The Mountain of Ice and Fire

The next morning, Gregor sent Duke Tywin back to Casterly Rock.

Accompanying the Duke were Lady Jeyne Westerling, Sweetmouth Rafford Clegane, and dozens of horsemen from Clegane's Hold.

After passing Casterly Rock, Lady Jeyne and her party took the official road north to the Crag to prepare for the Clegane family's internal wedding in ten days.

Ser Gregor was left with only three people: the headsman Dunsen Clegane, his loyal fan Polliver Clegane, and his adopted daughter Jory Clegane.

Before Duke Tywin departed, Maester Hallis released a raven early in the morning, sending a message to Chiswyck the Big Man in Lannisport, ordering him to lead his bravest and most fearless brothers back to Clegane's Hold, as the Mountain had important matters for Chiswyck to attend to.

Clegane's Hold was very close to Lannisport, with their territories bordering each other.

Chiswyck, who was busy in Lannisport subduing old subordinates and annexing newly emerging gangs and small mercenary groups, quickly received the raven. He couldn't read a word, but naturally, there were brothers who could read the letter for him.

Chiswyck was overjoyed after hearing the letter. Since pledging allegiance to the Mountain, he hadn't had any outstanding performance. He hadn't yet gathered information about the former members of the warband who had become pirates in the Sunset Sea, so he hadn't gone out to sea to recruit them.

Now a good opportunity had come. The Mountain had suddenly sent a letter, asking him to take his most capable and boldest brothers back to do great things. Chiswyck's toes instantly filled with energy, and he was like a balloon filled with air. He immediately carefully selected seventeen people, making a total of eighteen riders, and rushed back to Clegane's Hold at full speed.

After lunch, Gregor and his party, totaling twenty-three riders, with one spare horse per person, and Ser Gregor with two spare horses, took the old horse soldier Thommas Mann, entrusted Clegane's Hold to the joint management of the witch, Lady Alynne, and Master Toth Mott, and then Ser Gregor confidently led the twenty-two out of Clegane's Hold.

Gregor and his party took a shortcut along a small road, heading straight north, bypassing Casterly Rock, and after a short half hour of rapid march, they reached the River Road.

The River Road was the only official road connecting the Westerlands and the Riverlands to the east. After entering the mountains, this official road had a famous checkpoint on the border of the Westerlands, which was also the only border city of the Westerlands to the east: the Golden Tooth.

Ser Gregor's first target was to go to the Golden Tooth.

The Golden Tooth and the Marbrand family's Ashemark to the north were completely different places, not even in the same general direction.

What was the mystery?

Although everyone didn't understand, no one dared to ask the Mountain. They just mustered their strength and hurried forward.

Before setting off, all twenty-two people knew that the Mountain was going to make trouble for the Marbrand family of Ashemark, because Lord Damon and his heir Ser Addam had dared to gather all the major and minor nobles in the north to form an alliance, occupying the Westerling family's land and refusing to return it, and claiming that they were not afraid of war.

Since you want war, then war it is!

Although the Mountain didn't say anything after receiving the news, he was already furious in his heart. If he didn't deal with the Marbrand family, he wouldn't be the Mountain.

But with just the twenty-two people around him? And one of them was a little girl, Jory Clegane, and another was an old horse soldier, Thommas Mann.

Before setting off, Chiswyck and the headsman Dunsen, two absolutely fearless and brave generals, raised questions. The Mountain only glanced at them and said, 'If you're afraid, stay behind.'

This made Chiswyck's face turn red and made the headsman Dunsen feel ashamed.

Being so despised by the Mountain made the two absolute tough guys taste what shame was.

Dunsen was fine, as he had been with the Mountain for a long time; Chiswyck was a newcomer to the Mountain. The Mountain valued him and specially summoned him back to give him a chance to make a contribution. Before the team had even set off, the Mountain told him to stay behind if he was afraid. These words made Chiswyck the Big Man's black face turn red.

He finally realized that the Mountain was the Mountain. The heroic deeds he, Chiswyck, had done in the past, such as conquering the East City, South City, and North City gangs, were all insignificant in the Mountain's eyes.

The Mountain, who dared to challenge the alliance of more than twenty northern noble families with twenty-two subordinates, was a well-deserved great hero. This courage alone made a tough guy like Chiswyck instantly submit, making Chiswyck and his death squad completely convinced and prostrate themselves in admiration.

Therefore, no one had any objections anymore. Everyone kept their questions in their hearts, mustered their strength, and followed the Mountain out of Clegane's Hold with a whoosh.

In just over half a day, not long after dark, the Mountain and his party arrived at the Golden Tooth, hundreds of miles away.

Although it was hundreds of miles, the River Road was an official road, flat and wide, and very easy to travel. In addition, the Mountain didn't stop along the way, changing horses when they were tired, eating bread on horseback when they were hungry, and drinking wine when they were thirsty, so in just over half a day, the party arrived at the famous Golden Tooth, covered in dust.

The Mountain shouted at the drawbridge to open the gate. The centurion guarding the city was shocked to hear the Mountain's voice and immediately flew to report to Count Leo Lefford, the city lord.

Count Leo was also shocked. What was the Mountain, this great demon, doing suddenly coming to the Golden Tooth? He dared not neglect and immediately quickly mounted his horse to greet him. The drawbridge slowly lowered under the illumination of countless torches.

The Mountain and his party entered the city, and Count Leo Lefford came up to greet them.

On the drawbridge, the Mountain said, 'Count, quickly prepare food, good wine, and hot water. We're starving. Let's eat our fill first, and then we'll have important matters to discuss with you.'

The headsman Dunsen, the adopted daughter Jory, the old horse soldier Thommas Mann, Chiswyck the Big Man, and Arthur the Foulmouth and others all breathed a sigh of relief. It turned out that the Mountain was rough but meticulous, and had long thought of coming to the Golden Tooth to ask Count Leo for reinforcements. All twenty-two people secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Among the four major families in the Westerlands was the Lefford family. When it came to the strength of troops and the power of political status, the Lefford family was even stronger than the Marbrand family of Ashemark.

The Mountain was respectfully welcomed in by Count Leo.

After a hearty meal and a comfortable hot bath, the Mountain came out and said, 'Count Leo, I'm holding a family wedding at the Crag in three days. Today, I've made a special detour, from the far west to the far east, to specially invite you to attend my wedding.'

Leo suddenly understood and laughed, 'Since Ser Gregor has specially come to sincerely invite me, Leo will definitely come to congratulate you. Ser Gregor, we'll set off tomorrow morning.'

'No, Count, time is too tight. I'm leaving tonight,' Gregor said.

Count Leo laughed, 'Ser Gregor is really joking.'

'I'm not joking at all,' the Mountain said seriously. 'Ser, you don't need to bring your guards. We are your guards. I swear by my family honor and the name of the Seven Gods that the Cleganes will protect your safety. Count, please change your clothes. Dunsen, Chiswyck, what are you waiting for? All of you, get dressed and ready to go.'

To go from the easternmost Golden Tooth in the Westerlands to the northwesternmost Crag on the coast, one had to pass through a large city, an unavoidable route: Ashemark, the Marbrand family's seat.

The Mountain would lead twenty-two men to break through the high walls and thick defenses of Ashemark tomorrow night!