Game of Thrones: Knight's Honor-Chapter 336: Identifying Pests

"He's here! Prince Lynd is here!" A guard on the wall of Castle Black shouted to the Night's Watch inside the castle as he spotted the dragon flying in from the distance.

Down below, people were preparing to open the gates—but instead of landing outside, Lynd brought the dragon down into the large training yard inside the castle.

Dismounting, Lynd saw Alliser Thorne and Bowen Marsh leading Castle Black's stewards and rangers toward him. Both Alliser and Bowen appeared calm, showing no unusual expression, just like everyone else around them.

Lynd scanned the crowd without a word. Although Alliser and Bowen did their best to mask their emotions, the moment Lynd's gaze fell on them, they couldn't help but tense up. Their faces stiffened slightly.

"Have the commanders of the other castles arrived?" Lynd asked them.

"All here, my Lord. The new Chief Ranger, Thoren Smallwood, has also returned from the front lines," Alliser replied quickly.

Lynd gave a slight nod and headed straight for Castle Black's council chamber, the others following closely behind.

At that moment, all of Castle Black's rangers, except those required for defense, had gathered in the small square outside the council hall. There were so many that the square couldn't hold them all—many had squeezed into nearby buildings. They were waiting for the results of the investigation, and to find out who would become the new Lord Commander.

As Lynd approached, the crowd instinctively shifted to open a path, allowing him and his group to enter the chamber.

Inside, the commanders of the various castles stood and saluted as soon as Lynd stepped in.

He greeted each of them in turn, then walked directly to the seat that had once belonged to the Old Bear and sat down. He gestured for everyone else to take their seats.

"Have you made any progress in your discussions about the assassination of Lord Commander Jeor Mormont?" Lynd asked without preamble.

"Not yet," replied Denys, commander of the Shadow Tower and the most senior among them. He stepped forward to speak on the group's behalf. "We've sent our best rangers to search the Lord Commander's chambers, but found no clues. From the condition of the body, it seems the assassination happened very quickly—he didn't have time to resist. The vital point in his neck was pierced. Judging by the wound, it was likely done with a dagger."

As he spoke, Denys turned to look at Cotter Pyke, commander of Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, who picked up the thread immediately.

"At the time, there were stewards stationed both above and below the Lord Commander's quarters, waiting to be summoned. We've questioned all of them. None of them heard anything. So we suspect magic was involved."

"You're right—magic was indeed involved," Lynd said with certainty. "Someone used a sound-blocking spell to isolate the rooms of the two stewards. That's why they didn't hear anything coming from the Lord Commander's chambers and couldn't respond in time."

His words stunned everyone in the room. They all knew Lynd hadn't visited the Old Bear's quarters—he had come straight to the council chamber after arriving. Yet he spoke with such confidence, which led them all to the same conclusion: Lynd must have placed a number of spies and informants within the Night's Watch. It had to be those eyes and ears who brought him the details, allowing him to make a judgment without even seeing the scene.

Then Lynd added in a low voice, "Even though magic was used to block out sound, this assassination definitely wasn't carried out by an outsider. The Old Bear didn't resist at all—he was stabbed in the throat at close range with a dagger. That means the killer had to be someone he knew well. Only someone familiar could get close enough without raising his guard."

As soon as the words left his mouth, a wave of murmurs swept through the room. The commanders' eyes roamed over the men of Castle Black present in the hall. Apart from Maester Aemon, everyone else had become a potential suspect.

Those from Castle Black looked at one another in disbelief. Their expressions were a mix of confusion, concern, and, above all, anger. They now looked at their comrades with a new layer of suspicion and unease. fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm

Alliser and Bowen mirrored the same reactions as those around them, making it difficult for anyone to single them out.

Just as the chatter began to die down, Lynd continued, "I'm guessing you all believe I came to this conclusion because I've planted spies within the Night's Watch—spies who report everything to me, allowing me to immediately analyze exactly how Lord Commander Jeor died?"

