The cold wind howled outside, and a sudden gust blew the door open, sending a flurry of snow into the room. Jon, the lowest-ranking person present, quickly moved to close and bolt it. The fire crackled in the hearth, but the room was silent, all eyes fixed on Viserys and Maester Aemon.
The Old Bear, Jeor Mormont, quietly considered the situation. If Viserys wanted to take Aemon away, perhaps it was time to let him go. Aemon had served Castle Black faithfully for eighty years—longer than most men lived, a span that felt more like two or three lifetimes. Aemon had "watched and guarded" so long that he had gone blind from his duty. Who else could claim such devotion?
Ser Alliser Thorne, desperate to leave the Wall himself, placed all his hopes on Viserys. He thought, 'Perhaps I should find a way to help His Grace myself. After all, can a living person really die of suffocation in this place?'
Finally, Alliser broke the silence. "Maester Aemon, you have served the Night's Watch long enough. I believe no one would object to your departure."
"Objection! Objection! Objection!" the Old Bear's raven croaked, as if to contradict him.
Alliser felt the weight of the Old Bear's gaze. Now that he had spoken, there was no turning back.
Viserys, noticing the raven, recalled that its name was "Moon." With a slight smile, he asked, "Moon, do you think Maester Aemon should leave?"
"Leave! Leave! Leave!" the raven squawked excitedly. No one expected Viserys, a king, to engage with a bird so casually in front of everyone.
Jon, standing quietly in the corner, was astonished. How did Viserys know the raven's name?
"Haha, at least one person here agrees," Viserys laughed, a touch of warmth in his voice.
Alliser, trying to mask his frustration, muttered, "So I'm not a person, am I?"
Viserys rose to his feet, placing a gentle hand on Aemon's back.
"My friends," Viserys began, addressing the gathered Night's Watchmen. "In the Free Cities, I've implemented a new law: everyone must 'retire' upon reaching the age of 60. By 'retire,' I mean they should stop working completely. It's nonsense to think that one should work until their last breath. Everyone deserves to set aside time for themselves..."
Viserys was well aware that even in the most advanced societies, let alone the current era, only a small fraction of the population could afford to truly retire. His "law" primarily applied to his military officers and officials. For the common people, survival was a constant struggle, and it took all of his efforts as an emperor to keep them from starvation and shield them from the threat of war. The idea of a retirement age of 60 was almost absurd in a world where life expectancy barely reached 30 to 40 years.
He continued, "In the future, the Night's Watch will adopt a similar policy. Any Night's Watchman who reaches the age of 60 will have the option to retire. Regardless of why you came to the Wall, when you turn 60, you'll receive a sum of money according to your rank and be able to enjoy the rest of your life."
Enjoy life... To the Night's Watchmen, this was a strange and foreign concept. In the entire Seven Kingdoms, perhaps fewer than 10,000 people could truly "enjoy life." Yet Viserys's proposal stirred excitement among them. Although they had sworn an oath to serve until death, the thought of dying in such a harsh, unforgiving place was hardly appealing. Even the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, who had always turned a blind eye to certain vices to maintain order, might see the wisdom in this new law.
The idea of retirement was revolutionary, but Viserys knew it served another purpose. He was subtly applying pressure, knowing that the prospect of future decrees could unsettle the leadership. What if Viserys decided to implement other laws that challenged the very foundation of the Night's Watch? Would they resist him, or comply?
"But Your Grace," the Old Bear interjected, "with this approach, we'll be short of manpower..."
"That's precisely why I suggest we accept some of the free folk from Beyond the Wall," Viserys replied smoothly. "I recall a group called the Thenns, whose customs align closely with those of the Seven Kingdoms. They can be fully integrated into our society."
This idea was reminiscent of Jon Snow's approach in the original timeline, where he had a member of House Thenn marry into the Karstarks to merge their bloodlines with the North. Viserys envisioned relocating a few thousand free folk to Queenscrown, where they could support Castle Black with their strength.
A thousand men could easily be found among the free folk, and in doing so, Viserys would not only solve the manpower issue but also lay the groundwork for a more unified realm.
"But Your Grace..." the Lord Commander began, but Viserys's patience had worn thin.
"Lord Commander Mormont!" Viserys interrupted, his tone sharp. "You have refused me three times already! Every time I've made a suggestion, I've shown you my sincerity. I brought a thousand elite troops and countless supplies to aid the Night's Watch, and yet you continue to resist me! I said nothing when you disagreed with my plans, but now, when I wish to take a few men with me, you still defy me. What have I done to deserve such disrespect from you? Huh?"
Viserys, usually calm and composed, now radiated an aura of fierce authority. The room, already cold from the howling winds outside, seemed to grow even more frigid under the weight of his words. The men gathered around the table were reminded that the young ruler before them had clawed his way to power through blood and fire.
Jalifah, seated nearby, felt the full force of Viserys's majesty for the first time. The guards behind Viserys tensed, their hands ready to reach for their weapons, casting disdainful glances at the Night's Watchmen as if daring them to challenge their king.
The thousand men Viserys had brought with him were heavily armored and battle-hardened. In contrast, while the Wall housed more than a thousand men, many were craftsmen, stableboys, and cooks—hardly a match for Viserys's elite soldiers in terms of combat readiness or equipment.
The Old Bear, Jeor Mormont, realized that Viserys possessed overwhelming strength but had been negotiating with him out of respect. Now, that respect was being tested.
Viserys softened his tone, though the edge remained. "We are bound by our hearts, not by mere oaths. Do those who pledge allegiance to the Targaryens truly believe in those oaths, or are they simply left with no choice? Similarly, the reason I have shown so much respect to you and everyone here is because of men like Maester Aemon—and you, Lord Commander."
Viserys turned to Aemon, his voice gentle but firm. "I am not asking to take Maester Aemon with me out of selfishness, but for reasons I cannot yet disclose. Aemon, I will explain in private, and you can decide whether to stay or go."
Viserys's words left Mormont with little choice but to relent. The wisdom in the young king's speech, combined with his display of strength, had made it clear that further resistance would be futile.
"We are bound by our hearts, not by mere oaths." Jon muttered to himself from the corner, watching Viserys with a sense of awe. In that moment, the Viserys before him almost completely overlapped with the image of the Young Dragon Daeron.