Aegor had anticipated the beginning, but not the ending.
He had expected to be questioned or investigated for informing Tyrion, but what he hadn't expected was to be thrown into a cell in the Red Keep and locked up for nearly a week—without getting the chance to use any of the excuses he had prepared.
Five days? Six? Or five and a half? In the dim confines of the cell, time became blurred. The only thing worth being thankful for was that he was imprisoned alongside a group of Lannisters. As a "political prisoner" and hostage, he wasn't treated too poorly—at least not before open war broke out between the Iron Throne and the Westerlands.
Judging from the reactions of those imprisoned on the same level, all of whom were either from House Lannister or loyal to them, 90% of them truly had no idea about Cersei's immoral behavior or her plan to rebel. Some wept endlessly in their cells, while others screamed and raged, shouting demands and swearing vengeance once released. Still others sat motionless on their small beds, lifeless and silent as if waiting to die. Beyond those extremes, the most surprising to Aegor were those who behaved as though nothing had happened, chatting when they were full, sleeping when tired… treating their cells as bedrooms they simply couldn't leave.
There was such a character in Aegor's cell. After a few days, with little to do aside from conversation, Aegor became friendly with one of his cellmates. The Lannisters were wealthy, and rich men always kept detailed accounts. His cellmate was an accountant for the Lannister family at the King's Landing Chamber of Commerce. From him, Aegor learned that the total assets of House Lannister and its affiliated Westerland forces in King's Landing amounted to hundreds of thousands of gold dragons. If this wealth were seized, the Iron Throne would gain a strong financial foundation to launch war against the Westerlands—even without counting the hostages.
---
"The Hand of the King has arrested hundreds of people this time, including at least dozens of nobles," said Aegor's new friend, Humphry Seashan. "People from the Westerlands always carry weight. Ransoming them could cost several hundred to thousands of gold dragons apiece. That's tens of thousands in total."
Tens of thousands of gold dragons. Aegor smacked his lips in secret. The Night's Watch's total assets to date were only tens of thousands of gold dragons—most of which were debt or investor capital. "This is war. If the armies of the Six Kingdoms besiege the Westerlands, tens of thousands of gold dragons could be burned through in just a few days."
"True, but don't forget. Once a castle is taken, its wealth becomes the victor's. The Westerlands is rich with gold mines and wealth. Aside from the Reach, it's the easiest place for the Seven Kingdoms to 'fund war through war.'" Humphry sighed. "Thanks to Lord Tywin, no one has dared to touch Lannister gold. But if the Iron Throne takes the lead, the hardest stone becomes the juiciest meat. All Lord Eddard has to say is, 'What you seize is yours,' and the lords and soldiers will come rushing in faster than anyone. If the Lannisters refuse to surrender or can't find a clever solution, their downfall is only a matter of time."
...
...
After thinking it through, Aegor realized it was true. He couldn't help but worry: if he had taken such a huge risk to help Tyrion escape, only for House Lannister to lose the war regardless… would all his suffering have been for nothing?
"Humphry, will your family pay your ransom?"
"My name is Seashan. I'm a bastard. My mother died long ago. Who would pay a ransom for me?"
"What about your father?"
Humphry didn't seem inclined to say his father's name. Perhaps he didn't even know it. "Some bigwig in Lannisport."
"What usually happens to commoners with no one to pay ransom?" Aegor asked, driven by pure curiosity.
"Only nobles get those kinds of privileges. Commoners don't get to enjoy them… In war, those above the rank of knight are eligible to be captured. Smallfolk like me either die or get conscripted on the spot. They don't usually get the luxury of prison time." Humphry scratched his head. "Right now, it depends on how things develop. If the king wins easily, maybe he'll let some of us go in a good mood. If the war goes badly, it's the chopping block or hard labor somewhere."
"If you've nowhere else to go, you can always put on black. At least you'll live."
"Bah… anyone who wants to go to that gods-forsaken Wall of Despair is welcome to it."
Aegor wanted to say he was the Night's Watch's chief of logistics and could protect him, but remembered he was currently a prisoner himself and had no business making big promises.
The two chatted until their throats went dry. Eventually, the conversation waned and they fell into silence. Then came the sound of footsteps. Soon, the jailer appeared with a familiar Winterfell guard and unlocked the cell door. "Prisoner Aegor West. Come out. The Hand of the King wants to see you."
At last, a turning point. Aegor looked at his cellmate, nodded farewell, and left the cell under Humphry's envious gaze.
With shackles on his hands and feet, Aegor followed Hale to the Hand's solar. There, he saw the man who was both his strongest supporter—and the one who had ordered his arrest… and his "apprentice," Arya, standing beside him. The girl winked proudly at Aegor, her expression saying, I saved you. Are you touched?
"Lord Stark." In Eddard's presence, Aegor didn't dare make eye contact with his daughter. He stood before the desk, greeted the Hand, and waited for him to speak first.
…
"After being locked up for a few days, your head should be clear by now." The Hand looked up at him and said coldly, "Do you know what you did wrong?"
