Chapter 233: A Long-term Meal Ticket
Two Wildlings with relatively minor injuries were dragged from their cells. After being fed and informed of the message they were to carry, the brothers of the Watch lowered them down from the Wall. The prisoners, ecstatic to regain their freedom after many days of confinement, scrambled out of the iron cage the moment it hit the ground and bolted, quickly vanishing into the vast expanse of the Haunted Forest.
With the three main strongholds and seven newly reactivated forts garrisoned and walled, the defenses of the Great Gorge and the entire length of the Wall were finally integrated. The frequency and scale of combat remained constant, and casualties occurred daily, but the Wildlings' hopes of crossing the Wall into the Gift grew increasingly slim. Through the beasts and birds controlled by skinchangers, the Free Folk could indeed track the distribution and movements of the Wall's defenders at any time. Unfortunately, the highest-quality scouts on the continent were paired with the worst-equipped, most undisciplined main force in the world.
Mance Rayder was merely a deserter from the Night's Watch; gathering a hundred Free Folk tribes under the shadow of the Wall was the limit of his capability. He was at his wit's end, unable to muster a force capable of breaking through a high-alert defensive line where every section was sentried and patrolled.
So long as the news that the Night's Watch was willing to negotiate reached the hands of the King-Beyond-the-Wall, he would have to take this olive branch and respond, no matter how much he doubted or how reluctant he felt.
The initiative was entirely in the hands of the Night's Watch.
...
The recruits brought by Melisandre and her followers were soon pressed into service, quickly assigned to various departments. Up until now, the Logistics Department had no subordinates other than Alliser Thorne—who served as the representative in King's Landing but was effectively a sidelined nuisance. Perhaps feeling somewhat guilty about this, Lord Commander Mormont readily agreed to Egger's request for manpower, transferring Humphery Hill to the Logistics Department.
With this, Egger finally had a true subordinate within the system. He appointed Humphery as the Chief Logistics Officer of Queenscrown to work alongside Yam, tasked with managing the construction and refinement of the Gift's trading market and easing the latter's burden.
After several days of busywork, Egger finally saw the long-awaited arrival of the Iron Bank's envoys.
Three Braavosi men, escorted by a small party of fully armed rangers, arrived at Castle Black. They rode through the newly constructed gates and dismounted in the center of the courtyard.
"Gentlemen, welcome to the headquarters of the Night's Watch, Castle Black," Egger greeted them proactively. "I am the Chief Logistics Officer of the Watch. Beside me is the Lord Commander, Jeor Mormont."
The leader of the three Braavosi, a man as tall and thin as a bamboo pole wearing a purple felt hat, spoke: "Tycho Nestoris. These two are my guards. I have come at the instruction of the Iron Bank to offer assistance to the Night's Watch." He removed his hat and bowed. "My thanks to you both and the brothers of the Watch for your hospitality and escort. I hope we have caused no trouble."
"Of course not, sir. You are most welcome," Mormont said with a smile—at least this sentiment was genuine. "Would you prefer to come inside for hot soup and a meal, or perhaps visit the top of the Wall? The Wall is at its highest here at Castle Black; the view overlooking the Haunted Forest is unique in all the world."
"I have no doubt of it... but we have already experienced the view of the Haunted Forest at Eastwatch. Seeing it again from a few dozen feet higher holds little significance. After a full day of riding, I would prefer a warm, quiet room to discuss the purpose of our visit."
Mormont gave a knowing smile. "Understood. To my solar, then. Jon... go to the kitchen for some food and bring some mulled wine."
...
The fire in the hearth had died down somewhat, but the room was still far warmer than the outside. The Old Bear's raven shrieked "Corn!" to welcome them as they hung up their cloaks and coats and sat around the Lord Commander's desk.
Once the guests were seated, Egger spoke. "It's quite a coincidence; just a few days ago, I was planning to travel to Braavos myself to apply for a loan from the Iron Bank to weather our current difficulties. I didn't expect the Bank to send three of you to visit us proactively... Gentlemen, what brings you here?"
"We dare not call ourselves lords; we are merely minor functionaries of the Iron Bank." Despite his humble words, Tycho held his head high with pride—a right he certainly possessed. "Our purpose here is clear. The key figures in Braavos have heard of the troubles the Wall is facing and have authorized the Iron Bank to provide what help we can. We are prepared to offer the Night's Watch an interest-free loan to help the defenders of the Wall survive this crisis."
Egger and Mormont exchanged a glance, both somewhat stunned. This was almost farcical. It was understandable that the Iron Bank might have received intelligence about the wights from Jaqen H'ghar and feared an Other invasion of the Seven Kingdoms would make the Iron Throne's debts unrecoverable... but they were a bank, after all. To rush to the door and say, "I want to lend you money, interest-free"...
It was a bit too enthusiastic.
It was illogical. Egger's prepared arguments were rendered useless by that single sentence, and he was momentarily at a loss for words. After a moment's thought, a memory surfaced: before Jaqen had bid him farewell, he had promised to pay a ransom and said it would arrive within months. Could this proactive loan and the waived interest be the ransom the Faceless Man had promised that day?
