Chapter 448

“Lady Stark remains safe at Castle Nightfort, untouched by the enemy, and Arya is unharmed in Queenscrown. Once I return to the Gift, I will urge them to come home as soon as possible,” Aegor said without hesitation. “As for your brother Bran, he is now a sworn brother of the Night’s Watch. Though he has marched south with the army to this point, the war is not yet over. For now, I cannot release him to return home. I hope you’ll understand, Lord Stark.”

Swearing allegiance to the queen had been simple enough—just a few words and it was done. But fulfilling that promise by mustering an army to fight for her crown was an entirely different matter, one fraught with complications.

The North, ironically, was both the “solid backing” Aegor had relied on and now the first major obstacle in his way. To march south for Daenerys, Aegor needed to secure passage through the North, the vast region that lay between the Gift and the southern kingdoms.

From any perspective—self-interest, tradition, morality, or precedent—the North had no reason to support or permit the Night’s Watch to abandon its post on the Wall and join a queen’s war for the Iron Throne. If House Stark decided to oppose Aegor, they had countless means to thwart him: leveraging their influence and long-standing ties with the Watch to have him ousted, intercepting his forces as they marched south, or even launching an attack on his bases in the Gift while his army was away.

The North’s geographical position and sheer size gave it countless ways to sabotage Aegor’s ambitions, effectively barring his participation in the grand game of thrones.

…

On the surface, one might suggest taking Catelyn, Arya, and Bran Stark as hostages to force Robb Stark’s cooperation. It seemed simple and effective. But Aegor dismissed the idea outright.

First, there was no guarantee such a move would work. Even if it did, the consequences would be catastrophic for Aegor’s reputation. Unlike some, Aegor’s power wasn’t based purely on brute force; much of it depended on his image as a just and capable leader. His election as Lord Commander had been won not through inheritance or divine right, but through the votes of his men.

Aegor’s carefully cultivated image as a protector and reformer was the foundation of his authority, both within the Night’s Watch and among the Gift’s inhabitants. Even breaking neutrality to support Daenerys had been framed as a noble sacrifice, a “necessary betrayal” for the greater good. While this decision had earned him criticism, his integrity and commitment to his promises had shielded him from widespread condemnation.

But if he stooped to taking hostages—an act universally reviled—his image would collapse completely. He would go from a respected reformer to a despicable terrorist. No matter how many good deeds or heroic feats he had performed, history would only remember him as a villain who revealed his “true colors.”

Such a downfall would have far-reaching consequences. The mountain clans and Free Folk, who had been swayed by his leadership, would turn their backs on him. Even Daenerys, despite her gratitude for his aid, might grow wary and distrustful of him. Without his reputation, and with no stable infrastructure to sustain his efforts in the Gift, Aegor would lose everything he had built.

Thus, returning the Stark women and Bran without hesitation was the only choice.

…

Robb Stark exhaled lightly, his posture relaxing as Aegor’s straightforward response removed the shadow of doubt. But Robb’s sharp mind quickly caught on to a detail in Aegor’s explanation. “The war is not yet over? From what I’ve seen, there are no more White Walkers or wights left on the battlefield.”

“Moments ago, small groups of enemies slipped into the Wolfswood under cover of night, using larger swarms of wights as distractions,” Aegor explained. “I’ve sent men to pursue them, but the forest is vast, the terrain complex, and the night unforgiving. It’s uncertain whether they’ll catch them. Additionally, it’s believed that remnants of the enemy still linger beyond the Wall.

“While I’ve sworn allegiance to the queen, I remain first and foremost the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. Before marching south to fulfill my oath, I intend to lead a large-scale expedition beyond the Wall to eliminate all remaining threats. Only after we’ve swept the Haunted Forest and secured the North’s safety will I honor my promise to Daenerys.”

(How noble of him to claim such lofty priorities.)

Robb’s face twitched slightly. Aegor’s declaration of putting duty above politics left him momentarily speechless.

“Before this expedition, however, I must ask for the return of all dragonglass weapons and the collection of all nitre produced thus far, to be handed over to the Night’s Watch,” Aegor continued, his tone steady but commanding. “And once the expedition is complete, I hope the North will provide us with enough supplies and equipment to march south. I also request passage along the Kingsroad, through the Neck and Moat Cailin, to the southern kingdoms.”

“Provide supplies and grant passage to aid the Night’s Watch in treason?” Clay Seven, the new Lord of Sevenhill, sneered. “Why not demand that we swear fealty to the queen and join you in fighting Stannis Baratheon while you’re at it?”

“Of course, I’d welcome such support,” Aegor replied coolly. “But I know that’s an impossible request, so I won’t make it. Lord Stark need not answer immediately. Before the Watch’s next expedition beyond the Wall concludes, you’ll have ample time to investigate the truth—whether the Watch deliberately allowed the White Walkers to invade the North—and to consider this: the queen sacrificed her chance to attack King’s Landing, as well as one of her precious dragons, to save the North. In return, she asks only for neutrality and minimal aid. Is that truly unreasonable?”

…

Is it unreasonable? Of course not.

But Robb Stark wasn’t merely a knight driven by honor or emotion. He was the Warden of the North, the ruler of nearly a third of the Seven Kingdoms, and a man burdened with responsibilities that demanded careful calculation.

And the queen had never directly approached him to negotiate. Robb bore no moral obligation to her.

His mind raced as he weighed the pros and cons. On one hand, Targaryens were historically enemies of the Baratheon-Stark-Tully-Vale alliance. On the other hand, the queen’s dragon had undeniably saved his army, and if his mother and sister returned safely, and investigations cleared the Watch of any collusion with the White Walkers, would refusing Aegor be justifiable?

Caught between ingrained biases and logical reasoning, Robb hesitated. The pain from his recent injuries only clouded his thoughts further.

Thankfully, Aegor had made it clear that a decision wasn’t needed immediately.

“Dragonglass and nitre will be gathered and delivered to Queenscrown as soon as possible,” Robb finally said. “As for the matter of breaking tradition to allow the Night’s Watch to participate in the Seven Kingdoms’ internal conflicts, that concerns all of the North. I cannot decide it alone. The lords of the North must convene to make that choice together.”

Aegor’s expression shifted into a faintly disappointed mask, though inwardly, he was elated. His demands had served their purpose, concealing the true importance of nitre by pairing it with the more conspicuous dragonglass.

Robb had noticed nothing amiss. Months of meticulous secrecy were finally paying off.

…

Gunpowder’s key ingredients—sulfur, charcoal, and nitre—were not easy to obtain, especially the last. But Aegor had planned for this from the start. Nitre was publicly labeled as an essential additive for crafting dragonglass weapons, ensuring no one suspected its true purpose. This deception had allowed him to train Northern castle residents to produce nitre en masse under the guise of aiding the fight against the White Walkers.

With Robb agreeing to supply nitre, Aegor had secured the most critical resource for his future plans. If the North cooperated willingly, all the better. But if they refused, they would quickly discover that an army armed with gunpowder didn’t need their approval to march south.

“Thank you for your understanding, Lord Stark,” Aegor said with a polite nod. “I wish you a swift recovery. I have matters to attend to and will take my leave.”

Without waiting for a response, Aegor turned and left, his guards trailing behind him. As he glanced over his shoulder, his eyes briefly met those of Roose Bolton, who had remained silent throughout the entire meeting.

In that brief exchange, Aegor caught a glimmer of calculated interest in the pale blue eyes of the Lord of the Dreadfort.