The Mountain of Ice and Fire

“Ser Gregor Clegane.” The Prime Minister’s tone was calm, his eyes were calm, and his face was like iron.

“Prime Minister.” After getting the Red Smoke Beast, the Mountain’s imposing manner became even more unmatched.

“An army from Crackclaw Point has arrived outside the city, demanding that you return the Red Smoke Beast. Go and return the Red Smoke Beast to them.”

The faint words were as before, the majesty of the order was the same as in Casterly Rock in the Westerlands.

Go and return the Red Smoke Beast to them—this sentence only ordered the Mountain to execute it, without seeking any opinion from the Mountain. It wouldn’t have happened before, it won’t happen now, and it won’t happen in the future.

The Mountain is Tywin’s dog!

Naturally, rightfully, deeply ingrained, unchangeable!

Tywin is still the same Tywin, but the Mountain is no longer the same Mountain!

“Yes, Prime Minister.” The Mountain replied respectfully.

King Joffrey had been looking over here, with Cersei, Margaery Tyrell, and Lady Olenna Redwyne sitting beside him, but he was clearly impatient with the atmosphere here. Cersei sat upright, not allowing him to ask any questions about Sansa, while Margaery Tyrell always gently and gracefully offered him all kinds of dishes that he had no appetite for.

These two women annoyed him very much.

From the moment the Mountain stood up, Joffrey noticed him.

The Mountain was like a giant. Once he stood up and moved, it was hard not to notice him.

The Mountain turned around and also noticed the King.

He reached out and took a glass of wine from the banquet and walked towards the King.

There were two Kingsguard behind the King: Meryn Trant and Boros Blount.

The Mountain came to the King’s table and nodded to Cersei: “Queen Mother.” He then nodded to Margaery Tyrell, and then looked at King Joffrey: “Your Majesty, a tribe from Crackclaw Point has come to ask me for the Red Smoke Beast. Would Your Majesty like to go and have some fun?”

Joffrey’s heart stirred, and he tapped the table lightly with his fingers, handsome and majestic: “The Prime Minister just received news that a tribe from Crackclaw Point has arrived outside King’s Landing?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Joffrey was dissatisfied: “The City Watch is not the Westerlands army. It is the royal City Watch. Why didn’t they report to me first?”

“Your Majesty, the City Watch soldiers first reported to Commander-in-Chief Addam Marbrand, and then the Commander-in-Chief reported to the Prime Minister.”

“The Commander-in-Chief of the City Watch should have reported to me!” Joffrey craned his neck. His neck was slender and beautiful, inheriting Cersei’s advantages.

“Today is His Majesty’s half-man uncle’s wedding day. The Commander didn’t report to His Majesty the King because he didn’t want this little matter to affect His Majesty’s mood.”

Joffrey snorted heavily, stood up, and Cersei said in a low voice: “Joffrey, you are the King. It may be inappropriate to leave the wedding banquet.”

“What’s inappropriate?” Joffrey curled his lips into a sneer. “Aunt Sansa is wearing a veil the whole time. She suddenly fell ill at the wedding and can’t show her face. Don’t you think that’s strange? Queen Mother, I’m not stupid. These are all my grandfather’s little tricks. But he is your father, not my father. When my father rode his horse and swung his hammer to conquer the world, your father was still hiding in Casterly Rock, afraid to move and afraid to breathe!”

Cersei was choked!

Margaery Tyrell said softly: “Your Majesty, barbarians have come to King’s Landing, and Ser Gregor is invincible. These little things don’t need His Majesty the King to worry about. Here, this is cherry-smoked trout, I…”

“Thank you, Miss Margaery Tyrell, I’m already very full!”

King Joffrey said very politely: “I’m going to wash my hands, Miss Margaery.” His gaze passed over Margaery Tyrell’s head and nodded to Lady Olenna Redwyne. “Madam, enjoy your meal!”

Olenna responded with a smile!

