Chapter 274

By trading "wildling grain for wildling labor," an audacious and borderline immoral tactic, Aegor had achieved what countless Lord Commanders of the Night’s Watch had only dreamed of for generations. Along the Wall and in the Gift, he had completed a series of remarkable projects: reopening abandoned castles, repairing roads, and transforming the ruins of Crown's Rest into a thriving new settlement.

But the wildlings’ grain was not infinite. To keep the resettlement program alive until Braavosi aid arrived from across the Narrow Sea, the North’s support had become crucial. It was for this reason that, after completing his tasks, Aegor had led 2,000 able-bodied men south to relieve the North from its siege, earning the gratitude of the Northerners and opening the channels for food supplies to flow into the Gift.

In the last two days of his stay at Winterfell, Aegor divided his men into smaller groups, assigning them to purchase as much grain and supplies as possible from each Northern holdfast. Then, alongside the Warden of the North and a retinue of elite Northern soldiers, he began the march back up the King’s Road, leading his own troops toward the Wall.

Robb had invited several other Northern lords to join the inspection, but most were busy returning war spoils and disbanding their armies, agreeing instead to rendezvous at Castle Black. Notably, Arya Stark had somehow convinced her brother—the current head of House Stark—to bring her along. Robb explained it as a way to lift his sister’s spirits after their father’s death, which had left her deeply despondent.

Stark men were notoriously soft-hearted toward their female kin, and Aegor, familiar with Arya’s persistence, was hardly surprised. Bringing the girl might even work in his favor—she could vouch for him if needed.

With the Ironborn driven from the North and the wildlings settled in the Gift, the northern stretch of the King’s Road had never been so secure. Over 1,000 soldiers marched north without incident, making swift progress toward the first major crossroads leading to the Wall.

...

“Wasn’t the King’s Road supposed to run straight north, so even a blind man wouldn’t lose his way? What’s with this fork, both paths heading north?” Robb asked, reins in hand, as he stared at the muddy, snow-covered road splitting into two paths.

The original King’s Road was still visible, a straight line heading north, though it was in poor condition. Beside it lay a newer, slightly elevated dirt road, wide enough for four horses abreast, angling slightly northwest.

“That path leads to Crown's Rest,” Aegor explained. “The old village used to sit a few miles west of the King’s Road. To reach it, travelers would have to ride ten miles north, then detour left along a side road, adding an extra day to their journey. After some deliberation, the logistics division decided to reroute a section of the King’s Road, abandoning about thirty miles of the original path. The new route cuts through Queenscrown directly.”

The northern section of the King’s Road had long been little more than a worn trail, blending into the grasslands of the Gift. Rebuilding it required immense manpower and resources, but with no bureaucrats to oppose him, Aegor had taken bold initiative. The old straight line had been reshaped into a subtle curve, seamlessly incorporating Crown's Rest. In a year or so, no one would remember the road had ever been any different.

The new path resembled a highway exit leading to a service station—except this “service station” had replaced the main road altogether. The so-called “logistics division’s decision” was Aegor’s alone, a fabrication meant to avoid the appearance of unilateral authority.

Robb nodded after hearing the explanation. “It’s a clever idea, but didn’t you consider travelers who might not want to pass through Crown's Rest? Your detour adds several miles to their journey. And why establish the logistics base in a new town instead of Castle Black or one of the other fortresses?”

“Crown"s Rest is roughly a day’s ride from Castle Black. Anyone traveling north or south along the Wall will need to stop for the night. It’s far better to rest in a warm bed at Crown's Rest than to camp in the wilderness,” Aegor answered smoothly. “As for why not Castle Black, a logistics base serves a different purpose than a fortress. It’s a supply hub, requiring ample storage space and constant activity. Castle Black simply isn’t equipped—or suitable—for that role.”

Robb chuckled. “You always have an answer.”

Crown's Rest’s location had been carefully chosen, and Aegor’s decision to reroute the road was about more than convenience. As an outsider, Aegor could never rival the entrenched influence of the senior Night’s Watch officers. Establishing a new stronghold of his own was a far more practical strategy, and for a settlement to thrive, it needed to be on a critical trade route.

“What’s the holdup?” Arya rode up on her small horse, cutting into the conversation. “It’s obvious we won’t reach the Wall today. Let’s head to Crown's Rest—it’s a fun place! Great views, a lake, and you can fish right outside your door.”

...

Arya had spent only a few days at Crown's Rest but acted like a proud local, eager to show her brother around. However, the Crown's Rest of her memory was vastly different from the bustling settlement they approached.

Behind new, taller stone walls, the town’s infrastructure had been significantly improved. Beyond the walls, countless tents, wooden huts, and small houses sprawled outward, lined with market stalls. It resembled Winter Town, the seasonal settlement outside Winterfell, but far busier.

The reason was simple: unlike Winter Town, which was occupied only in the harshest winters and required residents to bring their own supplies, Crown's Rest was the lifeline for nearly 30,000 “New Giftfolk.” The grain and resources they had carried through the Wall were long depleted. To survive, wildling families and clans followed Aegor’s rules: sending their able-bodied members to work for the Night’s Watch in exchange for wages, which they used to buy necessities.

To prepare for Robb’s inspection, the town had been meticulously organized, its inhabitants instructed on what to say and do. Everything was set, waiting for the Warden of the North to arrive.