-86- Choices

The sky was darkened by clouds.

Horn Hill, in the lord's study.

At this moment, Randyll Tarly was staring expressionlessly at the letter written by his eldest son Samwell Tarly, renouncing his claim to Horn Hill and the title of House Tarly.

Melessa Florent, staring at her husband seated at the table, said, "Randyll, Sam made a brave choice. I am proud of him!"

Randyll snorted coldly and said, "Coward, he bravely chose to run away."

Randyll's response finally made Melessa, who had been suppressing her emotions, erupt.

"Randyll! I knew you would still look down on Sam. I shouldn't have come to you! Randyll, never forget, it was you who drove my eldest son away with your own hands!"

Randyll's wife, the kind-hearted Melessa, had always been gentle in his impression.

Although Randyll didn't show it on the surface, today Melessa's outburst did surprise this battlefield veteran.

...

Randyll placed the letter on the table and said coldly, "If he still cares about the family, he should go to the Wall, put on black, and join the honorable Night's Watch!"

Randyll stood up from the chair and continued, "He chose to follow that Crabb who uses his tongue to wage wars at Highgarden banquets!

That Half-Wild lord is a man who only knows how to manipulate words. He deceived the gullible, denying my military achievements!

Many people believed his nonsense ... Ten years ago, I fought with honor, and now I am considered a criminal of House Targaryen?!"

Melessa might have been truly angered this time.

Usually, upon hearing such things, Melessa would first comfort her husband.

But today, Melessa didn't want to do that. Her eldest son had left her side, and she was the one who needed comforting the most.

Melessa mocked, "Ha, this time I support Sam's choice. I am truly proud of him! You made me lose my eldest son... to hell with your ridiculous military achievements!"

Randyll roared, "You!"

Having vented some of her pent-up emotions, Lady Melessa also felt she might have gone a bit too far.

However, an apology was out of the question!

Melessa would never forget the scene when Samwell came to see her alone.

...

Having released much of her accumulated resentment, Melessa gradually calmed down.

"Lord Randyll, you now have only one son left. I warn you, do not drive Dickon away too! If anything happens to Dickon, I will never forgive you!"

Lady Tarly, usually so gentle, couldn't help but unleash her fury once more.

In Melessa's eyes, Samwell had always been a smart and kind child, but Randyll's improper guidance had made Samwell increasingly timid.

A mother always sees the best in her child. She only blamed Randyll for not knowing how to educate properly, forcing a good child into becoming too afraid to show himself.

Facing Melessa's outburst, Randyll took a deep breath and did not speak again.

Lady Tarly also did not want to continue arguing with her husband, fearing that prolonged arguing would alert the children.

She did not want the children to witness such a disgraceful scene between their parents.

"Randyll, I don't want to see you for a while!"

Lady Tarly left this final remark and stormed out of Randyll's study, slamming the door behind her.

Randyll: "...…"

Randyll walked to the window and looked at the sky.

The sky, darkened by clouds, was gradually cleared by the wind, revealing the sun, which poured its light back onto the world.

The dazzling sunlight made Randyll squint slightly.

Randyll's steel-hard lips curled up ever so slightly.

...

...

Red Keep, King's Hall.

Lancel Lannister had recently been troubled.

Once again, Lancel couldn't resist finding an excuse to meet Cersei.

After their meeting, he boldly approached Cersei, only to find that the gentle queen from that night was gone.

Cersei had reverted to her usual haughty self, and as Lancel approached, she not only remained indifferent but also coldly ignored him.

This was how Lancel had always seen Cersei, but he was not used to it. It left him feeling uncertain, as if he had been abandoned.

Therefore, Lancel often suffered from insomnia, wondering if Cersei's change in attitude was due to her dissatisfaction with his progress.

Even before Cersei's reminder, Lancel had already taken the initiative to switch to the wine Cersei gave him.

Robert took a sip and, after pausing for a moment, actually praised Lancel a few times—a rare occurrence.

Lancel was now confused… What more could he do to make Cersei look at him differently again?

...

"Fool! Can't you see my cup is empty?"

King Robert Baratheon's thunderous voice jolted the daydreaming Lancel, making his heart pound.

Trembling, Lancel hurriedly picked up the wine jug and poured wine.

Once the cup was full, the flushed Robert drained it in one gulp and said, "You Lannister idiot, what are you standing there for? Can't you see the cup is empty again?"

Facing the bear-like Robert, Lancel could only tremble with fear.

"Get lost, stand aside where you won't be in my way! Daydream again and I'll smash your head in!"

Lancel, clutching the wine jug like a frightened rabbit, immediately moved aside.

Lowering his head, Lancel's heart was in his throat, making it hard to breathe.

Lancel felt like crying—this wasn't how he imagined serving the king would be.

