chapter 167 part 1
Chapter 167 Glyn's Good Temper
Varys didn't retort. He nodded calmly: "Lord Eddard, you know that boy very well. He truly hasn't harmed any innocent person yet."
Eddard Stark's grey eyes flickered slightly. "This is what a knight's character should naturally be, yet now it has become something worthy of praise."
Varys's face showed a meaningful smile.
Varys sighed and said, "When I was young... to be precise, before I was castrated. At that time, I spent all day with acting troupes, touring and performing in the Free Cities. They taught me one thing: everyone has their own role to play, both on and off the stage. Later, after I came here to take the position of Master of Whisperers, I discovered..."
He paused and continued: "It's the same inside the Red Keep. The Master of Laws needs to be iron-willed and merciless, the Royal Justiciar needs to be fierce and formidable, the Master of Coin needs to be diligent and frugal, and the Captain of the Kingsguard needs to be exceptionally brave. As for the Master of Whisperers... of course, he should be versatile and adept at flattery, and his actions must be all-pervasive."
Lord Eddard said coldly, "Varys, you are quite adept at finding a good excuse for your sordid deeds."
Varys seemed not to have understood the sarcasm in Lord Eddard's words.
He said with a smile, "Lord Eddard, a Master of Whisperers who is too courageous is as useless as a cowardly knight."
Lord Eddard's brows furrowed. He really disliked Varys's wordplay; no matter how well he spoke, it couldn't change Varys's hypocrisy.
He took a gulp of wine and said, "Varys, are you here to cut my throat for Cersei?"
Varys's smile froze. He shook his head and said, "I couldn't possibly do such a thing."
Lord Eddard's voice held mockery. "It can't possibly be to let me go, can it?"
Varys shook his head again, seemingly regretful: "Perhaps if it were before, I might have been able to do it, but not long ago, Petyr Baelish suddenly disappeared from the heavily guarded Black Cells. Now... the watch here has become extremely strict, especially for you, whom the Queen Regent values most."
Eddard's hand holding the wine flask paused. "Littlefinger escaped?"
Varys nodded slightly. "Lord Eddard, I am very sure. Although the Master of Whisperers has no honor, I have no need to deceive you."
After a moment of silence, Lord Eddard said, "Forget it. I can't do anything now."
He continued, "You speak the truth for once... Varys, just tell me directly your purpose in seeing me."
"Your Grace, I am here for peace."
Varys nodded. His hands clasped, he said seriously, "If there is anyone in King's Landing who truly wishes to protect Robert Baratheon's life, it is me."
Lord Eddard remained silent.
Varys showed a helpless smile, sighed, and continued, "For fifteen years, I have tried my best to protect Robert I from any harm. In the end, I couldn't prevent him from being harmed by his old friend..."
He looked directly at Lord Eddard: "What kind of crazy thoughts are in your head that made you run to tell Queen Cersei that you knew her three children were not of the royal bloodline... and even gave the Lannisters enough time to arrange Robert I's so-called 'accident'?"
Lord Eddard seemed to be mocking himself: "Crazy thoughts of mercy."
"There can only be this one answer... Lord Eddard, you are a person of noble character. I often forget this, because I rarely meet people like you in my lifetime."
He glanced around the dark and damp dungeon, then continued, "When I saw what fate mercy and honor brought you, I finally understood why."
Lord Eddard asked, "What was found out about the wine Robert drank?"
"I investigated it in secret. That strong wine was given to Lancel by Queen Cersei. She had already planned this day long ago... Lancel received King Robert's praise. He probably liked the feeling of being drunk. Hunting while drunk is inherently dangerous, and an accident was bound to happen sooner or later. This is precisely what Queen Cersei hoped for."
Varys's eyes flickered. He looked at Lord Eddard, who had his face bowed.
He continued, "If it weren't for your provocation, Queen Cersei might still have waited a while... Alas, even if that pig hadn't killed Robert, he would have fallen off his horse and been seriously injured sooner or later... Perhaps a misplaced arrow, or suddenly drinking poison... That hunting ground was already filled with traps, just waiting for the drunk King to stumble into them. Therefore, what killed Robert I was not wine, but your mercy and honor."
Lord Eddard painfully closed his eyes. "May the gods forgive me."
As Lord Eddard was immersed in grief, Varys comforted him: "Lord Eddard, if gods truly exist in this world, I don't think they would be too harsh on you. Even when you were in Winterfell, Queen Cersei had already secretly harbored the intention to eliminate Robert I."
Lord Eddard suddenly opened his eyes, his wolf-like gaze becoming as sharp as it had been during the execution in the Throne Room that day.
"Varys, you are deliberately disturbing my mind."
Varys was so frightened he took a step back, appearing both fearful and innocent.
"Lord Eddard, you mustn't misunderstand a small person's good intentions."
Lord Eddard gazed at Varys. "Tell me your true purpose. I don't want to hear any more nonsense."
Varys raised a hand to wipe the non-existent cold sweat from his forehead.
"Lord Eddard, I actually came today to tell you that Queen Cersei will be visiting you soon."
Lord Eddard said coldly, "What does she want to see me for?"
Varys glanced at the cell door and said in a low voice, "Queen Cersei is afraid of you."
Lord Eddard showed an impatient expression. "Varys, I haven't forgotten that I am a prisoner. She can execute me at any time."
Varys quickly explained, "Perhaps my expression wasn't accurate enough. It should be said that she is afraid of the power behind you: the armies of House Stark and House Tully."
"Has the North mobilized troops?"
Varys first nodded, then shook his head before saying, "Your wife and eldest son are gathering House Stark's bannermen in Winterfell. It is said that your wife has sent ravens to Riverrun and the Eyrie. The content of those letters is not hard to guess."
After a pause, Lord Eddard asked, "Is there no movement in Casterly Rock?"
Varys shrugged. "I heard that Lord Mace of Highgarden is gathering twenty thousand troops at the border of the Reach and the Westerlands, under the guise of hunting bandits. He is currently throwing a grand feast with his bannermen there. With the Reach to the east and the Riverlands to the north, I imagine Tywin Lannister must be finding things quite tricky now."
"And Dorne, the borderlands... House Martell still harbors hatred for Princess Elia and her children. As long as an opportunity for revenge arises, they will certainly not let it pass."
"What also keeps Queen Cersei restless are Robert I's two brothers. Especially Stannis, whose claim to succession is legitimate and who is a capable warrior. What will Stannis do on Dragonstone during this time? I dare wager he is recruiting troops, not collecting shells... He commands the Royal Fleet. When will he launch an attack on King's Landing? Everyone knows that Lord Stannis is certainly not a soft-hearted man."
Varys finally sighed, "The Crownlands and the Westerlands face far too many enemies."
Lord Eddard felt suspicious. Why would Varys tell him the outside intelligence? This was not beneficial to Cersei.
"Varys, who exactly do you serve?"
Varys smiled faintly, his eyes sincere: "Lord Eddard, I am working for the peace of the kingdom. I swear on my lost manhood. My every effort has only one purpose: to avoid war and maintain the peace of the kingdom."
Lord Eddard did not believe Varys's words. This was not because of his prejudice against the Master of Whisperers; it was his wolf's intuition. He felt that Varys must be hiding other unrevealed purposes.