Chapter 284: Bargaining with the Witch
"Increase the number of voters? You surely don't mean expanding the vote to the Gift, do you? We are electing the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, not the King of the Gift. That privilege belongs solely to the sworn brothers of the Watch."
"Nothing so provocative. Even if everyone agreed, I wouldn't dare accept. If we did that, the winner would undoubtedly be Mance Rayder, the former King-Beyond-the-Wall." Egger chuckled and shook his head. "We're just playing the edges, working within the rules. To make four hundred men represent less than a third of the Order's total strength, we simply need the number of voting sworn brothers to exceed one thousand two hundred. In other words, I just need to find a way to bring in two hundred men willing to swear the oath and cast their votes for me to turn the tide."
That works too?
This man's bag of tricks was truly beyond imagination. What could an old man like Denys Mallister or a brute like Cotter Pyke do against such an opponent? Melisandre narrowed her eyes at Egger for a few seconds. She had originally intended to offer her help proactively to gain his trust and ensure she had a seat and a voice at the Wall and in the Gift once he was elected. Who would have thought... the man before her didn't seem to need her help to fix his problems.
"A fascinating idea. And where do you plan to find these two hundred men?"
"Recruit from the Night's Watch Logistics Department, levy from the residents of the Gift... under great reward, there will always be brave men. I'm not worried about that." Light flickered in Egger's eyes. "But these are just recruits. They must be recognized as sworn brothers to have the right to vote. Normally, the Master-at-Arms submits the list of recruits who have finished training to the Lord Commander for review, and after his approval, the oath ceremony is held and they are assigned to their departments... but since we have no Lord Commander, I believe we can skip that procedure. Sam tells me there is historical precedent for this."
"The so-called precedent being that they swear into the Order directly upon the Master-at-Arms' approval?"
"Exactly." Egger nodded. "There have been countless elections for Lord Commander in history, lasting anywhere from a day to two years. The Watch can wait slowly for a new leader, but the nobles who joined for honor, or the criminals and exiled political losers sent by kings and lords to take the black, cannot wait. After all, only after the oath are they bound by the black, allowing the lawmen and the victors to rest easy. I plan to set a bonus for the Master-at-Arms at Castle Black: a sum for every recruit he finishes training and turns into a full Ranger. Profit alone might not be enough; I'll also have to find time for a proper talk with Ser Endrew Tarth to ask for this convenience."
"I heard that before Mormont transferred him to Castle Black, Endrew Tarth served at the Shadow Tower for many years. How do you plan to convince him to cooperate and help you run against his old superior?"
"That is indeed the thorniest part of the plan, but at least his public stance is neutral. I believe that when the cart reaches the mountain, there will be a path... and... well... there are always more solutions than problems."
"What an interesting proverb; quite catchy." Melisandre narrowed her eyes. "Coincidentally, that saying proved accurate today. Your path is right before you."
"Oh?" Egger asked with feigned confusion. "How so?"
"I have good news—the most critical link in your plan, the current Master-at-Arms Ser Endrew, has already come to realize that R'hllor is the only true god under my guidance. As a follower of the Red God, it will be quite easy for me to convince him to grant you this favor."
Egger felt a jolt of excitement. This was good news. He didn't care if Melisandre convinced or used a spell to control Ser Endrew's mind. "That would be excellent. But I wonder, Lady Melisandre, what price must I pay for you to do me this favor?"
"A price? No, no, no. The Lord Chief Logistics Officer clearly doesn't understand one thing: the Wall is the front line of the war between life and death. The choice of Lord Commander concerns the future of humanity. We need a strong leader capable of guiding us through this crisis. I am offering my help because I believe in your ability and believe you are the most suitable Lord Commander." Melisandre stared into Egger's eyes. "This is voluntary aid; you need pay no price. I only hope that after you are elected, you can grant me a few small favors."
...
To think this day would come.
A key figure with mysterious powers like Melisandre had come unbidden, proactively offering to strategize and even stooping to help in a Lord Commander election?
Egger suddenly recalled his situation when he first arrived in this world. Back then, to carry out small plans just to stay alive, he had to scrimp and save, watching the situation with wide eyes and pricked ears. Even later in King's Landing, to recruit ordinary talent and employees, he had to go out personally, using words, interests... even emotional cards to win people over.
Was this what they called a just cause finds many supporters?
No. When a person climbs to a certain height and demonstrates a certain level of ability and influence—much like a game character with high reputation and charisma—followers and supporters naturally appear. And in Melisandre's eyes, the traits Egger displayed that fulfilled the prophecies were the most critical factors for her coming to him.
Egger nodded. "As long as the requests are not too excessive, I am happy to oblige."
"I will have the lords of the Narrow Sea and their followers who came with me declare their intent to join the Night's Watch. They are all of noble birth, trained and educated as knights. If they apply, they won't need a long period as recruits before swearing the oath; no one has a reason to stop them. Once they become brothers, they will immediately cast their votes for you to secure your victory... After that, it is just between you and the Master-at-Arms."
"Joining the Night's Watch means giving up everything they own in the south. They are actually willing to do that to support me?"
