The Mountain of Ice and Fire

*

“Lord Kevan, even if the Mountain, Vargo, and Bronn all vote for you, how can you get Cersei to Highgarden?”

“Of course, I'll trick her into visiting Highgarden, and then just leave her there. Once she's in Highgarden, surely the Tyrells can find a way to keep her?” Kevan's face was as hard as iron, faintly displaying Tywin's aura, as he said calmly, “I will issue a decree as Hand, in the name of the Lannisters and the protection of the realm, to announce Cersei's happy marriage.”

“If Jaime returns from Sunspear, he might react!”

“Leave the rest to me,” Kevan said. “As long as Willas Tyrell doesn't disdain Cersei.”

“I don't think he will,” Mace said.

The Tyrell children were educated from a young age that family interests came before everything else! Margaery Tyrell, the Rose of Highgarden, Loras Tyrell, the Knight of Flowers, the valiant Garlan, and the crippled Willas, all without exception!

Willas Tyrell was the eldest son of the family, the future heir to Highgarden, the duke's title, the wealth of the Reach, the granary, well-supplied with soldiers and food, the most populous, and now the strongest in the Seven Kingdoms, completely worthy of Cersei.

Although Cersei had been married before, she was still incomparably beautiful, with a slender figure and a graceful neck. Willas was gentle and refined, well-read, but with a leg disability. It was hard to say who would look down on whom!

“Cersei has a weakness,” Kevan said confidently. “Her children are her weakness. When she arrives in Highgarden, I will assure her that Tommen Baratheon will grow up to be a successful king. Once Tommen comes of age, all power will be returned to him. Tommen needs Jaime's protection, and I think I can persuade Jaime!”

Mace was unimpressed by Kevan's so-called guarantee, but to allow Margaery Tyrell to become the only queen in the Red Keep, it was appropriate for Willas Tyrell, as the future head of the family, to make a small sacrifice.

When Margaery Tyrell was with Joffrey, Cersei interfered, doing many dirty things and saying many bad things about Margaery, trying to make Joffrey listen to her completely, and in her heart, rejecting Margaery from a thousand miles away.

Joffrey maintained a superficial pretense of courtesy, but in his heart, he completely respected himself and his mother Cersei. Margaery Tyrell did not receive the courtesy and respect that a queen should have. It was like this even before she married into the royal family. What kind of life would Margaery face if she married in? Clearly, the Tyrell family's power in the royal family would not receive any respect or guarantee.

It was precisely because of this that her mother, Lady Olenna Redwyne, plotted to poison Joffrey unexpectedly at the wedding, as a counterattack against Cersei, hoping to destroy her. The Queen of Thorns was thorny, with poisonous thorns.

But what Mace still didn't understand was that Joffrey was dead, and his mother, the Queen of Thorns, was also dead!

The Tyrell family's poisoning plan was successful, but some force also carried out a simultaneous poisoning of the Tyrell family.

Who was this force?

Tyrion and Doran's Red Viper?

Lord Mace suspected it, but because the Tyrell family itself was not clean, it would be too dangerous to investigate.

Lord Mace believed that the person behind the poisoning was not in King's Landing.

This was the most brilliant approach.

In the current political situation, Margaery's entry into the Red Keep was the greatest political interest the Tyrell family sought, and Cersei was the biggest obstacle.

His mother, the Queen of Thorns, Olenna Redwyne, asserted that as long as Cersei was in the Red Keep, Margaery Tyrell would never be happy in her life. It would be difficult for the Tyrell family to gain further power.

When Kevan came to Mace and said he wanted to 'marry' Cersei out of the Red Keep, far away to Highgarden, Lord Mace was delighted.

Kevan and Mace finally reached an agreement, both sides swearing in the name of the two great families and the Seven Gods, that the Lannisters of the Westerlands and the Tyrells of Highgarden would form the most loyal allies.

As for how high this loyalty was, Mace was more willing to cooperate with Kevan than with Tywin.

*

Knock, knock, knock!

Polite and rhythmic knocking sounded.

The guard's voice: “Lord, the Queen Mother Cersei requests your presence.”

Kevan and Mace looked at each other. Kevan said: “It must be the conflict between the Mountain and the Faith Militant that made her feel threatened. She never stops doing stupid things.”

Mace was very happy to learn that the Faith Militant that Cersei 'cultivated' did not listen to her orders at all.

After the poisoning case, Mace couldn't help but feel happy whenever something unfavorable to Cersei happened. It was a malicious joy.

Mace didn't take the Faith Militant released by Cersei seriously. Of course, he knew about the monks who gathered the poor. Basically, none of those ragged, barefoot beggars used swords. It wasn't that the Faith Militant couldn't afford good swords, but the monks who gathered the poor were really poor. They hadn't received systematic and professional swordsmanship training.

