Chapter 14: The Direwolf
In the world Egger came from, the progress of civilization followed a typical spiral upward trajectory. Though accompanied by many twists, stagnations, and even regressions, the overall path trended clearly upward. In the world of Westeros, however, this was not the case.
Social development requires productivity. When technology is underdeveloped, productivity stems primarily from population. Feeding people requires resources, yet the irregular climate of this world makes resources extremely scarce. The incessant wars fought over those resources further guarantee that production remains unstable. During a Long Summer, things are manageable, but should a winter last slightly too long, civilization undergoes a horrific regression. Trapped in this cycle—where people are needed but lives are cheap, and where a lack of development prevents future growth—it becomes understandable why the social and human development of this world is so inconsistent with its ancient history.
Egger couldn't guess how much padding was in the supposed ten-thousand-year history since the Dawn Age, but he knew one thing: in a world still in the feudal era, especially in the sparsely populated North, an army couldn't just be conjured out of thin air.
"I will contact the various lords and have each house provide men proportionally. We'll scrape together a few hundred to send to the Wall as reinforcements." Eddard Stark and his brother understood each other deeply; knowing Benjen meant no offense, Ned didn't take anger. Instead, he sighed and shook his head. "It is the busy season for farming. Do not expect me to provide much in the way of manpower, though you may give me a list of supplies. I will find a way for you."
"And the King? Give me a chance to face him, and I will speak to him myself."
"When I spoke with Robert in the crypts today, I relayed the message that the Wall needs support. Unfortunately... his mind is elsewhere right now. The situation in King's Landing is tense; he came here specifically to seek my help."
"If the Wall falls, the North will be the first to suffer. By then, even if you help Robert turn King's Landing into an iron fortress, it will be to no avail," Benjen said stiffly. He had calmed down somewhat. "Consider the stakes for yourself. Also, conventional supplies aren't urgent and can be planned for, but there is one uncommon item I need you to collect for me as soon as possible: dragonglass. You can find it on the market, but as a decorative stone, it's expensive and rare. The Night's Watch needs it in large, cheap quantities."
"I read in a book that Dragonstone has vast deposits of obsidian," Egger interjected at the right moment. "If a way can be found to mine it, there will be more than enough."
"I will write to Stannis to negotiate the matter and ask him to facilitate it for you." Ned scoffed at the idea of obsidian being a bane to the Others, but having already refused several of his brother's requests, he couldn't bring himself to say no again. He looked out the window. "It is late. Go wash and change your clothes for the feast... Robert is an old friend, but he is also the King. If we slight him because of our familiarity, even if he doesn't mind, it will provide others with leverage against us."
...
The two men of the Night's Watch took their leave of the Lord of Winterfell. Under Benjen's lead, Egger headed toward their quarters. Although the First Ranger had sworn his life to the Watch, he was still a Stark through and through; the room he'd grown up in was naturally reserved for him. To Egger's surprise, Benjen had also secured a small room within the castle for him.
By rights, with the castle overflowing, a common soldier and minor character like Egger should have been lucky to find a spot in a crowded inn in the town outside. How could he enjoy quarters inside the walls alongside knights and ladies? However, Egger sensed that rather than being a privilege, this arrangement was likely intended to keep a close eye on him and prevent him from deserting.
As various thoughts churned in his mind, the two encountered a young man.
"Uncle Benjen!"
"Jon." A smile touched the First Ranger's preoccupied face. "You've grown taller."
The newcomer was lean, possessing the same long face and dark brown hair as Benjen. Though he didn't look much like the actor from the TV show, Egger identified him immediately from their exchange: the boy known to the world as Eddard Stark's bastard, but who was actually Jon Snow—the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark.
Beyond the boy's secret identity, something else caught Egger's eye: a small, snow-white wolf cub was looking up at him curiously with crimson eyes.
(What's going on?! Because of my presence and knowledge of the plot, neither Gared nor Will deserted and fled across the Wall. Therefore, the execution of a deserter at the start of the story shouldn't have happened... which means the scene where the Stark children find the dead direwolf on the way back from the execution should not exist. So how the hell did this direwolf cub end up in Jon Snow's hands?)
"If I'm not mistaken, that little fellow is a direwolf," Benjen Stark remarked, spotting the cub. He asked warily, "They aren't found south of the Wall. Where did it come from?"
"A villager found its dead mother on a trail outside Winterfell. Jory went to investigate and brought back a litter. Exactly six..."
The uncle and nephew chatted idly, but a massive wave of shock crashed through Egger's mind. Though the cub was small and cute and showed no threat, its appearance filled him with doubt: Can I actually influence the story of the Game of Thrones?
Because of his interference, Gared—who should have been beheaded—was instead wounded in battle, and Will—who should have died—escaped being killed by a wighted Waymar Royce. This had led the transmigrator to believe he could change the course of events.
Consequently, even though he had been hand-picked by Benjen to lead the next scouting mission, Egger had harbored a sliver of hope. The Night King's army of the dead hadn't fully formed yet, and the Watch was already beginning to collect obsidian following Maester Aemon's advice. If they could bring enough dragonglass daggers, arrows, and even Valyrian steel before the next patrol... perhaps they could change the initial tide of the war? Perhaps they could hold the advantage from the start and drastically reduce the threat of the Others?
With this mindset, while Egger's desire to flee was firm, it wasn't so desperate that he felt he had to run at any cost. His plan was to slip away during this trip to Winterfell if a perfect opportunity arose, but never to take a risk that would lead to his execution.
However, the appearance of the white cub made Egger nervous. In a world where magic truly exists, it wasn't impossible that some mysterious, unseen force was keeping the plot from shifting too far... While his actions had changed things, to put it bluntly, Gared and Will were insignificant characters. They were low-born, possessed no extraordinary skills, and were bound to the Wall by their oaths. Whether they lived or died had a negligible impact on the overall "Game."
But Benjen Stark was indisputably a major character. If that hypothetical force truly existed, was he destined to go missing and be turned into a wight during the next patrol? If so, what were Egger's chances of survival if he followed Benjen into the front lines of the war between the living and the dead?
Taking it a step further—based on the logic of some web novels he'd read—perhaps he had already "exposed" himself by changing the plot. Maybe the unknown entity governing the fate of this world already intended to kill him off.
He needed to put much more effort into finding a way to escape.
...
"What are you staring at? Let's go." Benjen Stark had finished his reunion with Jon and patted Egger on the shoulder to bring him back to reality. "Go take a bath and change. You're attending the feast as well."
"I'm attending too?"
"Of course. Not only are we the only two men of the Watch in Winterfell right now, but even if the whole night's watch were here, they would receive the treatment of guests." The warm smile from his talk with his nephew still lingered on Benjen's face; his mood had clearly lightened. "Enjoy it. It's only in the North that the Night's Watch gets any respect."
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