"I dare not say it is mature, but as for the plan... there certainly was one." Bolton flexed his wrists. "However, now that The Gift army has marched south directly toward Winterfell, the original plan has become meaningless. Aegor is a meticulous person. Since he has deployed troops, he must have made full preparations and is completely confident. I am not at all worried that the Stark family's scheme can still threaten Her Grace's dragon. Instead, I have begun to worry about another matter. The Night's Watch has always had close ties with the Stark family, and the Lord Commander himself has deep personal relationships with the Young Wolf Lord and his younger sister. I fear that after surrounding or capturing Winterfell, he will not be able to bring himself to eliminate the stubborn elements. He may merely coerce the castle into changing its banner with threats and promises, allowing too many who do not truly support Her Grace to infiltrate her ranks, hindering her future cause of unification and reform, and planting the seeds of failure."
"Hmm..." Varys pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement. "Indeed, the probability of such a situation is quite high. I presume Lord Bolton already has an excellent solution?"
"I suggest that Her Grace either disregard the Night's Watch and proceed south as planned, or depart at once and personally arrive at Winterfell's front line to oversee the battle. Only then can she determine whether the Stark family is truly willing to kneel and swear fealty. Do not let the Lord Commander be swayed by sentiment or his subordinates, and thereby make a grave mistake." Bolton's gaze sharpened. "I see no military camp outside the walls of Last Hearth, so I presume Her Grace's personal guard is not large. Dreadfort has already assembled over a thousand elite soldiers. I am willing to dispatch them immediately to escort Her Grace."
"That would be excellent. You are thoughtful, my lord." This was a rare moment of sincerity. Varys bowed slightly to express his gratitude. Though five hundred Unsullied and two dragons were sufficient to face most threats from conventional armies, having an additional force nearby or ahead to secure the flanks would certainly improve security. "Besides that, I have another question. When the Stark family was planning the so-called 'Dragon-slaying operation', did they also assign Dreadfort to manufacture dragon-hunting ballistae?"
"Yes, but after we received the blueprints, we only went through the motions. We never produced a single working ballista." Bolton quickly explained, fearing the eunuch might doubt his loyalty.
"I do not doubt you," Varys replied with a gentle wave of his hand. "My suggestion is this. Send a raven to Winterfell at once. Warn the Stark family that the Night's Watch has already marched south toward them. At the same time, inform Robb that you have rushed to complete a small batch of dragon-hunting ballistae and can bypass The Gift army's vanguard to launch a sneak attack on Last Hearth and eliminate Her Grace's dragon."
As expected of the Spider. Bolton thought to himself. Even if Varys had not said it, he would have done the same. He had waited countless days for this opportunity to rise and overthrow the Stark family. He had naturally considered all possibilities. But this eunuch, in the blink of an eye, had seen through the situation and found the most lethal move against the wolves.
"Why is that?" Though he already understood, Bolton feigned confusion. Everyone enjoys feeling intellectually superior, and acting slightly dull on occasion puts others at ease and earns their trust. "Wouldn't warning Winterfell place Aegor, who is marching south, in danger?"
"Winterfell's patrols have been active in the Wolfswood to the south. The advancing Gift army will be spotted soon, but a few days' notice is not enough time for the Northern lords to rally in defense. By sending an early warning now, you will not disrupt the overall plan and will also gain the Stark family's trust. As for the latter part of the plan... you must understand, if Her Grace truly intends it, taking Winterfell is as simple as turning over her hand. You and I both know Aegor is a friend to the Stark family. His swift march south looks more like a rescue mission than an assault. If Winterfell declares fealty to Her Grace under the pressure of encirclement, it will allow many who do not truly support her to slip into her camp."
"Ah, I understand." Now was not the time to continue pretending to be slow. Seeing the opportunity, Bolton wore a look of sudden realization. "As long as I pretend to be transporting dragon-hunting ballistae to intercept Her Grace and her dragon, the people within Winterfell will still harbor hope of victory and will not surrender, choosing to hold the city instead. If, when Her Grace arrives in person, the gates remain shut and the Targaryen three-headed dragon banner is not yet flying from the walls, then the stubborn face of House Stark will be fully exposed in Her Grace's eyes."
"Precisely. Though the method is somewhat distasteful, for the sake of the realm and the people, it is our best option at present." Varys nodded in approval. "However, since the Gift army is racing against time, I suggest that you also act swiftly. Return at once to Dreadfort, assemble your army quickly, and then march to rejoin Her Grace."
So I, as Lord of Dreadfort, came all this way to pledge allegiance, and simply because I didn't bring an army, I'm not even permitted to meet the Queen?
Roose Bolton was secretly annoyed, but since he sincerely wished to align himself with Daenerys and relied on the eunuch before him to help overthrow the Starks and rise to power, it was not as if he could draw his sword and force Varys to lead him inside. After a moment's thought, he calmly agreed. "Very well. Then I shall not disturb you further and will take my leave at once. I wish you the best, Lord Varys."
The best? Lately, nothing has gone well for me.
Though the words felt cutting, even like a veiled insult, Varys clearly understood that it was just his own bitterness speaking. He forced a smile and replied with perfect grace. "I also wish you a safe return, Lord Bolton."
---
Roose Bolton returned to his horse, signaled to his guards, and with his followers, mounted up. After nodding once more to Varys, he turned and rode away without hesitation. The snow and wind neither picked up nor died down. In the drifting ice crystals, the figures of the riders were soon blanketed in white and vanished from view.
"Alright. Let us return as well."
