[Chapter Size: 1100 Words.]
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In the end, the North's request for aid from the Wall was postponed. Faced with Joffrey's fury, no one dared to get involved.
Three days later, the 200,000 gold dragons promised by Petyr Baelish were delivered to Theon.
Theon kept half and secretly sent it back to the Iron Islands overnight.
Of the remaining 100,000, 90,000 were spent on weapons and armor, simple gear of leather and spears.
Still, it was better than holding a pitchfork. Even so, nearly a thousand men were left without proper arms or protection.
To be honest, the television series Theon had watched contained many flaws.
For instance, in the original show, the North looked like a band of beggars. Even Robb Stark, the King in the North, was poorly dressed.
Not to mention the northern soldiers, who appeared ragged, and Winterfell, which looked more like a village council hall than the stronghold of a great house.
But here, Winterfell was vast, standing as the capital of the North.
As for the true northern soldiers, it was hard to judge, so Theon could only make the best preparations possible.
He planned to exchange the remaining 10,000 gold dragons for 100,000 silver stags to pay his troops.
Three silver coins per month for a common soldier was an extraordinarily high wage.
After all, aside from the standing garrison in King's Landing, most lords didn't pay their soldiers in wartime, at best, they provided a little food and fodder.
Some men-at-arms even had to bring their own supplies when they marched.
But in war, what you could seize was yours to keep.
Like much of Westeros, they fought and plundered in equal measure.
Still, in King's Landing, a lean camel is larger than a horse. Though the crown was drowning in debt, the granaries were well stocked after the harvest.
By now, Theon had firmly secured his position. Especially after distributing silver to the troops, he won their loyalty.
His next step was to replace the real with the false and find a way to smuggle all the grain and supplies from King's Landing back to his base.
A week later, sudden news came from the front: Lord Tywin Lannister's host had been repeatedly ambushed and was suffering heavy losses.
Even Jaime had been captured. When word reached King's Landing, it was quickly suppressed.
"That damned Northerner actually defeated my grandfather in the field? Can someone explain what is happening?"
Joffrey flew into a rage, and the more furious he became, the clearer it was to Theon that he was afraid.
Theon was deeply satisfied as he studied Joffrey, who resembled his original self yet seemed different in many ways.
It was good for him to fear death. Only a king who understood fear could ever hope to rule well.
Everyone lowered their heads in silence. The defeat at the front lines was, without a doubt, the worst news they could have received.
"Your Grace, allow me to take five thousand men to the front to provide support. More than four thousand will remain in King's Landing to defend the city," Theon seized the moment and said.
"No! You cannot leave! You must stay here and defend King's Landing for me, you cannot go!" Joffrey shouted furiously.
The others turned their eyes toward Theon, astonished. In their view, Theon had already secured his position firmly in King's Landing.
With six thousand men under his command, his contribution was undeniable, so long as he could hold the city.
Leaving for the front now was a thankless and perilous task.
"Your Grace, Stannis and Renly are not on good terms and may even go to war with one another first. But the North is marching straight toward King's Landing!"
At Theon's words, Joffrey slammed his wine cup down so hard it shattered. "When will you return? If you take five thousand men, only four thousand will remain in King's Landing!"
"It will not be long, Your Grace. I will return as soon as the situation at the front is stabilized."
In the end, Joffrey allowed Theon to march north. After all, the Northern host was advancing directly toward the capital.
Once granted permission, Theon immediately began his preparations.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, he ensured that most of the cunning and untrustworthy men were among those he left behind.
Food and fodder were then transported out of the city. Not all of it could be moved, but securing two-thirds of the provisions was still a considerable gain.
That would be enough to sustain the Iron Islands for an entire year.
Theon summoned Andrik Harlaw, a powerful Lord of the Iron Islands.
"Andrik, we have rations left for only five days. Take five hundred men and transport the rest back to Pyke!"
Andrik immediately pledged to return the supplies safely to Pyke.
Though he had spent his life plundering the borders, never before had he "seized" so much food within King's Landing.
"Lord Theon, you are truly remarkable. I, Andrik, am thoroughly convinced."
Theon waved dismissively. "Many in King's Landing know what I am doing, Cersei, Varys, Baelish, but my strength keeps them silent."
Theon understood well that moving two-thirds of King's Landing's supplies could not be hidden from such shrewd figures.
Yet on one hand, he was marching to the front to 'support' the Westerlands' army, though in truth, he intended to plunder.
On the other hand, many were eager to see him gone so that King's Landing might return to its usual political order.
Most of all, Cersei Lannister likely longed for his departure.
As for the Goldcloaks, their numbers could easily be replenished to five thousand, or even expanded to six or seven thousand if needed.
All they required was food for one full meal each day, a difficult task amid the flood of war refugees.
Perhaps Joffrey was the only one in King's Landing who truly did not want Theon to leave.
But Theon had no intention of returning. King's Landing was a vortex of power, riddled with problems.
This time, Theon had expanded his army to five thousand, seized vast quantities of provisions, and obtained two hundred thousand gold dragons, all without cost.
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