Time was running out, and now that he knew the logistics supply was on the verge of collapse, Aegor didn’t dare waste another moment. The next morning, he led the reinforcements and new recruits from the South back to the Wall.

Arya remained in Queenscrown. Aegor had originally intended to send someone to escort her home, but the Kingsroad was far from safe, and sending eight or ten men might not be enough to guarantee her protection. Sending more would leave his own stronghold under-defended. After some hesitation, he decided to return to Castle Black first… and send a raven to inform her family, letting her guardians in Winterfell decide what to do.

The Starks can’t even keep an eye on their own children. Why should I be the one cleaning up the mess?

—

Castle Black was only a few dozen miles away. After leaving Melisandre’s convoy and the new recruits behind, Aegor swiftly returned to the headquarters of the Night’s Watch. After reporting to Mormont about the reinforcements sent by Stannis and the North’s logistical difficulties, he presented a plan to resolve the crisis.

“Apply for a loan from Braavos and buy grain from across the Narrow Sea?” Mormont asked, visibly worried. “The Iron Bank is a wolf that devours without leaving bones. When Robert was king, he controlled the taxes of all Seven Kingdoms, and even then, it was just enough to pay the debt in installments… How will the Night’s Watch repay them?”

“The Lord Commander knows of the Iron Bank?”

“The brothers at Eastwatch heard it from sailors docking at the port. It might be exaggerated, but it’s certainly not fabricated. You haven’t answered my question—what will the Night’s Watch use to pay them back?”

“Use the Night’s Watch’s assets as collateral,” Aegor answered without hesitation, then shrugged. “Instead of worrying about repayment, we should think about how to convince the Iron Bank to lend us the money. I’m planning another expedition beyond the Wall. I want to capture a wight and send it to Braavos by ship, to show those bloodsuckers that if the Wall falls, neither the North nor the Seven Kingdoms will be safe. If Westeros descends into chaos, the Iron Bank will never recover the money it’s already lent.”

“There’s no need to go beyond the Wall. I didn’t have a chance to tell you—news just came from Eastwatch. A ship from Braavos docked there the day before yesterday. Several men disembarked, claiming to be investigators from the Iron Bank,” Mormont said. “Cotter Pyke questioned them, but they refused to explain and said they would only speak with the Chief Logistics Officer.”

…

Investigators from the Iron Bank?

Melisandre didn’t lie!

But… did it have to come true so quickly?

For the second time, Aegor witnessed the uncanny accuracy of the Red Woman’s predictions. After a few moments of stunned silence, he relaxed. Good. Someone was finally stepping in to share the burden. The past few days had left him feeling as though he alone—he and the Night’s Watch, and he as a reincarnator—were responsible for saving Westeros. But how could he be the only one concerned about stopping mankind’s greatest enemies and preventing extinction?

Stannis, now wearing a crown, had made a decision opposite of the original plot: “Only by ending the wars of men can we turn to saving mankind.” Aegor couldn’t say it was the wrong choice, but it did leave the Night’s Watch in a desperate situation. Fortunately, there were powers in the world beyond the Iron Throne that could help.

The Iron Bank had loaned millions of gold dragons to Westeros. It had a vested interest and couldn’t remain indifferent. Their response may have been slow, but it wasn’t too late.

As relieved as he was, Aegor didn’t overlook a critical detail. “Only talk to me?”

“Yes. They said they’d only speak with you,” Mormont said, shrugging. “They’re heading west along the Wall now, escorted by a small group of rangers. They’ll likely stop at Sable Hall and Beacon Tower. They’ll reach Castle Black in a few days. Then you can speak with them.”

—

Something was strange.

Yes, it was true Aegor had never allowed any other Night’s Watch officer to interfere in the industry he’d built. The Logistics Department was completely under his control. In all but name, it was independent of the Night’s Watch.

