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through the heart of the wife he loved。 He slew his wife to fight the dark。 If Stannis is Azor Ahai e again； does that mean Edric Storm must play the part of Nissa Nissa？ 〃I was thinking； Maester。 My pardons。〃 What harm if some wildling king conquers the north？ It was not as though Stannis held the north。 His Grace could scarcely be expected to defend people who refused to acknowledge him as king。 〃Give me another letter；〃 he said abruptly。 〃This one is too 。 。 。〃
〃 。 。 。 difficult？〃 suggested Pylos。
Soon es the cold； whispered Melisandre； and the night that never ends。 〃Troubling；〃 said Davos。 〃Too 。 。 。 troubling。 A different letter； please。〃
CHAPTER 55
JON
They woke to the smoke of Mole's Town burning。
Atop the King's Tower； Jon Snow leaned on the padded crutch that Maester Aemon had given him and watched the grey plume rise。 Styr had lost all hope of taking Castle Black unawares when Jon escaped him； yet even so； he need not have warned of his approach so bluntly。 You may kill us； he reflected； but no one will be butchered in their beds。 That much I did； at least。
His leg still hurt like blazes when he put his weight on it。 He'd needed Clydas to help him don his fresh…washed blacks and lace up his boots that morning； and by the time they were done he'd wanted to drown himself in the milk of the poppy。 Instead he had settled for half a cup of dreamwine； a chew of willow bark； and the crutch。 The beacon was burning on Weatherback Ridge； and the Night's Watch had need of every man。
〃I can fight；〃 he insisted when they tried to stop him。
〃Your leg's healed； is it？〃 Noye snorted。 〃You won't mind me giving it a little kick； then？〃
〃I'd sooner you didn't。 It's stiff； but I can hobble around well enough； and stand and fight if you have need of me。〃
〃I have need of every man who knows which end of the spear to stab into the wildlings。〃
〃The pointy end。〃 Jon had told his little sister something like that once； he remembered。
Noye rubbed the bristle on his chin。 〃Might be you'll do。 We'll put you on a tower with a longbow； but if you bloody well fall off don't e crying to me。〃
He could see the kingsroad wending its way south through stony brown fields and over windswept hills。 The Magnar would be ing up that road before the day was done； his Thenns marching behind him with axes and spears in their hands and their bronze…and…leather shields on their backs。 Grigg the Goat； Quort； Big Boil； and the rest will be ing as well。 And Ygritte。 The wildlings had never been his friends； he had not allowed them to be his friends； but her 。 。 。
He could feel the throb of pain where her arrow had gone through the meat and muscle of his thigh。 He remembered the old man's eyes too； and the black blood rushing from his throat as the storm cracked overhead。 But he remembered the grotto best of all； the look of her naked in the torchlight； the taste of her mouth when it opened under his。 Ygritte； stay away。 Go south and raid； go hide in one of those roundtowers you liked so well。 You'll find nothing here but death。
Across the yard； one of the bowmen on the roof of the old Flint Barracks had unlaced his breeches and was pissing through a crenel。 Mully； he knew from the man's greasy orange hair。 Men in black cloaks were visible on other roofs and tower tops as well； though nine of every ten happened to be made of straw。 〃The scarecrow sentinels；〃 Donal Noye called them。 Only we're the crows； Jon mused； and most of us were scared enough。
Whatever you called them； the straw soldiers had been Maester Aemon's notion。 They had more breeches and jerkins and tunics in the storerooms than they'd had men to fill them； so why not stuff some with straw； drape a cloak around their shoulders； and set them to standing watches？ Noye had placed them on every tower and in half the windows。 Some were even clutching spears； or had crossbows cocked under their arms。 The hope was that the Therms would see them from afar and decide that Castle Black was too well defended to attack。
Jon had six scarecrows sharing the roof of the King's Tower with him； along with two actual breathing brothers。 Deaf Dick Follard sat in a crenel； methodically cleaning and oiling the mechanism of his crossbow to make sure the wheel turned smoothly； while the Oldtown boy wandered restlessly around the parapets； fussing with the clothes on straw men。 Maybe he thinks they will fight better if they're posed just right。 Or maybe this waiting is fraying his nerves the way it's fraying mine。
