Chapter 37

Aegor raised an eyebrow. "Not good news? I can't imagine anything worse than what I've already heard."

"Not necessarily bad news," Tyrion said with a sly grin. "I did manage to convince the Night's Watch leadership to send you with me to King's Landing as a 'recruitment officer,' but I may have, shall we say, embellished your qualifications a bit. As a result, Maester Aemon decided to give you a chance to prove yourself capable... which means, in addition to the task we just discussed, you'll also have a few other responsibilities."

No matter how many tasks they added, it was still better than patrolling beyond the Wall—especially with a mission specifically to hunt White Walkers. Aegor felt a twinge of curiosity. "Such as?"

"Yoren will also be heading south in a few days to recruit more men for the Watch," Tyrion explained, quickening his pace against the biting cold. "The Lord Commander has decided that while Yoren handles the first batch of recruits, you’ll stay behind in King’s Landing. Once Yoren returns to the Wall, he’ll head back south for another round, and during that gap, you'll be responsible for finding new recruits."
----


"Recruitment officer" sounded more prestigious than the reality. Yoren, like most Night's Watch recruiters, didn't exactly inspire volunteers. His job was to trawl through dungeons, picking out criminals, or to scour the slums for the destitute and desperate. Aegor, who in his former life was an engineer with no need for flattery or social graces, had little experience organizing or persuading people. The idea of actively recruiting sounded daunting.

Still, how much worse could he be than Yoren? Aegor sighed. "Fine. What else?"

"Dragonstone has agreed to allow the Night’s Watch to mine obsidian on the island," Tyrion continued. "However, the labor, tools, and logistics are all to be handled by the Watch. The Lord Commander has decided you'll be in charge."

"Dragonstone is just across Blackwater Bay from King’s Landing," Aegor muttered. Of course, they’d expect him to handle it. "So now I’m responsible for mining obsidian? On top of gathering resources and recruits for the Watch? Do they think I have three heads and six arms? How many men and how much funding am I being given?"

"Ah, well..." Tyrion’s expression turned almost gleeful. "Funding doesn’t exist, and as for manpower..." He paused for effect. "The Lord Commander said he would request support from the northern houses, but you'll need to organize the mining operation yourself. Tools and equipment? You'll have to procure those on credit. The Watch will reimburse you... eventually."

Aegor grimaced. "And the Watch's fleet? I assume that’s part of the deal?"

Tyrion chuckled. "Oh, yes. You have full access to the glorious Night’s Watch navy: two longships for patrolling Seal Bay and a single transport ship, the Blackbird. Barely enough to keep the smugglers at bay, let alone run a mining operation. But they are ‘yours to command.’"
----


The logistics sounded straightforward in theory—Aegor could figure out the basics of mining from a knowledgeable local. The funding, however, was a nightmare. He had no money to his name. The thought of relying on Tyrion’s wealth made him uncomfortable, but without resources, his hands were tied.

"If it comes to it," Tyrion added with a smirk, "I’ll arrange for some miners and blacksmiths to provide equipment on credit. Let them chase Mormont for the payment. The Lord Commander wouldn’t dare tarnish the Watch’s reputation over a few debts."

"That... actually sounds reasonable," Aegor admitted, impressed by Tyrion’s shrewdness. "Fine. I’ll leave that part to you."

"Not so fast," Tyrion interrupted. "There’s one last task: improving the Night’s Watch’s image south of the Neck. Congratulations, Aegor. You’re now the Watch’s ‘ambassador of goodwill.’"
----


Aegor felt the blood drain from his face. "What... what exactly does that entail?"

"Figure it out yourself," Tyrion said, thoroughly amused. "You’re now the Night’s Watch’s recruitment officer, supply coordinator, obsidian miner, and public relations expert. Instead of thanking me, you should start thinking about how you’re going to handle all of this."

For a moment, Aegor simply stared at him. Then, as if to ensure he wasn’t dreaming, he pinched the bridge of his nose. Breathing deeply, he resisted the urge to march straight back to Castle Black and demand his old post as a ranger.

It was clear now: the Night’s Watch leadership had no intention of letting him leave quietly. If it were as simple as paying a ransom to escape the Wall, chaos would have erupted long ago. Instead, these so-called "tasks" were thinly veiled tests, designed to tie him to the Watch indefinitely.

If he failed, the leadership could easily call him back, citing negligence. And if he succeeded? Well, they’d find more ways to keep him useful.
----


Could Aegor complete these tasks?

Not a chance—not without help. The challenges were far beyond the abilities of one man, even one armed with his knowledge of the future and understanding of Westerosi politics. Without external support, failure was inevitable. And while Tyrion was willing to assist, how long could he rely on the dwarf’s goodwill before it became too much?

For now, all Aegor could do was move forward. But he would need to tread carefully. His freedom hung by a thread, and the game he was playing was far more dangerous than he had anticipated.