Chapter 462

"Strategy, strategy—how grand it sounds." Lady Dustin scoffed, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Bolton, we all acknowledge your cleverness, but spare us another rotten idea dressed up as 'strategy' like Reed's earlier nonsense!"

Roose Bolton smiled faintly, inclining his head as he cut to the heart of the matter. "Aegor, after the Battle of the Long Lake, continued to 'seemingly carelessly' open the channels of communication between the Gift and the North. He even dispatched members of the Night's Watch to purchase supplies from various castles. Ostensibly, they are gathering dragonglass and saltpeter, but I suspect the real purpose is subtler: to spread narratives favorable to him throughout the North and beyond, using common tongues as his messengers."

"Quite the cunning move," he said, his pale eyes narrowing slightly, hiding the sharp gleam within. "Without Jon Snow providing us with the full story behind the Dragon Queen's aid, this room might still be consumed with anger, debating how to deal with the Mad King's daughter's dragons. Yet thanks to countless Night's Watchmen like Jon spreading the tale, the North has already emotionally forfeited the high ground to start a war against the Gift. After all—how many here have the stomach to betray a hero who just saved humanity, turning on them with no justification?"

Bolton paused deliberately, allowing his words to sink in, then continued. "In this respect, we've already lost the initiative. While we've been sitting here arguing, Aegor's narrative has been rippling outward like waves across a still pond. The Night's Watch performed admirably in the war against the White Walkers, and their actions have not gone unnoticed. We cannot silence thousands of mouths to spin the story in our favor. The truth is, even if the North were capable of defeating the Gift in war, it would be nearly impossible to rally support for such a cause. Aegor has used his cunning to dissolve our will to resist from within."

The room fell silent as dozens of eyes fixed on Roose Bolton. After a brief pause, his tone shifted. "Clever, yes, but Aegor forgets that the flow of information and people is a two-way street. If he can influence the North through these channels, we can influence the Gift and the Night's Watch in return."

"Brilliant!" Torrhen Karstark sneered, rolling his eyes. "Shall we send our own people to the Gift, telling those savages beyond the Wall that Aegor's loyalty to the Dragon Queen is treachery? What next? Hope they overthrow him out of the goodness of their hearts? Laughable!"

"No," Howland Reed interjected before Bolton could respond, already catching on to the older man’s plan. "Lord Bolton means we should secretly contact those within the Gift who have reason to oppose Aegor and use their strength to undermine him from within."

Reed’s insight drew murmurs from the room, but his brow furrowed with skepticism. "One question, Lord Bolton: I thought you supported Aegor? Why propose a plan to oppose him now?"

"My stance is simple," Roose replied coolly. "I hold no personal attachment to Aegor. I supported him because he was the only one capable of leading the Night's Watch against the White Walkers and protecting the North. Facts proved me right. But now, his ambition threatens the North and, by extension, my interests. Whether I support or oppose him, it is always for the North’s benefit, not personal sentiment."

Without waiting for a rebuttal, Roose pressed on. "The Night's Watch is organizing an expedition beyond the Wall to eliminate the remaining White Walkers. Aegor’s purpose is clear: he believes that by finishing off the Walkers and fulfilling his duty as Lord Commander, we will have no grounds to deny him the freedom to resign his post and pledge himself to the Dragon Queen. An ideal plan—but one that leaves him vulnerable. We can turn this to our advantage by appearing to fully support his expedition, even assisting him to ensure its success. Then, once he leaves the Wall, we make our move."

Bolton's calculating words hung in the air. Where others in the room still debated whether to go to war with the Gift, he had already devised a meticulous strategy. Even the staunchest proponents of neutrality, like Lord Glover, turned their attention to him, intrigued by what he might propose next.

"Aegor's titles—'Slayer of White Walkers,' 'The Prince That Was Promised,' 'The First Lord Commander in Millennia to Face the Great Other'—they are as grand as his achievements. His influence and control over the Gift are unassailable. While he remains entrenched at the Wall, it would be nearly impossible to subvert him without risking severe retaliation. But once he leads his army north of the Wall..."

"Once he's gone," Lady Dustin interrupted impatiently, "we can exploit his absence to weaken his authority and find dissenters willing to challenge him. We’re not fools; there’s no need to spell out every step!"

"But our real concern," she added sharply, "is not Aegor or his Gift forces. It's the Dragon Queen and her dragons. What do you plan to do about them?"

"Dragons?" Roose's lips curled into a thin smile. Instead of answering directly, he posed a question. "My lady, what do you think the Queen and her dragons will do while the Night's Watch is beyond the Wall?"

"Reliable reports suggest both dragons are injured—one so badly it can’t even fly."

"Indeed," Bolton replied, nodding. "The accounts seem credible, though many haven't seen the dragons firsthand. Conservatively, there are two possibilities. Either the dragons are still capable of flight and will accompany the expedition to aid in eliminating the Walkers, or they are grounded and will remain in the Gift to recover. Aegor, for all his cunning, seems to have charmed the Dragon Queen thoroughly. If she values his loyalty, she will not act against the North while he is away. She wouldn’t risk alienating him."

Bolton let the room digest this before continuing. "So, the question before us is not how to deal with the dragons now, but how to acquire the means to deal with them during Aegor's absence. Consider: doesn’t this make sense?"

The room fell into a contemplative silence as Bolton's logic clarified their thinking.

"Lord Stannis has dragon-killing ballistae already built in King’s Landing," Wyman Manderly noted, his tone eager. "We may not be able to smuggle the weapons north, but schematics are another matter. If we obtain those designs quickly, we could construct our own weapons before Aegor returns. When he comes back, he'll find not only his control over the Gift diminished but also that we have prepared to counter the dragons. At that point, the North will hold all the cards. Whether we force the Queen to leave or eliminate her entirely, the choice will be ours."

Though Bolton’s plan reeked of treachery, it felt surprisingly palatable after Reed's more overtly dishonorable proposals. One by one, the nobles began murmuring their agreement, until even Robb Stark, seated silently at the head of the table, could no longer dismiss the practicality of the scheme.

After a moment of inner turmoil, Robb finally spoke. "If we can secure the schematics and resources in time, and if we can identify someone within the Night's Watch to replace Aegor, this plan may work. But tell me—who among the Watch would be suitable?"

Bolton’s faint smile returned. "The mountain clans, who swore fealty to House Stark, have a duty to serve the North’s interests. They can help ensure the transition of power. As for leadership, if Ser Denys Mallister were alive, he’d be the ideal candidate. But with him gone, the next best option is Cotter Pyke, commander of Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. He is rough around the edges, but capable. We should discuss who among us could negotiate with him discreetly."

With this, the plan gained enough traction to proceed. Most of the room lent their support, and the meeting concluded with a clear strategy in place.

Roose Bolton lifted his cup of water—long since cold—and sipped it. His plan was flawless, designed purely for the North’s interests. But turning this strategy into the greatest opportunity in House Bolton's history? That would be far simpler. He only needed to alter the final discussion slightly, omitting the part about sparing the Queen’s life, and relay it to Daenerys Targaryen. With a bit of embellishment, he’d present it as Robb Stark’s idea.

After all, there was nothing Roose Bolton enjoyed more than watching the wrath of dragons unleashed—especially when it wasn’t aimed at him.