Chapter 27 — Secrets Exposed?
"Uncle Benjen, we came beyond the Wall on my father's orders," Robb explained, taking the initiative.
"Lord Stark sent us to investigate the movements of the wildlings—and the rumors of the White Walkers."
Benjen Stark frowned.
"You?" he said sharply. "Why would Ned send you beyond the Wall to gather intelligence? That has always been the Night's Watch's responsibility."
Scouting wildling movements had long been the Watch's duty. South of the Wall, few ever interfered. At most, Winterfell would occasionally send ravens asking where wildlings had appeared, or requesting assistance in suppressing raiding parties.
Robb then carefully recounted everything—from the rumors spreading across the Seven Kingdoms, to Saelen's capture of wildling prisoners, to the intelligence about massed tribes and sightings of the dead. It took quite some time before he finished.
"So you really were sent by my brother Ned?" Benjen asked at last, still unconvinced. His gaze shifted to Qhorin Halfhand.
Qhorin shrugged helplessly.
"Don't look at me. I don't know the full story either. I was acting under the Old Bear's orders."
He continued,
"You'd been missing for over a month without sending any word back. Lord Commander Mormont grew worried, so he ordered me to take a few experienced rangers to search for you. When these lads arrived at Castle Black, it made sense for us to join forces."
At that moment, Robb produced a sealed letter and handed it to Benjen.
"Uncle Benjen, this is my father's own letter. He specifically instructed me to deliver it to you personally. Once you read it, you'll understand."
Benjen took the letter and read it carefully. After a while, his expression finally softened.
"Very well," he sighed. "If Ned truly sent you, then I have no grounds to object."
He let out a long breath before continuing.
"This should have been the Night's Watch's responsibility," Benjen admitted heavily.
"But the truth is—we're stretched too thin. We can barely man the Wall itself, let alone patrol the lands beyond it. Vast regions are completely beyond our reach now."
He paused, his voice darker.
"So the reports you brought—about Mance Rayder secretly gathering wildlings to attack the Wall—we truly knew nothing of it. As for the White Walkers…"
He shook his head grimly.
"Those were ancient legends to us as well—until my last expedition to that anomalous region."
Guilt flickered across Benjen Stark's face.
"Uncle Benjen," Saelen spoke up calmly, "does that mean… you truly encountered White Walkers there?"
"Yes," Jon added urgently, unable to contain himself.
"And your eyes—what happened to them? Why do they look so… different?"
Benjen thought for a moment, then spoke quietly.
"Yes, Jon. You guessed correctly. I am already dead. What stands before you now is something… half man, half wight."
He went on to explain.
When Benjen had led his rangers toward the anomalous region, they had been ambushed by White Walkers. It was the Night's Watch's first true encounter with such creatures. Their swords could not kill them, their blows could not stop them, and the monsters never tired.
Every ranger under Benjen's command was cut down by the wights—slaughtered amid chaos and despair.
Benjen himself had been pierced through the abdomen by a White Walker's ice-forged sword. Covered in blood, he collapsed onto the frozen ground, closed his eyes, and waited for death.
But death did not come.
The Children of the Forest arrived instead.
They used the same dark magic once employed to create the Night King to pull Benjen back from the brink. The price was heavy—he was marked by the power of the Cold God—but by some miracle, his human consciousness remained intact.
As for how Benjen knew where Saelen and the others would be—or how he arrived in time to save them—that was another matter entirely. It involved the greenseers, and Benjen clearly had no intention of explaining it in front of everyone.
He brushed the questions aside with vague answers and urged the group to rest. They still needed to move quickly to avoid further pursuit by the White Walkers.
After everyone dispersed to find places to sleep, Benjen stopped Saelen and told him he wanted to speak privately.
The two walked to a secluded spot and sat down.
Saelen waited for quite some time, but Benjen remained silent, staring up at the sky. Finally, Saelen broke the silence.
"Lord Benjen—what did you want to talk to me about?"
"We're waiting for someone," Benjen replied casually.
"More precisely, they want to speak with you."
"With me?" Saelen frowned.
Why would the Children of the Forest be interested in him? He had no known ties to them or to the greenseers.
That said… Saelen couldn't deny his curiosity. Their magic, their longevity, the green sight, even the ability to perceive time itself—especially the greenseers' rumored power to peer across past and future.
If anyone knew the truth behind his own transmigration… it would be them.
Benjen seemed to read his thoughts and said vaguely,
"Don't rush. You'll know soon enough."
Not long after, a Child of the Forest approached and nodded to Benjen. No further words were exchanged.
"I am Leaf," she said simply.
"Saelen," he replied in kind.
He knew who she was.
She was the one who once stood beside the Three-Eyed Raven. The same one who later sacrificed herself to delay the wights so Bran could escape. The same one who had helped create the Night King.
Saelen suddenly realized something unsettling.
Didn't that mean… she had lived for thousands of years? Perhaps even longer?
Saelen: ...
Leaf didn't speak further. She merely stared at him with her green eyes, studying him as if he were some priceless relic.
Saelen glanced at Benjen.
Benjen lay flat on his back with his hands behind his head, gazing at the sky as though none of this concerned him.
Saelen felt increasingly uncomfortable.
Was this some kind of shared habit now—calling someone over and then refusing to speak?
He cleared his throat.
"Leaf… was it? You asked to see me for a reason, I assume?"
"If not," Saelen added carefully, "I'd really like to get some rest. We fought all night."
Leaf blinked, as though just waking from a trance.
"You are very strong," she said suddenly.
"Among humans, excluding those who rely on strange dark magic, you may be the strongest who has ever lived."
She continued, her curiosity clearly ignited.
"I want to know how you achieved this. Don't tell me it's talent or training. No matter how gifted or disciplined a human is, there are limits to the flesh."
"But you surpassed those limits."
Her eyes gleamed.
"And yet—you possess no detectable magic. Your body has not been altered by sorcery. Still, I can sense immense power within you. How did you break past the bounds of humanity?"
Her voice grew more animated.
"And you are a skinchanger. When you entered the hawk earlier, I felt no magical fluctuation whatsoever. That should be impossible."
Saelen shifted uneasily.
Leaf noticed at once.
"Do not be nervous," she said calmly.
"Skinchangers occasionally appear among the descendants of the First Men. When they use their gift, their bodies always emit a distinct energy."
"But you did not."
She finished speaking and looked at Saelen expectantly.
Waiting for his answer.