CHAPTER 80
The King's bedchamber.
A large crowd stood silently inside the room according to rank and status.
Everyone present understood that something enormous was about to happen tonight.
Cersei herself felt a chill deep inside.
Standing beside Robert's bed, she quietly exchanged a glance with the handmaiden beside her.
The handmaiden immediately understood, slowly retreating into the crowd before disappearing from the chamber altogether.
Robert did not even look at Cersei.
He feared that if he looked at her now, he would lose control and order her execution on the spot.
Instead, he nodded weakly toward Ned.
"Ned… my Hand… announce it."
Ned stood at the foot of the bed, swept his gaze across everyone present, and spoke solemnly.
"In the name of Robert the First of House Baratheon, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm."
"I, Lord Eddard Stark of House Stark, as Hand of the King, hereby proclaim in His Grace's name that Gendry and Edric Storm, acknowledged bastards of King Robert Baratheon, are this day legitimized."
"They shall bear the Baratheon name and possess equal rights of inheritance."
The moment his words fell, the chamber exploded into chaos after a brief stunned silence.
Cersei, Renly, Pycelle, and everyone else stared at Robert in utter disbelief.
Cersei's face twisted with shock and fury.
"You've gone mad, Robert!"
But Robert's icy gaze immediately silenced her.
At that instant, Cersei understood completely.
Ned Stark had already told Robert everything.
"That useless fool Lancel! Why didn't he simply let Robert die on the road?"
Hatred surged wildly inside her heart.
"Very well. Once everyone leaves, I'll send him to meet the Seven Gods myself."
Yet Cersei was not afraid for herself.
She knew Robert too well.
If he had not already ordered her arrest, then he clearly did not intend to move against her yet.
A ruthless light flickered within her eyes as she lowered her head and rapidly considered her response.
Nearby, surprise flashed through Varys's eyes.
Only a short while ago, he had still been calculating how to restrain the conflict between lion and wolf long enough for Daenerys across the Narrow Sea to grow stronger.
Now Robert's legitimization of his bastards had complicated the situation even further.
Which also meant more time for him.
Littlefinger's eyes darted subtly around the room.
Robert's sudden decision forced him to reconsider his alliance with Cersei.
After a moment of silence, Renly cautiously asked,
"Your Grace… how do you intend to arrange matters for your… sons?"
He had never met Gendry and worried Robert intended to place him in Storm's End.
Robert weakly turned toward Ned.
"Gendry is fourteen years old, the eldest among my bastards. I will have him fostered by Lord Stark."
Ned immediately understood Robert's hidden meaning.
Robert intended for him to eventually support Gendry's claim to the throne.
Though inwardly troubled, Ned still nodded.
"As you command, Your Grace."
Robert's expression relaxed slightly before he turned toward Renly.
"As for Edric Storm… he remains in your care, Renly."
Renly instantly relaxed.
He still knew nothing about Joffrey's true parentage and merely assumed Robert had grown furious with the Queen and the Lannisters.
"My brother and Ned are so close. It seems Joffrey's position is becoming dangerous."
Renly silently muttered to himself while glancing pityingly at the silent Cersei.
What he did not realize was that Cersei, cornered beyond endurance, had already decided to strike tonight.
The others present were equally shaken by Robert's decree.
Especially the Lannister retainers, whose faces turned ugly with anxiety.
Yet since even the Queen remained silent, none of them dared speak.
For a moment, an eerie silence filled the room.
Finally, Robert weakly said,
"All of you leave. Barristan and Ned remain."
Without even sparing Robert another glance, Cersei turned and walked out, already preparing for what would happen tonight.
Everyone else followed after her.
Soon only Robert, Ned, and Barristan Selmy remained in the room.
Robert looked toward his Lord Commander and ordered weakly,
"From now on, without my command, no one except Ned may enter or leave Maegor's Holdfast."
"Keep the Queen and her children confined to their chambers. They are not permitted to go anywhere."
Barristan's expression immediately turned solemn.
He did not ask for a reason.
"As you command, Your Grace."
Then he turned and left the chamber to carry out Robert's orders.
After Barristan departed, Robert shook his head weakly, attempting to steady his fading consciousness.
"To be safe… I must leave my will."
The pain wracking his body had already begun making his thoughts hazy.
Yet Robert still forced himself to remain conscious long enough to settle everything.
Seeing Ned prepare parchment and quill, Robert began dictating.
"The following words are from Robert the First of House Baratheon. You know all those damned titles already, write them yourself."
He impatiently skipped the formal titles before continuing.
"I appoint Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell, Hand of the King, as Regent and Protector of the Realm until my lawful heir comes of age."
After Ned finished writing, Robert personally signed and sealed the document with trembling hands.
"My friend… if anything happens to me… my children are entrusted to you."
Ned carefully tucked the will into his robes and nodded sorrowfully.
