"If it's just a legend, that would be great," Jason thought. "Otherwise, the Wildlings wouldn't be risking everything to gather here, trying to get south of the Wall. And I wouldn't be..."
He cut himself off. It was useless to say more. No one would believe it until they saw the Wights with their own eyes.
He grinned. Forget it. We'll deal with the Wildlings first.
Soon, Castle Black came into view, its main gate open. A small group of senior Night's Watch officers stood outside, waiting to greet them.
The army began setting up camp outside the fortress. Jason rode forward with his guards, flanked by the young Northern lords, who all held their chests high.
The welcoming party included the two main candidates for Lord Commander: Ser Denys Mallister of the Shadow Tower and Cotter Pyke of Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. With them were the old, blind Maester Aemon Targaryen, First Steward Bowen Marsh, First Builder Othell Yarwyck, and the Master-at-Arms, Ser Alliser Thorne.
"My lords," Ser Denys Mallister said, stepping forward. "We thank you for coming north to aid the Watch. With your 50,000 men, Mance Rayder's Wildlings are nothing but sheep for the slaughter!"
After the introductions, Jason gave orders to his commanders to get the soldiers settled. He then followed the Night's Watch officers into Castle Black.
The army had been marching for over 20 days. The soldiers needed rest. The fight could wait a few days.
The Night's Watch was grateful for the supplies the army brought. They finally had better food and could get new equipment.
That evening, the Watch held a banquet for the Northern lords. With 50,000 soldiers camped outside, the 700 brothers of the Watch no longer had to fear a Wildling attack in the night.
At the banquet, the Northern lords didn't drink much. Jason had given a clear order: war was imminent, and all commanders would stay sober.
Everyone knew Jason was married to Sansa Stark. The East family was the strongest in the North. These young lords, who had only just inherited their titles, didn't dare to disobey him. They each had a glass or two and then stopped.
The Night's Watch officers saw it clearly. They knew exactly who was in charge.
They had all heard the stories of Lord Jason, the foreign earl who had risen from nothing to become the most powerful man in the North in just a few years. Now, married to a Stark, with young Brandon Stark in Winterfell, Jason was the real ruler of the North.
They wondered if the other lords were bitter about being led by an outsider, but it was none of their business. The Night's Watch stayed neutral.
As the officers were thinking, Jason, who sat at the head table, put down his wine glass. The other lords immediately stopped talking and looked at him. The noisy hall fell silent.
The Night's Watch men exchanged glances. This confirmed everything they'd heard about Lord East's status.
"My lords," Jason began, his voice easily carrying in the quiet room. "You all know that with our strength, the Wildlings aren't a real threat. Beating them will be easy."
Everyone nodded. That was obvious.
"However," Jason continued, his tone hardening slightly. "To ensure a smooth command, I need the Night's Watch to obey one set of orders. Lord Commander Mormont's death was unfortunate, but it's... disappointing... that you still haven't chosen a new leader."
Cotter Pyke and Ser Denys Mallister glared at each other. The other senior officers looked down, embarrassed.
One of the Northern lords spoke up. "Lord Jason is right. We need a unified command. The Night's Watch must obey his orders."
Another added, "That's right! You don't even have a commander. Lord Jason leads the entire Northern army. He's proven his skill against Roose Bolton and the Freys!"
The other lords chimed in, supporting Jason. They didn't care about the Watch's paltry few hundred men.
Jason smiled, looking at the officers. "Well? What do you think?"
The Night's Watch men looked at each other. They were outnumbered and outmaneuvered. What could they say?
Maester Aemon, ancient and blind, spoke from beneath his thick blankets. "Lord Jason's ability is proven. The Night's Watch... should obey his command."
Maester Aemon knew the Watch was too weak and divided. Accepting Jason's command was the only logical choice.
The other officers were uncomfortable—they were famously independent of any king or lord—but reality forced them to bow their heads.
And just like that, Jason became the supreme commander of the Wall. He now controlled the Night's Watch, men who were crucial because they knew the lay of the land.
He didn't care about their neutrality. His army was the strongest, so they had to listen to him.
Now that he had command, Jason turned to the important questions. He began to ask for every detail about Lord Commander Mormont's death... and about the Wights.
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