Compared to Cersei and Jai, Janos Slynt was insignificant. His interest in Nina was nothing compared to the pressure of the rumors spreading through the city. The Night's Watch had ties to nurous factions in King's Landing and had no reason to fear the head of the City Watch.
Aegor pushed the matter aside, ate, washed, and lay down in bed. He tried to strategize a way to counter the rumors, but after turning it over in his mind with no clear solution, he soon drifted off to sleep.
---
The long sumr days made early nights and early mornings ideal. As soon as the sun rose, the household stirred. After a good rest, Aegor and his subordinates headed to the office.
As planned, Casey left for the Night's Watch Industrial Park outside the city to oversee training and discipline, while also delivering a warning to one of the two giants of the Night's Watch industry about the potential trouble with Slynt.
Nina had her own responsibilities, but Aegor needed ti to adjust to the sudden surge in office work. For now, the forr supervisor beca his temporary assistant.
Without another desk available, she simply moved a chair beside Aegor's and remained on hand to answer questions and assist as needed.
---
Arya arrived, demanding her promised duel. Since Aegor was busy, he waved her off, telling her to warm up with Jaqen in the backyard.
Though the Night's Watch industry had grown several tis larger in his absence, its core operations remained unchanged from the system he and Tyrion had designed. The adjustnts weren't difficult for the returning founder to grasp.
Give him a day or two, and he'd be fully in control again.
After processing several tasks, Aegor leaned back in his chair and glanced at Nina. Among common-born girls, she was undeniably attractive.
Tyrion had exaggerated her beauty, but in a world where even literacy was considered a talent, the fact that she had managed the office in his absence without a single mistake, and that even he, a man from a modern world, found nothing to criticize, spoke volus about her competence.
---
Being secure in one's position breeds complacency.
Until now, Aegor had subconsciously assud Nina was his—that she wouldn't fly away, so there was no rush to claim her. He had enjoyed her admiration without feeling the need to act on it.
But suddenly, soone else was eyeing what was his, and that made him uneasy.
It was like a child's toy, he might not play with it, but even if it gathered dust, no other child was allowed to touch it.
This possessiveness was pure human nature. Only those who overca such instincts could accomplish great things.
If the man pursuing Nina had been a proper suitor, one with marriage in mind, Aegor would have left the choice to her. But Janos Slynt—a married man—clearly only wanted to use her.
As the pillar of the Night's Watch industry, the leader of an enterprise that dozens relied on, Aegor couldn't allow that.
Keeping your lower body in check prevents trouble… but what if keeping it in check still brings trouble?
---
"Nina, where do your parents live now? Are they in good health?"
Nina looked up, surprised by the sudden interest in her family.
"They're well. They still live outside the city in the house where we used to weave. Lord Tyrion wanted them to move into the city, but they refused."
Aegor nodded, chatting idly for a while before steering the conversation toward his real intent.
"Well… Nina, you're an important mber of the Night's Watch industry. You're my capable subordinate, and I won't stand by and watch you be bullied."
His voice turned casual, but firm.
"If, in the future, any man flirts with you or has bad intentions, and you don't want to deal with him, just tell him you're mine. Do you understand?"
"I'm… yours?"
Nina repeated the words, her heart skipping a beat.
The phrase could an so many things.
Her cheeks grew warm. Her voice faltered. "Ser, what… what do you an?"
Aegor smiled faintly.
"Whatever you think it ans. Whatever others who hear it think it ans." His tone was relaxed, but deliberate.
"This is a phrase that allows room for interpretation… and that's exactly what it's supposed to do. Do you understand now?"
Nina had been ready to say no, but after a mont of thought, realization struck.
He was giving her a shield, one that would make it seem as if she were already claid, deterring unwanted advances.
It was overbearing.
But… it also made her feel safe.
And yet—it was so sudden.
Her face flushed. Her head felt light. Her heart pounded.
For a mont, she lost all ability to think.
It seed she understood.
Aegor felt a sense of relief—but also a trace of guilt.
A girl just beginning to understand love…
And here she was, tricked into belonging to him before she had even had a single proper courtship.
This kind of domineering lord line was the sort of thing you only found in those won's romance stories. Under normal circumstances, saying sothing like that would get a man labeled insane.
Only when viewed through the lens of admiration would it be seen as romantic.
But Aegor didn't have the ti or energy for a proper love story. He had to take shortcuts. This was just the first step—giving her ti to adjust, letting the idea settle. Then, when the mont was right, he would truly make her his.
