Chapter 307: A "Gentleman's" Agreement
The influence of the Logistics Department loomed over every newly activated fort.
Long before Denys Mallister had finished gathering insider information from Rickard Karstark, Egger had already learned from his eyes and ears that more Watchmen had arrived at IceMark.
However, he neither cared much about the news, nor did he know that the Commander of the Shadow Tower himself had arrived. Most of all, he never expected the man to seek him out so quickly.
"Ser Denys!" After a moment of surprise, a warm smile spread across Egger's face. "Your presence truly graces IceMark. I wonder if you are here on official business, or perhaps you are curious about the living conditions of the New Gift residents and wish to have a tour?"
"Official business, and it concerns you." Denys stood impassively at the door, glancing at the room full of Night's Watch Industries employees huddled together, likely discussing another grand plan. "Lord Chief Logistics Officer, is it convenient to speak in private?"
Egger had already guessed what the man wanted to discuss. His basic etiquette and upbringing kept him from showing a smug grin; he deliberately waited three seconds before nodding and signaling his subordinates to leave.
Those in the room were Egger's confidants. They not only knew the ins and outs of the situation but had just been discussing the arrival of a messenger from the Shadow Tower moments ago. Seeing Ser Denys now, they didn't need to think twice to know why he was here—he had found he was too late to lodge a complaint, and not wanting his trip to be in vain, he had come to negotiate.
Though they obeyed Egger's order and filed out of the room, many couldn't resist casting contemptuous or mocking glances at the old man as they passed.
Denys remained unmoved as he cleared the doorway. Once the room was empty and the door closed, he stepped toward the table where the group had been meeting. "I must say, the younger generation is not to be underestimated. I have to express my admiration for the way you handled this crisis."
"Methods and means? You flatter me. I simply told the truth and eventually won the forgiveness of the Northern lords through sincerity." Without Arya's tip-off and Bolton's cover, he never would have passed this ordeal so easily. But such secrets were not to be shared with outsiders—especially rivals. "I wonder, Ser Denys, what brings you here?"
As they were still rivals, the old knight perfectly understood the distance and wariness Egger displayed. He surveyed the room's furnishings as he approached Egger, coming close enough to hear each other without effort. "This election has wasted too much of the Night's Watch's time. I am here to settle this mess."
"To choose the right person, spending time is worthwhile." Egger asked with a thin smile, playing dumb: "I wonder how Ser Denys intends to 'settle this mess'?"
"A trade—you agree to a few of my conditions, I withdraw from the election for Lord Commander, and I instruct the men of the Shadow Tower to cast their votes for you."
"I respect you, Ser Denys, and I am eager for your support... but not in this manner." The smile vanished from Egger's face instantly. He pulled a long face, adopting a firm posture of rejection. "I prefer the righteous path, winning what I deserve through merit, rather than through some backroom, filthy exchange of interests."
Had they not already clashed several times, giving him a certain understanding of the young man, Denys might have felt ashamed before Egger's righteous facade. But now, Denys knew well: tonight's deal would inevitably be struck. His opponent's display was merely to create and strengthen a seller's market atmosphere, attempting to take the upper hand from the start to bargain for a better price.
With victory in his grasp, he was indeed entitled to put on airs.
"I am old, Egger." Denys shook his head with a smile, hung his heavy coat on a rack by the wall, and sat in a chair without an invitation. "My mind is no longer as flexible; I can no longer engage you in brilliant debates about worldviews or ethics... There are no outsiders here. Permit me to briefly shed my 'outer garments'." He spoke with a double meaning before dropping a bombshell. "I believe everything in this world can be traded: honor, chastity, loyalty, respect... as long as the timing is right and the price is reasonable. Instead of talking about 'filthy' or 'clean' bullshit, why not first hear what I have to offer?"
Egger truly hadn't expected a man who cherished his reputation as much as Ser Denys to let himself go to such an extent. Such rebellious words, sounding like a villain's lines in a story, were things one might think, but to say them aloud...
