Everyone froze in place, even their breathing turning cautious.
Ned Stark's face went from red to livid, then from livid to white.
He looked at Joffrey, who had been slapped to the floor and was still fiercely shielding the girl despite the blood at the corner of his mouth, then at Cersei beside him, already trembling with rage.
Finally, his gaze settled on the furious Robert.
He wanted to say something.
He wanted justice for his daughter. He wanted to demand why the king allowed the prince to humiliate House Stark like this.
But in the end, all those words became nothing more than a heavy sigh.
Whatever else happened, at least the betrothal would certainly be broken.
His precious daughter Sansa would finally no longer have to marry this capricious, cruel, vicious madman.
Was that not a release for him, for Sansa, and for all of House Stark?
"Your Grace, please calm down."
In the end, it was Jaime Lannister who stepped forward.
He steadied his sister, who was swaying with anger, cast a conflicted glance at Joffrey on the floor, and spoke to Robert in a measured voice.
"Joffrey is still only a child. He..."
"A child?"
Robert reacted as though he had heard the greatest joke in the world.
He pointed a finger at Joffrey's nose, spraying spittle all over Jaime's face.
"He's still a fucking child?"
"When I was fifteen, I was already smashing my enemies' skulls with a warhammer!"
"And him?"
"All he can do is publicly humiliate his future queen!"
Cersei went rigid, her green eyes instantly filling with humiliation.
"Robert! Watch your words!"
Cersei warned him.
"Joffrey is your son! The heir to the throne!"
"I'd fucking rather have no son at all!"
Robert roared back without mercy.
Undisguised disgust filled his bleary