In the Great Hall of Winterfell, King-Beyond-the-Wall Mance Rayder, unarmed and facing the approaching swords, had no choice but to lay down his harp and surrender.
This was undoubtedly a wise choice. Mance Rayder was a formidable fighter. Fully armed, Mance Rayder might have been able to defeat Kingsguard Boros Blount, Meryn Trant, and others, but against Jaime the Kingslayer, his chances of winning were slim.
Moreover, there was The Hound Sandor Clegane, watching eagerly and waiting for an opportunity. As Prince Joffrey's guard, he was originally protecting Joffrey on the platform. As soon as he heard there was an assassin, The Hound immediately strode over.
Jory Cassel, Captain of the Winterfell Guard, along with soldiers Fat Tom, Quent, Alyn, and others, handcuffed and shackled Mance Rayder.
Theon, with a smile on his face, eagerly rushed forward to help. He and Robb together helped hold down Mance Rayder's arms. The two seemed determined to share the glory of capturing the King-Beyond-the-Wall alive.
King-Beyond-the-Wall Mance Rayder's expression remained unchanged throughout, a cold sneer on his face.
Benjen looked at the captured wildling singer, "Are you really Mance Rayder?"
As the First Ranger of the Night's Watch, Benjen had never dreamed that King-Beyond-the-Wall Mance Rayder, whom he had been desperately hunting Beyond the Wall, would be so audacious as to disguise himself as a singer and come to his hometown of Winterfell to attend the grand feast hosted by Lord Eddard to welcome King Robert.
Mance Rayder held his head high and said proudly, "Yes, you are Benjen of Winterfell, First Ranger of the Night's Watch."
Tyrion smirked, "Benjen, it seems you're not a very competent First Ranger! The King-Beyond-the-Wall came all the way to Winterfell, performed right under your nose as the only singer at the feast, and you didn't even notice."
Benjen, with cold disgust, looked down at Tyrion, "Imp, when I joined the Night's Watch, Mance Rayder was already a Night's Watch deserter and had left Castle Black. I didn't know him."
This was the first time Tyrion had heard that Mance Rayder was a Night's Watch deserter, and he became even more curious about Mance Rayder's life story.
Tyrion chuckled, "You don't know the King-Beyond-the-Wall, but the King-Beyond-the-Wall knows you. This world is truly chaotic. People say the Night's Watch is the horn that wakes the sleepers, Benjen, but I think the Night's Watch is asleep. Who can it wake?"
Benjen's anger flared. Jon said, "Mance Rayder hides in the shadows Beyond the Wall, so he naturally has the opportunity to observe and recognize the First Ranger of the Night's Watch. This is like the thieves, rogues, and rapists in Flea Bottom in King's Landing, most of whom know the Commander of the City Watch, but the Commander of the Gold Cloaks cannot possibly know every petty thief."
Mance Rayder was a little displeased, "bastard, that logic is sound, but comparing me to the scum of Flea Bottom in King's Landing is a bit too insulting."
Jon laughed wryly, "I, Jon Snow, am a bastard, and aren't you, Mance Rayder, the same?"
The crowd parted, and Eddard, Catelyn, King Robert, Queen Cersei, and others walked over.
Joffrey, Sansa, Princess Myrcella, Prince Tommen, Arya, and little Rickon followed behind the adults.
Robert was already a bit drunk. He said gruffly, "Isn't that the singer? The singer turned assassin? What exactly happened?"
Benjen said, "Your Majesty, this singer, who called himself Erlbe, is actually King-Beyond-the-Wall Mance Rayder."
Eddard frowned, "King-Beyond-the-Wall Mance Rayder disguised himself as a singer and came under my roof to perform for the King. Who discovered the singer's true identity?"
A fervent gleam flickered in Tyrion's mismatched eyes, one green, one black.
"Lord Eddard, it was your Bastard Jon who exposed the King-Beyond-the-Wall's disguise. Jon Snow said he dreamed that the King-Beyond-the-Wall would appear at the feast in Winterfell to welcome the King, and it indeed came true."
"Lord Eddard, I originally didn't believe it, but now I have witnessed Jon's miracle with my own eyes. I think this child is simply a magical sorcerer."
