Gryn Understood Me

Gryn hesitated.

For the sake of growing stronger, and with his knowledge of the story guiding him, Gryn had chosen to temporarily join Queen Cersei's camp, acting in his own best interests.

Sure enough, in King's Landing, nothing ever happened without a reason, no matter how big or small.

Those pushing to drive a wedge between the king and queen had considerable ambition. Even before the story officially began, the players were already making their moves beneath the surface.

Anyone who could profit from something like this had already proven their ability. They were true players in the game of power—or members of a group united by their ambitions.

Gryn guessed which few houses were the most likely culprits.

Gryn deliberately looked evasive and told Mutton to serve him a plate of stew.

Gryn awkwardly avoided Ser Jaime's fixed gaze.

Mutton placed a portion of meat on a plate and handed it to Gryn as if presenting him with a treasure.

Gryn chewed the lamb, lowering his eyes as he savored the tender stew. The exhaustion from more than ten hours of nonstop work seemed to vanish in an instant.

Jaime could tell that Gryn had noticed something. He wanted to press him for answers, but Gryn was clearly avoiding the subject.

Seeing how much Gryn was enjoying his food, Jaime grew a little annoyed. "Little wildling, are you going to eat that all by yourself? Aren't you going to offer your guest any?"

Gryn looked genuinely surprised. He swallowed his food and said, "Do Lannisters eat lamb stew, too?"

Jaime laughed in irritation. "What did you think? That Lannisters eat gold?"

Gryn threw his head back and laughed, then told Mutton to hurry and serve Ser Jaime some food.

Jaime took the plate and, abandoning his usual decorum, bit off a large mouthful of stew and chewed.

He was a little surprised to find that the ordinary-looking stew tasted better than he'd expected.

After eating for a while, Jaime said, "Lord Gryn, it's obvious I haven't been perceptive enough. If you've guessed something, I hope you'll tell me frankly. I could even keep it from Cersei. Then I'd owe you a favor. A Lannister always pays his debts!"

Gryn's ears twitched, as if he'd heard the clink of Gold Dragons.

After a pause, Gryn sighed, his expression complicated. "Warrior Mutton, take some meat and keep watch around us. Don't let anything come near."

Anything? Clever Mutton immediately understood the order. He quickly loaded up on meat, got to his feet, and left to call the guards in the distance and set up a perimeter.

Gryn picked up his chair and moved it closer to Jaime's before sitting down again. "Ser Jaime, I've sensed a vast black web closing in around our queen. It's already hanging over Queen Cersei, but it's hidden in the darkness of night, impossible to detect, yet still at work."

Jaime's pupils contracted. The fog that had obscured things from him had been torn away by Gryn.

Gryn spoke in broad descriptions without pointing to anyone in particular, but Jaime connected them to many things—including Robert and Cersei's increasingly fierce arguments.

Jaime stared at Gryn. "Have you guessed who's behind it? What are they after?"

Gryn met Jaime's gaze. "Let's set aside who's behind it. Their goal is easy enough to guess."

After a pause, he continued, "To replace Queen Cersei."

Jaime shot to his feet, the veins bulging on the back of the hand gripping his sword hilt, his face murderous.

Even as anger gripped him, Jaime was torn by a conflicting thought. If Cersei weren't queen anymore, could I take her away from King's Landing and back to Casterly Rock?

Gryn saw the conflict beneath the anger on Jaime's face and privately scoffed at the knight's naivety.

Unable to warn him directly, Gryn pretended not to notice the change in Jaime's expression. "Ser Jaime, only death or a massive stain on one's reputation can legally pave the way for a new queen."

Jaime's anger vanished at once, and his heart lurched.

He forced himself back into his chair. Seeing that Gryn's expression was merely serious and that he hadn't noticed anything amiss, Jaime let go of his panic and breathed a sigh of relief.

Jaime needed to speak to calm the frantic pounding of his heart from that brief moment. "Lord Gryn, your guess may well be right. Especially this year, I've felt that a lot of things have become strangely hard to explain. Your analysis has helped me understand a great deal."

As he spoke, Jaime found himself feeling a twinge of wariness toward Gryn for his keen instincts. The feeling struck him as absurd.

With a motive even he didn't fully understand, Jaime suddenly said, "I've failed in my duty. Cersei is in danger, and I... I've let her down..."

Gryn's heart stirred, but his expression remained unchanged. Instead, he reassured him. "Though Queen Cersei is the queen, to you she is first and foremost family."

"Your love for your family has kept you inside the house all this time, making it harder to notice the slightest changes outside. By contrast, someone like me, who was already outside, could spot what was amiss more easily."

"Ser Jaime, Queen Cersei will always trust you most. Things haven't yet reached the point of no return. You wield a blade, and a sharp sword can cut through the darkness."

Gryn's voice was calm and unhurried, with a hint of youthfulness, yet steady enough to carry a reassuring strength.

In Gryn's gaze, Jaime sensed not only concern and trust but also a trace of admiration.

As a Kingsguard representing the greatest knight in Westeros, Jaime wasn't surprised that Gryn admired him. If anything, he felt more warmly toward Gryn.

Jaime had been prejudiced against Gryn even before they met. Later, after hearing Tyrion's advice, he'd overlooked Tyrion's admiration for Gryn and grown even more biased against him.

He didn't know that Tyrion hadn't been aware of his advice at all. I was the one who'd been prejudiced first.

Jaime recalled the words of praise Tyrion had given Gryn.

As a Kingsguard, Jaime felt ashamed of the prejudice he'd held against Gryn.

He was an openhearted man. He really understands me!