Chapter 198

You can run, but the temple remains—the old saying weighed heavily on Aegor. As the head of the Night’s Watch industry, fleeing without warning would be an irresponsible abandonment of Nina and the countless subordinates and followers who depended on him. Even avoiding Renly’s summons required a proper excuse and careful timing. Fortunately, Renly had not immediately sought to recruit Aegor after taking King’s Landing, granting him precious time to prepare.

The new King on the Iron Throne began his reign by following Stannis’s example, issuing a royal pardon for the Gold Cloaks who had assisted in defending the city during its fall. He then rewarded his loyalists lavishly and swiftly eradicated what remained of Eddard Stark’s and Stannis’s influence in the capital. At the same time, Renly began mobilizing resources to strengthen the Royal Fleet, building upon the Storm’s End navy, with the aim of quickly "pacifying" Dragonstone and dealing with his elder brother once and for all.

There was some good news for Aegor, however. To legitimize his rule, Renly declared himself Robert’s rightful heir and recognized all of Robert’s previous laws, including the tax exemptions for the Night’s Watch industry.
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Before his transmigration, Aegor had been influenced by Donal Noye’s famous words: "Robert was true steel, Stannis pure iron, and Renly bright copper," leading him to initially dismiss Renly as unworthy. But upon reflection, how was this evaluation any different from the exaggerated claims about "Northerners fighting ten men at once"? Both were subjective and biased assessments.

Compared to his elder brothers, Renly’s greatest flaw was his youth and lack of opportunity to prove himself. Tywin Lannister had similarly underestimated Robb Stark due to his age, only to suffer defeat after defeat, even losing his son Jaime. And even if Renly truly was "bright copper," who decreed that bright copper couldn’t make a good king?

From what Aegor had observed since arriving in Westeros, he reluctantly admitted that Renly might be a better king than Stannis. True, Renly lacked exceptional talents beyond his charm, charisma, and knack for theatrics. But Liu Bang, the founding emperor of the Han Dynasty, famously admitted that he couldn’t strategize like Zhang Liang, govern like Xiao He, or lead armies like Han Xin—yet those shortcomings hadn’t stopped him from becoming one of history’s greatest rulers.

For a ruler in a feudal society, personal ability wasn’t the most critical factor. What mattered was the ability to unite the nobles, balance competing factions, and appoint competent ministers. Renly’s friendly relations with the Crownlands lords and willingness to heed Margaery’s advice in recruiting talent already made him a qualified king.

With Renly’s charisma, Margaery’s cunning, and the resources of the Reach, his rule could be as stable as Robert’s—provided he held Eddard Stark as a hostage to ensure peace with the North, Riverlands, and Vale, and eliminated Stannis as a threat. So long as the Tyrells didn’t grow too ambitious, Renly’s reign could endure.

Yet no matter how capable Renly might be, Aegor would never risk his life or fortune to serve a king doomed to be killed by magic.
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The new king and queen’s wedding preparations were underway, but the world didn’t pause just because Renly took King’s Landing. News continued to pour in from across Westeros.

In the Westerlands, Northern forces unexpectedly struck south, ambushing Reach troops. However, under the steady leadership of Randyll Tarly, the Reachmen stabilized their lines and retreated before suffering catastrophic losses.

With the Reach and Stormlands armies occupied, the remaining four kingdoms’ coalition forces swept through the Westerlands, leaving only Casterly Rock and Lannisport, heavily fortified and garrisoned, unconquered. As the North, Riverlands, and Vale prepared to withdraw from the Westerlands and march on King’s Landing to rescue Eddard Stark, Dorne—now isolated—abandoned its plans for vengeance against the Lannisters after receiving Gregor Clegane’s severed head as an offering. Oberyn Martell negotiated a truce, securing safe passage through the Reach to return to Dorne. Under the watchful eyes of the other factions, Dorne withdrew to its deserts to recover.

Meanwhile, pirates, brigands, and other criminals grew bolder along Westeros’s eastern coast, exploiting the chaos of war. Entire villages and castles had reportedly fallen to these marauders, with Renly’s Stormlands suffering the worst. If the issue wasn’t addressed swiftly, his soldiers’ morale would falter, and they would lose the will to fight the Northern army now marching south.
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While Renly and Margaery grappled with the chaos, Aegor finalized his plans to quietly withdraw from the escalating conflict. Over several days, he made arrangements to ensure the Night’s Watch industry could continue in his absence, ensuring the livelihoods of his employees and dependents.

To defuse suspicion, he spent half a day drafting a formal letter—a Westerosi version of The Lament of the Absent Official. The letter began by expressing gratitude for Renly’s recognition and generosity, showering the king with flattery. Then, it shifted to the dire threats facing the Wall: wildlings and White Walkers. At such a critical time, Aegor wrote, he could not abandon his sworn brothers to enjoy the comforts of the south. He promised to return once the threat beyond the Wall was dealt with, vowing to serve Renly with unwavering loyalty.

Whether the king believed his words didn’t matter; what mattered was cloaking his departure in the guise of duty and national interest, leaving Renly no justification to target him or the Night’s Watch industry. To further sweeten the gesture, Aegor prepared a wedding gift: a chandelier made of multicolored crystals, designed to scatter sunlight into vibrant hues during the day and emit a dazzling display of light at night. If the rumors of Renly’s fondness for bright colors were true, the gift would surely please him.

With everything prepared, Aegor made his move as soon as martial law in King’s Landing was lifted. Renly’s blockade of Blackwater Bay and the destruction of the city’s ports during the siege left no choice but to travel by land.
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Using his reputation and influence, bolstered by generous wages and benefits, Aegor recruited fifty security personnel from the Night’s Watch industry to form his personal guard. These men, rebranded as "Night’s Watch Logistics Corps Armed Division," would accompany him north. Along with drivers and laborers transporting supplies, his convoy numbered nearly one hundred. Arya Stark, disguised as a boy and posing as Aegor’s servant, blended into the group unnoticed.

Despite the convoy’s size and the sensitive nature of their cargo, Aegor’s connections and bribes ensured a smooth departure. The gates of King’s Landing closed behind them, and the capital’s chaos receded into the distance.

For Aegor, returning north after nearly a year felt like a triumphant homecoming. Leading a convoy of wagons laden with supplies, accompanied by loyal, well-equipped guards, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment.
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The first two days of the journey were uneventful, and the convoy made excellent progress. By the third day, they were close to entering the Riverlands, under the protection of the Tully bannermen. Once there, Arya would be safe.

But fate, as always, had other plans. At noon on the third day, a small squad of Gold Cloaks caught up with them.

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