It was midday.
Winterfell had erupted in celebration at the news that Bran had awakened.
After a night's rest, Joffrey had also managed to regain some of his strength after being terrified by the Giant Bear the day before.
Joffrey looked listless, with Sandor Clegane, the Hound, by his side.
As they passed the kennels, Joffrey heard people talking about Bran's awakening again and couldn't help curling his lip.
"I heard Theon pushed Bran off a tower and broke his back?"
Joffrey raised his voice deliberately and glanced around at the attendants, provoking them.
Some of them had looked angry, but when they saw that it was Prince Joffrey, they turned and walked away in frustration.
Knowing Joffrey's temperament, Sandor Clegane replied, "Yes, Your Highness!"
"But even if that boy has awakened, he's still a cripple. He'll never walk, ride a horse, or wield a sword again."
Joffrey looked disdainful. "If I were a cripple, I'd never go on living!"
Sandor Clegane stayed close behind Joffrey and agreed. "Actually, His Grace said something similar last night when he was drunk."
"Oh?" Joffrey became interested. He stopped and turned to look at the Hound. "Dog, what did my father say?"
Meeting Joffrey's gaze, Sandor Clegane recalled, "When His Grace returned to his bedchamber, he said that since Bran was crippled, it would be kinder to let him die with dignity."
A strange expression flashed across Joffrey's face. "Did Father really say that?"
Sandor Clegane nodded with absolute certainty. "Of course. I helped His Grace back to his bedchamber and heard it with my own ears."
Joffrey's eyes darted about. His lips curled into an excited smile.
"If I show Bran mercy, just like Father said..."
"Then Father will be very pleased when he finds out."
"That way, he won't bring up how I embarrassed myself in the Wolfswood again!"
Joffrey chuckled at the thought, drawing a puzzled look from Sandor Clegane.
"Your Highness?"
"It's nothing, Dog. Take me to see where the knights of House Baratheon are staying!"
Ser Sandor Clegane had long since grown used to Joffrey's strange whims and commands. Without a second thought, he took him to the lodgings of House Baratheon's bannermen in Winterfell.
There was no hunt today.
So most of House Baratheon's bannermen and knights had gathered together, drinking and chatting about the events of the previous day.
They were puzzled when Prince Joffrey arrived, but they stood to greet him all the same.
Meanwhile, Joffrey took the opportunity to choose a suitable candidate to murder Bran.
He soon found a hedge knight.
Joffrey made an excuse to send the Hound away, then spoke to the hedge knight alone.
Tempted by the Gold Dragon, the hedge knight eventually accepted Joffrey's offer and agreed to wait for an opportunity to murder Bran that night.
After securing the assassin, Joffrey returned to his room, brimming with excitement.
Meanwhile, Garon's plan was also quietly set in motion.
At Ned's instruction, Ser Rodrik led a group of loyal Winterfell soldiers to secretly take up positions in Winterfell and Winter Town.
They kept watch for anyone suspicious entering or leaving Winter Town.
In the main keep, the gravely injured and unconscious Bran had also been moved to another room.
At that moment, only a few capable Winterfell soldiers remained in Bran's bedroom.
Some hid in the wardrobe, others beneath the bed, and one even lay in Bran's bed.
Since the plan's success was at stake, Robert and Ned had told only the handful of people involved in carrying it out.
Even Sansa and Arya had been kept in the dark.
But Cersei had secretly told Jaime about the plan, and Jaime's earlier alarm gave way to relief.
Once everything was ready, Ned called Garon aside.
On the enclosed bridge connecting the main keep to the armory,
Ned stood quietly by the window, looking down at the training yard crowded with people.
"Lord Ned!"
After telling his attendant to leave, Garon walked briskly up behind Ned and greeted him.
Hearing Garon's voice, Ned didn't turn around right away. He seemed lost in thought.
After a moment, he turned to face Garon. "Garon, how many days have you been in Winterfell?"
"Five," Garon replied at once.
"Five days..."
Ned pondered for a moment, then said, "It's time for you to go back."
Garon's eyes flickered, but he didn't answer. He waited quietly for Ned to explain.
"Word of Theon's death will reach the Iron Islands soon."
"Time is short. You need to return to Deepwood Motte as soon as possible and prepare to repel an Ironborn attack."
Garon understood immediately. "Yes. Once this matter is taken care of, I'll return to Deepwood Motte!"
But Ned shook his head. "No. You're taking Jon back to Deepwood Motte tomorrow."
Garon was taken aback. "What about the plan?"
Ned replied calmly, "The plan doesn't require you to stay in Winterfell. Besides, it might not even work."
"The Queen knows about it, and Jaime certainly will too. Why would they still send someone to murder Bran?"
Ned had never stopped suspecting Jaime.
In his mind, the Kingslayer had manipulated Theon, plotting against the North.
"The Kingslayer has no honor!"
"Garon, the first thing you must do when you return to Deepwood Motte is send a hundred archers to guard Moat Cailin!"
Garon was startled. He lowered his voice. "My lord, are you planning to keep Jaime in the North?"
It was no wonder Garon thought so.
Moat Cailin lay in the northern part of the Neck and was the only route into the North.
For countless years, the North had relied on Moat Cailin's rugged terrain to hold back invasions from the south.
Ned's order to send archers to Moat Cailin now was no different from preparing in advance for war with the Lannisters.
Garon was worried Ned would act rashly in his anger over Bran's injury and insist on killing Jaime in the North.
But Ned shook his head. His rage hadn't overwhelmed his reason.
"You're overthinking it. Moat Cailin guards the route between north and south. I'm only taking precautions."
"Go. Say goodbye to Robb and Sansa, and set out first thing tomorrow morning!"
Ned waved a hand, signaling Garon to leave.
"Yes!" Garon left the bridge, his mind full of strange thoughts, and went to find Robb and the others to say goodbye.
As they gathered to bid farewell, night gradually fell.
Dinner in Winterfell's Great Hall was quiet and strained.
Almost everyone had their own thoughts. Sansa and Arya were sad to see Garon leave.
Robb worried about Bran while also feeling downhearted that Garon was leaving.
As for Ned, he was even more distracted. After forcing himself to finish dinner with the royal family, he pretended he had something to attend to and excused himself.
Robert left the Queen and his children behind and hurried after him.
Cersei's lips curled into a mocking smile.
She had already told Jaime. Even if the two of them stayed on guard until the White Walkers invaded, no one would come to murder Bran.
She gracefully finished her wine, then took Joffrey, Tommen, and Myrcella back to their rooms to rest.
She had to get up early the next morning to enjoy watching Ned and Robert make fools of themselves.
But she didn't notice that Joffrey was just as excited.
"Haha, after tonight, Bran will be dead."
"Father will surely praise me for being so much like him!"
Just thinking about Robert praising him soon made Joffrey tremble with excitement.
As for the consequences of the murder, or whether it might fail, none of that crossed his mind.
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