Even if they were given swords, they wouldn't be able to use them. On the contrary, wooden sticks and axes were more convenient. Wearing armor and helmets also required training and practice. Otherwise, a newbie in iron armor would be clumsy in every way and unable to walk calmly. A farmer wearing a helmet could only see out through a narrow slit, and everyone's vision would be greatly obstructed. Farmers who had not undergone rigorous training would have sore necks and a narrow field of vision after wearing helmets for a long time. It was inconvenient in every way.

How could such a ragtag group of barefoot wooden sticks be a match for thousands of Highgarden knights?

The Reach nobles had a history of fighting the Faith Militant. The nobles had always been deeply hostile to the monastic armed forces. The famous Battle of Bitterbridge took place in the Reach, on Tyrell family territory.

The Tyrell family sent back 20,000 soldiers, and nearly 20,000 soldiers were fighting in the Riverlands. Three thousand Reach knights, free riders, and noble guards in the Red Keep were responsible for protecting the Tyrell family's safety.

With such a powerful army, Lord Mace, who was pampered, was filled with extreme contempt for that group of poor people who used wooden sticks.

The Swords of Faith under the High Sparrow were not yet established. Although they were composed of noble knights and their attendants, they were only a hundred-man team. How could they stop the Tyrell family's three thousand elite soldiers?

Mace Tyrell had confidence!

*

Earl Kevan and Lord Mace walked out of the stone house together. Mace said: “Lord, if the Tyrell family's strength is needed, I would be happy to send troops to fight in the Great Sept of Baelor. Kill all the Faith Militant inside and restore the Great Sept of Baelor to its original peace and sanctity.”

“Thank you for the Duke's proposal. Once I need strength, I will ask for your help. But we can't do it now. Only the Hand of the King can give orders. Currently, all power is concentrated in Cersei's hands.”

Kevan said very humbly!

Although the Westerlands army was massacred by the Mountain for a while, there were still thousands of elite soldiers, but this force was under Randyll Tarly and fighting the Rivermen. In the Red Keep of King's Landing, the royal armed forces were very strong, with two thousand men in the garrison, as well as the Queen Mother's Westerlands guards and the King's Kingsguard. However, Kevan's own soldiers were only enough to protect his travels.

Mace Tyrell was willing to provide his armed forces to Earl Kevan.

Mace also hated the Faith Militant!

He also extremely despised the Faith Militant and looked down on the gathering of the poor. This was the nobles' deeply rooted condescension and sense of superiority.

Currently, the war in the Riverlands was winning steadily. Now there were only three places left that had not been captured: Seagard, the Twins, and Riverrun.

Randyll Tarly was working hard to attack Seagard, then the Twins, and finally besiege Riverrun, unifying the Riverlands.

*

Kevan brought his guards to Maegor's Holdfast. The Queen Mother Cersei, the Mountain, and Grand Maester Qyburn were all there.

The Mountain recounted the conflict with the Faith Militant. The Mountain said he was a little worried that the High Sparrow had a high status in the hearts of the poor people in the city. The Mountain wasn't really worried. The worry he showed was for others to see, one for Cersei and one for Kevan.

The Mountain also had to be wary of others getting there first. Everyone who knew about the wealth in the Great Sept of Baelor was envious, at least the Mountain was dying of envy!

He was greedy!

Kevan looked at Cersei, his face cold and silent.

He had warned Cersei, but Cersei didn't listen.

Cersei had no awareness that she had 'done something wrong' again. Kevan couldn't see any traces of Cersei 'reflecting'. Cersei was still dressed brightly and elegantly, with a straight, slender nose, like a white swan: “Uncle, what do you think we should do now?”

“Ser Gregor, why did you have a conflict with the Faith Militant?”

“Osney Kettleblack disappeared in the Sept. I am the Master of War, so I can't ignore it when I know about it. But the Great Sept of Baelor refused me entry and refused to return Ser Osney to us. Ser Osney used to be the Queen Mother's Captain of the Guard, and now he is a senior officer in the City Watch. Even if he committed a crime, it wouldn't be up to the Sept of Baelor to take care of it.”

Grand Maester Qyburn whispered to assist the Mountain: “Lord Kevan, the Sept of Baelor has only had armed forces for a short time, but the High Sparrow dared to detain Osney and break both of his legs, crippling him for life. The royal power has been challenged unprecedentedly.” He glanced at Oswell Kettleblack, who looked grief-stricken. The grief of this father seemed to be feigned.

