Aegor did not assign the archery champion and the two high-ranking Red Priests to deal with the wight dragon because, beyond eliminating the enemy, he had another mission just as important—to ensure the Queen’s safety.

Anguy’s title of “Marksman” was well-earned. From dozens of meters away, just outside the Black Dragon’s friendly-fire range and lit only by scattered flames, he calmly shot down the wights that had climbed onto the dragon’s back and threatened the Queen. His dragonglass arrows struck true every time, never so much as scratching a single scale. For enemies in blind spots, the two Red Priests acted instead, casting spells at great cost to eliminate threats. Through this coordinated effort, the danger was swiftly neutralized without chaos.

With all three dragons entering the battle, morale soared, and the White Walkers’ attention was fully diverted. The Gift Army, arriving last on the field, gained a tremendous advantage. They launched a rapid assault, breaking the enemy’s lines before Aegor even had a chance to demonstrate or lead by example. By the time the disposal team had successfully eliminated the new White Walker leader who had inherited the Night King’s mantle, ending the invasion led by the Cold God, the main force of the Gift Army—with aid from a grounded dragon, one in the sky, and the regrouped Northern Army attacking from the flank—had already wiped out seventy to eighty percent of the wight host. Thus, they did not witness the grand spectacle of “thousands of wights collapsing in unison” as they had when the Night King had been destroyed by a dragonsteel bomb.

Although there was no single iconic scene to declare instant victory, both Melisandre and Moqorro assured Aegor that all White Walkers had been eliminated. Moreover, there were no reports from soldiers on the battlefield indicating that any enemy had escaped. This war between the living and the dead was, in all likelihood, truly over—or at least had reached a temporary conclusion.

—

Aegor’s mission as Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch was complete. But his journey as Lord of The Gift and head of Westeros’ tenth largest power had only just begun. One moment, the North was his firmest ally and strongest support. The next, with victory secured, he had to begin considering how to deal with that same ally casting him aside now that his purpose was fulfilled.

After sending soldiers to Bran Stark to confirm that no White Walkers had escaped, he immediately enacted the next step of his plan. Before the battlefield could be cleared, he dispatched several teams of elite rangers led by trusted followers into the forests to the east and west, claiming they were “searching for fleeing remnants.”

If one simply said that “the second White Walker invasion in a thousand years was repelled in five days,” it would sound like no real threat. But the reality was that over the course of four days and five nights, the Night’s Watch had engaged in constant combat, both reactive and proactive. Casualties and supply consumption had been immense, and the intensity and brutality of the battles rivaled any major war in Westeros’ long history. For many reasons, Aegor did not want to declare victory too soon—and these search teams would provide perfect cover.

Departing in full view of all, the elite scouts would circle the forests to make their mission look convincing, linger for a short while, and then return directly to Crown Town rather than rejoining the main force. There, they would report to headquarters that “the enemy has fled north.”

Aegor would then “respond” by ordering Ice Canyon Port and the Wall’s garrisons to intercept the enemies and ensure they were wiped out within the Senai region.

Of course, non-existent enemies cannot be intercepted. When word came back that no contact had been made, the Night’s Watch could logically announce that the remaining enemy forces had retreated beyond the Wall, and were believed to be regrouping.

With this, The Gift could maintain a legitimate state of war and continue to request cooperation from the North.

On the surface, peace would hold for now. But beneath it, while the Northern lords plotted to turn on Aegor after the White Walker threat was fully eradicated, The Gift would complete its preparations at lightning speed to march south and enter the larger game for power across the Seven Kingdoms.

…

“Quickly tally the casualties. Separate our dead from the wights and burn and bury them on the spot. Do not clear the wreckage. Leave it where it is. From now on, this will be the battlefield of the Battle of Long Lake. The bones buried here and the remnants of the great battle will bear witness to the world and future generations that the Night’s Watch and the North once fought a war for the fate of humanity.”

Even after the battle had ended, the heavily injured Black Dragon remained restless. To avoid provoking it, Aegor did not approach immediately. He stood outside its range and issued post-battle instructions while waiting for the beast to settle.

Preserving the battlefield was not about vanity or claiming credit, nor purely political. It came from a belief Aegor had always held: doing good without seeking reward is noble, but doing good without being seen is foolish.

Tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians from The Gift had taken part in this battle. Even if not all had volunteered, and even if few fought for the ideal of protecting humanity, their blood and sacrifice had safeguarded all mankind. They deserved to be remembered.

