Chapter 75 CHAPTER 75
Deepwood Motte.
Hilltop, Inner Keep.
2:10 PM.
The weather was gloomy and overcast, with dull thunder rumbling in the distance.
A torrential rainstorm was gathering in the air, as if it could descend upon the land at any moment.
Garon stood upon the wooden platform extending from the second floor, his gaze sweeping over the castle grounds below the hill before drifting toward the distant Wolfswood.
Suddenly, a fierce gust of wind howled through the trees, nearly snatching the letter from his hand.
He instinctively tightened his grip, the parchment rustling between his fingers.
"It's going to rain…"
Garon murmured softly to himself, his expression carrying a complicated mixture of anticipation, excitement, and unease.
He lowered his eyes once more toward the letter in his hand.
There was only a single line written upon it.
[At the Inn at the Crossroads beside the Trident, Lady Catelyn accused Tyrion Lannister of conspiring to harm her son and took him away]
Garon slowly clenched the letter tighter as thoughts churned silently within his mind.
"If Catelyn seized Tyrion at the inn, then the conflict in King's Landing should erupt next."
"I wonder whether Ned truly listened to my advice."
"If he manages to seize control of the Gold Cloaks, he may actually have a chance to contend against the Lannisters in King's Landing."
Garon gazed southward, as though already witnessing the looming struggle between House Stark and House Lannister inside the capital.
"But Ned will most likely still lose…"
He was not optimistic about Ned Stark, even if the latter managed to gain control over the City Watch of King's Landing.
As a great lord, Ned adhered far too rigidly to noble honor and principles.
Within the brutal political struggle of King's Landing, where victory and death were separated by only a thin line, such ideals were dangerously naive.
He had clearly discovered that Cersei's three children were not Robert's blood.
Yet even after uncovering such a secret, Ned still chose to follow his moral code and actually intended to give Cersei an opportunity to flee.
And it was precisely because of that mercy that Cersei would later seize the chance to strike a fatal blow against him.
A man like Ned, trapped in a city overflowing with schemers and conspirators, would inevitably fall into carefully prepared traps.
"Although I warned him beforehand, how much he actually listened remains uncertain."
"If he truly must die, then I only hope he struggles fiercely before his death and preferably inflicts severe damage upon the Lannisters first."
Garon's eyes remained indifferent, his expression cold and grim.
At this point, he could no longer afford to indulge in pity or sentimentality.
He could only continue walking down the path he had chosen from the very beginning.
Either become another victim swallowed by the game of thrones like Ned Stark, or continue advancing until he stood upon the Iron Throne itself.
"Littlefinger said it well. Chaos is a ladder."
"If the realm remains stable, then in a world where birth determines everything, how could I ever seize power for myself?"
Sharp ambition flickered within his eyes.
"The situation in King's Landing is about to explode."
"And now that Catelyn has seized Tyrion, the war between the lion and the wolf has officially begun."
"And within this war lies my opportunity."
"I should begin preparing as well. Soon enough, Robb will issue the call to arms."
Garon slowly tightened his grip upon the letter while considering how to persuade Robb to leave him behind at Deepwood Motte.
Just as he was deep in thought, footsteps sounded from behind him.
Garon turned around and saw Jon Snow approaching.
Jon's forehead was covered in sweat, clearly from training with his men earlier.
After hearing from Laurence that Garon wished to see him, Jon had rushed over immediately.
"Lord Garon, did you call for me?"
Garon's gaze settled quietly upon Jon.
The reason he summoned him today was partly to determine whether Jon had truly integrated into Deepwood Motte.
"Something has happened, Jon."
He deliberately frowned before handing the letter over.
"Lady Catelyn has seized Tyrion Lannister."
Jon's body stiffened immediately as he quickly took the letter and read through it carefully.
"Tyrion conspired?"
His face filled with disbelief.
"How is that possible?!"
Jon suddenly looked up at Garon, hesitating slightly before continuing.
"How could a dwarf possibly harm Bran?"
Garon shook his head heavily.
"Whether Tyrion truly conspired or not is no longer important."
"The moment Lady Catelyn publicly seized Tyrion, it meant that the North and Casterly Rock were already heading toward war."
Jon was stunned.
"War with the Lannisters?!"
He had considered the possibility of conflict with the Iron Islands many times, but never once imagined war against House Lannister.
"Yes."
Garon's eyes flickered slightly as he explained.
"Lord Tywin values the honor and prestige of House Lannister above everything else."
"For Lady Catelyn to publicly seize Tyrion in front of so many witnesses is equivalent to humiliating the Lannisters before the entire realm."
"And for Tywin Lannister, only war can wash away such humiliation."
"Jon, we are facing serious trouble."
Jon quickly reacted.
"You're worried about the Iron Islands?"
Garon nodded heavily.
"Once war begins between the North and the Westerlands, the Ironborn will almost certainly take advantage of the chaos."
