The convoy lingered at Harrenhal for quite some time, as it was close enough to King's Landing that they wouldn't need to ride horses anymore; they could simply take boats down the Blackwater Rush all the way to the capital. Thus, Robert relaxed.
Two people had been sent from King's Landing to welcome the King.
The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Ser Barristan the Bold.
And Prince Renly, Robert's younger brother.
Upon seeing Robert, Renly was astonished by the change in him. He had slimmed down considerably, and he was carrying his warhammer again.
"My dear brother! What brought about such a change?" Renly asked.
"A crisis. The greatest crisis in history," King Robert replied.
"Was there any trouble in King's Landing?" Robert asked.
"Not a bit. Without you, everyone was quite happy! Hahaha!" Renly laughed.
Robert didn't mind his impudence at all.
"Your Grace, I saw a coffin when I arrived. Whose is it? Did someone important die?" Ser Barristan asked.
He suspected it might be a knight or perhaps a Kingsguard, given that the King was transporting the coffin personally.
"It's a dead man inside. Ser Waymar Royce of the Vale, the youngest son of Bronze Yohn Royce," Robert said.
"Do not touch that coffin! I have other uses for it," he added a warning.
---
Lancelot soared in the sky on Hrakkar, accompanied by Joffrey, Myrcella, Tommen, Sansa, Arya, and Bran.
"Wow! Ooh!" Bran howled happily like a wolf.
"This is my first time flying! And not on a dragon, but a lion! Ser Lancelot, how did Hrakkar become like this?" Bran asked.
"I'm not entirely sure myself. We met a group of wildlings beyond the Wall, and one of them was a witch. She seemed to cast a spell on Hrakkar."
"Fortunately, he's got luck on his side. He survived, evolved, and grew wings," Lancelot explained.
This was naturally a lie, but it held a grain of truth. Lions are essentially cats, and cats have nine lives, so he was indeed lucky.
Lancelot landed Hrakkar on one of the ruined towers of Harrenhal.
Harrenhal had five towers, none of which were intact. Having been bathed in dragonfire, the upper levels were uninhabitable, and no one had bothered to renovate them.
Currently, Harrenhal belonged to House Whent. Lord Whent was dead, and Lady Whent ruled the castle.
However, she didn't give Robert and Eddard Stark a warm welcome.
This was because House Whent had supported House Targaryen during Robert's Rebellion, and Lady Whent's brother-in-law, Oswell Whent, had died at the Tower of Joy.
In a sense, Eddard Stark was the man who killed Oswell Whent.
"This tower is so high! Much higher than the tallest tower in Winterfell!"
Bran climbed down from Hrakkar's back. He lay on the window ledge looking down, noting that people looked like tiny black dots.
"Indeed. The kitchens here are as large as the Great Hall of Winterfell. The stables can hold a thousand warhorses, and the Godswood covers twenty acres."
"The rooms here are big enough for giants," Lancelot said.
"However! Blessed lands are for blessed people! This place is cursed."
"Look at House Whent. They don't dare come up here; they live in the lower third of the towers."
"I'm going to climb down from here!" Bran suddenly announced.
He began to climb down the outer wall of the Kingspyre Tower, bit by bit, like an expert rock climber.
"Lancelot, save him! Bran is going to fall!" Sansa watched her brother with worry.
She shook Lancelot's arm, pleading for him to protect Bran.
"Don't worry! Bran has already passed his fated trial! He won't fall while climbing walls anymore," Lancelot said, waving his hand dismissively.
However, the slap in the face came swiftly. And it slapped Lancelot hard.
Bran's scream pierced their ears. Looking down from the window, they saw Bran falling along with a loose stone he had grabbed.
"Damn it!" Lancelot panicked.
"Hrakkar, save him!" Lancelot commanded.
Hrakkar let out a low growl and dove down. But he failed to catch Bran.
Bran hit the ground hard. Lancelot and the others rushed down the stairs.
By the time they ran outside, Catelyn was already holding Bran, weeping.
Eddard Stark was frantically calling for a Maester. Finally, Lady Whent's Maester arrived slowly.
The onlookers were terrified, whispering among themselves.
"A curse. It's the curse of Harrenhal. No one who comes here ends well. They went to the top of the tower! They'll all die."
"Bran is the first, but he won't be the last."
Many servants and handmaidens whispered such things.
"Bran, my Bran! Don't die!" Catelyn was grief-stricken.
After the Maester's examination, it was determined that while Bran's life was not in danger, his legs were broken.
The Maester declared that he would never walk again.
Upon hearing this, Catelyn stormed over to confront Lancelot furiously.
"Why did you take my son to such a dangerous place? He's only seven! He's just a child! His legs are broken! I want your legs in return!"
Catelyn was like a mad she-wolf, ready to tear Lancelot apart.
Several of Cersei's handmaidens held her back.
Lancelot looked guilty.
"Lady Catelyn, rest assured. I will cure him! I will return a healthy Bran to you," Lancelot promised.
Lancelot left immediately after speaking. He returned to his room and began the lottery draw.
Last time, he had seen an item called "Black Jade Intermittent Paste" in the prize pool.
He decided to try his luck and see if he could draw it.
Lancelot's graffiti at Castle Black was still generating popularity points, and his visits to the Last Hearth and Winterfell had also provided a significant amount.
Now, Lancelot was in the eye of a storm of public opinion. Stark soldiers and Tully soldiers were secretly cursing him. Lannister soldiers and Baratheon retainers were all discussing him.
This generated a massive amount of popularity points.
After all, popularity points didn't distinguish between good and bad, fame and infamy. The more people discussed you, even if they were badmouthing you, the more points you got.
Lancelot's popularity points had reached 1500.
Lancelot went straight for a fifteen-consecutive draw. In the end, he obtained the following items:
1. Lighter
2. Skeleton Key
3. Energy Amethyst
4. Beret
5. Peking Duck
6. Bowl of Beef Noodles
7. Fire Spirit Stone
8. Black Gold Intermittent Paste
9. Compound Bow
10. Beast-Face Swallowing Heaven Armor Set
11. Painted Halberd
12. Repeater Crossbow
13. Bicycle
14. Rebar (One meter long)
15. Damascus Steel Knife