Chapter 266: Women and Girls
Winterfell remained like a massive, cold, dark rock, standing in its seemingly eternal position. The returning Northern army brought a flicker of life to it, but that bustle clearly wouldn't last long—the last few groups of soldiers from Houses Glover, Umber, and Bolton, who had accompanied their liege lord to the end of the road, were already forming up to head for their respective homes.
According to the original plan, Egger had to hand Asha over to Glover, so the latter could use her to exchange for the two children she had taken back to the Iron Islands as hostages after capturing Deepwood Motte. Therefore, after settling his men inside and outside the Winter Town, the Night's Watchman sent men to bring the female captive out of her cage.
Regarding his first noble prisoner, Egger instinctively felt a bit of a bond existed between them, so he personally showed up to say goodbye. "Miss Greyjoy, I wish you a safe journey. I hope we have the chance to meet again."
"Fuck you," Asha retorted bluntly through her shackles. As if feeling this emotional vent wasn't strong enough, she spat on the ground for emphasis.
"Cough, well then." That farewell had just been a polite formality, but on second thought—being so cordial with a public enemy of the entire North was indeed somewhat inappropriate. Egger simply changed his tune: "Forget it, then. I hope we don't meet again."
"If I find out my crew is being mistreated or bullied at the Wall, I'll show you the meaning of cruelty!"
Never forgetting her crew even at the last moment, the Daughter of the Kraken said no more after dropping that threat. She was led away without resistance by Glover soldiers with the armored gauntlet stitched on their chests. Egger watched her for a few seconds before leading his guards toward the castle.
The gates of Winterfell were open to the Night's Watch as always. The return of more than half the servants and guards made the place seem busy and crowded inside and out... Upon arriving beneath the Great Keep, Egger did not go directly to find the master of the castle but instead found a spot sheltered from the wind to wait, asking a guard to announce his visit.
They say a short absence is better than a honeymoon. Robb Stark, having returned home after the hardships of campaigning in the south to see his young wife again, might want some time alone to share their hearts—or perhaps even do something before nightfall. Although with a father as rigid as Ned, it was hard to imagine how open-minded the son's views would be, with young people... who could say for sure?
He hadn't been standing there long, and before the guard's reply could return, a certain troublesome little creature appeared first.
"Master!" Arya, wrapped in thick furs and looking like a little bear cub, popped out from around a corner. Like an excited lamb, she charged into Egger's arms, rubbing against him without the slightest reserve, showing her joy at seeing him again through action. "I knew it! I knew you'd come to save me!"
Egger was baffled by this opening: "You're in your own home. Why would you need someone to save you?"
"Arya! Mind your manners!" An older woman already familiar to the Night's Watchman—Septa Mordane—panted as she caught up a few seconds later, glaring irritably at the girl and the Crow she refused to let go of.
Arya looked like she had been terribly wronged: "Last time I listened to you and went home with them like a good girl, and then... and then... Mother gave the order that I'm not allowed to be alone anymore! Someone has to watch me every single moment! They won't even let me out of Winterfell's gates!"
Well done, Egger thought to himself. To deal with a brat like this, you have to watch them every second.
While he thought that, he actually patted the girl's back with a smile, comforting her softly: "There were bad people running wild outside the castle recently. Not letting you out was for your own good. Alright, let go of me and speak properly."
"Stop following me!" Arya let go of Egger's waist obediently but immediately hooked her arm tightly around his, using his body as a shield to shout at Septa Mordane: "I'm talking to my Master now! I won't run off!"
"The Night's Watch visits Winterfell surely to discuss official business with the Warden of the North! Stop this nonsense!" If there was anyone in this castle who disliked Egger most, it was Septa Mordane. In the eyes of the woman responsible for teaching Arya etiquette, the Crow who taught their young lady swordsmanship was practically a mortal enemy. She shot Egger a look of undisguised emotion and then reached out to grab Arya: "Go back to your room at once! Have you finished the lessons Maester Luwin gave you today?"
"No!" Arya nimbly ducked behind the man's frame, escaping the Septa's clutches. "Those things can be done in the evening!"
"Seven Heavens... Fine, fine." Egger's mind was currently full of how to trap Robb and use his influence for his own ends; he really didn't have the heart to play along with a child's antics. He caught Arya as she circled him and turned to the girl's temporary guardian: "Septa Mordane, please take a rest. I promise you: I won't let Arya out of my sight... Girl, apologize to the Septa and promise not to run off."
