[Chapter Size: 1200 Words.]
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After much bargaining, Theon finally extorted 200,000 gold dragons from Petyr Baelish.
Of course, these coins would not be used to expand the army, but would instead go straight into Theon's own pocket. As for Littlefinger exposing him, Theon knew he would never be foolish enough to reveal such a deal.
Littlefinger's heart bled as he returned home. His total assets were worth less than 500,000 gold coins, and he had planned to use them to raise an army and secure a fief in the future.
Yet before he even managed to obtain that fief, half his fortune had already been extorted by that beast, Theon.
After dismissing Littlefinger, Theon had originally planned to meet with Varys, but his intentions were interrupted by the sudden arrival of Sansa.
"Theon, please save me," Sansa pleaded as soon as she entered.
At that moment, Sansa had no idea Theon had betrayed her father. Very few people knew the truth. It was not the kind of matter that was too small to matter, nor too large to ignore, but it was significant enough.
After all, few would ever choose to trust an obviously ambitious hostage, yet Ned Stark had believed in him.
And even if Theon had not betrayed Ned, the man would likely have met the same fate. The main substance of Theon's agreement with Cersei revolved around Lysa Arryn in the Vale accusing the Lannisters.
"Sansa, calm yourself!" Theon quickly embraced the Key to the North, no, it was Sansa.
"I want to save you, but King's Landing is in chaos. I must secure my own position first. Stay here for now, will you?"
Sansa nodded helplessly in Theon's arms, then wiped away her tears and left.
Theon watched her departing figure, already plotting how to persuade Joffrey to marry her to him. Such a marriage would grant him a legitimate claim over the North.
In Westeros, there are two types of rule: one gained by violent conquest, which after two or three generations becomes grudgingly accepted, and the other secured through lawful inheritance.
In most cases, Theon preferred the second path, for the cost of conquest was far greater.
Over the next six months, Theon recruited 2,000 refugees into his army. At the same time, he absorbed 1,500 Gold Cloaks with clean records, who quickly fell under his command.
With this, Theon's forces swelled to 6,000 men. While their overall combat effectiveness remained questionable, their numbers alone gave him strength.
They fed on King's Landing's resources, but the refugee soldiers were grateful to Theon. A considerable portion of the original Gold Cloaks were battle-tested veterans, and many were promoted to squad leaders, a rare advancement for men of their background.
In contrast stood Janos Slynt, a despicable man notorious for his greed. He sold positions within the City Watch and frequently withheld pay from common Gold Cloaks.
Nearly half the wages of three thousand men were skimmed off by him, a testament to his avarice. At the same time, he had aligned himself with Cersei and became part of her faction.
Theon had noticed him the moment he arrived in King's Landing, not only because Slynt had betrayed Ned Stark in the original plot, but also because of his arrogant manner toward others.
It was truly loathsome.
Still, Theon expected Janos to soon come knocking at his door, for by taking nearly 1,500 Gold Cloaks under his command, he had halved the protection fees Slynt had been collecting that month.
"My lord Theon, His Majesty has summoned a meeting of the council and invites you to attend."
"Very well, I am on my way."
When Theon arrived at the Small Council, everyone was already seated, including Janos Slynt, commander of the City Watch.
Cersei was there as well, her expression dark.
Her gaze, in particular, seemed to devour him alive.
"Your Majesty, I accuse Theon Greyjoy of conspiracy. He has secretly incorporated the Gold Cloaks into his own army and selected strong young men among the destitute to serve as soldiers." As expected, Janos Slynt was the first to move against Theon.
Theon immediately knew Cersei was behind this. Slynt would never have dared to provoke him on his own. He was the typical villain who relied on powerful patrons to bully those beneath him.
Faced with a Lord commanding 6,000 men, Slynt would never act without Cersei's orders.
To put it bluntly, nearly seventy percent of King's Landing's military power now rested in Theon's hands.
Theon feared no one. "Your Majesty, I received your permission to expand the army in King's Landing, but those Gold Cloaks joined me of their own free will."
He rose to his feet and thundered: "Janos Slynt, you take bribes, you buy and sell offices, and you force the Gold Cloaks to surrender half their wages to you. Is this the kind of man who deserves to command the City Watch?"
"Your Majesty, imagine your two treacherous uncles leading tens of thousands of men against King's Landing, while the soldiers who defend you are denied their full wages. How much willpower would they have left to fight for you?"
Joffrey panicked at Theon's words and turned his cruel, undisguised gaze upon Janos Slynt.
Slynt immediately broke into a cold sweat and looked to Cersei for help.
Although helpless, Cersei had to find a way to save him. If Slynt died, the remaining Gold Cloaks would almost certainly fall under Theon's command.
"Your Majesty," Cersei counseled swiftly, "Slynt helped you suppress Ned Stark's rebellion. His merits and crimes balance each other. This is a delicate moment, it is not wise to execute him now. Better to wait until your grandfather has crushed the rebellion."
Cersei's words still carried weight with Joffrey. So long as he was not openly defied, matters rarely turned against her.
In the end, Joffrey looked at Slynt with obvious reluctance, already plotting how he might torment the man later. Yet he could not shake the sense that Theon's warning was correct. In his mind's eye, he saw his uncles storming King's Landing and hacking off his head.
Theon spoke no further and returned to his seat in silence.
For a long moment, the council chamber was hushed, until Grand Maester Pycelle, trembling, produced a letter.
"News has arrived from the Wall in the North," he quavered. "The wildlings have begun gathering for unknown reasons, and King's Landing is being asked to provide supplies and manpower."
Theon curled his lip at Pycelle. The man was clearly vigorous enough to keep women in his bed, yet pretended to be nothing but frail and decrepit.
In the original accounts, when Tyrion captured him, he had been caught in the arms of a woman. A fool, through and through.
"How can we possibly help them now?" Joffrey snapped. "Their king is a prisoner here in King's Landing, and they dare demand reinforcements and provisions, even with the mighty Wall to protect them?"
Unlike in the original tale, Joffrey was now far more aware of his precarious position. Theon's constant threats had driven the point home.
He was deeply unsettled by this new reality, and he had even begun to spend less time tormenting others.
But he had grown far more irritable. Now, Joffrey executed servants for the smallest mistakes. At least their deaths came swiftly, whether that was fortune or misfortune remained unclear.
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