Chapter 63: Irreconcilable Conflicts of Interest
"Mm." Ned gave his usual steady nod as a greeting. He held the reins from his saddle without dismounting, observing the fledgling Night's Watch office for a moment before offering a faint, intrigued smile. "It looks quite professional. When can you begin recruiting?"
"Within two or three days; I'll move as fast as possible," Egger replied. "This office won't just handle recruitment; in the future, all grain, equipment, and funds donated by the lords and smallfolk of the Seven Kingdoms will be processed, recorded, and transferred to the Wall through here."
"I see—" Ned mused for a moment. "Where did the coin to buy all this come from?"
"A donation from Lord Tyrion Lannister. He even assigned a guard to help me," Egger answered without hesitation, introducing the youth to the Hand. "This is Jakken."
Realizing he couldn't hide, the young guard stepped forward to greet the Hand. Unlike Egger's calm composure, he was visibly nervous—and for good reason. Everyone knew the relationship between House Stark and House Lannister was frosty at best.
Ned had been wondering why a "red cloak" was present, but now that the mystery was solved, he wasn't about to lower himself by bullying a guard. He glanced at Jakken, nodding in response to the greeting, then turned to a short man behind him. "The wildlings beyond the Wall are restless, and the Night's Watch is facing a crisis. Even if the treasury is tight, we must offer symbolic support. Go and arrange a sum to be allocated to the Watch; mark it under defense spending."
"My Lord?" The short man hadn't expected to be put on the spot so suddenly, his face immediately twisting into an expression of feigned innocence. "The Crown's finances..."
"There is no room for negotiation. This is the legitimate business of defending the realm. You can find the prize money for a tourney, yet you're short on this? You're the Master of Coin; isn't that your job?" Ned didn't budge an inch. "I won't make it difficult for you. A few dozen or a hundred gold dragons will suffice to help the Night's Watch find its footing here. The rest depends on his own talent."
"Very well. Since it is the Hand's command, I suppose I shall have to find a way."
Ned ignored the man's sarcasm and turned to the other side. "Jory, stay here with Arya and wait for us. Lord Baelish and I have business to attend to."
"Yes, my Lord!"
"What?! You promised to take me shopping! How can you have 'business' the moment we step out! I'm going wherever you go!"
A sharp protest rang out, and only then did Egger notice a young girl among the group. Even without a close look, he could guess this was Arya Stark, the hand's younger daughter. And the short man Ned had ordered to find funds—if Egger wasn't mistaken—was the greatest stirrer of chaos in the Seven Kingdoms, the man who saw chaos as a ladder: Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish!
Because he looked slightly different from the image Egger remembered from the show, he hadn't recognized the man until Ned spoke his name. Knowing his identity now, Egger couldn't help but steal a few more glances—first understanding the origin of the nickname, then feeling a jolt of alarm as if waking from a dream. He had been so preoccupied with Melisandre's words and his own schemes these past few days that he had almost forgotten the original plot was still rolling forward like a wheel on a slope!
...
"The place I'm taking the Hand is no place for a child," the short man said to Arya with a sly grin and a wink. "Especially a girl."
"I am not a child!"
"Be good. I'll come back and continue our walk later. And Egger—keep up the good work. Don't go causing trouble."
Ned smiled to soothe his daughter, gave the Watchman a pointed warning, and then led Littlefinger and the remaining guards away down the street.
High-ranking leaders are busy people; they come and go in a flash. The company disappeared around the corner of the street almost instantly. Arya grumbled loudly about her father's broken promise, while the Captain of the Guard did his best to comfort his sulking lady... Only Egger stood staring in the direction Lord Stark had gone, lost in thought.
Don't cause trouble... Was that a hint not to run his mouth about Joffrey's assassination attempt on Bran? Was the funding Ned ordered Littlefinger to provide intended as hush money in addition to supporting the Wall?
No, that petty drama was irrelevant. With Eddard Stark's honorable nature, Ned wouldn't kill him in cold blood even if he discovered the Joffrey story was a fabrication. What mattered was: what was Littlefinger doing with him right now?
Based on the dialogue, Egger reconstructed the situation: Arya had been bored and begged to go out; Ned couldn't say no and agreed to take her shopping; they ran into Littlefinger at the door, and after a brief exchange, Ned changed his mind and decided to follow him first.
...
In the original plot, there was no scene of Ned taking his daughter shopping, but the story had changed. The Starks hadn't blamed the Lannisters for Bran's fall or the assassination attempt; Catelyn hadn't sneaked into King's Landing or seized Tyrion on her way back, triggering the wolf-and-lion conflict... Thus, Jaime hadn't fought Ned, and the fifty Stark guards were all very much alive. Ned might have argued with Robert about the assassination of Daenerys Targaryen, but that wouldn't break their deep bond. So, he was still here, serving as Hand.
Under this veneer of peace, it was understandable for a father to take his youngest daughter out for a bit of fun while investigating the previous Hand's death. But for a father to ditch his promise to his daughter, it had to be serious business. What serious business would Littlefinger have with Ned?
"They seem to be heading toward the inn where we're staying."
Jakken's observation snapped Egger out of his thoughts. Paired with Littlefinger's comment to Arya...
What place is unsuitable for children, especially girls? He recalled the reason Tyrion had insisted on the Albatross Inn the day they arrived: "The Red keep is too far from my favorite brothel!"
He reached a conclusion in seconds: "They're likely going to the Street of Silk!"
"Huh?" As Tyrion's guard, Jakken knew exactly what the Street of Silk was for. He had even spent coin there with his master. But after his initial realization, he looked hesitant. "But... Lord Stark doesn't look like the type to visit a brothel."
"One doesn't go to a brothel only for the girls." Egger's pupils dilated as more plot details flooded his mind. He remembered exactly what this was.
...
Littlefinger's ultimate goal was to incite civil war and profit from the fallout. This top-tier player of the Game of Thrones could find opportunity in any accident or surprise. He wouldn't set aside his ambition just because Catelyn hadn't come to town; even without that Tully woman, he had found a way to link up with Ned.
Without Catelyn's misplaced guarantee, Ned's initial trust in Littlefinger would be significantly lower. But for a max-level player: If you're brave enough to speak to me, I'm brave enough to lie to you!
Right now, the city's master of chaos was leading Ned to the Street of Silk to meet one of Robert's bastards. By pretending to help Ned investigate Jon Arryn's death, Littlefinger would eventually lead Ned to discover for himself the true parentage of Cersei's children.
And then? The rigid, honorable Ned would get his friend Robert and himself killed. Renly would flee King's Landing with his lover to claim a crown. Stannis would resolve to defend his legal right. Robb, still a boy, would be thrust onto the stage as the King in the North and foolishly release Theon Greyjoy... The War of the Five Kings would begin.
Egger was confident in the success of his Night's Watch Bonds because of Tyrion's help and the fact that human greed is universal across cultures and eras... but war would utterly destroy the soil in which finance—and financial scams—grow. Imagine a world of fire and sword where no one knows if they'll see tomorrow. No matter how high a return you offer, who would have the courage to hand their gold to someone else?
In King's Landing, a Watchman like Egger could avoid an incompetent Robert, a stupid Joffrey, or a cruel Cersei... but no one can escape the chaos and war Petyr Baelish intends to manufacture.
Egger's plan required peace. Ambitious men like Littlefinger... their interests were in irreconcilable conflict with his own. He had to sabotage the man's plan.
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