Chapter 223: Be Frank

Jaime and the Westermen he brought to the Wall were well-equipped and well-trained, and Mormont quickly arranged for them to join the regiment upon their return to Castle Black. As expected, Jaime became a ranger captain, some sort of officer... at least in name. He was now also Aegor's sworn brother.

After dinner, the guests of the Night's Watch were assigned quarters by old Flint. As officers, Aegor and Jaime were able to enjoy one of the sturdiest and most windproof tents in the entire clan. Sitting on the bed, Jaime glanced at Aegor and said, "You just added a thousand mouths to the Watch and promised to build a fortress. Won't Mormont object?"

Oh? The Kingslayer, who had been silent for a month, was finally willing to talk?

Aegor looked at him in surprise. "I'll feed the thousand mouths. Mormont doesn't need to worry about that. As for the so-called fortress, it's just a ruin inhabited by rats. It's worthless to the Night's Watch. If Mormont would rather let it rot than use it to shelter the reinforcements I brought, then the Watch deserves to fall. There's no hope of defending the Wall. Perhaps I should start planning a way out sooner rather than later."

There were nineteen fortresses along the Wall, and the Night's Watch only had enough men to garrison three. That meant sixteen stood vacant. Aegor's original plan was to subdue the wildlings and fill the gaps with them. But after conducting field investigations at the front lines, he realized that without outside aid to fight the wildlings, the very people he intended to subdue would likely kill him. In desperation, he had to advance his resettlement plan... shifting the target from wildlings to the mountain clans.

The clansmen, native to the North, were certainly easier to manage than the wildlings. But the disadvantages were obvious: they weren't homeless and could leave as they pleased. When winter ended, the temperatures rose, and the mountains revived, many of them would inevitably abandon the fortress and return home. No one could stop them. The Kings of Winter had tried for thousands of years and failed to fully turn the clans into subjects—let alone Aegor, who had just arrived.

Who made the better recruits—clansmen or wildlings? Only time would tell.

---

After the tension subsided, the atmosphere was awkward. Since Jaime had taken the initiative to speak, Aegor was happy to show goodwill to such a formidable fighter and influential noble, and try to get close to him.

"Jaime, it's been several days since we arrived at the Wall. How does life in the Watch compare to what you imagined? If you run into any trouble, just tell me. I'll help if I can."

"Thank you." Jaime took off his armor, put it aside, and lay down. He rested his hand behind his head and stared at the ceiling of the tent. "But maybe you should take care of yourself first."

Mind your own business? Aegor frowned. He was Jaime's superior. He wanted to win over the new ranger captain, yet he was being lectured instead. He couldn't just let that slide.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you really think everyone else is blind?" Jaime sneered. "The first time we met in Winterfell, and again in King's Landing, I thought you were a decent man. Who knew you had such a taste?"

"What taste?" Aegor became more confused. He had plenty of secrets, sure, but none that had directly offended Jaime Lannister.

"On the way north, that little boy beside you. His pants were soaked in blood. You really think we didn't notice? Whatever you're into is your business, but you should know your limits. Do you want to kill him? Where is the child now? Is he recovering in Winterfell, or did you take him somewhere else?"

Aegor opened his mouth but was stunned.

So Jaime and the Westermen had seen it too. But they had completely misunderstood, it seemed they thought Arya was a young boy he was molesting. The very idea that someone could brutalize a child that badly would indeed be perverse. No wonder even Jaime looked down on him.

Damn it. That girl Arya had really landed him in trouble!

Aegor suddenly felt a headache coming on. Jaime was undeniably the most skilled fighter in the Night's Watch and had over forty elite soldiers under his command. He was a force worth courting... but if Aegor didn't explain things properly, he'd forever be seen as a pedophile in Jaime's eyes. In such a situation, making friends or earning trust from others in the Watch would be impossible.

But how could he explain it? If he told Jaime the "boy" was Arya Stark, then Jaime would have leverage over him. Even though Stannis now ruled in King's Landing, it would still damage Aegor's carefully maintained neutral image.

After a brief moment of thought, Aegor clenched his jaw and took a risk.

"What do you know? What's the child's name? Is it a boy or a girl? How much do you think you understand? Do you really think you've seen through my true nature?"