“Queen Mother, the High Sparrow is holding people and not letting them go. I advocate resolving it peacefully through negotiations. If negotiations fail, we will only arrest the High Sparrow alone, and all the others will be repatriated.” Kevan said expressionlessly, acting officially. “The peaceful days in King's Landing are not long. If we want to massacre all the gathering of the poor and the Swords of Faith, I am worried that it will arouse a riot of hundreds of thousands of people in the city. The High Sparrow is supreme in the hearts of the people. He is a spark. If we forcefully move him, I am afraid we will not be able to bear the consequences.”

Cersei looked at the Mountain!

Cersei's judgment of the general trend was very limited.

The Mountain understood that Kevan was exaggerating the High Sparrow's influence. At least within the Great Sept of Baelor, all seven High Septons opposed the High Sparrow. Monks and nuns, and Silent Sisters were extremely hostile to the High Sparrow and his armed forces, but they had no way to resist.

Once the seven High Septons and monks received support, they themselves would split into sharp opposing forces.

The High Sparrow's interior was not monolithic. The people who received his favor had goodwill towards the High Sparrow, but they feared rather than respected the High Sparrow's armed forces. To other believers, the High Sparrow's armed forces were the real enemy.

But the Mountain did not say his judgment, hiding his clumsiness!

The High Sparrow had a capable assistant named Lancel Lannister, a handsome and talented young man. He was Kevan Lannister's eldest son and family heir. Kevan also had a younger son, Martyn Lannister, in the Westerlands. The rest of his children had died in the war. He was unwilling if this Lancel was also killed.

The Mountain knew that Kevan wanted to become the Hand of the King first, and then issue orders and control the overall situation to show his ability, hoping to control the highest power. However, slowing down the High Sparrow was the worst plan, because the Faith Militant really existed, and it would not disappear automatically. It could only be destroyed, or become stronger and stronger, and eventually destroy the royal family and nobles. This was an irreconcilable contradiction.

The Mountain was happy to see things slide towards a worse and worse side.

“Queen Mother, I agree with Lord Kevan's proposal to negotiate first and resolve it peacefully; if that doesn't work, only arrest the chief culprit, and the followers will be disbanded and not held accountable.”

Scholar Qyburn's eyes flashed, and then fell silent: “Queen Mother, Lord Kevan's proposal is very pertinent. If we suppress it with all our strength, I am afraid it will arouse a riot of the poor.”

The Mountain and Qyburn were Cersei's people, at least that's what Cersei thought. Since the two confidants agreed with Kevan's words, Cersei decided to do a favor. In this regard, Cersei was shrewd: “Uncle, I will leave the matter of the Sept of Baelor to you. I also don't want my cousin Lancel Lannister to die without a burial place. After the Faith Militant is disbanded, he needs to return to the Westerlands to recuperate for a while.”

“Yes, Queen Mother. I will go to the Great Sept of Baelor in person after tomorrow's political affairs meeting and bring Ser Osney back.” Kevan said very calmly. But everyone could feel his determination to do what he said.

After tomorrow's political affairs meeting, Kevan would no longer be the Master of Whisperers, but the Hand of the King—the Prime Minister of the Seven Kingdoms. New people would also be added to the small council: Bronn, the mimic, the new Master of Whisperers.

Bronn, the mimic, like Varys, was a commoner who became a member of the small council. Bronn was recommended by the Mountain, and Varys was the Master of Whisperers whom the Mad King Aerys Targaryen had invited from across the Narrow Sea because of his fame.

In fact, Kevan also possessed Tywin's cruelty and ruthlessness!

He had been Tywin's shadow lion for decades. His words, deeds, and code of conduct were very similar to Duke Tywin.

*

Maidenvault, Margaery Tyrell once again checked the gifts to be sent to the Great Sept of Baelor tomorrow.

After Lady Olenna was poisoned, because Margaery was the queen, her body enjoyed royal honors and was stored in the Great Sept of Baelor with King Joffrey. After the death of the king and queen, their bodies were buried in a special crypt in the Great Sept of Baelor and specially preserved.

Of course, Lady Olenna's body was not stored in the 'royal special crypt'. She was stored in the 'great nobles' special crypt. Tomorrow, Margaery Tyrell was going to visit Lady Olenna in the Sept crypt and hold a small prayer meeting to express Margaery's grief.

Mace, Kevan, Cersei, the Mountain, Qyburn… almost all important people knew that Osney had been detained and crippled by the High Sparrow, but no one cared why Osney was detained and what he was doing.

Everyone is focused on how the High Sparrow's actions infringe upon royal power, overlooking the issue of Osney himself: he is there to testify about Queen Margaery Tyrell's intimacy with her handmaidens, and his own sinful intimacy with her.

This seed that Cersei planted will bloom when Queen Margaery goes to the Sept.