…

After a brief rest, the small pursuit teams set off for the Wolfswood, fully armed. The injured and restless Black Dragon calmed after a bout of roaring and venting. With Moqorro and a few guards accompanying him, Aegor approached cautiously from the side where the dragon could see him, just in time to catch Daenerys as she stumbled down from its back.

—

Her limbs ached. Her head spun. The whole world seemed to blur and twist before her eyes. As a Dragonrider, Daenerys had not personally slain a single wight in battle, but her presence had ensured the Three Dragons did not unleash Dragonflame blindly onto the Northern Army.

However, the greatest contributor to this battle was now far from well. Drogon had been injured in the wing and forced to land. Though the fall was from under a hundred feet, and the snow provided some cushion, it had still been a hard landing. Surrounded by wights, he had fought and dodged while shielding his rider. At such a critical moment, there had been no time for smoothness or care. Though the dragon hadn’t moved far during the fight, for the Queen on his back, it had been like half an hour on a small canoe in stormy seas—utterly miserable.

Daenerys nearly slid off Drogon’s back. Before she could even steady her feet, she leaned against him and vomited. Seeing her in such a state, Aegor didn’t hesitate. Ignoring the fierce beast, he stepped forward and helped her down, guiding her back toward the crowd.

“Your Grace, thanks to your immense contribution, we have won this battle. Would you like to rest in the carriage now, or…”

“Viserion… he was struck and fell. Take me to see him!”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Ignoring everything else, they accompanied the Queen, anxious for her “child,” and walked toward where the white dragon had fallen, a hundred yards away. Aegor quietly sent someone ahead to pass along a message, ensuring Daenerys would not see the gruesome sight of Viserion’s body, pierced with Night’s Watch arrows.

“Viserion? Viserion!”

As Daenerys leaned over the dragon’s head and called softly, her voice full of sorrow, Aegor stood by in silence. Her premature entry into the battle had indeed disrupted the Gift Army’s plans at first, but it had also forced the White Walkers to commit fully and prevented them from breaking through the Northern Army to flee south. In the end, one dragon had died, and two were wounded. This spared many of the extraordinary beings on the living side. If Daenerys had not ridden north, Aegor himself, Melisandre, Moqorro, and even Bran Stark—a commander and three powerful enemies of the Cold God—would likely have been targeted instead.

Dragons had thick hides and could take many attacks without dying. But mortals, even those as enigmatic and powerful as high Red Priests or greenseers, how many blows could they withstand?

After letting the Mother of Dragons mourn in silence for a while, a messenger arrived again, reporting that Robb Stark, Warden of the North, had requested to speak with the Lord Commander. Deciding that enough time had passed, Aegor stepped behind the Queen and gently offered comfort.

“Your Grace, dragons cannot be resurrected. The white dragon Viserion gave his life to protect your people. His death was noble. The Night’s Watch and the North will remember his grace and glory in the skies. But your body is the key to changing the world. You have endured a long journey and a great battle. The weather is cold. There is still a long road ahead to achieve the dream of breaking the wheel. I beg you to rest in the carriage.”

Daenerys turned her face away, wiping her tears, unwilling to show too much weakness before her newly loyal subject. “Have someone watch over his body. I won’t allow even a single scale to be touched. When Drogon recovers, I’ll cremate him with dragonflame.”

“As you command,” Aegor replied, nodding. Dragon bones and scales were no longer rare in Westeros. Their value did not compare to Valyrian steel. As long as the Red Priests later confirmed that there was no risk of reanimation, the Queen had every right to do as she wished. “Lord Stark has summoned me. Your Grace, may I go speak with him and discuss matters regarding the North clearing a path south for the Night’s Watch?”

“Lord Stark? Robb Stark, son of Eddard Stark?”

“Yes.”

Normally, Daenerys might have insisted on going with him, using her dragon to force the Northern ruler to submit, just as Aegon the Conqueror had done. But now, Viserion was dead and Drogon too wounded to fly. It was not the time to feign strength while in weakness.

The man before her had pledged loyalty in front of thousands the morning before last. Daenerys decided to trust him. To believe that he would not betray her in this moment of vulnerability.

“Go. If you can persuade Stark to avoid bloodshed between the North and me, that would be best. If not, do not act rashly. Wait until Drogon and Rhaegal recover, then we will consider other options.”

(To be continued.)

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep