Game of Thrones: The Wolf of Deepwood Motte Chapter 35 CHAPTER 35

It was around three in the afternoon when Jon finally found Robb in the Wolfswood.

For the sake of the wager they had made that morning, Robb had spent nearly the entire day hunting through the forest. The mont he saw Jon approaching, he assud Garon had sent him to inspect his spoils, so without another word he eagerly pulled Jon along, proudly showing off the ga he had hunted throughout the day.

But the mont Jon told him Bran had fallen from a tower and that his life hung in the balance, the excitent on Robb's face instantly disappeared.

He did not even bother asking for details.

Robb imdiately leaped onto Jon's horse, and the two of them rode frantically back toward the hunting camp.

As they approached the camp, they could already see knights of House Baratheon returning with hunting trophies, while an enormous giant bear was being dragged slowly toward the camp by dozens of n and horses.

Under normal circumstances, Robb would have rushed over imdiately to see such an astonishing beast.

But now, his only concern was Bran.

The mont he dismounted, he hurried toward Garon.

"Garon!"

Robb anxiously grabbed him and asked, "Has there been any new ssage from Winterfell?"

"Did my father send word again?"

Garon stepped forward and replied in a grave voice, "No. No one else has arrived since Lord Stark returned."

Robb's face beca even paler, and the worry he had been suppressing all this ti finally surfaced completely.

"Then we're returning to Winterfell imdiately!"

But just as Robb was about to leave, Garon stepped forward and firmly held him back.

"Robb, calm yourself!"

Almost exactly like Jon earlier, Robb nearly shook him off and shouted angrily, "How can I calm down? Bran is my brother!"

His furious voice instantly drew the attention of the nearby knights and servants.

"What are you staring at?"

Robb glared at them fiercely, causing the surrounding people to quickly avert their eyes awkwardly.

Seeing that Robb still intended to leave, Garon's expression also turned serious.

"Robb, before Lord Stark left, he specifically instructed to look after the King and the prince!"

"If you leave now, who will explain things to His Grace?"

"Are you planning to let , a re vassal lord, answer to the King?"

"Or do you intend for Jon to explain it?"

"And don't forget the words of House Stark."

"Winter is Coming."

Garon's words finally stopped Robb in place.

Robb clenched his fists tightly and remained silent for a long mont.

"I know you're worried about Bran," Garon continued sincerely. "I'm worried too."

"But if we rush back now, can we save him?"

"You and I are not maesters. We know nothing of healing."

"If we return now, we'll only create more chaos."

Garon stepped closer, eting Robb's eyes directly.

"But remaining here is sothing only you can do."

"You are the heir to Winterfell."

"Other than you, who else has the standing to personally receive and explain matters to the King?"

Robb's breathing gradually steadied.

He knew Garon was right.

If he abandoned the King in the middle of the royal hunt, then House Stark would lose face before the entire realm.

Still, the fear in his heart remained.

"But…"

"What if Bran dies?"

Garon patted his shoulder firmly.

"Bran is protected by the old gods."

"He won't die so easily."

"Trust . Stay here and do what must be done."

Robb's lips trembled slightly before he finally nodded heavily.

Seeing this, Garon secretly let out a sigh of relief.

At that mont, loud noises began rising from outside the camp.

"It seems the King has returned."

"Robb, it's ti for the heir of Winterfell to step forward."

Robb took a deep breath and walked toward the entrance of the camp.

Only after Robert dismounted and thrust his spear into the ground did Robb bow respectfully.

"Robb, where is your father?"

"He said he was escorting Garon back to camp, but I haven't seen him return."

"Could it be he's afraid of losing to ?"

Robert laughed loudly, still in high spirits from the hunt.

But Robb's expression remained sorrowful.

"Your Grace, soone ca from Winterfell this afternoon."

"My brother Bran fell from one of the towers, and his life is currently uncertain."

"My father was deeply worried and already returned to Winterfell ahead of us. Before leaving, he instructed to continue accompanying Your Grace."

The smile on Robert's face froze instantly.

"Seven hells…"

For a mont, even Robert did not know what to say.

He looked around slowly, and all the joy from the hunt vanished from his face.