"At that time, it will become extremely difficult for the North alone to resist a combined attack from both the Westerlands and the Iron Islands."
Jon's expression froze.
However, his thoughts moved quickly, and he immediately remembered what Maester Luwin had taught him regarding the alliances between the great houses.
A hopeful smile appeared upon his face.
"Garon, perhaps you're worrying too much."
"Even if the Lannisters and Ironborn join forces, the North still has allies."
"Lady Catelyn is from House Tully of Riverrun, her sister rules the Vale, and there's still King Robert…"
"With the wolf, fish, falcon, and stag united together, how could we possibly lose?"
Garon gazed quietly at Jon's optimistic expression before mercilessly pouring cold water over him.
"You're wrong, Jon."
"The Lannisters are the Queen's family."
"Tell me honestly, which side do you think King Robert will choose if matters escalate?"
"And more importantly…"
"Lord Ned is still in King's Landing."
"If the Lannisters grow desperate and decide to move against him…"
Before Garon could finish speaking, Jon's expression changed drastically.
"They wouldn't dare!"
"Lord Ned is the Hand of the King, Robert's closest friend and chief minister. How could the Lannisters dare lay hands upon him?"
But Garon's words struck Jon like a sharp blade.
"Do you think this is some harmless game?"
"Jon, this is war. A struggle where people either live or die."
"Lord Ned's status may be high, but that is precisely why the Lannisters would seek to control him."
"If they seize Lord Ned, then the North will inevitably hesitate."
"And once that happens, the outcome of the war will already be decided."
Jon's lips moved slightly, but he could not deny the logic behind Garon's words.
If he were in the enemy's position, he would also attempt to seize the opposing leader first.
Jon asked anxiously, "Then what are we waiting for?"
"We should immediately notify Robb and rescue Lord Ned!"
Garon ignored Jon's agitation and coldly rebuked him.
"What's the rush?"
"If I have already received this information, then Winterfell surely learned of it earlier than I did."
But Jon was deeply worried about Ned's safety and could not calm himself.
"Then what should we do now?"
Garon answered decisively.
"Wait."
"Wait?"
"Yes. Right now, waiting is all we can do."
"We wait for Winterfell's decision."
"We wait for the situation in King's Landing to become clear."
Seeing Jon's unwilling expression, Garon spoke meaningfully.
"I summoned you here today not only to tell you this news, but also because I wanted to ask about your plans."
Jon looked confused.
"My plans?"
"Of course I'll fight alongside everyone else."
But Garon shook his head and clarified further.
"Jon, you've already spent nearly three months at Deepwood Motte."
"You should understand our current situation by now."
"If war breaks out as I expect, Deepwood Motte will naturally answer Winterfell's call and fight for House Stark."
"But Jon…"
Garon stared directly at Jon Snow with a solemn expression.
"I am not merely a bannerman of House Stark."
"I am also the Lord of Deepwood Motte."
"No matter what happens, I must consider the long term survival of my own people."
"So before the war begins, I intend to leave certain men behind to defend Deepwood Motte."
"And you are among those I intend to keep here."
Jon's eyes widened immediately, disbelief written all over his face.
"You want me to stay behind?"
"Exactly."
Garon explained calmly.
"Among the entire Steel Fist Group, your performance has been among the best."
"So I intend to entrust the safety of my family and my castle to you."
Jon had absolutely no desire to remain behind.
He wanted to ride south, join the battlefield, and rescue his father.
He quickly argued back.
"Roan is also capable, and he's a member of House Glover."
"Why not leave him behind instead?"
Garon merely shook his head slightly without explaining further.
Jon narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"Garon…"
"You're intentionally leaving me behind because I'm Lord Ned's bastard, aren't you?"
This time, Garon admitted it directly.
"Yes."
"I did consider that."
"But more importantly, it's because I trust you."
Jon let out an exasperated laugh.
Garon ignored it completely and calmly presented Jon with a choice.
"Jon, if you still wish to remain my squire, then obey my command."
"But if you insist on joining the war and riding south, then I can release you from your service right now and allow you to return to Winterfell."
"Now give me your answer."
Jon's expression became conflicted as countless thoughts churned through his mind.
Several times, he nearly declared that he would return to Winterfell immediately.
But when he thought about the recent months he had spent in Deepwood Motte, he felt deeply unwilling.
And if he suddenly abandoned Garon and returned to Winterfell now, what would Robb and Maester Luwin think of him?
Finally, after a long and bitter internal struggle, Jon lowered his head dejectedly.
"I obey your command."
A faint smile curved upon Garon's lips.
He lightly patted Jon's shoulder, said nothing more, and turned toward the Hall of a Thousand Beasts.
And at the exact moment Garon stepped inside the hall, thunder roared across the sky as the torrential rain finally crashed down from the heavens.
At the very same time, the situation in King's Landing finally exploded like a lit powder keg.
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