"Rest now, Robert. I'll have Maester Pycelle prepare something to ease your pain."
He called loudly for Pycelle, who soon prepared another cup of milk of the poppy.
This time Robert did not refuse.
He drank it directly.
Soon his consciousness began fading into darkness.
Before fully falling asleep, Robert inadvertently glanced toward the Kingsguard stationed outside the chamber.
"Strange… it feels like I've forgotten something…"
But Robert would never again have the chance to remember.
Aside from the fearless Ser Barristan Selmy, nearly every member of the Kingsguard maintained close ties with the Queen.
Some even secretly answered directly to her.
Ned looked at Robert, now fully asleep, and solemnly instructed,
"Maester Pycelle, you must do everything possible to keep the King alive."
Pycelle lowered his head, his expression unreadable.
"Yes, Lord Hand."
Ned gave Robert one final look before turning and striding from the chamber.
Outside, Cersei had already been escorted back to her chambers by Ser Barristan, who assigned Ser Preston Greenfield to guard her.
Meanwhile, the King's chamber itself was protected by Ser Boros Blount and several guards.
After personally inspecting everything and finding no immediate flaws, Ned finally left Maegor's Holdfast with his men.
By then, night had already fallen.
Yet Ned did not return to the Tower of the Hand.
Instead, he personally led his guards from the Red Keep to Tobho Mott's smithy and quietly took Gendry away.
Only after ensuring the boy's safety did Ned finally breathe easier.
Gendry himself remained completely unaware that his status had just changed drastically.
Ned stared silently into the dark night sky.
For some reason, a terrible sense of danger continuously gnawed at him.
"Winter is coming…"
After thinking carefully for some time, Ned secretly sought out Yoren of the Night's Watch under cover of darkness.
He gave Yoren detailed instructions and handed him a sealed letter before quietly departing.
That night, hidden currents surged throughout all of King's Landing.
Ned was not the only one making preparations.
Others were moving as well.
And it was Queen Cersei herself who finally lit the powder keg.
Inside Maegor's Holdfast, she sat quietly within her chambers waiting patiently.
Only after the night deepened did Ser Preston Greenfield knock lightly upon her door before pushing it open.
"Your Grace, Ser Barristan is currently patrolling Maegor's Holdfast. We have perhaps half an hour."
Cersei slowly rose gracefully.
"Then let us begin."
Excitement, anticipation, and ruthlessness all flashed within her eyes as she led her people directly toward the King's bedchamber.
Outside the chamber, Ser Boros Blount and Maester Pycelle had already been waiting.
"Is everything prepared?"
Pycelle gave a deep chuckle.
"Your Grace, everything is ready."
Cersei nodded before entering the chamber.
Looking at Robert sleeping heavily upon the bed, satisfaction slowly appeared upon her face.
She even ordered someone to press heavily against Robert's wound, forcing him awake through unbearable pain.
The moment Robert opened his eyes, he immediately realized something was wrong.
He instinctively tried calling for Barristan.
Unfortunately, Ser Barristan was still outside patrolling and could not hear him.
Cersei stared coldly at Robert before calmly waving her hand.
"My dear husband… it is time for your medicine."
Several attendants immediately stepped forward and pinned Robert firmly to the bed.
Robert struggled furiously.
"Cersei… you whore…"
Before he could finish, one of the attendants brutally forced a cup of milk of the poppy mixed with Tears of Lys down his throat.
Soon the poison began taking effect.
Robert painfully closed his eyes.
This time, he never opened them again.
Cersei silently gazed at Robert's corpse for several moments, her expression complicated.
Then she calmly turned and walked from the room.
After Ser Boros shut the chamber doors once more, the corridor became deathly silent, as though nobody had ever entered at all.
Yet while returning to her chambers, the young attendant Hullyman Mooton still happened to witness everything.
The following morning, before dawn, nearly every royal minister in King's Landing received news that King Robert had died during the night from severe injuries.
Ned was instantly both shocked and enraged.
Especially after Hullyman secretly slipped away and informed him of the Queen's late-night visit to the King's chamber.
Without hesitation, Ned ordered Littlefinger to notify Janos Slynt and bring the Gold Cloaks into the Red Keep.
Just as he prepared to move, however, Varys's earlier warning suddenly resurfaced within his mind.
After repeated hesitation, Ned still decided to secretly send Arya, Rickon, and Gendry out of King's Landing separately.
Only after confirming everything was properly arranged did he finally lead his remaining guards into the Red Keep to demand justice.
The result was disastrous.
Less than half a day later, word spread throughout King's Landing that the Hand of the King had committed treason and been imprisoned.
Soon the news spread across Westeros at astonishing speed.
More than half a month later, far away in Deepwood Motte, Garon Glover finally received Robb Stark's summons.
"Send word to the four great clans. It's finally our turn to take the field."
With Garon's command, the war machine he had painstakingly forged within Deepwood Motte finally began to roar into motion.
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