Chapter 82

"The duty of the Night's Watch is to guard the Wall, not to protect House Stark. Organizing large-scale expeditions to search for Benjen Stark is not only a reversal of priorities but also a disregard for the lives of your brothers."

Tyrion read back Aegor’s dictated words, then glanced up at him as if seeing a lunatic. His quill hovered uncertainly above the parchment. "Are you sure about this? This letter reeks of insubordination. Even if Jeor Mormont is a reasonable man, this might be a step too far. Besides, how are you so certain your Lord Commander’s goal is to find Benjen Stark?"

"I’m not," Aegor admitted bluntly. "It’s just a suspicion. He’s a former Lord of Bear Island and the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. Surely he has the wisdom and patience not to take offense at a subordinate’s 'misunderstanding.' After all, he relies on me to secure supplies."

"If you understand that much, why use such an accusatory tone?"

Aegor spread his hands. "If I presented my argument calmly and respectfully, do you think he’d take it seriously?"

Tyrion frowned. "I can’t say. I’ve never tried to crawl inside Mormont’s head."

"I think he’d see it as empty concern from someone enjoying comfort in King’s Landing. He’d likely brush it off and order me to keep sending supplies instead of meddling in his affairs," Aegor explained. "But if I couch my concerns as a misunderstanding and appear to challenge his judgment out of loyalty to the Night’s Watch, he’ll feel compelled to defend himself. People tend to focus when criticized, even if only to refute it. That gives me a chance to get my real points across."

"You’re overthinking it," Tyrion muttered, but he admitted Aegor had a point. "Fine. Tell me what to write, and I’ll put it down word for word. Just don’t come crying to me if this backfires."
----


An hour later, the first official letter from the "Chief Logistics Officer" of the Night's Watch to the 997th Lord Commander was complete. It opened with bold criticism designed to grab attention, followed by Aegor’s exaggerated assessment of the dangers beyond the Wall. The letter then outlined Aegor's argument: the Night’s Watch, being stretched too thin, should prioritize defense and seek aid from the Seven Kingdoms before risking further expeditions.

Lastly, the letter proposed several detailed plans to capture a wight with minimal risk. Aegor also promised to supply all the equipment necessary for the mission.
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"Frankly, Aegor, your plans seem overly idealistic," Tyrion remarked as he set down the quill. "They rely on perfect conditions and flawless execution, which rarely happen—especially north of the Wall."

"I don’t expect them to follow my plans exactly," Aegor replied. "The real goal is to get them to agree to wait for my equipment before proceeding. That delay is all I need."

"Why is the timing so critical?"

Aegor smirked. "Military secret."
----


The part Aegor didn’t tell Tyrion was this: in the original timeline, the Night’s Watch expedition to the Fist of the First Men had been strategically sound. The location was a natural choke point, perfect for halting Mance Rayder’s advance. But instead of facing a wildling army, the expedition had been surrounded and decimated by an overwhelming force of wights.

If Aegor could delay their departure, the wildlings would pass through the choke point first. The Night’s Watch would lose the chance to secure a strategic position, but they’d also avoid being encircled and slaughtered.

By controlling the timing of the expedition through supply delays, Aegor hoped to save hundreds of lives without overstepping his limited authority as a logistics officer.
----


"Are we done yet?" Tyrion asked, waving the letter in front of Aegor.

"Not quite," Aegor said, leaning back in thought. "Add this: I’ll waive my salary and recruit my own subordinates. All I need is official recognition of my position."

Tyrion raised an eyebrow but scribbled the amendment without comment.

"And another thing," Aegor continued. "Explain the difficulties I’ve encountered in recruiting and propose the idea of 'temporary Night’s Watch service.' I want to see if Mormont will agree."

"You’re having trouble recruiting? Since when?"

"I’m not, but that’s irrelevant. Just write it."

Tyrion sighed and complied.

"And one more thing: if they find any bodies of rangers killed beyond the Wall, don’t burn them. Lock them in cages. If they reanimate, send them to King’s Landing immediately."

Tyrion blinked in disbelief but refrained from asking questions. "Anything else?"

"Just one more: add a note for Jon Snow. Tell him Arya sends her regards, that she’s enjoying her sword training, and to take care of himself at the Wall."

Tyrion rolled his eyes. "You’re speaking for Arya now?"

"I’ll ask her tomorrow. She won’t mind," Aegor replied with a grin.
----


With the letter finished, Aegor leaned back, satisfied. His immediate goal was to delay the expedition, but if the Night’s Watch managed to capture a wight and bring it south, that would be even better. Either way, he’d done everything he could.

Now, all he could do was wait and prepare for what came next.