At last, the moment had arrived.
Aegor abandoned his casual posture, straightened his back, and quickly recalled the words he had prepared long ago.
"I fight for you to fulfill my promise, not for rewards, Your Grace," he said with precisely the right amount of righteous conviction. In front of people like Tyrion Lannister and Denys Mallister, he could openly be himself, but before Daenerys, he always maintained his carefully cultivated image. "Being able to share Your Grace's burdens, help fulfill your dreams and aspirations, and bring you happiness and satisfaction is the greatest reward I could receive."
That damned tenderness!
Although reason told Daenerys that these might merely be flattering words, her heart still fluttered despite herself.
"I am deeply moved by what you said." She coughed and expressed her true feelings in a joking tone, trying to prevent her voice from betraying her emotions. Even so, it still came out sounding somewhat like a playful reproach. "But you should know that this is not the answer I want. If the person who has rendered the greatest service receives no fitting reward, others will think that I am neither clear nor fair in dispensing rewards and punishments. Even if you do not care what others think, it would still make me uneasy if my most trusted and beloved advisor did not dare express his desires to me. Surely that is reason enough, is it not?"
He could not answer such a question without even pausing to think. Aegor remained silent for a moment, pretending to consider it, before speaking again with a resolute expression.
"Since Your Grace puts it that way, I do have several wishes that I ask you to grant," he said frankly, no longer hesitating. "First, I believe history has proven that the original system of the Night's Watch is no longer practical. The Night's Watch was founded to defend against the White Walkers, but as the centuries passed, it gradually became little more than a force protecting the North from the wildlings. The Empire's territory now extends northward to Thenn. I therefore propose that the lands on both sides of the Wall, including the Gift and the territories surrounding the Dreadfort and Karhold, be combined into a new region called the Wall Territory. It would hold a status equal to the North and answer directly to the Crown. In peacetime, it would serve as a counterweight to the North. When the Great Other attacks again, it could arm itself locally and become the first line of defense."
In essence, this meant secularizing the Night's Watch's sphere of influence and annexing two former northern lordships.
Roose Bolton had openly defected from House Stark and would certainly be pleased to swear allegiance elsewhere. House Karstark, meanwhile, still bore the heavy stigma of rebellion and treason after refusing to answer the summons during the Gift Army's southern campaign. Escaping complete destruction at the small price of humiliation and territorial punishment was already a blessing. With the many noble houses of the Reach that had been wiped out serving as a warning, the Karstarks were unlikely to dare voice much complaint.
As for House Stark, the royal government had already included compensation for the loss of those two territories when distributing the spoils of war. Whether the Starks were satisfied with that compensation was another matter.
The newly established Wall Territory would be a vast administrative region with more than a hundred thousand inhabitants and an area approaching one-third the size of the North. Such an enormous frontier territory, far from the capital, could not possibly be governed remotely and would require considerable local authority. As its de facto ruler, the power to appoint officials and distribute authority would belong entirely to Aegor. Once this arrangement was established, even without any formal title or rank, he would become the true Lord of the Wall Territory, an uncrowned king beyond the North.
"Granted," Daenerys replied without hesitation.
She was merely allowing matters to follow their natural course. Aegor had conquered the territory himself, while she had contributed nothing to the campaign, so she had no reason to obstruct or oppose him.
"You may decide all related matters yourself. There is no need to submit further requests or reports. Should you require financial support, discuss it with Tyrion and simply inform me of the result."
"Thank you, Your Grace!" Aegor was not surprised and immediately continued. "Next are the soldiers of the Gift Army and the people of the Gift who followed me south. They have endured bloody battles and rendered great service. After witnessing the warmth and prosperity of the south, forcing them to return to the bitter cold of the far north would be far too cruel. I ask Your Grace to grant them land in the south where they may settle and live."
"The Stormlands have been abolished, but Storm's End still stands. Only the person who has rendered the greatest service is worthy of entering and ruling that ancient and mighty castle. More than that, I will grant you all the land between the Wendwater and Shipbreaker Bay. You may settle the people of the Gift wherever you choose within that territory."
This arrangement had naturally not been made on a whim. Although the Gift and the lands beyond the Wall were vast, their populations were far too small to match the scale of Aegor's achievements. Daenerys had therefore added Storm's End and half the Stormlands to his reward.
With this, Aegor instantly became the ruler of the Wall Territory and half the Stormlands. The power and resources under his control rose at once to a level comparable to those of the other six kingdoms. Finding land for tens of thousands of people during peacetime would normally have been fraught with difficulty, but after a great war and a long winter, the one thing Westeros did not lack was empty land.
Best of all, this arrangement would make the Gift Army and the remnants of the Golden Company neighbors. The two groups, both composed largely of hardened soldiers and former enemies, could be left to restrain and balance each other, thereby making the Empire more stable.
"On behalf of every soldier in the Gift Army, I thank Your Grace for this reward!" The arrangement had already met Aegor's expectations, so he had no objections. "There is one final request, though I fear it may be asking too much. I hope it will not trouble Your Grace."
He composed himself and drew a deep breath.
"I have traveled thousands of miles and crossed the Sunset Sea. I once believed I had seen every kind of scenery and every sort of person the world had to offer. But someone as extraordinary as Your Grace, possessing such lofty ideals, unyielding determination, kindness, generosity, and personal grace, was a person I once could not even imagine existed, much less hope to meet twice."
"I wish to remain at Your Grace's side for many years, devoting my abilities, wisdom, and life to serving you, this newborn dynasty, and the Empire!"
It sounded like a declaration of love, and in truth, it was not far from one.
Fundamentally, however, what drove Aegor to ask to remain beside Daenerys was not simple admiration for the most beautiful woman in the world. It was his desire to remain at the center of power.
After removing Petyr and Varys, no one else in the world was qualified to compete with him for the position of Hand of the Queen. But remaining in that position required him to stay close to the Crown rather than retire to govern his own lands.
The Wall Territory and half the Stormlands appeared immensely impressive. Yet even under ideal conditions, their combined strength would probably rank only somewhere between that of the North and Dorne. Moreover, Aegor was a foreigner rather than a lord born among the people he would govern.
For a man from another world like Aegor, becoming a petty king in some distant corner of the realm offered far less intrinsic value, practical influence, personal achievement, or fulfillment than remaining at the heart of government, where he could command the resources of the entire Empire.
As someone walking the dangerous line of having achievements great enough to overshadow his ruler, Aegor knew he was fortunate. The dynastic politics of this world were still in an early stage. Westeros had not yet produced infamous examples of royal relatives, powerful ministers, or great generals seizing the throne. Its political struggles had not yet reached such depths of ruthlessness or cruelty. As long as Aegor did not become the first to attempt such a thing, it would be difficult for Daenerys to suspect and guard against him as though he were an enemy.
Furthermore, they were an unmarried man and woman who shared the same ideals and goals. That alone further reduced the likelihood of conflict between them.
Faced with Aegor's final request, Daenerys did not immediately agree.
It was not because she was unwilling. She had simply decided to be a little playful.
"Before I answer, there happens to be a problem for which I need someone's advice." A smile curved across Daenerys's lips, effortless yet captivating. "The burden of carrying an entire empire alone is truly too heavy for a young woman like me. Over the past two days, I have increasingly felt that I need a husband to share that burden. As my Hand, what are your thoughts on the matter?"
(To be continued.)