Chapter 495

The morning after the three vanguard forces of the Night’s Watch ventured beyond the Wall, the skies offered no respite. Snowflakes cascaded from the heavy clouds above, blanketing the world in fine white crystals and shrouding the distant horizon in a foggy gray mist.

The vanguard, which had departed from the three fortresses, cautiously trudged through the snowy expanse of the true North. Following the meticulous plans of the High Command, their mission was to carve a path through the Haunted Forest for the main army, identify suitable locations for forward bases, and scout for potential enemy movements. By shouldering double the risks, they ensured that the main force behind them would not fall victim to ambushes or be left stranded without support.

To make this expedition seem genuine, Aegor had ensured that every preparation was conducted with absolute seriousness. The announced expedition was not just for show; it was a fully planned and executable military operation. In theory, if Aegor received news of White Walkers reemerging and had a sudden change of heart, the expedition could indeed commence as a genuine campaign.

But such hypothetical scenarios were irrelevant. The White Walkers had vanished with the deaths of both the old and new Night Kings, and the retreat of the Cold God rendered them a non-factor for now. Even if a few Walkers lingered, unless they rallied tens of thousands of undead for another invasion, Aegor’s southern campaign would proceed without hesitation. The old-guard Night’s Watch members needed to be exiled to the far North to mitigate internal threats. With no White Walkers or wildlings left, their journey would amount to a fruitless and lengthy patrol.

Yet even for these exiles, Aegor had devised a detailed plan to squeeze out their remaining value, ensuring that the resources sent beyond the Wall would not be wasted.

The three vanguard units were not composed solely of Night’s Watch members. Each group included a handful of handpicked youths from the new tribes of the Gift—those who had been sent as hostages to Queenscrown and had excelled in their studies of language, mathematics, and geography. Beyond the hopeless task of hunting for White Walkers, the vanguard had another critical mission: to map the far North. Using the experience of the rangers and the academic skills of the youths, they would refine outdated maps, correct inaccuracies, and chart new geological and hydrological features, producing a comprehensive new map of the true North.

Aegor could not forcibly stop the tribes who wished to return beyond the Wall, nor could he risk harboring rebellious elements in the Gift. At the same time, he was reluctant to let the Night’s Watch’s already limited population of forty thousand shrink further. This led to a bold idea that had never occurred to previous Night’s Watch commanders or northern lords: to bring the Haunted Forest under the Gift’s jurisdiction.

The three vanguard forces were the first step in this audacious plan.

For now, however, this expansionist ambition was just a move in a larger game. Aegor’s immediate priority was to solidify Daenerys’ rule over the southern Seven Kingdoms.
----


Outside the walls of Queenscrown, the main army had already assembled. According to the official plan, Aegor would lead the troops north to Castle Black within a day, and by the following morning, they too would pass through the Wall’s tunnels into the North. The army would follow the markers left by the vanguard, advancing swiftly along the cleared paths.

With more preparation time and the need for logistics personnel alongside soldiers, the Gift’s army gathered at Queenscrown was significantly larger than the force sent to pursue the fleeing White Walkers months prior. This time, the ranks included both men and women. Hundreds of seasoned and fresh soldiers who had fought in battles such as the retaking of Deepwood Motte, the standoff at Moat Cailin, and the brutal clashes at Ice Bay and the Gift’s capital now crowded the town square, waiting for the Lord Commander to preside over the “Expedition Pledge Ceremony.”

They didn’t have to wait long. Under the watchful gaze of thousands, Aegor emerged from Queenscrown’s gates clad in a simple black cloak, flanked by a squad of soldiers. He marched through the gathered troops and ascended a makeshift platform at the front.
----


A gust of wind blew snowflakes onto his face, the icy crystals melting into droplets of water that he wiped away with a gloved hand. Aegor glanced up at the gray-white sky, his brow furrowing slightly. After days of clear weather, the snow had decided to fall on the day of his southern campaign’s beginning. Even though he dismissed omens as superstition, the turn of weather irked him nonetheless.

Unsure if the snowfall would worsen, Aegor wasted no time. Taking his place on the platform, he turned to face the five thousand soldiers below. Drawing a deep breath, he began to speak.

“Warriors of the Gift, I am honored to stand here before you, after all we’ve endured together, unbroken and ready. Everyone here knows what we’re setting out to do today, so I’ll skip the usual pleasantries and get straight to the point. First, let me salute each of you—the brave souls who, even after witnessing the horrors of our enemies, have chosen to stand and fight.”

The soldiers’ faces remained indifferent, a hint of disdain flickering in their eyes. Brave? They hadn’t chosen this—it was compulsory. Why sugarcoat it?

“Traditionally, this is the part where I remind everyone of our purpose: that this fight against the White Walkers isn’t for anyone else, but for our descendants. I’d then ramble on about duty, victory, and the future, and whether you understood or accepted it wouldn’t matter—I’d just declare the expedition underway.”

Scanning the crowd, Aegor noted the lackluster morale but wasn’t surprised. That was fine. His next words would capture their attention.

“But today, I won’t do that! Instead, I want to address a rumor—one I’m sure most of you have already heard: that after this expedition, the southern kings and lords plan to unjustly settle scores with us. That they intend to force the mountain clans back into the hills and drive the new tribes of the Gift back beyond the Wall.”

One sentence was all it took to send ripples through the crowd. Soldiers nearest the platform snapped out of their stupor, their faces shifting to alertness. Those farther back, who hadn’t caught his words, quickly learned from their neighbors. In mere moments, thousands of eyes locked onto Aegor, their gazes sharp and focused.

Taking another breath, Aegor raised his voice, the tension in the square palpable.

“I understand your anger. I share it. And I owe you all an apology—for the High Command’s inaction in addressing these rumors. But I must also ask for your understanding. As Lord Commander, responsible for the Gift’s safety, I can’t confront kings and lords based on hearsay. I had to investigate the source and credibility of these claims.”

The crowd buzzed with tension as Aegor continued.

“And I regret to inform you that this rumor… may not be entirely baseless.”

The statement hung in the air like a thunderclap. For a moment, the crowd was stunned into silence, but the realization hit like a tidal wave. The square erupted into chaos. Soldiers shouted in rage, some calling for vengeance against the southern lords, others advocating a retreat beyond the Wall, while many stood paralyzed by uncertainty. Even Aegor’s trusted officers were caught off guard by the sudden revelation, scrambling to maintain order.
----


Aegor let the chaos simmer before continuing, his voice cutting through the noise.

“The Gift and the Wall are humanity’s first line of defense. We’ve bled and toiled to build and protect them, ensuring the survival of Westeros. And yet, the lords and kings of the south—who’ve never faced a single White Walker or raised a blade against the undead—dare to question our right to live here. They would strip us of the fruits of our labor, all while hiding in the warmth and safety we secured for them!”

Aegor’s tone grew sharper, his fury plain. “The White Walkers may be humanity’s ancient enemy, but the traitors who look like us, who share our flesh and blood yet place their selfish interests above all, are the true danger. They are the ones who turned this war into a nightmare. Today, I stand here to accuse every southern noble who refused to fight, every coward who undermined humanity’s survival, of crimes against us all—crimes against humanity!”

The soldiers roared in agreement, their collective anger boiling over as Aegor’s words ignited a fire in their hearts.