Chapter 293

"Yohn, stop this madness!" The Master Builder, typically reserved and careful with his words, bellowed for the first time since appearing on the scene.

"You think I'm the one being reckless?" Yohn Royce roared back. "The Kingslayer acted without orders, disobeyed his superiors, and now I'm the one upholding the discipline of the Night's Watch! Your indulgence in his lawless behavior is dragging the entire order into chaos!"

Not everyone shared Yohn Royce's personal vendetta against Aegor. The more conservative members of the Watch opposed Aegor for different reasons: some rejected the radical notion of "accepting the wildlings," others disliked his unorthodox methods, and still more doubted him because of his youth, inexperience, and brief time in the Night's Watch. Many others simply supported rival candidates for their own interests and were reluctant to switch allegiances.

Yet over time, the wildlings—now dubbed the "New Gift settlers"—had proven they could live in peace, and Aegor’s actions gradually won over many skeptics. Increasingly, men began to believe the words Aegor had spoken upon his return from the South: In these desperate times, a commander who bends the rules to get things done might be the best choice.

Stubborn opponents remained, but when forced to choose between letting Jaime's defiance slide or plunging the Night's Watch into bloody civil war, any rational man would prioritize stability.

Yohn Royce, however, stood atop the moral high ground, using it to exacerbate the conflict—forcing the officers of Castle Black into a position where they could no longer put stability first.

Jaime’s Westerlands contingent numbered over forty men, while Eastwatch’s faction had a comparable number. If these two groups clashed without intervention, casualties would inevitably rise to the dozens. The men of Castle Black, the largest third party, would have no choice but to intervene to contain the chaos.

And if they had to take sides? The answer was clear: there was no evidence anyone intended to harm Mance Rayder’s family, which made Jaime’s faction the one at fault for acting without orders. Allowing them to leave was one thing, but aiding them in battle against the opposing faction? That would be impossible to justify.

Bowen Marsh, his close ally Othell Yarwyck, and the neutral First Ranger exchanged tense glances. They clenched their jaws, realizing they were on the verge of making a difficult decision.

The tension in the air was palpable. Sensing the unease, Jaime’s Westerlands contingent instinctively drew closer together, forming a defensive circle with their backs against each other. They faced Eastwatch’s armed faction on one side and the dozens of soldiers near Castle Black’s three senior officers on the other.

The trio whispered urgently to one another, preparing to make one final attempt to convince Jaime to stand down. If that failed, they would resort to force to arrest him. The conflict had been pushed to its breaking point by deliberate manipulation.

Just as their final ultimatum was about to be delivered, breaking the stalemate once and for all, a loud voice rang out from the gates, disrupting the escalating crisis.

"Supplies from the South! Pork and mutton! Anyone idle, come help unload!"

Castle Black had grown accustomed to supply shipments from Crown's Rest over the past ten months. Most of the men ignored the announcement, focusing instead on the growing tension in the yard. But sharp-eyed onlookers soon noticed something unusual: the number of people accompanying this shipment far exceeded the norm.

Nearly a hundred armed individuals escorted three wagons through Castle Black’s gates. Among them, only ten appeared to be mere drivers. The rest were armed to varying degrees, and a core group stood out in shining, full plate armor bearing the Lannister crest. Equipped with shields, longswords, and daggers, they looked ready for battle.

Yohn Royce’s heart sank.

What is this? Could that bastard have already arranged reinforcements?

A sense of dread filled him. As he grappled with his growing unease, the leader of the convoy—a black-clad Night’s Watch officer—stepped forward. Humphrey Hill, the logistics officer stationed in Crown's Rest, greeted them with a cordial smile.

“By order of the Chief Logistics Officer, we’ve completed the winter livestock culling in the Gift and are delivering part of the meat to the Wall. I’ve also been tasked with escorting Mance Rayder and his family back to safety within Crown's Rest’s walls. I trust Castle Black will cooperate with these arrangements.”

"Winter livestock culling" was a common practice in the North. With no way of knowing how long winter would last, most animals were slaughtered early on, their meat preserved for storage. The reasoning was sound and fit the season perfectly, but Bowen Marsh sighed heavily as he watched the imposing convoy of nearly a hundred men, comprised of Night’s Watch guards, hill tribe warriors, and other allies.

Since Lord Commander Mormont’s death, Marsh had tried to sabotage the New Gift settlement by cutting off supplies to the wildlings. But Aegor had stockpiled resources in Crown's Rest, enabling him to bypass Castle Black entirely. For months, the two supply depots operated independently, draining resources in a battle of attrition.

Now, inexplicably, Crown's Rest was sharing its prized meat supplies. And the convoy had arrived before noon, meaning they must have departed before dawn—another sign that this was no coincidence.

Aegor had planned everything.

Marsh clenched his fists as the realization dawned: Aegor had calculated every move in advance. If he won the Lord Commander election, it wouldn’t be by luck but by sheer, meticulous strategy.

Yohn Royce’s face turned pale before flushing with rage. He turned and berated the gate guards. “How could you let this happen? Someone uses a shipment as cover to sneak in armed men, and you just let them through?”

“Lord Royce, you jest,” Humphrey Hill replied smoothly. “I’ve been a sworn brother of the Watch for half a year, serving as the logistics officer at Crown's Rest. The gate guards know me and the convoy. Are you suggesting we need to waste time verifying the identity of sworn brothers delivering much-needed supplies?”

His tone was polite, but the armed escort closed ranks as they approached the yard. Their presence, combined with the sight of the heavily armored Lannister men, sent a clear message: they were here to back Jaime.

Aegor had played his hand, pulling every resource to ensure his victory. Facing this overwhelming show of force, the officers of Castle Black exchanged uneasy looks, fully aware they had been outmaneuvered.

Marsh’s lips tightened as he reached his grim conclusion: they would have to let Jaime and Mance Rayder’s family leave. The only question now was how to frame their retreat in a way that preserved dignity.

But how could they justify giving Jaime, who had blatantly defied orders, a free pass?

Before they could reach a decision, the last influential figure of the Night’s Watch—a man who had remained neutral throughout the entire conflict—finally arrived at the scene.