GOT: Chapter 294/295

Chapter 294: The Next Move

"Yohn, don't mess around!" The Chief Craftsman, who had always been cautious with his words, finally roared out his first sentence since appearing today.

"You figure out who's messing around!" Yohn Royce roared back. "The Kingslayer acted without authorization first, disobeying a superior's order. I'm upholding the discipline of the Night's Watch! By indulging his reckless behavior like this, you're pushing the entire Night's Watch into the abyss of chaos!"


---

Not everyone held a grudge against Aegor, like the former Lord of Runestone.

More conservatives didn't support him either, not because of any deep animosity, but because they opposed the risky notion of "accepting Wildlings," disliked his way of doing things, or felt that he hadn't been with the Night's Watch long enough—too young, too inexperienced, and not convincing enough... And many more simply supported others due to their own interests and loyalties, making it difficult to switch allegiances.

After a period of observation, the former Wildlings had proven themselves capable of being peaceful and orderly, and Aegor's actions gradually began to convince many who had initially opposed or misunderstood him. More and more people started believing in the statement he made upon returning from the South: in extraordinary times, perhaps choosing a Commander who doesn't always follow the rules but can get things done is a wise decision.

There were still diehard opponents, but when faced with a choice between "letting Jaime be reckless this once" or "inciting internal conflict and bloodshed within the Night's Watch," any reasonable person would prioritize stability.

And now, what Yohn Royce was doing was seizing the moral high ground and escalating the conflict—forcing the officers at Castle Black to be unable to prioritize stability.

The Westermen faction led by Jaime numbered over forty, and the Eastwatch-by-the-Sea faction was close to that. If these two sides clashed without outside intervention, casualties would easily reach double digits... Castle Black, as the largest neutral third party, had to step in and support one side to minimize the damage.

If it truly came to blows, which side would Castle Black choose?

The answer was obvious: there was no evidence anyone intended harm toward the family of the King-Beyond-the-Wall. In this standoff, Jaime's side was clearly in the wrong for acting without orders. Being forced to compromise and let them leave could be acceptable, but helping them attack those trying to stop them would be impossible to justify to the brothers.


---

Bowen Marsh, his close ally Othell Yarwyck, and the always-neutral First Ranger exchanged glances and gritted their teeth. It seemed they too had to make a hard decision.

The Westermen around Jaime sensed the change in atmosphere. They drew together, standing shoulder to shoulder, back to back, facing the Eastwatch-by-the-Sea men, who had already drawn their swords, and the dozens of soldiers surrounding the Three Giants of Castle Black.

The Three Giants quickly conferred and agreed to try persuading Jaime one last time. If that failed, they would use force to subdue him. The tension in this confrontation, deliberately wound tighter and tighter by someone with intent, had finally reached its peak.

But just as the final negotiation was about to begin, the ultimatum moments away from being delivered, and even the onlookers could feel the danger in the air, a loud shout from the gate guards unexpectedly interrupted everything.

"More goods from the South! Pork and mutton! Those free, come help unload!"

...

It had been over ten months since Crown Town began functioning as a supply hub for the Seven Kingdoms, and regular deliveries to Castle Black were no longer newsworthy. The brothers had long grown used to it, and few paid the announcement any attention. Most eyes remained fixed on the confrontation.

But soon, someone sharp-eyed noticed: this time, the number of escorts entering the gate was far beyond what was normal for supply runs.

Nearly a hundred people escorted three wagons through the gate into the courtyard. Aside from fewer than ten who looked like drivers, the rest were all armed. The small squad at the core was even clad in gleaming plate armor provided by Tywin Lannister—helmets, shields, steel swords and daggers at their waists, fully armed and combat-ready.

Yohn Royce's heart sank.

(What's going on? Did that bastard... arrange for a reception team in advance?)

A sense of unease spread in his chest. While he stood stunned, the leader of the escort team stepped out and explained.

