decisive seizure of command. Although Crown Town's strength now outweighed the combined power of Castle Black, Shadow Tower, and Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, the Watch itself was like a critically ill patient at death's door, unable to withstand violent treatment.

He dared not consolidate power through large purges or sweeping replacements.

Since it had been agreed that the Commanders of Shadow Tower and Eastwatch would remain, Aegor went further: no mid- or high-level officers anywhere in the Watch would be replaced. Instead, he would use a gentler way to dilute the old guard's influence.

He would create many new positions.

He announced that the sixteen newly reactivated castles would be elevated to the same level as Shadow Tower and Eastwatch, each to have its own Castle Commander, First Ranger, Steward, Artisan, and Quartermaster. The appointees were named on the spot.

For now, these officers, all his allies and supporters, were Commanders without men. But he planned to raise the Watch's numbers to around two thousand, assigning the new recruits to these castles. Each would eventually have 50–100 brothers, plus the Mountain Men and New Gift People settled there, locking his control of the Watch into place.

Because he had not removed or stripped any old guard positions, nor taken their men, no one had grounds to object. Even if they saw his aim to reduce their influence, they could do nothing. It was an open conspiracy.

Third, relocating headquarters.

Aegor declared that, effective immediately, Crown Town would become the headquarters of the Night's Watch and the center of the Gift, serving as the office and residence of the Lord Commander.

This naturally led to a related change. Castle Black would be downgraded to an ordinary castle, on par with the sixteen upgraded castles plus Shadow Tower and Eastwatch. This freed another Castle Commander post, which he gave to Jon Snow.

This arrangement would surely earn him the label of "favoring cronies," an unflattering term. But the reasoning was simple. In this chaotic world, if you promoted someone, would you choose strangers or enemies over trusted allies? Only a fool would risk losing control for the sake of an empty reputation.

Some asked, "The Lord Commander will not be based at Castle Black, but hiding in Crown Town? How will he lead the defense if he is not at the Wall?"

He had expected the question. "By that logic, when we fight the White Walkers, is it also cowardice not to march beyond the Wall to meet them face to face? I came from the Quartermaster's ranks. I believe only a strong Gift can sustain the war to protect mankind. Stationing myself in Crown Town is precisely to build that strong rear support. Jon Snow has both courage and wisdom. His experience may be limited, but with three seasoned chiefs at his side, I have complete confidence in entrusting Castle Black to him."

Crown Town was not King's Landing. It was only a day's journey from the Wall, hardly far from the front. Though many brothers felt uneasy about the change, opposition was mild. Besides, under Night's Watch law, the Lord Commander did not have to seek approval from his men to give orders.

Without addressing further questions, Aegor pressed on. "For now, these are the three changes that concern everyone. The fate of all mankind rests with us. Whatever the road ahead, I am honored to fight at your side and walk it together. Dismissed!"

The black-clad crowd slowly dispersed, wearing various expressions of satisfaction, excitement, or doubt. Aegor turned his head and exhaled. "Go, summon Cotter Pyke and Yohn Royce."

(To be continued.)