Chapter 458

The Northern armies gathered at Winterfell.

Dozens, perhaps hundreds of banners flapped in the cold wind, their sigils vividly painted against the gray skies. Soldiers moved back and forth, filling the air with shouts and chatter. Inside the castle walls and in the bustling streets of the nearby Winter Town, residents bartered goods and exchanged the latest rumors. The sheer number of people present was impossible to count.

Despite the heavy casualties suffered in the final battle against the White Walkers, this was the largest assembly of Northern forces since they had marched south to Storm’s End.

The nobles who had fought alongside Robb Stark and survived the Battle of Long Lake were, of course, present. But there were also numerous other lords and bannermen—those who, having been summoned by Robb’s call to arms, had struggled through snow and wind along the King’s Road, only to find the war over by the time they reached Winterfell.

Yet, no one considered the journey wasted. Though the initial purpose of their gathering had become moot, Robb Stark had called a council to discuss a pressing new matter: the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch had sworn fealty to Daenerys Targaryen. With that topic on the table, the thousands of soldiers, originally bound for Last Hearth to face the White Walkers, now camped in and around Winterfell, awaiting the results of the lords’ deliberations.
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“That damned Aegor West!”

Lord Rickard Karstark’s thunderous voice echoed so loudly it seemed to shake the walls of the castle itself. Just as Aegor had feared, the old lord had not quietly retreated to Karhold after leaving Last Hearth. Instead, he had circled back, crossing the Last River and skirting the Lonely Hills, passing through the Dreadfort to finally arrive at Winterfell. Now, he roared with rage before the assembled lords at the council.

“Nothing but a watchdog of the North, and yet he dared to lick the Mad Queen’s boots behind our backs, then turned to bite his own masters!” Rickard’s fury boiled over, and his words grew increasingly scathing. “If we don’t teach him a proper lesson this time, he’ll never learn his place. Do you think this is the last fire he’ll light in our backyard?”

“Ahem!”

Robb Stark coughed to interrupt, attempting to mask his discomfort as he leaned back in his chair, his arm still in a sling from the wounds he’d suffered at Long Lake. “Lord Rickard,” he said carefully, “you’ve made your feelings clear, but let us not forget that Aegor claimed to have requisitioned Last Hearth for the purpose of tending to an injured dragon. His methods may have been... forceful, but at least he provided an explanation. He even sent ravens and a messenger yesterday, promising to return the castle to the North once the dragon recovers.”

This was a council of Northern lords, an informal setting where words need not be carefully chosen. Yet Robb found himself compelled to defend the Lord Commander—a man not even present to argue his case. The reason for this restraint sat quietly in the corner: Jon Snow, Robb’s bastard brother, clad in the black of the Night’s Watch.

Had Robb allowed Rickard’s insults to pass unchecked, it would have implied tacit agreement with the old lord’s characterization of the Lord Commander as a mere “watchdog.” Such an insult would extend not only to Aegor but also to the Watch as a whole—including Jon. And with Aegor’s forces occupying Last Hearth and numerous Watch members scattered across the North collecting dragonglass and saltpeter, the implications of such a slight could be disastrous.

Jon’s presence at this meeting was already an awkward complication. Though he was now a seasoned ranger and Commander of the Shadow Tower, his loyalty to the Starks and familiarity with the North had made him an ideal choice for Aegor’s emissary. Robb had called Jon to Winterfell partly to gain insight into Aegor’s plans and the situation at the Wall, but also because, in the wake of the White Walkers’ defeat, Robb was quietly considering Jon as Aegor’s successor should the lords decide to remove the current Lord Commander. After all, who better to lead the Watch than a Stark’s own kin?

“Jon,” Robb said, seizing the moment to redirect the discussion, “how goes the collection of dragonglass and saltpeter? I’ve already ordered the residents of Winterfell and Sevenstreams to assist. There should be no issue completing the task. But now, tell us what you know of Aegor’s relationship with Daenerys Targaryen.”

Jon nodded. “The Lord Commander has never openly shared details about this matter, even within the Night’s Watch. Most of us only learned of the connection when we heard of the queen’s arrival at Crown Town with her dragons. But piecing together rumors and accounts from my brothers, we can surmise the following: Aegor arrived in Westeros by ship from beyond the Sunset Sea, but Essos lies to the east. It’s unlikely he had any prior connection to the queen. Their relationship probably began at Dragonstone.”

“Dragonstone?” one lord echoed.

“Yes,” Jon confirmed. “Several months ago, the Lord Commander traveled south, seeking aid from King Stannis. He returned with some supplies of saltpeter, but his ship, Blackbird, was intercepted by Targaryen warships bearing the three-headed dragon banner. He was taken to Dragonstone and reportedly met with the queen.”

“So, they hit it off at Dragonstone?” another lord sneered.

Jon ignored the tone, though it grated on him. “The queen first came to the Gift with her dragons just days before the White Walkers attacked Eastwatch and the Gorge. She left Crown Town the same day the dead launched their first assaults but returned at dawn when the Gift’s forces were preparing to counterattack. She joined us for the march and later the Battle of Long Lake. As many of you here witnessed, she fought alongside us, fulfilling whatever agreement she made with the Lord Commander.”

Jon’s words cast a thoughtful silence over the room. The lords exchanged glances and murmurs, clearly uncertain how to proceed.

“And,” Jon added, as if suddenly recalling something, “I swear on my honor that on the day of the Long Lake battle, we rode tirelessly to the battlefield without pause. There was no intent to wait for the dead and the North to weaken each other before intervening.”

“A bastard’s honor means nothing!” Rickard Karstark bellowed, his temper flaring once more. “So, by your account, Aegor West is a noble commander, and the Mad King’s daughter is a saint come to save the North? Should we stop this council and declare them heroes instead?”

Jon gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to snap back. Rickard’s outburst was offensive, but it wasn’t worth escalating.

“Rickard, that’s enough,” Lord Glover said sternly. “We’re here to discuss Last Hearth, not Karhold. What’s gotten you so worked up?”

Rickard hesitated, realizing he had overstepped, but his pride kept him from backing down. “Fine,” he muttered. “Yes, Aegor and his queen helped defeat the White Walkers. But it’s the Watch’s duty to fight the dead, and we didn’t ask the queen to interfere. What gives her the right to seize Northern land as a reward?”

The room murmured in agreement, though some lords—like young Clay Cerwyn, who had lost family in the battle—were less forgiving. “If the Karstarks want to deal with the remaining White Walkers, I’m sure the rest of us won’t object,” Cerwyn said sarcastically.

Rickard reddened with anger but couldn’t find a retort. “Fine!” he snapped. “But if Robb Stark orders us to march north and crush the Watch’s rebellion, the Karstarks will lead the charge!”

“A rebellion?” Wyman Manderly chuckled, stroking his belly. “Have we declared it such already? I’ve heard that Lady Catelyn and young Arya are still guests at the Wall. I wonder, are they well? Will they return safely to Winterfell?”

“The Lord Commander has already sent word to ensure their safe return,” Jon replied without hesitation. “They’ll be home soon.”
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Robb scratched his cheek with his good hand, confused and conflicted. (No wonder Aegor sent Jon to Winterfell to oversee the collection efforts. I thought I’d use this meeting to evaluate Aegor’s position, but Jon seems fiercely loyal to him. Does the Watch truly stand behind Aegor’s choices, or have I misjudged the situation entirely?)

“Very well, Jon,” Robb said at last. “I believe you. The Watch has conducted itself admirably in this war. But the fact remains: the Lord Commander broke his oath of neutrality when he bent the knee to Daenerys Targaryen. What is your opinion on that?”