Catelyn personally escorted Queen Cersei and the rest of the royal party into the inner keep.
anwhile, the people gathered at Winterfell's gate gradually dispersed in twos and threes, each returning to their own responsibilities as the castle beca increasingly busy.
Only Garon and Jon remained standing near the gate.
Just as Lady Catelyn consistently ignored Jon Snow because of his status as a bastard, she likewise paid little attention to Garon.
However, before leaving, Maester Luwin brought Jon a piece of good news.
Benjen Stark was returning to Winterfell today.
If all went smoothly, he would arrive by afternoon. At the latest, he would return before nightfall.
The mont Jon heard the news, his eyes instantly lit up with excitent.
As they waited near the gate together, Jon continuously spoke to Garon about his relationship with Benjen Stark.
Garon quietly listened beside him while occasionally responding with a smile.
Then, after listening for a while, Garon suddenly asked casually,
"Jon, are you still planning to join the Night's Watch?"
Jon froze slightly.
If soone had asked him this question a few days ago, he would probably have admitted it without hesitation.
After all, he had always believed that bastards possessed no future beyond wearing black and guarding the Wall.
But after spending the past several days with Garon, Jon gradually realized there were many other aningful paths in life.
As a result, he hesitated.
Seeing his expression, Garon imdiately understood what was going through his mind.
He stepped forward, lightly patted Jon's shoulder, and smiled.
"If you still haven't decided where to go, why not co to Deepwood Motte as my guest after the engagent ceremony?"
"The Wall isn't going anywhere."
"The Night's Watch will still be there even a few months later."
Jon's eyes brightened imdiately.
However, he still hesitated slightly.
"But Lord Ned…"
Garon chuckled softly.
"Don't worry."
"I'll personally speak with Lord Ned."
"I'm certain he won't refuse."
Hearing this, Jon finally smiled openly.
He extended his hand toward Garon.
"It's a deal."
Garon laughed and slapped his hand firmly.
"It's a deal."
At that exact mont, the sound of galloping hooves echoed from the direction of Winter Town.
A gray warhorse rapidly approached the gate.
The rider wore black traveling leathers beneath a dark cloak, and Jon imdiately recognized him.
"Uncle Benjen!"
Jon excitedly waved and shouted.
Within monts, Benjen Stark rode directly before them.
His face carried traces of exhaustion from the long journey, yet after seeing Jon, he still burst into hearty laughter.
"So you ca specifically to welco ?"
Benjen dismounted from his horse and embraced Jon warmly.
Jon grinned broadly.
"Maester Luwin told you were returning today."
"I had nothing else to do, so I waited here with Garon."
Then Jon quickly rembered sothing and turned toward Garon.
"Oh, right."
"Uncle Benjen, this is Garon Glover, Lord of Deepwood Motte."
Benjen turned curiously toward Garon.
"A Glover?"
"You're Galbart Glover's son?"
Garon nodded politely.
Benjen imdiately asked again,
"How is Galbart lately?"
"The last news I heard said his old wound had flared up again."
A trace of sorrow appeared on Garon's face.
"My father passed away half a year ago after his injuries worsened."
Benjen's expression instantly stiffened.
Clearly, he had never expected Galbart to die so suddenly.
After remaining silent for several monts, he finally sighed softly.
"My condolences."
After speaking, Benjen clearly did not wish to continue dwelling on such a heavy topic.
He instead changed the subject.
"I need to see Ned first."
"Jon, co with ."
Then he turned toward Garon again.
"Garon, let's talk properly tonight."
Jon and Garon both nodded.
Soon afterward, Benjen and Jon headed toward the inner keep together.
Garon remained standing where he was, silently watching their retreating figures.
Only after they disappeared did the smile on his face gradually fade away.
"The King has already arrived."
"The curtain of the story has officially risen."
A deep light flickered within Garon's eyes.
"To ensure nothing unexpected happens…"
"The backup plan must also begin."
His gaze slowly drifted toward the distant Broken Tower.
That place would soon beco the location of Jai and Cersei's secret tryst.
And Garon intended to have soone watching.
After pondering quietly for a mont, Garon turned and headed toward the Winterfell guard barracks where the five soldiers from Deepwood Motte had been stationed.
About half an hour later, Garon finally found Roger.
At the mont, Roger was sitting together with several Winterfell guards, loudly boasting and exchanging stories while drinking ale.
"Master Roger."
Garon stood outside the barracks entrance and called calmly.
Roger and the other Deepwood Motte soldiers imdiately stood up after hearing his voice.
"Lord Garon?"