If this guess was true, the influence of a high-ranking Faceless Man over the various powers in Braavos was far greater than anticipated. Egger studied the three men before him, wondering if one of them was Jaqen H'ghar wearing a new face.
"Of course, there are conditions. We require the Night's Watch industries as collateral and wish to station observers within the Watch's sphere of control to ensure the loan is used for the defense of the Wall... Additionally, if you are to purchase supplies from outside Westeros, priority must be given to Braavos."
Was the Iron Bank's goal to use the Gift as a breach to penetrate Westeros? Or was it to use this loan as a lever to create an opportunity to swallow the Night's Watch industries? Egger grew suspicious; with Stannis on the Iron Throne, neither seemed likely to succeed easily.
After pondering for a moment, Egger decided to push his suspicions to the back of his mind. With the Wall's supply chain on the verge of collapse and the survival of thousands at stake, could he really reject such life-saving coal in the snow over mere shadows of doubt?
Instead of overthinking, it was better to secure more practical benefits. "Reasonable requests. However, we have a small hope of our own—manpower at the Wall is currently tight, and those capable of independent business are few. We hope the Iron Bank can issue the loan directly in the form of food aid."
The Braavosi raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Does the Logistics Officer mean that the Iron Bank should arrange for people to purchase the food and hire ships to transport it to the Wall?"
"If that can be done, it would be for the best."
Tycho laughed. "I had heard the Chief Logistics Officer was capable of seizing every available person and opportunity; seeing you now, it is indeed true."
Egger shrugged, taking it as a compliment. "Do you agree?"
"My orders are to provide as much help as possible within permitted limits. Everything is negotiable... however, we must specify every detail clearly. Is that acceptable?"
"Certainly."
"Very well, let us begin. But first, some drink. I am parched."
Out of respect, Egger maintained the appearance that Mormont was the master of the house, drawing him in to negotiate with the envoys in his presence.
In reality, however, the Old Bear was completely out of his depth when it came to discussing contracts. Egger and Tycho spent two or three hours listing terms and discussing details. By the time the final result was reached and both Egger and Commander Mormont signed the contract Tycho had drafted, Jon Snow's legs were numb from standing.
The Iron Bank would provide a loan capped at one hundred thousand Golden Dragons and take responsibility for converting this sum into grain and fodder delivered to the Wall. However, the price would be based on the real-time grain price in Braavos on the day the ships docked at Eastwatch. Furthermore... all costs incurred in this process—including personnel wages, ship charter fees, and losses or compensation in the event of an accidental shipwreck—would be charged to the account of the Night's Watch. That is, they would be deducted from the one hundred thousand Golden Dragons.
Once this winter passed, the Night's Watch would have twenty years to repay the loan.
"Are you sure this is a good idea... that Tycho fellow even told us flat out that after all costs are calculated, we are essentially getting grain at twice the price we would pay in the North." After escorting the envoys out and getting them settled, Mormont asked in an uncertain tone. "In other words, we will ultimately receive about fifty thousand dragons' worth of food, yet we suddenly owe them a hundred thousand... that 'interest-free' claim was just a fancy name. They played a little trick and took the interest in another way!"
It looked like a scam, but as the man in charge of the Night's Watch industries who understood the process of making money, Egger knew that the Iron Bank was being anything but black-hearted in this transaction; they were helping in good faith. "They are merchants; you can't expect them to gain nothing at all... The thought of receiving fifty thousand dragons' worth of food while owing a hundred thousand is indeed troubling at first glance, but the truth is—if they gave us the hundred thousand directly and let us handle it, we wouldn't necessarily be able to buy as much food as the Braavosi can provide. Most importantly, we got all this just by signing our names. Even if there is a price to pay, it won't be for another twenty years!"
"Fine. Since the industries are the collateral anyway," Mormont shrugged. "I expect I'll be dead by then... Forget it, I won't worry about it. It's your creation; tinker with it as you like. I have no objection."
"Thank you for your support, Lord Commander," Egger said sincerely.
...
Walking out of the room where he had spent half the day, the sights of Castle Black remained the same, yet in Egger's eyes, everything had completely changed. There was truly no turning back for him now. There were countless people who offended kings yet lived comfortably, but no one could break an agreement with the Iron Bank and escape retribution.
Until the moment he signed his name, he had the chance to quietly liquidate the Night's Watch industries as much as possible and flee across the Narrow Sea with the cash to live in seclusion, far away from the mess at the Wall, enjoying the life of a wealthy man... but driven by something that could be called ambition or perhaps a drive for progress, he had chosen the opposite.
Like a gambler who had won money, he wanted to try for something even bigger. Now, he had put all the chips he had previously won—the industries and his current status—back on the table.
The bets were placed. He had no time for regret or indecision. Egger's expression turned resolute: the long-term food supply was settled. Before the first ship of grain from Braavos reached Eastwatch, he had to figure out how to get the food needed for next month, and the month after that, from the Wildlings.
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