Aside from Arya's extreme dissatisfaction at not seeing the giant weirwood tree at the bottom of the well, the Northern inspection party's visit to the Nightfort could be considered a success. However, after resting there for a day and two nights before setting out again, the real challenge lay ahead.
They were about to inspect the villages and strongholds settled by the "Wildlings," or rather, the New Gift People.
Emotionally, Aegor wished he could simply use the Mountain Clans as extras to get through this test. Worrying about the truth being revealed was one reason, but also, the Gift did not have that many idle clansmen, and the current financial state of the Night's Watch Industry did not allow for such wasteful major undertakings.
Not to mention, he was also preoccupied with another, larger operation that he was trying to control remotely, one that could determine the outcome of this power struggle over the Gift.
Although there were many matters to deal with, Aegor was not completely inactive. He still took measures to ensure that the inspection did not go too wrong. The route was carefully chosen to pass only through tribes that originally lived far from the Wall, had fewer conflicts with Northmen, culturally used the Common Tongue, and had shown more cooperation during the implementation of the Gift resettlement plan.
Choosing the right route was only a start. On this basis, Aegor also made a series of arrangements to divert attention as much as possible when the Northern inspection party arrived, so that they would not look too closely, ask questions, and inadvertently discover problems that could make them form negative opinions about the resettlement plan.
---
Ice Mark City, an abandoned stronghold now jointly settled by five medium-sized New Gift People tribes. The snow that had started several days ago had grown heavier, showing no sign of stopping. In this vast expanse of white, the Warden of the North, for the first time in centuries, came into contact with the people from Beyond the Wall on a large scale without hostility.
It was also at the foot of the Wall, also an ancient Night's Watch castle, but the atmosphere of the group was completely different from their visit to the Nightfort. Before they had even entered, the guards brought by the Northern Houses, reminded by their Lords, straightened up, checked their gear, adjusted their weapons, and tensed their minds. All were afraid that if they were not careful, their own Lord could end up like Jeor Mormont.
…
"The biggest difference between the strongholds settled by the New Gift People and those of the Mountain Clans is that the stairs leading to the top of the Wall have not been rebuilt or repaired, and the Logistics Department does not allocate funds or provide resources for building walls. The first ensures that the Wall remains completely under the control of the Night's Watch itself or reliable allies, while the second guarantees that the Legion will always have the military advantage in any potential internal conflicts within the Gift."
Knowing that the Northern Lords did not trust the people from Beyond the Wall, Aegor simply gave up on trying to convince them that the "New Gift People are reliable." Instead, he did the opposite. As he walked toward Ice Mark City, he explained the precautions he had arranged to prevent the New Gift People from causing trouble. He did not need to go into detail, because the settlement before their eyes spoke for itself: a low fence made of sticks and branches, useful only for keeping out wild animals; the crumbling houses, none taller than five meters; and the empty courtyards and lanes, where few people were to be seen.
Covered in snow, Ice Mark City, where people had lived for several months, still looked like a ruin.
Though both were former Night's Watch castles, the difference between the New Gift People's settlements and the Mountain Clans' strongholds was striking. One reason was the poor foundation. Another was that the former Free Folk were used to a nomadic life and had no strong concept of "home" even now that they had settled. Half the able-bodied had gone to Crown Town to find work to support themselves. These subjective and objective factors combined meant that no one had time or energy for construction, which was why the settlement remained so desolate.
Of course, it was not as miserable as it looked. The weather was simply too cold, food scarce, and most residents stayed inside to conserve energy. The endless white snow only made the desolation look worse.
The ugly daughter-in-law must eventually meet the in-laws. Ordinary residents could stay inside and hide, but the tribal chiefs could not avoid meeting the Warden of the North. Summoned by scouts who had arrived earlier, the leaders of the five tribes, wrapped in old furs, some alone and some with two or three attendants, stood scattered at the edge of the stronghold fence, gathered together to welcome the Warden of the North.
…
It was strange. For centuries, the Seven Kingdoms had been another world to those beyond the Wall, an imagined enemy, an object of hatred, sometimes a whetstone for "heroes" to prove their courage, and a source of metal goods and new women. Who would have thought that over time, they would suddenly become subjects of the Seven Kingdoms?
The change in identity was a matter of one surrender, but the change in mindset and deeply rooted beliefs could not happen overnight. Facing a group of high-ranking Northerners, whom they had long despised as "kneelers," naturally left them awkward.
