The Fallen Night's Watch

After the catastrophe of the Long Night that had ravaged the world eight thousand years ago receded, a Wall rose in the far north of the Seven Kingdoms.

Built from ice and massive stone, it stretched for hundreds of kilometers and stood hundreds of meters tall. It was said that ancient spells and magic had been woven into it.

From then on, the Night's Watch had kept vigil there.

The Wall became the Seven Kingdoms' greatest barrier against the Wildlings and Others beyond it.

As everyone knew,

the road from Winterfell to the Wall was no easy journey.

It lay more than a thousand kilometers north of Winterfell. The farther north one traveled, the colder and more lifeless the land became, and the more greedily the cold wind craved the warmth of the living.

Joffrey's party of nine had traveled north along the Kingsroad for twelve days.

At first, there had only been six of them: Joffrey, Tyrion, two attendants, Jon, and Benjen Stark, the Night's Watch's First Ranger.

Later, Yoren joined them with two rapists.

Yoren was responsible for recruiting brothers for the Night's Watch throughout the Seven Kingdoms. The Night's Watch had now declined to its lowest point; no respectable families volunteered to join, so he could only gather criminals from across the Seven Kingdoms who were willing to take the black in place of punishment.

The two rapists came from Fingers in the Vale. Not only were they dressed in rags and covered in filth, but every movement they made was both stupid and cruel.

Yet these two were merely the ordinary sort Yoren brought into the Night's Watch.

Seeing them made Jon even more thankful.

So the Night's Watch really was this pitiful. Luckily, he had accepted His Highness's invitation. Otherwise, what hope would there have been for his life?

Though the Wall was not yet in sight, Jon had already deeply felt its "warm welcome."

King's Landing was still better.

Jon could not help looking at the Crown Prince, who sat leisurely atop the Giant Lion and admired the scenery, and another wave of envy rose within him.

Joffrey had not suffered at all along the way.

He had Rainwater as a mount, magic to keep warm and hunt, people to serve him, snowy mountains and forests to admire, and Tyrion to chat with for amusement...

It was just that a group of grown men were rather unpleasant to look at.

He glanced at the rapists and completely gave up hope for the Night's Watch's discipline and quality.

That was hardly surprising. For thousands of years, monsters such as the Others had no longer invaded the North, to the point that people now believed they were merely legends from ancient times.

Without the Others, the only threat beyond the Wall was the backward Wildlings.

And the enormous Wall was enough to stop the Wildlings from crossing the border in large numbers. Those who slipped across in scattered groups could not even make it out of the North. It was only natural that the Seven Kingdoms no longer supported the Night's Watch as much as they had a thousand years ago.

An army without enough fresh blood and supplies would only gradually rot away and eventually perish with time.

But Joffrey understood that it was no myth or legend. The Others and the Long Night would return, and the Night's Watch was about to face its true mission.

He knew he had to take it seriously.

Once he ascended the throne and the Seven Kingdoms returned to stable development, the Night's Watch would rise from the ashes in his hands, while criminals would have another destination.

Benjen tugged on the reins, and the draft horse beneath him reluctantly approached the terrifying Giant Lion.

"Two more weeks and we'll reach Castle Black. Your Highness, it isn't too late to change your mind. The brothers of the Night's Watch don't need hollow condolences. Bread, strong drink, steel, manpower—what can you grant us?"

Perhaps because of his dislike for the Lannisters, Benjen had always been cold toward Joffrey.

Meeting Benjen's scrutinizing gaze, Joffrey said, "The Others vanished long ago, and the Wildlings are nothing to fear. The Night's Watch should be grateful for the kingdom's support, rather than complaining that their lives aren't good enough."

"Besides, I am the Crown Prince of the Seven Kingdoms. Is my personal visit truly not worth mentioning?"

Benjen snorted, about to say more.

Joffrey raised a hand to signal caution. "Interesting. A pack of rats has come into the woods."

Everyone had long witnessed the Crown Prince's keen senses. They immediately drew their blades and followed his gaze toward the deep forest on the left side of the road.

Amid faint rustling, more shadows gradually appeared among the dense oaks and evergreens.

Joffrey looked to the other side. "There are some here too."

Benjen pointed his sword toward the right.

After dozens of silent breaths, thirty or forty filthy, disheveled figures had surrounded them.

Most were men, carrying a jumble of crude weapons—daggers, spears, bronze axes, chipped longswords, and rough wooden bows. They were dressed exactly like Wildlings.

Awooo~

A Snow Bear nearly as large as Rainwater stood in the road, carrying a frail man whose eyes had rolled white. An unusual gleam shone in its huge eyes.

A Skinchanger!

The two rapists looked terrified, while the daggers in the hands of the other two attendants began to tremble.

Joffrey's expression grew more serious. Something about this was not simple. Wildlings appearing here was normal enough, but how had a Skinchanger and a Snow Bear crossed the Wall?

Tyrion tried to reason with them. "Free Folk, with strength like yours, why not live peacefully? Why bother with something so petty as highway robbery? It would be unfortunate if anyone got hurt."

A bald, burly man burst out laughing.

"Half-man, you dwarf, you've got the nerve to say that? With just you lot, one breath and we'd finish you all. Who's going to get hurt?"

Tyrion quietly memorized his face.

Joffrey noticed the bald man's grimy, mottled clothes. Though worn and faded, they could still be recognized as a black cloak from before.

Black. A Night's Watch deserter.

Joffrey looked them over one by one. At least seven or eight wore the black of the Night's Watch. Most of the others wore ragged, mismatched leather clothes, shoes, and hats, while a few had garments that clearly bore the style of the Seven Kingdoms, obviously taken from others.

Another bearded man said, "We only want your money. Drop your weapons, and we'll spare your lives."

No one believed that.

Joffrey made a quick calculation: five archers, thirty-two armed men, one Snow Bear, and its controller.

On paper, their side was clearly weaker. They could forget about getting through safely on intimidation alone.

Then they had no choice but to fight.

Joffrey shouted, "Don't attack! I'm the heir to Winterfell. Spare our lives, and we can discuss however much gold and silver you want!"

The Wildlings' attention was immediately drawn to him.

Joffrey instantly drew seven throwing knives. The archers first!

With several whooshes, the five archers almost simultaneously released their wooden bows and crashed heavily to the ground with throwing knives embedded in their heads, falling into eternal sleep.

The Wildlings erupted at once. "Kill them!!"

The battle began.

"Jon, Benjen, charge to the right!"

Rainwater carried Joffrey and Tyrion into the forest on the right, tearing apart six or seven Wildlings along the way.

A gap opened beneath the Giant Lion's jaws in the encirclement.

Jon, Ghost, Benjen, and Yoren immediately followed.

The other few unlucky men who reacted too slowly were almost instantly swallowed by the Wildlings, flesh and blood spraying everywhere.

More than a dozen Wildlings chased into the forest for several dozen steps, yet still saw no sign of them.

It seemed to be over.

Many spoils remained on the road: horses, wagons, food, and more.

The Wildlings who remained on the road excitedly began fighting over them, while those who had chased into the woods hurried back to divide the loot.

Awooo~

The Snow Bear crushed a man's skull with a crack.

The Skinchanger opened his mouth.

"Pursue them. Find that lion."

Suppressing their anger and fear, the Wildlings entered the forest once more.