The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Kevan was unwilling to hand over Euron Crow's Eye.

Crow's Eye was his Minister of the Navy, the best candidate to replace Vagner Gall.

Vagner Gall was a man of the Mountain, from Crab Claw Peninsula, the chief of the Gall tribe of the peninsula. The core fighters of the Royal Navy fleet were all from Crab Claw Peninsula, fiercely loyal to the Mountain.

Crow's Eye's crushing defeat in the West made him hate the Mountain to the bone, making him the best tooth to deal with the Mountain.

The Lannisters were lions, and lions needed claws and teeth to hurt people, and lions needed claws and teeth to establish their authority.

The defeated Crow's Eye was a good claw and tooth.

The main battleships of the Ironborn were in the Reach sea area and had not been defeated by the Mountain.

Crow's Eye still had strength, and at sea, this force was still the strongest!

Kevan's eyes swept across the faces of the four members of the Small Council, his expressionless face infinitely approaching the Tywin Lannister who had never smiled for twenty-five years: "Crow's Eye possesses the Iron Islands' most powerful fleet—the Iron Fleet. Let's spare Crow's Eye's life for now, and when he recruits the Iron Fleet, we'll kill him."

"The Royal Navy fleet is under construction, Lord Hand," Qyburn said, his tone containing advice.

"The Iron Fleet cannot be recruited; it must be eliminated," Mace said coldly.

The Iron Fleet had plundered the Riverlands, and Mace could not tolerate the Iron Fleet becoming the Royal Navy fleet.

"Elimination can also be achieved through recruitment."

"When can Crow's Eye get the Iron Fleet to surrender?" Mace pressed. "I think this needs a time limit, three months? One month? Or ten years?"

"All Ironborn deserve to die. Kill Crow's Eye, wipe out the Crow's Eye remnants on Dragonpit Hill, and then order the Mountain to lead his army to conquer the Iron Islands. Kill all Ironborn who don't submit," Loras Tyrell, the Knight of Flowers, said, staring at Kevan.

His eyes showed dissatisfaction with Kevan, and he didn't hide it.

Kevan's protection of Crow's Eye caused strong discomfort to the Knight of Flowers.

"I think we should vote," Commander Bronn suggested as the best way. He also deeply hated Crow's Eye and would never accept the Ironborn fleet becoming the Royal Navy fleet. The Ironborn would bring slaughter and chaos; they were natural rebels, with no loyalty to speak of.

"Vote, majority rules," Loras agreed to Commander Bronn's suggestion.

"Then let's vote," Grand Maester Qyburn said.

"Agreed!" Mace raised his hand, looking at Kevan, "I agree to hand over Crow's Eye to the Mountain and have the Royal Guard raid the top of Dragonpit Hill to wipe out Crow's Eye's remnants."

Loras Tyrell immediately raised his hand.

Commander Bronn looked at Kevan's solemn face and raised his hand.

The Ironborn had wantonly plundered and harassed the Sunset Sea's merchant and fishing boats, and the Westerlanders all harbored hostility towards the Ironborn. Between the Mountain and the Ironborn, Bronn chose to support the Mountain.

Grand Maester Qyburn slowly raised his hand last, looking at Kevan: "Lord Hand, we already have four votes."

To kill the lion, first break its claws and teeth! Qyburn carried out the Mountain's orders! Qyburn was able to enter the royal family and become Grand Maester thanks to the Mountain's help!

Although Kevan was the Hand, he was powerless to protect Crow's Eye.

Voting was a good way! Even if Bronn hadn't suggested a vote, Qyburn would have said it in the end!

*

The meeting ended, and Kevan returned to the Hand's Tower.

Euron Crow's Eye was in the Hand's Tower.

The two met in the study, and Crow's Eye couldn't see any threat in Kevan's expression.

Kevan was expressionless, as cold and hard as iron.

"Lord Hand, did things go smoothly today?"

"Boros Blount and Vagner Gall may have heard some news; the two have hidden themselves in the Royal Navy fleet. It's the third time they've been summoned repeatedly and haven't come to the Small Council meeting."

"Should I take some men into the Royal Navy fleet tonight?" Crow's Eye laughed. He was rough and cruel, tall, with the smell of a pirate all over him. The black clothes he wore and the black eyepatch on his face gave off an ominous aura of death.

