Ser Rodrik's Doubtful Clue

"Copulating fluids?"

Garon's eyes flickered as he observed Cersei and Jaime's expressions change in an instant.

After Robert's reminder, Ned stepped forward to sniff the scent as well. At last, he confirmed, "That's right. It's bodily fluid left behind after sex!"

His expression turned furious. "Who had sex in the Broken Tower? And why try to kill Bran?"

"Garon, Jon—what else did you find?"

Jon blurted out, "What's there to investigate? Bran must have seen someone having sex while he was climbing the wall."

"To keep Bran from blabbing about it, they pushed him off the tower!"

Thud—

Robb slammed his fist down on the table.

Ned's eyes were cold as he ordered Theon again, "Go fetch Ser Rodrik. I want to know where everyone in Winterfell was and what they were doing today!"

Theon had finally come to his senses. How could he possibly go?

If Ser Rodrik really uncovered anything, Theon would never escape with his life.

Fortunately, Tyrion stepped forward just then and offered a different opinion.

"If that's really what happened, how do you explain the blood?"

"Your Grace, Lord Ned, surely the blood wasn't produced by the two of them rubbing against each other while they were at it?"

Tyrion put on an admiring expression and clicked his tongue. "It must have been quite a passionate encounter!"

Robb was already in a foul mood, and Tyrion's expression grated on him. He asked coldly, "What are you getting at?"

Tyrion glanced at Jaime and Cersei, then turned to Garon and asked, "You said there were a lot of bloodstains at the top of the Broken Tower?"

Garon's eyes flickered. Realizing what Tyrion was trying to do, he played along.

"That's right. Most of the blood drops were clustered by the window at the top of the Broken Tower, but there were no signs of a struggle."

Tyrion smiled. "Exactly!"

Meeting Robert and Ned's puzzled gazes, he explained, "It tells us one thing: Bran knew the man and woman who were having sex!"

"And they were very close!"

A mysterious smile played at the corner of Garon's mouth as he continued to play along with Tyrion.

"Lord Tyrion means that because Bran knew the person, he didn't let his guard down."

"When the other person attacked, Bran reacted too late. He could only scratch them with his mouth or hands, leaving behind the bloodstains?"

Tyrion looked at Garon in surprise, unable to understand why he was helping him.

Still, Tyrion followed Garon's lead. "That's right. Exactly!"

"I suspect Bran overheard a secret he shouldn't have, so the other person killed him to silence him!"

"I think Lord Ned only needs to check who in Winterfell has bite or scratch marks today, and he'll find the culprit!"

As he finished, Tyrion made sure to look at Jaime and Cersei.

To his surprise, both of them turned their gazes toward Theon, who was nearly at the door.

Garon noticed, and the smile at the corner of his mouth grew even more pronounced.

He stopped pretending and pointed straight at Theon. "There's something I've been wondering about, Theon. What happened to your wrist? Why is it bandaged?"

Everyone in the hall focused on Theon's right wrist.

Theon froze on the spot.

"You were fine at the feast yesterday. Why are you wearing a bandage today?"

"Are you going to tell His Grace and Lord Ned that you accidentally cut your wrist yourself?"

Theon trembled all over, cold sweat beading on his forehead. "I...I..."

Robb hadn't suspected him at first, but seeing him stammer made him doubt. "Theon, did you really go to the Broken Tower today?"

"I didn't!" Backed into a corner, Theon fought back. "Robb, we've known each other for years. Don't you trust me?"

"You suspect me based on just this?"

Robb was at a loss for words. The evidence before them really couldn't prove that Theon was the culprit.

Theon pressed on. "I consider Bran my brother too. Why would I try to kill him?"

"And didn't you say there were bite or scratch marks?"

"Then take a look at the injury on my wrist!"

With that, Theon ripped off the bandage on his right hand, revealing a bloody, mangled wound.

It wasn't a scratch or a bite.

Robb, Jon, and the others became a little less suspicious.