The boy claimed to be eighteen； older than Jon； but he was green as summer grass for all that。 Satin； they called him； even in the wool and mail and boiled leather of the Night's Watch； the name he'd gotten in the brothel where he'd been born and raised。 He was pretty as a girl with his dark eyes； soft skin； and raven's ringlets。 Half a year at Castle Black had toughened up his hands； however； and Noye said he was passable with a crossbow。 Whether he had the courage to face what was ing； though 。 。 。
Jon used the crutch to limp across the tower top。 The King's Tower was not the castle's tallest…the high； slim； crumbling Lance held that honor； though Othell Yarwyck had been heard to say it might topple any day。 Nor was the King's Tower strongest…the Tower of Guards beside the kingsroad would be a tougher nut to crack。 But it was tall enough； strong enough； and well placed beside the Wall； overlooking the gate and the foot of the wooden stair。
The first time he had seen Castle Black with his own eyes； Jon had wondered why anyone would be so foolish as to build a castle without walls。 How could it be defended？
〃It can't；〃 his uncle told him。 〃That is the point。 The Night's Watch is pledged to take no part in the quarrels of the realm。 Yet over the centuries certain Lords mander； more proud than wise； forgot their vows and near destroyed us all with their ambitions。 Lord mander Runcel Hightower tried to bequeathe the Watch to his bastard son。 Lord mander Rodrik Flint thought to make himself King…beyond…theWall。 Tristan Mudd； Mad Marq Rankenfell； Robin Hill 。 。 。 did you know that six hundred years ago； the manders at Snowgate and the Nightfort went to war against each other？ And when the Lord mander tried to stop them； they joined forces to murder him？ The Stark in Winterfell had to take a hand 。 。 。 and both their heads。 Which he did easily； because their strongholds were not defensible。 The Night's Watch had nine hundred and ninety…six Lords mander before Jeor Mormont； most of them men of courage and honor 。 。 。 but we have had cowards and fools as well； our tyrants and our madmen。 We survive because the lords and kings of the Seven Kingdoms know that we pose no threat to them； no matter who should lead us。 Our only foes are to the north； and to the north we have the Wall。〃
Only now those foes have gotten past the Wall to e up from the south； Jon reflected； and the lords and kings of the Seven Kingdoms have forgotten us。 We are caught between the hammer and the anvil。 Without a wall Castle Black could not be held； Donal Noye knew that as well as any。 〃The castle does them no good；〃 the armorer told his little garrison。 〃Kitchens； mon hall； stables； even the towers 。 。 。 let them take it all。 We'll empty the armory and move what stores we can to the top of the Wall； and make our stand around the gate。〃
So Castle Black had a wall of sorts at last； a crescent…shaped barricade ten feet high made of stores； casks of nails and barrels of salt mutton； crates； bales of black broadcloth； stacked logs； sawn timbers； firehardened stakes； and sacks and sacks of grain。 The crude rampart enclosed the two things most worth defending； the gate to the north； and the foot of the great wooden switchback stair that clawed and climbed its way up the face of the Wall like a drunken thunderbolt； supported by wooden beams as big as tree trunks driven deep into the ice。
The last few moles were still making the long climb； Jon saw； urged on by his brothers。 Grenn was carrying a little boy in his arms； while Pyp； two flights below； let an old man lean upon his shoulder。 The oldest villagers still waited below for the cage to make its way back down to them。 He saw a mother pulling along two children； one on either hand； as an older boy ran past her up the steps。 Two hundred feet above them； Sky Blue Su and Lady Meliana （who was no lady； all her friends agreed） stood on a landing； looking south。 They had a better view of the smoke than he did； no doubt。 Jon wondered about the villagers who had chosen not to flee。 There were always a few； too stubborn or too stupid or too brave to run； a few who preferred to fight or hide or bend the knee。 Maybe the Therms would spare them。
The thing to do would be to take the attack to them； he thought。 With fifty rangers well mounted； we could cut them apart on the road。 They did not have fifty rangers； though； nor half as many horses。 The garrison had not returned； and there was no way to know just where they were； or even whether the riders that Noye had sent out had reached them。
We are the garrison； Jon told himself； and look at us。 The brothers Bowen Marsh had left behind were old men； cripples； and green boys； just as Donal Noye had