Chapter 111

During the duel, Aegor was grateful that Oberyn had shown restraint, but now, having surrendered and accepted defeat, he would count himself lucky if the Dornish prince refrained from mocking him outright. For a man of Oberyn’s station, why would he flatter someone like Aegor—a mediocre fighter and mere quartermaster of the Night’s Watch? What wisdom could a man like Aegor possibly offer him?

This felt... bizarre. Aegor looked at Oberyn in confusion, only to see the prince wink at him with an expression that defied explanation. Suddenly, a thought struck him—was this about Oberyn’s infamous preferences? Could it be?!

“Uh... the Night’s Watch has been extremely busy lately, so I wouldn’t dare impose. Perhaps after the battle, if there’s an opportunity, we can speak further!” Aegor felt a chill run down his spine and immediately declined, fearing that of all the indignities his transmigration had brought him, this was one he could not endure.

No one could interfere with a fighter’s decision to surrender. Though the onlookers grumbled, wishing for more spectacle, they eventually made way for Aegor to leave the circle.

Forcing a strained smile, Aegor stepped out and spotted Yoren approaching from the other side. Before leaving King’s Landing to join the royal army, Aegor had written to the Wall, requesting a replacement to take over his “attached Night’s Watch duties” in the Vale. However, the Wall’s notorious stinginess meant they sent only Yoren to shoulder two roles at once.

If Robert managed to breach the Bloody Gate, Yoren’s job would be to escort the lords of the Brotherhood of Justice, now clad in black, back to the Wall. If the rebellion failed... well, Yoren had planned to visit Aegor to recruit fresh blood anyway. It was a convenient arrangement.

Despite understanding Yoren’s purpose, Aegor knew he couldn’t break character—especially with so many eyes still watching.

“Yoren! Long journey, huh?” Aegor greeted with a broad smile and pulled the man into a tight hug, ignoring the discomfort. “When did you arrive?”

“Just now. Saw how big this camp was and thought it’d take me hours to find you. Turns out you’re a celebrity—people pointed me straight to you!” Yoren was puzzled by Aegor’s excessive enthusiasm but brushed it off as southern comfort making him soft. “You’ve been living the good life, eh? Even found time for dueling?”

Yoren, sporting his usual scruffy beard, was still wearing the summer clothes Aegor had bought for him in King’s Landing. Likely his only set. With a grin, he looked Aegor up and down. “Oh, wait, I should call you Chief Quartermaster now, shouldn’t I?”

“Drop it. Just call me by my name—it feels weird otherwise.” Aegor hurriedly pulled Yoren away, heading toward his tent. “You’re just in time. This position is yours now; I’m heading back to King’s Landing to train recruits and prepare reinforcements for the Wall.”

“Recruits? Is this Mormont’s idea?” Yoren asked skeptically. “If you’ve got them ready, what’s Aliser for?”

“It’s complicated,” Aegor sighed. “Recruitment is hard enough, as you know. The Wall needs people badly, so I’ve decided to hire help on a temporary basis. But the Lord Commander doesn’t want them mingling with our brothers, fearing it’ll damage morale. That means they can’t train at Castle Black... and sending untrained men to the Wall is a death sentence. Mercenaries are too expensive, so I’ve got no choice but to handle it myself.”

“Fair enough.”

“I had plans in place, but His Grace Robert decided to stick me here as an ‘attached Night’s Watchman.’ I’ve wasted so much time! I’ve already instructed those in King’s Landing to begin recruiting, but I can’t oversee it from here. Thank the gods you’re here; now I can finally focus on it.”

The two men walked through the camp, discussing Wall matters in hushed tones. From Yoren, Aegor learned that the rangers had begun experimenting with capturing wights, though with little success. It was a small glimmer of hope amidst the dire circumstances.

Soon, they arrived at Aegor’s tent. “Thanks for your help,” Aegor said to the Horn Hill soldier who had guided Yoren, pressing a few silver stags into his hand before ushering Yoren inside.

“I’m leaving for King’s Landing this afternoon,” Aegor said, “so you’re in charge here. Kasey! Pack my personal belongings. Leave anything I can buy in King’s Landing for Yoren to use.”

“Yes, my lord!” Kasey, still in awe after witnessing his master’s duel with the famed Dornish prince, worked with renewed fervor.

“Once you’re done, ready my horse and wait at the tent entrance!”

“Yes, my lord!”

Leaving the chores to the boy, Aegor turned back to Yoren. “As ‘attached Night’s Watchman,’ the Earl of Horn Hill is responsible for your food and lodging. I’ll introduce you before I leave. For now, let me show you around the camp, including the merchant district. It’s got food, baths, and women—everything you need.”

“Merchant district?” Yoren chuckled. “No point; I’ve no coin to spend.”

“Don’t worry. The Watch isn’t broke anymore.” Aegor smirked. “I’ll cover your expenses while you’re here.”

By the time they finished their tour, Yoren’s eyes were wide. He’d never seen so many soldiers in one place. “There’s so many men here! Why can’t the king spare a few for the Wall? Why make us scrape for recruits?”

“Most of these aren’t the king’s soldiers,” Aegor explained, unwilling to waste time on feudal politics. “There are about forty thousand left now, closer to sixty thousand if you count logistics. That’s after splitting forces and with the advantage of fighting on home soil. At its peak, there were more. But even with this many, they’d rather fight for plunder at the Bloody Gate than defend the Wall against wildlings. Guarding the Wall has always been a thankless task, left to us.”

Shrugging off the futility, Aegor led Yoren to meet Earl Buckwell. The guards, recognizing Aegor, waved them through without question. Inside the command tent, the elderly earl sat poring over a ledger.

“Lord Buckwell.”

“Aegor.” The earl looked up with a kind smile. “Your friend arrived earlier. I sent someone to find you, but it seems you hadn’t gone far.”

“Thank you for your help, my lord.” Yoren bowed. “I’m Yoren, a crow of the Night’s Watch. If you’ve prisoners in your dungeons, I’ll gladly take them off your hands.”

Aegor winced at the comment. “My lord, the legion has sent someone to relieve me. I’ll be returning to King’s Landing shortly. Please take care of Yoren while he’s here.”

“Of course.” Buckwell nodded, then sighed. “But we’ve got a problem—a big one affecting the entire army. You’ve always been quick-witted, Aegor. Care to offer some advice?”