Chapter 396

The news that the three dragons had come to Crown's Rest as visitors rather than invaders spread quickly through the accounts of those who had fled the tournament grounds in terror. Once the town’s residents realized there was no immediate danger, their initial panic gave way to curiosity about the dragon-riding queen.

And that curiosity sparked another commotion.

For the men of the Night’s Watch, the hill tribes, and the new settlers of the Gift—many of whom had never seen a woman for weeks or months on end—figures like Asha Greyjoy, Lady Melisandre, and the two young ladies from Winterfell were already considered rare beauties. But compared to these women, Daenerys Targaryen seemed to belong to an entirely different realm of existence. Her ethereal beauty, coupled with her identity as a “dragon rider,” elevated her allure to a level beyond imagination. Her arrival drew throngs of gawking townsfolk, men and women alike, who swarmed to catch a glimpse of her, trailing after her entourage and overwhelming the guards tasked with maintaining security.

Fortunately, the tournament grounds weren’t far from the inner keep. Even so, it took Aegor a considerable amount of time and effort, aided by an entire squad of logistical soldiers forming a protective wall, to escort Daenerys to the safety of the fortress.

...

Daenerys felt slightly dazed as she stepped into the courtyard of Crown's Rest’s inner keep. She had rarely experienced such dense crowds, and the sheer number of people took her by surprise. Hadn’t Varys said there were only thirty to forty thousand in the Gift? Had all of them gathered here in this one place?

After standing still for half a minute to clear her head, she asked, “Why are there so many people here? Never mind—where is the library?”

“Your Grace, given your... sensitive identity, I wouldn’t recommend entering the library yourself,” Aegor said, issuing a few quick orders to his guards before turning back to her. “Please, follow me. I’ve prepared a secure location where you can wait while I retrieve the book for you.”

“And where might that be?” Daenerys narrowed her eyes at him, her tone sharp with suspicion. Was he leading her to a dungeon? Alone in an unfamiliar place, she had little choice but to follow for now, trusting either in his honor or the deterrent power of her three dragons.

“Your Grace, do you know why this place is called Crown's Rest?” Aegor asked, his tone light as he led her along.

She didn’t.

Growing up in exile, fleeing one assassination attempt after another sent by Robert Baratheon, Daenerys hadn’t enjoyed the luxury of an education steeped in the history and legends of Westeros, unlike Myrcella, who had grown up surrounded by learned tutors in the Red Keep.

Still, the answer wasn’t difficult to guess. The name was obvious enough. “Let me guess: some queen visited here and donated her crown to the Night’s Watch?” she replied, her tone dismissive.

“Close, but there’s more to it than that,” Aegor said, shaking his head with a smile. “Your ancestor, King Jaehaerys I Targaryen—known as the ‘Conciliator’—and his wife, Queen Alysanne the Good, once visited the Wall during a major wildling invasion. Queen Alysanne personally assisted the Night’s Watch by funding the construction of a new fortress, Deep Lake, to replace the abandoned Nightfort. She also arranged for the North to cede additional lands to the Night’s Watch—lands that we now stand upon, known as the New Gift. Without her generosity, Crown's Rest would still be a nameless village in the North. The Night’s Watch renamed Snowgate Castle to Queen’s Gate in her honor, and this town, where she stayed for a single night, was named Crown's Rest after the golden crown-like decoration added to the top of her tower.”

“And where are you taking me?” Daenerys felt somewhat reassured by Aegor’s evident respect for her ancestor, but his roundabout explanations were beginning to irritate her.

“That tower,” Aegor said, gesturing ahead. “It’s the same one Queen Alysanne stayed in during her visit. The town was built around a small central lake, and that tower sits on an island in the lake. The only way to reach it is by a single bridge. The location is easily guarded—ideal for ensuring your safety.”

As he spoke, Aegor led her across a wooden bridge to the tower. Originally a simple wildling watchtower left by the villagers over a century ago, it had been reinforced and repurposed by the first logistical teams of Crown's Rest. Initially, it served as a secure workshop for alchemists crafting wildfire. Over time, as Crown's Rest developed and its facilities improved, the alchemists moved to better-equipped laboratories, leaving the tower mostly unused. Now, it was little more than a modest structure, with basic furniture and empty beds.

...

“Thank you for the story, Lord Commander,” Daenerys said, her tone still cold but less harsh than before. “But forgive me if I say I’m not interested in touring a tower where one of my ancestors stayed for a single night. My focus is on reclaiming the Seven Kingdoms from usurpers.”

“You misunderstand,” Aegor replied calmly. “I chose this location for your safety. With only one entrance to the island and one door to the tower, I need only a handful of guards to ensure that no harm befalls you while you’re here.”

Of course, Aegor realized as he spoke, that the very same qualities that made the tower defensible also made it an ideal prison. For a fleeting moment, an image crossed his mind of confining Daenerys here, turning the tower into a gilded cage for his private use. He quickly shook off the thought. “You’ve traveled a long way, Your Grace. I’ll have food and hot soup brought up shortly. Do your dragons need feeding?”

“They were fed before we arrived,” Daenerys replied, circling the room. She ran her hand along the surface of a chair, noting the absence of dust. Someone had been maintaining the place. “I’d rather see that book before dinner, Lord Commander. Can you fulfill this small request?”

“As you wish, Your Grace. Please, make yourself comfortable. I’ll return shortly.”

...

Aegor left the tower, pausing at the door to give his guards instructions: light the fireplace, deliver food and drink, and ensure the area was heavily guarded. Then he hurried back toward the heart of the fortress, where his other guests were awaiting his attention.

What should one do when a dragon-riding queen comes chasing after a sequel you haven’t written a single word of? Seek help on the spot—it’s urgent!

Of course, that was a joke. Aegor had no intention of consulting his guests on how to deal with Daenerys. From the moment he presented her with the incomplete 'Sovereign' at Dragonstone, he had already planned how to handle her inquiries about the sequel.

Still, preparation was one thing; execution was another. He needed to rehearse his excuses and, more importantly, reassure the representatives of Stannis and the Starks that Daenerys was here to aid in the fight against the Others, not to conspire with the Night’s Watch in some rebellion.

...