"Huh?" Jaime stared at Aegor for a moment. Seeing the look on his face, he began to reconsider. His tone softened. "Who is the child... Is it a boy or a girl... A girl?" Jaime was in his thirties—of course he understood what that meant. He immediately realized. "The blood was—"

"That's all you need to know. I can't tell you the child's identity. I just hope you understand that I'm not the man you thought I was."

"Alright. I misunderstood." Aegor was from King's Landing. The child with him had disappeared in Winterfell. As a Lannister, Jaime had access to plenty of information. With all the clues, he could easily piece together Arya's identity. "However, what you did may still go against the Night's Watch's neutrality."

"That may be true, but I helped Tyrion escape King's Landing on the day of your trial. That also broke the Watch's neutrality," Aegor retorted without backing down. "You should understand—there are rules in this world, yes, but not all of them are followed blindly."

Silence fell for a few seconds. Jaime seemed a bit embarrassed. He sat up halfway and said, "Fine. I was wrong. I apologize." He shrugged and finally began to answer the question Aegor had asked at the beginning. "But since we've cleared up some misunderstandings, there's something I should make clear too. No matter what my father told you at Golden Tooth, don't worry about it... Don't think about giving me special treatment, or trying to remove my black. Just let me be a regular brother of the Night's Watch."

Aegor looked at him, puzzled, but nodded, waiting for more.

"It's not that I have anything against you. I appreciate your kindness..." Jaime paused, sighing deeply. "But I've made too many mistakes in my life. Wearing black and heading north to join the Watch might be the best thing I've ever done. This time, let me fulfill my oath. Dying fighting wildlings or those bloody White Walkers might be the best ending for me. If you truly want to help, just send my remains back to Casterly Rock."

…

This surprised Aegor, but after thinking it through, it made sense. People saw their paths differently depending on their circumstances. Aegor was racking his brain for achievements, trying to gain influence and secure the power to determine his own fate—maybe even remove the black and do something great. But for others, joining the Night's Watch might really be the best conclusion to their journey.

Jaime was a man in his early thirties. Compared to his peers, he might seem willful, childish, or reckless at times... but he wasn't a child anymore. He had his own thoughts and could take care of himself. He didn't need guidance, reminders, or caretakers.

The Kingslayer had his own plans. Perhaps "redemption" and "atonement" were just Aegor's wishful thinking.

---

Though they had both misunderstood each other, it was good they cleared the air. The conversation hadn't been pleasant, but it had brought them closer. It was a solid start.

"I understand. Thank you for sharing your thoughts," Aegor nodded. "But since we're being frank, I'll say this too: the Wall is the front line defending the realm of men. It's not a place for people to atone, give up on themselves, or seek liberation. You want to be a regular brother of the Watch? Fine. But your oath requires you to protect your life and continue your watch. Don't do anything that seems noble and heroic but is actually pointless, like seeking death."

"Also, you may have forgotten something. You were the first person to purchase Night's Watch bonds. The Night Watch's industry has come this far thanks to your first investment, which was never redeemed... You're my creditor and investor in this enterprise. You could even be called a benefactor. Even if you lost that bond, it doesn't change the fact that you and I are more than just acquaintances or sworn brothers. I will do my best to treat you like a regular Watch brother. But if I end up showing you some extra care or consideration, know that it's not out of pity, or respect for your father or brother. It's because I genuinely owe you. Accept it, and don't overthink it or take it as an insult."

Jaime looked at Aegor for a long moment, then smiled. It was faint—just the corners of his mouth—but it was a real smile. Who knew what it meant? Maybe he remembered that lost bond, or the strange talk he'd had with Tyrion when they visited the Night's Watch. Or maybe it was the strange connection between them that began when Bran fell.

Either way, his attitude had shifted significantly.

"I understand. And thank you, Chief Logistics Officer, for explaining. I'll keep it in mind."

Jaime responded with the tone of a subordinate. He still looked as nonchalant and world-weary as ever, but Aegor could tell—though the attempt at forming a bond had started awkwardly, it had ended with surprising success.

Just then, the heavy curtain of the tent was pulled aside, and two young girls stepped in, their faces a mix of shyness and pride.

"Good evening, my lords. The chief ordered us... to entertain you."

(To be continued.)

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