Theon finally realized that Garon had been trying to pin the blame on him all along.

He glared venomously at Garon. "This Garon has only been in Winterfell for a few days, and already so many things have happened."

"He even deliberately tried to frame me."

"If you ask me, he's the one who caused Bran's accident!"

Ned wouldn't believe Theon's angry accusations, naturally. Garon had spent the entire day with the hunting party.

His brows knitted together as he barked, "Enough!"

If he let the two of them keep arguing, they'd only make a spectacle of themselves in front of the king and queen.

But Garon had no intention of giving up halfway.

He examined the wound on Theon's right wrist and asked abruptly, "You've been talking this whole time, but you still haven't explained how you got that injury."

Theon was at a loss for words.

"The wound on your wrist isn't a scratch or a bite, but it doesn't look like a cut from a sword or knife either."

"It looks more like you deliberately sliced your flesh with a dagger to cover up the real wound!"

Robert and Ned were battle-hardened. They could tell at a glance whether a wound was genuine by its shape.

They exchanged glances, their suspicions growing stronger.

Robert suddenly slapped the table and roared, "Theon, where were you today?"

"Speak! Did you try to kill Bran?"

"I didn't!" Theon hurriedly protested. "I really didn't, Your Grace!"

Garon gave Theon no chance to catch his breath and pressed him at once. "Then why did you treat the wound on your hand?"

"I didn't treat a bite mark!"

"Haha, how do you know it was a bite mark and not a scratch?"

"I don't..."

"You don't know? Then why were you so sure it was a bite mark?"

"I...I..."

"If you ask me, you killed Bran with a knife, then pushed him off the tower to make it look like a fall!"

Garon suddenly shouted, "Look me in the eye and answer!"

The rapid-fire questions left Theon unable to keep up.

At the sound of Garon's voice, he looked at him instinctively and blurted out, "That's nonsense! I only pushed him. I didn't kill him with a knife!"

The hall fell silent.

Everyone looked at Theon with different expressions.

"Your Grace, Lord Ned, he's confessed!"

Garon smiled faintly, sealing Theon's fate!

Ned's expression was pained. For nine years, he had treated Theon as his own son. He had never imagined that one day Theon would betray him and try to kill his son.

In an instant,

Garon's words from when he had first arrived at Winterfell surfaced in Ned's mind—

Ironborn are Ironborn. They can't change their nature!

Robert understood his friend's character. Knowing Ned would never do anything dishonorable, he made the decision for him.

"Jaime, seize Theon and question him thoroughly!"

"I want to know who gave him the gall to murder the son of the Warden of the North!"

The murderous intent in Jaime's eyes could no longer be restrained.

He realized that if he didn't kill Theon here, then once Theon was interrogated, he would surely reveal everything about Jaime and Cersei.

Jaime strode forward and drew the long sword at his waist. "Theon, you tried to murder the son of the Warden of the North. You've broken the laws of the kingdom and defied the will of the gods. Your crime is unforgivable!"

Seeing Jaime approach, murder in his eyes, Theon stumbled back two steps and cried out, "Jaime...Ser Jaime..."

"You...you can't do this!"

"You promised..."

Jaime swung his sword, cutting off Theon's words.

When Theon dodged, Jaime feigned fury. "You dare defy the king's command!"

"Theon, in the name of the Kingsguard, I command you to surrender!"

But Theon had noticed the murderous intent in Jaime's eyes. He wasn't foolish enough to stand still.

Dodging Jaime's attempts to seize him, he shouted angrily, "Jaime, you clearly..."

Before he could finish, a flash of cold light glinted in Jaime's eyes. He stepped forward quickly and slit Theon's throat with his sword.

Blood sprayed out with a "pfft."

Kh—ah—

Theon clutched his throat and slowly sank to his knees, blood bubbling at the corner of his mouth. "You promised me..."

He glared venomously at Jaime, then fell to the ground, his eyes full of resentment, and died.