Sunlight filtered through the dense branches of Wolfswood, scattering broken patches of light across Garon's blood-soaked body.
He stood there gripping his longsword tightly, his chest rising and falling violently as heavy breaths escaped him like the rasping wheeze of a worn bellows.
At his feet lay the enormous corpse of the giant black bear, sprawled within a thick pool of dark blood.
With great effort, Garon planted one foot against the beast's shoulder and pulled his longsword free from deep within the bear's neck. Fresh blood sprayed across his face and armor, but he had neither the strength nor the desire to wipe it away.
Instead, he slowly turned toward Joffrey.
"Prince Joffrey," Garon asked hoarsely, "are you alright?"
But Joffrey rely stared blankly at him.
The young prince's face was pale as paper while his eyes remained fixed upon Garon, who stood drenched in blood like so terrifying warrior from the ancient Age of Heroes.
What rose within Joffrey was not relief.
It was fear.
Bone-deep fear.
At that mont, several knights who had rushed over from nearby hunting grounds finally reached the clearing.
The instant they saw the giant bear's corpse, they froze in disbelief.
"Gods above…"
"Did Garon kill that thing himself?"
One knight suddenly shouted excitedly:
"The Bear Slayer!"
Imdiately afterward, more voices joined in.
"The Bear Slayer!"
"The Bear Slayer!"
The shouts echoed continuously through the forest beneath the shifting tree shadows as excitent spread rapidly among the arriving hunters.
More and more people rushed toward the commotion, and before long, even Robert Baratheon himself arrived carrying a hunting spear.
The mont he saw the dead giant bear, the King's eyes widened dramatically.
"Seven hells!"
Robert strode forward in disbelief before turning toward Garon.
"You killed this monster alone?"
Garon was utterly exhausted and could only nod weakly in response.
His body swayed slightly, forcing a nearby knight to quickly support him against a tree.
Robert's face remained filled with astonishnt as he approached the giant bear and inspected the massive carcass personally, so focused that he failed to notice Joffrey still trembling nearby.
"Seven hells…"
Robert placed a hand against the giant beast's thick fur, still warm with lingering life, before suddenly bursting into loud laughter.
"Hahaha! Bear Slayer indeed!"
Then he quickly turned back toward Garon.
"How badly are you injured?"
Garon shook his head slightly, though his voice remained rough and hoarse.
"I'm alright, Your Grace."
"I only need a little rest."
Then he glanced toward Joffrey.
"Prince Joffrey, however, suffered a great fright."
Only then did Robert finally notice his son.
"Joffrey?"
The prince trembled slightly before looking toward his father with watery eyes.
"I… I…"
Seeing Joffrey's terrified appearance, disappointnt flickered through Robert's expression.
The boy looked nothing like a prince or a warrior.
Yet seeing his son so frightened still stirred pity within him.
Robert stepped forward and awkwardly comforted Joffrey for several monts until the prince's emotions gradually stabilized.
Afterward, Robert waved his hand impatiently.
"Take the prince back to camp first."
Then he pointed toward the giant bear.
"And figure out how to transport this beast back as well!"
"I want everyone at the hunting camp to witness Garon's trophy."
At the King's command, the Baratheon knights imdiately began discussing ways to move the gigantic corpse.
The giant bear was simply too enormous and heavy.
Moreover, no one dared drag it carelessly for fear of ruining the valuable fur.
In the end, they summoned additional horses and used dozens of ropes to weave a giant net around the beast before slowly hauling it toward the camp.
Not long afterward, Ned Stark also arrived with several riders after receiving Jon's urgent ssage.
The mont Ned saw the giant bear lying like a fallen hill within the clearing, even he was visibly stunned.
"Robert," Ned asked hurriedly, montarily forgetting royal etiquette, "did you kill this thing?"
"Are you injured?"
Robert imdiately laughed and pointed toward Garon.
