Chapter 267

Winterfell was Arya’s home. Aegor knew better than to dictate where the Stark girl could or couldn’t go within her own family’s castle. Left with no choice, he allowed her to accompany him to the lord’s solar.

Upon entering, he realized they were not alone. Robb wasn’t the only one present; his mother, Lady Catelyn, was also there.

Eddard Stark’s widow cast a reproachful look at her daughter. “Arya, what are you doing here?”

“Robb’s been busy with all sorts of things since he got back, and I just wanted to talk to him!” Arya quickly abandoned Aegor and rushed to her brother’s side, clinging to him in her usual affectionate manner. As expected, the new Lord of Winterfell’s expression softened almost instantly. Much like their father, Robb had a soft spot for his younger siblings and struggled to stay stern with Arya. Inevitably, he gave in.

“Sit, Aegor,” Catelyn said gently, though her furrowed brow betrayed her unease. Once the Night’s Watch officer was seated, she continued, “First, allow me to thank you for your efforts in maintaining peace and stability in the North. However, as a mother, I must apologize—I’m consumed with concern for my son, Bran Stark. Not long ago, we received word from the Night’s Watch that they had found him. Winterfell immediately sent people to retrieve him, but when they returned, they reported that Bran had gone missing again. It seems there’s been some kind of unrest within the Watch, leaving no one able to explain the situation clearly... Amidst all this chaos, I’ve been unable to travel north to investigate myself. As the Chief Logistics Officer, you must have a clearer understanding of the state of Castle Black’s garrison than most. Can you tell me what’s going on?”

“Of course, my lady.” Aegor nodded and elaborated on what he had explained to Arya earlier, recounting the events in greater detail.

In truth, if the Night’s Watch bore any responsibility for Bran’s disappearance, it was simply that they failed to keep track of the boy after finding him. Fortunately, Aegor had taken precautions to distance himself from the matter. During the entire episode, he had stayed far from Castle Black and hadn’t so much as glimpsed Bran, ensuring he bore little connection to the incident.

With no ties to the situation, Aegor felt no guilt and saw no need to cover for anyone or shirk responsibility. He answered every question straightforwardly, keeping the conversation smooth and transparent.

...

“So Commander Mormont met his fate while retrieving Bran?” Catelyn asked, her expression grim as she absorbed the new details. The report Maester Aemon had sent to Winterfell after Mormont’s death had omitted these finer points. “I apologize for the trouble my family has caused the Watch. With the Wall facing its own crises, this matter should not have arisen. Still, as a mother, I must ask: does anyone on the Wall know my son’s whereabouts? If it’s possible, could men be spared to search for Bran in the Gift?”

“After Commander Mormont’s unfortunate death, the Night’s Watch and the Gift fell into disarray, compounded by the food crisis stemming from the need to sustain the mountain clans and new settlers. Amid such chaos, no one had the capacity to investigate further. For that, I apologize. Once things stabilize, I will personally lead an effort to uncover the truth.”

“Mother, the Northern army has fully returned. We have enough manpower now. In a few days, I’ll personally lead an expedition north to track down Bran and bring him back,” Robb interjected.

Robb? Going north himself? Aegor was momentarily stunned. This unexpected development was a windfall. He had been meticulously planning to leverage the Starks’ influence, with convincing Robb to accompany him being a key step. Yet here Robb was, stepping into the role without any prompting.

If Aegor could rally forces to drive out the Ironborn and return victorious with the new Warden of the North at his side, it would cement the perception that Robb—and by extension, the North—supported his policies. With this as a foundation, a political turnaround seemed almost within reach.

...

“I’m going too!” Arya chimed in. Whether her motivation was more about concern for her brother or a desire for adventure was hard to say—likely both.

“You can’t just go gallivanting about. What would you even do?” Robb frowned at her, then turned to his mother. “Mother, leave the matter of finding Bran to me. Trust me this once. For now, I need to discuss other matters with Aegor. Why don’t you take Arya back with you? We’ll talk more over dinner.”

It was both a request from a son to his mother and a veiled command from the Warden of the North to his family. Despite her lingering concerns and desire to press Aegor further, Catelyn understood the need to maintain her eldest son’s authority in front of others. She nodded and rose, motioning for Arya to follow.

“Come, Arya. Let’s go.”

Arya dared not act out in front of her mother, especially one weighed down by worry. She obediently rose, though as she passed Aegor, she stuck her tongue out at him mischievously before leaving the room.

...

The room was now empty save for the two men. It was clear that the earlier exchange had merely been a prelude. Now was the time for the true discussion between the Warden of the North and the First Steward of the Night’s Watch.

“The Night’s Watch has allowed thousands of wildlings past the Wall,” Robb began, his tone serious as he watched the door close behind his mother and sister. The deference he’d shown earlier was gone, replaced by the solemnity of a leader addressing a potential rival. “I understand it was Lord Commander Jeor Mormont who ordered this, but I’ve heard it was your plan all along. After the Old Bear’s death, you’ve continued to push forward with the settlement effort. Is this true?”

Aegor hadn’t expected Robb to be so well-informed, even beyond what he’d assumed. Where was he getting his information?

Though surprised, Aegor didn’t falter. “Yes, it’s entirely true.”

He could no longer hide behind Mormont’s authority. In front of Robb Stark, Aegor had to take full ownership of the plan and make his stance clear—if only because he was here to win the young lord’s support.

“Before his death, Commander Mormont and I drafted a comprehensive legal framework to govern the wildlings allowed past the Wall, ensuring they would pose no threat to the Night’s Watch or the North. This was supported by a series of measures leveraging the Watch’s resources and administrative systems—”

“But none of that stopped the Old Bear from being killed by a few wildlings armed with rocks,” Robb interrupted sharply. His blunt statement struck like a hammer, derailing Aegor’s practiced explanation.

“That... was an accident,” Aegor replied after a moment. “Those responsible, along with the tribe that sheltered them, have been severely punished.”

“I’ve heard of the punishments. Mormont’s family found them acceptable,” Robb said, shaking his head. “But calling it an accident? If Mormont hadn’t brought the wildlings past the Wall, would the original settlers or mountain clans have thrown rocks at him? That’s just an excuse.”

It was a harsh but undeniable truth. Aegor quickly adjusted his demeanor, regaining his composure after the interruption. “But—”

Robb raised a hand to silence him. “I appreciate you and your men coming down from the Gift to help us drive out the Ironborn. But that doesn’t mean I’ll support everything you’ve done. The North isn’t mine alone; I’m accountable to my bannermen first and foremost. And the fact is, nearly every noble who’s heard of this stands firmly opposed. I’ve managed to keep them calm for now by framing it as an internal matter of the Night’s Watch, but this is only a temporary solution. Eventually, the Watch—or more specifically, you—will need to give me an explanation. Only then can I reassure the North and keep them from causing trouble for the Watch.”

...