Roger quickly walked over in confusion.
"Why are you here?"
"Weren't you accompanying Lord Ned and the King?"
Garon shook his head slightly.
His eyes briefly swept over the surrounding soldiers still loudly discussing rumors about House Lannister before he lowered his voice.
"This isn't the place to talk."
"Follow ."
Roger looked sowhat puzzled, but he still nodded imdiately.
After instructing the remaining guards not to cause trouble, Garon brought Roger back toward his temporary bedroom.
Along the way, the two happened to encounter several arrogant Lannister knights patrolling through the corridor.
Garon and Roger quietly stepped aside to allow them to pass first.
Only after the knights disappeared around the corner did Garon continue forward.
Soon afterward, the two entered Garon's room.
He carefully closed the door behind them, shutting out the noise from outside.
"Master Roger, wait here for a mont."
Roger nodded silently while curiously examining the room.
He clearly did not understand why Garon had summoned him so mysteriously.
anwhile, Garon walked directly toward the desk near the window.
He sat down, took out parchnt and ink, and after a brief period of thought, quickly wrote several lines using a quill.
"Tomorrow morning. Broken Tower. This concerns a matter of great importance. Co alone and tell no one. Balon Greyjoy."
After carefully reviewing the contents once more, Garon folded the parchnt and stood up.
Then he turned toward Roger and asked solemnly,
"Master Roger, can I trust you completely?"
Roger's previously relaxed expression instantly beca serious.
He imdiately realized this matter was extrely important.
Still, he did not hesitate even slightly.
"Lord Garon, you may command as you wish."
Garon nodded lightly.
Naturally, he trusted Roger completely.
Roger had once been Galbart Glover's most loyal subordinate and had also served as Garon's sword instructor during his youth.
One could say he had personally watched Garon grow up.
After Galbart's death, Roger had sworn loyalty to Garon once again and had now beco the person Garon trusted most deeply.
The reason Garon asked that question was not because he doubted Roger.
Rather, he wanted Roger to understand the seriousness of the matter.
Seeing Roger already grasp the implication, Garon stepped forward, handed him the folded parchnt, and lowered his voice.
"Tonight, Lord Ned will host a feast for the King."
"Everyone's attention will be focused there."
"During that ti, I need you to secretly place this letter inside Theon Greyjoy's room."
"And rember…"
"Absolutely no one can discover you."
Roger quickly tucked the letter into his clothing without even glancing at its contents.
"I understand, Lord Garon."
Garon nodded with satisfaction before dismissing him.
After Roger left, Garon stood alone in the room with a thoughtful expression.
"Trouble is coming…"
Ever since Sansa secretly told him that Catelyn intended to arrange a marriage alliance with the royal family, Garon had constantly felt a growing sense of urgency.
He had a strong feeling tonight's banquet would not proceed peacefully.
Lady Catelyn would certainly attempt sothing.
Rather than passively waiting for trouble to arrive, Garon preferred taking the initiative himself.
If matters truly spiraled out of control tonight, then he would simply overturn the entire table.
His plan was simple.
He intended to lure Theon into discovering Jai and Cersei's secret affair.
Unlike Bran, Theon Greyjoy was not an innocent child.
If he stumbled upon the incestuous scandal between Jai and Cersei, there would only be two possible outcos.
The first possibility was death.
If Jai killed Theon to silence him, Ned Stark would inevitably investigate the death of his foster son thoroughly.
This was Winterfell, not King's Landing.
As long as Garon guided suspicion slightly toward Jai and Cersei, the relationship between Stark and Lannister would instantly fracture.
And once that happened, any possibility of a royal marriage alliance would imdiately collapse.
The second possibility was survival.
If Theon escaped alive, then given his selfish and fearful nature, he would absolutely expose Jai and Cersei's secret in order to protect himself from Lannister retaliation.
At that point, Robert Baratheon would likely execute both Jai and Cersei in uncontrollable fury.
And afterward, Theon himself would beco Tywin Lannister's mortal enemy.
Regardless of which outco occurred, Garon would remain in an invincible position.
He could continue marrying Sansa while simultaneously using the Lannisters to eliminate Theon Greyjoy.
Two birds with one stone.
The only danger lay in the unpredictable chain reactions caused by altering the original course of events.
However…
Once the arrow left the bow, there could be no turning back.
Garon had already decided.
No matter who tried to stop him from marrying Sansa Stark, they would have to die.
Just as Garon silently reviewed the details of his plan once more, a cynical voice suddenly echoed from the nearby corridor.
"Hey."
"Do you happen to know where the brothel is?"
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