Realizing their thoughts had been laid bare, many of them lowered their heads in embarrassment.

Lynd smiled and said, "Unfortunately, you're wrong. While I do have people placed within the Night's Watch, their main purpose is to monitor the wildling tribes and White Walkers Beyond the Wall. They don't interfere with matters inside the Wall, and I wouldn't waste resources just to be kept informed."

Everyone immediately turned to Lynd in confusion. Denys couldn't help but ask, "Then why, my Lord, were you able to so quickly conclude that the Lord Commander was assassinated by someone from within the Night's Watch—and that magic was involved?"

Lynd didn't answer him directly, instead circling around the question. "Before I came to Castle Black, I first visited Icemark and met with Lord Willas. As you all know, Lord Willas has merged with the Wall through some means in order to maintain the flow of its magical power and keep the White Walkers at bay."

At that, everyone began praising Willas's noble sacrifice. After all, in this world, few would give up a title and power like Warden of the South or Lord of Highgarden just to come to a place like the Wall and fight the evils lurking beyond. Even among the Night's Watch, where many lowborn men harbored resentment toward nobles, Willas was deeply respected.

"In the old legends, the Greenseers of the Children of the Forest were said to be the wisest beings in the world," Lynd continued. "They could see the flow of time through the weirwoods—watching history, uncovering lost truths, and witnessing the secrets of the world hidden from others."

His words puzzled many in the chamber, but no one interrupted. Everyone listened quietly—except for Alliser and Bowen, who seemed to realize something, and whose faces grew noticeably tense.

Returning to the matter at hand, Lynd said, "After merging with the Wall, Willas gained part of the Greenseer's ability. He can see everything that has occurred along the Wall since it was first built—from the legendary wars of the Night's Watch against the White Walkers to every event that takes place within the Wall's domain. Nothing is lost, no matter how long ago it happened. Everything is recorded in the Wall itself—and unless the Wall is destroyed, those records will never vanish."

At that moment, even the slowest minds in the council chamber began to understand what was being implied. Maester Aemon couldn't help but speak up. "Lord Lynd... did you witness the Lord Commander's death through the Greenseer's sight?"

"Yes," Lynd replied firmly. "I was there when the Lord Commander was killed. What I saw was only the shadow of the past—I couldn't intervene or save him from the hands of the traitors."

As he said this, he turned his gaze toward Alliser and Bowen, whose faces had gone deathly pale.

"And yet," Lynd said, "you claim it's only the word of Lynd Tarran. That none of you saw anything yourselves. That you won't act unless I give you proof. Do you think the Night's Watch is my vassal, here to do my bidding? Master-at-Arms Alliser, you seem to harbor quite a bit of resentment toward me!"

As Lynd's voice fell, Bowen Marsh's legs buckled, and he collapsed to the floor with a heavy thud. Alliser, though equally pale and panicked, managed to remain on his feet, forcing himself to stay steady.

All around them, the Night's Watchmen of Castle Black stared at Alliser in disbelief. Though he was known to be strict, stubborn, and cold, most still saw him as a competent Master-at-Arms—and his loyalty to the Watch had never been in doubt. That such a man could be the one who assassinated the Lord Commander... was hard to grasp.

But no matter how impossible it seemed, Alliser Thorne's and Bowen Marsh's reactions left little room for doubt. Their behavior confirmed Lynd's claim—they were the killers. And they had committed the act shamelessly, taking advantage of the trust the Lord Commander had placed in them.

All eyes turned on the two, filled with anger, scorn, and contempt. Alliser's face twisted with shame and frustration. Then, his voice rising with agitation, he shouted, "We did nothing wrong! We simply executed a traitor! For thousands of years, we've fought the wildlings Beyond the Wall. We bear a hatred that can never be erased. But Jeor Mormont? He followed orders from an outsider—let the wildlings pass through the Wall! If that's not betrayal, then what is?"

