Just a runaway noble child returned. At this critical moment for the survival of humankind, what is there to be surprised about? But in Aegor's eyes, this matter instantly jumped several levels, surpassing all other work and going to the top of the list to be dealt with.
As the Night's Watch Commander and the highest officer of the Night's Watch, Aegor needed to question this last boy to return alive from beyond the Wall about the situation north of the Wall and the movements of the army of the dead, to determine when the enemy would launch the final attack, so as to calculate how much time he had left to prepare. As an ally of the North, Aegor also had the responsibility to ensure the safe return of Robb and Arya's younger brother, Lady Stark's beloved son, and the current legal first heir of Winterfell, to Winterfell. Most importantly, as a transmigrator who knew the plot, he had to contact Brandon Stark, who had most likely evolved into a Greenseer by now, at the first opportunity.
Regardless of whether Bran had gained a legacy or been taken over, he was the second living extraordinary power user Aegor could come into contact with after Melisandre. From a standpoint, he, like the Red Priestess, was absolutely on the side of the living. As a luxury version of a warg, the greenseer's ability to scout enemy intelligence through weirwoods and ravens was of incalculable value. If he could be used...
Aegor had countless reasons to attach importance to Bran's return, and he quickly took action. Putting down everything at hand, he immediately set off with his trusted guards, braving the howling cold wind and rushing to Nightfort.
This ancient fortress looked much more complete and decent than when Aegor last visited. Due to Aegor's promises such as continuing to retain residency after the war and never expelling anyone unless they voluntarily left the Night's Watch, the major Mountain Clans had gradually settled down along the Wall and adapted to living in stone houses, and had begun to treat this place as their home. They had started repairs and expansion during their leisure time. Among them, the achievement of the Flint clan was that there were now far fewer scattered tents and crumbling bricks and stones inside Nightfort, replaced by new houses built with a mix of wood and stone, rising from the ground.
"Commander." Torghen Flint hurried to the door upon hearing the news, reporting to Aegor in a rough voice. "This time I have closed all the gates, big and small, and I have arranged good lads to guard Bran's door day and night. They are not allowed to leave even if the Wall collapses, I guarantee he will not run away again."
It seemed that the disappearance of his liege's son under his nose last time had left a huge psychological shadow on Flint. At this moment, he did not even feel there was anything wrong with guarding Brandon Stark like a prisoner.
"Well done." Aegor tossed his reins to a subordinate and followed the master of the place quickly toward the great hall. "When and how did he appear?"
"You told us to keep an eye on the well, and we have strictly followed that. This morning, the first shift of guards entering the kitchen heard a noise from below when they passed the well. After sending someone to investigate, they found a young woman and a crippled boy who appeared from somewhere at the bottom of the well. Because we remove the basket and rope at night, the woman could not pull the boy up the well by herself, which is why she made a sound." Flint spread his hands. "Of course, we know now, the woman is Meera Reed, and the boy is Brandon Stark. As for that big stable boy and Jojen Reed..."
The big stable boy and Jojen Reed were definitely dead, and Bran's wolf, Summer, was probably also in great danger. A beast obviously meant nothing to Torghen Flint, and he probably did not even notice the absence of the direwolf.
Aegor frowned. It seemed that the storm caused by his butterfly effect had limited impact beyond the Wall. Not only had the plot of Bran leaving the Wall to become a Greenseer not been stopped, but even the personnel losses remained unchanged. He did not know if this was the inevitable outcome outlined by the previous Greenseer, or...
"I will ask clearly." Aegor nodded. "You go and be busy. Take good care of the horses, and arrange for someone to prepare a carriage. I will take Bran back to Queenscrown when I leave."
"Okay."
...
The Commander of Nightfort appointed by Aegor also followed closely to briefly introduce the current situation of the fortress to the Commander, but his mind was not on this. After a few perfunctory words, he interrupted the topic and asked to be taken to the room where Bran was temporarily staying.
When the Night's Watch brought the Commander to Bran's quarters, they happened to catch Meera Reed, who had returned inside the Wall with Bran, opening the door and coming out. The short and slender girl, even though her body was completely wrapped in thick fur, exuded a sense of strength and vitality that was inconsistent with her gender and physique. No wonder she could escape Winterfell with a crippled boy and return safely after a trip beyond the Wall.
But even such a capable and strong huntress had red and swollen eyes at this moment, looking as if she had just cried.
