GOT: Chapter 240/241

Chapter 240: Savages Enter the Pass

The procedure for the Free Folk to enter the Wall was as follows: the Night's Watch had constructed a temporary wooden palisade at the ice tunnel entrance of Castle Black and dug deep surrounding trenches. The main host of Free Folk remained encamped at the edge of the Haunted Forest outside the quarantine zone, while the three Giants scheduled to pass through the Wall were gathered alongside a designated tribe within the palisade. After surrendering all their weapons and carrying all their belongings, they would enter the narrow and dim tunnel that passed through the Wall.

What awaited them was a Castle Black on full alert.

During this month-long standoff with the Free Folk, Queenscrown, fully stocked with raw materials, had produced several jars of wildfire. Now, these highly destructive liquids had been mixed with large quantities of pitch and stored in barrels placed atop the Wall. Should the Free Folk show any sign of breaking the agreement, the Night's Watch sentries stationed above would not hesitate to ignite and drop the barrels, sealing the tunnel with fire and explosion. Simultaneously, the more than a thousand members of the Night's Watch and gray-area citizens stationed at Castle Black could easily eliminate any Giants and the bulk of the Free Folk who had already passed through.

...

If the first step succeeded, the Wildlings would proceed obediently through the tunnel and emerge in Castle Black, where several registration desks had been set up near the exit. There, literate record-keepers would log basic information for each new resident of the Gift—tribe, name, age, gender, and identifying characteristics—and issue identification accordingly. Then, dozens of Night's Watch members would weigh the food brought in, count livestock, select listed items for requisition, store them in the warehouse, and compensate the original owners in coin. Afterward, they would be required to leave Castle Black.

Aegor's initial plan had been to purchase all edible supplies at a low price, but considering that some livestock still needed to be raised, he ultimately only purchased horses, allowing the Wildlings to retain their other belongings for settlement.

If even this step went smoothly, that batch of Free Folk would have officially become New Gift People—residents under the authority of the Night's Watch. They would be led out of Castle Black to a newly constructed row of stalls outside the reinforced high wall. There, the Free Folk who had exited Castle Black could use their freshly acquired copper and silver coins to purchase daily necessities—food, warm clothing, tent cloth, even simple hunting tools.

While selling these supplies, the "stall owners" would also inform the New Gift People that there were two ways to earn more coin: pawning off non-edible, non-weapon items not already requisitioned, or working for the Night's Watch.


---

Any observant Free Folk would quickly realize that the price at which they sold their food was only half of the price at which they bought it back afterward. The Night's Watch was forcibly purchasing provisions at half value and reselling them at standard rates with limits. Effectively, the Free Folk were giving up half their food and accepting rule in exchange for the right to pass through the Wall.

Aegor still remembered the first meeting of his first grade class in primary school. After the homeroom teacher finished the usual announcements, a middle-aged man entered carrying a box and handed out a bag of crispy noodles and a small box of candy to every child. He told them, "There's a shop behind the teaching building. If you want snacks, you can buy them there."

This was the 1990s. In an era when preschool education was rare and "snacks" and "pocket money" were still novel ideas, countless children were introduced to the concepts of "small shops" and "you can buy snacks with money" by mere handfuls of coins at the school store.

That, in part, inspired Aegor's plan. If the goal was only to seize half of the New Gift People's food, the Night's Watch could have used a more direct and brutal method. But to teach these former barbarians the value of money and how to use it, there was no better method than to "give them some and show them how to use it on the spot."

These copper and silver coins could be exchanged for a variety of goods. Once the New Gift People realized that, they would quickly become captivated by the power of money and willingly become small, obedient pieces in the miniature nation of the Gift.


---

After each batch of Free Folk completed population registration, food collection, purchase of supplies, and other steps to become fully-fledged New Gift People, they would be led to designated settlements. At that point, the next batch—those who had already surrendered their weapons within the wooden palisade outside the Wall—would be permitted to enter upon receiving the signal.

This ensured that those within Castle Black remained under constant military disadvantage, allowing the Night's Watch to stay in full control.

Due to cultural differences and mistrust, none of this progressed as smoothly as described. But under the watchful eyes and "guidance" of the heavily armed black-clad soldiers surrounding them, the first and second waves of Free Folk reluctantly but in orderly fashion passed through the Wall and Castle Black, completing their transformation in status.

To those south of the Wall, they were "Wildlings." To themselves, they were the "Free Folk." But from Aegor's view atop the King's Tower, they looked neither wild nor free—only fearful, numb, and confused about the future.

...

Bowen Marsh approached Mormont and Aegor, who were watching the procession of Free Folk pass through the Wall, and said heavily, "I never thought I'd live to see this day. We once risked our lives to keep them out. How many of these men fought against our brothers? And now, we're letting them in by our own hands."

Othell Yarwyck looked troubled as well. "From now on, we'll be a joke to half of Westeros. People will spit at the mention of the Night's Watch."