Why was it that as Robert's squire, all he did was pour wine?

What would others call him in the future? The wine-pouring squire?

Lancel thought of his father far away in the Westerlands.

Would his father feel ashamed of him? Had he disgraced House Lannister?

Lancel suddenly wondered if this was why Cersei was treating him so coldly.

...

"Scoundrel! Fool! Useless!"

Robert's thunderous scolding made Lancel tremble; he almost dropped the wine jug.

At the critical moment, Lancel hugged the jug tightly.

"Daydreaming again? You pig! What are you standing there for, waiting for me to wring your neck? Get over here and pour!"

Robert's training was very effective; Lancel no longer dared to daydream.

...

...

King's Landing, the private residence of the Master of Coin.

The afternoon sunlight gradually crept up the window lattice, casting mottled shadows that warmed every corner of the room and every speck of dust.

Petyr Baelish curled his lips after listening to the report from his servant.

"Information is wealth. I love these little surprises."

The servant said, "My lord, your orders please."

Petyr's green eyes flickered, his smile as elegant as ever: "Though it's not very valuable, it's enough as a long-lost gift. He will feel my sincerity."

Pausing, Petyr added, "Arrange it immediately and make sure it's well taken care of. No disappointments."

The servant couldn't help but shiver, saying, "Yes, my lord!"

...

After the servant left, Petyr leaned back in his chair and looked out the window.

Jon Arryn's condition had been very serious recently, making Petyr think Jon Arryn could die at any moment.

Petyr's intricate ladder of schemes wasn't fully in place yet; such a situation wasn't beneficial for him.

However, King Robert's arrival brought an unexpected surprise.

After Jon Arryn met with Robert, his condition visibly improved.

Was it Robert's presence or something Maester Pycelle did?

Petyr didn't have time to ponder further as he fell into a dilemma.

Jon Arryn recovering too quickly would also be troublesome for Petyr. He didn't want Jon Arryn to die just yet, but he also didn't want to see a healthy Hand of the King again.

A healthy Hand would weaken the power Petyr had already secured.

At most half a year… A cold light flashed in Petyr's eyes.

...

Overall, things had been going well recently; everything was developing as he had hoped, which put Petyr in a good mood.

Petyr's eyes suddenly twitched.

While pondering, Petyr had a strange thought—everything seemed to go smoothly while Gallen Crabb was away from King's Landing?

Petyr shook his head, dismissing the absurd notion.

Petyr didn't believe in superstition; he only trusted reliable information, which had always been his most dependable weapon.

Petyr now suspected Maester Pycelle, who was in charge of Jon Arryn's treatment.

King Robert was no healer; when faced with a problem, he only knew how to swing his hammer.

Everyone thought Robert's timely return was the key to Jon Arryn's recovery.

However, Petyr didn't think so. His instincts told him that the seemingly selfless Maester Pycelle was very suspicious!

Petyr wouldn't blindly trust his instincts; he had already started investigating Maester Pycelle to verify his intuition.

...

...

Maegor's Holdfast, the Queen's bedroom.

On the bed, after their passionate session, Cersei Lannister pinned Jaime Lannister beneath her.

With her slender hand still trembling slightly, Cersei stroked Jaime's handsome face and asked, "Jaime, have you figured it out now?"

Jaime, lost in the afterglow of Cersei's warmth, kept his eyes closed and didn't answer her question.

Seeing Jaime remain silent, the impatient Cersei got off him and casually grabbed a white robe from the side, draping it over herself.

Jaime sighed, opened his eyes, and, supporting his cheek with one hand, smiled and said, "Cersei, what more do you want me to say?"

Cersei glanced at Jaime but didn't stop what she was doing.

Seeing Cersei dressing up to leave the bed, Jaime smiled indulgently.

Jaime reached out and grabbed Cersei's wrist: "I know, I know, in the end, all I can do is support you. What else can I do?"

Hearing this, a smile finally appeared on Cersei's lips.

Cersei leaned close to Jaime and gently patted his face, her voice soft, "Jaime, you've become cunning. You have to mess with me first, although the process is enjoyable for me, thinking about it makes me unhappy."

Jaime laughed, placing both hands behind his head, and looked at Cersei, "It is intoxicating."

Cersei glanced at Jaime sideways, unable to resist leaning down to leave a kiss on Jaime's forehead.

Jaime's handsomeness equally entranced Cersei.

Cersei lay sideways on Jaime's broad chest, "Jaime, you've changed recently. I don't know exactly how, but I can feel it."

Jaime smiled, rubbing Cersei's hair, "Cersei, you always understand me."

Sighing slightly, Jaime continued, "I was confident in investigating the things behind the scenes, but the more information I gathered, the more confused I became… Eventually, I couldn't even tell what was true or false… The change you sensed in me is actually me realizing my limits. Maybe that's a good thing."

