Chapter 302
2021-01-06
Chapter 302 Land Grant Change (middle)Cotter Pyke opened his eyes.
Outside the window, the sky was still dark. Across the glass and window coverings, the room was still dark. The brightness is far from the level that can wake people up, and even considering the weather, it should be early.
He blinked in confusion, how did oneself wake up?
The Eastwatch delegation came to Castle Black to participate in the campaign. The mission is to canvass votes and collect information about opponents. Naturally, they do not need to get up on time every day like local soldiers, assemble, call names, and then train or undertake defense work such as patrols and sentries. Physically speaking, this election can be regarded as a paid vacation, a public-funded trip, and no one cares until dawn every day.
It's true that Cotter was under a lot of mental pressure from several deflations and setbacks, but he's a tough Warrior who wants to make him sleep well if he has something on his mind? Bullshit.
Lying on the bed and thinking for a few seconds, he quickly realized that oneself did not wake up naturally.
Someone was shouting outside, and I couldn't hear what they were shouting through the wall, but the tension in it could be conveyed without hearing the words clearly.
What happened?
...
As if to answer his question, the horn rang.
Due to the slight difference between the instrument itself and the sounding method, the tone of the alarm sound is slightly different from that of Eastwatch, but the effect is exactly similar. The one who slept the most also woke up. Generally speaking, people who are awakened will lie on the bed at High Level, and if there is no second sound, they will turn over and continue to sleep, and if there are some, they will respond according to the steps of the exercise - but the passage into and out of the Wall has long been blocked, and the wall is outside. The patrols have stopped for an unknown time...
This impossible is the signal that the Rangers are returning.
The drowsiness disappeared in an instant, Cotter Pyke rolled out of the bed with a straight face, pulled the coat from the hanger and put it on his body, how many years of Night's Watch career made all this so skilled and fast, when the second When the horn sounded, he had already grabbed the weapon and opened the door and walked out.
Less than a beat slower than him, the entire Castle Black woke up just as quickly. In a short while, the nervous shouting orders, the footsteps of disordered and in a mess, and the metal friction and collision caused by rummaging for weapons shattered the tranquility of a moment ago, and turned into a chilling and tense atmosphere that filled the entire fortress.
Thankfully, the horn didn't come from the top of the Wall, and there wasn't a terrifying third sound.
Cotter caught a panicked soldier crossing the courtyard. The man was nervous but well-equipped. He obviously didn't just get up. It should be a sentinel on duty: "Hey, what happened?!"
"If you want to go beyond the wall, a large number of people suddenly come, and there is a large area of darkness, at least several hundred, unidentified, most likely wildling!" Night's Watch, who was pulled, broke free from Cotter's hand: "Sorry my lord...but I'm going to hurry up and inform the other officers - to open the armory."
The Sentinel hurried towards the tower where the Castle Black officers lived, leaving Cotter full of doubts. .
The wildling rebels? Isn't this the effect he planned to create and pull Igor down, but King-Beyond-the-Wall has been transferred to Queenscrown, how could wildling still be in trouble? Could it be that... Kingslayer made a mistake during the escort process, calling Mance to run away, and the former Wildlings King gathered his troops again and fought back to plan to be ashamed?
The wildling gathered under the leadership of a prestigious man is much more difficult to deal with than a mess of loose sand!
Cotter didn't know for a while whether this was good news or bad news, but at least one thing was certain: Castle Black must not be breached by the enemy, otherwise oneself will lose his life!
The officers of Castle Black certainly didn't react any slower than the outsiders, when the Eastwatch group simply got dressed and armed and arrived there, which was too short to exist on the wall compared to Wall. , the three chiefs have also arrived almost one after another.
…
"Have you figured out the identities of those outside?"
"No, it may be that the Ironmen came to avenge our previous meddling. , or wildling raiding battallion." A sentinel shook his head, "But it's not quite like, wildling...it won't be so neat."
Indeed, under the dark sky that was still snowing, there were accumulations Against the white background of snow, the unidentified army outside Castle Black stands out. Dressed in dark clothing, they were huddled on both sides of Kingsroad at the moment, and it looked like they should have assembled after the march.
Then soon, they spread out to both sides in a fairly orderly manner, slowly changing from a ball to a band, and fanned out around the little Castle Black, showing a considerable amount of gestures. Not bad training.
Osiel quickly sensed something was wrong: "This...how does it seem like it's going to surround us?"
You don't need him to remind everyone to see that the Chief Ranger is wrinkled. Brow: "The comers are not good, go - except those in the kitchen, let everyone be armed, and the cooks will also speed up to deliver breakfast to all fronts as soon as possible. The enemy will attack at any time, and I don't want the Warriors to go hungry. Belly to meet the enemy!"
"Yes!"
