[Chapter Size: 1200 Words.]
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Two months later.
During this time, Ned gradually uncovered parts of the truth, such as the fact that Joffrey was likely not Robert's biological son.
And the death of Jon Arryn had definitely been no accident.
Ned Stark realized that all the Baratheon descendants had black hair, while Joffrey and his siblings had blonde hair and blue eyes, traits that were typical of the Lannisters.
"Theon, Lord Stark is outside."
Upon hearing this, Theon immediately stood up and went to the door himself. "Come in," Theon called to Ned from the other side of the door, leaving the guards outside.
Theon poured wine for Ned, likely understanding why Ned had come.
"I need your help. The death of the former Hand of the King is not as simple as it seems," Ned said in a low voice.
Theon smiled, showing a hint of flattery, and replied seriously, "You are my father. You can always trust your son."
Seeing Theon's expression, Ned felt a little more at ease.
After arriving in King's Landing, he found that the situation was worse than he had imagined. The treasury was empty, and Robert had disbanded the original standing army.
Now, King's Landing was defended by only five thousand Gold Cloaks, and it was uncertain how many of them were actually capable of fighting.
The situation in the Red Keep was even worse, with nearly the entire castle being guarded by Lannisters. He needed to gather every force he could.
"How many men do you have now?" Ned asked.
Theon told him the truth: "Father, I have thirty men under my command. The Hound can't lead anyone, so Joffrey assigned all the guards to me."
Learning that Joffrey had thirty men under his command, Ned felt a surge of hope. "These thirty men are Robert's most trusted. Leave them with me for now. You need to keep an eye on Joffrey. I can't explain everything to you yet, but just wait for my orders."
Now, with the thirty elite soldiers under Theon's command, who were from Storm's End, Ned's chances of success had greatly increased. Furthermore, with the hundred elite Gold Cloaks promised by Littlefinger, once Robert returned from his hunt, he could seize control of the situation in time.
Indeed, Robert was 100% determined to send troops to the Lannister family's western stronghold.
After explaining, Ned left hastily.
Watching Ned's hurried departure, Theon smiled and muttered to himself, "My dear adoptive father, even if you don't tell me, I already know what you plan to do."
Theon then donned a leather armor and a longsword, walked to the door, and told the guards, "Take me to see Queen Cersei!"
Led by the guards, Theon quickly arrived at Cersei's residence.
After a brief exchange with the guard, Theon had no trouble finding Cersei Lannister.
Looking at the mature and beautiful woman with blonde hair and blue eyes before him, Theon was impressed.
"Theon Greyjoy, my son's most trusted guard. Why do you come to me if not to protect my son?" Cersei might have just finished drinking, or Jaime might have just left.
At that moment, Cersei's face turned unusually red.
"Your Majesty, you should have noticed Ned Stark's actions lately. He has discovered something incredible, and he came to speak to me today."
Cersei's eyes, which had been somewhat dazed at first, suddenly became sharp. "What did he tell you?"
"Your Majesty, I have prepared two letters. Tomorrow, you will give me 500 Gold Cloaks, along with 50,000 gold dragons. Then, you will allow me to return to the Iron Islands. You see, my last name is Greyjoy."
"Haha." Cersei laughed. "What makes you think you can get away with this?"
"I'm not trying to discourage you. I'm merely pointing out the benefits. I hope it gives you some relief, right?"
Theon continued: "And I believe in the strength of the Lannisters. Now I am the sole heir of Balon, as well as the guard to Prince Joffrey. You must have your own plans, but whatever your plan is, it will be difficult to avoid the outbreak of war."
"When the war begins, no matter how powerful a lion is, it will need allies. Otherwise, it will be hard to protect itself against a siege from fish, wolves, eagles, and stags. Now that I've returned to the Iron Islands, I can attack the North for you at any time and even block the Stark family's return!"
"Your brother Tyrion was captured by Lady Stark. You must be curious why Ned Stark is pursuing you Lannisters. The answers are in the letter. Someone will deliver it to you two days after I leave."
Cersei narrowed her eyes, deep in thought. Many knew Joffrey's true parentage, but everyone turned a blind eye, afraid of the Lannister family's power.
But unexpectedly, Ned Stark appeared and somehow uncovered Joffrey's past. She couldn't understand how Jon Arryn's death connected to her son.
Now Theon's terms had made her somewhat tempted. 50,000 gold dragons was a large sum, but not unreachable, after all, she had already lent Robert three million.
As for the 500 Gold Cloaks, they were even more dispensable.
Finally, there was the war Theon had mentioned. Ned had discovered Joffrey's identity.
Once it became public, especially if a Lord and the king's brother revealed it, the situation would spiral out of control.
Cersei had already arranged for someone to find an opportunity to strike Robert, but the problem now was how to ensure that Ned didn't spread the news first.
So, Cersei was eager to learn what Ned Stark had told Theon. As for why Theon had come here to share the secret, it was simply because he was unwilling to be a pawn for the rest of his life.
Either way, she was at odds with Robert and Ned, and both of Balon's sons had died at their hands. It seemed likely that she would form an alliance with the Iron Islands.
If such an alliance were formed, and war broke out, it would be like a sharp sword that could strike at the North's rear, and the North might never even know.
"Alright, I agree to your terms. I hope what you've said is true. If not, you'll learn what it means to be a Lannister. Debts must be paid!"
Theon scoffed inwardly. This was the advantage of knowing the general direction of the story. Cersei had no idea that Ned, foolishly, would find her and say, "Take the child and leave quickly!"
As for the Lannisters, debts must be paid?
In Theon's eyes, the outbreak of the War of the Five Kings would inevitably destroy the Seven Kingdoms. By then, the North would be in constant conflict, and the West would be out of reach. Who could stop Theon from growing in power?
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