"My Lords, that just shows your will is lacking," Aegor replied coldly, without turning his head. "For the Night's Watch, what's more important—defending the Wall from the White Walkers, or maintaining a good image in the eyes of the Seven Kingdoms? We are protecting the people of Westeros, no matter the cost. How they view us doesn't change that. Once you understand this, you'll stop doubting yourselves."

Jon Snow asked in a quiet voice, uncertain, "Will the Free Folk really follow orders and obey our laws?"

"A wise man doesn't waste time guessing whether they will. He thinks about how to make sure they do, and then puts that into action," Aegor said simply. "Our laws clearly spell out how to handle lawbreakers. Enforce them with iron discipline, and you'll find that after the initial hardships, the problem will solve itself."

...

"Aegor, the Free Folk have entered the Wall just as you planned," the previously silent Mormont suddenly said. "But the food crisis is only temporarily eased. Your plan to use them and the mountain clans to fight back against the Ironborn should now be put in motion. It was your idea, so you'll take the lead. The Night's Watch will cooperate fully. Don't fail us."

"Leave it to me," Aegor replied, nodding confidently at the solemn Mormont. Then he remembered something important. "Commander, there's one thing—minor, but vital. I propose we prohibit the use of charged terms like 'Wildlings' or 'Free Folk' in public within the Gift. Instead, let's call them 'New Gift People.' If we expect these people from Beyond the Wall to build this land, obey our laws, and serve the Night's Watch, we mustn't treat them with prejudice."

Mormont frowned, confused by the suggestion. But after thinking a moment, he saw no harm and nodded. "Fine, add it to the laws of the Gift.

Now, the Gift was about to develop its own political correctness. And it had to be said—though only just beginning to take shape, it was already starting to resemble a true small country.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 241: The Wight Attack

Tribe after tribe of Free Folk gathered behind the wooden fence at the gate of the Wall, disarming and lining up to enter the tunnel. To be honest, the entire scene—with its overwhelming sense of déjà vu—looked eerily like people queuing for the gas chambers in a concentration camp. It gave the haunting impression that once you entered, you might never come back out. Coupled with a series of harsh conditions like surrendering weapons and food, and despite Mance Rayder's assurances, some among the thirty thousand Free Folk still hesitated. They insisted on seeing representatives from those who had already passed through the Wall before they would continue to enter.

The step-by-step procedures and the presence of Giants significantly slowed down the efficiency of the Free Folk's passage. It took two to three hours for even a moderately sized tribe to complete the process, which meant only a few batches—several thousand people at most—could pass each day. Additionally, because the woolly mammoths raised by the Giants couldn't fit through Castle Black's tunnel, the Night's Watch had to escort a group of Free Folk and all the Giants with their mammoths toward Seal Bay, relying on Eastwatch-by-the-Sea to alleviate pressure from Castle Black.

Allowing the Free Folk through the Wall and helping them complete their transition into "New Gift People" was a tedious task. But even monotonous work could be unexpectedly eventful when applied to a diverse group of wildlings. After several days, most of the Free Folk had already been successfully resettled in designated areas assigned by the Night's Watch leadership, with fewer than ten thousand still remaining beyond the Wall.

The smooth days, however, had come to an end.

...

The over one thousand soldiers deployed to Castle Black remained neatly uniformed, stationed at various towers. On that day, as in the days before, they prepared to face what was expected to be a high-alert but uneventful shift. The first group of Free Folk had already entered Castle Black and were undergoing registration when a horn blast suddenly echoed from atop the Wall.

The Night's Watch hadn't sent anyone Beyond the Wall in the past few months. Unless it was Benjen Stark and his missing party from a year ago returning, a single blast made no sense. There should have been more.

All members of the Night's Watch at Castle Black instantly became alert. Those resting rose to their feet. Those dozing against walls opened their eyes. Combat personnel grabbed their weapons without hesitation.

A second horn blast followed, just as expected.

"What's going on?" Aegor had been in the meeting hall discussing the New Gift People's assimilation with several Night's Watch officers when the horn disrupted his thoughts.

Over twenty thousand New Gift People had already been led to their assigned settlements and were strictly forbidden from leaving without permission. Scouts patrolled the entire area surrounding Castle Black. And Mance Rayder, the King-Beyond-the-Wall himself, was being held as a hostage. Even if the Free Folk had planned some kind of uprising, this didn't seem like the moment.

Jeor Mormont stood from his chair and decisively ordered, "Gather and secure the Free Folk who have already entered Castle Black. Seal the tunnel gate. We'll go up the Wall and see what's happening."

The Night's Watch officers immediately left the table to carry out their orders. In the central courtyard of Castle Black, several hundred Free Folk and three Giants stood around in confusion, not knowing what was going on. They looked nervously at the black-clad soldiers suddenly raising their weapons, faces tense.

From their behavior, the Free Folk clearly hadn't anticipated anything. Before Aegor could fully breathe a sigh of relief, the third horn blast echoed.


