CHAPTER 78
By the time Hullyman Mooton arrived at the King's hunting camp, it was already the afternoon of the second day since he had departed King's Landing.
After riding without rest for two consecutive days, Hullyman did not even have time to drink a mouthful of water before urgently following the soldiers into the forest in search of the King.
After nearly an hour of searching, he finally spotted Robert.
"Your Grace!"
Hullyman's hoarse shout immediately drew Robert's attention just as the King was preparing to untie his wineskin for another hearty drink.
Already somewhat drunk, Robert lowered the wineskin, turned his head, and cursed loudly, "Damn it, keep your voice down! Can't you see I'm hunting?"
Hullyman ignored the scolding and hurried forward, quickly relaying everything Ned had ordered him to report.
"Your Grace, the Hand of the King requests that you immediately return to King's Landing."
"Lady Stark has taken the Imp prisoner, and Lord Tywin has already begun gathering an army in the Westerlands in preparation for revenge."
"Ser Jaime and the Hand confronted one another in King's Landing and nearly came to blows."
"And villagers from the Riverlands petitioned the throne, claiming Gregor Clegane massacred an entire village. The Hand has already ordered men sent to capture him…"
Without caring about his dry throat or cracked lips, Hullyman rapidly recounted every major event that had occurred in King's Landing over the past several days.
The people surrounding the King were instantly alarmed.
Renly spoke first in disbelief.
"Has Catelyn gone mad? Abducting Tyrion Lannister? Is she trying to ignite a war with the Westerlands?"
Robert's drunken eyes immediately cleared somewhat as he cursed furiously.
"Seven hells! I hide all the way out here hunting and still can't find any peace!"
"Damn Ned, can't he keep his wife under control?"
He looked around irritably and barked out an order.
"Pack everything up! We return to King's Landing immediately!"
Robert was about to toss his wineskin to his squire Lancel when he noticed Hullyman's exhausted and parched appearance.
Instead, he handed the wineskin over to him.
"You rode all this way. Have some wine to wet your throat."
Hullyman accepted it gratefully before following behind Robert and the others toward the camp.
The moment he untied the wineskin and took a large gulp, an incredibly harsh and fiery taste exploded in his mouth like burning flames, causing him to violently spit the wine back out while coughing uncontrollably.
"Cough… cough…"
Robert heard the commotion behind him and impatiently shouted, "Drink slower! Nobody's trying to steal it from you!"
Hullyman hurriedly suppressed his coughing and no longer dared take another drink, though inwardly he could not help thinking,
"The King is hunting, yet he's drinking such strong wine. Isn't he afraid something might happen?"
Nearby, Lancel immediately noticed Hullyman's violent reaction, and his heart nearly leaped into his throat.
Only after seeing that Robert showed no unusual reaction did he secretly relax, though he could not help glaring viciously at Hullyman.
Unfortunately for him, Hullyman was too busy wiping the wine from his face to notice.
The group continued hurrying toward camp.
Yet after only a short distance, a massive boar suddenly burst from the nearby woods and blocked the path ahead.
The moment Robert saw the beast, his temper instantly flared.
"Fuck! Even a boar dares block the King's path?"
He drunkenly waved everyone back.
"All of you stand aside. I'll kill this beast myself!"
Seeing Robert in such a heavily intoxicated state, Renly quickly advised him.
"Your Grace, let me and the others deal with the boar instead."
Robert immediately roared back furiously.
"Shut your mouth! I told you all to stand back!"
Renly could only helplessly wave everyone away.
Robert grabbed the spear handed to him by one of the soldiers and violently shook his head, trying to clear some of the drunken haze clouding his mind.
Then he charged directly toward the boar.
Robert's actions instantly enraged the beast.
The boar let out a savage roar, its bloodshot eyes locking onto Robert as it lowered its massive head, the curved tusks gleaming coldly.
In the next instant, its thick limbs erupted with astonishing power as it tore through the turf and charged headlong toward the King.
Robert laughed loudly and bent low in preparation.
At the very moment the boar lunged at him, Robert suddenly raised his spear and thrust it toward the beast's right eye.
But because of the violent movement and the alcohol clouding his vision, Robert suddenly saw double for an instant.
By the time his sight refocused, the spear had already missed its mark.