So he didn't forget about me in prison.
First lock someone up for a few days, then confront them with, "Do you know what you did wrong?" A typical psychological tactic. An ordinary person would crumble under the pressure and confess every wrong they'd committed in their life… But Aegor, being from modern times and well-read in psychology, had become a public figure in King's Landing and weathered many storms. Though this was the first time he'd personally encountered such a trick, he knew the routine.
And with Arya present, it didn't feel threatening at all.
(He doesn't plan to do anything to me.)
Aegor was confident in his judgment. Ever since Tyrion escaped, he'd been preparing for this interrogation. His final strategy boiled down to one simple approach: resist strictly, and go home for the New Year.
Putting on an aggrieved face, Aegor began his rehearsed reply. "My lord, I did kill two men that night… but they struck first. I acted in self-defense."
Playing dumb? Eddard hadn't expected that. He frowned. The boy in front of him was cunning. He paused. "That's not what I meant."
"Not that?" Aegor blinked, feigning confusion. "Then what is it, my lord? Please explain."
"The day Ser Alliser brought the wights into King's Landing, you accompanied him to the Red Keep, then left midway. Where did you go and what did you do?"
"Oh, that." Aegor acted as if a light had gone on. "When I saw the chaos in the Red Keep, I suddenly remembered that Lady Arya often went outside the city to train with Tyrion at the Night's Watch training yard. I feared she might have been taken hostage, so I rushed out to find her!"
"Arya didn't go to training that day."
"Master, he didn't know!" Arya cut in. "Even I didn't know I wasn't allowed out of the Tower of the Hand until Septa Mordane stopped me that morning."
Eddard gave her a disapproving glance. Arya realized she shouldn't have spoken for Aegor and pouted, saying no more.
The Hand turned back to Aegor. "You may not have known, but the guards at the gate told you Arya hadn't left the Red Keep."
"There's a side gate to the Red Keep, my lord," Aegor said earnestly. He hadn't felt this nervous in a long time. "Looking back, I probably should've gone to the Hand's Tower to ask about Lady Arya's whereabouts. But in the urgency of the moment, I thought, what if she had already left? Wasting time could've cost her safety. I didn't dare take the risk, so I left the city right away, even if it meant a wasted trip."
"So you meant well, and I wronged you? Then explain why Tyrion rode off the moment you arrived at the Night's Watch yard outside the city? Why did you mislead the guards who were sent to arrest him, and why did Tyrion leave by boat?"
Eddard's gaze sharpened, and his voice rose with every question. "There was no ship bound for Casterly Rock that day! There are rumors in King's Landing that I, as Warden of the North and Lord of Winterfell, am the Night's Watch's patron and will always protect you. Let me make this clear—I am no one's patron! Joining the Night's Watch absolves past crimes, but running around in black clothes and stirring trouble in King's Landing again—do you really think your oath makes you untouchable? There is no such thing!"
The rumor that the Hand of the King supported the Night's Watch was widespread in King's Landing. Whether Eddard admitted it or not, his backing was the main reason the Night's Watch enterprise had grown so quickly. Could he really be so concerned with reputation that he'd use Aegor as an example, jailing him in public just to disprove the rumor?
Aegor dared not dwell on it. Even if it were true, he would never hold a grudge against Eddard Stark.
"My lord, Tyrion left for Casterly Rock because Janos Slynt arrested him publicly at the River Gate that morning. Ser Jaime and your guards arrived soon after and nearly started a bloodbath. Afterward, Ser Jaime returned to the Red Keep, and Tyrion said he planned to leave that same day—it wasn't a decision I encouraged." As for misleading the guards, that was easier. Aegor looked innocent. "I truly didn't know whether there was a ship bound for Casterly Rock. I simply repeated the last thing Tyrion said to me before he left. I can't vouch for whether it was true."
Arya became indignant. "Exactly! If you want to blame someone, blame that pig Slynt. He's stupid, fat, greedy, and always awful! And you said it yourself, Father. The Night's Watch mustn't interfere in the Seven Kingdoms. My master couldn't stop the Imp from leaving!"
I never should've let Arya stay for this. Eddard thought. It had been a mistake, driven by personal bias. He remained silent, arms crossed, glaring at Aegor with a grim face, as if to say, Let's see how long you can keep this act up.
…
Aegor knew this was a tactic—psychological pressure through silence. If he started second-guessing himself, they'd win. The only way to deal with it was to stick to his story, show no weakness. If Eddard had no proof, he'd be let go.
But when the silence stretched on, Aegor found that, despite all his knowledge, he couldn't stay calm. Standing before a man who could decide his fate, he couldn't clear his mind. He realized that his confidence rested on two assumptions: one, that he would be treated as innocent unless proven guilty, and two, that Eddard, with knowledge of the White Walkers, wouldn't risk sending him away.
