Chapter 39: The Butterfly Flaps Its Wings
"Egger, why aren't you going?" Will's eyes widened as he grabbed him in terror. "Is it because everyone on this patrol is going to die? Is it!"
The sky was barely gray with the first light of dawn. While most of the Night's Watch were still deep in sleep, Egger had risen early. He wanted to catch a glimpse of the party that was originally supposed to include him—the group venturing beyond the Wall at daybreak to find traces of the White Walkers—and see them off.
Faced with Will's question that pierced straight to the truth, Egger was momentarily speechless. He could only grip his companion's hand just as tightly. "Don't let your imagination run wild. I've simply been assigned other duties."
"It must be! It has to be!" Ever since Egger's words had saved his life, Will had developed a blind, almost superstitious devotion to him. Hearing that Egger wouldn't be joining the patrol, coupled with the strange look on his face, a wave of dark foreboding washed over the poacher. He cried out in panic: "Lord Benjen! Those who go on this patrol won't come back! The Others are waiting for us in the Haunted Forest! We must not leave the Wall!"
"Stop that nonsense!" A few paces away, Benjen Stark, who was already cinching his saddle, turned to glare at his subordinate. He stuffed rations into his saddlebags. "Do you have any idea how much pressure the Lord Commander faced or how much effort he spent just to prove you three weren't deserters? Get ready and mount up immediately. We leave now!"
Egger realized he had let his guard slip. He quickly adopted a look of divinely inspired certainty and pressed his obsidian dagger into Will's hand, offering a kind lie: "Keep this safe. Watch your back. You'll make it back."
Egger woke up again.
Since coming face-to-face with an Other, being hunted by it, and eventually killing one in a harrowing close-quarters struggle, his understanding of humanity's ancient enemy had become far more visceral. Ironically, the nightmares about them had faded, no longer haunting him.
Instead, they were replaced by the image of Benjen Stark, Will, and the other elite rangers mounting their horses and entering the pitch-black tunnel of the Wall, resolutely heading toward a reconnaissance mission from which they would likely never return. He could still vividly recall the tense, bewildered expression on Will's face as he reluctantly mounted his horse after being scolded by the First Ranger.
Benjen Stark and the others were heading north to confirm the existence of the Others, but Will was being forced to face them again, knowing full well the horror they represented. Compared to Benjen and the other elites, Will would likely be tormented by fear for much longer.
He wondered where the patrol was now. Had they found the Others? Were they... still alive?
Hot spring water flowed through the pipes within the walls, the geothermal heat keeping the room as warm as spring. Egger sat amidst the soft, comfortable bedding, but his heart felt too heavy to move.
This was a guest room in Winterfell. A few days after Benjen and his patrol had ventured north, Egger had left the Wall alongside Yoren and Tyrion. Because they had been attacked by wildlings on their way back to the Wall, Commander Mormont had generously assigned ten rangers to escort the party south—partly to protect the Queen's brother, but mostly to safeguard the provider of the Legion's next shipment of supplies. They had arrived at Winterfell at dusk the previous day and were settled in.
This wasn't his own home, after all. After lying in bed with a tangled mind for a while, Egger dressed, packed his things, and pushed open the door.
The cold air hit his face. The sky was as early as it had been in his dream. The training grounds were empty, save for a few Winterfell guards practicing. The King's party had taken Lord Stark, his two daughters, and more than a quarter of the castle's guards and servants with them. The castle was currently emptier than it had been since the last war. Because of this, when Egger, Tyrion, Yoren, the ten rangers, and two Lannister servants arrived, the steward had easily arranged a private room for each of them. Egger's room was even more spacious and comfortable than the one he stayed in during his first visit.
Unfortunately, such luxury would only last for a day; they were set to depart again tomorrow. Once they reached the South, Night's Watch would no longer be a term of respect.
Before that, he had something very important... crucially important, to confirm.
"Miss, I have something to ask you—"
"I am no lady, ser. Ask whatever you require." The maid he called out to stopped and replied respectfully. With the King and the gaggle of nobles gone, the Night's Watch were the most honored guests. Though they shared the same lower social rung, she didn't dare be dismissive.
"I'm no lord either," Egger said with a smile. "It's nothing major, just curious. When your second youngest fell, I was the one who found him. How is he doing now?"
"He has woken up, though he isn't in good spirits. His mind seems to have been affected as well; there are many things he cannot remember."
"I see..." Egger frowned. This was still consistent with the original plot. "Has anything else happened while I was away at the Wall?"
"Has anything happened? Many things. Which do you mean? The most notable, I suppose, would be the fire in the Library Tower. Such a shame, all those books lost."
The Library Tower still caught fire. Egger's heart sank, and he immediately pressed: "And Lady Stark? Is she well?"
The maid gave him a peculiar look. What business did a Man of the Night's Watch have asking after the health of the Lady of Winterfell? If she didn't know her lady's character, she might have suspected some scandalous connection. "She is well enough. She doesn't read much, so the fire didn't hurt her. She spent her days in tears by Lord Bran's side before, never leaving him, but now that the boy has woken, she is much better."
"Is she still here in Winterfell?"
"She is. Why do you ask?" The maid's brow furrowed; the conversation was becoming increasingly odd.
Egger watched her expression, certain she wasn't hiding anything. The answer he sought had come so easily that the weight on his chest vanished instantly. For a moment, he didn't even know what to say. His gamble to flap his wings as a tiny butterfly had finally produced a significant ripple. It proved that there was no unseen hand forcing the plot back on track. The story had changed—he didn't have to worry about Tyrion being intercepted by Catelyn Stark on the road!
"Thank you. That's all."
"You're welcome. Breakfast is ready in the Great Hall if you're hungry." The maid had no idea what to make of the stranger's odd questions and shifting expressions. She blinked, gave a polite nod, and hurried away with her bundle.
With one of his two great anxieties resolved, he now only had to worry about how to handle his mountain of tasks. After days of thinking, he hadn't found a permanent solution, but a preliminary plan for the short term had begun to take shape. Egger felt his step lighten. After washing up, he made his way to the Great Hall. After finishing his breakfast, he encountered a guard on his way back to his room.
"Brother of the Night's Watch!"
"Yes?"
"The Acting Lord of Winterfell is receiving guests in the Great Hall. Please come with me."
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