He's a damn straightforward man, Egger thought, finding it difficult to keep acting. As the man said, there were no outsiders here. Why not tear off the mask for once and have a hearty, honest negotiation?
Since the other man was sitting while he was standing, Egger felt he was at a disadvantage in posture. He flashed a smile devoid of acting and sat down as well. "Very well, I'm listening."
"Before you moved your troops to surround Castle Black, you had already secured more than half the votes—more than Pyke and I combined. Victory was imminent. With this incident, your support at Castle Black will drop off a cliff... but considering that of those five hundred votes, more than half are firm supporters of reform or simply people you brought into the Watch, it's imaginable that no matter how bad things get, your count won't drop below a third. No matter how much Pyke and I struggle, you stand undefeated. Becoming Lord Commander is only a matter of time."
Egger nodded. "Correct. That is my assessment as well. But that is my leverage. What can you provide?"
Denys raised his right hand, holding up three fingers. "An election victory months ahead of schedule, a loyal Commander of the Shadow Tower, and a chance to eliminate a risk directly."
"An election victory months ahead of schedule." The meaning was self-evident. When Egger decided to risk the mutiny, one of his major goals was to use this grand move to intimidate the wavering neutralists and speed up the election. He hadn't expected that before even one waverer was blown over, he would shake out a big fish like Denys Mallister. As the Commander of the Shadow Tower in charge of the Wall's second-largest fortress, the influence of Denys switching sides was immeasurable. If it weren't for the fact that he could no longer vote on behalf of all 236 men of the Shadow Tower, he could practically make Egger ignore the lost votes at Castle Black and win the election outright.
"A loyal Commander of the Shadow Tower." This was also easy to understand. Even as rivals, Egger never doubted Denys Mallister's character. If he resolved to support him, he would never pull petty moves afterward. Whether they were close didn't matter; as long as he executed orders without passive resistance, he could be considered loyal.
As for a chance to eliminate a risk directly? After a moment's thought, Egger roughly understood what Denys was referring to.
Egger organized his thoughts in a single breath. Seeing that the other man wasn't finished, he nodded for him to continue.
"I heard the news that the loaned grain is about to arrive at Eastwatch. I believe that while you implemented the blockade of Castle Black, you also made arrangements for the Watch's only port."
"Correct. I may not often lead troops in battle, but I have basic military common sense. The actions at Castle Black and Eastwatch were coordinated on the same day. Currently, Logistics Department personnel have moved into Eastwatch and placed the port under surveillance." In this atmosphere of candor, Egger admitted it bluntly. "But that is an 'unloading team.' They are not heavily armed, and the process of entering Eastwatch was peaceful. I believe such routine internal activities of the Watch require no reporting or explanation to anyone."
"True." No blood had been shed at Eastwatch. Even if Robb knew, he wouldn't call Egger back for questioning over it. Denys nodded in agreement, then shifted his tone: "But the grain hasn't arrived at Eastwatch yet, has it?"
"No... more precisely, I haven't received word that it has arrived."
"Then it hasn't—at least, you must be prepared for that." Denys gave a meaningful smile. "If the siege of Castle Black is lifted and Cotter Pyke takes his men straight back to Eastwatch, only to find a bunch of strangers who take orders from you living in his home, what do you think will happen?"
"I have already arranged—"
Denys interrupted him. "Yes, I'm sure you have a plan. But you should know: perfect plans only exist in the imagination. Things don't always go one hundred percent as expected. Instead of risking another mess at Eastwatch, consider another possibility. With my support, you are elected Lord Commander. At that point—whether you order Pyke to stay put at Castle Black or bypass him to order the Eastwatch garrison to cooperate with the Logistics Department to receive the grain, as their direct superior, you have ten thousand ways to handle him. Even if he refuses to obey and a conflict breaks out with your men, your deployment of troops would be a legitimate act to put down an internal mutiny. With the power you currently hold, there wouldn't be a shred of risk."
These were things Egger could understand without Denys telling him.