That fact alone was an obvious sign of “divided loyalties,” but Mormont had accepted it for the greater good. The two had reached a quiet understanding: the Night’s Watch wouldn’t interfere in Aegor’s attempts to defend the Wall with his own funds, and Aegor would publicly act as a loyal officer, never undermining the Lord Commander.

In reality, his relationship with the Night’s Watch was strained. The truth was known only to Mormont, Jaime, and a handful of Aegor’s closest allies. Even Jon Snow, the First Ranger, or the craftsmen and stewards might not know the full story. But how could the Iron Bank, across the Narrow Sea, know so much that they sent investigators straight to the Wall, demanding to speak only to the Chief Logistics Officer?

This clearly revealed a deep understanding of the Night’s Watch’s internal affairs—a startling demonstration of their intelligence network. But in bypassing Mormont so directly, what did that say about the real Commander?

Fortunately, Mormont didn’t seem bothered. This nobleman, who had once supported and joined the Night’s Watch voluntarily, truly put the interests of the realm before his own pride.

—

“Alright. I’ll meet with them and try to secure a loan to purchase food across the Narrow Sea.” Disregarding the rough seas and bad weather in the Narrow Sea, the distance from Eastwatch to Essos was actually shorter than from the Wall to the Reach. “But here’s the problem— even if negotiations go smoothly, and we immediately send people back to Braavos with the investigation team to procure food, it will still take at least two or three months for the grain to arrive at the Wall.”

“Our reserves won’t last that long?”

“If we calculate carefully, we could manage,” Aegor said, shaking his head. “But we’re talking about feeding thousands. It’s possible in theory, but there’s no guarantee. Any small setback would be a disaster. We need a way to hold out during that window.”

Mormont nodded. “What’s your plan?”

“Reach a settlement with the Free Folk as soon as possible. Let them pass through the Wall and obtain their food reserves. At the same time, free up manpower to head south and help the North drive out the Ironborn and restore their logistical support to the Wall. If the first half of the plan works, it buys us an extra month or two. Once the North resumes supplying us—”

Mormont frowned. “The men of the Night’s Watch are forbidden from taking part in the civil wars of the Seven Kingdoms.”

“I don’t see any civil wars. I see a band of pirates from the Sunset Sea raiding the North, cutting off our supply lines, and disrupting the logistics department,” Aegor snorted. “And I promise, no Night’s Watch brothers will be involved in expelling the Ironborn.”

Technically, the Iron Islands weren’t even one of the original “Seven” Kingdoms, and they did lie in the Sunset Sea… It really could be done without Night’s Watch involvement?

It was obviously a stretch, maybe even a blatant lie. But even a cornered rabbit will bite. Wars have started over less. When survival is on the line, who clings to rules?

…

“Oh… Aegor, you have a sharp mind. I trust you, so I support your plans. But you’re playing bigger and bigger now,” Mormont said, tapping his fingers on the table, his mind racing. “The plan is feasible, but everything has to go right for it to work. What if the Iron Bank refuses to lend us the money? Or what if we can’t get enough grain from across the sea? If we can’t feed everyone, do we slaughter the wildlings we let through the Wall? Even against enemies, I couldn’t do such a thing.”

“You don’t need to decide now. Let’s meet the Iron Bank’s envoys first. If they refuse the loan, we’ll pretend to negotiate with the Free Folk. Tell them we’ll open the gates. When they gather, we’ll launch a large raid and take as much food as possible.” It was cruel, but there was no place for mercy when winter was coming. “If we get the loan and confirm that food from Essos is on the way, we’ll hold another council to discuss the possibility of a real peace with the Free Folk.”

“That works.”

“Hmm… Two more things. Stannis’s priestess, rumored to be his true queen, will arrive at Castle Black before nightfall. Let Lord Bowen know not to neglect her.” Aegor added, “Also, we’ve had some Free Folk captives rotting in the dungeons. It’s time to put them to use. Release a few and send word to Mance Rayder that we’re willing to negotiate.”

Whether the talks are real or not, we need to find the man first. Mormont nodded quickly. “Alright, let’s do it.”

(To be continued.)

***

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