*

The Mountain rode the Red Smoke Beast, and King Joffrey rode a divine warhorse. The two walked at the front of the team.

Behind the Mountain followed Captain of the Guard Alyn, adopted son Landon Garl, little attendant Comm Warner, Naval General Waggener Garl, female General Brienne Tarth, and archer Anguy.

Behind King Joffrey followed Captain of the Kingsguard Loras Tyrell, Meryn Trant, Boros Blount, and Arys Oakheart.

The group left the Red Keep and headed towards the Iron Gate.

“Your Majesty, the Prime Minister wants me to return the Red Smoke Beast to the people of Crackclaw Point.”

“Why? Are they more powerful than Stannis Baratheon?”

“In my heart, no one is more powerful than His Majesty the King.”

This sentence pleased Joffrey very much.

He glanced at the Mountain: “Mountain, you are wrong. My grandfather and mother are more powerful than me.”

“But there is only one King.”

This sentence made Joffrey feel even more comfortable. He puffed out his chest: “Mountain, are there more people from Crackclaw Point than Stannis’s army?”

“Even if all the tribes on the island gather all their forces, there are less than ten thousand people.”

“Was the Red Smoke Beast raised in their tribe?”

“No, Your Majesty, it is a wild magical creature beast.”

“Then they dare to come and ask you for it?”

“The Red Smoke Beast appeared on Crackclaw Point, and they believe that the Red Smoke Beast can only belong to the tribes of Crackclaw Point.”

“According to their arrogance, Crackclaw Point belongs to the Crownlands, and the Red Smoke Beast should belong to the King even more.” Joffrey said decisively.

“Your Majesty is right! However, the tribes of Crackclaw Point have only ever been loyal to one family: the Targaryen family, who they call the Dragon family.”

“No, Mountain, you are wrong. The tribes of Crackclaw Point also swore allegiance to my father, Robert.”

“The late King was generous and didn’t argue with them about jurisdiction, so they nominally submitted to the King, but in fact, they were independent of royal power.”

“Oh! How could this be?!” Joffrey stared at the Mountain in surprise.

In the territory of the Crownlands, there is actually such a place. Joffrey couldn’t believe it. It has been seventeen years since Robert unified the Seven Kingdoms, and in the Crownlands, under the King’s nose, there is still such a place where royal power has no jurisdiction.

“This is also the reason why the Prime Minister ordered me to return the Red Smoke Beast to them.”

Joffrey felt extremely uncomfortable in his heart. Even if he wanted to issue an order, it should be him, not some Prime Minister. Shouldn’t the Prime Minister report to his King before issuing an order?

The King is the Protector of the Realm, and the Prime Minister is just a hand doing things for the King!

“If I want you to disobey the Prime Minister’s order and not give the Red Smoke Beast to those barbarians, what will you do?”

“I will naturally obey His Majesty the King’s orders. There is only one King in the Seven Kingdoms.”

These words made Joffrey feel extremely comfortable: “Ser Gregor Clegane!” he reined in his horse and shouted. Joffrey still knew to call the Mountain by his formal title before officially issuing an order. This was the minimum quality of a monarch. Under normal circumstances, Joffrey was a talented and handsome child King.

“I am here, Your Majesty.”

“I order you, the Red Smoke Beast must not be returned to the barbarians of Crackclaw Point.”

“As you command, Your Majesty!”

“I also want you to conquer Crackclaw Point and make them submit to me. I want to do what my father didn’t do.”

“As you command, Your Majesty.”

“If the barbarians refuse to kneel and submit to me, you must kill them all.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Joffrey turned his head and scanned the four Kingsguard: “If the barbarians of Crackclaw Point refuse to kneel and submit to me, you must all listen to Ser Gregor’s orders later and help Ser Gregor kill them all.”

“As you command, Your Majesty!” the four Kingsguard answered together.

Joffrey was very satisfied with the Mountain’s complete obedience!

