Chapter 287

Everyone’s eyes turned to Aegor.

As the Chief Logistics Officer, he had been sent south by Lord Commander Mormont and spent long periods away from the Wall. This made it difficult for him to connect with the black brothers on a personal level. The moment Mormont fell, Aegor found himself at a disadvantage. Yet, what he lost in familiarity, he gained in opportunity. His time away had not been limited to planting the financial seed of the Night’s Watch in King’s Landing. He had raised funds under the guise of aiding Robert’s rebellion, mingled with nearly every noble house in Westeros, built his own reputation through clever use of public appearances, and studied the Seven Kingdoms’ politics and cultures to understand the dynamics of power.

The result was clear: Aegor’s name and face were far more recognizable than those of any other officer of the Watch. The Northern lords present, for instance, not only recognized him but also knew much about his exploits, making him far more than just a title or a face to them.

Glover nodded at Aegor with a smile. “Chief Logistics Officer, you took back Deepwood Motte, rescued my brother’s family, and captured Asha Greyjoy to serve as a hostage. I owe you more than one favor. That said, the settlement plan for the Gift is a grave matter. If what I see during our inspection is beyond reason, I’ll have no choice but to be impartial.”

“Of course,” Aegor replied gratefully, nodding at Glover. His efforts at Deepwood Motte and his position as Mormont’s successor were aimed at precisely this moment. "Beyond reason" was a boundary he was prepared to respect—and Glover’s words implicitly suggested that as long as he kept things within that boundary, the Glover family would support the plan.

It was then that Roose Bolton spoke up with his usual detached tone. “The Chief Logistics Officer’s wit and resourcefulness is well-known. I doubt he’ll have any trouble handling the wildlings.”

If Glover’s support was expected, Bolton’s sudden compliment left Aegor surprised and wary. Was this genuine, or was the flayer lord attempting to forge ties through calculated flattery, knowing of Aegor’s close connection to the Starks? After all, it was only months ago that Aegor had hanged Ramsay Snow, Bolton’s bastard son, in Holdfast. Given the peculiar circumstances of the act—disguising Ramsay as Reek—it was possible Roose still believed Ramsay’s death had been carried out by Roderick Cassel’s men under Stark orders.

If Bolton truly was unaware of the truth, his lack of retaliation made sense. With a new heir on the way via his Frey bride, perhaps he no longer cared for his bastard’s fate. Whatever the reason, Aegor could only hope his secret remained buried.

With two out of four Northern houses leaning toward Aegor before the inspection had even begun, the conservative faction of the Watch looked increasingly grim. Their silent exchanges betrayed their dismay, but no one spoke up.

Robb Stark finally interjected, his tone cutting through the tension. “Enough. Believe me, I know Aegor better than anyone here. But we’ll let the results speak for themselves during the inspection.” He raised his cup. “Tonight’s feast is meant to welcome the four lords of the North. No more business talk. I propose a toast—to the health of our elders, the shortness of winter, and the lasting warmth of summer!”

The Northern blessing rang out. “May winter be short, and summer long!”
----


Though young, Robb had earned the respect of the North through his victories. At his command, the conversation turned away from politics, and the feast resumed. Most of the lords, unaware of the Watch’s internal strife, let themselves relax. Even among those who could sense something brewing—like Roose Bolton—few seemed to grasp the true extent of the divide.

Surrounded by the warmth of the hearth and the camaraderie of a hearty meal, the lords quickly sank into the revelry. Soon enough, the mood had lightened, and laughter filled the hall.

Amidst the merriment, Glover suddenly set down his drink and turned to Robb. “Lord Stark, there’s one matter I must report. It has little to do with the Wall or the Watch but concerns the Ironborn. After taking Asha Greyjoy prisoner, we planned to use her to negotiate the release of my brother’s children, Robert’s son and daughter. However, before we could even send word, the Ironborn returned the children.”

Robb frowned, puzzled. “That doesn’t make sense. Deepwood Motte is days away from the Iron Islands. How could they manage that so quickly? And more importantly, are the children unharmed?”

“They’re perfectly fine,” Glover replied with a shrug, his casual demeanor indicating their safety. “Not a scratch on them. In fact, they looked like they hadn’t been touched at all. And the crew who returned them brought a message from Asha’s uncle, Rodrik Harlaw. He wants us to release her but made it clear not to send her back to the Iron Islands.”
----


The hall grew quiet, at least at the high table. Most of the Watch officers were lost as the conversation turned to the nuances of Northern politics, while the Northern lords looked equally baffled. Even Aegor, normally sharp, was left pondering the implications.

Since the Targaryen conquest, Westeros had adhered to certain unspoken rules of conduct among nobility, especially concerning prisoners of war. These traditions—rooted in pragmatism as much as in so-called “knightly honor”—dictated that prisoners were to be treated with dignity and used as bargaining chips in fair exchanges.

The peculiarities of this situation stood out. Returning hostages before negotiations had even begun defied logic. Aegor knew well that such actions were rarely acts of goodwill—they were moves in a larger, hidden game. But what game was Harlaw playing?

Even Roose Bolton’s expression shifted into mild confusion. “Why would House Greyjoy act this way?”

“It wasn’t the Greyjoys as a whole,” Glover clarified. “It was Rodrik Harlaw. Asha’s uncle sent the children back on his own initiative. He seems to believe that if Asha were returned as a hostage, Euron Greyjoy would imprison or kill her. This way, he’s protecting his niece.”

Robb nodded thoughtfully. “A touching act of family loyalty. If the children are safe, then there’s no issue. Release her as promised.”

Glover hesitated. “With respect, Lord Stark, I believe releasing her might create problems. She could rally the remnants of her forces and harass our western coast as a pirate. That would hardly benefit the North. I’ve sent her to Winterfell instead, to await your decision.”

Robb frowned deeply. “They returned the children. How can we sully our honor by breaking faith over hypothetical concerns? Release her. If she turns pirate, we’ll deal with her decisively next time.”

Bolton interjected calmly, “Lord Stark, you misunderstood. No agreement was ever made. Without a negotiation, there’s no faith to break. We owe them nothing.”

Robb seemed relieved by the clarification. After some thought, he addressed the table. “Then what do you all suggest we do with her?”

The lords voiced a range of opinions, from executing her to keeping her as a bargaining chip for future use. Aegor, however, remained silent, quietly analyzing the dynamics of the discussion. The situation seemed to stem from internal Ironborn politics. Rodrik Harlaw’s move to protect Asha likely stemmed from her value as a symbol of resistance against Euron.

But before he could reflect further, someone at the table brought him directly into the conversation.

“Wait a moment—wasn’t Asha Greyjoy captured by our esteemed Chief Logistics Officer here? Shouldn’t we hear what he has to say about all this?”