Eddard, Robert, Cersei, Catelyn, and others exchanged looks of doubt and shock.
Catelyn's gaze at Jon Snow held a trace of fear. Now that Jon's dream prophecies were consistently coming true, such terrifying magical ability, if Jon intended to seize Robb's position as heir, would be a great threat to Catelyn's children.
Eddard leaned close to Robert's ear, "Your Majesty, the King-Beyond-the-Wall appearing at the feast in Winterfell might involve a larger conspiracy. There are too many eyes and ears here; we should interrogate Mance Rayder privately at once."
The Winterfell guards escorted Mance Rayder to the dungeon interrogation room.
In a nearby cell, Night's Watch deserter Gared was imprisoned. As a veteran who had served in the Night's Watch for over thirty years, Gared immediately recognized Mance Rayder.
"Mance, thank the gods above, you Night's Watch deserter, self-proclaimed King-Beyond-the-Wall, have actually been captured."
Mance Rayder gave Gared a gentle smile, as if seeing a long-lost friend, "Gared, didn't you also become a deserter? We are all lost crows, so let's not look down on each other."
Jon, Robb, Theon, and others stood by, facing King Robert's Kingsguard: Jaime the Kingslayer, Meryn Trant, Boros Blount, and others.
King Robert and Lord Eddard sat in the judges' seats. Robert looked at Mance Rayder and said proudly, "I recall Jon Arryn once mentioning that Lord Commander of the Night's Watch Old Bear often referred to you, the King-Beyond-the-Wall, in his letters to the Small Council."
"The lands Beyond the Wall do not belong to the Seven Kingdoms. As long as you stay Beyond the Wall, we don't care if you call yourself king. But you actually came to Winterfell alone, disguised as a singer. Could it be that you truly intended to assassinate me?"
Mance Rayder shook his head, "No, I came to Winterfell this time only to satisfy my own curiosity. I was once a member of the Night's Watch, guarding the kingdom for the King. Later, I went Beyond the Wall, defeated many wildling chiefs, and became the King-Beyond-the-Wall, but I had never seen the King."
"King Robert, I have never seen you, but I have heard of your deeds for a long time. The king who decided the fate of the realm with a single hammer at the Trident, the stag war god who overthrew the dragon dynasty. When I learned that the King was coming to Winterfell, I decided to come and see."
Lord Eddard said coldly, "You couldn't have come alone. There must be other wildlings hidden in Winterfell and the North."
Mance Rayder turned to Jon, "If you don't believe me, you can ask your Bastard Jon Snow. He dreamed that I would come alone. Jon has magic; that boy can see through all mists."
King Robert looked at Jon with admiration, then turned to Eddard, "I didn't expect your bastard to have the ability of a prophet! This is a rare talent! Think about it, when we were fighting Mad King Aerys and Rhaegar, if we had a dream prophet, House Targaryen would have been wiped out by us long ago!"
Maester Luwin said excitedly, "Your Majesty, Jon Snow recently awakened the talent of dream prophecy. He successfully predicted the death of Lord Jon Arryn, the Night's Watch deserter, and the King's visit. Now, he has used his prophecy to successfully help us capture Mance Rayder, disguised as a singer."
"I have already written a report to the Conclave of The Citadel. I believe Archmaester Marwyn will certainly be interested in Jon Snow's prophetic abilities."
Whether it was The Hound Sandor, Jaime the Kingslayer, King Robert, Robb, or even Theon, who usually looked down on Jon, all cast envious glances at Jon.
King Robert asked Jon, "Child, how exactly did you awaken your dream prophecy talent?"
Jon Snow humbly replied, "Your Majesty, not every dream comes true. Only when I have a Green Dream does it come true."
Tyrion, standing nearby and listening, said, "Dream prophecy is more common among the crannogmen, Northmen, and wildlings. Of course, it is rumored that the famous bastard of The Riverlands, Bloodraven Brynden Rivers, also possesses this talent. Of course, the most famous dream prophet was Daenys the Dreamwalker of House Targaryen."
Eddard did not want Jon's name associated with House Targaryen. He said, "Mance is not only the King-Beyond-the-Wall, but also a Night's Watch deserter. Let us interrogate Mance Rayder at once!"