This was much more comfortable than sitting between his mother and fiancée. His mother was nagging, his fiancée was hypocritical, and he had always felt uncomfortable about Sansa marrying the dwarf uncle. Moreover, he had long seen that this Sansa was not that Sansa. He enjoyed torturing Sansa, but once Sansa was really gone, he felt empty!

“Your Majesty, the late King was extraordinarily brave and used a pair of iron hammers to conquer the country, but he failed to truly conquer Crackclaw Point. But I will conquer the peninsula for Your Majesty and make all the tribes of the peninsula submit to Your Majesty.”

Joffrey was overjoyed. He would do what his father couldn’t do! Joffrey’s heart was filled with pride!

*

In the wedding hall of Maegor’s Holdfast.

Little Devil whispered to Sansa: “Sansa, if you feel… uncomfortable, I can accompany you to sit in another room.”

Sansa hadn’t drunk a drop of water from the wedding ceremony in the morning until now.

Sansa didn’t dare to speak. She was afraid that if she opened her mouth, people would hear that it wasn’t Sansa’s voice. In fact, the hall was crowded with people coming and going, and the noise was loud. No one would care about her voice. Her and the real Sansa’s accents were both Northern accents. In the ears of these Southerners, there was no difference.

It was all because she was too timid and thought too much!

“Don’t worry!” Little Devil’s hand stretched out gently, tentatively holding Sansa’s hand. Sansa’s hand trembled as if startled, but she didn’t break free. She didn’t dare to.

“Let’s go to the lounge to sit for a while, drink some water, eat something, and then come out.” Little Devil said softly.

The frightened deer-like expression in the little girl’s eyes made his heart ache.

Under the leadership of Little Devil, Sansa stood up. She was as tall as the real Sansa, and the eyes covered by the veil looked similar in the eyes of the Southerners.

Little Devil took the bride out of the hall and chose a small room in the hundreds of rooms in Maegor’s Holdfast, closed the door, and three sword-wielding guards stood at the door: the Hound, Bronn, and Podrick.

After a while, the Hound opened the door a crack: “Podrick, go and ask the maids to bring wine, snacks, roast meat, bacon soup, cheese, all the good food they can eat, bring a portion here, quickly!”

“Yes, sir!”

*

In the hall, Queen Mother Cersei sat motionless, like a giraffe; Miss Margaery Tyrell did find some topics to chat about, but Cersei’s response was always faint.

The Queen of Thorns, Olenna Redwyne, had a very good appetite. She kept eating, and she tasted every famous dish, and then commented on it, talking eloquently and tirelessly. Her well-behaved granddaughter, Margaery Tyrell, naturally supported her every time, and Queen Mother Cersei had to agree many times out of courtesy.

Behind the Queen of Thorns stood her twin guards, whom she called her ‘left and right hands’. A jester wearing a flat hat, with clown makeup, who could do magic tricks and liked to sing the song “The Bear and the Maiden Fair” always accompanied Mrs. Olenna. When she was happy to eat, she would ask the jester to sing or do magic tricks.

The dignitaries at the neighboring tables came to compliment her, and she accepted them all, taking all the flattery and praise.

On the other side, Kevan came to Tywin’s table: “My Lord, the Mountain instigated the King to leave. If something happens to the King…”

“Then he’s dead! The Clegane army will be rightfully incorporated into the Westerlands army.” Duke Tywin said in his heart. He kept his mouth shut and was expressionless. Since sitting at the banquet, he had hardly touched his chopsticks and knives and forks. There was a precious dish of snow salt in front of him. Relying on the snow salt, money flowed steadily into the Lannister family’s pockets. Of course, he didn’t think it was necessary to thank the Mountain.

As a lord, vassals should contribute anything! Their lives belong to the lord!

“The archers of Crackclaw Point are very terrifying. Their arrows have been boiled in a pot of poison. They will seal your throat upon drawing blood.” Kevan continued to advise.