It was Humfrey Hissan, dressed in black, the Chief Logistics Officer stationed in Crown Town. He raised his voice to make himself heard:

"By order of the Chief Logistics Department, livestock processing ahead of winter has been completed across The Gift. We are now distributing some of the meat to outposts along the Wall. Please sign for the goods, Lord Marsh. Also, I will be escorting Mance Rayder and his family back to Crown Town on the return journey for resettlement. The situation is complex and delicate, so I ask Castle Black to actively cooperate."

...

"Livestock processing before winter" is a custom in the North of Westeros: since no one knows how long winter will last, and whether there'll be enough hay and grain to keep animals alive through spring, aside from a few kept for breeding, the rest are slaughtered and processed for preservation soon after winter officially begins. This reason suited the season perfectly and was quite convincing. But judging from the arrival of this large, heavily armed group—made up of Night's Watch Industry guards and warriors of the Mountain Clans—Bowen Marsh could only sigh deeply.

After Commander Mormont's death, as Chief Officer of the Castle Black stores, he had tried to sabotage the New Gift resettlement plan by cutting off supplies to the Wildlings... but Aegor had prepared large stores of grain and other supplies in Crown Town and chose to confront him head-on, independently supporting the New Gift settlers. For the past three or four months, the two supply networks of the Night's Watch had been running independently, without coordination or exchange. Since the New Gift settlers vastly outnumbered the Mountain Clans, Crown Town was at a severe disadvantage in this supply war. Aegor had traveled endlessly to prevent food shortages.

Under such circumstances, why would Crown Town choose today of all days to set aside hostility and generously offer a highly valuable commodity like meat?

And it wasn't even noon yet. For this convoy to arrive so early—despite the improved King's Road through The Gift—they must have departed before dawn.

With all these factors combined, who could believe this was just a coincidence?

Aegor West had calculated everything. If he won this Commander election, it would be a victory of absolute strategy, not luck.

Realizing he wasn't the only one completely outmaneuvered, Yohn Royce's face turned pale. Then, rage overcame him and he shouted at the gate guards:

"Is this how you keep watch? Someone shows up claiming to deliver supplies and you let them in without a second thought?!"

"Lord Royce, surely you jest. You might not recognize me since you've been stationed at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, but I'm Humfrey Hissan. I joined the Night's Watch over half a year ago and currently serve as the Chief Logistics Officer in Crown Town—a sworn brother, through and through." The quartermaster leading the convoy introduced himself confidently. "The logistics team has been delivering meat to Castle Black regularly for over a year now. The brothers guarding the gate have long known our faces. As a proper Night's Watch brother, bringing a few old friends along to reward those holding the Wall, must I still waste time verifying every identity?"

He smiled at Yohn Royce, his gaze pausing briefly on the steel sword in Royce's hand.

"Oh? Is Castle Black hosting a tournament? What unfortunate timing. Please, carry on. I know the way to the warehouse. After unloading, I'll take the people I need and be gone. No need to trouble yourselves."

His words were courteous, but the "escort team" held formation as they advanced, subtly maneuvering to surround the Eastwatch-by-the-Sea group alongside Jaime. With Crown Town seemingly having emptied its reserves and sent elite forces for support, it was clear to everyone they hadn't come just to deliver meat.

Aegor West, the leading candidate for Lord Commander, had finally played his hand, and it was a decisive one.

After the transfer of men to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, Castle Black had nearly a hundred rangers (over forty of whom followed Jaime), more than two hundred stewards, and a similar number of builders—around five hundred men in total.

Though many were old, weak, or injured, they were still trained Night's Watch soldiers. If united in purpose, they could challenge a hundred elite fighters. But what kind of force had they just been confronted with?

Westermen rangers who had sworn the same oath, Mountain Clans warriors who had answered the call during the Wall's darkest hour, and Night's Watch Industry guards who had been faithfully supporting the Wall's logistics for a year. Who among Castle Black's defenders would truly be willing to take up arms against them?

