Chapter 238

"Then, I'll wait for your good news." Melisandre smiled at Aegor before turning to head back to her tower.
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What a sorceress. Teasing her really was asking for trouble. Watching her retreating figure, Aegor couldn't help but wonder: if he had kept joking and insisted on her warming his bed tonight, would she actually have come?

Her age and identity were both mysteries, but did that even matter? Men and women came together for their bodies, not their souls.
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Snapping out of his thoughts, Aegor chuckled self-deprecatingly. He couldn’t believe a single jest from the Red Priestess had left him feeling so conflicted. Was it the loneliness of the Wall or just the inherent weakness of men?
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As Mance Rayder returned to the Haunted Forest to gather the remaining Free Folk, Aegor began preparations to receive the new residents of the Gift. Plans to repopulate the Gift had been proposed as far back as when Benjen Stark served as First Ranger. The Night’s Watch had even formally suggested it to the Warden of the North. Unfortunately, the idea had been abandoned due to the persistent threat of wildling raids.

Now, using the resurgence of the Others as an opportunity, Aegor planned to turn the Gift’s greatest threat—the wildlings—into its inhabitants, aiming to solve the problem once and for all.

His method of settling and "domesticating" the Free Folk was essentially an attempt to transform the Gift into a miniature nation. The vision was grand, but reality was harsh. Even a small nation needed essential institutions and officials. While the Free Folk and mountain clans provided cheap and abundant labor, they lacked education and any suitable candidates to manage the new Gift.

Thus, the necessary personnel could only come from the Night’s Watch itself and the employees of Aegor’s enterprises in the North. This duality posed both a challenge and an opportunity. Among the thousand members of the Night’s Watch, those literate and numerate were fewer than the employees Aegor had brought from King’s Landing.

This meant that if the Gift was successfully rebuilt, no matter how much Mormont might wish to curtail Aegor’s influence, he’d have no choice but to rely on Aegor’s people for administrative roles. And, for now, it seemed Mormont had no intention of stopping Aegor. After all, the logistics office was nominally a subordinate branch of the Watch, and Aegor was still a sworn brother. No matter how much power he consolidated, the Gift would remain dependent on the North for grain, tethering it to reality.
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While the grand resettlement plan for the Gift was proceeding, trouble arose in the North. Winterfell had just retrieved Arya Stark after her escape, only for Bran Stark to disappear. Accompanying him were Meera and Jojen Reed, along with Hodor. It was just as the original story foretold.

The First Ranger, upon hearing the news, wore an incredulous expression. "What is wrong with the Starks? They can’t even keep track of their own children! A crippled boy escaped Winterfell?"

Maester Aemon, clutching the letter with trembling hands, spoke up, “That may be true, but it’s not our place to judge. The letter mentions that before Bran fled, he expressed an interest in heading beyond the Wall. Lady Catelyn requests that the Watch increase patrols. If the boy is spotted, he should be brought to Castle Black or sent to Last Hearth for protection.”

“Winterfell’s soldiers couldn’t catch a crippled boy?”

“As I understand it,” Mormont sighed, “Winterfell’s troops have been redirected to repel Ironborn raids. The few horses left at Winterfell were released from their stables the day Bran fled. The North’s seat of power couldn’t muster a handful of riders at a critical moment, and now they turn to us for help. At this point, I can’t spare anyone.” He shook his head. “We bear no responsibility for that boy’s escape. Let’s keep an eye out, but there’s no need to overextend ourselves. Aegor, have your people in Queenscrown keep watch for those children.”

Aegor nodded. Deep down, he knew there was no stopping the Three-Eyed Raven. With its omniscience and mastery of warging, aiding Bran’s escape from Winterfell was child’s play. Interfering with it a second time? He valued his life too much for that.
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Meanwhile, wildlings began gathering outside Castle Black. Mormont reinforced the fortress by pulling soldiers from other forts along the Wall, amassing a force of over a thousand men—the largest the Watch had seen in a century. Scouts were sent down to the wildling camp to verify Mance’s claims.

The findings were largely accurate: the wildlings numbered roughly thirty thousand, and they had indeed brought significant stores of food. However, there was one unexpected factor: the number of giants. Even after losses in battle and harsh conditions, over a hundred remained.

To ensure these towering figures posed no threat during their passage, the Watch debated extensively. Eventually, ballistae were brought down from the Wall, and special arrangements were made to allow no more than three giants through at a time. Though larger than men, their slow movements and clumsy actions made them manageable; one well-placed bolt would bring even a giant down.
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“Buy all our food?” Mance frowned as he reviewed the laws drafted by the Watch, with some assistance. “The Free Folk don’t want your copper coins. If you’re short on food, we’d willingly offer a third of our stores. There’s no need for this.”

“An agreement is an agreement. If you disagree, then the passage through the Wall will have to wait.”

“You...” Mance gritted his teeth, his shoulders slumping in defeat. “Not even a portion left for us? What will we eat when we reach your settlements?”

“Once the Free Folk exchange their grain for coin, they can use that money to purchase new supplies. Before leaving Castle Black, they’ll be able to buy enough food for ten days—no more. In addition to grain, we’ll provide clothing, tools, and other necessities, far more than what’s available beyond the Wall.” Aegor shrugged. “If there’s no further objection, you can inform your people. Once you return to Castle Black as a hostage, we’ll begin relocating the Free Folk to the Gift.”
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Thus, the long-negotiated resettlement plan began to take shape. Aegor, ever calculating, continued to prepare for the challenges and opportunities this new order would bring.