While Alliser raged in his defense, few responded. Only the veteran Night's Watchmen—like Shadow Tower Commander Denys, Eastwatch's Cotter Pyke, and the newly appointed Chief Ranger Thoren Smallwood—showed any sign of agreement.

Before the Watch began expanding, it had fewer than a thousand members. But now, after years of growth, its numbers had swelled into the tens of thousands. Most of them had no personal grudges against the wildlings. Among the twenty-some castle commanders gathered here, fewer than ten were old Watchmen; the rest were new. It was no surprise, then, that they couldn't relate to Alliser's hatred.

This was exactly why the Old Bear had agreed to Lynd's proposal and quietly prepared for the wildlings to pass through the Wall. There hadn't been much resistance from within the Night's Watch.

"No amount of justification can hide your guilt in the murder of the Lord Commander." Lynd gave Alliser a cold, withering look, then turned to the other brothers of the Night's Watch. "Take them away. Lock them up and interrogate them. There's no way the two of them acted alone. There must be more behind this."

Almost the instant Lynd finished speaking, Alliser drew the longsword from his belt. He clearly wasn't going to surrender without a fight. Around him, other brothers immediately drew their own swords, pointing them at Alliser in tense readiness.

Seeing the situation, Alliser realized there was no chance of escape. He turned the sword and aimed the tip under his chin, preparing to take his own life.

But Lynd wasn't about to let him die so easily—not before he confessed everything.

With a casual snap of his fingers, a bolt of lightning shot from Lynd's hand and struck Alliser directly, paralyzing him. His body stiffened, limbs twitching violently before he collapsed onto the floor.

Everyone around froze at the sight, stunned. No one moved, all eyes turning instinctively to Lynd.

"Do I really have to teach you how to tie someone up?" Lynd asked dryly, glancing around at the Night's Watch.

The brothers snapped out of it, exchanging sheepish looks before rushing to find ropes. Working clumsily but quickly, they bound the twitching, paralyzed Alliser and the completely compliant Bowen.

"And those two as well." As Alliser and Bowen were being taken away, Lynd pointed toward Janos Slynt and Chief Ranger Thoren Smallwood, who had been trying to disappear into the crowd.

Everyone paused, turning to look at Janos and Thoren in shock. Janos was one thing—he was a new arrival to the Wall—but Thoren Smallwood was another matter entirely. A veteran ranger and one of the Night's Watch's finest. After Benjen disappeared, it was Thoren's skill that earned him the position of Chief Ranger. No one expected a man like that to be involved in the Lord Commander's assassination.

After a stunned moment, the brothers stepped forward and bound both of them. Janos struggled and shouted that he was innocent, while Thoren remained calm. Looking straight at Lynd, he asked, "Lord Lynd, how did you know I was involved too? Did you also see it through the Greenseer's power? As I recall, when Alliser spoke with me, it wasn't inside the Wall. It was Beyond it."

Lynd replied evenly, "Your expression just now said it all—so obvious it was impossible to miss."

Thoren gave a bitter smile. He hadn't imagined that his face would betray him. Without another word, he lowered his head and, urged forward by the Watchmen, walked out of the council chamber.

"From here on," Lynd said, turning to the gathered castle commanders, "I expect you all to take this matter seriously. Root out every pest trying to sabotage our efforts against the White Walkers."

"Yes, Prince Lynd," the commanders rose and answered in unison. Each vowed to personally take part in the investigation and ensure that everyone involved in the assassination was found. After all, they were afraid too—afraid that one day, like the Old Bear, they might be killed by someone they had once called brother.

Whatever justification Alliser might have had, he had crossed a line. No one could accept having someone under their command who might turn on them over a disagreement. Not even Denys or Cotter, who carried a deep hatred for the wildlings, would tolerate that.

Just then, Maester Aemon spoke up, turning to Lynd.

"Lord Lynd, now that the Lord Commander is dead... do you have a recommendation for his successor?"