Since ancient times, negotiations have mostly involved the weaker side sending emissaries into the territory of the stronger, and the world of Ice and Fire is no exception. In the original plot, when Castle Black could no longer hold against the wildling army, Jon Snow was forced to cross over to negotiate peace. But this time, the Night's Watch remained safely behind their walls, waiting for the other side to come to them.
Stories about a lone hero venturing into enemy territory are certainly thrilling, but being forced into the role of a "hero" is, in truth, a sorrowful thing. Given the choice, Aegor would prefer never to be the protagonist of such tales.
The wildlings had no other option. Still, no one could have expected that the one who would eventually arrive at the gates of Castle Black, banners raised and ready to play the role of the lone envoy, would be none other than Mance Rayder, the King-Beyond-the-Wall himself.
...
"Hang this traitor and the war is over," Bowen Marsh said, standing atop the King's Tower and looking down at the gray-brown-haired, sturdy wildling—Mance—who was being thoroughly searched a few dozen yards away to ensure he carried no weapons that might endanger the Night's Watch leadership.
"That's true. But if we do, we'll have to watch one hundred thousand wildlings get slaughtered by the White Walkers in the Haunted Forest... and then deal with the same number of wights later." Aegor shrugged. "We'll get to that in time. What I want to know now is—does anyone recognize this man? How can we be sure that he's really the King-Beyond-the-Wall and not an impostor?"
"Mance Rayder defected before I joined the Night's Watch..." Though Mormont was old, he had only taken the black after his son came of age, to give up his claim. He had not grown up at the Wall and did not know the man who had deserted during the tenure of the previous Lord Commander. "Can we find an old crow in Castle Black who knew Mance Rayder?"
The chief steward nodded. "It should be possible. Jon, go call all the veterans at Castle Black who've worn black for more than twenty years."
"There's no need to go through all that trouble. Even if someone knew Mance back then, they might not recognize him after more than ten years." Aegor shook his head. "But the wildlings wouldn't have tried that. Tie this man up. Then bring up the wildling woman who's still in the cells. Tell her that we launched an assault, defeated the wildlings, and captured the King-Beyond-the-Wall. From her reaction, we'll know whether he's real or not."
"I see." Mormont thought for a moment, then gave a knowing smile. "Good idea. Let's do it."
...
...
...
Soon, Mance Rayder was tied to a post in the center of the courtyard by several members of the Night's Watch, wearing a confused expression, as though he were about to be executed. Ygritte was dragged out of her cell again, visibly angry. Mormont brought her to a spot where she could clearly see Mance tied up, then repeated Aegor's words.
The wildlings would never have guessed the Night's Watch would use such a trick to identify the true King-Beyond-the-Wall. What's more, the wildling woman had been locked up in Castle Black's heavily guarded ice cells for days. She had no way of knowing that Mance Rayder had come to negotiate personally. If she scoffed and said they had caught the wrong man, it meant he was an impostor. If she looked shocked or disheartened, it meant he was truly the King-Beyond-the-Wall.
The logic was simple, and the plan proceeded smoothly—except that the subject's reaction was a bit excessive. When Ygritte saw Mance Rayder bound and gagged to the pillar, she went wild. She broke free from Jon's grip and lunged at Jeor Mormont. With her hands shackled and unable to strike, she actually opened her mouth and bit the Lord Commander in the face...
Caught off guard by how close she was, Mormont only had time to raise his arm to block. As a result, the wildling woman sank her teeth into his arm.
Aegor and Bowen, standing beside Mormont, were the first to react. They quickly pulled the wildling woman off him and wrestled her to the ground.
"You crows can go to hell!" Ygritte's face was pressed against the cold ground as she shouted furiously, "If you don't let the Free Folk through the Wall, even if we all die to the White Walkers and become wights, we'll come back and take revenge on you!"
"What are you doing, Jon?" Mormont stepped back, rubbing his arm. He looked at Jon in displeasure. "It's admirable to be gentle with women, but she's the enemy! Or are you unable to restrain even a woman?"
Jon was deeply embarrassed and rushed to help subdue the wildling woman. "I'm sorry, my lords. I... I didn't expect her to be so strong."
"Take her away!"
Jon grabbed Ygritte, who was still shouting curses, and dragged her away from the officers. Watching him go, Othell shook his head. "That boy... actually tried to reason with a wildling woman to calm her down. Ridiculous. I fear she'll seduce him into breaking his vows. Jeor, are you alright?"
"My arm's not broken. Luckily, the clothes were thick." Mormont cracked a wry joke. "Still, with just one bite, we've at least confirmed that the man who came to negotiate is indeed Mance Rayder. Honestly... I didn't expect it."
"How should we deal with this traitor?"
"Out of respect for his courage, let him speak," Aegor said. "Besides that, we also need the wildlings' food to get us through until aid from Braavos arrives."
Mormont rubbed the wound on his right arm, where he had been bitten, and nodded. "Bring him to the council chamber."
---
Not long after, Mance Rayder, now untied, was escorted into the Hall of the Night's Watch by two rangers and sat before a group of the Watch's senior officers.
"What a great display of strength," the King-Beyond-the-Wall said. He had believed the Night's Watch meant to hang him. Though he had been prepared to die, it was only natural to feel fear. After everything, his expression was dark and shaken. "Hard to believe this is how my former sworn brothers treat someone who came to negotiate."
"You remember we were your sworn brothers?" Jeremy sneered. "Then you should also remember the Night's Watch only has one punishment for deserters and oathbreakers."
"After all these years, the Night's Watch still hasn't changed. No wonder you have to rely on mountain clans to hold off the Free Folk."
"Mance Rayder," Aegor said, "is there any point in talking like that now? You'd best understand your situation. If the Night's Watch refuses to let you in, none of the one hundred thousand wildlings will survive, aside from those who've already fled south. Now, you'd better lay all your cards on the table, so we can decide whether to hang you or give your people a chance to live."
Mance Rayder's personal arrival had not only surprised Mormont, but also made Aegor uneasy. As Bowen had said, if they simply hanged this infamous deserter and King-Beyond-the-Wall, the war would be over. If Mormont opted for such a straightforward solution... all of Aegor's plans would fall apart.
Convincing the others to take a more complicated route, rather than the easy one, would be extremely difficult. Aegor now hoped that Mance Rayder hadn't come here just to die, and that he could offer something substantial enough to create a breakthrough.
(To be continued.)
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