Chapter 231

Talking to mystics always had its drawbacks—after a long conversation with Melisandre, Aegor felt like he'd gained plenty of useful information, yet couldn't tell how much of it was genuine insight and how much was simply his imagination running wild under her influence. Leaving the welcome feast behind, he decided to tackle some planned, practical matters instead.
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After escorting Arya back to her assigned room, Aegor made his way to the guesthouse to meet with the prisoners who had accompanied Melisandre and her followers. Crown's Rest didn’t yet have a proper dungeon. Even if it did, political prisoners who had already been designated as “new recruits for the Night’s Watch” wouldn’t be confined there. Instead, they had been housed in the same dormitories reserved for ordinary residents.

Here, Aegor met with two men whose names he actually knew.

The first was Warner Buckwell, former captain of the Old Gate Guard and nephew to the Earl of Stag’s Horn. When Renly had breached King’s Landing, it was Warner who first turned on the gates he was supposed to defend, leading his loyal men to storm the Red Keep and forcing Stannis to relinquish the Iron Throne to his younger brother.

Unfortunately for him, his fortune was short-lived. After enjoying the status of a hero for barely a month, Renly’s sudden death sent him plummeting back to ruin, and he was promptly shipped off to the Night’s Watch.

Gain and risk are always proportional. Anyone who plays the game must be prepared to lose.

As a prominent member and heir of the Buckwell family, Warner’s betrayal would have been impossible without both his family's tacit approval and the excuse of the King’s Landing levy’s “delayed march to join the royal army.” Of course, his uncle, the Earl of Buckwell, should have been the one donning black instead. But old families from the Crownlands were masters of covering their tracks. No matter how diligently Stannis’s Hand of the King investigated, they could find no evidence tying the Earl to his nephew’s treachery. The levy’s delays were thoroughly “explained” by logistical challenges, and the Buckwell family’s quick pivot to support Stannis after Renly’s death was decisive.

In the end, the Buckwell family had paid a steep price to preserve their core, narrowly avoiding destruction yet again.

Warner’s exile marked another casualty for his house, a grim reminder of their ill-fated luck.

The second familiar face was Humphrey Hill, Aegor’s cellmate during his imprisonment for aiding Tyrion’s escape. A Lannister bastard from the Westerlands, Humphrey had been an accountant managing the Lannisters’ business interests in King’s Landing.

Unlike the turmoil in the Crownlands, the Westerlands had largely extricated themselves from the chaos after Renly’s death. Tywin Lannister, ever the opportunist, had written to Stannis offering a substantial ransom to secure the release of the Westerlands nobles captured during the unrest in King’s Landing. Strapped for funds as he prepared to march south against the Golden Company and House Tyrell, Stannis accepted the deal.

From the exorbitant ransom alone, it was clear that Tywin sought not only to retrieve his bannermen but also to placate Stannis. However, only those of noble blood were ransomed. Bastards and commoners like Humphrey were left behind.
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“So, who was it that said, ‘Let anyone who wants to go to the Wall go there themselves’? What made you change your mind?” Aegor teased Humphrey.

“Bloody hell,” Humphrey replied bitterly. “The nobles were all ransomed by Tywin, and Stannis didn’t want to keep feeding the rest of us. He even considered sending us to Dragonstone to mine! Growing up in Lannisport, I’ve seen what mining does to men—it’s no life for anyone. And on Dragonstone? No chance of escape. I’d rather gamble on the Wall. Even if I die there, at least it’ll be quick.” He shrugged, adding, “Though, to be honest, hearing you were back at the Wall was the main reason. I’ve come to seek your protection, so don’t let me down.”

“Ha! Rest assured, my old friend, I won’t let a former cellmate of mine suffer. I’ll speak to Mormont and make sure you’re assigned to the logistics department.”

“Thanks, though I’m hardly more than a bookkeeper.”

“That’s exactly what Crown’s Rest needs right now,” Aegor said. The town was sorely lacking in administrative talent. While Yarm was competent, his lack of formal training made it unfair to burden him with the town’s growing demands. Humphrey’s arrival couldn’t have been timelier.
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Their conversation turned to Warner, who couldn’t help but quip, “You’ve certainly made the most of your ties to House Stark. With their support, you’ve become a king in all but name here in the Gift. You clearly knew Stannis would win—why didn’t you share that insight with the rest of us?”

“The Night’s Watch is neutral, Ser Buckwell. I wouldn’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t play dumb,” Warner retorted. “When you took that squire from the Red Keep—what was his name? ‘Ely’? Did you think I wouldn’t figure it out?” He sneered. “At the time, I didn’t realize who he was. But when Renly and Margaery scoured King’s Landing for Arya Stark, I grew suspicious. I was going to report it, but my uncle told me to let it go.”

Aegor’s blood ran cold for a moment before realizing that Warner’s claims were likely bluster. If the Buckwells had intended to use such knowledge against him, they would’ve done so back in King’s Landing.
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Their discussion shifted as Aegor laid out his vision: “I want to establish a mechanism for Night’s Watch members to legally leave the order. Such a system would offer hope to those forced to wear the black.”

Warner raised an eyebrow. “You think you can pull that off?”

“Step by step,” Aegor replied cryptically, channeling Melisandre’s enigmatic demeanor.

By the time the conversation ended, both Warner and Humphrey had agreed to support Aegor’s ambitions. Warner’s endorsement, in particular, was critical, as it meant bringing along a faction of Crownlander exiles and ensuring Aegor’s growing influence within the Watch.
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Later that night, Aegor returned to his room, where Arya awaited him under the covers, complaining about the cold. After a brief exchange, he scolded her for her recklessness and extracted a promise that she wouldn’t sneak off again.

Satisfied, Aegor left her in the room and went to find another place to sleep, his mind already turning to the challenges ahead.