Chapter 283: A Different Path
In the dim cellar, one could not perceive the changing light of the sky, but it was already late. Time was running out for the Night's Watchmen at Castle Black to cast their votes.
There were still over two hundred votes uncast. If no choice was made by dinner, the owners of those votes would be deemed to have abstained—in which case, Yohn Royce might surpass the "two-thirds" threshold with over five hundred votes, winning the Lord Commandership through an alternative route.
Egger did not want to rush all the way back to Castle Black and offend the leaders of the conservative camp to the point of no return, only to lose the struggle because of a ticking clock. It would be a waste of effort.
He ceased his argument with Ser Denys Mallister and approached Robb, leading him and his party out of the Great Hall under the pretext of showing them around Castle Black and arranging their accommodations, leaving the floor for the voting to continue.
Quit while you're ahead.
What needed to be said had been said, and anything that could be done was impossible to execute before sunset. The rest was left to Jon, Sam, and those who had remained at Castle Black to manage. Once he left the hall, whatever his rivals said or did—without him there to respond—would be reduced to the barking of defeated dogs. It could never erase or overshadow the impression he had left by roaring in front of the crowd.
Robb went to the top of the Wall first.
The existence of wights was a recognized fact in the North, but the shock of viewing a solitary specimen through the bars of a cage—the one Commander Mormont had sent in a wooden crate on a wagon—compared to standing at the pinnacle of the ice wall and overlooking the ruins of the battlefield where the dead had attacked the Wall for the first time in millennia... the difference was as vast as heaven and earth.
The mobile wights had long since been summoned back to the Haunted Forest by the Others, likely hunting down the few living souls left there. Although it was incredibly cold north of the Wall, the climate was much drier than in the south. A few light snowfalls had failed to completely cover the traces of the great battle. Charred corpses, roasted by wildfire and oil, dotted the snowy ground at the foot of the Wall in rows of normal or contorted human shapes. The wooden palisades the Watch had built to temporarily house the wildlings had been reduced to ash by the combined power of fire and magic. Yet, the remaining traces, even when mixed with thin layers of snow to form slush, still revealed a distinct dark hue. Looking down from the top of the Wall, it was as if some titan had used a massive ink drop to mark the entrance outside the ice tunnel, reminding attackers where the gate lay.
...
This was Robb's first time at the Wall.
The shock of witnessing humanity's greatest creation coupled with the marks of a life-and-death struggle produced an effect far greater than the sum of its parts.
For thousands of years, no Warden of the North had faced such a situation. "Unprecedented crisis" suddenly transformed from a sentiment or a public platitude into a tangible challenge right before his eyes. At this moment, the Stark family words changed from a proverb reminding family members to maintain crisis awareness into an objective description of reality.
"Truly... Winter is Coming." Robb's gaze turned solemn. He realized that Egger's previous reports had not been exaggerations or alarmist talk; the actual situation might be worse than he had imagined.
"No, my lord. Winter is here," Egger said, shaking his head. "Before we captured a wight and displayed it to the King and the lords of the Seven Kingdoms to prove the crisis, the Free Folk had been battling these things for perhaps over a year... they experienced the entire process of the dead growing from a few individuals to tens of thousands. They know well how to deal with the dead. Thus, when they huddle together in an organized fashion, even the Others only dare to attack after nightfall. But the day the wights launched their massive assault was the day the last group of surrendered wildlings entered the gates. Our enemy is clever; they understand that when humans have a path of retreat, they lose the will to resist and care only for flight. They used the perfect timing, nearly sweeping through the tunnels of Castle Black along with the fleeing Free Folk. It was Commander Mormont who decisively ordered the gate closed at the most harrowing moment to prevent the danger from escalating."
"I have heard of this. It seems... the tribe that attacked Commander Mormont was the one whose members were locked outside the iron gate."
Egger nodded. "I feel regret for the loss of their kin, but that is no excuse for them to violate the laws of the Gift and cause us great trouble. I have already ordered increased vigilance and strengthened oversight of the remaining tribes who also had members locked out that day, to ensure they do not threaten the stability of the Gift again."
This is good, Robb thought, nodding. He pulled Arya back; she was leaning over the railing at the Wall's edge, looking as though she might be blown off by the fierce wind at any moment.
The girl looked worried. "Are there still people outside the Wall?"
"Theoretically, yes. About several thousand to ten thousand wildlings chose not to believe the King-Beyond-the-Wall or the Night's Watch. They broke away from the main group to find their own way."
