-63- Enmity

Petyr, astute as ever, realizes that both he and Gallen underestimated Lord Stannis's combativeness.

Jon Arryn, now with weak eyes closed, appears powerless.

If Gallen were here, he might rejoice at the prospect of Jon Arryn being provoked like this.

However, Petyr's desired outcome is to keep Lord Jon Arryn down, allowing him to continue consolidating the power of the Hand, not to have him perish on the spot.

...

Petyr steps forward, his usual elegant smile gone from his face, his gaze fixed on Stannis as he speaks in a low voice, "Lord Stannis, as you can see, I believe our conversation for today can come to an end."

Duke Stannis coldly snorts, "Petyr, do you find fault with what I've said?"

Petyr shakes his head slightly, "Lord Stannis, I am merely the Master of Coin; I do not pass judgment."

Petyr does not wish to engage in right or wrong with Stannis; he only wants to immediately dismiss him so that Jon Arryn can rest.

...

Stannis rises from his chair, perhaps his towering figure imposing pressure on the average-sized Petyr.

Stannis speaks coldly, "The kingdom is being controlled by a bunch of inept courtiers!"

His gaze shifts to the weakly reclining Jon Arryn, his eyes chilling, "Weakness should not be an excuse to disregard the law! If you won't heed my words, then think more for the realm."

After finishing his words, Stannis glances at Petyr with cold eyes, says nothing more, bows to Jon Arryn, then briskly exits the Hand's study.

...

Outside the Tower of the Hand, Stannis stops, his sharp gaze directed towards the direction of the Throne Room.

Stannis thinks of the prominent courtiers favored by King Robert, feeling a hint of powerlessness in his heart, but it dissipates in an instant.

At least he is still here...

Stannis resumes his stride, his steps firm, his heart as unyielding as iron!

...

Shortly after Stannis leaves, Jon Arryn opens his eyes.

On the surface, Jon Arryn appears to have recovered, but Petyr, who knows Jon Arryn well, can see through his facade of strength.

Petyr subtly smirks; it seems that Stannis's provocation had quite an effect on Jon Arryn, just the right amount.

...

Jon Arryn sighs deeply, his voice tired, "Stannis... he's still the same, as stubborn and unyielding as ever."

Petyr asks with concern, "My lord, how are you feeling?"

Jon Arryn exhales, his face weary, "It seems my duties will be moved back to my chambers again."

Petyr is about to move, "I'll go summon Maester Pycelle..."

Jon Arryn weakly waves his hand, stopping the usually composed but now anxious-looking Petyr.

"At a time when there are fewer people tonight, call Maester Pycelle over."

After hesitating, Petyr nods silently in agreement.

"Petyr, don't mind Stannis's words; he..."

Jon Arryn ponders for a moment before continuing, "Despite his foul temperament, he's not someone you can easily hate."

Jon Arryn sighs again, "He's too obsessed with the law, and his men suffer for it."

After a pause, Jon Arryn turns to Petyr, "Many people believe that King Robert favored his younger brother, granting Storm's End to Renly for his accomplishments, while Stannis..."

"There's a reason for that. If Storm's End were given to Stannis, with his severity, Baratheon vassals would have revolted in no time. Stability was crucial for the kingdom at that time."

"According to King Robert, sending the cantankerous Stannis to Dragonstone was the best choice. It's surrounded by the sea, let him thrash about there."

"Unfortunately, King Robert's temperament didn't prioritize appeasing Stannis afterward, and the rift between the Baratheon brothers almost turned into enmity."

"Petyr, I'm telling you this so that your eyes can see deeper."

Petyr nods respectfully, "Yes, my lord, I will remember your words."

...

The camp, there has been an incident involving a Gold Cloak named Stephan.

In a corner of the camp, Gallen looks at the bloody body of the Gold Cloak and furrows his brows slightly.

The first thing Gallen does after withdrawing his gaze is to issue a gag order.

While Stephan's death may have been an accident, it's still a death, and allowing word to spread could easily cause unrest.

"He went into the woods alone after drinking?"

A Gold Cloak responds to Gallen's question, "Yes, my lord! Stephan was strong and skilled with a sword. Although he drank too much, we didn't pay much attention when he left the camp."

"Yes, he usually had a good tolerance for alcohol. He used to go out for a stroll and come back sober."

"Yeah, we never thought he'd venture so deep into the forest alone."

...

Gallen's gaze shifts, asking, "How did you discover him? Was he still alive when you found him?"

A Red Cloak Lannister responds, "Lord Gallen, it was our patrol that found him. We were tasked with patrolling that area according to your orders."

Gallen nods slightly, "You did well. Tell me what happened when you found him?"

"We heard noises and rushed over immediately, but when we arrived, Stephan was already dead. There was blood everywhere, and he was nearly mangled by a wild boar."

...

Gallen nods again, shifting his gaze back to the corpse on the ground.

Gallen has had a few brief encounters with Stephan, and in his impression, Stephan did indeed seem tall and strong.

At this point, Gallen confirms that the intoxicated Stephan was killed by a wild boar.

Gallen shakes his head slightly, thinking it's a pity. Stephan was still young, and he had risen to become a mid-level officer in the City Watch. His future prospects in the guard should have been promising.

One must never venture into the woods while drunk, even if...

In Gallen's mind, the name of King Robert Baratheon suddenly flashes.

...

"Your Grace!"

"Your Grace!"

Hearing the commotion from afar, Gallen pauses his thoughts.

Queen Cersei, escorted by Jaime, is walking towards Gallen's direction.

Ah, these two are out for another wild excursion!

Everyone bows, and Gallen steps forward to report Stephan's death to Cersei.

"The subsequent matters will be handled by the City Watch. Let them deal with it themselves."

Queen Cersei casts a sidelong glance at Gallen and asks, "Was Stephan strong?"

A thought crosses Gallen's mind, "I've interacted with him before. Stephan was as strong as an ox."

Queen Cersei stares at the bloody "Stephan," her eyes shining a bit brighter than usual, but her face shows no sign of emotion.