She turned and saw Aegor, quickly wiped away her tears, and said in a choked voice, "Sorry, my lord. This time... I have caused you too much trouble, I am truly sorry."
This was not a polite remark. Meera and her brother had left home with Bran without a word. How much manpower and effort had the Northmen, the Night's Watch, and the Mountain Clans spent searching and capturing them? Even the unexpected attack on Commander Jeor Mormont had happened while dealing with the case of Meera being harassed by the New Gift people.
But as a noble lady, she had caused trouble for the Night's Watch. What could they do to her? Now she had painstakingly brought Bran back to Nightfort alive, and looked helpless as if she had just been bullied. Could he scold her?
"You children are really capable of causing trouble." Aegor sighed. "What happened?"
"I... I do not know..." Meera's eyes welled up again, and she shook her head with difficulty. "I do not know what stupid thing I did with my brother. Bran... Bran also seems to have changed into a different person, everything about him is strange..."
"Alright, I understand." This was not just comfort. Aegor truly understood. After a few kind words, he patted Meera's shoulder. "No need to say more, go and rest well. After I talk to Bran, return to Queenscrown with us. I will arrange for someone to send you home later."
...
After persuading the teary-eyed Reed girl to leave, Aegor dismissed the irrelevant people, told his guards to find a sheltered place nearby to wait, pushed the door open, and entered Bran's room.
The thickened wooden door slowly opened with a creak, and the humid heat that rushed out made his eyes sting for a moment. Aegor took a breath, stood still for a second before pulling the door shut, and began to survey the scene inside.
The room had a strong human smell. It was clearly not empty before being given to Bran. While keeping an eye on this second son of Stark like a prisoner, the Flint clan was not so foolish as to forget that this was their liege's own brother. The firewood in the fireplace burned fiercely, making the room as warm as spring. Tables, chairs, bed, pillows, sheets, all the necessities of life were readily available, and Aegor could tell at a glance that all of this was the highest quality available along the Wall and even in the entire Gift.
In a large chair in front of the bed sat a young and delicate boy. This was Brandon Stark.
Having only returned to Nightfort for one day, it was clear that no one had had time to get the wheelchair Bran needed. At this moment, he was curled up in a large chair facing the door, with a blanket covering his knees, as if waiting for Aegor to appear.
"Commander." The boy spoke first. "Hello."
"Hello, Bran." This was not the first time the two had met, and there was already a complex entanglement that was hard to explain. Aegor did not act like a stranger. He casually pulled over a chair and sat down directly opposite the boy, carefully observing him.
Compared to the little boy who performed acrobatics atop the Wall when they first met, Bran's current appearance, sitting quietly in a chair, was truly regrettable. But the faint sorrow and worry that permeated his brows, combined with the beautiful features inherited from his mother, unexpectedly created an overall effect of a melancholic, beautiful youth.
"I am glad to see you are still alive, but as the Night's Watch Commander, I have duties and cannot chat with you much. I hope you can answer some questions for me." Aegor asked directly without politeness. "Why did you go beyond the Wall? How did you appear in the well? What exactly happened on that side of the Wall? My mind is completely muddled about what happened to you right now. If possible, could you briefly explain it to me?"
These were all questions that Aegor already roughly knew the answers to. The reason he asked these first was because he had already determined his overall approach, never expose his identity as a transmigrator or his secret of knowing the plot.
Since he could not expose it, he had to ask questions that fit his identity.
"This is a very, very long story." Bran's face, a little pale due to lack of exercise and nutrition, was expressionless. "If I were to tell it, we could stay up all night. But you are now the Commander of the Night's Watch. Should there not be other questions more worthy of your concern than my affairs?"
Bran did not want to tell the story, and Aegor was happy to be at ease. What if this kid really told the whole story from beginning to end? Should he, who already knew the general outline, listen or not?
"I would like to know when the White Walkers will attack the Wall, how the Night's Watch should defend, and how to utterly destroy these wights. The question is, can you answer these questions?"
"Opportunity favors the prepared, Commander." Bran suddenly said something that seemed nonsensical. "Thank you for taking care of my family, especially Arya, after I fell. And coincidentally, I can really answer your questions now, because for reasons you cannot understand, I can see everything, everything that is happening, everything that has happened. The Long Night is coming. The warriors fighting against the darkness need eyes that can see the situation clearly, and I can help you."
(To be continued.)
***
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