Robb felt as though he had been tricked again, yet he could not figure out how it had happened.

His original plan was this: first, question Aegor, who would most likely, as Karstark had said, try to muddle through with smooth words. At that point, Robb would interrupt him, exert pressure, and sternly warn him.

If, after everything was said, Aegor’s attitude still remained improper, and he continued to conceal the truth or lie about the situation, then Robb would show no mercy and would publicly support the Shadow Tower Commander starting tomorrow, helping him rise as Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch.

With Denys Mallister’s steady experience, coupled with the Warden of the North’s suppression and control of Aegor’s influence, the situation in the Gift could surely be stabilized.

But who could have guessed that Aegor seemed to have changed completely? Robb did not even have time to apply pressure or display anger before the man spilled everything like an overturned cup, revealing the cause, the process, and even his inner thoughts without holding anything back. And not only that, he decisively admitted his mistakes and volunteered to bear full responsibility.

His attitude was so proper it left Robb utterly unprepared.

And so, somehow, the matter inexplicably changed from “the Warden of the North summoning the reckless Chief Logistics Officer of the Night’s Watch for questioning and accountability” into “the Northern Lords brainstorming how to clean up the mess left by this troublesome Aegor.”

The most crucial point was that, as Warden of the North, Robb could severely reprimand anyone, and could privately choose whom to support or suppress, but he had no official authority to punish a sworn officer of the Night’s Watch, who was outside Northern jurisdiction.

Only the King or the Lord Commander could punish a Chief Logistics Officer. And now, King Stannis was busy quelling rebellion, and the Lord Commander was still being chosen. This meant that unless he completely severed relations, even if Aegor confessed his mistakes, there was no one who could truly punish him.

Had this man truly made a rash mistake in a moment of confusion, or had he already calculated all of this and deliberately shown weakness, knowing Robb could do nothing?

Robb Stark suppressed the urge to scratch his head. After all, he lacked experience. When things did not go as planned, he became stiff and awkward. Handling enemies on the battlefield was simple. Handling his own people in politics was something else entirely.

Although he was confused, at least he knew how to conceal it. “Very well, one last question. Several Night’s Watch officers at Castle Black sent me a letter. Why did I not receive it?”

“Well…” Aegor looked perfectly innocent. “There are sixteen newly reactivated strongholds along the Wall. It is easy to house men in them, but training ravens to know those posts and fly there is a long process, even for the smartest birds. In fact, there are currently only seven strongholds garrisoned by the Mountain Clans that have raven cages. Ice Mark City, where we are now, does not, and at the previous Nightfort, the number of ravens and their reliability was far from enough to ensure smooth and stable communication. I do not know where the Lords at Castle Black sent the letter, but it is completely normal that you did not receive it. I absolutely did not tamper with anything.”

This explanation was reasonably convincing. Robb stared at Aegor’s face for a while, found no flaws, and finally gave up probing further.

At least Aegor had not continued to hide or evade the point of sending troops to surround Castle Black. In terms of attitude, he had passed.

“Very well. Lord Bolton’s words also make sense. Let us find a way to properly resolve the matter at Castle Black first.”

As soon as those words were spoken, Lords Glover and Umber, who had been observing silently, let out a quiet sigh of relief. Their instincts leaned toward supporting Aegor, but he had, after all, committed a transgression, and before their liege lord’s stance was clear, they had been unwilling to risk sticking out their necks for him for the sake of some small favor. Now that Robb Stark had made it clear that he would not pursue the matter further, they could finally speak.

“The urgent task is first to notify the Crown Town troops near Castle Black to lift the siege and free those trapped,” said Galbart Glover. “Then a statement must be issued explaining the situation and admitting the mistake. Of course, this is best done by the party concerned returning to Castle Black and doing it personally, in front of his sworn brothers.”

“Hmph. After surrounding them with troops for so many days, is it to end with only an apology?” Rickard Karstark knew the outcome was already decided. Although displeased, he understood that with his own reasoning and eloquence, he could not reverse it. So he could only join in discussing the aftermath, trying to gain some advantage for his friends. “Now that the Gift has so many more people, there must be clear constraints on non-Night’s Watch armed forces. The post of Lord Commander is temporarily vacant, so the sworn brothers are tied up and cannot act, while outsiders roam unrestrained across the Gift, taking control everywhere. What sort of situation is this? My opinion is this: since they have come to the Gift, they must accept the laws of the Night’s Watch. Even if the Mountain Clans are our friends, they cannot be indulged!”