The girl immediately caught Egger's meaning, quickly changing her expression and complying. Septa Mordane stood there with her hands on her hips, staring irritably at the master and disciple for a while. Considering Egger was a guest and his past behavior had been somewhat reliable, she left the courtyard with a suspicious look, though it was unclear if she would continue to watch Arya from some corner.
"Phew, finally got rid of her. She even stands outside the door when I go to the privy!" Seeing the Septa leave, the brat breathed a sigh of relief and immediately began to complain loudly. "Now that you've driven off those pirates who came by ship, Master, surely they won't keep me locked up at home anymore? I haven't ridden a horse in over a month!"
Egger had intervened to drive off the Ironborn for thousands of reasons, but making it safe for Arya to ride out of Winterfell and wander around was certainly not one of them. He looked helplessly at Arya, who was clinging to him, and in the end, he didn't have the heart to burst her bubble of self-importance.
The friendship built with the girl had brought him benefits, but it had also brought trouble. Overall, the pros outweighed the cons... and subjectively speaking, though she was a headache when she acted like a brat, the girl's character wasn't bad. Egger had long since stopped interacting with her purely out of utility: "You have the nerve to say that? If you hadn't stolen a horse that time and ridden all the way to the Gift, would people be guarding against you like a thief?"
"Oh... I know I was wrong." There was no trace of remorse in Arya's words or behavior; instead, she became even more brazen after the Septa left, grabbing his arm and leaning against him as if she wanted to hang off his body: "Master—I missed you so much. Hurry up and say you missed me too."
Miss you? Must we be so sentimental? The truth was Egger's mind was occupied by a grand strategy. If Arya hadn't popped out on her own, there was a high probability he wouldn't have remembered he had such a little disciple until he left Winterfell again. But girls always need coaxing, whether they are small or grown: "Fine, fine, I missed you too. I missed you so much my heart is broken and I've lost my appetite. That's why as soon as I finished my business outside the walls, I ran straight in to see you."
"That doesn't sound sincere at all!" Arya was amused by the cheesy words and giggled: "Hurry and tell me how you drove those pirates away... Oh wait, tell me where Bran went first? Didn't you guys find him? Why didn't he come with you? He can't even walk, how did he get to the other side of the Wall!"
"That's a long story. Actually, I didn't see him at all. I only heard that the guards at the Nightfort stopped him... Lord Commander Mormont was attacked while dealing with your brother's situation, and then Bran vanished in the chaos. Sigh, you and your brother—neither of you lets anyone have a moment's peace!"
"What?" Arya immediately became tense: "Bran is gone again? How could this happen? Master, you have to find him!"
"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on it. Sooner or later, I'll return your brother to you in one piece."
That wasn't just fluff. He couldn't guarantee much else, but Egger was certain: Bran Stark would absolutely return safely from beyond the Wall. It wasn't so much intuition as it was faith in the abilities of a Greenseer.
Since it hadn't been too long, Arya's shorn hair hadn't grown back long enough to braid, but it was enough to easily distinguish her as a girl. This was good news for Egger—life was already hard enough; in this situation, being clung to by a little girl acting spoiled was, after all, much better than being pestered by a tomboy.
Besides her hair, Arya had clearly grown taller. Not only did she reach Egger's chest now, but her frame was no longer as thin as a matchstick as it was when they first met. With her feminine features becoming clearer, there was a corresponding increase in weight... with her clutching his arm, Egger felt as if a large sandbag were hanging from his sleeve.
After being brought back from running away and locked in Winterfell for a month, Arya was clearly bored to death. Having finally caught someone to talk to, she chirped away, asking this and that incessantly. After being pestered for quite a while, Egger finally saw the return of the guard who had gone to announce him: "Lord Egger, Lord Robb invites you to see him in the solar."
Egger breathed a sigh of relief; he could finally get rid of the brat: "Mm, great... Arya, I'd love to chat with you some more, but I really have some serious business to discuss with your brother now. Can you do me a favor? Go back to your room on your own so the Septa or anyone else doesn't have to go looking for you?"
"No." Arya rejected Egger's suggestion without a thought and even began dragging him toward the Lord's solar: "Let's go. I'm coming with you. I haven't spoken to Robb in a long time either."
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