"Then aren't they as good as dead?"
"Perhaps. But one must be responsible for one's choices."
...
The fate of thousands was summarized in such a casual sentence. Arya, protected by countless people, did not often encounter the cruelty of the real world. After hearing this, she remained silent for a while, then muttered, "The ones down there... can't we send someone to collect their bodies?"
"We could, but considering the Others possess magic that can crack steel, even several gates are not entirely secure. After the last living person passed through the Wall, we sealed the entrance to the tunnel," Egger replied candidly—not just to answer the girl, but to restate his position to Robb. "I am a realist. Compared to those who died tragically outside the Wall or those who refused to surrender and are likely still struggling, I care more about those inside the Wall who are still alive. In this cold, the remains will not rot or cause disease or stench. Under these circumstances, rather than collecting bodies for both friend and foe at the base of the Wall, I believe all future policies of the Night's Watch should prioritize guarding the Wall and ensuring the safety of our brothers, the residents of the Gift... and the North."
He thought for a moment and added, "Commander Mormont agreed with this view. That is why we have the Gift settlement plan, the loan contract with Braavos... and the series of arrangements along the Wall."
If someone other than himself became Lord Commander, these long-term plans to defend the North might be drastically altered or even overturned... saying this out loud would be too transparent. It was better to let Robb realize it for himself.
"That is well. Tell me more about the other defensive arrangements you've made along the Wall."
To the Night's Watch, the Warden of the North was the true King. Despite their deep apprehension regarding Egger's private relationship with the Starks, the senior officers at Castle Black—including the First Steward, who had received letters from Winterfell long ago regarding this northern patrol—had prepared for the arrival of the party. After leading Robb on a tour of Castle Black and settling the hundred-odd people with the cooperation of Bowen Marsh and Othell Yarwyck, the election results finally came out.
First place: Yohn Royce, with 584 votes. Second place: Warner Buckwell, with 210 votes. Third place: Egger West, with 163 votes.
Several dozen votes were ultimately not cast and were treated as abstentions.
Warner Buckwell's two hundred-plus votes came entirely from staunch supporters of the reformist faction—those who truly hoped for reform or whose interests were tied to Egger. Naturally, they required no further mention. Egger's own hundred-odd votes were from neutral observers he had won over after his personal appeal. As for the nearly six hundred votes for his rival, Yohn Royce, almost all had been obtained before Egger's return to Castle Black. He had gained nearly 450 votes in the morning and subsequently secured the support of a large number of Castle Black soldiers at a rate of twenty to thirty votes per hour. All signs pointed to his imminent election as Lord Commander. Unfortunately, that smooth rhythm was completely shattered after Egger's unexpected and timely appearance and his public questioning of the competence of Royce and the two commanders supporting him.
Yohn failed to seize his best chance for victory. With Egger's high-profile entry into the race, it was foreseeable that even if the two commanders continued to support Yohn Royce tomorrow, he would no longer be able to win. Conversely, Egger would undoubtedly receive more votes than he did today.
The plan to prevent a Lord Commander from being born had not failed, thanks to several coincidences and multi-party efforts, but the road ahead was still long. After hosting a welcome feast for Robb's party and settling them in, Egger returned to his tower. He gathered all the key figures and strategists of his faction to discuss the subsequent plan. The discussion continued late into the night before the detailed arrangements were finalized.
The last to leave was Sam. Before departing, he provided some additional details to Egger. Once the stout boy's broad back disappeared from sight, Egger let out a long breath into the cold night air of Castle Black and turned back into the room.
...
Before he could close the door, a female voice spoke abruptly: "Lord Chief Logistics Officer, your meeting is finally over."
Egger gripped the door, raising his eyebrows in surprise. "Lady Melisandre? Er... good evening."
It felt a bit strange to say good evening; it was already midnight, and "good night" would have been more appropriate.
The Red Priestess nodded in response to the greeting and shrugged. "Shall we speak here?"
"Oh, please come in." The Watchman hurried to clear the doorway.
The woman smiled, gathered the hem of her red robes, and stepped gracefully over the threshold into the room, which was filled with warmth and still carried the lingering scent of many men.
In the dead of night, a man and a woman alone... Egger's mind raced for a few seconds before he closed the door.
He wasn't afraid of gossip.
Melisandre was not at all bashful; by the time Egger turned around, she had already taken a seat in the chair across from his desk.