"The Royal Navy fleet is full of Vagner's men, and the core fighters are all barbarians from Crab Claw Peninsula, fearless and loyal to Vagner. With these people, you can't kill Vagner Gall and Boros Blount," Kevan said coldly.

The sudden impromptu Small Council meeting today was actually a trap set by Kevan. He wanted Boros Blount and Vagner Gall to show themselves. Recently, these two had either been late to meetings or not attending at all, and their whereabouts were uncertain. Kevan hadn't found a chance to catch them. After Crow's Eye arrived, Kevan had a powerful helper. He ordered Crow's Eye to gather a group of Ironborn diehards, with the goal of capturing Boros Blount and Vagner Gall. If it wasn't easy to implement, he would settle for killing the two.

To move the Mountain, first break his limbs.

Kevan used the same method to deal with the Mountain, first cutting off the Mountain's wings in King's Landing.

However, Boros Blount was indeed material for a master of information. Kevan's actions were seen by Boros, and Boros simply went directly into the Royal Navy fleet with Vagner, ignoring the Lord Hand's summons.

Small Council meeting, sorry, they had already set sail in advance and couldn't attend!

This made Kevan feel a fire in his heart. He knew something was wrong, but he couldn't find, say, or see what it was!

In the Hand's Tower, it was as if an eye was invisibly staring at Kevan, knowing everything about him. Kevan believed that this mysterious invisible eye belonged to Boros Blount.

It was a very uncomfortable feeling.

In order to eliminate this feeling of being watched, Kevan ordered the guards to block all the fireplaces in the Hand's Tower, using braziers for heating instead of fireplaces.

Sansa Stark, who had gone missing, had been rescued by Tyrion Lannister from the fireplace. Rumors about a maze under the Red Keep had become well known. Eddard Stark and Sansa Stark had both been rescued from the underground maze. Kevan ordered the guards to inspect every wall of the Hand's Tower, finding several fireplaces leading to secret passages. After blocking all the fireplaces, the guards believed the Hand's Tower was safe, but Kevan could still feel Boros's eye staring at him.

This was quickly forming into a hallucination for him.

This was the worst feeling. Kevan had no friends and couldn't find anyone to tell his burdens to. Although Lord Swyft of Cornfield was by his side, responsible for his Hand's Tower affairs, Kevan was still alone, bearing the feeling of being watched at all times, not telling Lord Swyft.

Lord Swyft was Kevan's father-in-law! One of Kevan's most trusted assistants!

*

"The Mountain's men are closely guarding against Lord Hand!" Crow's Eye laughed. He walked to the wine cabinet, poured himself a glass of wine, drank it in one gulp, and smacked his lips. "Good wine, Lord Hand, you really know how to enjoy yourself."

"I need your Iron Fleet to reach Blackwater Bay as soon as possible."

"Lord, I already sent out raven orders when I was escaping. They should appear off the coast of Blackwater Bay in fifteen days at most. Once the Iron Fleet arrives, Vagner's fleet will be like parchment, easily torn to shreds."

"I need you to issue another order, urging them to arrive as quickly as possible. The Mountain's army is already approaching King's Landing."

"As you command, Lord Hand."

Crow's Eye wrote a letter, and Kevan gave the letter to a guard, who would deliver it to Crow's Eye's liaison officer.

Kevan fell into silence, sitting behind his desk, as if lost in thought.

"Don't worry, Lord Hand, King's Landing's walls are high and thick. Even if the Mountain reaches King's Landing, he won't be able to break through the city gates in a month. By then, the Reach, Stormlands, Iron Islands, and Crownlands soldiers will have all arrived in King's Landing. If the Mountain rebels, he's doomed!"

Knock, knock, knock!

There was a knock on the door.

It was Lord Swyft's voice: "Lord, Ser Loras Tyrell, the Captain of the Kingsguard, is waiting in the courtyard."

"Let them in."

"Yes, Lord!"

The study door opened, and Lord Swyft appeared with four Westerlands knights. They quickly entered and drew their longswords with a clang, five swords pointed at Crow's Eye, who was holding a wine glass.

"There are the Mountain's men in the city," