Chapter 67
- The Red Keep - Two Months Later -
"It has taken some time your Grace, but I happy to report that the catacombs underneath the city are now Wildfire free. My little birds, with the help of the dire wolves, have ensured no more caches of the substance are stored below. We have successfully transported all of the volatile contents out of King's Landing. It is currently being carefully transported to the North as we speak under the well protected guard of the Unsullied," said Varys proudly while Ned nodded since he had coordinated with Varys the best possible route to take the contents North without causing the Wildfire to ignite.
It had taken meticulous planning. Knowing the best route that wouldn't move the jars around even in the slightest or ensuring bandits didn't try to raid the caravans in the process. Scouts were assigned to move ahead of the line to see the routes as they went. This was done to ensure nothing in any shape or form was blocking the line of Wildfire from reaching its destination. This was an assignment by the King and had no room for unexpected or unwelcome surprises.
Fortunately, there was none to be had in this mission. Something the rest of the Small Council could say was a blessing and they were all for it. The idea of so much Wildfire being underneath them this whole time, literally under their very noses was not an image they wished to see inside their heads. All it would have taken was one spark, one single drop of flame from even something as simple as a candle stick and the end result would be King's Landing being turned to ashes within a few painful moments.
"Good. One less problem to deal with," said Aegon knowing it made his Small Council feel easier with such a deadly creation looming over their heads.
Or in this case, underneath their very feet.
"Even after removing such a substance from King's Landing, it is hard to imagine so much Wildfire could exist with the intent purpose of being used on its own people," commented Stannis with Aegon nodding in agreement despite the silent implication of how it got there in the first place.
"Regardless of how it got there, I for one, am happy it has been transported safely out of King's Landing where it cannot hurt us or the people," said Tyrion while raising his goblet to Ned and Varys for a job well done in getting it out of the city.
"I agree. You both did an incredible job in managing the transportation and security of all the Wildfire caches while making sure the people within the city were made unaware of it," said Aegon knowing if the people found out about the Wildfire being underneath the city, it would cause panic, chaos, and more problems for the King to handle.
"Thank you for the praise, your Grace. It has been increasingly refreshing to know my talents as your Master of Whispers are being used for such a productive means in protecting the people from such things," said Varys and he truly did mean it.
For so long, his talents had been used to weed out supposed traitors, learn the secrets of others, and basically help with their plots or schemes. To use his talents to protect the people over sniffing out who was a supposed enemy or traitor to the Crown was a far better in his mind.
"We intend for you to get use to this feeling Lord Varys. Helping the people and ensuring the Seven Kingdoms prospers will be a continued occurrence while we rule," said Margery while she sat beside her husband on the new extra wide table so both could sit side by side.
"What of the Wildlings and the Night's Watch? The latter will not tolerate the former from crossing the Wall. Many among them will see it as an insult to the traditions that have stood since the Wall was first formed," said Stannis since he knew enough of the Wall to know those stuck in the old ways would take this sourly.
Not everyone liked change. Even if it was for the better.
"My Lord Hand has already explained the issue to the Lord Commander. Naturally, he doesn't like it but considering what has happened recently at the Wall is making the man think things through on a more reasonable level," said Aegon with Ned nodding since he was there when the "incident" happened.
Ned's brother Benjen Stark was just outside the Wall near the trees and had found an arm belonging to a corpse. What was terrifying about it was the fact the fingers on the hand attached to the arm itself were still moving. Not only that, but an undead corpse of a Wildling had appeared nearby with several Rangers along with Benjen managing to defeat, restrain, and bring the body through the Wall for those serving as members of the Night's Watch to see proof of what many did not believe was true.
The undead were beyond the Wall. Meaning the White Walkers were in fact real. The stories of old were not just stores. They were real.
Ned had been at the Wall to speak to Lord Commander Mormont when it happened. Informing him of the Wildfire and the plans for it and what the King had learned. The Old Bear was skeptical of course with the idea of magic and how it was real with the King wielding it. Even if he was Lord Stark's nephew and blood. Still, the Lord Commander knew Ned Stark was not a liar (with one or two exceptions made for obvious reasons) and knew if the man told him something was true, it was true.
Though the plan to let the Wildlings come over the Wall did not sit well with the Old Bear. Even more so when the Warden of the North and Hand of the King said as much. Even if it was done from a smart and strategic reason, it left a foul taste in his mouth.
-------------------------------------------------
You expect me to tolerate this Lord Stark? Allow this to go without protest? To let those savages over the Wall?
I don't like it any more than you do Jeor. I don't have to remind you that I too am also of the North and the idea of letting them cross over into our lands makes me ill inside. But I also know a strategic move when I see it. This is done to keep the undead from claiming more bodies for their army.
If it were not for that dead body coming alive, I would have thrown you out of here and the Wall. Hand of the King or not. Warden of the North or not.
We can handle the Wildlings now Jeor. We have time to deal with them as they come over the Wall. It has to be done. The body coming alive proves the White Walkers are real, and they are coming. Aside from the unknown numbers of the undead army, would you wish to fight against 100,000, if not more undead Wildlings? Or have them on our side fighting against the Night King's army? To win this coming war, we will need every able living warrior our side can muster. This is not about sides in terms of just the Wildings or Night's Watch. Of the North, South, East, and West with their Great Houses. This is about a war between the living and the dead.
I know Ned. Truly, I do know. But you are asking me to allow something that has never happened in the entire history of the Night's Watch. My fellow brothers here are not going to be so open about this. They will see it as a betrayal.
Some of them. Not all. And considering what is on the other side of the Wall, they will understand when the time comes.
I hope you are right Ned. The Night's Watch is not the honorable institution it once was centuries ago. The damn South intervening when it did. Making it a penal colony for scum of the lowest sort to escape the sword the neck. Adding additional stipulation in exchange for funding, supplies, and manpower. The first and second, we received only recently in abundance, and the third one was sent to us in the form of mere scrapes when called upon to fill our ranks.
I know. Robert was not worthy of being a King and ruling over the Seven Kingdoms. He took what didn't belong to him and nearly destroyed it during his time as King without any respect for it. I also suspect he did this just to spite House Targaryens and destroy their very legacy they forged all those centuries ago. Most likely in the event they did return and claimed the Iron Throne during his time as King so they would have to struggle rebuilding what he destroyed.
True enough. Your nephew is now King though whether he is a better choice over Robert is yet to be seen in my eyes. Even more so considering what you want to happen.
Aye, Aegon is now King. He sees what Robert did and wishes to correct them. Coin, recruits, and supplies will not be an issue with him on the Iron Throne. Even more so with me there to guide him.
I'll hold you to that Ned. We need those things now, more than ever.
-------------------------------------------------
In the end, it was decided the Wildlings would be let over the Wall when the time was right and Aegon would meet with the King Beyond the Wall at a certain point before that to make it happen. Many of the brothers of the Night's Watch has heard the news and like the Lord Commander, they were against it. They hated the Wildlings. Loathed them. Many had lost friends, comrades, brothers in arms against their hated enemy. Many thought it was fitting for the savages there would die cruel deaths at the hands of the White Walkers and come back as undead so they could be killed by the Night's Watch all over again.
Only for the Lord Commander to remind them that if they died in the future war to come, the Night King would only use his power to make them part of the same army. Something no one wanted to happen to them and thus kept their more personal feeling about the Wildlings becoming part of the undead army to themselves.
For now.
"I will take Revanchist and fly to the Wall in a few days. Once rested, I will head to a Wilding settlement beyond the Wall called Hardhome. I sense that is where I can meet Mance Rayder. While I am speaking to him about what needs to be done, the armies around the North, West, East, and South can discreetly move into position. While I have no doubt the King beyond the Wall will agree to my terms, I want to be prepared for all possibilities," said Aegon with everyone nodding.