What was she here for? Egger was momentarily confused but walked back behind the desk with a composed face and sat down.
"Lady Melisandre, have your injuries from the other day healed?"
The ice spear thrown by the Other to assassinate her had only grazed the skin, but it had wounded Melisandre in a way Egger could not understand, such that she hadn't shown her face for a long time after being taken back to her room. Thus, Egger asked.
"Thanks to you, my lord, I am no longer hindered." Melisandre smiled softly, appearing to be in excellent spirits. "Speaking of which, you truly saved my life that day, yet I did not express my gratitude in person before you left Castle Black for the south. Please forgive my lack of courtesy."
"You overstate the matter, Lady Melisandre. You possess extraordinary arts and are committed to opposing the enemy of mankind. Your presence at Castle Black is a blessing for all the Night's Watch. Anyone would have chosen to save you."
A man and a woman alone in a room late at night, yet speaking nothing but hollow platitudes—it was quite bizarre. Perhaps sensing this as well, Melisandre let out a soft laugh. "Enough. The Logistics Officer and I should be considered old friends. Don't act so official; can't we be more casual?"
Egger knew nothing of Melisandre's origins, but this woman of mysterious age appeared to be in her late twenties or early thirties—fully mature but not yet showing signs of aging. Moreover, she knew exactly how to project the charm of a mature woman. Her speech and manner were seductive without being wanton, proper yet exuding allure at every turn. That smile was truly as bright as a peach blossom, brilliantly beautiful.
Could she be here tonight to... Egger knew that was impossible, but honestly, in a dull and boring place like the Wall, it was hard for a normal man not to have certain thoughts when alone in a room late at night with such a woman.
He suppressed his stray thoughts and smiled. "Since you put it that way, I won't stand on ceremony. It's so late; what can I do for you?"
"The way the Logistics Officer denounced the two commanders in the cellar this afternoon was truly admirable. However, while that outburst was satisfying, Ser Denys Mallister and Lord Cotter Pyke will certainly never vote for you now. I noticed a long meeting taking place in this room just now; I wonder if you and your friends have devised a counter-strategy for the next step?"
In terms of purity of motive, few in the world could be more single-minded than a follower of the Red God. It was normal for Melisandre to be concerned with the affairs of the Wall.
Logically, Egger shouldn't tell an outsider what he had just discussed with his supporters, but considering this priestess likely suspected he was the Prince That Was Promised, she probably wouldn't do anything detrimental to him.
"Tomorrow, Warner Buckwell will withdraw from the election, and the votes that originally belonged to him will be cast for me... Thus, I conservatively estimate I will receive between four hundred and five hundred votes. Even if one of the two commanders successfully persuades the other to support them, I am fairly confident I can still prevent that person from being elected."
"From my observations during these days at Castle Black, the scenario you assume is unlikely to happen. The accumulated resentment between the two commanders likely spans a time no shorter than your own age; they will not suddenly switch to supporting the other just because you appeared." Melisandre nodded. "But what I want to ask is—what comes after? If the Night's Watch fails to elect a Lord Commander for a long time, the defense of the Wall remains in a rigid and dangerous state without a leader... It is fortunate that the enemy has not taken the opportunity to attack, but this is not a long-term solution. You must take the position of Lord Commander quickly, for the sake of everyone!"
It was 'You must take the position', not 'Someone must take the position'. Egger stared at Melisandre with interest, wondering when this priestess had become his supporter. He nodded and continued with his next plan.
"I would very much hope that one of the two commanders would suddenly have an epiphany and vote for me, but that is unlikely. Right now, my first hope is that Robb Stark agrees to hold a general election across all the strongholds of the Wall. This would slightly expand my advantage, though I cannot go to the Shadow Tower and Eastwatch to scold their commanders one by one... therefore, there won't be many people in those two forts who switch their votes to me. So, I am prepared for the fact that there are four hundred votes I will never get."
"The proposal for one man, one vote is likely to be adopted, but there is no reason for Stark to change the rule that one must receive two-thirds of the votes to be elected. Without those four hundred votes, what do you plan to do?"
"Think in reverse." Egger gave a mysterious smile. "Receiving two-thirds of the votes—from another perspective, isn't that just 'suppressing the number of votes not cast for you to below one-third'? We can do this by reducing the number of opponents, but there is actually another path—increasing the total number of eligible voters to make those four hundred votes represent a smaller percentage!"
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
On Patreon, you can explore Extra Chapters in advance!