There was no one at Giant's Nest to prepare food and drink for the Northern inspection group. Even if there had been, the nobles and soldiers were in too much of a hurry to enjoy it. They left as soon as the decision was made. Less than a minute after Robb bid farewell to the giant leader, the soldiers were already mounted. The inspection tour, which had lasted for several weeks, came to an end. In the swirling snow, the backs of several hundred Northern elites, riding toward the battlefield, quickly vanished into a sea of white.
Though Aegor had made numerous preparations for the inspection, there had been no chance to use them. It should have felt like a waste, but for the first time, he was glad his efforts had been unnecessary. Although, in terms of position, he ought to be Euron Greyjoy's enemy, Aegor couldn't help but silently thank the madman.
This invasion had come at exactly the right time.
It turns out that sudden events are not always a bad thing.
…
On the other side, Arya, who had also watched them leave, instantly dropped her earlier act of grievance and dissatisfaction. Her face shifted into open delight. Robb, now Warden of the North, had changed. He no longer indulged her as before. Day after day, he had forbidden this and restricted that, managing her more strictly than even their parents. She had felt stifled the entire time they had traveled together.
Compared to going to the western coast with Robb, she would much rather stay at the Wall, with Aegor and Jon, whom she liked better.
She turned and squeezed up next to Aegor, hugging his arm tightly. Arya would never have dared to act so undignified in front of her parents.
"Master!"
"What is it?" Aegor glanced down at her. Though they had always been close, there were still a few Winterfell soldiers nearby, and this behavior was far from appropriate.
Arya lowered her voice, speaking conspiratorially. "Later, tell Ser Rodrik that the snow is too heavy and not suitable for travel. Let me stay at the Wall for a few more days."
What's so good about staying in this cold place?
Aegor smiled helplessly. He could guess why Arya liked it here. In her eyes, the Night's Watch lands were probably like a childhood visit to her grandparents' house. Everything was interesting and, most importantly, there was no parental supervision. Naturally, she didn't want to leave.
Logically, now that Aegor was about to take over as Lord Commander and had countless matters to attend to, he didn't want to keep a troublemaking young lady at the Wall. But Arya had helped him a lot just two days ago. He had promised to take her to see the weirwood tree if there was a chance. A man must keep his word.
"Your brother entrusted you to Ser Rodrik. Would my words really make a difference?"
"They'll absolutely work. Don't be fooled by Ser Rodrik's stern and fierce face. He's actually very easy to talk to. Drink some wine with him tonight, chat for a while, and once he's drunk, bring it up. He definitely won't say no."
She had even thought out the method and the process. This little imp.
Seeing that Aegor was still hesitant, Arya shook his arm forcefully. "Hey, who was it that said all sweet and mushy two days ago that they'd dote on me? Don't go back on your word!"
"Alright, alright. I'll try... but behave yourself in public." Aegor looked up and saw Ser Rodrik approaching with a puzzled expression, as if he were trying to overhear their whispers. Aegor quickly waved off Arya, coughed, and addressed everyone with a serious tone. "Alright, the Warden of the North has left. The weather is terrible. Let's return to Ice Mark City and warm ourselves by the fire."
---
In this world, everyone has their place.
Robb rushed to Deepwood Motte to lead the fight against the Ironborn. Aegor also needed to return to Castle Black as soon as possible to assume his duties. After staying in Ice Mark City for one final night, he set out with his men and returned to Castle Black without much delay.
Arya had hoped Aegor would use the excuse of the snow to persuade Ser Rodrik to let her stay at the Wall. Unfortunately, her prediction turned out to be true. The snowfall only grew heavier with each passing day. After barely reaching Nightfort in such brutal conditions, Aegor kept his promise and let Arya spend a day there admiring the glowing heart tree. But then, the weather became too dangerous for travel, at least for someone like Lady Stark.
With no other choice, Aegor stayed at the ancient fortress for two more days, hoping for the storm to pass.
At such moments, the usefulness of ravens became clear. Even in weather too harsh for men to travel, the strongholds along the Wall stayed in contact thanks to the messenger birds. Denys Mallister's actions, including his withdrawal from the election, had the effect of a stone thrown into a still pond, sending ripples across the Wall.
Aegor had not expected that, because of this two-day delay, he would not only become the first foreign-born Lord Commander in Night's Watch history, but also the first to be elected while not even present at Castle Black.
Sam had sent the final voting numbers from Castle Black. After Aegor's efforts in recruiting, the total number of Night's Watch brothers had reached a fifty-year high of 1,205. On the final day of voting, abstentions also set a record: 219, nearly one-fifth. Of the remaining 986 valid votes, Aegor received 661. Just enough to barely pass the two-thirds threshold and bring the months-long election to an end. He was now the nine hundred and ninety-eighth Lord Commander of the Night's Watch.