Aegor had won again—thoroughly. No chance remained for a counterattack.

The Three Giants exchanged only a glance before they understood what had to be done.

Bullying the weak and fearing the strong may be scorned as cowardly, but its logic is simple. In a civilization, such behavior is shamed, but outside it, those who bully the strong and fear the weak only meet ruin. Win, and you're a hero. Lose, and you're dead. Today, Aegor made his strength clear, using every resource and advantage at his disposal to overwhelm the opposition. He dared to do so because he knew that so long as he played the role of the "strong," the Castle Black officers wouldn't dare go mad.

Had it been only Jaime's forty men, they could have been handled. But now, with nearly a hundred reinforcements added, any internal conflict would spiral out of control, dooming the Night's Watch in its already fragile state.

Lord Stark wouldn't have time to sort through the details, to determine who was right or wrong. For the North's safety, he would punish both sides equally and swiftly seize control of the Wall's defense, ending the Night's Watch for good.

And when that day came, the one left standing would be Aegor—closest to House Stark, controller of the Night's Watch Industry, and holder of an independent base in The Gift. Even if he had to face the Warden of the North's wrath, he would outlast it and laugh last.

There was another key factor: Aegor was currently traveling with Robb Stark on an inspection tour of the Wall. If anything went wrong, he could immediately twist the story in the North Lord's ears and influence his judgment.

When Bowen Marsh first heard that Aegor had left Castle Black for the election period, he thought it would be a great opportunity to strike back. But looking back now... the man had likely accounted for today all along.

Thoughts surged in his mind. Though it pained him deeply, Marsh had to admit: with such foresight, cunning, and boldness, if Aegor chose to walk the right path, he truly might be a stronger Commander than anyone else.

No matter what, Jaime and Mance Rayder's family had to be allowed to leave today. What the Night's Watch needed now was simply a way to step down. If no face-saving path could be found, using force to drive away the Eastwatch-by-the-Sea men would be a disgrace.

But Jaime had clearly acted on Aegor's orders. How could they possibly find a way out?

The Three Giants were nervously whispering, when the last significant and influential figure in the Night's Watch—who had remained neutral until now—finally arrived at the scene.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 295: Priorities
It wasn't arrogance that kept him from appearing until the very last moment despite the severity of the incident. Maester Aemon, who had served under multiple Lord Commanders and was so old that even Denys Mallister had to admit he was a junior in comparison, had grown increasingly frail since the death of Jeor Mormont. After months of drawn-out elections, his condition had worsened to the point where he could no longer walk. Although the commotion had been going on for quite some time, he had only now arrived at the scene, carried by two men and led by Sam.

The old man's arrival made many of the officers at Castle Black who were aware of his condition deeply uneasy.

"Maester Aemon, you're unwell. Please rest in your room. We can handle this ourselves."

"Thank you for your concern, but I've been in my room long enough. If I don't come out to get some sun soon, I'll go moldy," Maester Aemon said with a weak smile, shaking his head slightly. "It's quite noisy out here. Can someone help me understand what's happening?"

There was no sun in the sky, only thick dark clouds and a biting wind, but no one commented on that. A steward quickly brought over a chair with a backrest, and under the concerned and confused gazes of the crowd, the blind Maester slowly sat down. After Sam relayed the events back and forth with those around them, Aemon finally understood the general situation.

"Hmm... so that's what happened. It's true that only the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch has the authority to decide the fate of the King-Beyond-the-Wall. But rules are dead, and men are alive... Since no Commander has been elected yet, I'll take advantage of my age and offer a few words, even if it's overstepping," Maester Aemon whispered with trembling breath. His words, loudly repeated by Sam, reached everyone present: "Castle Black has been rebuilt, with walls and the means to defend against threats from the south. However, this has also reduced its usable space. At a time when we face great enemies and should be making full use of our stronghold, permanently occupying a tower and wasting manpower and space to confine... cough... accommodate Mance Rayder's family, while many of our own brothers are crammed into small, shared rooms, is indeed a bit inappropriate. Now that someone has raised the issue, why not reconsider? Let Crown Town handle this burden. Let the Logistics Department worry about it and save our frontline brothers some effort. What do you all think?"