Bowen Marsh looked outside the wall, trying to estimate the number of troops outside the city, the black spots on the white snowfield were quite clear and easy to distinguish, He quickly relaxed: less than a thousand, although half of the Night's Watch in Castle Black are old and weak, but the existence of the wall greatly makes up for this disadvantage, as long as the enemy does not take the initiative to attack, the enemy can resist twice as many.
For the first time, he felt what a wise decision Old Bear had ordered to build the wall, but he still didn't dare to show his carelessness: "There are not many enemies, but they seem to be well-trained, don't underestimate the enemy! Go! Inform Maester and ask for help from the nearby fortress, the Flying Crow. Osail, you go and arrange to move out all the things that can be used for defense, including kerosene and Wildfire! Also, ask someone to go to the top of the Wall and put it on the north side of the wall. Move the ballista to the south, and it will come in handy later!"
"Okay." The chief craftsman didn't hesitate, nodded quickly, and turned to leave.
After making a series of arrangements, Bowen Marsh turned to the Eastwatch commander: "Lord Cotter, if there is a battle later, please lead the brothers of Eastwatch and assist our people in defending the gate."
p>
"hmph, I can see where people are needed, so you don't need to worry about it. You should hurry up and figure out how these guys outside the wall came out and what purpose they have!"
......
After all, it was a professional army that practiced every day. It didn't take much time, and teams of black clothed persons dressed up and went up to the towers and walls.
Accustomed to the tall and majestic Wall, Castle Black's less than ten-meter-high wall really doesn't give Night's Watches much sense of security. They paced uneasily, shouting to each other their needs: arrows here, crossbows there; here someone wants to go to the toilet, there someone wants to sharpen their sword for the last time; Septon Cellador begins to lead The Seven believers in prayer again, I begged Warrior for strength; the brother in the kitchen also began to carry the brown bread and onion broth out of the kitchen in buckets. use.
I was busy in a frenzy for a long time, but the enemy did not take the opportunity to attack. Until Castle Black's defense work was almost done, the mysterious army outside the city did not take a step closer to the wall, but spread out the encirclement without haste, and confronted Castle Black from a distance.
Just when the Night's Watch began to discuss whether it was time to send someone out of the city to investigate the identity of the other party, the sharp-eyed soldier shouted: In the blockade line already laid out outside the city, a silhouette came out of the array. Go out and walk towards the main entrance of the fortress on the snow.
Everyone's eyes fell on the person who came, and when they got closer, the Night's Watches on the Castle Black wall were surprised to find that the person was also wearing black clothed, and even many people knew it.
Not a sworn brother, but a oneself—one of the Night's Watch industry's top land-grant leaders, "Queenscrown Mayor" Yam.
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"My lords!" Yam walked under the fence and raised his hands to signal that oneself was not a threat: "To North guard Lord Stark and Chief Logistics Officer Igor Wei. At the request of the Duke of Winterfell, he brought people to handle part of the 'unidentified person attempted to kill the surrendered King-Beyond-the-Wall' case. At the request of the Duke of Winterfell, he returned to Castle Black to investigate in person after his tour of the Wall. No one is allowed to leave until this matter. Please forgive me for the inconvenience and offense!"
"What are you talking about?" Cotter Pyke snarled, leaning over the edge of the fence, leaning on the stone bar in his hand. "Robb Stark would give such an order? Even if it were true, he is not qualified to restrain the actions of Night's Watch Legion!"
"I don't know if Lord Stark is qualified to do so, but under the following Serving the Night's Watch industry, taking the salary of the Night's Watch Logistics Department, naturally obeying the orders of the Lord Commander and the Chief Logistics Officer, and being responsible for the Night's Watch Legion. The duty is, please cooperate." Yam does not know Cotter Pyke, but this It doesn't hinder his response - the lines have been preset, and whoever comes forward and says something, he will give a fixed reply like a machine. "Furthermore, one more thing must be stated: Queenscrown mobilized all troops on this trip from the Hill Clan tribes, no new land grantors participated, and no matter what happens, we will never pose a threat to Castle Black's Night's Watch friends. Except that we can't Outside of Castle Black, brothers can only train and guard Wall as usual, no need to be nervous!"
After saying this, the mayor of Queenscrown bowed slightly to give a salute, regardless of the crowd on Castle Black's wall. The officer's response, each minding their own business, turned around, swaggered away, and returned to the besieging side's queue.
...
"That kid is crazy!" Cotter Pyke slammed his fist into the stone wall, making a muffled sound: "He thought he was sending troops. Put Castle Black around and show off his muscles, and the brothers will vote for him like soft eggs? It's just whimsical!"
"No, he doesn't want to use martial power to persecute Castle Black's Night's Watch voted for him, but is preventing you from returning to Eastwatch!" Yohn · Royce was shivered, and immediately understood Igor's plan. There is a faint chill behind him: Is this guy really a roundworm in someone else's stomach, otherwise how could Cotter take measures to prevent even the plan that Cotter had planned in his heart but had not started to implement?