"Everything they own?" Melisandre gave a faint smile. "What the Lord of Light can bestow upon them far exceeds their families and kings."
Should I marvel at the power of religion?
Eternal life? Entering heaven after death? Dozens of virgins to serve them? Heaven knows what Melisandre promised the Queen's Men or what glamours she cast on them to make them not only abandon the chance to follow Stannis and build a career, but also agree to join the Watch. But if they were willing to sacrifice themselves just to put him in power, he was certainly happy to take it.
Egger nodded, waiting for the witch to state her small conditions.
"But you won't make them stay here and guard the Wall forever." Melisandre didn't keep him in suspense for long. After a short pause, she continued, "After this great war of life and death ends and we have driven the Great Other's forces back to the Lands of Always Winter, you will send them south to their homelands to recruit men and gather supplies—just as you left Castle Black for King's Landing. Is that acceptable?"
To summarize: once the help was done, they'd go back to comfortable places to enjoy themselves. To other Watchmen, this would surely seem unfair... but by the Seven, at a life-and-death moment like this, who had time to worry about that?
Egger nodded. "No problem. They will all join the Logistics Department as Logistics Officers, specifically responsible for duty travel to the south after the war."
"After you are elected Lord Commander, you must provide convenience for me to spread the teachings of the Red God at the Wall and in the Gift."
An expected condition. One couldn't take favors without paying some price. Ultimately, this wasn't for personal gain, and it didn't harm the defense of the Wall. Egger continued to nod. "Very well."
Humans without the constraints of faith are savage. Letting Melisandre's Red God restrain the wildlings wasn't necessarily a bad thing. But Egger also understood that people blinded by faith could be scarier than savages... he would worry about how to manage that balance after he successfully took the Lord Commander's seat.
...
The first two conditions were accepted without hesitation, which was within Melisandre's calculations. Using a step-by-step approach to lull a negotiation partner into a state of lowered vigilance was a common trick, and Egger wasn't the only one who knew it. "The last point: you must admit that you are Azor Ahai reborn, the Prince That Was Promised. You must lead this war of humanity against death in the capacity of the legendary hero."
This truly left Egger a bit confused. Admitting he was the Prince That Was Promised... what was the benefit? Among the three major groups that made up the Gift—the Watch, the Mountain Clans, and the Free Folk—who would care about that dusty old prophecy?
"I don't understand. Why should I pretend to be someone else? That prophecy is indeed widely spread and well-known, but believe me—very few people truly take it to heart. I will win the election based on my strength and lead by my actions. I don't need such tactics." Egger shook his head, then suddenly raised an eyebrow. "Wait, do you need someone to play this role, or do you truly believe I am that prince from the prophecy?"
"All signs point to you being the one who fulfills the prophecy." Melisandre shook her head. "Years ago, I saw Dragonstone in the sacred flames... I interpreted it at the time to mean 'the Prince That Was Promised is the Prince of Dragonstone.' Regrettably, King Stannis, who sat on the Iron Throne, refused to come to the front lines of the War of Ice and Fire to match the next step of the prophecy. I was confused for a time, then I suddenly remembered: what the Lord of Light wanted to tell me might not have been that the Prince is the master of Dragonstone, but that—I would meet the subject of the prophecy at Dragonstone."
"Fine, I did indeed meet you at Dragonstone." In fact, there had been quite a bit of drama involved. Egger waved his hand to interrupt her. "Let me get this straight—you saw Dragonstone in the fire, then you saw the Wall, and I happened to appear in both places at the same time as you. Therefore, you think I'm the Prince That Was Promised? That seems a bit reckless."
"It's not that simple. Don't forget, when we met, you had already killed a wight and had a confrontation with another false god; your body was stained with two distinct heretical scents. I should have realized your uniqueness, but I was too confident then and only looked at you as an ordinary Watchman. Aside from those glimpses of the two locations in the fire, I also saw the Prince from the prophecy leading thousands upon thousands of troops to resist the terrifying darkness. Once you are elected Lord Commander, wouldn't you match this third point? There are no lies in the sacred flames... aside from these three conditions, the traits you've displayed are the real reason I made my judgment."
...
(If you knew the methods and intentions I used to get that trip to King's Landing, or my backup plan to defect across the Narrow Sea, you probably wouldn't say that,) Egger thought.
The Lord of Light showing Melisandre Dragonstone in the fire might have referred to Daenerys Targaryen being born on the island, or it might have simply hinted at the dragonstone (obsidian) there being a key material against the Others. The Wall... heavens, there were ten thousand reasons R'hllor would show his priestess the Wall. As for leading thousands—one thousand Watchmen and forty thousand residents of the Gift from various backgrounds—could that be considered "thousands upon thousands of troops"?
Egger did not say these things out loud.
Melisandre judging him to be the Prince That Was Promised was, from a logical and practical standpoint, beneficial to him.
