The men of the Night's Watch hesitated. After all, they weren't all criminals; for instance, the Ranger who had just spoken had been a Hedge Knight of faith before coming to the Wall. Thus, he could not bring himself to ignore the pleas of these women.
Having dealt with wildlings for years, they knew the cruelty of the lands Beyond the Wall. For a group of women without men to protect them, their fate at the hands of wildling tribes or the claws of beasts would likely be worse than death.
At that moment, everyone's gaze, including the women's, instinctively turned toward Viserys. This mysterious Dragon King—his power and his attitude would determine everything that followed.
Meanwhile, Viserys was crouching beside Benjen's "corpse," his purple eyes fixed on the Obsidian Dagger in his chest as he carefully sensed the state of his body.
No heartbeat, no breathing, and his body temperature was rapidly fading.
However, at the very spot where the dagger had pierced him, a cold and malevolent energy was attempting to spread deep into Benjen's body along his veins and nerves.
This energy was saturated with the aura of death, yet it eerily maintained a certain level of "vitality," preventing his body from dying completely. Viserys had some suspicions; this was somewhat similar to the situation in the original story where Benjen Stark became a Half-man, half-ghost.
But if he remembered correctly, the Children of the Forest were supposed to have transformed him in the original work. He hadn't expected this plot point to be triggered at this time and in this manner.
Was it a coincidence, or was it truly some kind of inevitability? As for the Obsidian Dagger, it appeared to be the same kind used to transform the Night King, likely carrying some sort of curse.
The reason the original Benjen was a Half-man, half-ghost might have been because the Children of the Forest's ritual was incomplete, lacking this cursed dagger. Now, there was only the dagger but no ritual, so Benjen might still end up in that Half-man, half-ghost state.
But this was actually for the best. Once he took over the Seven Kingdoms, he could send Benjen south as evidence for the nobles to see. That should make them cough up more of their resources in preparation for the war against the Others; otherwise, some would surely hold back.
Viserys watched their farce with an indifferent heart. A man like Craster deserved to die, and whether these women stayed or left was none of his concern. He hadn't intended to meddle in such trivialities, but for now, he still needed the label of a "good man" and a "good king."
"Those who wish to leave may follow the Night's Watch back to the Wall," he said, his voice carrying over the chatter of the women after a moment's thought. "Of course, women are not allowed to stay at the Wall, but you can be settled in Mole's Town not far from Castle Black. Though it is crude, it is at least safe. You can always survive through trade or labor."
He had seen Mole's Town on his way to the Wall. Although it appeared to be just a few dilapidated wooden shacks on the surface, its name suggested a connection to burrows. The real village was underground—a series of interconnected tunnels that were both warm and safe.
Moreover, it had a long history, nearly as ancient as the Wall itself. Although most of the women living there made a living from the Night's Watchmen's flesh trade, one could survive doing other things as well. At the very least, it was a "good" place to take in these helpless women.
He paused, looking at the older women who still protected Craster and the younger women with flickering gazes. "As for those unwilling to leave, you may stay. Craster's is not the only safe place Beyond the Wall. I know of a man named Mance Rayder who is gathering the Free Folk. He has promised to protect everyone. If you go to him, perhaps he will take you in."
He said no more. The suggestion had been given; the choice was in their hands. As for Craster, he glanced at the man slumped on the ground. The Night's Watch would naturally deal with him—whether they took him back to the Wall for trial or executed him on the spot had nothing to do with him.
The group finally decided to cremate Othell's remains on the spot, as it was too dangerous to carry an intact corpse through the Haunted Forest.
As for Benjen, he was a highborn of House Stark, after all. His "remains" would naturally have to be taken back for House Stark to handle. Thus, Benjen was placed on a simple sled to be dragged back, though no one dared touch the Obsidian Dagger in his chest.
By the time they finished cremating Othell's body, dawn was breaking. The men were exhausted but too emotionally stirred to sleep. Consequently, some of the Night's Watchmen took charge of comforting the women who decided to head south and helped them pack their belongings. The rest kept watch over Craster and Benjen's "corpse."
The infant brought back from the Others had been handed over to the women. A girl who looked only fourteen or fifteen was currently nursing him.
Viserys returned to his hut, where Ygritte was already awake and staring blankly at his sword. While Viserys told her what had happened, he kept a constant eye on Benjen's "corpse."
He could feel the cold energy from the dagger continuously reshaping Benjen's body, which now possessed a deathly "vitality."
Two days after they left Craster's Keep, a startling scene occurred. A shout suddenly erupted from the tent where Benjen was being kept, followed by the sound of the Night's Watchmen drawing their weapons.
Viserys sensed it immediately and quickly appeared at the tent's entrance. There, he saw Benjen Stark, who had been lying motionless on the sled, now sitting bolt upright.
The Obsidian Dagger was still in his chest, but his flesh had taken on a faint blue tint. His eyes—those grey eyes that originally belonged to a Stark—had turned an icy blue. Though they weren't as bright as the eyes of the Others, they emitted a similar cold light, looking extremely eerie.
The two Night's Watchmen on guard duty backed away in terror, their longswords pointed at Benjen, though they were shaking violently.
"Seven Gods above, Lord Benjen? You... you're awake?" one of the watchmen asked in a trembling voice filled with disbelief and fear.
Benjen slowly turned his head, his ice-blue eyes scanning the two watchmen before landing on Viserys at the entrance. His movements were still somewhat stiff, and his neck made a faint "click-clack" sound as it turned.
He opened his mouth, and after a long while, he squeezed out a sentence in a strange tone: "I... didn't die?"
The voice didn't sound like the usual Benjen at all; it was filled with a freezing chill.
"You didn't die, but you're not the old Benjen Stark anymore," Viserys said calmly as he entered the room. He waved for the two terrified watchmen to retreat, his sharp gaze scrutinizing the current Benjen
Ãdvåñçé çhàptêr àvàilàble óñ pàtreøn luffy1898