In these turbulent tis, there was no room for drawn-out courtships.
The missing steps, the emotional buildup would just have to be filled in later.
---
A sharp knock on the heavy, soundproofed door interrupted the mont.
A receptionist from the front hall poked his head in.
"Ser Aegor, there's a group of n outside. They claim to be from the Prince of Dorne."
Aegor froze.
"…The Prince of Dorne?"
He straightened imdiately, the sudden shock snapping him out of his domineering lord mode.
---
The scandal of the Lannister twins could plunge the Seven Kingdoms into turmoil, shattering the stability that the Night's Watch industry relied upon. That was the greatest crisis looming over him.
Janos Slynt's interest in his most capable subordinate and the likelihood that he would pick a fight over it was a minor nuisance by comparison.
Both posed a threat to his work.
But Prince Doran of Dorne and the Red Viper, Oberyn Martell… they were the ones most likely to pose a direct threat to him.
---
A personal threat, no matter how subjective, always felt more terrifying.
He would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous.
With enemies, he could fight back by any ans necessary. But how was he supposed to defend himself against soone trying to seduce him?
Aegor had no experience with that kind of battle.
Rising to his feet, he took a step toward the door—then abruptly changed his mind.
"Go invite His Highness in," he ordered the receptionist.
As soon as the man left, Aegor's eyes darted around the room until they landed on a potential lifeline.
"Nina, co here. Quickly!"
"Ah? I'm here, ser!"
"Stand up. Co to ."
"Why?"
They were sitting at the sa table, less than two paces apart. Why move?
Nina was already reeling from Aegor's earlier claim of possession. Now, given this sudden, inexplicable order, her mind blanked.
She blinked at him with wide, dazed eyes, looking utterly lost.
"There's no ti to explain. Just cooperate with !" Aegor stomped his foot impatiently. Seeing that there was no ti to waste, he strode over to her in two quick steps, placed one hand on her shoulder, and braced the other against the table, deliberately adopting a rather suggestive stance.
---
"L-Lord Aegor?!"
If Nina had been bewildered before, she was completely stunned now.
"Don't move. I'll explain later."
The Night's Watch oath forbade marriage and children. There were few won at the Wall, and in the South, people loved to joke that all Watchn were sodomites.
If he didn't imdiately prove to Oberyn Martell that he was very much interested in won, the Red Viper might misunderstand his prolonged celibacy in King's Landing as… sothing else.
And if Oberyn got the wrong idea…
The troubles he already had would be nothing compared to what would follow.
---
What is happening?
If we were back ho, I could understand, but here?
Is ser afraid that the Prince of Dorne will fall for , too? Is he trying to assert his claim the mont they walk in?
Nina was utterly confused.
Aegor's hand on her shoulder radiated warmth, sending an uncontrollable shiver through her body. His sudden command had left her completely rattled, and now she sat frozen in place—her mind a complete blank.
Her heart pounded.
She sat obediently, not daring to move.
Both of them remained locked in place, nerves on edge…
Until their visitors finally stepped inside.
---
"Oh—"
A clear, feminine voice rang through the room.
"It seems we've co at an inconvenient ti?"
Aegor turned his head.
Why is Margaery Tyrell here?
Wasn't this supposed to be the Prince of Dorne?
Had soone ssed up the introductions?
---
"What do you an?"
Thankfully, the real Red Viper entered next, and his sharp eyes instantly caught on to Aegor's hand resting on Nina's shoulder.
He raised a brow in mild surprise—then smirked.
"Well now… We wouldn't want to interrupt the Chief Logistics Officer's entertainnt," Oberyn said lightly. "Shall we return at a later ti?"
"You two are joking." Aegor had achieved his goal. He gave Nina's shoulder a quick pat, silky soft, not bad—and withdrew his hand.
"Please, have a seat. Nina, bring our guests so refreshnts."
---
If visitors could be ranked by importance, these two would be at the very top.
Still, the pairing was odd, a man like Oberyn Martell, with his unrestrained reputation, arriving alongside Margaery Tyrell, a young noblewoman of marriageable age.
But in King's Landing, it made sense.
Both Dorne and the Reach had backed the wrong side during Robert's Rebellion. They had spent over a decade excluded from the halls of power.
Now, despite their noble blood, they remained outsiders in the capital's political landscape.
It was only natural for them to seek allies in one another.
---
As for why they were here together?
If it had been just Oberyn, he might have co for pleasure.
But Oberyn and Margaery?
A few minutes of conversation would make their true purpose abundantly clear.
(To be continued.)
***
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