“Lord Karstark’s words are reasonable.” Robb sincerely agreed with this proposal. He nodded. “I will send someone back to inform the Mountain Clans: they are citizens of the North, and I am very glad that they have come to the Wall to help defend it. But since they are here, they must obey Night’s Watch law, just like the sworn brothers. They must never fight on someone’s behalf, right or wrong, just because they are fed or paid. If anyone dares to gather and mobilize troops recklessly like this again, they will be treated as rebels, and I will personally intervene!”

Robb felt this was his last chance to take control, to warn Aegor and make him understand that he was serious. By the last two sentences, he was already striving to be stern. “And you, send someone back to Castle Black immediately. Order your men to withdraw to Crown Town, and do not harbor any more crooked thoughts! The matter of issuing a public statement and apology can be discussed later!”

Having his hands and feet tied at that point struck Aegor where it hurt. Yet this rule was reasonable, and strictly speaking, he had taken advantage of a loophole. To complete the act, he could not oppose at this critical juncture. So he put on a compliant face, fully admitting his mistake and accepting the consequences, nodding repeatedly without objection.

—

Everything went as expected. He would now obediently follow Robb’s orders, sending someone back to Castle Black with the withdrawal order. That messenger would promptly set out. However, what happened after leaving Ice Mark City would be slightly different from what the Northerners expected. The messenger team would not ride day and night as Yohn Royce had done. They would go a few miles, rest for a while at a stronghold, someone might suffer an injury on the road or get a stomach ache… in short, various accidents would happen to delay the journey.

Based on Arya’s accurate information, he had decisively abandoned the prepared excuse on the spot. But the escape route he had already arranged required no change.

The order to withdraw would reach Castle Black in two to three days, and the besieging troops would need a day to pull back. The elite among them, those with Night’s Watch status, would then march to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea under Jaime Lannister’s leadership, reinforcing the “grain unloading team” that had already entered the stronghold and taken control of the port.

Even if Cotter Pyke immediately returned to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea the moment the siege of Castle Black was lifted, Aegor had already delayed him for more than a week. As long as the first shipment of loaned grain was successfully unloaded and stored in the Mountain Clans’ stronghold closest to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea within that period, his efforts would not be in vain.

Admittedly, after he returned to Castle Black, he would likely have to give a public explanation and apology. Ordinary men would think “bowing down and apologizing to an opponent” was a loss of face, and it was somewhat. But he had mobilized troops to surround the headquarters of the Night’s Watch, yet forced the battle-hardened defenders of Castle Black to not dare engage. Afterwards, he suffered no real punishment and was not forced to withdraw from the election for Lord Commander.

Anyone with sense could see who had truly won.

…

This troublesome matter was resolved over the course of the inspection party’s breakfast. The small team Aegor had assigned to deliver the withdrawal order departed in haste under the supervision of Ser Rodrik, sent by Robb. And the Northern Lords, who had just finished their meeting to “clean up the mess” caused by him, began, as planned, their inspection of Ice Mark City after breakfast.

The New Gift People, whom the Seven Kingdoms called “Wildlings,” called themselves “Free Folk.” However, the group now facing the Northerners looked neither wild nor free. Most of the boldest, strongest, fiercest had already perished fighting the White Walkers or in Mance Rayder’s assault on the Wall. Of those who survived, the more intelligent and responsible young men and women had long gone to Crown Town to find work to support their tribes. The ones who remained were basically the old, the weak, the sick, and the disabled. No, not even that—just women, children, and a few remaining warriors.

They were ragged and hungry, barely surviving, “neither freezing nor starving to death” only thanks to the Night’s Watch Logistics Department. The nobles of the Northern houses came fully armed, helmets on, cautiously to visit these “dangerous” strangers from Beyond the Wall. But what they saw was a group of timid, starving people who could not even speak properly when spoken to.

Robb had heard of that kind of fearful, numb, hopeless look in his Father’s stories. During Winter or in wartime, when food stores ran out and spring or peace was slow to come, the people in Winter Town outside Winterfell wore that same expression.

(So-called Wildlings, stripped of distance and rumor, were just a group of poor farmers living Beyond the Wall.)

More than one Northerner felt this way in his heart. And this was precisely the effect Aegor had wanted. However, everyone this time was behaving naturally, with no falsehood. All Aegor had done was convey a message to these New Gift People beforehand, warning them that if the Northerners found them to be disobedient, they would be driven back Beyond the Wall.