"We haven't caused any trouble. How are we a burden?" Val muttered, clearly displeased. But knowing the old man before her held extraordinary prestige among the Night's Watch, she only whispered her complaint to Jaime and didn't dare raise her voice.

...

Truly, old ginger is the spiciest. Even though he was too frail to speak clearly, Maester Aemon managed to identify the only way to defuse the crisis in the shortest time—and even prepared a way out for everyone involved.

The three senior officers at Castle Black took a moment to think and instantly understood: as long as the "transfer of Mance Rayder's family" was officially decided through unanimous agreement among the senior leadership, then Jaime's actions could no longer be classified as "acting without authorization." The group from Eastwatch-by-the-Sea would have no grounds to block the way, everyone could lower their weapons with dignity, and no one would lose face.

Ser Jaremy Rykker, who had always remained neutral and uninvolved in the conflict between the reformists and conservatives, was the first to speak.

"Maester Aemon's reasoning is sound. In the name of the First Ranger of Castle Black, I support the transfer of Mance Rayder and his family to Crown Town. Lords Marsh and Yarwyck, what say you?"

With an elder statesman like Maester Aemon stepping forward to mediate, who wouldn't seize the opportunity? No matter what happened later, they could always push the responsibility onto the old Maester. It wouldn't be backing down—it would be showing respect for a revered figure.

The situation shifted instantly. Jaime Lannister, who had previously acted with arrogance and disregard for others, suddenly found his behavior legitimized and even welcomed.

Now, not only was the disciplinary charge against him rendered void, but it would also be difficult to use this matter as leverage against the reformist faction. Aegor had won completely.

How could Yohn Royce accept that?

He immediately straightened, ready to refute Maester Aemon's proposal... but he forgot that the one currently blocking the way wasn't him, but Cotter Pyke.

The Commander of Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, who had been left dumbfounded by Jaime's earlier moves, finally snapped out of his daze. He looked around, trying to grasp what had happened in that brief moment: everyone at Castle Black with the authority to speak had chosen to compromise for the greater good, thereby legitimizing Jaime's actions. If he continued to resist, he would only lead his brothers into becoming needless sacrifices to so-called "stability," and afterward be branded a traitor.

"Didn't you hear what Maester Aemon and the Lords said?" Cotter Pyke growled through clenched teeth. He wasn't afraid of dying, but he couldn't drag his men into a trap that wouldn't even make a splash: "Put your weapons away. Let them pass."


---

With the loud shouts of Castle Black's Three Giants, the crowd dispersed. Thousands of pounds of meat were signed into the stores, the visitors from Crown Town finished unloading, and after a brief rest, departed with Mance Rayder and his family. From the direction of the kitchen, the rich aroma of rendered fat began to spread.

A conflict that had nearly escalated into a catastrophic clash ended without a single drop of blood. Officially, the senior officers at Castle Black had, after careful discussion, "unanimously agreed" to the transfer of the King-Beyond-the-Wall's family, resulting in a peaceful resolution. But anyone in the Night's Watch with a shred of sense could see clearly—this was yet another victory in the ongoing power struggle. The winner, once again, was the Chief Logistics Officer who hadn't even appeared.

Aegor had demonstrated the power he commanded through his arrangements, proving to all that even before becoming Lord Commander, he could already make the Night's Watch... operate, to some extent, according to his will.

Of course, the matter didn't end there. Though publicly forced to compromise, the senior officers of Castle Black, their authority greatly undermined, were seething in private. For the sake of appearances, they had already dispatched men to record a detailed account of what had happened. Ravens were flying toward Nightfort, bearing complaints meant for Robb Stark. Cotter Pyke and Yohn Royce, who had lost this round and were both angry and helpless, retreated to their towers to plot their next move.

