"Alliser is Night's Watch," Jon explained. "Wait for me in bedroom. I need to see him."
"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" Margaery puffed her cheeks, playing cute.
"I summoned him. When I left Wall, this bastard led Night's Watch brothers to hunt me down. I need to teach him a bloody lesson."
Standing nearby, Jon's squire Robert Frey felt goosebumps erupt across his skin.
Neither noticed how drastically their tone with each other had shifted.
"Fine." Margaery sighed. Remembering something, she unclasped her necklace and shoved it into Jon's hand. "Tell Alliser to sell it. Use coin to repair Night's Watch castles. Tell him it's reward from Lady of Casterly Rock."
"Done." Gripping necklace still warm from Margaery's skin, Jon kissed her forehead. He watched her slowly enter keep, supported by her maid Falia.
Inside guest room, Alliser wore full black, looking completely rattled. He shifted constantly in his chair like he was sitting on porcupine. Wrapped in dark cloak, he looked like twitching pile of black mud.
Alliser frowned, bouncing his leg while scanning room's lavish decor. He pinched small slip of parchment, muttering under his breath.
"Honored Lord Duke, I deeply regret missing your wedding, but I wish you and Lady Margaery your first child—first boy—tch." Alliser scowled, feeling something was off, and started over.
"I wish you and Lady Margaery quick conception. Your first child will surely be strong boy."
"Strong boy. Yeah. Strong boy works."
Alliser agonized over his words, digging his fingernails into parchment. He didn't have quill, so this was best he could do.
Within moments, Alliser was sweating profusely. His lips had turned pale.
You couldn't blame him for panicking. Barely year had passed since Jon left Wall. In that short time, he vaulted from bastard to Duke.
He clearly remembered his time on Wall, constantly calling Jon 'Lord Snow' to mock fact that bastard could never be real lord.
Who could have predicted bastard he relentlessly mocked would become Duke of Casterly Rock? When Citadel's raven reached Wall, he thought fat kid read it wrong. He snatched letter himself, reading it over and over.
Many brothers had looked at Alliser then, smirking and enjoying his terror. Back then, Alliser stubbornly claimed he was Night's Watch, so Jon had no power over him.
He never expected Jon's recent letter demanding Night's Watch send someone to Westerlands to collect fresh batch of criminals for Wall. Jon specifically named Alliser for job.
Fearing past grudges, Alliser tried to decline. But Wandering Crow Yoren, who met Jon at Harrenhal, told Mormont Jon wasn't petty enough to hold grudge.
Considering Jon always preached about returning to his duties at Wall, Mormont figured Alliser was safe and ordered him to Casterly Rock.
Night's Watch had just received massive shipment of supplies in Jon's name. Even if Jon planned to beat Alliser bloody for revenge, Alliser just had to take it.
Jon couldn't command him, but Mormont could. With no choice, Alliser made journey.
Gods protect me. I don't want anything. Just let that bastard release me quickly, Alliser prayed silently.
"Ser Alliser."
Right as he prayed, he heard Jon's voice. That familiar yet foreign tone made him flinch hard.
"Sno—Lord Duke."
Alliser shot up. He bowed deeply toward door where Jon stood, not even daring to meet those cold grey eyes.
"Sit."
"Yes."
Jon sat naturally beside him. Though Alliser agreed verbally, his ass refused to touch chair.
"I said sit," Jon urged again.
Alliser swallowed hard. Bracing himself, he blurted out.
"My Lord, I was wrong about many things in past. Punish me however you see fit!"
Alliser yelled so loud Sandor could hear him out in hall.
But despite volume, his voice trembled violently.
Jon looked at Alliser, fully expecting this reaction.
"Ser Alliser, we had our clashes at Wall. That's past. I won't hold old grudges against you. In fact, I plan to write Robb and release you from your Night's Watch vows."
"Release—" Alliser stared at Jon in pure shock, unable to grasp why he was being shown such mercy.