In the detailed report that followed, Aegor learned why the election had ended earlier than expected. Of the 236 men at Shadow Tower, three abstained, five voted for Cotter Pyke, and the remaining 228 all voted for him.
Ser Denys Mallister had not only withdrawn from the race, which led to the high number of abstentions and thus lowered the threshold for victory, but also delivered nearly all of Shadow Tower's votes to Aegor. This made a bold statement about his control over the stronghold, and clearly signaled that he had struck a deal with Aegor.
Faced with such an overwhelming gesture of support, even Aegor had to admit that a Lord Commander's influence over a stronghold could be far greater than he had imagined.
This unmistakable signal finally broke the hesitation of the neutral faction at Castle Black. Once they learned of Denys's withdrawal, the undecided quickly made up their minds. On the third day after the field was reduced to two candidates, the vote was settled, and the Night's Watch had its next leader.
Through his timely withdrawal from the storm, his calculated return, his internal lobbying and external maneuvering, and the steady support from allies, Aegor, a transmigrator and brother of the Night's Watch, finally stood at the point where the journeys of many heroes and protagonists began. After nearly three years in this world, he now possessed territory that was fully under his control, both legally and in fact.
With his allies giving him such overwhelming support, was there any reason for him to hesitate? Even though the blizzard had only slightly weakened, the new Commander could no longer afford to wait. Ignoring Arya's complaints, Aegor left her behind at Nightfort and braved the wind and snow with his retinue to return to Castle Black ahead of schedule.
…
At the headquarters of the Night's Watch, the gates opened to welcome their new leader. Aegor led his party through them and returned to the familiar fortress, no longer seeing it from the same perspective.
Whether willingly or not, the officers and men of Castle Black, especially Aegor's supporters, gathered in the courtyard to welcome their new Commander.
Melisandre stood at the rear of the crowd with a faint, knowing smile. Her red robes were striking, but Aegor's attention was drawn elsewhere. Cotter Pyke and the Eastwatch-by-the-Sea contingent had not left, and the atmosphere felt heavy. Even Jon Snow and Samwell Tarly, usually his closest allies, were wearing somber expressions.
"What's going on? Why the long faces?" Aegor dismounted and walked toward his friends, speaking to Jon, who stood at the front.
"Maester Aemon passed away last night. Sam, who was caring for him, only discovered it this morning."
Jon was composed, but Sam looked like he might cry at any moment. "I really didn't expect it. Maester Aemon was still talking to me the day before yesterday. He held on until the end of the election, but now he doesn't even get to offer a single piece of advice to the nine hundred and ninety-eighth Commander."
Aegor was stunned.
Maester Aemon's declining health had long been evident. Having lived over a hundred years, his passing was hardly unexpected. It could even be called a natural death. Still, Aegor had not imagined that the first page of his new chapter as Lord Commander would begin this way.
If there was anyone he truly respected within the Night's Watch, Maester Aemon would always have a place on that list. He was not only wise and well-read, but also the physician of Castle Black and a benefactor to countless brothers, including Aegor himself. His passing was a deep loss for the Watch. That was no empty sentiment.
And Aegor had missed seeing him one last time... because he was taking Arya to see a tree?
A wave of regret swept over him. He looked around the courtyard and found he had no desire to carry out his inauguration plans. After a few moments of silence, he made a decision.
He turned and announced loudly, "Disperse for now. Maester Aemon's funeral will be held here in one hour. After that, I will speak to everyone and issue my first set of orders as Lord Commander."
…
The crowd dispersed, and Aegor walked toward the residential tower with Jon, Sam, and a few others.
"Did Maester Aemon leave any message for me before he passed?"
"Yes. He asked that you not take revenge on your opponents once you take office. He also suggested minimizing changes to the top positions within the Watch. If replacements are absolutely necessary, he prepared a list of recommended candidates for your reference."
These were terms Aegor had already agreed upon with Denys Mallister. He waved it off. "Keep the list. I know what I'm doing. Anything else?"
"No… nothing else," Sam sniffled, his face full of sorrow. "What should I do now? I still have so much I haven't learned."
"Figure it out yourself, or ask others and discuss. There are always more solutions than problems." Aegor's tone was stern, scaring the panic off Sam's face. Then he softened. "I'm giving you your first task. Write to the Citadel. Tell them to send someone trustworthy, like Maester Aemon, or officially recognize your status as a Maester. Until then, you'll fill in. Then write to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. Order them to cooperate fully with unloading the Iron Bank's grain shipment, and while you're at it, summon Jaime back for me. That's all for now. We'll talk more tonight."
He turned to Jon. "Find someone to supervise the firewood preparations. We'll meet again at the funeral."
(To be continued.)
***
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