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Chapter 183 - Chapter 183 : The Traitor

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When a corpse turns into a wight, its blood thickens and the body stops decaying. These reanimated monsters have glowing blue eyes.

Pyp told Cole that the Night's Watch believed wights might retain some memories from before death, but they lose all reason and humanity. For instance, when Othor (formerly Jeff Flowers) was resurrected as a wight, he killed five Night's Watch brothers.

Even when his limbs or head were severed, the detached parts continued to move. They eventually had to chop Othor into tiny pieces to stop the rampage. Another wight, Jafer Flowers, burned the Lord Commander's Tower to ashes.

"Wights are afraid of fire," Grenn said, quite certain.

Cole didn't stay on the Wall for long. Grenn and Pyp accompanied him along the top of the Wall, and then they descended in an iron cage.

They walked to the great hall, where the Night's Watch brothers were gathered. As Cole entered, the hall, which had been buzzing with noise, suddenly fell silent. Every brother in black turned to stare at him. The Night's Watch from Eastwatch, brought by Janos Slynt and Alliser Thorne, huddled together, while the brothers from Castle Black were dispersed. Maester Aemon sat in the hall, too, with Clydas attending to him.

After a moment of scanning, the wooden hall slowly aligned with Cole's memories, though sadly, much had changed. The table in the right corner was Cole's favorite spot, a little farther from the fireplace, but from there, he could watch all the brawls among the Night's Watch brothers. He remembered the Old Bear, Jeor Mormont, sitting in the main seat, and the master-at-arms, Donal Noye. Now, their usual seats were empty and neglected.

People in the hall expected him to go to the main table, but Cole simply returned to his familiar corner. Along the way, a few brothers greeted him, and Cole nodded back until he reached the table. He reached out and touched the oak table, scarred with knife marks and holes.

"I'll get us some food," Pyp said.

Sitting in his old spot, Cole didn't feel at home. The Castle Black hall only made him feel out of place. He no longer belonged here after leaving the Wall.

Pyp brought roasted pork and onions, garlic sausage, blueberry pudding, and a pot of wine. Cole knew this was a lavish meal for the Night's Watch. Only on special occasions or name days would the Lord Steward, Bowen Marsh, treat the brothers to such a feast.

When Pyp set down the plate, Grenn immediately grabbed some roast pork and began eating. Cole had eaten far better food than this. At the King's Landing wedding, he had seen a feast of seventy-seven dishes. Cole only sampled a few bites of the onions and blueberry pudding, then slowly drank his wine.

Grenn chewed on a piece of garlic sausage and asked, "Should we send some to Jon?"

Pyp glanced at Cole.

"The Old Pomegranate will surely prepare something for him." This was the steward's nickname.

"I always thought he was just a Stark bastard, but I never expected him to be a Targaryen prince," Grenn said, swallowing his sausage. When he was rescued, Lord Eddard Stark was still alive and wanted to see Jon, but Jon was unconscious at the time. Later, Lord Eddard asked his guard captain, Harwin, to write his will and words for Jon. Many Night's Watch brothers were present then.

"He's still a bastard," Pyp corrected. As a former performer, he had traveled much of the Seven Kingdoms and knew more about Prince Rhaegar's story than Grenn. "Jon's mother, Lyanna Stark, was taken by Rhaegar's arrogance."

"What should his surname be then?" Grenn asked, puzzled.

"Waters. The surname for royal bastards is Waters," Cole explained.

"Jon Waters?" Grenn repeated.

"He can certainly keep the name Snow, just like Brynden Rivers, the Bloodraven, and Aegor Rivers, Bittersteel." No one said bastards had to use their father's surname. "If the king wills it, Jon's surname could even be changed to Targaryen."

"Jon could be king?!" Grenn exclaimed in disbelief.

"Fool, Jon joined the Night's Watch. He can't be king anymore," Pyp reminded him.

"Just because of that brat?" Grenn's voice carried, catching the attention of Ser Alliser Thorne. He stood up and declared loudly, "Does Lord Snow not only wish to be a wildling, but also to sit on the Iron Throne? Does he intend to have a wildling queen?"

"That's outrageous!" Slynt, a man built like a barrel, bellowed in response. "Does this crow wish to be a usurper? How can he trample on his sacred oath again and again? In my opinion, he must be punished."

"I am no crow, nor a usurper!" A hoarse roar suddenly came from outside the hall. Jon, leaning heavily on a cane, stood in the cold wind, his face filled with indignation. His leg injury had mostly healed, and he hadn't suffered new wounds in the battle beyond the Wall.

"Lord Snow is finally here," Alliser Thorne said with a sneer.

The thudding sound of Jon's cane echoed through the hall.

"You keep claiming innocence, so let me ask you: who killed Qhorin Halfhand?" Slynt challenged him.

"I killed him," Jon admitted, "but it was his command. He was worried Mance Rayder had found the Horn of Winter, so he ordered me to infiltrate the wildlings and find out."

"The Horn of Winter? That nonsense is as absurd as those who claimed to see a dragon at Eastwatch. Then I ask you, have you seen the Horn of Winter?" Alliser pressed.

Jon bit his lip tightly, but still shook his head. There was no Horn of Winter to be found.

"Then do you deny sleeping with a wildling woman?" Slynt pushed further.

Jon still shook his head, offering no denial.

"So you admit you are an oathbreaker?"

"I admit I broke my oath not to be intimate with women." He added, "But half the men at Castle Black visit the brothel in Mole's Town to 'dig for treasure.'"

"My lords, if you wish to judge Jon's guilt, it must be decided by the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch," Maester Aemon interrupted their badgering of Jon. "Donal Noye and I have accepted Jon's explanation."

"You are not the Lord Commander, Maester," Slynt informed him.

Maester Aemon raised his head slightly. "I have sent ravens to Eastwatch and the Shadow Tower. The Night's Watch will soon be here to elect a new Lord Commander."

"I hope so, Maester," Slynt said, glancing at Jon before sitting down.

"I swear, I have never betrayed," Jon declared loudly. "I have never taken up arms against my brothers or the kingdom I protect. I swear it."

He turned, limped with his cane towards the door, and gradually disappeared into the swirling wind and snow. The snow falling from the sky felt strangely out of place.

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