When Tywin tricked King's Landing into opening gates, Alliser surrendered at very last moment. But Tywin offered no honorable treatment. He forced Alliser to choose between death or Wall.
Tywin was in wrong there. Men served their own masters. Alliser hadn't broken any laws.
Worst you could say was he didn't fight to death for Aerys, staining his honor slightly.
But demanding men fight to bitter end was tall order. Bottom line, Jon knew Alliser hated Wall. He was just trapped there.
"Sit down, Ser Alliser." Jon recounted his history, stating man of his talents didn't belong on ice wall.
Hearing Jon offer to break his vows, Alliser practically saw holy light radiating from young Duke.
"Truly, My Lord?" Alliser's voice shook with raw excitement. Without realizing it, his fearful resistance morphed into desperate fawning.
"Of course. You were innocent man forced to Wall by Tywin's cruelty. After taking Casterly Rock, I decided I wanted you serving by my side."
"I am willing, My Lord! I am willing!" Alliser sprang up, ready to drop to his knees before Jon.
Seeing Alliser's frantic excitement, Jon quickly helped him stand.
"But Ser Alliser, not right now. I need time to orchestrate it. If I break your vows immediately, it might shatter morale at Wall. And you need to earn some merit first."
"Not problem, My Lord! Not problem at all!" Alliser yelled, thrilled.
Life sentence just turned into temporary stint. He was too excited to form coherent thoughts.
He would do anything Jon ordered right now. He'd even fight bloody giant.
Alliser always believed he'd freeze to death on Wall. Now Jon promised him future in warm South. How could he not lose his mind?
"Alright, stand up, Ser Alliser," Jon said, personally lifting man.
Besides Addam, Alliser was now his most loyal spy on Wall.
"Besides earning merit, I want you to take raven. We will communicate through it. You will report every move on Wall directly to me."
"Rest assured, Lord Duke. I will." Alliser paused. "Are you worried about White Walkers, My Lord?"
"Exactly. Realm is mostly stable now. White Walkers and Long Night are our real lethal threats. Relaying messages through Winterfell down to Casterly Rock takes too damn long. I need real-time intel on Night's Watch."
Seeing Jon, now Warden of West and Lord of Casterly Rock, still fiercely prioritizing Wall moved Alliser deeply.
But spying on Wall was just one piece. Jon summoned Alliser for another crucial target: Maester Aemon.
Euron had emerged. Bastard undeniably used sacrificial magic.
Old Maester Aemon was pure-blooded Targaryen. Far purer than Jon, anyway. Man was walking reservoir of king's blood.
If Melisandre or Euron targeted him, it would spark massive bloody disaster. In this timeline, Jon needed to protect Aemon, just like original Jon did.
He planned to secretly smuggle Aemon to Casterly Rock for protection. It would give him massive leverage if he ever needed to ally with Dragon Queen. Jon reached out. Robert Frey quickly handed him letter.
"Ser Alliser, deliver this directly to Sam. Tell him to read it to Maester Aemon where no one can hear." Jon heavily emphasized secrecy, grabbing Alliser's hand and pressing letter into his palm.
"Rest easy, My Lord. I will not fail you!" Alliser gripped envelope firmly, his tone grave, acting like he was serving true king.
Though curious about letter's contents, successfully executing his mission was absolute priority.
Escaping that frozen hellhole on Wall trumped everything else.
Alliser stayed in Casterly Rock for two more days, wandering surrounding towns. He had already decided to retire here once he returned from Wall.
Jon even promised him lavish estate near Casterly Rock, locking in his absolute, unflinching loyalty.
He never imagined young Duke would secure his twilight years.
When Alliser left, he took nearly hundred Westerland soldiers with him. Jon had subjected fleeing Westerland troops to same brutal decimation trials he used in King's Landing.
Only difference was these men could choose Wall over death.
No one wanted to bleed out, so they followed Alliser north. Addam naturally joined ranks.
Knowing Kingslayer Jaime was on Wall, Jon specifically ordered Alliser to assign Addam as far away from Jaime as physically possible.