That awkwardness made the air even more uncomfortable.
If the chief of the Flint Clan was a little tongue-tied, the leaders of the five New Gift People tribes were utterly speechless. After following Aegor's instructions to introduce themselves and briefly report the situation in their settlement, they quickly found themselves at a loss for words, unsure how to continue.
Fortunately, Aegor was present. The man overseeing the Gift resettlement plan was not about to let the atmosphere freeze. Before the awkwardness grew unbearable, he cut in at the right moment. "Many of the young and strong among the New Gift People have gone to Crown Town for work. That's why this place looks… a bit sparsely populated. But overall, law and order have begun to extend here and are starting to take effect. Let's set that aside for today. Now, I want to take you all to meet someone."
Who? The Northerners were curious, but out of trust and basic courtesy for Aegor, and because the weather was so miserable, they did not ask questions. Surrounded by guards, the group followed him through the "gate" of Ice Mark City. Under the uneasy gazes of the New Gift People peeking out from low houses and half-buried tents, they walked toward the ruins of the keep from the time when the Night's Watch had been stationed here. They lifted a heavy fur curtain and entered.
This core building of the stronghold, which had once been three stories tall and more than ten meters high, now had its upper two floors collapsed. The remaining ground floor had been repaired, with holes and stairwells blocked up, and a fire burning in the hearth. Though somewhat bare, it was unexpectedly warm and comfortable compared to the icy world outside.
This was usually where the five tribal leaders discussed important matters and exchanged necessities. Now, with the Northern party visiting, it had been cleared out to serve as a guesthouse.
At the moment, a middle-aged woman and two teenagers were sitting on stools by the hearth. Seeing Aegor enter with the group, they quickly stood and watched nervously.
Robb looked at the three and saw nothing unusual. He turned to Aegor, puzzled. "Where is the person we are supposed to meet?"
Aegor smiled faintly, not answering directly. "Lord Mors Umber, I remember when I last visited Last Hearth, you angrily shouted at me that the Wildlings had carried off your only daughter. Do you still remember?"
The hint was too obvious. Mors Umber, who had been looking bored, suddenly started and stared hard at the woman by the fire.
The North had a small population, and only a handful of great Houses who always stood together under the Stark banner. Any news about one House quickly spread. Among those present, except Robb, who had not yet been born when it happened, everyone had heard of the tragedy that had befallen the Umbers. All now looked surprised and turned to the Umber family.
Greatjon Umber turned and stared at Aegor, eyes wide. "What do you mean? Are you saying this person before us is my uncle's daughter, my long-lost sister?"
Aegor shrugged. "At least that's what she calls herself. As for whether she truly is, Lord Mors is here. Isn't it simplest to let him judge for himself?"
…
The Northerners immediately grew restless, brushing snow from themselves as they began talking. Several had seen Mors's daughter long ago. But that had been twenty years back, when she was a young and lively noble girl, like Arya standing beside Robb now. The woman before them now was a weather-beaten "middle-aged Wildling woman." It was hard to believe they were the same person.
"Quiet, all of you!" After a few moments of chaos, Robb calmed the room and frowned as he asked, "Mors, do you have any way to recognize your daughter? Or rather, Lady, do you have any proof that you are Mors Umber's daughter?"
The woman looked nervous at the group of Northern Lords. In truth, she did not recognize any of them either. Holding her two children, she stepped toward the one-eyed man who was supposed to be her father, barely recognizable now. She whispered, "Father, on the day I was taken, I quarreled with you at breakfast. The last thing you said to me was, 'Get out, you brat. Don't let me see you again.' At the time, I thought, if you do not want to see me, fine, I'll run to a place you will never find, and make you regret it for the rest of your life. Then I stole my favorite little mare and left. After riding a few miles north, I ran into an ambush by a raiding party. They tripped the horse and caught me, then plundered some small villages far from the castle. After that, they forced me north with them, over the Wall, back to their tribe. Since then, I have lived among them, until Mance Rayder surrendered with all the Free Folk and I returned south."
Those words, which had made Mors regret his temper for over twenty years, he had never forgotten. The Northern Lord, who hated Wildlings most of all in the party, instantly felt tears fill his one remaining eye. He took two steps toward his daughter, who had endured more than twenty years of hardship Beyond the Wall and now looked as if she could be mistaken for his sister, and his voice trembled. "I am sorry, my dear…"
"Not to interrupt this touching reunion," Roose Bolton interjected. "I do not doubt the truth of your story, but this could be something the real daughter of Mors confided after being taken. Do you have any proof that cannot be faked, such as a birthmark or a scar, to prove your identity?"