Tywin still didn’t say a word. He just raised his wine glass to signal Kevan, didn’t drink, and then put down the wine glass. Kevan swallowed back all the words in his stomach, turned back to his own table, continued to drink, and listened to the vulgar jokes told by the burlesque actor.

Listening to burlesque actors perform vulgar programs and tell sex jokes at the dinner table is the nobles’ favorite pastime. Sometimes it is more pleasant and happier than going to a brothel in person.

*

The Iron Gate slowly opened, and the Mountain and the King appeared, surrounded by the Mountain’s guards and generals, and the King’s Kingsguard.

As soon as the Mountain came out, the leaders of Crackclaw Point were all frightened. The cavalry and infantry all cast strange glances at the Mountain—the Mountain was riding the Red Smoke Beast, which the people of Crackclaw Point regarded as a divine beast. The tall and strong Red Smoke Beast matched the Mountain’s giant-like physique so well! The leaders were also frightened by this. As soon as the Mountain appeared, the leaders felt that there was no one more suitable to ride the Red Smoke Beast than the Mountain.

Anyone else riding the Red Smoke Beast would look like a clown compared to the Mountain!

“Who is the leader who came to fetch the Red Smoke Beast!” the Mountain shouted.

“I am, Ester Foca, leader of the Foca tribe.”

“Ester Foca, this is Joffrey Baratheon, King of the Seven Kingdoms. Why don’t you kneel when you see the King?” At the end of the sentence, “Why don’t you kneel,” the Mountain raised his voice and shouted, as if a thunderbolt had struck the Iron Gate. The peninsula leaders were first shocked by the Red Smoke Beast recognizing the Mountain as its master. The one man and one beast were harmonious and compatible. Could it be that the Mountain was truly the destined master of Crackclaw Point? Then they were shocked by the sudden power of the thunder, and they all changed color.

Nominally and politically, the leaders of Crackclaw Point were all vassals of the King.

Plop!

The leader of the Warner family jumped off his horse and knelt on one knee!

Their lord, eleven-year-old Comm Warner, was by the Mountain’s side.

Then the leader of the Senzys, Leo, dismounted and knelt down.

For vassals to kneel before the King was a matter of course and did not harm their honor in any way. And Crackclaw Point did swear allegiance to King Robert Baratheon.

Ester Farca looked back and saw hesitation in the expressions of the assembled chieftains. He was quick-witted and intelligent. Seeing the wavering morale and blunted spirit of the men, he dismounted immediately, knelt on one knee, and said, "Your Majesty, Ester Farca, vassal of Claw Isle, greets the King."

Joffrey had imagined the tribes of Claw Isle to be incredibly brave and remarkable, but he hadn't expected to see a group of down-and-out bandits. At the Mountain's shout, they were all terrified, and the kingly aura within him soared.

He had no idea that these Claw Isle people were savage, cruel, and extremely dangerous, and that the archers' arrows were poisoned, causing instant death upon drawing blood, and were incredibly vicious.

If the Mountain hadn't ridden out on Red Smoke Beast, awe-inspiring and majestic as a mountain, these guys wouldn't have been so easily frightened. The Red Smoke Divine Beast added the halo of faith from the peninsula people to the Mountain.

"Are you the great chieftain of Claw Isle?" Joffrey asked Ester Farca casually.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Ester Farca decided to try polite diplomacy first. If he could persuade the young king to issue an order, and have the Mountain return the Red Smoke Beast to the Farca tribe to take back, wouldn't that be even better?

If the Red Smoke Beast returned to Claw Isle and was kept in the Farca tribe, in time, he would definitely tame the Red Smoke Beast and make it his mount.

Ester Farca's calculation was quite good, but he misjudged one person: the young king! The king was a child who didn't know the power of Claw Isle, nor did he know anything about the three thousand archers' deadly poisoned arrows. He thought highly of himself and was determined to subdue Claw Isle, completely unaware of the real danger.

"Mountain, kill him!" Joffrey pointed at Ester Farca and said indifferently.

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