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He was used to pitching his main tent on high ground. The wind at Eastwatch was a constant roar, whipping flags into a frenzy and even dishevelling Cole's hair. He had first learned about Eastwatch in the Castle Black library, where a book detailed its many stories. Back then, he'd been captivated by the descriptions of the sea.
Now, he simply gazed at the blue expanse. In the past two short years, from 298 to 300 AC, he had grown weary of the relentless waves. The constant upheaval in the storm's whirlpool left him mentally and physically drained. Cole longed for stability, for high walls and stored food, but sometimes, action was unavoidable.
When destiny veers from its intended path, much becomes unpredictable. His information was far less comprehensive than the Eight-Clawed Spider's (Varys). Everything happening in the North was shrouded in fog. He had initially believed the North had been overwhelmed by successive crises, and that without his intervention, the Wall would likely be breached by the wildlings. Yet, Lord Eddard Stark had still brought men here.
The Duke of Winterfell's death in battle was far beyond his expectations. Cole could only ponder his next move day and night. So, he wrote back to Storm's End and to Dorne to help Cole become the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch and persuade Mance Rayder to cooperate with him. He wondered what impact his efforts would have.
Sometimes, Cole considered riding Caesar and escaping to an isolated island. Other times, he mused whether this seemingly confusing situation would be resolved if he simply rode a dragon and flew across the Seven Kingdoms.
He was the most legitimate heir to the Iron Throne, which suited some interests but harmed others.
Even the good King Daeron was branded an "illegitimate son" by rebels, believed to be the son of Queen Naerys and Aemon the Dragonknight, not the mediocre King Aegon.
Perhaps to those unaware of the truth, Stannis's blatant declaration of Joffrey as an "incestuous bastard" was merely an excuse for fame, with no one truly caring about the truth.
After Varys revealed the letter, his identity might no longer be a secret. However, as long as he didn't publicly announce it himself, the name Aegon Targaryen would remain a source of confusion, for many had witnessed his supposed death. Especially now, he hadn't told Cole because he didn't want the Starks to know.
The dragon and wolf families had a history of enmity: the Mad King burned Rickard Stark and killed Brandon Stark, and Eddard Stark helped Robert Baratheon overthrow the Targaryen dynasty.
Cole could attribute these old hatreds to the previous generation, but he dared not gamble on the attitude of the Northerners, because "the North Remembers." Never underestimate any proverb, especially in Westeros.
Regardless of whether Cole could rally the Stark loyalists or not, Cole was heading south. But first, he had to deal with the wildlings.
Inside the large tent, Mance Rayder had been waiting for a long time, his hands and feet bound in chains. His red and black cloak still hung behind him, and beneath his dirty brown hair, his face looked haggard and thin.
"Have you seen your child?" Cole asked, walking to the main chair and speaking in a calm tone.
Mance raised his slightly bloodshot eyes and replied in a hoarse voice, "Let them go."
"Does that mean you accept my proposal?" Cole looked at the silent King-Beyond-the-Wall and continued, "I'll give you one more day. If I don't have your reply by tomorrow evening, then you'll have to negotiate terms with the Starks. But before that, I will send your wife and children beyond the Wall."
When he heard about his wife and children, a flicker of sadness crossed Mance's eyes. "I always thought I was doing something meaningful." He was the King-Beyond-the-Wall, the king of the wildlings, a title not inherited by blood.
He had overcome countless rivals, uniting the freedom-loving Free Folk under his banner. Each time a king arose among the wildlings capable of uniting them, the Wall and the North suffered.
This proved the immense capability of the King-Beyond-the-Wall. At least in the Night's Watch records, several large-scale wildling marches south were led by such kings.
"But in the end, I realized I couldn't protect anything," he lamented. He hadn't even seen his wife for the last time. "I could have taken her south," Mance murmured to himself. "Dalla still has my child."
As if in disbelief, Cole continued, "When the King came to Winterfell, I was there. Like Bael the Bard, to prove my worth, I climbed the Wall, disguised as a harpist, playing and singing at banquets."
"Do you regret it?" Cole asked, himself searching for an answer, whether to find peace or to leave a mark on the world, though the two were not mutually exclusive.
"Regret?" Mance shook his head with a self-mocking grin. Since he decided to unite the Free Folk tribes, he had never considered regret. Once something was done, there was no turning back.
"I can agree to your terms, but the Free Folk don't trust the Southerners," Mance looked at him. "We've been fooled by you twice."
"It seems Lord Eddard Stark didn't have a good conversation with you," Cole observed.
"No, we actually had a good conversation. I told him the whereabouts of Benjen Stark and planned to let him see the dead," Mance revealed.
"But he died, and you are alive and well," Cole stated. "Do you think the Northerners will avenge their Duke? How many wildlings' lives do you think will quench the North's anger? The only one who can save you, Mance Rayder, south of the Wall, is me. I am the only one willing to cooperate with you. You can believe me or not; you have no choice."
Mance Rayder's eyes drifted into contemplation. After a long while, he spoke, "What do you want me to do?"
"Go find Brandon Stark beyond the Wall."
"Brandon Stark?" he asked with a puzzled look.
"Yes." Just as he was looking at the sea, Cole thought of another key person in Winterfell—Lady Catelyn.
Sunspear is the capital of Dorne. It is located north of the Greenblood River, on the southeast coast of Westeros, and surrounded by the sea on three sides. On the coast west of Sunspear, there is also a palace called "Water Garden." Tyrion thought it was an elegant and beautiful palace. The gardens and hot springs were full of children from various families in Dorne. Through the blood orange trees, he looked up at the high balcony and could vaguely see a few figures.