Chapter 52: The "Heretic"
Aeg couldn't deny that Melisandre was a captivating woman. Her fiery red hair, crimson eyes, and striking beauty, accentuated by a scarlet robe that no ordinary dye of this age could achieve, made her stunningly attractive. Even the current queen, hailed as the most beautiful woman in the Seven Kingdoms, would only equal her if she were a decade younger. If he were unaware of her identity, Aeg would certainly be delighted to encounter such a beautiful woman and might even consider her a potential romantic interest.
However, at this juncture, Aeg struggled to see how this woman, of unknown age and seemingly limited abilities, could aid his plans. She had led Stannis astray, costing him his family and nearly destroying House Baratheon through internal strife, all by using alchemical tricks to masquerade as a divine entity.
Moreover, as a transmigrator, Aeg harbored an instinctive fear of her. not merely because she incinerated dissenters, but because she wielded "magic," an element absent from his world.
Fear of the unknown is a universal human trait, a genetic self-preservation mechanism, and Aeg felt no shame in this regard. Bravery, he knew, was not the absence of fear but the ability to overcome it. He was indeed wary and somewhat afraid of Melisandre, and he had not anticipated meeting this pivotal character so soon. Yet, since she had sought him out, he had no choice but to face whatever came his way.
Suppressing his inner tension, logic quickly took hold. The woman before him, though intimidating, was not like the Mad King, who was unpredictable and killed on a whim. If the enemy of your enemy is your friend, then Melisandre, aware of the White Walkers and serving the Lord of Light, should logically be an ally of the Night's Watch, a comrade in arms. even if he was eager to leave the Night's Watch, she was unaware of that.
Recognizing this crucial point, Aeg felt a sense of relief. He rose from the table and calmly appraised the visitor, wondering if her beauty was natural or the result of magic.
Melisandre likely sought him out to inquire about the Wall and the lands beyond, to assess the White Walkers' threat to humanity and devise countermeasures. Should he reveal the truth or exaggerate to solicit aid?
Wait, he needed to proceed step by step. First, he should consider how to greet her. "Long admired"? Without knowledge of the plot, he shouldn't know Melisandre yet, so he could only feign ignorance and address her conservatively as "lady."
"Good evening, my lady," Aeg greeted her.
"Good evening," Melisandre replied with a gentle, charming smile. "A representative of the Realm's Shield visits Dragonstone, and we should have offered a proper reception, but the island is lacking in resources. Please forgive any negligence."
"You're too kind. I'm here on official business, not for pleasure," Aeg responded.
Melisandre smiled and nodded, slowly approaching the four individuals at the table.
Due to the warm weather, everyone had rolled up their sleeves, exposing their arms. Now, the skin exposed to the air felt a warmth that was undoubtedly not imagined. this made Aeg's heart skip a beat. Unless this priestess of the Lord of Light was perpetually feverish, it was impossible for her to radiate such intense heat. What sort of magic or trickery was this, or was the "god" she worshipped truly shielding her with this warmth?
Suppressing his astonishment, the Night's Watchman awaited the priestess's next question or probe, ready to respond both mentally and physically. But the situation's development suddenly veered off course, catching everyone in the room by surprise.
As the red-robed woman drew near Aeg, she abruptly displayed a look of shock. Under the greedy or reverent gazes of the onlookers, she leaped back as if stung, shouting, "Guards! Seize this heretic!"
Two armed guards from Dragonstone swiftly entered the room, their spears aimed at the bewildered Night's Watchman.
What was happening?
This was the second time Aeg had been arrested since his transmigration. The last time, he was unarmed and faced farmers with pitchforks and axes. Knowing he was in the wrong and unable to resist, he chose to surrender and was sent to the Wall to join the Night's Watch. But what was the cause this time?
There was no time to ponder. A year of service as a ranger had honed his body to react instinctively. He reached for his waist, only to find no sword hilt, remembering that the steel sword issued by the Night's Watch had been returned to the armory the day he left Castle Black. There was no need to carry weapons after arriving in King's Landing.
"Don't move!" one of the soldiers commanded, thrusting his spear forward menacingly.
Aeg understood that he was on Dragonstone, facing soldiers trained by Stannis. As a renowned warrior and commander, Stannis's men were undoubtedly skilled in combat, more so than he was. In a one-on-one fight, he might stand a chance, but against two opponents, with a mysterious witch nearby, even with a weapon, resistance was futile.
The atmosphere turned icy. The old miner and his son were so terrified that they sobered up instantly, frozen in place. The house's owner stood foolishly, holding a chair he had intended to offer to the Red God's priestess. The young man sent by the lord to guide Aeg was completely at a loss. as a native of Dragonstone, he served the Lord of Dragonstone, but caught between a meal paid for by Aeg and the Night's Watchman's potential resistance, which side should he support?
Aeg's surrender eased Melisandre's tension, and by the time he was securely bound to a pillar in her chamber within the castle, she finally relaxed.
Standing a few meters away, Melisandre asked in a neutral tone, "Who sent you here?"
Aeg stared at Melisandre, his expression firm and serious, but his mind was in turmoil. He had deceived the Starks, framed the current crown prince, and even attempted to trick Tyrion Lannister into supporting his scheme. In some ways, he was bold and deserving of punishment, but he had not provoked or harmed Stannis Baratheon's interests, nor offended the Lord of Light. As for being a "heretic," weren't there heretics everywhere in Westeros to the Red God? Stannis wasn't even king yet; who gave the red-robed woman the authority to persecute heretics? Was there a Liang Jingyu in the world of A Song of Ice and Fire?
"Lord Commander Jeor Mormont of the Night's Watch," Aeg replied, omitting the truth about Tyrion's redemption. Even if he told the truth, it shouldn't have offended the follower of the Lord of Light before him. Was Melisandre so well-informed about the Night's Watch that she was angered by his fear of the White Walkers and desertion?
"Is that so? What were you sent here to do?"
Aeg truthfully recounted his four tasks and then said with indignation, "Lady Melisandre, there must be some misunderstanding. This is the first time we've met."
"We have indeed never met, but I sense a powerful ancient god's aura from you. Who are you?"
An ancient god? Aeg swore he truly didn't know what that was. Was it the ice magic aura he had absorbed from fighting the White Walkers, or was it his non-native status in this world that alerted the priestess to something unusual?
He decided to maintain his stance: "Lady, I really don't understand what you're saying."
"Perhaps you don't know, but I have my ways of obtaining the information I seek," Melisandre said with an enigmatic smile, instructing one of the guards, "Bring a brazier."
A brazier? Was she going to torture him for information?
Aeg was both shocked and angry. He had always been cautious, planning for every possibility. He had imagined how he would save himself and defend himself if his lies were exposed by the Starks, captured by Robert, or even if he fell into Cersei's hands, even rehearsing lines in his head, but he never anticipated this trip to Dragonstone to explore the obsidian mine would lead to such an unexpected situation. How could he confess to Melisandre when he didn't understand the situation himself? Would revealing his identity as a transmigrator when the brand touched his skin be believed?
The brazier was quickly brought over and placed a meter away from Aeg. Contrary to his expectations, there were no red-hot brands inside, but the red-robed woman produced a small knife from somewhere and handed it to the guard: "Take some blood from this Night's Watchman, just a few drops, not too much. I need him alive."
*****
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