“What are you two doing?”
“We… we…” Arya’s sudden shout transformed what had been a perfectly normal interaction into something that felt like being caught red-handed in a compromising situation. Myrcella, startled, found herself stumbling over her words, but after a few seconds, she snapped back to her senses—what was she panicking for? “I was giving Lord Aegor a shoulder massage. He works tirelessly guarding the Wall, and it’s exhausting.”
Arya found hers...
Everything was set. Ideally, when the Others attacked, the Gift’s army would operate like a well-oiled machine, following the battle plans as if programmed to do so—holding the line, resisting, and even defeating the undead to protect the Seven Kingdoms. But armies are made of people, not machines, and the residents of the Gift, whether from the mountains or beyond the Wall, didn’t exactly possess lofty ideals like “serving the people” or “offering their hearts for humanity.” In...
2025-01-29 12:32:48 +0000 UTC View PostWhat a perfectly awful coincidence in timing: the Night’s Watch, the Northern threat of the Others and their army of the dead—just as the script was playing out, the Ironborn and the Dragon Queen decided to intervene. If one were to follow the logic of conspiracy theories, one might suspect that these two forces are subconsciously manipulated by the Great Other and R’hllor, respectively, arriving at the battlefield at the most pivotal moment as if guided by some unseen hand.
Euro...
When Aegor received word that a member of the Stark family would be arriving at Crown's Rest to retrieve their child, he wasn’t surprised. Winterfell’s response to the news of Bran’s survival and his intent to join the Night’s Watch had already informed him of Lady Stark’s impending visit. With Robb Stark leading armies elsewhere, it fell to Catelyn Stark, who hadn’t left Winterfell in years, to personally travel north to retrieve her “wayward” son.
Thanks to the newly ...
The Night’s Watch rangers who witnessed the shocking sight of the “sea of wights felling weirwood trees” scrambled back to the Shadow Tower in a panic. Upon hearing their report, Dennis Mallister immediately ordered the Bridge of Skulls sealed once again.
Thus, the patrols beyond the northern side of the Gorge, which had begun hastily, were just as quickly terminated. This made it the shortest-lived directive issued during Aegor’s tenure: executed only once, lasting less than h...
The jars of wildfire hurled into the crowd were thrown by the sailors of the Direwolf, using nothing but brute strength.
It was obvious that wildfire grenades were wholly unsuited for close combat, especially during boarding actions between ships. The green flames licking at the enemies' bodies or igniting the enemy ship’s deck could easily spread onto their own ship and men, resulting in a catastrophic “mutual destruction” scenario.
Yet now, with the Direwolf surrounded o...
The blaring of warhorns didn’t signify that the two longships intended to recklessly assault the Direwolf, a vessel five times their size. Rather, it was a signal, summoning hidden reinforcements lying in wait to spring their trap. The longships, reversing direction with startling speed, shifted seamlessly from “retreat” to “pursuit.” Even as the Direwolf struggled to complete its turn, the two smaller ships skillfully positioned themselves on either side of its return path, staying...
2025-01-29 12:31:10 +0000 UTC View PostAegor had initially hoped to craft bullets, shrapnel for bombs, or cluster munitions out of Valyrian steel—ideas fit for modern warfare—but the technology wasn’t there yet, and the enemy certainly wouldn’t grant him the time to research and perfect such advancements.
Besides, the ability of Valyrian steel to kill White Walkers came from the fire-aspected magic infused within it. If the steel were divided into fragments, the magic within each piece would be proportionally reduce...
"Can you stop for just one moment?"
Melisandre was on the verge of exploding. Why couldn’t this man act like a proper Azor Ahai and simply wield Lightbringer to slay the White Walkers? First, he wanted to sell it. Now, he wanted to melt it down. Was he incapable of sitting still without stirring up chaos?
Aegor knew he was pushing her limits, but he had to ask.
Crown's Rest had already begun mass-producing obsidian weapons through smelting and molding, confirmed by Meli...
Aegor confessed his plan, but not because he was an honest man.
Aside from maintaining a semblance of trust between himself and the Red Priestess, there was another reason: after learning that Dark Sister was no ordinary Valyrian steel sword, he wavered.
Since his original plan to sell the sword was now almost certainly doomed, there was no harm in admitting it.
Valyrian steel swords, more symbolic than practical, rarely circulated in trade—they were priceless and witho...