Finally, he waved his hand impatiently.

"Robb, tell everyone to pack up imdiately."

"We're returning to Winterfell at once."

With the King's order given, the entire camp imdiately beca chaotic.

Robb himself constantly urged everyone to hurry, eager to return as quickly as possible.

Before long, the hunting party packed up in haste and began the rapid journey back toward Winterfell.

anwhile, inside Winterfell itself, another tense conversation was taking place.

Within the guest chambers, Jai Lannister stared coldly at Theon Greyjoy.

"Did soone specifically lure you to the Broken Tower?"

"Who was it?"

Theon looked nervous and quickly shook his head.

"I don't know."

"After the feast last night, I discovered a letter in my room."

"It instructed to et soone at the Broken Tower."

He glanced cautiously at Jai before adding softly, "But when I arrived there, I found that you and the Queen had also co, so I hid myself."

Jai ignored the subtle movents in Theon's expression and imdiately focused on another point.

"You said there was a letter."

"Where is it now?"

Theon swallowed nervously.

"I burned it."

Jai's expression stiffened instantly.

"You burned it?"

"How could you burn it?"

Theon hurriedly explained, "The letter said the matter was extrely important, so I thought it would be safer if nobody else saw it."

Jai stared at him silently for a long while, carefully judging whether he was lying.

Eventually, he withdrew his gaze and began pacing slowly around the room, deep in thought.

"Soone deliberately summoned him there…"

"To expose my relationship with Cersei?"

"No…"

"That's impossible."

"Cersei and I only decided to et there at the last mont. Nobody else should have known."

Jai frowned deeply.

Yet for so reason, he still felt an indescribable sense of unease.

Everything seed too coincidental.

Theon happened to appear there.

Then Bran appeared as well.

But no matter how hard Jai thought about it, he could not find any concrete evidence of a conspiracy.

In the end, he could only force himself to conclude that both Theon and Bran appearing there had been nothing more than terrible coincidence.

Finally, Jai stopped pacing and turned back toward Theon.

"The Stark boy is still being treated."

"And your foster father will return very soon."

"When he arrives, he will absolutely investigate Bran's fall."

"What we need now is for everyone to believe we were nowhere near that tower."

Theon nodded nervously.

Jai's gaze slowly fell toward the sleeve hiding Theon's injured wrist.

Then he walked to a nearby table, picked up a dagger with a lion-headed hilt along with a white cloth, and returned.

"Bite down on this."

"I'm going to turn that bite mark into a knife wound."

Theon instinctively stepped backward.

"Ser Jai… surely that isn't necessary…"

"Idiot."

Jai suddenly cursed coldly.

"If soone sees a human bite mark on your wrist, how exactly are you planning to explain it?"

"Will you claim so whore bit you during bedding?"

"Now co here."

Jai's oppressive aura instantly overwheld him, and Theon no longer dared to resist.

Trembling slightly, he slowly extended the wrist Bran had bitten earlier.

Jai handed him the cloth.

Theon reluctantly shoved it into his mouth.

Seeing how hesitantly he moved, Jai snapped impatiently, "Harder!"

"Put so strength into it like you're bedding a woman!"

Theon's face twitched painfully, but in the end he bit down hard and squeezed his eyes shut.

The next instant, Jai grabbed his wrist and viciously drove the dagger directly into the bite mark, roughly carving across the wound.

An unbearable pain instantly surged through Theon's arm.

He instinctively tried to scream and struggle, but Jai's icy warning sounded beside his ear.

"If you don't want anyone discovering the truth, endure it!"

Theon bit down on the cloth desperately, forcing himself not to cry out.

Though it lasted less than half a minute, it felt like endless torture.

Finally, Jai released his hand.

The bite marks had beco a mangled bloody wound impossible to distinguish from a dagger injury.

"There."

"Go apply dicine and bandage it yourself."

"And rember…"

"No matter who asks, you accidentally cut yourself with a dagger."

Theon nodded weakly, his face pale as death.

Pressing the bloodstained cloth tightly against his wrist, he quickly left the guest chambers.

At that exact mont, Garon and the hunting party had finally returned to Winterfell.