But this wasn't modern law. This was Westeros, a feudal land. A man like him, with no noble title, was lucky to be given a trial. Eddard could send him back to Castle Black without needing a reason. And if the "organization" ordered it, he'd have no right to object.
He'd live, sure. But being removed from the Night's Watch enterprise and sent back north would be worse than death.
Cold sweat beaded on his skin. Arya seemed to notice and, emboldened by being the Hand's daughter, pleaded again. "Father, Master answered everything you asked. If you've got nothing else to say, can't you just let him go?"
Time passed. Eddard's face remained stern, but Aegor didn't waver. At last, Eddard's expression softened. He shook his head. "Very well. This time, I'll say I misjudged you. Hale, unlock him."
Was that it? Aegor felt relief and opened his mouth to say thanks. But then he paused. Could this be a trap?
"My lord, I find the words 'this time' hard to accept. I cannot accept forgiveness for something I didn't do. If I cannot prove my innocence, then please return me to my cell and continue the investigation."
"Master, are you crazy?" Arya stared at him, wide-eyed.
Eddard smirked. This boy... At first, he had believed Aegor had aided Tyrion, but in the current chaos, he had no time to gather evidence over such a minor matter. Considering Aegor's previous service and the lack of proof, he had planned to release him after a few days' warning. But now, seeing such righteous defiance, he wasn't so sure anymore.
Maybe… he had really judged him unfairly?
"Fine. I'll correct myself. After investigation, I declare in the name of King Robert that Night's Watchman Aegor West did not interfere in the Seven Kingdoms' affairs and is acquitted. If you're satisfied with that, then be on your way."
"Thank you, my lord."
At last, it was over. Aegor sighed. Locked in a cell for days, injured, and now he had to thank them for letting him go. This is power… I wonder when I'll be someone this man can't look down on anymore.
Once the shackles were removed, Aegor thanked Hale and rubbed his wrists. As he left the Hand's solar, Arya ran after him, smiling. "Master, that was awesome! I admire you even more now. No matter what others say, I believe in you. Tyrion isn't a bad person!"
"Don't say that. This really had nothing to do with me."
"Don't worry, I get it." Arya winked knowingly, her expression saying, Your secret is safe with me.
Tyrion might not be a bad man, but helping him escape still broke both Night's Watch rules and the law. Arya didn't understand that, but Aegor was shaken. If even a little girl can figure it out, I was far too confident thinking I could bluff my way through. He had only escaped thanks to his portrayal as a loyal Night's Watch officer—and the help of that wight.
Thankfully, Robert had survived, and Eddard Stark was a fair man. If it had been someone like Stannis, he'd be dead by now.
He didn't regret helping Tyrion. But he did learn one thing: never assume you can predict a powerful man's behavior just because you "know him."
"Master, one more thing." Arya skipped beside him to the Red Keep gate. "Father says King's Landing might be dangerous for a while, so I'm not allowed to leave for sword practice. But I found a secret passage! I'll sneak out to find you!"
Either Arya's too good at sneaking, or Westeros is hopeless… Aegor was stunned. "No. If you do that, your father might really send me back to the Wall. You'll never see me again. Go back and tell him about the passage. Have him seal it."
"Aww, but it's so boring in the Red Keep." Arya pouted. "Besides, the secret door is already sealed with iron. I'm just skinny enough to slip through."
"You really don't want to live, huh? Aren't you afraid of getting trapped and starving to death? If you want to train, ask your father's guards. No more sneaking around." Now that he was out of the Hand's Tower and free of Stark guards, Aegor relaxed a little. "If you sneak out to find me, not only will I refuse to spar with you, I'll give you a spanking and send you back."
"Hmph, fine then. Don't talk to me anymore!"
"It's for your safety. Your father and I won't harm you." Aegor stroked his unshaven chin, realizing how cliché he sounded, and shook his head. "Alright, I'll leave you here. Don't step outside the Red Keep. Master will walk back alone."
"Tch. I saved you for nothing." Arya, feeling unappreciated, turned and stomped off without saying goodbye.
Aegor sighed. That "we won't harm you" line… I remember hearing my parents say the same thing when I was a child. I probably felt just as misunderstood. Everyone goes through that phase.
…
The atmosphere in the Red Keep was tense. Soldiers in grey and gold cloaks stood on the walls and between buildings, patrolling with spears and crossbows. Even the gates were guarded by a mix of Stark men and city watch, in a ratio of about two to one. There, Aegor unexpectedly spotted several Night's Watch members, including Ser Alliser, Nina, and Captain Gerald.
How is this possible? If the Night's Watch intelligence network were this well-informed, they'd have known Tyrion was escaping that day.
Could it be they had waited here every day? Aegor was touched. But this delay might've caused problems elsewhere.
"Ser!" Nina spotted him from afar and waved.
Aegor walked over with a smile and greeted the group in black. "What are you all doing here?"
"Janos Slynt's trial is today. We're required to attend as witnesses," Nina said happily, clearly relieved to see him. "Unfortunately, we arrived too early, and the guards won't let us in."
(To be continued.)
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