chapter 154 part 1
Chapter 154: Dark News
Gregor Clegane smiled and nodded.
Margaery Tyrell, usually talkative, closed her rose-colored lips once more, merely walking slowly and silently.
Glyn accompanied her in silence, thinking... If he didn't offer a few words of comfort at a time like this, would the little rose feel slighted? Then again, he thought... perhaps the little rose just needed quiet, with someone by her side in silent companionship.
Allies needed to reassure each other to foster greater trust and cooperation. Most noble ladies in Westeros were susceptible to this; nothing was more comforting than a knight devoted to them.
A slight headache... but it was nothing Lord Glyn couldn't overcome.
Glyn's eyes closed and then opened, his gaze filled with heartache and worry, tinged with restrained adoration.
...
Margaery noticed Glyn's gaze lingering on her intermittently, and the corners of her lips lifted slightly.
Margaery tilted her head slightly in Glyn's direction, their eyes meeting. She saw the usually composed Glyn visibly startle for a moment before he quickly hid the emotion in his eyes and looked away.
Margaery understood Glyn's gaze. Seeing him give an unnatural dry cough, she let out a soft laugh.
As if spurred by Glyn's efforts, Margaery's steps became much lighter.
"Lord Glyn, could you tell me about what's been happening in the Red Keep?"
As she spoke, her large eyes swept her surroundings before she continued, "Sometimes I'm very curious about the things that happen in there. I imagine it must be quite different from the places I'm familiar with."
Glyn's eyes flickered. "It would be my honor, Lady Margaery."
So this was why the little rose wanted to see him... Yes, Glyn had long understood. The daughters of lords were very busy; they wouldn't actively seek out a lord from a minor house without important matters.
Margaery had chosen her conversation starter well. At this moment, the familiar surroundings brought her sadness, and she wanted to hear about a relatively unfamiliar place to temporarily forget her inner pain.
The biggest topic in the Red Keep recently was how Lord Eddard had suddenly imprisoned the royal Master of Coin in the black cells. Besides Lord Eddard himself, only Glyn and Varys knew the specific details.
Of course, others couldn't possibly know that Glyn was privy to the inside story, or that he was one of the participants in this matter.
The impression Glyn had left on Margaery was that his "intuition" was very sharp. Moreover, she knew of the special relationship between House Clegane and House Stark; they were practically natural allies... She had also heard that Lord Eddard placed great trust in Lord Glyn, and that he was said to be a frequent visitor to the Tower of the Hand.
Therefore, the little rose judged that Glyn must have grasped a great deal of intelligence on the matter, or at least knew the specific reasons.
The new Hand, acting as regent, had directly ordered the imprisonment of a high official of the court without any explanation, naturally leading to all sorts of rumors flying about.
...
Glyn selected a few awkward incidents that had occurred within the Red Keep and recounted them to Margaery. The smile on her face gradually grew.
Margaery, her mood having "improved" somewhat, took the initiative to ask, "Lord Glyn, I've heard... are Lord Eddard and Lord Baelish truly romantic rivals?"
After speaking, she seemed a bit embarrassed, but her beautiful eyes couldn't hide her inner curiosity.
Understandable. Young women love gossip.
The considerate Lord Glyn planned to satisfy Margaery's curiosity, and incidentally... let the world know a bit more about the sordid secrets of House Arryn.
One step at a time.
...
Glyn's expression became somewhat hesitant.
Margaery's eyelashes trembled as she asked softly, "Lord Glyn, what is it?"
Her voice was tinged with concern.
Glyn shook his head slightly. "Lady Margaery, that's not the truth. Actually..."
With that, he sighed and continued, "Lord Eddard is in a difficult position as well. After all, Lady Lysa is the sister of the lady of Winterfell."
The intelligent Margaery seemed to have connected this to something. Her pupils contracted, and her eyes widened unconsciously.
After a pause, Glyn explained, "Lady Margaery, we are on the same side. I don't wish to see you misled by incorrect information."
After a moment of silence, Glyn said, "As an ally, I will be candid with you, but I hope you can keep this a secret for me."
The two walked as they talked. Glyn began to recount the story in full detail, starting from the first encounter between Petyr Baelish and Lysa Tully.
Finally, Glyn lowered his voice slightly. "This matter will not end simply. I think many people will still come forward to question little Robert's bloodline, which is why Lord Eddard is caught in a difficult position."
...
...
Tower of the Hand.
Syrio Forel looked at Arya Stark, who was sitting on the steps, and said, "Resting girl, do you know how Syrio Forel became the First Sword to the Sealord of Braavos?"
Arya wiped the sweat from her face haphazardly and answered indifferently, "Because you're very good with a sword."
Syrio nodded. "Just so. But why me? Many are stronger than me, quicker than me, younger than me. Why is Syrio Forel the greatest? Now I will tell you..."
As he spoke, he lightly touched his eyebrow with a fingertip and continued, "The trick is discernment. To discern the truth of things."
Arya made a face. "Isn't discernment just looking with your eyes? Syrio, I'm staring at you every second."
"Girl, observation is not discernment. Where the sea wind blows, the ships of Braavos sail. They have been to many strange and wondrous places. Every time they return, the captains present animals from distant lands for the Sealord's menagerie."
"They are all kinds of rare birds and strange beasts you have never seen. Horses with stripes, for instance, creatures covered in spots with necks as long as high poles, hairy rodents as big as cows, wolf-bodied, scorpion-tailed beasts that mimicked humans, tigers that carried their young in pouches, and terrible lizards that walked about with scythe-like claws."
Syrio grinned. "I have seen all of these things."
Arya's eyes lit up; she was listening with great interest.
"The day I speak of, the previous First Sword had just died, and the Sealord of Braavos summoned me, for Braavosi traditions required that a successor be chosen at once."
"Many bravoes had gone to see him before me, but all were dismissed, and none could say why. When I entered, he was sitting calmly with a fat yellow cat on his lap."
"He told me it was a gift, brought to him by one of his captains from an island farther than the sunrise lands. He asked me if I had ever seen a beast like her?"
Syrio grinned again. "And I told him that I had seen a thousand such beasts in the alleys of Braavos. The Sealord laughed, and that very day he named me First Sword."
Arya's small face scrunched up into a frown. "Syrio, I don't understand."