The Mountain of Ice and Fire

“Lord Gregor, you and I are both Westermen. We have no conflict, and the wizard's words have no evidence. This is absurd.” Addam Lannister remained unmoved and calm.

Wizard Dorea Quentina indeed had no evidence.

However, in the Claw, Dorea didn't need any evidence to say someone was untrustworthy.

Her silver needles and blood tasting could decide everything.

The peninsula chieftains, centurions, and warriors were united in hatred, just waiting for Lord Mountain's order.

The Mountain said to Dorea, "Madam, I will have a good talk with the Earl tonight."

Dorea Quentina understood. She raised her hand and chattered in the local language, and the soldiers put away their weapons and lined up in formation.

The small disturbance passed, and the team began to move forward to the Fuka tribe's main camp.

*

At night, after a hearty meal, the Mountain, Dorea, Earl Addam, and Maester Pycelle sat in the Mountain's tent.

Madam Dorea sat beside the Mountain, like the Mountain's aide, maester, and strategist. Maester Pycelle sat on the other side of the Mountain, a little further away. This distance reflected the maester's inner rejection of the Mountain.

Only one person sat opposite the Mountain: Earl Addam Lannister.

“Earl, do you have any follow-up development plans for Lannisport?”

“Follow-up development plans? Not for the time being.”

“The Ironborn will attack Lannisport, and I don't see any anxiety in you. If the Ironborn sack the port, killing everyone, you, as the lord of the city, are not worried, which is not reasonable.”

Earl Addam was silent for a moment, and said, "Okay, Duke, I admit that I don't believe your prophetic fragments."

“You think the Ironborn won't attack Lannisport?”

“The credibility of prophecies is not high, like dreams.”

“But you said you completely believed my prophecy back then.”

Earl Addam was silent again. After a while, he looked directly into the Mountain's eyes and said, "Duke, I respect you very much and didn't want to make you feel embarrassed, so when you spoke of prophecy, I just followed your words."

The Mountain stared at Earl Addam until the Earl shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

“I understand, Earl. When Lannisport is sacked, the Clegane army may stand by, or it may not.”

“Lord…”

“Alright, Earl, no need to explain further, I think I understand your words. Prophecies, there are many times when I don't believe them at all.”

Earl Addam's heart was not at ease at all, but he forced himself to smile.

“Regarding Rosamund Lannister, I have an idea, Earl, what do you think?”

Rosamund? Rosamund was Earl Addam's only daughter, his only heir.

Addam Lannister's heart suddenly twitched.

“Duke, my daughter is in Dorne, with Jaime Lannister. I hope she can be blessed by the Seven Gods and return to King's Landing safely with Princess Myrcella.”

“Earl, I am also talking about my idea after Rosamund returns to King's Landing smoothly.”

“Duke…”

“Don't worry, I won't hurt Rosamund. I want to adopt Rosamund as my adopted daughter. When she grows up, I will find her a young Clegane warrior to marry, and they will have a lot of children after marriage. By the way, Earl Addam, can I ask you to give Rosamund's first child a good name?”

Earl Addam was confused by the Mountain's words, and his eyes showed confusion.

“Duke, Rosamund is still young, and there is no suitable noble young man who is worthy of her. I think it's a little too early to name the child.”

“No, Lord, it's not too early at all. First give your grandson a name.”

Earl Addam forced a smile and said, "Lord, a good name needs to be polished, compared, selected, and finally decided. It's not like you can immediately think of a good name just by saying you want to name it."

“Earl, you better think of a good name quickly.”

“Why?” Earl Addam finally plucked up the courage to ask this question.

“Lannisport, you have already arranged the follow-up matters, which is to ignore it and keep the status quo. I have accepted this, anyway, it will not hurt me at all if Lannisport is burned and killed.”

“Nothing will happen to Lannisport.”

“Why are you so sure? Unless you are Euron Crow's Eye himself. Who is Crow's Eye? He is a madman who attacks wherever he wants. But this is no longer important. If you give Rosamund's first child a good name, there will be no regrets.”

*

Earl Addam was confused by the Mountain's words. What does it mean that there will be no regrets after a good name is chosen? What does it mean?

Maester Pycelle heard it, and the Mountain was asking Earl Addam to 'prepare for his funeral arrangements'!

Prepare for funeral arrangements?

Is the Mountain going to kill Earl Addam?

Maester Pycelle broke out in a cold sweat!

A wizard said that the Earl was untrustworthy, and the Mountain was going to kill Earl Addam?

Maester Pycelle couldn't believe it!

He looked at Addam and realized that the Earl's awareness was very low. He was just confused and didn't understand what the Mountain's conversation meant. Or perhaps, the Earl also felt something bad, but he didn't want to believe that the Mountain would kill him for no reason.

Once the news leaked, that the Mountain killed Earl Addam, the Mountain's honor and integrity would be gone, and it would be absolutely impossible for him to return to the Red Keep in the future.

*

“Duke, I will not name Rosamund's future child now. It is better to name a child based on the date of birth.”

“Earl, you won't be able to wait until that day.” The Mountain's words were calm, but full of terrifying meaning.

