Game of Thrones: Joffrey the Chosen

"Aaaaaah!"

Robert slammed a piece of bread down on the table.

The force was so great that the sausages on Joffrey's plate bounced and rolled onto the pristine white tablecloth.

"Lysa, a duchess and the widow of Erin, where did she get the audacity to have an affair with another man!"

The king's roar echoed in the dining room, and the candlelight on the walls flickered incessantly.

"Now the whole city is gossiping, saying that the sickly man is a bastard of unknown origin."

"That's the Prime Minister's child! My adoptive father's son!"

"I swear I will protect him!"

This dinner was destined to be anything but peaceful.

Joffrey silently put the sausage back on the silver plate, as if the whole affair had nothing to do with him.

The king's azure eyes burned with a terrifying flame as he stared intently at the purple figure standing in the room.

"Spider, where did this damn rumor come from? Have you even investigated it?"

The eunuch Varys tucked his hands into his sleeves, bowed slightly, and his bald head appeared red in the firelight.

"Your Majesty, the people of King's Landing have always loved stories, especially these scandalous tales about noble ladies, secret lovers, and questionable offspring."

"Besides, this is a baseless rumor, which is easier to spread than breathing."

The eunuch's soft tone sounded very sincere.

"No matter how many little birds I have, I still can't figure out which ditch this bedbug crawled out of."

"An excuse!" The king's anger hadn't subsided. "What use are you to me!"

Before Varys could respond, a cold and arrogant voice cut in from the side.

"Perhaps we should be more concerned about the greater hidden dangers involved."

Cersei's gaze was sharp as needles: "Your Majesty, this rumor reveals such a disgusting truth."

"Stained rumors about Lysa Tully have spread throughout King's Landing and will soon reach the entire Seven Kingdoms."

"How can a mother embroiled in scandal rule as regent of the Eyrie and the Vale?"

"How can that frail and sickly child possibly command respect and shoulder the heavy responsibility of protecting the Eastern Border in the future?"

Upon hearing this, Robert frowned and his breathing became heavier.

"Woman, what do you mean?"

Cersei calmly wiped her glistening lips with a gold-embroidered handkerchief.

"I think that for the sake of the kingdom's stability, the Eastern Border Guardian should be temporarily replaced."

The air in the restaurant suddenly froze.

Little Finger immediately stepped forward, speaking a little faster than usual.

"Her Majesty's words naturally stem from her deep concern for the stability of the kingdom."

"However, the Erin family's hereditary title involves ancient laws and vassal oaths. I hope Your Majesty will consider this carefully."

"Moreover, Robert is the legitimate son of Lord Jon Snow, there is no doubt about that. These rumors will dissipate in time, but if they shake the foundation..."

"Nothing at all?" Cersei interrupted him rudely, a mocking smile playing on her lips.

"Lord Baelish, what do you consider to be fundamental?"

"The reputation of the royal family and the unwavering loyalty of the Vale lords to their lord are the fundamental things."

"An heir shrouded in mystery is itself the greatest source of instability!"

She turned her face away, her tone softening.

"Robert, we cannot allow Lord Jon's lands to fall into potential turmoil."

"Until Robert comes of age, the Vale needs a stronger Protector to deter all sides and faithfully carry out the will of the Royal Family."

Varys also spoke up at the opportune moment, his voice light and airy, as if he were trying to kindly mediate the conflict.

"Her Majesty's worries are truly understandable."

"After all, stability is paramount."

He paused for a moment, then smoothly threw the question back at him.

"Does Your Majesty already have a suitable candidate in mind?"

It seems that this is the moment Cersei has been waiting for.

She slightly raised her chin.

In my opinion...

"That is Ser James Lannister."

The restaurant fell silent instantly, with only the crackling of the fireplace wood remaining.

Littlefinger's smile froze completely on his face, and Varys' eyes widened slightly.

Joffrey buried his head almost entirely in the plate.

Mother, oh Mother, you never miss a single opportunity.

Startled by the tense atmosphere, Messiah gently tugged at his sleeve.

"Brother, why are they arguing?"

So you're asking me?

Joffrey rolled his eyes inwardly.

To cleanse his palate, he stuffed a piece of melon into his mouth.

"It's just a difference in perspective."

Robert stared at Cersei, a complex expression on his face a mixture of astonishment and calculation.

"A tyrant?"

"He's a Kingsguard! His duty is to protect the King, not to rule the Vale!" Robert retorted in a muffled voice.

But its momentum was not as fierce as before, and it seemed that it was really considering the pros and cons.

Cersei did not back down in the face of criticism, and her reasons sounded quite plausible.

"That is why Jaime's loyalty transcended his family and reached the royal family."

"What we need right now is absolutely reliable talent, not people who will be influenced by bloodlines and rumors."

Littlefinger finally recovered from his initial shock.

After reluctantly agreeing, he changed the subject.

"But Your Majesty, a sudden change of guardians, especially involving forces from outside the valley, may arouse even greater suspicion and backlash."

"Wouldn't it be more prudent to send a royal envoy to supervise and assist?"

He tried to downplay the matter.

"An envoy?" Cersei immediately retorted.

"If they encounter Valley nobles who outwardly comply but inwardly defy them, what authority can a mere special envoy possibly possess!"

But Littlefinger, unusually, did not back down this time and continued to insist on the importance of the law and custom.

The eunuchs then began to try and smooth things over.

The restaurant quickly erupted into a noisy argument.

Robert scratched his hair in frustration.

"That's enough!"

He let out a low growl, temporarily silencing all the noise.

"We'll talk about the Vale later! Spider, you continue investigating the source of the rumors! Cersei, your suggestion... I'll consider it."

He spoke the last few words vaguely and reluctantly, but finally he let go.

Littlefinger retreated with a gloomy expression.

The eunuch followed closely behind.

Joffrey then looked up and took a swig of ice-cold beer.

The bitterness of malt slid down my throat.

Poor little finger.

It's as bitter as the weeds under the wheels of a car or the bitter melon in the cracks of rocks.

A carefully crafted plan built over many years can be ruined by a few casual words at the dinner table.

Cersei could easily have spent days whispering in Robert's ear to force him to back down.

After all, he owed the Lannisters millions of gold dragons and had recently rejected Tywin Lannister's appointment as Hand of the King, so he had to offer some political compensation.

However, such matters should be decided behind closed doors, rather than being thrown out into the open.

Joffrey stared at the knife and fork on his plate.

Having suffered such a huge loss, Littlefinger will definitely retaliate next.

In other words, through Lysa, they tried to sow discord between the Starks and the Lannisters.

His actions were very cautious, so the dirty work changed hands many times, leaving no trace on the surface.

However, excessive confidence can also mean arrogance.

Even when targeted, Littlefinger prefers to believe that he was just unlucky and got caught in the crossfire.

Who would have thought someone would see through it all?

Joffrey led his younger siblings out of the restaurant.

A defamatory letter is no match for a respectable prince who is to be your son-in-law.