"I wasn't fortunate enough to encounter it."
"This beast was hunted by Garon!"
Ned's eyes widened further.
"Garon?"
His gaze instinctively shifted toward Garon, who remained covered in blood from head to toe.
Garon could only smile bitterly.
"There was no other choice."
"At the ti, Prince Joffrey was already in mortal danger."
"If I hadn't intervened, the prince might have died here in Wolfswood."
"Fortunately, I managed to use the terrain to trap the beast and kill it."
Garon briefly recounted the battle, and only then did Robert and Ned fully realize how dangerous the situation had truly been.
"It's unfortunate that Prince Joffrey's guards all died," Garon added while glancing toward the mangled corpses nearby.
Robert followed his gaze and sighed heavily.
"When we return, I'll make certain their families are properly rewarded."
At that mont, another knight led over a fresh horse.
After exchanging several words with Robert, Ned decided to escort Garon back to the hunting camp first so he could rest and receive treatnt.
Along the journey back, word spread rapidly throughout Wolfswood.
By the ti Garon returned to camp, nearly everyone had already heard the astonishing news.
"The Bear Slayer!"
"The Bear Slayer!"
When Garon finally rode into the hunting camp still covered in blood, even servants and cooks were shouting the title excitedly.
Ned watched everything with faint amusent before raising a hand for silence.
Once the cheers quieted sowhat, he ordered several servants to help Garon dismount before personally leading him toward a long table overflowing with food and wine.
Soone quickly brought warm water and cloths.
Garon took a towel and finally began wiping away the drying blood on his face.
"Garon," Ned said sincerely, "you accomplished a trendous deed today."
Garon laughed hoarsely while cleaning himself.
"It was mostly luck."
Even now, lingering fear remained deep within him.
If the giant bear had not accidentally beco trapped between the trees, he might never have found an opening to kill it.
In the end, he would either have been exhausted and killed by the beast himself, or the bear might have abandoned him and turned back toward Joffrey.
And if Prince Joffrey had died during the hunt…
The consequences would have been disastrous.
Thinking of this, Ned stepped forward and firmly patted Garon's shoulder.
"Thanks to you, I won't need to explain a dead prince to Robert."
Garon laughed again.
"Lord Stark, we're practically family now."
"There's no need for such politeness."
Ned also laughed.
"Yes."
"We're family."
Then, as though suddenly rembering sothing important, Ned's expression turned more serious.
"There is actually another matter I wish to discuss with you."
Garon looked toward him curiously.
"You know I'll soon travel south to King's Landing with the King," Ned began slowly.
"My children will accompany …"
"But Jon cannot."
Ned sighed softly.
"He's a bastard."
"There is no place for him at court."
"So I'd like Jon Snow to beco your squire."
Ned looked directly into Garon's eyes.
"What do you think?"
Garon appeared slightly stunned.
Seeing his reaction, Ned mistakenly assud he was reluctant and imdiately explained further.
"I've noticed you and Jon have grown close these past few days…"
But before Ned could finish speaking, Garon suddenly smiled.
"Lord Stark, to tell the truth, I've already considered this myself."
"A few days ago, I invited Jon to visit Deepwood Motte."
"But he kept hesitating because he was worried about your thoughts."
"I had planned to speak with you about it myself once I found an opportunity."
Ned paused briefly before smiling.
"So you agree?"
Garon nodded solemnly.
"Of course."
Ned instantly appeared delighted.
"That's excellent."
"I'll speak with Jon later…"
But before Ned could continue, a rider suddenly burst into the hunting camp from the direction of Winterfell.
The ssenger looked terrified.
"Lord Stark!"
"Lady Catelyn commands you to return imdiately!"
"Bran…"
"Bran has fallen from a tower!"
"His life hangs by a thread!"
Ned's face instantly turned deathly pale.
"What?!"
Without another word, he seized a nearby horse and imdiately galloped toward Winterfell in panic.
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