Chapter 405

“An excellent plan, Lord Commander. Hearing your words, I feel as though the fog of confusion has been entirely swept away.” After indulging in the vision of a bright future for a moment, Daenerys returned to reality. “But as you said, this is the ideal solution based on a heavily simplified model and the assumption that I’ve already won. The problem is, this continent’s current situation is far from as straightforward as the circles and crosses on your map. And I have not yet achieved victory.”

Indeed, the real world was no blank parchment for drawing borders and making decisions at leisure. Each additional variable multiplied the complexity of the situation. The Westeros before her was not the fractured, isolated Seven Kingdoms that Aegon the Conqueror had faced. It was a land that had once been unified and now lay divided again, with Stannis claiming the throne as the "legitimate" king, an unknown Aegon backed by the Golden Company entering the fray, and chaos reigning throughout.

Factoring in the Free Cities across the Narrow Sea only further complicated matters. Braavos, with its Iron Bank, Pentos, where Varys’s ally Illyrio resided, and Volantis, which had clashed with Daenerys over slavery, all had their own agendas. Relying solely on intrigue to navigate this web of interests was an astronomical challenge, far beyond the analytical abilities of even someone like Aegor, let alone seasoned schemers like Littlefinger or Varys, who would never claim to have full control over such a situation.

Fortunately, Aegor had never intended to take a conventional approach. He had tools for breaking the stalemate—tools already half-prepared, waiting only for the right opportunity.

“Your Grace requested the second half of the book. I’ve delivered it,” Aegor said, leaning back in his chair and smiling at the queen. “As individuals, we are but fleeting ripples in the vast river of history. Families and factions, though they may endure longer through inheritance, are no more than ephemeral blossoms. Only geography—the immovable obstacle—is eternal and unyielding. The plan I’ve presented focuses solely on the immutable realities of geography, offering Your Grace a framework—a possible path to achieving your grand ideals. If you find the logic sound and decide to proceed, the next step is to tackle the conquerable obstacles. But if you expect me to provide every operational detail, I’m afraid you overestimate my capabilities.”

“You’re saying you have no follow-up ideas for your own plan?” Daenerys shot back, displeased, not realizing that her words already betrayed an underlying trust and reliance on him.

Aegor shrugged. “Your Grace asked for the book’s second half, and I’ve essentially delivered it orally. If needed, I could even draft it into a manuscript for your convenience. But as for further specifics, forgive me—those are tasks for you and your advisors. They’re beyond the duties of a Night’s Watch Lord Commander.”

...

Daenerys’s expression grew serious, the authoritative air of a queen returning to her demeanor.

The man before her claimed he could do no more, but his face all but screamed, I’ve thought it all through, but I’m not telling you. Though her experience was limited, she wasn’t a fool. It was clear enough: the free advice was over; what came next would come with a price.

A flash of anger crossed her face before fading away, replaced by a sense of awkward realization: Aegor was not yet her vassal or follower. They had only met twice.

Thinking back, she felt a pang of embarrassment. During their first meeting on Dragonstone, she had offered him an olive branch, only to be rejected. She had been genuinely furious, thinking he was ungrateful. Now, seeing the reality of the Gift with her own eyes, she realized how absurd her earlier assumptions had been.

The Night’s Watch was nothing like the ragtag group of a few hundred elderly men she had imagined. From the sprawling, orderly expanse of the King’s Road, visible even from hundreds of feet above, to the impressive scale and discipline of Crown's Rest’s garrison, everything exuded strength and competence. To think she had once believed a smile and a promise not to attack his lands would be enough to win his loyalty—she had practically insulted him.

She had doubled down on this mistake by arriving with a cold demeanor and using her dragons to establish dominance. That Aegor had treated her as a guest and patiently explained so much was, in retrospect, remarkably gracious.

Daenerys bit her lip. Aegor had outmaneuvered her with his rhetoric. The first half of The Prince had been a valuable resource, and his living presence, far more insightful than the book itself, seemed to align with the prophecy of her “greatest follower.” Returning from the lofty heights of idealism to the harshness of reality left her feeling hollow—one that could only be filled if this man swore his loyalty.

...

“What do you want?”

Daenerys returned to her chair, crossing her arms, once again the proud queen. She braced herself for what she expected to be an exorbitant demand. Whatever it was, she believed Aegor’s insights were worth the price.

...

Aegor nearly laughed. The queen was still so young, so naive. Even if she was going to make an offer, shouldn’t she at least dress it up a little? Asking so bluntly was almost endearing.

Months ago, during the midnight negotiations at Icemark, Aegor had engaged in a frank and satisfying exchange of interests with Denys Mallister, resolving the Night’s Watch’s leadership crisis. That had been one of the most enjoyable negotiations of his life, straightforward and without pretense.

But with Daenerys, such bluntness would never work.

Imagine if Zhuge Liang, when asked to assist Liu Bei, had simply said, "I’ll help, but only if you make me a general and grant my descendants everlasting wealth." Such honesty would have undermined their relationship, turning a legendary story into a footnote of opportunism.

Instead, Zhuge Liang had positioned himself as a humble “cloth-clad commoner,” allowing his reputation as the “Sleeping Dragon” to grow through word of mouth. Even when Liu Bei visited in person, Zhuge Liang had modestly refused multiple times, only relenting when Liu Bei invoked the greater good of the realm.

Aegor didn’t dare speculate on Zhuge Liang’s true intentions, but he knew one thing: this same approach was what he needed here. Unlike his candid dealings with Denys, his relationship with Daenerys required careful maintenance. If he were to serve her, he would become her subject. To secure his position, he needed her trust, favor, and respect.

What did Aegor want? Power? Independence? Absolute control? The truth was far more ambitious than he could ever reveal.

He smiled faintly. “I want nothing, Your Grace. I simply hope to see your great vision realized in my lifetime—to see the realm at peace and its people living happily.”

Daenerys frowned, unsure how to proceed. She had no hidden agenda; she simply wanted to recruit him. But his evasiveness left her at a loss.

“You, a Night’s Watchman, know so much about the Seven Kingdoms, yet you claim it was all just to offer me a plan and then return to the Wall? Surely you understand that without action, no vision—no matter how noble—can ever be realized.”

“Without you, Your Grace, I might have acted,” Aegor replied, playing his part masterfully. “But now that you stand before me, I believe you will succeed where I cannot.”

“Very well,” Daenerys said, lifting her chin as her queenly aura fully returned. “By the name of the Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, I pardon you for all past crimes. I command you to cast aside your black cloak and serve me. Help me reclaim the Seven Kingdoms, establish the Greater Crownlands, and break the wheel of history!”