---

It wasn't the first time the Night's Watch had sounded three blasts, but it was the first time Aegor had heard it with his own ears. A sound he had only known in legend now pierced the air for real—and his body reacted instantly, goosebumps rising.

White Walkers?

But hadn't Mance Rayder said the White Walkers had been avoiding the Wall, maintaining their distance?

Then it struck him. Just because they were "unwilling" to approach didn't mean they "couldn't." Now that their quarry, pursued for months, was about to vanish behind the Wall, Westeros's ancient enemy finally acted.

They had picked the perfect time—after most of the Free Folk had already crossed and only a small number remained outside, when everyone's vigilance and fighting spirit had waned. That level of timing could only be expected from intelligent magical beings. They clearly knew how to choose their moment.

Realizing the danger, Aegor turned to Jeor Mormont. "Commander, if chaos breaks out in the wooden fence outside the tunnel and the White Walkers use the opportunity to break through, Castle Black will be at risk!"

"Take a team, arm yourselves with dragonglass weapons, and hold the gate at all costs!" Jeor Mormont understood at once. He pointed to the First Ranger and gave the order, then turned and strode toward the cage lift. "Get the Free Folk inside Castle Black out of the castle immediately. Tell them they are not allowed to move without orders!"

Shouting as he went, Jeor Mormont entered the lift, rang the bell, and ascended the Wall with Aegor and several others.

...

"What's the situation below?" Jeor Mormont asked as soon as he reached the top of the Wall and approached the edge.

"The remaining Free Folk suddenly rushed out from the woods and are fleeing toward our wooden fence," a sentry reported. "To the north... something's chasing them through the trees."

"Send someone down. Bring up two hundred men. Prepare wildfire barrels and fire arrows!"

Aegor looked over the Wall. On the white snow of the isolation zone below, thousands of black dots were rushing toward the wooden fence built by the Night's Watch at the entrance. Some carried children. Some carried belongings. Some herded sheep or rode dog sleds. The fastest had already reached the outside of the wooden gate.

And from the forest behind them came the enemy of all the living. Wights spilled out of the Haunted Forest like melting animal fat, flowing over roots and rocks, surging toward the Wall in a dark tide.

Even from two hundred meters up, it was hard to distinguish wights from living men. Thankfully, it was daytime. Though there was no sun, Aegor could still make out movement. The Free Folk lagging behind held weapons and torches, looking back as they ran. The wights chasing them weren't all human-shaped. Bears, wolves, and shadowcats were mixed among them. The undead giants hadn't appeared yet—probably too slow—but all the creatures pursued the living with unrelenting ferocity, pouncing and tearing down their targets as soon as they closed the gap.

The Free Folk knew how to fight wights. Though some fell in battle, others managed to burn their attackers. But hundreds, then thousands more kept emerging from the trees, their sheer numbers overwhelming any resistance. Fear broke the Free Folk's morale. The Night's Watch soldiers stationed within the wooden fence couldn't see far ahead and hadn't received any orders. They kept the gate tightly shut, trapping the fleeing Free Folk outside.

Several thousand Free Folk were being chased by several thousand wights. The numbers weren't vastly skewed. But with most of their kin already safely behind the Wall, the survivors just wanted to cross and escape. Their hope outweighed their courage. No one wanted to fight to the death now.

"Open the fence gate. Let them in," Jeor Mormont ordered grimly through the bitter wind atop the Wall. "Lower the portcullis into the Wall tunnel. We cannot risk Castle Black falling. The ones below must hold the passage. We'll support from above. Once it's secure, they can resume entering."

Lowering the portcullis meant sealing off escape for thousands—including dozens of Night's Watch men stationed within the fence. Aegor opened his mouth, but refrained. Now was not the time for sentiment.

The order was quickly relayed. The wooden gate opened, and the Free Folk pressed at the entrance surged inside, as if pardoned. The fence had originally been built to prevent ambushes during disarmament. It hadn't been designed for large-scale movement. Too many panicked people crammed inside at once. Some were pushed off the plank bridge that spanned the surrounding ditch.

As the gate opened, the Free Folk warriors who had been covering the retreat also turned and ran for the tunnel. The unchecked wights surged forward, surrounding the fence at the entrance.

Seeing that the last Free Folk were about to be overtaken, Jeor Mormont gritted his teeth, raised his hand, and gave the signal to attack.

The Night's Watch atop the Wall loosed fire arrows. Several barrels of oil reinforced with wildfire were ignited and hurled down using cranes, sailing through the air and exploding near the gate, erupting into towering fireballs. The impact and roaring flames halted the wights' advance. Some unfortunate Free Folk near the rear were caught in the blast, but the fiery cover allowed the gate to be shut.

The tide of wights poured fully from the forest now, surging from the northwest, northeast, and directly north. They easily crossed the shallow ditches lined with stakes and began to climb the wooden fence, which stood only two or three meters high.

Inside the fence, the Free Folk panicked and charged toward the tunnel through the Wall, only to find the portcullis had been lowered. Though they had reached the Wall, safety remained just out of reach, blocked by steel.

(To be continued.)