Ser Osmund Kettleblack stepped forward, recalled briefly, and said, "Besides you, King also invited his fiancée, as well as Hand of the King Tywin, Duke Green, Ser Jaime, and Ser Garlan."
Hearing this, Cersei frowned and murmured, "Father?"
Ser Osfryd glanced at Osney, who stood nearby; he bowed slightly, "Please allow me to withdraw, Your Grace."
Why would Joffrey invite Old Lion? This is very sudden... because she knew her son wasn't very close to his grandfather.
Still pondering, Cersei didn't notice the "small movements" between the Cate Black brothers; she merely waved her hand dismissively.
Cersei felt an inexplicable worry; her son had a strong personality and would never "admit defeat" to others, including Old Lion.
So, what was this sudden dinner party for?
Seeing Cersei standing still, Ser Osney cautiously called out, "Your Grace?"
His voice brought Cersei back to her senses; she said with some displeasure, "Is there anything else?"
Cersei Lannister was so charming even when angry... Osney's gaze quickly swept over the curves of her delicate body, then immediately lowered his eyes, hiding the greed within them.
"No... nothing, please forgive my presumption."
Looking at the stammering Osney, a hint of disdain flashed in Cersei's eyes; she disliked men who lacked sufficient courage.
But he was still useful... She suppressed her inner disgust and said, "Go, continue to keep an eye on those Roses."
"Yes, Your Grace, it is my honor to serve you."
Ser Osney's gaze was eager, and Queen Mother Cersei gave a perfunctory smile before turning away.
But... Ser Osney, who was almost at the door, suddenly turned back.
"Your Grace, actually... I've thought of a good idea."
Standing by the window, with her back to Osney, Cersei's face showed impatience; she said coldly, "Tell me."
Osney, eager to prove himself, seemed not to have heard the change in Cersei's tone; he stepped closer, paused, and said, "Perhaps we could let Duke Green try..."
Queen Mother Cersei glanced back over her shoulder, "Try what?"
Although there were only the two of them in the room, Ser Osney still looked left and right, his voice unconsciously lowering, "We could have him seduce the Golden Rose of Highgarden, I think there's a good chance, and your goal..."
Cersei placed her wine glass on the small round table by the window, turned to face Osney, and laughed, "Are you jealous of him, Ser?"
"No... no..." Osney was about to explain, but with a smack, he suddenly received a slap.
"Your... Your Grace..."
Cersei approached, reaching out to gently caress Osney's reddened cheek, "If I wish, that sharp sword will breach Highgarden's high walls for me and burn all the Roses there."
Her lips curved slightly as she looked at him, "If I weren't worried that more wars would affect Joffrey's reign, do you think I would play these boring court games with those boring women?"
Gently patting Osney's cheek, Cersei withdrew her hand, "You will be my sharp sword, won't you, Ser?"
Osney's Adam's apple bobbed several times, and he nodded heavily, "Yes, of course, I for my previous foolishness..."
Queen Mother Cersei gently interrupted Osney's apology, "No need to rush; your task is to use your nimble tongue to please those foolish Roses. Do it well, and if you satisfy me, I will make you a true noble."
Her finger lightly traced circles on Osney's rapidly rising and falling chest, "Granting you a noble status... worthy of me."
Cersei gently watched Osney, who had become full of "fighting spirit" after her few words, leave.
Once the door closed, Cersei's face showed a triumphant expression; she felt that replacing Little Rose with a Cate Black was a very worthwhile "deal."
If it were only to gather information on Little Rose, why would she send her well-known confidant?
Osney's age and appearance were acceptable...
Cersei happily picked up her wine glass and took a sip of summer red; cunning Margaery would surely cleverly allow Osney to approach her and reveal false information, deliberately misleading Lioness.
At this thought, Cersei couldn't help but smile disdainfully; foolish Little Rose would never dream that, in fact... her true purpose was to let more people see Osney frequently appearing by her side.
Cersei raised her cup, waiting for the opportune moment when, for her... innocent and lovely Osney would voluntarily step before everyone and confess his crimes.
With the wine glass before her red lips, Cersei gently sniffed; she seemed to already smell the scent of victory.
...
Hook Alley, Kettleblack Mansion.
Duke Green looked at the two men dressed in black, revealing a gentle smile, and said, "Welcome, you who are the strong shield of the kingdom."
Among them, a man of about fifty, well-built, with a stern face and somewhat graying black hair, nodded slightly and said, "Good day, Duke Crabb, I am the Nights Watch's drillmaster, Elissa Thorne."
The Nights Watch is a military order dedicated to guarding The Wall, established after the Others' invasion was repelled during the Age of Heroes; they wear only black.
Another black-clad man, about thirty, with a fierce appearance and a lean build, placed his hand on his chest and said, "Thank you for receiving me, I am Grenn, the Ranger."
Ranger is a Nights Watch officer responsible for recruiting personnel.
After the greetings were complete, Elissa Thorne took out a letter, handed it to Duke Green, and said, "Duke Crabb, this is a handwritten letter from the Duke of Winterfell; he instructed me that if we were to receive a cold reception from Lannister, I could give it to you."
As Duke Green took the letter and unfolded it, Elissa Thorne continued, "It only describes some... events that occurred on The Wall recently, Duke Crabb, Stark trusts the honor of the Nights Watch."
Duke Ned has become cautious...
Duke Green looked up at Elissa Thorne; the man before him was a Crownlands noble, formerly an officer of the Gold Cloaks. During the Usurper's War, after the gates of King's Landing were opened by Lannister's deception, he led his Gold Cloaks to fight the Lannister Army until the Mad King was killed, only then surrendering.
In the post-war trial, Tywin Lannister gave Elissa Thorne the choice between death and taking the black; finally... he chose the latter, becoming a Night's Watchman on The Wall.
Elissa Thorne's eyes, like agate, gleamed brightly; Duke Green nodded slightly and said, "Please be seated."
The letter's content was brief, and Duke Green quickly finished reading it; clutching the paper, he murmured, "With glowing blue eyes... the characteristic of wights in legends..."
Wights refer to dead people or other deceased creatures reanimated by the Others; wights are completely obedient to the Others' command.
The Others are a humanoid, intelligent race living north of The Wall, tall and gaunt, with skin as pale as milk.
Legend has it that about 8,000 years ago, during a twenty-year-long winter, a long dark age known as the Long Night, the Others first descended upon mankind.
Ultimately, they were repelled by the Nights Watch, and Brandon Stark the Builder (who was the constructor and founder of Winterfell) built The Wall to defend against another invasion by the Others.
Since the Others were defeated by the Nights Watch, they vanished, and as thousands of years passed, the Others gradually became a mythological story used to scare children south of The Wall, or often appeared in people's curses.
Hearing Duke Green's voice, Elissa Thorne seemed very concerned that the Nights Watch had brought lies; he immediately spoke, "We found two long-missing Rangers during our patrol. When we found them, they were already dead, but after their bodies were transported back to The Wall, they suddenly reanimated in the middle of the night. One of them killed Ser Jeremy Lake (a Crownlands noble who fought for the Mad King until the end, and took the black with Elissa Thorne), while the other attempted to assassinate Commander Jeor Mormont."
Rangers are the main fighting force of the Nights Watch, skilled in surviving in the wilderness, responsible for reconnaissance and patrolling the Haunted Forest (located north of The Wall). They not only defend The Wall but also engage the enemy north of The Wall; after the Others disappeared, their main enemies were the Free Folk, whom people south of The Wall called wildlings.
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