“Can you stop calling it ‘Lightbringer’? It’s just a Valyrian steel sword.” Aegor wasn’t at all surprised by Melisandre’s reaction and suppressed the urge to roll his eyes, responding with a weak jab of realism. He unsheathed the sword slightly, revealing a sliver of the blade to bolster his argument. “See? It doesn’t glow, and it’s not hot.”
“Do you think I’m some peasant woman who’s never seen a Valyrian steel sword?” Melisandre narrowed her eyes, her ex...
"Dark Sister" was about two inches shorter than the standard steel swords issued to the Crown's Rest garrison, yet its proportions were sleek and elongated. The grip, however, was rather petite; when Aegor held it, there wasn’t even enough room for a spare finger. For him, it was a tight fit, which said a lot—Aegor’s hands, narrow and uncalloused from a life devoid of heavy labor both before and after his transmigration, were already smaller than average for a man his age.
No won...
Although Aegor hadn’t received the answer he most desired regarding the gods, he reluctantly accepted the premise that “the Cold God won’t intervene directly.” It wasn’t so much that Bran had convinced him, but rather that he had no other choice but to believe it. After all, the White Walkers and the wights at least had discernible forms and weaknesses. But the Cold God? If it truly existed and acted against the Night’s Watch, who could say how one might go about “slaying” a g...
2025-01-29 12:29:11 +0000 UTC View Post"'After a long summer, the stars shall bleed'—this clearly refers to the red comet in the sky. As for how it was formed and why it lingers motionless, no one knows."
"'Cold darkness will envelop the world'—this undoubtedly refers to the winter that has already arrived and, by extension, the resurgence of the White Walkers."
"'In this terrifying time, a hero will be reborn in the land of smoke and salt.' This part is meaningless drivel—it’s so vague it could apply to almo...
“There are many reasons, but the most direct one is—it’s impossible to build,” Bran replied without hesitation. “The meltwater from Frostfangs flows entirely into the sea through the Milkwater. The gorge experiences massive summer water flow at the bottom. Building the Wall at a lower elevation would result in it being washed away; building it midway up the mountains would see it tilt and collapse in no time; and building it at the summit… Have you ever measured the height of the ...
2025-01-29 12:28:30 +0000 UTC View Post"The last time I scouted the movements of the dead, they had completed their assembly roughly ten miles north of Castle Black. However, instead of advancing toward the Wall, they split into two groups heading east and west. The eastern group, numbering five to six thousand, is led by three White Walkers and is currently lurking in the Ghost Forest outside the strongholds of the Nightfort, Greyguard, and Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. As for the group heading toward the Gorge... their numbers are endle...
2025-01-29 12:28:10 +0000 UTC View PostAegor swallowed hard.
Bran had just repeated, word for word, the whispered remark Roose Bolton had made to him at Deepwood Motte that night. Honestly... even though Aegor had mentally prepared for this, it was still unsettling. Not entirely in a bad way, though—at least now he didn’t have to fake his shock; his genuine reaction sufficed.
Of course, he was only startled, not guilty. He hadn’t conspired with the Lord of the Dreadfort to overthrow the Starks, so there was not...
A noble scion who had run away from home returned—so what? At a time when humanity and the living stood on the brink of survival against the dead, was this really worth the fuss? Yet in Aegor’s eyes, this event immediately leapt to the top of his priorities, overtaking everything else.
As the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch and the supreme commander of the Wall's defenses, Aegor needed to question this boy, the last living soul to return from beyond the Wall, about the curren...
Before heading south to King’s Landing with Tyrion, Aegor had been a fully-fledged member of the Night’s Watch—a soldier who stood guard atop the Wall through freezing nights, patrolled the Ghost Forest, and even fought against White Walkers.
He thought he understood cold. But reality hit him like a slap in the face, forcing him to truly grasp why even the Northerners distinguished between winter and summer.
After the violent storm that struck during Robb Stark’s inspect...
The attack by the so-called "Undying Ones" in Qarth had left a lasting impression on Daenerys, making it difficult for her not to feel a sense of dread and suspicion toward the masked woman, Quaithe, whose roundabout methods ultimately sought her blood.
Fortunately, their meetings often took place in Daenerys’s own quarters or open spaces rather than enclosed environments like the House of the Undying, which offered her some reassurance. Still, even if she trusted that Quaithe wouldn...
