Chapter 45

"Good afternoon, brothers of the Night’s Watch. How can I assist you?"

Lord Stark, now the Hand of the King, was as courteous as ever. At least Aegor now knew that his courtesy wasn’t an act, and that certainty gave him confidence in what he was about to request.

"My lord, a hundred thousand wildlings are pressing against the Wall, and smaller raiding parties that have already crossed are wreaking havoc across the North. By order of Lord Commander Mormont, we have come to King’s Landing to seek aid from the Iron Throne."

Yoren coughed, cutting in, "I’m here to find men for the Wall, my lord. Normally, I’d wait for the next royal court session to present our case—to see if His Grace and his Hand have any scum in the dungeons they want rid of. But Aegor insisted we come to you directly, so here we are."

The way Yoren addressed his companion jogged Stark’s memory. He turned his gaze on the newly appointed ranger, taking a moment to study the young man. Aegor’s distinctive features marked him as foreign, making him easy to recognize.

"You were right to come to me," Eddard said, his words carrying more weight than their surface meaning. "If you waited for an audience with the king, winter would arrive before you got one. But tell me, Aegor… what is your purpose here?"

His tone was measured, but Aegor could sense his caution. The Hand no longer harbored any ill will toward him, but he also knew this black-cloaked youth had knowledge that could stir chaos—the kind of knowledge that could bring ruin not only to himself but to others. If Aegor so much as hinted at what he knew about Joffrey’s plans against Bran, it would spark a storm neither of them could control.

"I have been tasked with securing supplies, recruiting new men, and overseeing the mining of dragonglass on Dragonstone, my lord," Aegor answered evenly, his voice as steady as it had been during their last meeting. "These tasks require literacy, numeracy, and logistical planning, which is why I was chosen for the duty."

----

Eddard Stark was a man who held rules and tradition in high regard. He would never tolerate anything as disgraceful as ransoming a Night’s Watchman out of his vows. The leaders of the Watch must have known this as well. It was why they had never informed the North’s Warden of the details behind Tyrion Lannister’s "donation."

And that, precisely, was Aegor’s greatest advantage.

Outside of Jeor Mormont, Maester Aemon, and Benjen Stark, only Tyrion Lannister knew the full truth of why he was in King’s Landing. Even the Master of Coin and the craftsmen working on the project only knew that Tyrion had pledged funds to support the Night’s Watch.

To everyone else in Westeros, Aegor was the official representative of Lord Commander Mormont, sent south to raise men and supplies.

This identity wouldn’t earn him the respect of King’s Landing’s nobles, but it would prevent them from dismissing or mistreating him outright. No matter how diminished the Night’s Watch had become, it was still a legally independent force, standing equal to the great lords of the realm under the protection of the Iron Throne.

----

"Securing supplies, recruiting men, and overseeing dragonglass mining?" Eddard repeated, his tone tinged with mild amusement. For once, his usually grim expression softened into something resembling a smile. "You truly bear a heavy burden. How many men did Jeor Mormont give you for this mission?"

"The Watch is short on men, my lord. Just the two of us came south. Yoren will soon be returning with new recruits, leaving me alone in King’s Landing. But Lord Commander Mormont has granted me the authority to act as I see fit in carrying out these duties."

Aegor placed a parchment on the table before the Hand. It bore Mormont’s signature and the seal of the Night’s Watch. He silently thanked Tyrion for securing this document for him—it would have been much harder to operate without it.

"So, my lord, I have come to you," Aegor continued. "At this moment, you are the only one in King’s Landing who can aid the Watch in its time of great crisis."

Eddard unrolled the parchment, scanning it briefly. He didn’t bother reading the finer details—Mormont’s signature and the Night’s Watch seal were proof enough. No deserter would be foolish enough to march into the Hand’s chamber with a forged order.

"You have my attention," Stark said. "How can I help?"

Aegor observed him carefully, reading his expressions. Even if Stark scrutinized every word on that parchment, he would find no falsehoods.

The document was genuine.

His claims were truthful.

The only deception lay in a slight misinterpretation—a deliberate one.

Mormont’s actual meaning had been "You’re on your own. The Watch won’t support you. Figure it out yourself."

Aegor had twisted it into "I am the Watch’s sole authority in King’s Landing."

And now, through carefully guided assumptions, the Lord of Winterfell—the Hand of the King—had fallen into that line of thinking as well.

All Aegor needed now was one more official document, and he would have all the authority he needed to execute his plans in the capital.

----

"I understand the kingdom is facing financial difficulties," Aegor began, carefully laying the groundwork. "So I do not expect direct aid from the treasury. However, after looking into the matter, I have found that after years of peace, King Robert’s hidden wealth among the people has grown considerably. Since the royal coffers are strained, I have considered a different approach: seeking support from the nobility and merchants."

He paused before adding, "But I cannot do this alone. I require at least one or two literate and numerate men to assist me."

"Yoren—" Aegor glanced at his companion.

"Sorry, lad. I don’t read or count." Yoren shrugged.

Hidden wealth among the people… If Robert heard that, would he laugh or be embarrassed? Eddard thought to himself.

Still, the request was reasonable. He nodded. "Understood. I will assign two capable men to aid you."

"My thanks, my lord." Aegor made sure to show gratitude. "Additionally, I will be residing in King’s Landing for some time to oversee recruitment and logistics. I require a base of operations—nothing grand, just a place with street access to facilitate enlistment."

Recruitment through an open storefront? Eddard found the idea absurd. He knew all too well the state of the Watch. Still, the request was minor.

"I will see if there are any Crown-owned properties sitting vacant."

"My thanks once more, my lord." Aegor let a moment pass before adding, "There is one final matter."

He had used the previous requests to soften the Hand’s vigilance. This last one was the real trap.

"To carry out my duties, I must arrange supplies and labor on credit. I cannot carry large sums of coin on my person. My plan is simple: secure resources now and have creditors collect from the Watch later."

"On credit?" Eddard exhaled, weary. "Mormont must be desperate."

"Yet I foresee a problem," Aegor continued. "Many southern merchants and nobles may not recognize the Night’s Watch seal, nor trust its authority. They may doubt my legitimacy. Which is why… I humbly ask you to issue a letter of verification, in your capacity as Hand of the King, confirming my status as a sworn brother of the Watch and my duties here."

Eddard pressed a fist against his chin, thinking.

The fact that he didn’t reject it outright meant he was seriously considering it.

The moment stretched.

Finally, he reached for a blank parchment, dipped his quill in ink, and looked at Aegor.

"This will be the first time I’ve written such a letter," he said. "Tell me… how should it be worded?"