chapter 134 part 1
Chapter 134: Adapting to the Crisis
A tall, gaunt knight with a greatsword strapped to his back stood silently before Margaery Tyrell. Margaery unconsciously gave a slight nod, but the man's pale, colorless eyes stared intently at her, yet he uttered no sound.
The man's face was covered in pockmarks and devoid of a beard. His eyes were deeply set, and his face gaunt. Although not old, he had only a few strands of hair left, save for a few long wisps emerging above his ears.
He wore a simple, unadorned, old-fashioned iron-gray chainmail over his jerkin.
Margaery sensed the man's danger in her heart, but on her face, she merely furrowed her brow slightly. The pride of the Golden Rose forbade her from showing any fear.
[Ser Ilyn has a strange habit of staring intently at beautiful young women without speaking.]
Just as Margaery was about to call for her maid, a blue cloak embroidered with a golden marsh flower suddenly appeared in her line of sight, gently swaying.
"Ser Ilyn..."
He was Ilyn Payne, from House Payne in the Westerlands. During Tywin Lannister's tenure as Hand of the King to Aerys II, Ilyn served as Captain of the Hand's Guards.
After someone informed the King that Ilyn Payne had been claiming Lord Tywin was the true ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, the enraged Aerys II (the Mad King) had Ilyn's tongue ripped out. From then on, Ilyn Payne could never speak again.
After King Robert married Queen Cersei, he appointed Ilyn Payne as his Royal Executioner, as a gift to Tywin Lannister to compensate for the tongue Ilyn lost while serving House Lannister.
Glyn's eyes flashed with a cold light. "Are you intentionally ignoring the Golden Rose sigil on this young lady?"
Although Ilyn was part of the Lannister faction, he was almost always by King Robert's side. Glyn and he had only met a few times.
Ilyn's appearance near the inn indicated that King Robert was not far away. Glyn and Margaery naturally came out to greet him.
As a highborn lady of the Golden Rose, Glyn assumed Ser Ilyn would first pay his respects to Margaery, so he didn't mind that his own presence was being ignored.
As it happened, Ilyn stood about a step away, staring motionlessly at the Little Rose.
Regardless of Ilyn's true intentions, his current actions were outright disrespectful.
Glyn was temporarily serving as Margaery's guard. If he did nothing, it would affect House Crabbe's honor.
Glyn and Ilyn were only a palm's distance apart. His voice was devoid of emotion. "Are your eyes useless?"
The stout Monton Waters came to Margaery's side and said in a low voice, "My Lady, there may be some danger here. Please follow me."
Margaery glanced at the honest-looking Monton, recognizing him as Glyn's personal guard. She looked at Glyn, then nodded and stepped back.
Ilyn looked at Glyn as if staring at a dead man, only to be met with Glyn's disdainful gaze.
Glyn did not hesitate. With a thud, he clenched his fist and struck Ilyn's abdomen fiercely.
Ilyn felt a heavy blow like an iron hammer, as if his internal organs were being squeezed out. The pain was indescribable. His hands instinctively covered his abdomen, but he couldn't stop the pain from spreading.
Ilyn's face contorted in pain, his clenched teeth grinding with a groaning sound. His trembling hand reached for his sword.
Glyn reached out and grabbed the back of Ilyn's collar. With another thud, his knee struck Ilyn's back, pressing him to the ground.
Glyn drew a cold, gleaming dagger from his waist and held it before Ilyn's eyes. "Ser Ilyn, which eye should I gouge out first?"
Ilyn struggled desperately but found himself immobilized as if fixed by iron chains, completely powerless to resist.
Clang, clang, clang... Following Ser Ilyn were a dozen or so Gold Cloaks, who only then reacted, drawing their swords.
Glyn turned his head to look at them and said coldly, "The Gold Cloaks dare to draw their swords?"
It was one thing for Glyn to draw the small dagger he often toyed with, but for them to draw their swords was another matter entirely.
The House Crabbe Blue Cloaks gripped their sword hilts and faced their opponents, waiting only for their lord's command.
The Gold Cloaks looked at the dozens of opponents clad in plate armor and dared not make a rash move.
...
When Glyn shielded her, Margaery had already lost her fear. Besides being grateful for Glyn's protection, she was also worried that the situation would escalate.
"Truly worthy of a half-wildling noble..." Margaery couldn't help but sigh inwardly. She didn't think Glyn was joking with Ser Ilyn on the ground.
Glyn's ear twitched. *A little more time...* He looked towards Margaery, who was surrounded by her household guards.
Glyn's smile was a bit stiff; he seemed to be trying his best to look less intimidating.
"Lady Margaery, this fellow should be taught a lesson. Do you have any requests for how to deal with him?"
Margaery's deer-like eyes blinked. *This... how should I answer?*
Margaery carried her grandmother's mission to discreetly gauge King Robert's reaction to her appearance and simultaneously win his favor. This concerned the future of her House.
Although Ser Ilyn had just made her feel disrespected, Margaery didn't feel it necessary to punish him severely.
At the same time, she knew that Glyn was temporarily acting as her guard, and this concerned his honor.
Margaery always found men's emphasis on honor a bit difficult to understand, and thus, she wouldn't easily ignore it.
Glyn was now a hidden ally, and Ilyn was a confidant of King Robert. She was in a difficult position!
...
Not long after, Glyn's voice came again. He gestured with the dagger. "Gouge one out first?"
"This barbarian!" Margaery couldn't help but glare at him. Glyn raised an eyebrow, seemingly guessing Margaery's unspoken thoughts.
*Isn't Lord Glyn usually very clever? He wouldn't misunderstand my intentions, would he?*
*Is he intentionally feigning ignorance?* The thought occurred to Margaery, and she grew angry.
In her pique, however, Margaery's chaotic thoughts suddenly calmed. Her hand clenched into a fist for a moment before relaxing.
Margaery showed a gentle smile. "Lord Glyn, I think you have punished Ser Ilyn enough. Please let him go."
Glyn nodded. *The Little Rose seems to have matured?*
Glyn glanced at Ilyn, who was pressed face down on the ground, and said expressionlessly, "Ser Ilyn, you are truly lucky. The one you offended happens to be a kind young lady."
Glyn was adapting to the situation. Even without this executioner, who was once Tywin Lannister's confidant, Glyn would have found another opportunity to show Lord Eddard that although he was on Queen Cersei's side, he was not a Lannister dog. He had his own mind and honor.
*Ahem*, it wasn't perfect, but it would have to do. He still needed to nimbly maneuver between the Lannisters and the Starks.
...
Clop, clop, clop, came the dense sound of hooves. A strong figure, with legs tightly clamped to his horse's belly, gripped the reins. The steed beneath him whinnied loudly.
With banners of the crowned stag and the direwolf fluttering, King Robert slowly approached, surrounded by his sworn knights.