To be honest, while being elected months early was tempting, that alone wasn't enough to make Egger actively negotiate. The reason was simple: his focus wasn't on whether the thousand-man Night's Watch obeyed him, but on the development of the Gift's ten thousand residents and the Night's Watch Industries.
And that development could continue even if the seat of Lord Commander remained vacant.
However—combined with the fact that the grain had yet to arrive and the conservative opposition was still looking for ways to sabotage the Gift settlement plan—it made him somewhat uneasy.
In fact, even if Denys Mallister hadn't come to him today, Egger would likely have sought him out for a talk after the Northern inspection tour left.
The party proposing a negotiation is inherently in a weaker position. In that regard, Mallister's visit was indeed a surprise—not quite charity, but certainly a massive help.
Egger crossed his legs, no longer pretending to ponder. "Your conditions."
"Also three." At Denys's age, his skin showed an irreversible pale slackness, but the arm he held up with three fingers was remarkably steady. "First, Cotter Pyke and I remain Commanders of Eastwatch and the Shadow Tower, and any changes to mid-to-high-level officer positions in those two forts must be approved by us. Second, no 'settling of scores' against anyone—including Yohn Royce. No grinding them into the dust. Third, after you take office, you will inevitably reform, but any changes to the laws of the Gift must be discussed with me and receive my consent."
The first two conditions were somewhat annoying, but aside from letting Pyke remain at Eastwatch, the rest had been Egger's plan anyway. However, the third point touched his baseline.
"The first two are fine. The third is impossible." Egger spoke with absolute finality, and this time he wasn't acting. "I have too many things I want to do and a mountain of rules to change. If I have to discuss everything with you and haggle—likely via raven rather than in person—the back-and-forth would be maddening."
A high asking price invites a counter-offer; since it was a trade, bargaining was inevitable.
"Mmm, perhaps that was a bit much. How about this... I'll step back and narrow the scope of the laws requiring discussion." Denys wasn't surprised at all by Egger's reaction. "Laws directly related to 'true' Watchmen—those who have taken their vows. For example, if you want to change the status of a Watchman from a life term to something one can resign from... changes of that nature would require discussion with me. How does that sound?"
The 'exit mechanism' for the Night's Watch—I've dangled that carrot in front of many people, so it's natural some word leaked out, Egger thought.
On the surface, the man had taken a step back, but in reality, the nature of the demand remained the same. He could tolerate the first two conditions. After all, he didn't truly care if the Watchmen genuinely loved or supported him. The men in black just needed to hold the Wall; he didn't expect them to rebel and conquer the world for him. Even if he did have such thoughts one day, there were plenty of passionate, ambitious people in the Industries, the Logistics Department, and the Gift who would follow him. He didn't need the handful of people in the Watch.
But unlike the first two points, even the revised third condition was a challenge to the Lord Commander's centralized power, and it would accompany Egger for a long time. That is—as long as Denys Mallister was alive, Egger would be constrained by him in any internal legal changes. Who knew how long this old man would live? Though the average lifespan in this world was low, living examples like Maester Aemon were right there.
While Egger didn't mind much, he knew: once he agreed, he would be an "incomplete" Lord Commander, tethered by this rule.
Egger was about to refuse, but he changed his mind, deciding on a more tactful approach.
"Agreed. But I have an additional condition." He stared into Mallister's eyes and said with a smile, "If you can make my vote count exceed the two-thirds majority for victory before Cotter Pyke leaves Castle Black, I will agree to all three conditions."
The party sent to deliver the order to Castle Black had already departed and would arrive in two or three days. It was already dark, so ravens couldn't fly, and the daily election voting at Castle Black began at dawn. This meant: even if Denys Mallister decided to withdraw and support Egger right now, he couldn't influence tomorrow's vote.
Furthermore, the Shadow Tower only had a little over two hundred men. While significant, since everyone had one vote and not everyone would follow the Commander's lead, it wouldn't flip the situation instantly.