"Damn…"
The moment he realized the danger, Robert's entire body reacted instinctively.
His drunken haze vanished under the surge of adrenaline as he threw himself desperately to the right.
But it was already too late.
The enraged boar let out a furious squeal as one tusk pierced deep into Robert's belly while the other ripped into his right thigh, driving him backward as the beast continued charging forward.
Renly's face instantly turned pale.
"Quick! Save the King!"
The archers behind him hurriedly raised their bows, preparing to shoot the boar and rescue Robert.
But under the agony of mortal pain, a terrifying ferocity surged from deep within Robert.
Using one hand to brace himself against the tusk impaling his body, Robert forcibly straightened himself while enduring unbearable agony.
His huge body blocked the boar's vision entirely.
The beast instinctively shook its head violently, trying to throw him free.
At that crucial moment, Robert roared savagely and raised the spear high before plunging it straight into the boar's right eye.
With all his remaining strength, he forced the spear deeper and deeper until it pierced through the beast's skull.
Thud!
The boar staggered forward two more steps before collapsing heavily onto the ground.
At the same time, Robert himself also crashed down.
His agonized scream immediately sent Renly and the others rushing over in terror.
"Your Grace! Are you alright?"
"Damn it… do I look alright?!"
Even grievously wounded, Robert still had enough strength left to curse.
"Hurry up and pull this damned beast's tusks out of me!"
Renly looked at the tusks embedded in Robert's abdomen and thigh before speaking through clenched teeth.
"Brother… endure it…"
After ordering several men to restrain Robert, Renly violently yanked the tusks free.
Accompanied by a horrifying scream, Robert immediately lost consciousness.
"Quick! Stop the bleeding!"
Everyone instantly descended into chaos.
After barely managing to stabilize Robert's condition, they hurriedly carried him back toward the camp.
Soon afterward, a carriage departed at full speed for King's Landing.
The carriage traveled day and night without rest.
Robert briefly regained consciousness once during the journey, only to faint again from the unbearable pain.
Finally, on the evening of the second day, the carriage entered King's Landing.
At the same time, within the gardens of the Red Keep, Varys was quietly reporting intelligence from across the Narrow Sea to Ned Stark.
More than a dozen Stark guards stood watch nearby, vigilantly preventing anyone from eavesdropping.
"My lord Hand, Ser Jorah reports that Daenerys Targaryen has married the Dothraki khal and is now pregnant."
Varys slipped a sealed report from his sleeve and extended it toward Ned.
Ned did not take it.
Instead, he stared coldly at Varys.
"Why are you telling me this?"
As though completely oblivious to Ned's obvious disgust, Varys smiled gently and explained,
"My intelligence network serves His Grace."
"Before departing for the hunt, the King specifically ordered that any intelligence from across the Narrow Sea be delivered to you immediately."
"He hopes you will agree to eliminate the last Targaryen remnant."
Disgust instantly appeared on Ned's face.
"Eliminate?"
"Based solely on your words, you expect me to send assassins across the Narrow Sea to murder a fourteen-year-old girl?"
Varys's smile remained unchanged.
Seeing that Ned refused the report, he calmly tucked it back into his sleeve.
"My lord Hand, do you distrust my information?"
"Not only would Ser Jorah never dare lie to me, but I also possess my little birds…"
Ned impatiently interrupted him.
"I know all about your little birds, but can they truly watch the entire world?"
Varys's eyes flickered slightly.
"Watching the entire world is something only the gods can accomplish."
"I merely obey the King's command and monitor those deemed important."
"For example… within this very Red Keep, certain people have already begun to make their moves."
"Make their moves?" Ned frowned deeply as he looked at the mysterious eunuch. "What exactly are you trying to say?"
Varys folded his hands back into his sleeves and spoke slowly.
"I merely wish to remind my lord Hand that our Master of Coin is not trustworthy."
Anger immediately surged within Ned.
"You've been spying on me?"
Varys was just about to explain when a frantic attendant suddenly appeared in the distance.
Several moments later, the sweating attendant shouted urgently,
"My lord Hand! The King has been gravely injured by a boar and urgently summons you! Please hurry at once!"
In an instant, both Ned and Varys's expressions changed drastically.
Without another word, the two hurried toward the King's chambers.
And thus, a turmoil no one had foreseen officially began.
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