Joel fled.
Garon and Ser Rodrik rode into the Wolfswood after him, but the night was so dark that they eventually lost his trail.
Garon reined in and surveyed the shadowy woods before making a suggestion to Ser Rodrik.
"Ser, it looks like we won't catch that fellow."
"It's late. Running into a wild animal would be trouble!"
"We should head back and question the knights who left the city with him. We can find out who he really is!"
Ser Rodrik nodded, grumbling, "How did that kid run so fast?"
"He's quite a skilled rider, too. But if I ever run into him again, I'll break both his legs!"
Garon turned his horse around. "He ran into the Wolfswood. There's no telling if he'll make it out alive."
"We probably won't get another chance to run into him!"
"Let's go, Ser!"
Garon flicked his reins, and he and Ser Rodrik hurried toward Winter Town.
By the time the two of them returned to Winter Town, soldiers from Winterfell had surrounded the entire town.
The torches everyone carried had nearly turned night into day.
"What's going on?"
Rodrik summoned the man in charge of making inquiries and asked him who the man who had just fled was.
"My lord, his name is Quick-Legs Joel. He came with the king's party and is said to be a hedge knight in House Baratheon's service!"
"Quick-Legs Joel?" Garon was taken aback. "He certainly lives up to his name. He really can run!"
After a moment's thought, he turned to Ser Rodrik. "Ser, I'm going back to Winterfell to report what happened here to Lord Ned."
"Very well," Ser Rodrik said with a nod. "I'll take care of things here!"
Seeing that, Garon didn't hesitate. He mounted up and galloped toward Winterfell.
A short while later.
He returned to Winterfell's stables, dismounted, and handed the reins to a stablehand before hurrying toward the Great Keep.
About ten minutes later.
Garon reached the entrance to the passage outside Ned's bedroom and asked Desmond, the attendant, to let him see Ned.
Desmond gestured for Garon to wait while he went inside to inform Ned.
Soon, Desmond returned and led Garon to the bedroom door.
"Lord Garon, please come in!"
Garon smiled and nodded to Desmond before entering the bedroom.
Ned, dressed in his nightclothes, stood quietly by the window as he usually did, gazing out at Winterfell in the night.
Hearing Garon's footsteps, he turned to look at him. "What urgent business brings you to see me so late?"
"If you've come to say goodbye, you can wait until tomorrow morning!"
Garon shook his head and said gravely, "My lord, I haven't come to say goodbye. We found a suspicious man in Winter Town."
"Hmm?" Ned looked puzzled. "What suspicious man?"
But he quickly caught on. "Did you catch the person conspiring with Theon?"
Garon gave a wry smile. "I'm sorry, my lord. Ser Rodrik and I chased him into the Wolfswood, but he still got away!"
"He got away?"
Ned was immediately disappointed. "What happened?"
Garon quickly told Ned everything he had learned.
"Because of our plan, Ser Rodrik specifically told the girls who receive guests to watch for anyone suspicious."
"Tonight, one of the girls noticed a knight carrying a pouch of Gold Dragons. He said it was a reward for completing a mission and that he was leaving Winterfell tomorrow..."
"But the man was very alert. As soon as he realized something was wrong, he ran."
"We chased him into the Wolfswood, but he still got away!"
Ned listened quietly to Garon's account, then asked, "Who is he?"
"He goes by Quick-Legs Joel. They say he's a hedge knight in House Baratheon's service," Garon replied at once.
"Quick-Legs Joel? One of Robert's hedge knights?"
Ned furrowed his brow. All sorts of thoughts crowded into his mind, leaving him unable to make sense of anything.
As Ned thought, Garon stood quietly to one side without saying another word.
After a while, Ned came back to himself. "I understand. Go back and get some rest. We'll be on the road early tomorrow!"
Garon nodded. "Yes, Lord Ned!"
He turned toward the door, but just as he stepped out of the room, he turned around again.
"Lord Ned!"
Meeting Ned's puzzled gaze, Garon said with concern, "You must be extra careful when you travel south to King's Landing!"
After a brief pause, he explained in a low voice, "My lord, even the king's party has been infiltrated by people with ulterior motives. I fear the situation in King's Landing is even more complicated. You must be careful!"
Garon's sincere words warmed Ned's heart.
Ned smiled and was about to answer, but then the troublesome question came to mind.
Garon is loyal and clever, and his judgment is every bit as good. Perhaps he can give me some advice...
With that thought, he said, "I've received some information suggesting that Hand Jon Arryn was murdered. What do you think, Garon?"
"What!" Garon shuddered and feigned surprise. "How could that be? I remember the raven said Hand Jon died of illness."
Ned didn't reveal where his information had come from, only saying vaguely, "It's just a suspicion of mine. And now I'm uncertain whether I should go south."
"Garon, I need your analysis."
"I hope you'll give me your advice without holding anything back, just as your father, Galbart, would have."
Garon's expression turned solemn. He hadn't expected Ned to be considering giving up on traveling south.
That couldn't happen!
His thoughts raced as he chose his words. "My lord, Lord Jon served as the king's Hand in King's Landing for nearly ten years."
"It's fair to say the whole of the Seven Kingdoms could function properly only because he was at the helm..."
Garon paused, then continued. "If your suspicion is right and he really was murdered, then you can imagine how powerful the enemy must be in King's Landing!"
"If you head south recklessly, you could easily meet the same fate!"
"Anyone capable of murdering the Hand must have considerable influence over the king. It's even possible that the king himself..."
Garon left the sentence unfinished, but Ned understood what he meant.
That was exactly why he hadn't outright refused Robert. He was worried Robert might be in danger.
Garon's words matched Ned's own thoughts, and Ned's heart sank.
"You mean the king is in danger, too?"
He looked at Garon, hoping he could give him a reasonable explanation.
"My lord, I can't be certain."
"But now there are people like Joel, with ill intentions, mixed into the king's party. And there's the information you suspect—that Lord Jon was murdered."
"All these clues make me wonder if the king has already lost control of King's Landing!"
Garon's eyes shifted as he continued, "I fear... His Grace really is at the center of a storm."
"I think His Grace may have realized that, too. That could be why he traveled all this way to the North, asking you to become Hand and take control of the situation!"
After hearing all this, Ned felt torn.
He thought of his conversation with Robert in the crypts, when Robert had mentioned how complicated things were in King's Landing.
Ned had assumed it was just an excuse Robert had used to persuade him to become Hand. But after hearing Garon's analysis, he could imagine how difficult the situation in King's Landing might be.
"If I go to King's Landing, what should I do?"
He sighed, and in that instant, made up his mind.
No matter what, he couldn't turn a blind eye after learning that Robert was in danger.
Garon's lips curved upward. He knew he had achieved his aim: Ned had to go south.
After a moment's thought, he offered his advice.
"Lord Ned, if you have no choice but to go..."
Garon pondered briefly, then said solemnly, "You must take complete control of the Gold Cloaks who guard King's Landing!"
"Whatever happens, you must ensure you have enough men in King's Landing to keep the situation under control."
"As for the other lords, you can sound them out one by one to determine which are enemies and which are allies."
"Win over your allies and drive out your enemies!"
When Garon finished, Ned looked at him with a complicated expression.
"Galbart has a fine son. You'd be better suited to be Hand of the King than I am!"
Garon smiled calmly and said nothing.
Ned stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder. "I'll consider your advice."
"Go back and get some rest."
"Yes!"
Before you continue