Chapter 305

“What kind of trouble did you cause this time, Master?!”

Arya burst into Aegor’s room, dragging him by the arm, breathless and clearly agitated. Despite her youth, she could tell from her brother’s and the Northern lords’ tone that they were highly displeased with her mentor’s secret maneuvers. This was no minor matter and not something to take lightly.

After spending a few minutes recounting the heated discussions she had overheard, Aegor frowned, his sharp instincts sensing that something was off. “Are you sure that’s exactly what your brother said?”

“Are you doubting my memory?” Arya planted her hands on her hips, clearly indignant. “I might be... a little scatterbrained sometimes, but if I set my mind to remember something, I never forget it!”

Before Aegor could fully digest what Arya had shared, a knock came at the door. A Stark guard announced that the Warden of the North was summoning him.

“You stay here and don’t come out until I’m gone,” Aegor instructed Arya, pushing her toward a corner to hide. “Otherwise, they’ll figure out you tipped me off.”

With that, he hurried out of the room and followed the gray-cloaked guard toward Robb Stark’s quarters, his mind racing.

...

The mysterious visitor turned out to be none other than Yohn Royce, who was supposed to be trapped in Castle Black by the Gift forces. Somehow, the madman had circumvented the Wall, braved the deadly wilderness, and arrived here against all odds—just to deliver information that could sabotage Aegor’s plans.

Despite his meticulous planning, Aegor had to admit that this was one contingency he hadn’t accounted for.

However, the revelation didn’t faze him too much. The military operation surrounding Castle Black had always been a temporary measure. He hadn’t expected to keep it under wraps forever, and he had prepared an explanation and a contingency plan from the moment the order was issued. The early discovery was inconvenient but not enough to leave him floundering.

What truly set him on edge was Arya’s account of the discussions among the Northern lords.

Roose Bolton had gone out of his way to defend Aegor—a surprising and uncharacteristic move. This wasn’t mere politeness or an overture of goodwill. For Bolton to argue so vehemently in Aegor’s favor without prior coordination was something only a deeply entrenched political ally would do. And Aegor knew very well that he and Roose Bolton were far from allies.

For now, he chose to interpret it as a case of “great minds think alike.” However, what Arya recounted of Robb’s statement was far more telling: “Ability is important, but humility, loyalty, and honor are equally indispensable.”

At first glance, the statement seemed like a generic politician’s platitude. But a closer analysis revealed much more.

The implicit acknowledgment of Aegor’s ability indicated that his efforts to demonstrate competence had been successful. However, the mention of loyalty was the crux of the matter. Robb’s words implied that Aegor’s recent actions had cast doubt on his loyalty. By orchestrating a military operation without informing the Northern leadership, Aegor had unsettled the Warden of the North and raised concerns about whether he could be trusted as Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch.

When Aegor had planned the operation, his thoughts were consumed by tactical precision—how to avoid flaws, achieve objectives, and craft plausible deniability. He had focused entirely on strategy, underestimating the political implications. His modern, capability-focused mindset, ingrained from his previous life, had once again blinded him to the nuances of feudal politics.

Becoming Lord Commander was not just a promotion; it was a position akin to being the Lord of the Gift, wielding power over both land and people. While the position was not hereditary, it carried enormous influence, making it more akin to a major vassal of the North than a subordinate officer.

In such a feudal system, rulers preferred loyal subordinates over capable but unpredictable ones. A competent and ambitious Lord Commander could be seen as a threat rather than an asset—a clever watchdog that might one day turn into a wolf.

Had Arya not provided him with this insight, Aegor might have confidently delivered his pre-planned arguments, deflecting criticism with sophistry and half-truths. He might have survived the immediate confrontation but at the cost of sowing long-term distrust among the Northern lords. Now, he had the chance to correct course.

As he walked the short distance to Robb’s quarters, Aegor discarded his original plan entirely. Today, he wouldn’t rely on clever arguments or evasions. Instead, he would present himself as a well-meaning but naive officer—a loyal servant who had erred out of inexperience, not ambition.

...

The hall was bustling with armored Northern soldiers, all enjoying a hearty breakfast. As Aegor followed the Stark guard through the crowd, someone bumped into him, slipping a folded note into his hand. Glancing at the table of Bolton soldiers, Aegor couldn’t tell who had passed him the note, but the sender’s identity was clear.

He didn’t react, quietly pocketing the note. Once out of sight, he opened it and read the simple message: “No clever words. Tell the truth.”

Aegor smirked, crumpling the note and slipping it back into his pocket. The game was getting more interesting by the moment.

Reaching Robb’s quarters, Aegor entered the room and stood before the assembled Northern lords. Just as he began to wonder why Roose Bolton wasn’t present, the door opened behind him, and the pale-faced lord casually walked in, offering a brief apology for his tardiness before taking his seat.

Aegor couldn’t help but marvel at Bolton’s brazenness. The man had left, arranged for a note to reach Aegor, and returned without a hint of concern. For a fleeting moment, Aegor wondered if he had forgotten some critical shared history with the man.

“Commander Aegor.” Robb Stark’s voice broke the silence, his expression stern. “You’ve been quite busy these past few days.”

The accusation hung heavy in the air. Under his original plan, Aegor would have feigned ignorance, deflecting and maneuvering until the Northern lords revealed their grievances. But this time, he let out a weary sigh, his face a mask of exhaustion and regret.

“It’s not that I’ve been busy, my lord,” Aegor replied, his tone subdued. “It’s that there have been too many crises to handle. In dealing with them, I fear I’ve caused more problems than I solved.”

His candid admission momentarily disarmed Robb, forcing him to shift tactics. “Then explain yourself,” Robb demanded. “What is this we’ve heard about you surrounding Castle Black and forbidding anyone from leaving?”

“It is true,” Aegor admitted, nodding. “I intended to report the matter to you, but I feared it would distract from your inspection tour. I thought it best to resolve the issue myself and inform you once it was dealt with.”

“You were concerned about distractions?” Rickard Karstark snorted. “Then enlighten us, Commander. What justified such drastic measures—pointing weapons at your own sworn brothers and restricting their freedom?”

“Very well.” Aegor straightened, his expression grim. “There was an attempt on the life of Mance Rayder, the former King-Beyond-the-Wall, who had surrendered to us. The assailants sought to provoke the new Gift settlers into rebellion, undermining the entire settlement plan. My men thwarted the attempt, but I learned that the instigator was none other than Cotter Pyke, the commander of Eastwatch. With the loaned grain shipment from Braavos imminent, I had no choice but to act decisively. Pyke’s return to Eastwatch could have jeopardized everything.”

...

By the time Aegor finished, the Northern lords were left in uneasy silence. He had laid everything bare, blending truth with carefully chosen omissions. Whether they believed him or not, they now had to weigh their next steps carefully.