Chapter 14

In Aegor’s original world, the progress of civilization followed a spiral path, marked by twists, stagnation, and even regression, but its overall trajectory was one of ascent. In Westeros, however, things were different.

Societal development relied on productivity, and in a world lacking advanced technology, productivity came down to population. Sustaining people required resources, but the erratic climate of this world made resources scarce. Endless wars over these limited resources disrupted their production even further. During a long summer, things might stabilize, but a prolonged winter could push civilization into devastating decline.

Caught in this vicious cycle—where human life was both desperately needed and yet terribly cheap—Westeros had stagnated. Its social and cultural development lagged far behind its supposed thousands of years of history.

Since the Dawn Age, countless years of history had passed, though Aegor had no way of discerning how much of it was exaggerated. But he did know one thing: in this feudal society, especially in the sparsely populated North, armies couldn’t be summoned out of thin air.
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“I’ll contact the bannermen and have each house send their share of men. We should be able to scrape together a few hundred to reinforce the Wall,” Eddard Stark said. He knew his brother wasn’t trying to offend him and didn’t take offense, but he sighed and shook his head. “It’s the harvest season now, so don’t expect me to provide too many men. However, you can draft a list of needed supplies, and I’ll see what I can manage.”

“And the king? Give me a chance to speak with him directly,” Benjen insisted.

“When I spoke with Robert in the crypt earlier, I already mentioned the Wall’s need for aid,” Eddard replied. “But… he has no mind for such matters right now. King’s Landing is in turmoil, and he’s come here seeking my support.”

“If the Wall falls, the North will be the first to suffer,” Benjen said coldly. “And when that happens, no amount of political maneuvering in King’s Landing will matter. Consider the stakes carefully. Supplies can wait, but there’s one thing I need you to prioritize—obsidian. It’s rare and expensive, used mainly for decoration, but we need it in large quantities and at a low cost.”

“I read in a book that Dragonstone has vast reserves of obsidian,” Aegor interjected. “If there’s a way to mine it, there should be more than enough to go around.”

“I’ll write to Stannis and negotiate for access,” Eddard said, clearly skeptical of the claim that obsidian could harm White Walkers. But having already denied so many of Benjen’s requests, he felt compelled to agree to this one. He glanced out the window. “It’s late. Go wash up and change. Prepare for the feast… Robert may be an old friend, but he is still the king. Even if he doesn’t mind, it wouldn’t do to appear disrespectful.”
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After bidding farewell to the Warden of the North, Aegor followed Benjen through the castle halls. As the youngest Stark sibling and the First Ranger of the Night’s Watch, Benjen’s old room in Winterfell was still kept for him, even during his long absence.

What surprised Aegor, however, was that Benjen had arranged a small room in Winterfell for him as well.

Under normal circumstances, with the castle overflowing with guests, a lowly ranger like Aegor would’ve been lucky to find space in a shared bunkhouse outside the castle. The fact that he was being accommodated within Winterfell’s walls felt more like a precaution to prevent him from escaping than a gesture of hospitality.

Lost in his thoughts, Aegor nearly bumped into a young man heading their way.

“Uncle Benjen!”

“Jon.” Benjen’s tense expression softened into a smile. “You’ve grown taller.”

The boy was lean, with the same long face and dark hair that marked him as a Stark. Though Aegor didn’t immediately recognize him—his appearance here differed from the TV series—he soon realized this was Jon Snow, Eddard Stark’s supposed illegitimate son, but in truth, the child of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark.

However, what drew Aegor’s attention even more than Jon’s identity was the creature by his side: a snow-white direwolf with piercing red eyes staring curiously at him.

What the hell? Aegor thought. Because of me, neither Gary nor Will deserted the Wall. That means the original scene of an executed Night’s Watch deserter never happened. Without that, the Starks wouldn’t have encountered the dead direwolf and its pups. So how did this little beast end up with Jon Snow?

“If I’m not mistaken, that’s a direwolf,” Benjen remarked, his tone cautious. “They’re not supposed to be south of the Wall. Where did you find it?”

“Villagers found its dead mother on a path outside Winterfell,” Jon explained. “Jory investigated and brought back a litter—exactly six pups.”

Benjen and Jon continued chatting casually, but Aegor’s mind was in turmoil. The pup’s presence raised a troubling possibility: Could some mysterious force be keeping the storyline intact despite his interference?

So far, his actions had caused some changes—Gary and Will survived events that should have killed them—but they were minor characters with little impact on the larger narrative. Benjen Stark, however, was a key figure. If this unseen force ensured his fate remained unchanged, then Benjen’s next mission beyond the Wall might still end in his disappearance and transformation into an undead wight. And if that were the case, what hope did Aegor have of surviving?

The stakes felt higher than ever. He would have to plan his escape more carefully.
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“What are you standing around for? Let’s go.” Benjen clapped Aegor on the shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts. “Get cleaned up and change into fresh clothes. You’re joining us at the feast.”

“I’m going?”

“Of course. There are only two of us representing the Watch here. Even if the entire Night’s Watch were present, we’d still be treated as honored guests,” Benjen said with a faint smile, clearly buoyed by his earlier reunion with Jon. “Enjoy it while you can. Respect for the Night’s Watch is a rare thing these days, and you’ll only find it in the North.”