In Egger's expectation, things would likely go like this: the news of Denys withdrawing would reach Castle Black, and then the following day a large number of Shadow Tower votes would go to him, allowing him to maintain an absolute advantage despite losing many Castle Black votes. In that scenario, the Watchmen who had changed their minds would slowly start returning their votes to him... The voting happened once a day, and with such a slow process, it would take at least five or six days for the election to reach a conclusion.
By then, Cotter Pyke would have left Castle Black long ago.
This additional condition was a nearly impossible task. Since it was nearly impossible, it was equivalent to refusing the third trade item.
Conversely, if Denys Mallister's influence over the Night's Watch truly was so great that he could flip the situation instantly, then what was the harm in letting him be a Vice-Lord Commander?
"Fine, I agree." To everyone's surprise, Denys agreed without even blinking. "Then, do we have a deal?"
"Deal." Surprised as he was, Egger had no intention of taking back his word. It felt quite good to be a gentleman of his word for once. "I'm just curious—your relationship with Cotter Pyke is so hostile, why did you include the condition to keep him as Commander of Eastwatch?"
"You have never personally governed a castle; you can never understand: a fort commander is much more than just a superior to the soldiers. We are parents—both father and mother. We don't just ensure we command the brothers correctly so they don't die for nothing; we have to take care of their food, shelter, and daily lives." Denys Mallister spoke with a smile. "You know Bowen Marsh's temper; he must have died of poverty in a past life, he guards supplies so strictly. The supplies he sends to the Shadow Tower and Eastwatch are rationed per head, only ensuring we can fulfill our duties without freezing or starving. If we want the brothers to eat meat heartily, drink their fill, or get a new set of clothes, it all depends on the commander's own skill. Cotter Pyke uses the occasional merchant ship docking at Eastwatch to do business and seek benefits for the brothers, while I deal with the mountain clans, friendly noble houses, and even the wildlings to achieve the same..."
He paused, a slight smile touching his lips as if recalling a pleasant memory. "The two of us have been commanders longer than that old man Mormont was Lord Commander! It's no exaggeration to say we have a bond with most of the soldiers in our forts. This bond might not be 'unto death' in every case, but it's definitely stronger than you think. Changing generals before a battle is a taboo, and it's even more so for a fort commander!"
Egger nodded thoughtfully. "I see..."
"It's best that you understand. Yes, as Lord Commander, you have the right to move personnel. But remember, the Night's Watch aren't ordinary soldiers. The rank-and-file are mostly criminals and thugs abandoned by the Seven Kingdoms, huddling for warmth in this hellish place with a sliver of ethereal honor, never seeing the day they can retire. But even scum have a sense of loyalty! Even if you replace him with a qualified candidate, or even go to Eastwatch yourself, you will never get those men to be as responsive as they were under Cotter Pyke in the short term. With the threat of the Others and the dead upon us, we cannot, and should not, take such a pointless risk."
After a thought, Denys added: "My hatred for Cotter Pyke is not an act. After this war of life and death is over, whoever you want to appoint as Commander of Eastwatch, I will support with both hands."
Egger couldn't find a flaw in Denys's reasoning. He had reason to believe that, at least on this point, the old man was genuinely thinking of the Wall's defense.
"Very well. Then let that foul-tempered old man enjoy being a commander for a while longer."
The negotiation ended successfully. Egger discussed subsequent matters with him, settling the changes he would make to Night's Watch law immediately upon taking office, before they agreed to handle further details gradually.
With the deal struck, the two adjusted their relaxed postures and expressions and bid each other farewell.
Just before Denys left the room, Egger suddenly remembered something and called out to him: "Ser Denys, the last time I was at Castle Black, I publicly claimed that both you and Cotter Pyke were mediocre men. I'm sure you understand that was a measure of expediency in an emergency, not my true thoughts. Now, I wish to retract those statements. You are definitely one of the most noble and admirable men I have ever met. Please forgive my past offense."
The old knight turned back, flashing a slightly tired smile. "You will likely be the last Lord Commander I ever serve. I am trying to convince myself that you will do a better job than I could. Don't let me down."
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