Guarding the Wall and fighting the White Walkers, of course, cannot rely on such weak, confused people. But the high lords knew that, although the world was not dominated by commoners, it was inseparable from the presence and support of the lower classes. If all the Free Folk could be as subdued as the people of Ice Mark City, filling the Gift and supporting the true Night’s Watch, then perhaps it really was a feasible plan.

The inspection tour of the Wall was not even halfway finished, so naturally, there was no rush to draw conclusions. Everyone was busy with their tasks. The short daylight of the northernmost edge of the Seven Kingdoms passed quickly. As darkness fell, smoke rose from the kitchens once again. As night slowly covered the land, new guests arrived at Ice Mark City.

He also came from the west, and he was dressed in black. But unlike Yohn Royce, the Shadow Tower Commander did not come alone, nor did he look travel-worn. His body and mind seemed in good condition.

Denys Mallister had decisively packed up and left Castle Black earlier, judging that the conflict between Cotter Pyke and Aegor would sooner or later cause trouble. He had chosen to stay far away from the source of trouble, fearing that involvement would ruin his reputation in his later years. Facts proved he had guessed correctly. The trouble had turned out much bigger than he imagined, so much so that he began to think, “Perhaps I can profit from it.”

On the day Castle Black was surrounded by the Crown Town army, he learned the news by raven and quickly selected men, planning to send them east along the Wall to find the Northerners and report. If this news could anger Robb Stark and bring down Aegor West, then he would surely become the next Lord Commander.

Coincidentally, on that very day, another significant piece of news came from the direction of Deepwood Motte, strengthening Mallister’s belief that “success or failure depends on this one action.” At that point, he could no longer sit still and personally led his men on the road.

They did not rush as Yohn Royce had, and their speed was slower, but they still reached Ice Mark City before complete darkness fell today, so there was no need to think of tomorrow’s plan.

—

Denys dismounted, handed his reins to a subordinate, and stood in front of Ice Mark City’s courtyard, looking around.

The breath from his mouth turned into wisps of white mist in the cold. Judging from the presence of Northern soldiers everywhere, he had reached his destination. This election for the new Lord Commander had dragged on far too long, and now, due to external events, it was finally being forced to a conclusion. Truly, the world was full of unexpected turns.

He took a deep breath. Whatever the outcome, it would all end tonight.

Soon, soldiers came to question and inspect him. After some questioning and negotiation, Denys was surprised to learn that someone from Castle Black had already delivered the news. Robb likely already knew all the details of this mutiny in the Gift, and they might have even discussed how to handle it.

“Tsk.”

Denys frowned, thought for a moment, and decided to find an old friend first, to learn the news before deciding on his next move.

He quickly changed his plan. After asking about the residence of the Northern Lords, he headed straight for the main keep, entering first the Karstark quarters.

“Ho, Denys!” Rickard Karstark exclaimed in surprise. “Why are you here?”

It was hard for outsiders to imagine that Lord Karstark, a rough, straightforward man known for his chivalry, would be so close to Denys Mallister, who was smooth, sophisticated, cautious, and never made mistakes. But as the saying goes, gentlemen may be different but still find harmony. Their opposite natures did not affect their relationship. In fact, more than forty years ago, before Denys joined the Night’s Watch, they had already met at a tournament and become friends.

Denys Mallister removed his cold-weather helm and said with a smile, “If I miss an old friend, I come to visit. Must I need another reason?”

“Haha, no need, no need. The Wall is the Night’s Watch’s territory. As Commander, you may naturally go wherever you like. It is not for me to lecture you.” Lord Karstark laughed heartily, then suddenly remembered something. He waved his hand, dismissed the servants and younger relatives from the room, and only after the door was shut did he sit back down. “If you came here to report what happened at Castle Black, you are too late. Yohn Royce explained everything clearly this morning.”

“I heard. He is the first man of the Night’s Watch to set foot in the lands north of the Wall in months. One day and one night, he rode from Castle Black to Ice Mark City. He truly lives up to his name, Bronze Yohn. He still insists that Aegor West killed his youngest son. His temper is as hard as his bones.” Denys shrugged helplessly, unable to stop himself from complaining. “How did Robb Stark react?”

“He was naturally furious at first, but later… alas, it is a long story. Sit down first, have something warm to drink, and I will explain slowly.”

Seeing that things had not gone as he had expected, Denys sat with a frown, accepted the steaming mulled wine offered by Karstark, and listened quietly.

Rickard Karstark was a rough man with only average skill in storytelling, but as a nobleman, he had received some education. Picking and choosing the words, without losing the main points, after a while he finished recounting the strange accusation session from that morning, which had inexplicably changed in tone.