Daenerys pinched her thigh lightly, feeling the sting of pain. It was real. Brimming with anticipation, she walked quickly to the riverbank and picked up the Dragonbinder's Codex left behind by the mysterious woman.
The book’s pages were of a strange material—ancient and weathered yet perfectly preserved. The entire tome was written in High Valyrian, with a well-organized index, detailed illustrations, and dense, comprehensive content. A mere glance was enough to convince Daenerys ...
"During the journey here on the Ironborn’s ship, there wasn’t a single day I didn’t use the flames to divine your circumstances, Your Grace." Though Marqilo couldn’t read Chinese, it didn’t stop him from reveling in the satisfaction of the 'prophesied one' walking right into his hands. His pitch-black eyes locked onto Daenerys’s violet ones. "You were lured by illusions and deceit to that shadowed land, where you were tricked and made to suffer great losses to your strength. The o...
2025-01-29 12:26:12 +0000 UTC View PostTwo Ironborn had left, but the Red Priest Marqilo, another recent addition, remained. He took the seat left vacant by Daario Naharis's absence, joining Queen's Hand Petyr Baelish, Grey Worm, commander of the Unsullied, Missandei, Daenerys's cherished scribe, and Daenerys herself, forming a council reminiscent of a royal small council.
"The Ironborn coming to you is obviously not out of pure motives," Petyr said, shrugging. "But at the end of the day, anyone who takes action seeks somet...
Another attempt to control her dragons? Another fool playing with fire?
Did everyone who called themselves an ally secretly covet her children? The young queen felt the slumbering beast within her stir—this time, the news sparked her maternal rage.
In the brief moments between entering the pyramid and the start of the council meeting, Daenerys had already received a quick debriefing from Petyr Baelish, who summarized the major events that had transpired during her absence.
...
His entire body trembling, a mix of nervousness and hope surging within him, Petyr Baelish felt his heart hammering as if it would leap from his throat. How many years had it been since he’d felt this way?
Rationally, he told himself that his concern for the queen stemmed from her being his only path back to Westeros. Yet, a whisper in the depths of his mind insisted otherwise.
Since losing his duel with Brandon Stark for Catelyn Tully and being banished from Riverrun, twenty ...
The Queen of Meereen, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, Mother of Dragons, the Unburnt, the Stormborn Daenerys Targaryen… had simply abandoned her people at such a critical juncture?
When the news reached Petyr Baelish, he rushed to the top of Meereen’s Great Pyramid, where he found broken flagstones marking the spot where the black dragon had landed, and an empty royal chamber where Daenerys was supposed to be....
The 800-foot-tall pyramid rose majestically from its square base, piercing the clouds. At its summit lay the Queen's courtyard, a verdant sanctuary with lush trees, fragrant flowers, and shimmering pools. From this lofty perch, one could overlook the entire city: the labyrinth of narrow alleys and wide brick streets, temples and granaries, hovels and palaces, brothels and bathhouses, gardens and fountains, and the red-brick ring of the grand fighting pits. Beyond the city walls lay a waxy-whi...
2025-01-29 12:24:33 +0000 UTC View PostAegor needed a testing ground to conduct practical experiments and refine his explosives. His original plan had been to have Nina locate a suitable site outside the Gift. After all, while the Iron Bank had only stationed eight observers across the Wall and Crown's Rest, their loan agreement technically granted them the right to move freely within Night’s Watch territories.
Driven by a sense of secrecy that he couldn’t yet fully explain, Aegor wanted to monopolize this trump card—...
A weirwood forest?
Aegor leaned over again to peer into the canyon, and sure enough, scattered specks of deep red came into view. The recent blizzard had blanketed the North and the Gift in white, and winter’s lifeless stillness made everything appear barren. He’d initially assumed the red was the color of deadwood beneath the snow. But upon closer inspection, he realized that the banks of the Milkwater, the steep canyon slopes—everywhere his eyes could reach—were blanketed wit...
Being a ruler was no easy task, especially when ruling a place like the Gift, where the population was diverse and the problems seemingly endless. Apart from the Night’s Watch workers Aegor had recruited from the South—who were notably loyal to him—the rest of the Gift’s population was rife with complaints about him.
Many among the Night’s Watch and the original Gift residents still opposed Aegor’s settlement policies, considering his decision to accept wildlings into the G...