Earl Addam looked at the Mountain in astonishment: "Lord, are you going to kill me?"

“Yes!” The Mountain said calmly.

The Earl's face could no longer be calm!

Maester Pycelle almost stood up. He stood up halfway, hunching over, but the Mountain only glanced at him, and his courage disappeared completely. He slowly shrank back and sat down: “Duke, perhaps you shouldn't treat Earl Addam like this.”

“He is hiding something from me, but I am still trying to find a way to protect Lannisport. The scenes in the prophecy will not deceive me, and I know this very well. Even if the Lannisters and Crow's Eye have reached some kind of agreement, Crow's Eye is still a fickle and greedy person. He promised you that he would not plunder Lannisport, and I would not believe Crow's Eye's promise. He killed King Balon and seized the Seastone Chair, and King Balon was his own brother. He occupied his brother's salt wife and forced his brother to kill his own salt wife. Who would believe such a person's promises and transactions? I will never believe it!”

Maester Pycelle looked at Earl Addam. He didn't know the depth of this matter, but he was a kind-hearted maester and didn't want to see Earl Addam lose his head just because of a wizard's three words of 'untrustworthy'.

The Mountain is too cruel!

“Duke, even if Earl Addam doesn't believe your prophecy and doesn't believe that Crow's Eye will plunder Lannisport, you have no right to kill him.”

“I am the Master of War, Maester. Earl Addam is one of my generals. The Master of War has the right to punish disobedient, disloyal, reckless, and inactive generals. Anyone who is inactive should be severely punished.”

“The crime does not deserve death!” Maester Pycelle pleaded bitterly.

The Mountain was unmoved: “Arryk, take Earl Addam away, I want his head as a wine cup.”

“Yes, Duke.”

Arryk came in, and Earl Addam's face changed drastically: “Gregor, you can't kill an earl just because you don't trust him.”

The Mountain waved his hand, and Captain Arryk said in a deep voice, "Earl, please!"

Earl Addam's legs were weak, but on the surface he could still stand: “Mountain, it is not the act of a knight to kill a clean earl who has not damaged his reputation.”

“Do I still have to worry about not finding an excuse to kill you? After you die, I will naturally ask Maester Pycelle to write a letter to the Hand, saying that you colluded with Crow's Eye, allied with the North, the evidence is conclusive, and you attempted to launch a war against the Westerlands and conspired to subvert the Lannister family's authority in the Westerlands. I will present the witnesses and physical evidence to the Hand and the Queen Mother.”

Addam's face turned blue, and his throat was blocked.

“Earl, even if you don't say it, I can deduce that Littlefinger once joined forces with the Red Viper to enter the Westerlands from the sea and destroy the Clegane army. As a result, you also know that I beheaded the Red Viper. Dorne and the Westerlands are at odds with each other, the alliance has disintegrated, and they have become enemies; my prophecy saw Crow's Eye attacking the Westerlands, burning, killing, and looting, but you and Ser Kevan comforted me that Crow's Eye would not attack the Westerlands, which is strange. My prophecy will not be wrong, but you all insist that Crow's Eye will not attack the Westerlands, then there is only one reason: you have reached some kind of agreement with Crow's Eye and were tricked by Crow's Eye.”

The Mountain's deduction was partly correct. He deduced that Crow's Eye had tricked Kevan and Addam, but in fact it was not. Crow's Eye would attack the Westerlands, but the target was not the Lannisters, but the Mountain himself.

This plan is the same as Littlefinger joining forces with the Red Viper to let the Dornish attack the Westerlands to help get rid of the Mountain.

“Lord, if Crow's Eye is indeed going to attack the Westerlands, you need me to summon the nobles in the Westerlands who are loyal to the Lannister family. I will command them and wholeheartedly listen to the dispatch of the Warden of the West.”

This sentence hit the Mountain's heart.

In the Westerlands, there are still quite a few nobles who only have Lannisters in their hearts. Take Addam and let him issue orders in the name of the Lannisters, ordering the families loyal to the Lannisters to listen to the Mountain's dispatch, send troops, contribute money, and act as cannon fodder. It is feasible.

There is only one problem here: if Earl Addam himself is not credible, will there be any changes?

The Mountain looked at Dorea: “Madam, what do you think?”

Madam Dorea took out a small silver knife from the vine tube, asked Earl Addam to stretch out his finger, and gently pierced it. Blood flowed out, and the Madam tasted the blood, her expression was unpredictable. The blood showed that Earl Addam was a vague figure between the edge of loyalty and betrayal, and everything depended on interests. He may listen to the Mountain's orders and do his best to summon the forces loyal to the Lannister family, but he may also turn against the Mountain when he loses power.

Whether Addam can be used depends on the Mountain's methods.

Madam Dorea whispered in the Mountain's ear for a long time.

After hearing this, the Mountain had a plan in mind.

Earl Addam can only be completely controlled by someone with super-strong control.

The Mountain believes that he is that person with strong control.

If he cannot control Addam, he will defect once the situation turns bad; if he remains strong, he will be loyal.