Cersei squinted slightly, "What's the good thing?"

Jaime's tone carried a hint of resignation, "I think… I might not be suited for handling complex situations. I believe I'm better suited to being a sword, a sword just for you."

Hearing Jaime's sincere words, Cersei's eyes suddenly brightened.

In the angle where Jaime couldn't see, Cersei couldn't help but reveal a triumphant expression.

Cersei lowered her voice, making her tone still seem calm, "Jaime, I support your resolve. Your sword combined with my wisdom, no one will be our match. From now on, you'll have less worry and more happiness."

"More happiness?"

With her head resting on Jaime's chest, Cersei nodded.

"A sharp sword sheds its thoughts, leaving only its edge. For the sake of this sword that's finally regained its sharpness… as a reward, I will always gratify you first."

Cersei's fair fingers drew circles, "So you won't need to waste energy just to get a chance to mess with me… To not affect the sharpness of my sword, for you, I'll just put in some effort and choose to please you in advance, my sword."

...

...

Under the crimson sunlight, the blue sea shimmered with golden glints, like brocade gleaming brilliantly in a variety of colors.

Free Cities, the governor's mansion.

Daenerys Targaryen cried, "Brother, you can't do this. I'm not a bargaining chip!"

Slap!

Daenerys was slapped to the ground by Viserys Targaryen.

Viserys adjusted his clothes, his tone suppressed with madness, "My dear sister, don't try to defy my will."

Daenerys propped herself up with one hand, clutching her numb cheek with the other, unable to stop crying.

Although Daenerys' handmaiden was trembling in fear of Viserys, she mustered the courage to run over, squatting down to tightly embrace the trembling Daenerys.

Viserys raised his sharp chin and said, "I said the last time was the final time!"

The coldness in Viserys' words made the handmaiden shiver.

"No… Please, brother!"

Daenerys spread her arms to shield the handmaiden.

Daenerys' action completely enraged Viserys.

"I am the King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, protector of the realm, Viserys Targaryen the Third, the one true king of the Iron Throne!"

"How dare you defy me!"

With that, Viserys strode forward and pushed Daenerys aside.

Viserys grabbed the handmaiden's hair and started beating her.

Daenerys, ignoring her own pain, tried to stop her brother's violence but was kicked down by Viserys with a thud.

"Please, please, let her go, let her go…"

The helpless Daenerys weakly pleaded with Viserys.

The handmaiden, who initially cried out in pain, now lay limp on the ground, silent.

After venting his wrath, Viserys stood silently for a moment, exhaled a long breath, and ran a hand through his silver hair.

Viserys grabbed Daenerys by the chin.

The petite Daenerys was forcibly pulled in front of Viserys.

Her delicate face, swollen from the slap, was now facing the gaunt visage of the brother she deeply feared.

Frowning, Viserys used his other hand to wipe away the tears streaming down Daenerys' face. "My will is not to be defied, do you understand now?"

A smile appeared on Viserys' pale face.

That smile only deepened Daenerys' inner panic.

When he didn't hear a response from Daenerys, Viserys tightened his grip on her face. "Are you defying me with your silence?"

His large hand distorted Daenerys' small face.

Terrified, Daenerys managed to speak with difficulty, "I… I understand…"

With that, her tears flowed silently again.

Only then did Viserys smile with satisfaction and release her.

Seeing Daenerys' frail body sway, Viserys immediately reached out to support her, his movements suddenly very gentle.

In that moment of despair, Daenerys was momentarily dazed, wondering if her brother had returned!

Viserys quickly shattered Daenerys' humble illusion.

"My sister, I need an army. With an army, I can go home with a force strong enough to reclaim the Iron Throne.

If marrying you off is what it takes to get that, then you will do so obediently.

If it meant every soldier had to take their turn with you, I would agree to it if it got me an army. Even the soldiers' horses, if that's what it took.

Now I'm just giving you to one man; you should be grateful… Dry your tears, Illyrio is bringing him over. I don't want him to see you weeping.

If you ruin this, I will not forgive you… Do not try to awaken my wrath again!"

After saying this, Viserys tidied Daenerys' disheveled silver hair and gently left a burning kiss on her forehead.

Daenerys obediently followed Viserys' noble etiquette teachings, but her empty eyes seemed to have lost all vitality.

...

...

Morning arrived with the sky tinged with a faint red hue, accompanied by warm rays of sunlight and drifting clouds colored in shades of red and purple.

Outskirts of King's Landing.

Gallen gazed at the towering outline of King's Landing, the melody from his past life surfacing in his mind once more.

Gallen pulled the reins.

He reflected that two months ago, when he first came to King's Landing, he was just a minor lord from Crackclaw Point.

Now, two months later, entering King's Landing for the second time, he… was still just a minor lord from Whispers.