Chapter 64

The noise of conversation brought Aegor back to reality. He realized now wasn’t the time to get lost in thought. After helping Eddard Stark’s captain dismount and settling the two guests—a large and a small one—into the not-yet-opened Night’s Watch office, he returned to his earlier considerations in secret.

The irony of it all hit him: to preserve his scheme, he might have to become a protector of peace. The thought would have been laughable if it weren’t so serious. Preventing the War of the Five Kings... Just thinking about it gave him the same sense of futility as trying to stop Bran from falling. Was this war yet another whim of some divine being?

No. Thinking like that would lead nowhere. Forget those damn supernatural forces. Without a doubt, the most straightforward way to solve this problem was to eliminate Littlefinger and Varys—the schemers fueling the chaos. But that wasn’t something Aegor could accomplish.

Using outside help? Aegor’s thoughts turned to Jaqen H’ghar, but the very mention of the Faceless Man gave him a headache.
----


The Faceless Men hailed from Braavos, a city remarkable for far more than its Iron Bank. This city across the Narrow Sea was a marvel of progress: a haven for immigrants, a place founded by slaves and permanently free from slavery, a hub of maritime trade, a beacon of religious and cultural plurality, and a seat of financial and political power. Braavos boasted an unbroken streak of victories in major wars, even defeating the mightier and older Pentos in a conflict that forced the latter to abolish slavery.

Such victories were no coincidence. Winning wars of that scale required immense coordination, mobilization, and organization of internal resources, military power, and political will. Aegor doubted the Sealord, Iron Bank, and House of Black and White were truly independent entities. At some level, there had to be strategic alliances—or perhaps they were all run by the same shadowy elite.

Aegor even speculated that the House of Black and White served as Braavos’ intelligence agency, training spies and assassins to protect the city’s interests by eliminating key threats.

But this raised a troubling question: why was Jaqen, a high-ranking Faceless Man with the authority to train apprentices, sitting in a cell in King’s Landing? Was his journey to the Wall with Yoren coincidental, or was he on a mission? If so, who was his target?
----


Without answers, how could Aegor approach him? Jaqen was still in the black cells, having agreed to join the Night’s Watch. Aegor had considered staging a fake accident to “rescue” him and earn his gratitude, but without trusted allies, such a plan was unfeasible.

If violence wasn’t an option, then Aegor’s only path was to suppress chaos and help Eddard Stark win—or at least not lose—the Game of Thrones in King’s Landing.

Oppose Littlefinger? Aegor doubted his own cunning was up to the task. On top of that, Littlefinger wasn’t acting alone. Varys, with his own agenda, was just as determined to destabilize the realm. Against two masters of intrigue, Aegor’s advantage of knowing the original storyline felt like a hollow shield. The two veterans were working tirelessly to sow chaos, while Aegor, a mere novice, was juggling his bond scheme and the increasingly impossible task of maintaining stability. One misstep, and he’d be exposed and eliminated.

Besides, he only knew the unaltered plot.

The memory of his failure to stop Bran’s fall still haunted him. He didn’t want to intervene directly in the narrative and risk further disruptions. So how had he managed to extricate himself from Winterfell’s mess last time?

By quietly informing the Starks.

The realization struck him like lightning. Just as he had avoided implicating himself in the attempt on Bran’s life by tipping off the Starks, he didn’t need to confront Littlefinger head-on. All he needed was to plant doubt in Eddard’s mind, ensuring the Hand of the King didn’t blindly follow Littlefinger’s lead. The Stark lord was intelligent and resourceful enough to handle the rest.
----


“Aegor, my lady is speaking to you,” a voice interrupted, pulling Aegor from his thoughts again. He looked up to see a young, freckled face staring at him expectantly.

“Ah, apologies,” Aegor said, quickly adjusting his demeanor. “I was thinking about recruitment. How may I help you, Lady Arya?”

“You’re the Aegor Jon told me about, aren’t you?” Arya asked, pouting slightly. “The one who killed a White Walker?”

“Yes,” Aegor admitted, glancing at Jory Cassel, whose expression clearly showed his skepticism. Telling the truth in this case felt oddly disconcerting.

“Are White Walkers strong?” Arya pressed.

“Very strong. Even with two of us fighting one, we barely survived.”

“But you still killed it, right? That must mean you’re amazing with a sword!” Arya’s eyes lit up. “Come here. I have something to ask you.”

She grabbed his sleeve and dragged him into the inner office—the so-called "Chief Quartermaster’s Office"—shutting the door behind them. Lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, she said, “Can you teach me how to use a sword?”

“Excuse me?” Aegor blinked, momentarily taken aback. He thought back to the original timeline. By now, hadn’t Eddard already hired a Braavosi swordsman—Syrio Forel, wasn’t it? “Why not ask your father to hire a proper instructor?”

“He’d never agree! Don’t you get it? I’m a girl!”
----


Something was definitely off. Why hadn’t Syrio Forel appeared yet? Was this another butterfly effect caused by Aegor’s actions? Perhaps Eddard’s mindset had shifted due to Aegor’s accusations against Joffrey. Or maybe Arya had hidden Needle too well, and Eddard hadn’t discovered it. Whatever the reason, Aegor didn’t have the time to deal with the Stark girl’s whims.

“I’m busy. Apologies, my lady,” Aegor replied politely. I’m already too preoccupied saving your father’s life, he thought bitterly. “Ask one of your father’s guards instead.”

“My father just helped you out. Can’t you at least do this small favor?” Arya argued, glaring at him indignantly.

Your father helped me, not you, Aegor thought, stifling a laugh. Arya was undoubtedly an important character, and building a good relationship with her could be useful—eventually. But right now, she was of no immediate value to him.

While the thought of assessing people by their utility felt cold, Aegor was too deep in the game to care. His survival and plans came first. Firmly, he shook his head, organizing his thoughts for a polite refusal.

But just as he was about to speak, a new idea struck him.