Varys stood still for a moment, watching his guest depart, then turned and addressed the Unsullied escort beside him. Together, they began walking back toward the castle.
Truth be told, Varys held no ill will toward the Starks. In fact, he even had some admiration for them. If everyone in the realm were as upright and straightforward as House Stark, then schemers like himself would be living in paradise. His decision to assist the Boltons in toppling the Starks this time had nothing to do with personal feelings. It was simply that making the best of a bad situation was better than gaining nothing. With the Gift army's sudden attack and the Queen's likely decision to remain in the North, he urgently needed an effective strategy to minimize the damage. Gaining political influence in the North had become the most tempting course.
When it came to seizing control of this vast land that comprised one third of the Seven Kingdoms, two cold truths faced the Spider. First, the native ruling family, no matter how righteous or honest, held legitimacy and widespread loyalty. They would not cater to outside influence, only act in their own interests, making them difficult to manipulate. Second, his greatest rival, Petyr Baelish, had far deeper ties to the Stark family than he did. If House Stark remained, the North would inevitably fall into his opponent's hands and become a major obstacle.
Either reason alone would be sufficient cause for action. With both in play, replacing the elder with the younger and lifting Bolton into power became the choice most advantageous to him.
Roose Bolton was a willing participant and a suitable candidate. No matter how cunning or capable he was, after seizing control of the North, he would face strong resistance from the other houses. This instability meant he would be forced to rely on external support. Accepting such support would naturally come with a price. The shift in power would not only turn the North into a political asset for Varys but would also destabilize the region, weakening its threat to the new regime. Whether the monarch turned out to be Daenerys or Aegor, it would be a win.
Once he had worked through the logic and confirmed no flaws in his decision, Varys put aside his thoughts about the North and turned his focus to a more important matter—self-reflection.
Were the repeated setbacks he had suffered truly just accidents, or signs of a deeper flaw?
Whether it was the Queen suddenly abandoning her plans and canceling the historic meeting with Aegor, or the current change in her intention to return south, the root of both events could be traced to the same person. The Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, Aegor West. The full progression of both disruptions—the causes, developments, and outcomes—were clear and seemingly above suspicion. But upon deeper examination, the first important insight quickly surfaced.
The Queen placed great value on Aegor. Varys had already seen that. Beyond the content of The Prince, Part One, which certainly aligned with Daenerys's ideals, there was another important factor. As a monarch, she may have realized that her camp lacked respectable, admirable figures.
Her council thus far included Hand and Master of Coin Petyr Baelish, Master of Whisperers Varys, Lord Commander of the Unsullied Grey Worm, Lord Commander of the Navy Groly, and a few lesser officials. Among them, Littlefinger's name was already foul across Westeros. The title "Eight-legged Spider" was hardly a compliment. The Unsullied were seen as mutilated former slaves, repulsive to the Westerosi people. The others were either foreigners or unknowns. Was it not precisely because of this that Daenerys had left her beloved Daario Naharis behind in Meereen, understanding with her maturing political mind that a charming sellsword lover would damage her image and could not help her claim the Seven Kingdoms?
Compared to that, Aegor West—White Walker slayer, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, founder of the Watch's industry, hero of battles against Free Folk and wights—was far more presentable.
She wanted a noble figure to boost her public image and show the world she was not a tyrant. The thinking was not entirely wrong, just lacking in priorities. That had been Varys's initial judgment. But after personally observing The Wall and the Gift, talking with brothers of the Watch, and now witnessing the Gift army's rapid move on Winterfell, he had to admit that many of the rumors about Aegor were not exaggerations.
The Queen likely saw things more clearly than he had given her credit for. This was a man of strength, resolve, and vision, with an army and a keen mind. He was someone worth her favor and her effort.
Continuing his reflection, a second realization surfaced. His plans had begun to unravel right after Aegor appeared in King's Landing.
Could that man have been interfering from the beginning?
Varys shook his head and dismissed the thought. It made no sense. Aegor had been a mere Night's Watch recruit then. He had neither the power nor the reason to disrupt anything. Rather than speculate wildly, it would be better to search within for flaws.
Another problem quickly became apparent. In recent months, Varys had been too eager. He had tried too hard to push the Queen to marry Aegon to secure the realm. At the same time, he had been preoccupied with outmaneuvering Littlefinger, ignoring new variables and potential rivals. Once this Lord Commander took Winterfell and presented the North as a gift of loyalty, he would instantly become one of the Queen's most trusted advisors. Her trust and reliance on Varys and Aegon Targaryen would be diluted. Her ability to be influenced would diminish. And his own distance from his ultimate goal would grow.
Realizing this, Varys broke into a cold sweat. He quickly calmed himself and considered countermeasures. How confident was he in winning over this rising star?
From the ideals shown in The Prince, Aegor and Varys did not seem to share the same views. They moved in different circles, unlikely to become allies. Judging by what he knew, Aegor would not be easily manipulated.
It seemed he now had a third reason to act against the Starks.
Those who cannot be won over must be weakened. Only by ensuring that Aegor's plan to seize the North for the Queen fails can his value and reputation in her eyes be reduced. Beyond that, it may be necessary to drive a wedge between him and Littlefinger. Both had ties to the Stark family. If they joined forces, it would be disastrous.
The course was clear, but the feeling was awful. Once again, he found himself scrambling to contain another unexpected development.
"Seven hells."
Muttering to himself, Varys walked through the gates of Last Hearth, face like stone, ready to deliver news of Bolton's allegiance to Daenerys.
(To be continued.)