"I have a prominent black mole on my lower back. It hurts if pressed hard. That's why I always sleep on my side or my stomach," the woman answered without hesitation. "If needed, I can show you later in private, Father."
Mors had only one daughter, and he could not forget her features. Now, without hesitation, he strode forward and pulled her into a crushing embrace, not caring who was watching. His hug was so fierce it seemed he might suffocate her, startling the two children, who stepped back.
He was a big man, broad and half a head taller than Aegor, a tough man one moment, and the next, choked with tears, nearly unable to speak. "What I said that day was in anger, my dear. Please forgive me. I know nothing I say can undo the suffering you have endured all these years, but since fate has brought you back to me, I swear I will never let anyone hurt you again."
The woman also began to cry. "No, I am the one who should ask for forgiveness, Father. It was my stubbornness that brought this down on me. I am truly sorry, truly sorry…"
As the Flayer said, a touching reunion unfolded before everyone's eyes. Father and daughter clung to each other, blaming themselves, and only after a long while did they part. Mors then noticed the two teenagers standing aside, looking lost. "These two… are my grandchildren?"
"Yes, one is Angus, the other Benny. I named them. Children, greet your grandfather."
"And where is their father?"
"He died in the attack on the Wall with Mance Rayder."
"Dead?" Mors first gritted his teeth, but since his target was already gone, he let out a long sigh. "Good riddance. Even if he had lived, I would have killed him myself today."
After thinking for a moment, probably realizing it was unwise to say such things in front of his grandchildren, he stopped. Ignoring that the two children did not know him, he pulled them close and hugged them too. "Good children, do not worry. It is over now. You will come back to Last Hearth with me once this inspection is done. Hey, Jon, you do not object, do you?"
His uncle's grandchildren could not threaten the inheritance of the Umbers. Why would the Lord of Last Hearth object? Greatjon Umber shrugged. "No problem. Whatever makes you happy."
---
Aegor's plan worked. The pace of the Ice Mark City inspection was completely disrupted by this reunion. The Northern Lords forgot all about the New Gift People, gathering around Mors and his daughter, asking questions. After talking for a long time, Roose Bolton was the first to regain his senses. He dismissed the tribal leaders, ordered the guards of the inspection party to arrange lodging and defense, and motioned for Aegor to handle the rest.
Mors's deep affection for his daughter turned out to be stronger than expected, which was a good thing. Aegor was secretly pleased. He kept a small notebook where he wrote down things that needed to be done but were too trivial to remember. Finding Mors's daughter had been one of them. He had ordered the search before he went south, and he had received good news soon after returning to Castle Black with Robb and the others.
Things had gone so smoothly not without reason. In fact, it had not been Aegor's men who found Mors Umber's daughter. When Mance Rayder surrendered with his Wildling army and the tribe she belonged to was assigned to Ice Mark City, she had already identified herself to the Logistics officer there. But the result was obvious. The staff Aegor brought from the south did not know the Northern noble families, and with fewer than ten men managing all the affairs of the stronghold, they were swamped. When a ragged, weathered Wildling woman suddenly appeared, claiming to be the daughter of a great Northern Lord and demanding an escort home, who would take that seriously?
The Logistics Department did not believe her. She could have just gone back to Last Hearth herself, but the Night's Watch imposed strict control over the New Gift People. Leaving the settlement without permission was a serious violation. Thus, after coming south of the Wall for the first time in twenty years, Mors Umber's daughter, a poor widow with two children, endured several more months of hardship until Aegor ordered a search within the Gift. Only then did the Quartermaster at Ice Mark City recall her and report to Command.
For the Umber daughter, the initial neglect by the Logistics Department caused her and her children to suffer several needless months. For Aegor, the timing of finding her was perfect. Bringing her before Mors during the visit to Ice Mark City not only bought the New Gift People there at least one more night to prepare, but also diverted the attention of the noble who most hated the Wildlings. Most importantly, the Logistics Department had already arranged for trustworthy people to talk with the Umber daughter beforehand. Through this noblewoman who had lived half her life Beyond the Wall, Aegor hoped to quietly deliver a message very favorable to the resettlement plan: that the differences between the Free Folk and the people of the Seven Kingdoms were not as great as many imagined.
(To be continued.)
***
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