Chapter 163

It felt like a lifetime had passed in a single night. When Aegor stepped out of the River Gate garrison into the street, the world had transformed beyond recognition. Last night, he had been the central figure in the chaos, a man hunted by one side and fiercely defended by the other. But as the farce ended at dawn, he suddenly became just another unremarkable face in the crowd.

Descending the steps from the captain’s office, Aegor made his way through the garrison, past the training grounds, and out into the street facing the River Gate. No one spared him a second glance. No one spoke to him, let alone attempted to harm or assassinate him.

Jaime Lannister had come and gone like a storm, his appearance as dramatic as a hero descending from the heavens—only to vanish just as swiftly after freeing his brother. Goldcloaks still bustled about in front of the garrison, forming lines for roll call before returning to their posts. Ser Bywater, the Ironhand, was nowhere to be seen. After a quick glance around, Aegor spotted him regrouping the soldiers stationed at the River Gate.

What was he planning? A raid on the eastern barracks of the City Watch? But surely that wouldn’t require this many men.

Tyrion stood with a group of young men from his security detail and the wight escort team by the garrison wall, keeping to the side to allow the flow of traffic into the city. The way people detoured around them made them stand out, easy to spot.
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“Ser Alliser.” Despite their less-than-friendly relationship, Aegor felt a sense of camaraderie upon seeing a familiar face after surviving the night. As he approached the wight escort team, passersby finally began to notice him. “I only received the message a few days ago. I didn’t think you’d arrive so quickly.”

A younger voice chimed in. “We came on a fast warship with favorable winds. Two shifts of over a dozen rowers working day and night—how could we not?”

“Domi!” Aegor greeted the speaker with a genuine smile and a firm handshake. The two had trained together as recruits at Castle Black and had remained on good terms. It was thanks to Domi’s connections at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea that Aegor had obtained the dragonglass dagger he’d used to kill a White Walker. In a sense, Domi was half a savior to him.

“I hear all this commotion in King’s Landing is because of you? Lord Aegor, stirring up storms wherever you go.” Alliser interrupted, his tone sharp as he emphasized the word “lord,” clearly unimpressed by the reunion. “What’s that on your shoulder? You’re injured?”

“A scratch, nothing worth mentioning.” Though the wound throbbed faintly, Aegor shrugged it off, glancing at the half-naked members of the wight escort team. As the host here, he realized it was his duty to look after them. “Nina, go fetch twenty sets of black summer uniforms for them—”

“Later,” Alliser cut him off. “Right now, the priority is getting the wight to the Red Keep and in front of King Robert. If that thing rots away on the final stretch, Mormont won’t spare us.”

Aegor nodded. It made sense, and he didn’t want any more complications. “Nina, leave the clothes at the office. We’ll hand them out after we return. For now, I’m heading to the Red Keep with Ser Alliser.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Though Janos Slynt’s supporters had yet to be fully rooted out, Aegor assigned two guards to accompany Nina as she procured uniforms for the Night’s Watch. As he prepared to leave, Tyrion beckoned to him in a low voice. Once Aegor approached, the Lannister whispered, “Something’s wrong. I’m heading back outside the city to pack my things… I’m leaving for Casterly Rock today.”

“What’s wrong? What did you notice?” Aegor frowned. They had just succeeded in taking down Slynt, escaping unscathed, and securing the Night’s Watch’s first victory against their enemies. It should have been a moment to celebrate. Why flee now?
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Avoiding the crowds, Tyrion quickly explained everything he had observed: Slynt’s incriminating words as he was arrested, Jory’s decision to gag him, Jaime’s immediate return to the Red Keep, and the sudden reorganization of the City Watch under Stark command. While each incident seemed insignificant on its own, together they painted a troubling picture.

“Could Robert be planning to move against Cersei today? But why send Jaime away? He can’t take the Red Keep by himself, let alone best Barristan Selmy…” Aegor’s mind raced, piecing together the puzzle. The more he thought about it, the clearer it became that something was amiss. “You’ve done your part. You kept your promise to bring down Slynt in three days. Leave now—don’t hesitate.”