“Aegor’s relationship with the Starks is far too good. Robb simply cannot bring himself to be harsh with him. Plus, with Roose Bolton egging him on… he actually managed to get through such a big matter unscathed.” Karstark sighed deeply. “It seems you came all this way for nothing this time.”

Got away with it by luck? Denys did not think so. Although he had not been there himself, he could imagine the scene. Turning great problems into small ones, and small ones into nothing, was truly a skillful means of crisis management. He had to admit it.

He just did not know how Aegor had managed to persuade Roose Bolton to speak for him.

“I definitely did not come for nothing, you can be sure of that. If it were only to help Cotter and the others complain, why would I come in person? That would be beneath me.” Being late was being late, there was no point in saying more. Denys slowly shook his head. “I have another important purpose in this trip—to deliver urgent military intelligence from the northwest coast. The Ironborn, led by Euron Greyjoy, have invaded the Rocky Shore and the Streamlands again. They have now surrounded Flint’s Finger and are once again threatening Deepwood Motte. The North is in danger.”

“What?! Those bastards are back again?” Karhold is thousands of miles from the western coast, so Karstark had no personal fear for his own family. But the Northern Lords were always united. If one family was in danger, everyone would come to their aid. Such comings and goings consumed supplies, and with Winter coming, it would be difficult. He was naturally alarmed. “Did these raiders not go to plunder the Reach before? Why did they come back? What is there in the poor North that draws them?”

“That is not for us to think about. Deepwood Motte has ravens only to the Shadow Tower and Castle Black. Castle Black is besieged, so this news could only be delivered by me to Robb Stark. And once the Warden of the North learns of it, he will certainly halt the current inspection of the Wall and take you to the western coast to lead troops against the Ironborn. Then there will be no one left in the Gift to keep order.”

“Once we leave, no one will be able to keep Aegor in check.” For a Lord, protecting his bannermen naturally takes precedence over inspecting the Gift. Robb’s reaction needed no guessing. Though Karstark was a rough man, he quickly saw the point. “What a pity. This time he caused such a great stir, and we failed to seize the opportunity to bring him down. Later, there will be even less of a chance.”

“Did you not find any problems during your inspection along the Wall?” Denys asked.

“Plenty of problems, but none of them are major. You have to admit, that boy Aegor has made the Gift resettlement plan look impressive. So far, Robb has been quite satisfied with the situation in Crown Town, Nightfort, and Ice Mark City. No, let’s not beat around the bush. To be honest, the state of the Gift is far better than Robb expected, and he is very satisfied,” Karstark said with a bitter look. “Although I do not like Aegor, I cannot ignore my conscience and stir up trouble for no reason. Not to mention, both Glover and Umber lean toward him, and that old fox Roose Bolton has been speaking up for him as if he had taken the wrong medicine. Even if I wanted to, I could not fight three against one and sway Robb’s opinion alone.”

He had rushed to Ice Mark City full of hope, but before even meeting Robb, that hope was crushed. Even with Denys Mallister’s composure and broad mind, he could not hide his regret. He let out a long sigh, his expression shifting several times, his gaze wandering for a few minutes, and when it settled again, his eyes had become resolute.

“I understand the situation now. Thank you, Rickard.” Denys Mallister stood from his chair and said his farewell to Rickard Karstark. “I am going now to have an honest conversation with the future Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch and end this cursed election tonight.”

“You are planning to surrender?” Karstark asked in surprise. “That is not like you. What Aegor did this time will cause his support at Castle Black to collapse. You still have a chance.”

“If the Ironborn had not attacked the North and your inspection continued, I would indeed still have a chance. But now… why deceive myself? I could try my best, perhaps drag the election out for a few more months or even a year, but doing so would harm others without benefiting myself. If the White Walkers attacked in that time, it would cause a great disaster. What would be the point?” Denys said as he put his coat back on without hesitation and walked toward the door. “The moment I left the Shadow Tower two days ago and rode out the gate, I swore to myself: I will not return as a candidate for Lord Commander. If I could have used Aegor’s deployment of troops to surround Castle Black to bring him down, then I would have used ‘not halting the Gift resettlement plan after being elected’ as my condition to persuade Aegor to withdraw from the election and support me. Or, I would have withdrawn from the election and persuaded him to accept my conditional support. But the fact is, he launched a mutiny behind the Warden of the North’s back and still came out unscathed. I admit that I do not have that ability. Since I am not his match, why not seize the opportunity while he still does not know about the Ironborn attack, and the bargaining power is still in my hands, to gain more benefits?”

(To be continued.)

***

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