Gryn swore that at first, he had only gone along with Boss Cersei out of a sense of duty.
But now, he couldn't help feeling a secret stir in his heart.
Gryn had to admit he had underestimated the allure of Queen Cersei, whose beauty was among the finest in the Seven Kingdoms.
Though bearing three children had left its mark on her, Cersei, with her golden curls and emerald eyes, still had a slender figure and fair skin.
Drawing on all his willpower, Gryn forcibly suppressed the restlessness in his heart and continued working.
Gryn's gaze wandered, evading Queen Cersei's direct stare.
His thoughts raced beneath the surface. Outwardly, his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. "Your Grace, do you have someone in mind to replace the Hand of the King?"
Gryn's answer took Cersei by surprise—or, more accurately, delighted her.
Gryn really does understand me!
The Hand of the King Cersei wanted most was, of course, her father, Tywin Lannister. But she knew King Robert would never agree.
Queen Cersei withdrew her graceful hand, satisfied. "You always manage to surprise and delight me. But you should know that as long as Robert is alive, that old bastard Jon's position is unshakable."
Cersei noticed Gryn subtly edging away from her as she spoke.
Watching Gryn pretend nothing was wrong as he steadied his breathing, Cersei curled her lips into a smile.
Gryn said, "Today, I noticed that Lord Jon is in very poor health. Even if it's only for the sake of his health, you, as Queen, have every reason to recommend a new Hand of the King. That would give Lord Jon a rival. Even if we can't remove him from his position as Hand of the King, we can at least damage his reputation and give him another powerful political enemy."
At this, Gryn's tone shifted, dropping to a quiet murmur. "The enemy of your enemy might become your friend. You can simply sit back and watch the show. Then, you'll be the one in control."
After a pause, Gryn continued, "You'll be above the fray. Neither of them will have an advantage unless they win your support."
Cersei's eyes gleamed, as if she could already picture old Jon on his knees, begging her to help him keep his position.
Queen Cersei's breathing grew heavy. "What do you plan to do?"
Gryn's voice had returned to its usual steady tone. "After the Kingswood Hunt, please allow me to travel to the Reach in your name and meet with Lord Mace Tyrell of Highgarden."
"The Lord Oaf?"
Now that was a heavyweight!
Though Cersei's tone was disdainful, Gryn still caught the wariness she hid so well.
The Lord Oaf was a nickname others used for Mace Tyrell, head of House Tyrell.
The prestigious House Tyrell ruled the fertile Reach. Their sigil was a golden rose blooming over a green field, and they were second only to House Lannister in wealth. They possessed not only a formidable land army but a naval force that rivaled the Royal Fleet.
Gryn said, "To a fish, King's Landing is its fishbowl. And in the end, you'll be the one holding that fishbowl."
Gryn's clever answer greatly pleased the ever-confident Queen Cersei.
Cersei lifted her lovely chin slightly. "Go and do it. Put your talents to use, Lord Gryn."
With that, Queen Cersei moved closer to Gryn again.
Gryn noticed Queen Cersei's gaze drift briefly downward.
Queen Cersei curved her lips into a faint smile. "Do your job well and make me happy. Your Queen won't be stingy with your reward."
A reward? Cersei's choice of words made Gryn's thoughts wander.
Queen Cersei, now in an even better mood, shot Gryn a smiling sidelong glance and turned. "Come along, Little Baron. It's almost time for lunch."
Red Keep, Maegor's Holdfast dining room.
Queen Cersei sat at the head of the long table.
To Cersei's right sat Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen, in that order. To her left sat Jaime, Gryn, Lancel, and Tyrion.
The seating seemed to follow rank and title, but in truth, it was arranged according to Queen Cersei's favor.
Simply by virtue of the Lannister name, Tyrion and Lancel should have been seated ahead of Gryn, a "country noble."
Queen Cersei had the makings of a tyrant.
The maids brought out course after course, arranged in gilded bowls and dishes.
First came a thick soup made with mushrooms and buttered snails, followed by pine nut and egg cakes and oat bread baked with apples and oranges.
After the sweets came the meat dishes: wild boar ribs, large lamb chops stewed with raisins and onions, and parsley-baked fish cakes. Finally, the maids set a serving of buttered peas in front of each person.
Once all the dishes had been served, the maids began pouring wine. It was Tyrion's favorite, Summer Wine.
Gryn thought Queen Cersei's intelligence was incomplete. If she knew Tyrion's favorite was Summer Wine, then given her temperament, she would surely have chosen another vintage—or made a point of replacing Tyrion's wine alone.
Partway through the meal, Joffrey, seated diagonally across from Gryn, suddenly raised his cup toward him.
Gryn had absolutely no desire to get too close to this brat.
But he was Boss Cersei's favorite son!
No matter what he thought, Gryn maintained perfect manners and raised his cup in return to "Emperor" Joffrey.
Lancel, watching from the side, couldn't help feeling envious.
The way Joffrey's gaze kept drifting toward Lancel was unmistakably malicious. Prince Joffrey disliked him and only him!
Lancel hoped King Robert would return from the hunt soon and free him from Joffrey.
During the meal, Queen Cersei announced that Gryn would take charge of this year's Kingswood Hunt.
Jaime also told Gryn that the Queen's stewards had prepared the usual list. Before setting out, he was to meet with the Master of Coin, Petyr, and collect the gold dragons needed for the hunt.
Lord Gryn was also promoted to Queen Cersei's Chief Steward.
With his promotion came a higher salary. Though time was still tight, Gryn felt he could get back to the grind.
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