...

Yohn Royce slammed an object onto the table in fury.

"That brat is out of control. If he becomes Lord Commander, the Night's Watch will be finished!"

"Don't act like you're some lifelong brother of the Watch. You didn't put on the black voluntarily," Cotter Pyke said as he splashed cold water on his face. His earlier embarrassment had faded somewhat, though the swelling on his face remained. "Don't get any more ideas. Tell everyone to pack. We're returning to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea tomorrow."

"What, just slink home like old Mallister?" Yohn was still fuming. "Everyone will think we're admitting defeat."

"And what power do we have to avoid admitting it? You got any other way to deal with him—short of killing him? Look at that kid. He's so paranoid, he wants a pack of bodyguards just to take a piss. Who's going to get a clean shot?"

Cotter Pyke had never suffered such a defeat before. Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, bordering the Bay of Seals, often had to deal with Wildlings crossing by raft and even occasional skirmishes with overseas visitors arriving by ship. Its defenders were hardened veterans, and Pyke himself commanded many skilled warriors. Among them were several who, with a little more experience, could challenge even a Lord Commander. Cotter had never believed himself invincible, but to be trounced so thoroughly, completely helpless?

This was the first time in his life. Had he not lived it himself, he would never have believed such a man even existed.

He'd always known that scheming wasn't his strength. But this defeat had shattered even his confidence in combat, his one true advantage.

Cotter had never pretended to be a clever man, but as the Commander of Eastwatch-by-the-Sea for many years, he was no fool. Today's utter loss had finally opened his eyes. He didn't have a son who'd died at Aegor's hand—what did he stand to gain from letting Yohn lead him into conflict with that man at all costs? Thankfully, Maester Aemon had stepped in today. If things continued down this road, he'd end up trapped for certain.

Here, far from home, he had no leverage and no reason to stay.

"Then—are we just supposed to take this lying down?"

Accept it? If it meant recognizing that they couldn't beat him, sure. But admit defeat and let Aegor become Lord Commander? Never.

"I haven't forgotten how that brat humiliated me in public. I'll never bow to him in this lifetime. Once we return to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, I'll thoroughly investigate who's supporting him in the vote. Whether it's skewing the vote in our region, delaying his victory, or sabotaging him after he takes command—it's all better than staying here at Castle Black, losing both face and dignity. Wouldn't you agree?"

Castle Black lies only a few dozen miles from Nightfort. The raven arrived swiftly—well before the inspection group led by the Chief Logistics Officer could travel there on horseback.

But the complaint sent by Castle Black's senior officers never reached Robb Stark. Instead, it was delivered into the hands of the very man they were complaining about—Aegor West. The person in charge of messenger ravens at Nightfort, and indeed all other strongholds along the Wall besides the three primary castles, had been appointed by Aegor, who held sole authority over their activation.

They were not only nominally under his command, but were paid by him as well. In every sense, they were his people.

Aegor quickly scanned the report, a full page of formal complaint penned at the urging of Castle Black's Three Giants. He gave a cold laugh, crumpled it into a ball, and tossed it aside.

The arrangement to transfer the King-Beyond-the-Wall's family had originally been a precaution. But now, seeing how quickly and fiercely Yohn Royce and Cotter Pyke had reacted... perhaps Val, that Wildling girl, had been right.

His caution today had helped him sidestep another trap. But there was still much left to do. He had to finish dealing with current matters... before he could settle things with his dear brothers at Castle Black. If he couldn't appease the North's inspection group, all his maneuvering and efforts would be meaningless.

Aegor tidied his clothes, steadied his expression, and turned to walk toward the center of Nightfort's courtyard. Behind him, the crumpled parchment slowly turned to ash in the charcoal fire of the forge.

(To be continued.)