Undoubtedly, his performance had been successful. That book, The Fantasy Adventure of a Night's Watchman, and his several strong public showings had helped him smoothly craft the image of Egger West—a courageous yet clear-headed, bold adventurer, entrepreneur, and hero of the resistance, to the point that it influenced the Red Priestess's interpretation of the prophecy. Honestly, being mistaken for the Prince That Was Promised felt a bit like being secretly loved by a girl you liked—it was quite flattering. But after careful consideration, Egger decided: no.
Aside from fearing that Melisandre might fly into a rage and vent her frustration on him if she realized she'd mistaken the person again, there were many other considerations that couldn't be explained in a few words.
The favored are always fearless. Since he knew Melisandre truly felt he was the one, Egger held the initiative—he could afford to be a bit proud. Just as a mother wouldn't stop loving her child because of rebellion, as a priestess of the Red God, Melisandre would never give up her help and support just because of his denial or lack of cooperation.
"No. Forgive my rudeness, but I refuse this request." Egger's expression was firm. "I respect your faith and believe you have powers I cannot understand. But I am who I am, not anyone's reincarnation or replacement. If taking the title of the Prince That Was Promised could be of massive help in fighting the Others, I might endure it. But the fact is, it's neither useful nor does it bring me pleasure. I cannot accept."
"Do not deny it instinctively. Think: is there anyone who fits the prophecy better than you?" Melisandre stood up, the large ruby at her throat pulsing rhythmically in the candlelight. She walked around the desk to Egger, leaned over, and pointed a slender, pale finger at his chest as if to feel his thoughts through flesh, wool, and leather. "Do you feel it? Your heart is burning and pulsing with the light of R'hllor. You are the Prince That Was Promised. You must face your identity!"
(To describe a heartbeat so poetically is truly a skill of these fanatics.) Along with that thought, heat and the scent of the opposite sex washed over him.
If this woman wanted to make him lose his composure and concede, she had almost succeeded. Egger gave a silent snort, but his face remained calm. He stood up as well, brushing aside the priestess's hand. "Lady Melisandre, you have two choices now. One is to continue trying to convince me, though I promise you won't succeed. The other is to give up arguing about this trivial matter. Whether I am the Prince or not, I will do my utmost to manage the defense of the Wall and fight our common enemy, will I not?"
Melisandre withdrew her arm and stared at Egger for a moment while standing opposite him. Confirming his resolve, she let out a sigh of regret and turned back to the other side of the desk.
She did not feel defeated.
Convincing Stannis Baratheon that he was the Prince had taken far more breath and energy than this. But their situations were different. Melisandre had to convince Stannis back then because she needed that title to persuade him to fight for the throne and eventually come to the Wall to save it.
Regrettably, the attraction of the Iron Throne had clearly outweighed the prophecy.
And Egger? At least one thing was true—he was already at the Wall and was about to be elected Lord Commander with her help. Whether he admitted it or not wouldn't have much impact on the outcome of this war of life and death.
"Fine. Since you insist, so be it... let's take a step back. I want you to publicly admit that you follow the Lord of Light and are a devout believer in the Red God."
Each side taking a step back seemed like a fair trade, but Egger's answer was still no.
Once the Lord Commander publicly declared faith in the Red God, many things he did in the future would be hampered... and that wasn't even the biggest problem. Egger mainly didn't want to be like Stannis—where anything he did or achieved in the future would be attributed to Melisandre's direction, the work of that witch.
...
He suddenly felt a bit ironic: he hadn't even become Lord Commander yet, and he was already considering these things. Was internal strife and power-seeking truly the wretched nature of humanity?
But despite the sentiment, Egger didn't want to wait until a problem arose to start looking for a solution.
"To resist the coming crisis, we must unite all the forces we can. To achieve this, I even plan to build a statue for the gods of every major religion around Queenscrown in the future, creating a place where people of all faiths who gather at the Wall for the same purpose can have a place for pilgrimage or prayer." Speaking of which, he had sworn to do this back when he was being chased by that wight; setting this plan now was also a way to fulfill that vow. "Under these circumstances, I feel that as the highest commander of the Wall's garrison and the Gift, the most appropriate course for the Lord Commander regarding his own faith is to remain neutral or hide his true inclination."
"R'hllor is the source of all goodness, one of the only two true gods in this world capable of projecting power. You have chosen to fight the enemy of all living things, yet you refuse to join the other side?"
"I believe R'hllor is a source of goodness." In truth, Egger highly doubted this. "And I have seen the power you wield... but regrettably, in Westeros, non-believers are the majority. Among the great lords who hold vital resources, only King Stannis's family has publicly changed their faith. I think someone as intelligent and extraordinary as Lady Melisandre wouldn't be so extreme or foolish as to think that help from heathens is dirty and beneath her, right?"
Melisandre gave a charming smile, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. She had many other means and arguments for non-believers, but some of those means weren't suitable for use against the Prince That Was Promised, and as for the rest... she looked at Egger's face, which wore a similarly faint smile, and suddenly had a premonition she had never felt even when facing stubborn men like Stannis: once this man decided something, she would never be able to convince him to change his mind.
Perhaps, having a firm will—fitting for the true Prince That Was Promised—was one of the ways he differed from ordinary men?
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