"The number of people who voted for him in Eastwatch is far more than expected. He doesn't want to lose these dozens of votes, so he will at all costs prevent you from returning to the east!"
"If it is this The reason, then he may have miscalculated. Such a wild and blatant move to target oneself's sworn brother will cost him more votes in Castle Black than all of the votes he has in Eastwatch." Bowen Marsh His face was cold, but his anger could not be concealed in his tone. As a soldier, no one would bear this kind of offense: on oneself's territory, surrounded by people...you couldn't even get out of the door!
"Although the man came over to show his identity and claimed that there was no wildling in the army outside, no one can guarantee that this is true. The defensive preparations that should be made are still carried out as usual!" The chief ranger looked solemnly high "Lord Cotter, I don't know if Igor's move is against you, but for your safety, I suggest you cancel your return to Eastwatch today."
Cancellation? Cotter Pyke only felt a rush of blood to his forehead. In his several decades of life, he has not never confessed and compromised. But it's like this time: he's already forced to admit that oneself can't fight against Igor, and he plans to go home and fight passively, but the other party still refuses to let oneself go, but this is the first time.
Bully intolerably!
"Why, as the commander of Eastwatch, now even when I go back to the fortress managed by oneself, I have to look at a bullshit logistics officer? I'm going out through the gate today, but I want to see, who dares to stop me? Me!"
...
In theory, no one can stop him.
The Eastwatch commander and the chief logistics officer are similar in the Night's Watch Legion system, which means: although not directly under, Cotter Pyke is a superior to Yam, if the latter dares to do it, it is The following guilty.
As for the participants in this operation are all mountain clans, there are no new land grantors, even if this is true, the mountain clan is also a guest in the land grant, while Cotter Pyke is the authentic "master" . According to guest right... A guest hurts the host, no matter what the reason is, it is outrageous, heavens cannot tolerate it, and mountain clans who still want to mingle with donated land will never dare to act like this.
But in fact? In the blockade outside the city, at least one person absolutely dared to stop him.
"Kingslayer took Mance Rayder to Queenscrown yesterday and didn't come back. Most of them are outside the city at the moment." Bowen Marsh said helplessly, "If he stopped in front of you, he would say 'want to leave as he did yesterday'. The man, step over my corpse', what should you do?"
It was as if a basin of cold water was poured over his head, and Cotter Pyke's anger was instantly extinguished by most of it.
That's right, neither the employees of the Night's Watch industry nor the mountain clans living in the land grant would dare harm a Night's Watch high level officer. But if someone on the other side is skilled enough to "beat or capture him without hurting him", that's a different story.
Unfortunately, there really is such a person on the opposite side.
Charge ahead and be humiliated and then be driven back, or be coward behind the fence... This is really a dilemma.
"What are your plans?" Cotter Pyke's face changed: "You really plan to be obedient and not step out of Castle Black's door until the opposite side withdraws?"
" Lord Cotter, I understand what you're thinking." The Chief Ranger shook his head helplessly: "Lead the brothers charge ahead to a fight, make things unmanageable, and let Robb Stark come over and punish the troublemakers... It's really cool to think about. But bleeding for no reason and weakening Wall's defenses will give the Others a chance! We are the strong shield that guards humanity, in case humanity suffers heavy losses or even extinction because of our internal contradictions and impulses, Who can afford this responsibility?"
"Yeah. Take care of the overall situation! Take care of the overall situation!" Cotter Pyke roared with a red face: "Don't talk so much, you're just going to use this name anyway. No., continue to indulge that kid's arrogance until he destroys Night's Watch Legion!"
"Lord Cotter, calm down." The anger of the other party is completely understandable, even Bowen Marsh has to admit that he has compromised. To a somewhat excessive level, and Igor, also a little overbearing. "But the fact is that there are dozens or hundreds of soldiers born in the mountain clan in Castle Black, and no one has such prestige at the moment: they can still lead the entire fortress to attack when the brothers know that the outside is not the enemy. Even if there is , we can't win. People can mobilize a manpower similar to the total strength of the entire Night's Watch Legion with a single sentence. Under such circumstances, I still think of being confrontational, meet force with force, isn't it self-inflicted?"
Cotter sneered: "Okay, then what do you think, Chief Affairs Officer?"
"At least one thing we can agree on - as the guardian of North, Robb Stark impossible ordered The Mountain Clan sent troops to surround Castle Black. I bet he was 100% unaware of it, Igor was using his name to scare people. It can even be deduced further - the letter we sent yesterday did not end up in his hands I would like to see if we don't write letters and send someone to report the situation in person... This time, how did Igor explain oneself's behavior in front of North's guardian. ”
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(end of this chapter)