Chapter 268

Aegor immediately focused when confronted with Robb's sharp attitude. Fortunately, despite the young Stark's seemingly aggressive demeanor, his words carried a critical implication: Robb wasn’t outright opposed to the Gift settlement plan. There was still a chance.

“First, I must apologize for the actions of Commander Mormont and myself. Allowing the Free Folk past the Wall without consulting the Northern lords—especially the great houses—was indeed inconsiderate. However, the reality was that the army of the dead was pursuing the fleeing living. We had no time to notify the Northern lords or seek their counsel.” Aegor’s voice was steady as he continued, “Had we delayed even a moment, countless people would have been slaughtered beyond the Wall, only to rise again as wights—adding thousands, if not tens of thousands, to the army of the dead that both the Night’s Watch and the North will have to face in the near future.”

He finally deployed the key argument. “If I recall correctly, Commander Mormont once took a wight in a cage, parading it through the North to demonstrate the threat. Surely, my lord, you’ve seen one for yourself. This is no fabrication.”

“No one doubts the existence of wights—that’s a compelling argument,” Robb admitted with a slight sneer. “The Night’s Watch faces enemies beyond the comprehension of most Northerners. That alone has raised the threshold of tolerance for your actions. But I don’t believe those creatures have the intelligence or ability to breach the Wall. As for the Others you mentioned—intelligent beings capable of magic—no one has seen them. They can’t be considered in this discussion.”

“I’ve seen them,” Aegor countered firmly. “I’ve killed one. While I was in King’s Landing, the rangers encountered and killed another. If you don’t believe me, you can summon your half-brother, Jon Snow, and ask him. He’s a loyal and trustworthy young man, and you know him better than anyone.”

“I do know Jon,” Robb replied, shrugging. “In fact, I don’t need him to vouch for you—I’m inclined to believe you myself. But even if the Others exist, what difference does it make? The Seven Kingdoms have tens of millions of people. Are you telling me that without a few tens of thousands of wildlings, we’d lose the war against the dead?”

“Tens of millions of people,” Aegor echoed, his tone sharp, “but what are they doing? Throwing themselves into endless conflicts, squandering resources and energy in wars sparked by scandals and petty squabbles over thrones! With the Long Night approaching, we need to focus our efforts and resources on preparing for the true enemy!” His voice grew impassioned. “Ten thousand settlers in the Gift, fully committed to the cause, are worth far more than ten million distracted and disorganized southerners. And I have faith that under my leadership, the settlers will rise to that challenge!”

Robb’s expression remained calm as he interjected, “Your personal belief is irrelevant. Let me be blunt—you are a foreigner from an unknown place. And Jon is my father’s bastard son. When it comes to the monumental decision of letting people who have been our enemies for centuries settle within the Gift, your assurances and confidence mean nothing to the Northern lords. In other words, they are meaningless.”

It was a harsh truth, one that struck with unflinching honesty. In a feudal society, neither Aegor nor anyone else in the Night’s Watch carried the authority to reassure the Northern lords. Even Robb himself, newly seated as the Warden of the North, lacked the standing to unilaterally overrule them.

Though the words stung, they were undeniably accurate. Aegor frowned, suddenly realizing the crux of the issue. “Wait,” he said, his voice shifting. “I think we need to approach this differently. If we continue like this, we’re just talking past each other, getting nowhere.”

Robb gestured for him to proceed, leaning back in his chair and waiting silently.

...

Aegor forced himself to calm down, entering a state of focused clarity. From the moment he’d departed the Wall to address the Ironborn invasion and plan his return north, he had thought extensively about how to convince Robb Stark to refrain from opposing the Gift settlement plan. However, Arya’s earlier antics and the unexpected presence of Lady Catelyn had thrown him off his rhythm. On top of that, Robb’s surprising announcement that he would personally lead a mission north had further disrupted Aegor’s carefully crafted plan.

The conversation in the solar had not begun as Aegor had anticipated. In fact, one of his primary goals had been achieved before he’d even opened his mouth. The series of unexpected developments had thrown the situation into disarray, and for a moment, Aegor—rusty from his long absence from political maneuvering—had nearly forgotten how to sway those of higher station.

But it didn’t matter. Like riding a bike or swimming, the skill of analyzing situations and crafting strategies was hard to lose once mastered. Aegor’s relatively good rapport with Robb Stark meant the situation was still salvageable. He just needed to refocus, adapt his plan to the changing circumstances, and steer the conversation back on course.

...

After a brief pause, Aegor spoke again, his thoughts now organized. “What is the Night’s Watch’s duty?” he asked. “Allow me to summarize it as I understand it: to serve as a buffer between the lands beyond the Wall and the Seven Kingdoms, ensuring the safety of the realm—particularly the North.”

Robb frowned slightly, pondering the words before nodding. “That’s correct.”

“But no law or text dictates how the Night’s Watch must fulfill that duty. Just as no historical record explicitly states that the Wall was built solely to keep out wildlings—”

“Wait,” Robb interrupted, his tone growing wary. “If you’re about to argue that ‘as long as the North is safe, the Night’s Watch can do whatever it wants,’ then we’re back to square one. I—and by extension, the North—doubt the wildlings can be trusted to live peacefully and are concerned about our safety. Most importantly, we have the ability and intention to intervene.”

“I understand your concerns,” Aegor replied, his voice steady. “You said it yourself—you are responsible for ensuring the safety of all Northerners. That aligns perfectly with the Night’s Watch’s duty to protect the realm. This is the common ground between us: the safety of the North. Debating whether allowing the Free Folk past the Wall was right or wrong is unnecessary and counterproductive. What we should focus on now is determining whether these settlers pose a threat to the North. If they do, we must devise and implement a solution.”

“That’s exactly my point,” Robb said, raising an eyebrow. “As I said earlier, I need you to give me an explanation, so I can reassure the people of the North. What’s your plan?”

“I can’t.”

“What?”

“I can’t sit here and use words alone to convince the Warden of the North that tens of thousands of strangers within the Gift pose no threat to his people. That would be an impossible and irresponsible task.” Aegor shrugged. “Even if I could, relying solely on words to decide the fate of so many people would be reckless.”

“Then what’s your solution?” Robb asked, visibly puzzled.

“I’ve always believed that seeing is believing. If we want to determine whether the Free Folk in the Gift are a threat, what could be more direct than going to them—meeting them face to face, observing their lives, and understanding their mindset?”

...

“As the Chief Logistics Officer of the Night’s Watch, I formally invite you, Warden of the North, to visit the Gift in person. See for yourself the progress of the settlement plan.”

Aegor’s ultimate goal had always been clear from the moment he left the Gift: to bring Robb Stark north and persuade him to visit the Gift, creating the illusion that the Warden of the North supported the settlement plan. Robb’s unexpected declaration that he would head north himself had thrown Aegor’s strategy into chaos. Caught off guard, Aegor had instinctively tried to convince Robb within Winterfell that the Free Folk posed no threat—a futile and potentially self-destructive detour.

Sometimes, one had to abandon immediate gains for the sake of the bigger picture.

...

Though bewildered by the abrupt shift in conversation, Robb’s commitment to traveling north made his answer straightforward. “Very well. I accept your invitation.”

...