"The Night's Watch raided Winterfell?"
After waiting in the cold wind for more than an hour, Roose Bolton finally received news that surprised him… or rather, overjoyed him. That fellow Aegor, while betraying him and nearly rendering his years of planning and patience meaningless, had also pulled him back from the edge of the cliff with a bold and brilliant military move that made one want to cheer aloud.
The emotional shift from fury to despair and then to surprise was so extreme and abrupt that, for a moment, he did not know whether to continue hating or start loving this damned Night's Watch man. Even with Bolton's cunning and composure, his face nearly betrayed his emotions. Seeing Varys's face change only made him want to laugh out loud in his mind. As for why Rhaegal had flown to find Aegor and prostrated himself, Bolton did not care at all for the moment, nor did he wish to investigate further.
"Allow me to make a bold guess, Lord Varys," the Old Flayer swallowed the laughter already at his throat and said with his usual cold and serious tone, "Now, I fear the Queen may change her original plans and choose to remain in the North?"
To Bolton's disappointment, Varys only shrugged indifferently, not losing his composure in the slightest. "A subject's duty is to serve, not to presume to guess Her Grace's thoughts. Only the Queen herself can determine her course. We would not dare make premature assumptions."
"Indeed, we shouldn't presume," Bolton agreed with a nod, guessing that the eunuch was inwardly seething while forcing himself to maintain calm. "But as Master of Whisperers, surely Lord Varys must consider all possibilities and help the Queen prepare accordingly. Should you not already be thinking about how to counter the Stark family's 'dragon-slaying' conspiracy, in case Her Grace decides not to return south?"
---
The other man was right. Of course Varys knew this. Although he did not soften his stance outwardly, inwardly he had already acknowledged it. When Daenerys found out that the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch had not deceived her, and once she heard his message, she would almost certainly change her original plans and, just as Aegor had said, travel to Winterfell within days to meet him.
The reason he had not immediately begun calculating and responding was simply because he was using all his strength to suppress the fire boiling in his chest, desperately trying not to make a scene.
As a seasoned and shrewd master of strategy, Varys understood that unexpected developments were inevitable and that no plan could be implemented without disruption. To be the final victor, one must always act like a cold and rational thinking machine, constantly considering as many variables as possible beforehand, preparing countermeasures in advance, and staying calm and collected even when faced with surprises. Only then could one recover losses and solve problems clearly.
That was the ideal. But men are not machines. Everyone has a limit to their patience. From the two messages that ignited the sudden uprisings in the Vale and the purge of the lions in the Six Kingdoms, to the ensuing instability across Westeros, especially Dorne and the Reach slipping from control, and then to Daenerys suddenly abandoning her role and flying directly from the South to the Gift to join that absurd final battle…
For the past two or three years, it seemed that every day was spent "patching holes created by strange accidents," leaving him little time or energy to enact new strategies. Now, with the Southward plan that had finally been settled about to fall through once again, even his unmatched endurance and composure were beginning to fray.
Unexpected events are normal. But should they happen this often? Are they not called "unexpected" precisely because they are rare? If the outcome of careful planning is always worse than taking no action at all, then what is the point of political maneuvering?
The emotion building toward rage lasted only a second or two before being swallowed and suppressed by his formidable rationality and emotional control. Letting out a long breath, Varys steadied his trembling shoulders and returned to reality.
The failure of the original plan was a foregone conclusion. It was time to recover the losses and resolve the issue.
"Lord Bolton, I have served under several reigns, following events all the way from King's Landing to the North. My only aim is to help train a monarch who can truly end the long civil wars in Westeros, restore order and peace, and bring lasting prosperity to its people." The eunuch adopted a pose of sincere concern for the realm and suddenly brought up something entirely unrelated. "What is your opinion of Prince Aegor in the South?"
Bolton did not know what role Varys was playing in this matter, so he cautiously refrained from giving a clear stance. "I know little. I would be honored to hear your insight, Lord."
"Both the Prince and the Queen are Targaryens. Both command strong armies. If they were to join forces, the turmoil in the Seven Kingdoms would end overnight. Otherwise, the cause of unification will remain distant, and the common folk will continue to suffer. If you were Her Grace's trusted advisor, what would you counsel?"
"Marry Prince Aegon and rule the realm together?" The eunuch was direct enough, and the Old Flayer immediately knew what to say. "Or at least… recognize each other's status and establish a hierarchy between monarch and subject, then join forces to face all enemies."
"Exactly. It seems you have already given this matter thought. It is the most beneficial path for Westeros." Varys was very pleased with Bolton's quick and accurate response. A warm smile returned to his face. "But as you well know, not everyone places the realm's interests first. Within Her Grace's court and across the realm, there are always those who, whether for personal gain or out of stubbornness, resist the current of progress. Some constantly whisper in the Queen's ear, encouraging paranoia and a hunger for control, keeping her from becoming the wise and generous ruler she could be. What do you think should be done about such people?"
Even Bolton was stunned for a moment before grasping what Varys meant. As expected of the Master of Whisperers who had served three rulers, even a political scheme this dirty could be packaged to sound so noble. The Stark family, unwilling to submit to the Queen, had become "reactionaries obstructing the current of progress," while political opponents of the eunuch within Daenerys's Small Council had become "sycophants preventing Her Grace from reaching her full potential."
He was offering to help destroy the Starks and replace them, and in return, as part of the price, Bolton was to become the new Warden of the North and a supporter of Varys's policy of peace between the two dragons.
"Lord Varys, you are the noblest and most selfless man I have ever met." Bolton had no intention of probing into the details of Varys's interests or dealings with Aegon Targaryen. He was a pragmatic man. His current goal was simple: to thoroughly crush the Stark family that had dominated the North for generations. Everything else came second. He nodded, met the eunuch's eyes, and spoke solemnly and sincerely. "Stubborn old houses that cannot adapt to change should be swept into the dustbin of history. And those who place selfish gain above the good of the realm are our common enemies."
"You flatter me, Lord Bolton." Though not a single word had been spoken about terms or guarantees, Varys knew the other man had understood perfectly. With only a few vague phrases, he had forged a relatively solid political alliance with the man likely to become the next Warden of the North. "Let us put these future matters aside for now and return to the present. You are right. Our beloved Queen has many burdens, and as her loyal subjects, it is our duty to share in those burdens. I presume, Lord Bolton, that you already have a thorough plan to deal with the Stark family's treachery?"
(To be continued.)
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