This meets the excellent qualities of a small person!

If used well, Addam is a good sword; if not controlled, Addam will hurt the user.

Addam is a typical exquisite egoist.

“Earl, your words moved me, okay, I want you to follow me, return to the Westerlands to summon those who are loyal to the Lannister family, listen to my orders, and deal with Crow's Eye together.”

“Yes, Duke.” Earl Addam escaped a disaster, and he knelt down on one knee, put his right fist on his left chest, and swore allegiance to the Mountain again. For Earl Addam, swearing allegiance can be sworn to anyone at any time, as long as it is needed.

*

The Mountain recruited three thousand new warriors in the Claw. Many warriors were not new recruits, but veterans. This was the first time they officially became the Mountain's Clegane army, and everyone's identity was new recruits.

The Mountain led a thousand new cavalry, his own six hundred heavy cavalry, Earl Addam's five hundred cavalry, a total of two thousand one hundred cavalry, and Maester Pycelle, Wizard Dorea, and Master of Horse Affairs Thomasman, taking advantage of the cavalry's strength, marched first. General Jekko Locke led two thousand infantry to follow and set off together to the Westerlands.

As for the task of subduing Riverrun, the Mountain never intended to go.

If Riverrun is besieged, then let it be besieged. Besiege it for another year and a half to see if Randyll Tarly has the ability to think of a good way to attack the city.

The Westerlands will face a very powerful enemy: Crow's Eye! The Mountain needs to rush back to the Westerlands as soon as possible to deploy operations.

As for Earl Addam, he has already thought of a good way to firmly bind Earl Addam to his chariot. As long as Earl Addam dares to break away, it will be a dead end.

*

The Mountain led the cavalry to rush towards the Westerlands day and night. Kevan gave him a month to subdue Riverrun. If he could not subdue it, the Hand would have an excuse to attack the Mountain. He might issue a Hand's order to first take down the Mountain's position as Master of War, or he might issue a King's order to take down the Mountain's position as Warden of the West.

It is reasonable to be deprived of official positions due to military setbacks.

In this way, the Mountain and his allies would have nothing to say.

The game of power also needs to pay attention to a legitimate reason for harming others and benefiting oneself!

However, the Mountain has his own plans. Increasing strength is the kingly way. The positions of Warden of the West and Master of War can be abandoned as a last resort. Having soldiers, money, and national taxation rights can still be used to call the wind and rain and turn beans into soldiers.

*

King's Landing, the Queen Mother's luxurious sedan chair was on the Riverside Avenue. The sedan chair was a curtain woven with pure gold thread, and the four corners of the sedan chair were decorated with four pieces of beautiful jade. Pearls and agates decorated the curtain door.

Two majestic White Cloaks rode their steeds beside the sedan chair. On the left was Ser Barristan Selmy of the Kingsguard, who was excellent in both archery and swordsmanship; on the right was Ser Osmund Kettleblack of the Kingsguard, known as Little Mountain, who was two meters tall and invincible; Grand Maester Oswell Kettleblack also followed closely beside the Queen Mother's sedan chair.

The sedan chair was much smaller than the 'palace' carriage when going to the North, but it could still accommodate at least six people sitting side by side. The sedan chair was designed with soft couches, which was the Queen Mother's bed when she was sleepy.

Queen Regent Cersei journeyed south to the Reach, her destination being Highgarden, the ancestral seat of House Tyrell, to inspect the welfare of the people and to thank the Tyrell family for their steady supply of grain to King's Landing, which had solved the food crisis for a million people.

Queen Regent Cersei's southward journey to visit the people of the Reach and inspect their welfare was a commendable administrative task often undertaken by wise kings. It was also a clever tactic to make vassals grateful for the royal family's grace.

Inside the spacious carriage were Queen Regent Cersei and nine-year-old King Tommen. He would accompany his mother as far as the Bitterbridge before returning to the capital.

Five hundred Kingsguard led the procession, headed by Ser Bronn, the Commander of the City Watch, with another five hundred Queen's Guards and a thousand City Watch soldiers bringing up the rear.

The retinue included over a hundred handmaidens, grooms, cooks, servants, maesters, kennel masters, and laborers!

Cersei was in high spirits. It was the first time she had traveled south to inspect the welfare of the people with authority rivaling that of a king. It was a moment of glory, and she felt the noble authority of a queen. A raven also brought news from Jaime: the Prince of Dorne, Martell, had shown no obvious hostility. He had agreed to annul the marriage and return Myrcella in exchange for the release of the three hundred or so Dornishmen held captive in King's Landing, as well as Oberyn's complete remains.

When she next saw Jaime, Cersei hoped to see the awe of royal authority reflected in his eyes. Her father had expected Jaime to shoulder the family's responsibilities, but he had failed to do so, not even daring to become Hand. But Cersei believed she had succeeded, starting from this southward journey.

She had done it. She was the Queen Regent, Protector of the Realm, the holder of the highest power in the Seven Kingdoms.

Cersei reached out and drew back the curtain. She proudly watched the royal banner fluttering high above the procession.