“Agreed. I’ll leave instructions for anything unfinished once I get back. Let’s hope we’re overthinking this.”

“Safe travels.”

“You too. Always keep your guards with you and stay vigilant.”

After a hurried exchange of whispered warnings and farewells, Tyrion departed with Jack and a group of unarmed security recruits, heading back toward the River Gate. Watching him disappear, Aegor felt a chill run down his spine. These intrigues among the high lords were beyond his current means to influence. At the very least, with Jory now in command of the City Watch, the worst-case scenario—Cersei seizing control—was unlikely.

Turning back, Aegor noticed Jaqen studying the caged wight. Only then did it occur to him that he had never seen a wight himself. As a member of the Night’s Watch who had killed a White Walker, a creature far more dangerous, he felt no particular curiosity about the undead husk. It was only when Jaqen’s gaze shifted back to him, filled with what seemed to be genuine fear, that Aegor paused.

“This man is dead,” Jaqen stated with unnerving certainty, his tone devoid of question. It was rare for him to speak at all, but the sight of the wight had clearly shaken him. “He has no life within him. How does he move?”

“It’s not us making him move,” Domi explained. “He was dead, long dead, until dark magic brought him back—a bloodthirsty creature that reacts to warmth and light. Best keep your distance. This one’s fresh, and it’s strong enough to snap a man’s neck if it gets the chance.”

“Are there many of these beyond the Wall?”

“Thousands,” Domi replied grimly, exaggerating the numbers as the Night’s Watch had agreed to do. While the true count was far lower, the sheer terror of the undead was enough to warrant such claims. With no way to bring a White Walker to King’s Landing, they had to rely on the wight to convey the threat.
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The goldcloaks had mostly reassembled, with a few groups departing for their posts. Jory remained behind, meeting with officers from the garrisons at the Steel Gate, Aegon’s High Hill, and the River Gate. Though three hundred soldiers seemed like a small force, it was enough to decide the outcome of any conflict within the Red Keep.

Change was coming to King’s Landing.

Aegor hurriedly gave Nina and Neil a list of instructions before gathering his bodyguards—Jaqen and four others—and setting off with the wight escort team toward the Red Keep, determined to reach it before Jory’s reorganization was complete.
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Dragging the caged wight through the streets of King’s Landing, Aegor and the escort team drew stares of curiosity and unease. When they arrived at the Red Keep, they found the gates tightly shut, guarded by two Stark men.

Aegor stepped forward. “Sers, please inform the Hand of the King that the Night’s Watch has urgent business to report.”

The guards shook their heads. “Apologies, brothers of the Watch. The Hand has ordered the Red Keep closed today for repairs. No visitors, no audiences. Come back another day.”

(It’s true, then.) Aegor took a deep breath, now certain that Robert and Eddard were moving against the queen. He was about to press the guards further when Alliser pushed him aside.

“I’ll handle this,” the master-at-arms said, drawing his steel sword. Under the wary eyes of the guards, he recreated the dramatic scene he had performed at the River Gate, stabbing the wight three times before handing them his sword to inspect. “This is a real blade,” he said coldly. “Beyond the Wall, thousands of these creatures are threatening the Night’s Watch. If the Wall falls, the North will follow, and the entire realm will become a living hell. We rowed day and night to bring this warning to King’s Landing, and you would have us wait?”

The Stark guards, both Northerners with families near Winterfell, exchanged uneasy glances. Alliser’s words struck a nerve. After thoroughly inspecting the sword and the wight, they relented.

“Wait here. I’ll report to the Hand. Whether he sees you or not, I can’t guarantee.”

One of the guards knocked on the gate, shouted to those inside, and slipped through a narrow opening. A short while later, he returned and opened the gate fully.

“Follow me. But leave your weapons outside.”