Chapter 304

The newly settled Gift folk had little in the way of stored resources, but fortunately, the logistics department had delivered food and cooks in advance. There was no shortage of provisions, and the reunion of the Umber father and daughter greatly eased the tension of Northern nobles sharing space with those they still thought of as “wildlings.” The welcoming feast at Ice Mark was simple but not shabby—not exactly warm, but certainly not disrespectful. At the very least, nothing had gone wrong at the outset.

As night fell, the Northern lords and their retinues settled into their assigned rooms in the guest quarters to rest, while their guards, following instructions from their respective commanders, began taking shifts for the night watch.

Outwardly, Ice Mark appeared calm, but beneath the surface, over a thousand men, women, and children—all former free folk—occupied the fortress. The Northern inspection party was spending the night surrounded by people they were more accustomed to calling wildlings. The sentries kept their ears sharp, straining to hear anything beyond the faint howling of wolves, the wailing of the cold wind, or the occasional thump of snow sliding from rooftops.

The night passed quietly. No riots or surprise attacks came to disturb the uneasy peace. It was only as the cloud-covered sky began to brighten that an unexpected visitor arrived from beyond the fortress walls—someone wholly unanticipated in both appearance and identity.

…

“Someone arrived from the west and went straight to the keep to meet the Northern lords?” Aegor frowned deeply as soon as he heard the guard’s report. “Did anyone catch his name? What did he look like? Any distinctive features?”

“No name, ser, but he looked like he’d been traveling a long way. His clothes were caked with frozen snow, and he was so cold he could barely speak. He had to haggle with the guards for quite a while before they let him in.”

Could it be a messenger from Shadow Tower? Had the conservatives caught wind of his plans and sent word to counter him? He had sent Kent out overnight to set things in motion—was this their move to strike back before he could secure his position?

Aegor’s frown deepened. He had anticipated such an eventuality, but for someone to make the journey through the snow so quickly was beyond his expectations. The lack of walls around Ice Mark had suddenly become glaringly apparent—no matter how capable he was, there was no way to completely seal off such a sprawling settlement. When he reported this to Robb, he had framed it as an intentional choice, but the truth was that Ice Mark, originally built to house only a few hundred Night’s Watch brothers, barely had enough materials to restore living quarters, let alone construct defensive walls for a population of over a thousand.

…

Aegor had risen early, intending to check that the five tribes had properly prepared for the lords’ inspection. However, the news of the unexpected visitor quickly extinguished his enthusiasm. He turned back toward his quarters, planning to gather his confidants and implement his contingency plan while reviewing the explanations he had already prepared.

“Good morning, Master!” A bright, lively voice rang out as he crossed the courtyard.

“Arya?” Aegor glanced around, noting the absence of her guards, and immediately scowled. “Didn’t anyone tell you this place isn’t safe? Don’t wander off alone.”

“I’m not wandering!” Arya pouted. “I just wanted to take a look around before breakfast and see what the wildlings look like.” Her initial cheerfulness vanished under his reprimand, and she stuck out her bottom lip in defiance. “Besides, I’m with you now. What’s unsafe about that?”

“They’re not called wildlings anymore; they’re Giftfolk,” Aegor corrected her. “I have important matters to attend to. Go back to the keep and find your brother. And no more running around on your own.”

“You’re so annoying! Stop bossing me around.” Arya stomped her foot, turned on her heel, and stormed off toward the keep.

As Aegor watched her retreat, an idea suddenly came to him. Remembering Arya’s unique position, he called after her, “Wait, come back. I need to tell you something.”

“What is it?” Arya initially ignored him, but after realizing that her usual cold-shoulder tactic didn’t work on Aegor, she grudgingly turned back.

Lowering his voice, Aegor said, “Someone just arrived from the west and went to see your brother in the keep. I need you to find out who they are and listen in on what they’re discussing. Then report back to me.”

“Unbelievable! You only care about safety when you don’t need me to spy for you. I’m not doing it!” Arya crossed her arms. “I’m going back to my room so no one can say I’m wandering around.”

“Don’t shout!” Aegor quickly stepped forward to placate her, gently rubbing her shoulder. “Alright, alright. I was wrong earlier. I apologize, okay? Be good, help me out, and I’ll owe you one.”

“Gross. You’re so fake.” Though Arya was fully aware he was buttering her up, his gesture softened her mood. She rolled her eyes, feigning exasperation, but a mischievous glint appeared in her eyes. “Fine, I’ll do it. But you have to promise to show me that tree next time!”

“Deal. The next time you visit Castle Black, I’ll make sure you get a good look at it.”

…

In all of Winterfell, only Arya Stark could blatantly eavesdrop on Robb Stark’s conversations without raising suspicion. Catelyn Stark was too proper to act unusually, Sansa was too composed and obedient, Bran had never shown an interest beyond climbing walls, and little Rickon was too young to even consider. But Arya’s reputation for being a wanderer made her sudden appearances in unexpected places entirely unsurprising.

The most audacious spy in the North casually strolled to her brother’s door. She motioned for the guards to keep quiet before carefully pushing the door open a crack and slipping inside.

Inside, the Northern lords had just convened to meet the visitor: Yohn Royce.

The former Lord of Runestone had taken a significant gamble, departing Castle Black the previous day and traveling along the northern edge of the Wall. Somehow, he had avoided any encounters with the Others or the dead—or perhaps they had seen him and simply deemed him unworthy of pursuit. Either way, he miraculously survived the treacherous journey, scaling the Wall with the aid of sentries at the Shadow Tower, before finally arriving at Ice Mark after a grueling night of travel.

Though Yohn Royce had opposed the Starks during King Robert’s suppression of the Vale’s rebellion, he had been a friend of Eddard Stark, earning him a respectful reception from Robb. After hearing Yohn’s report, Robb remained polite but firm.

“Lord Royce, you’ve endured a long journey. Rest and refresh yourself. We will consider your report carefully and respond as soon as possible.”

Yohn understood the underlying message: his presence was no longer required for the upcoming discussions. With a nod, he cast a glance at the Northern lords, their expressions varying, before taking his leave.

...

Hidden behind a curtain, Arya remained undetected as Yohn exited. She stayed, listening intently as the real discussion began.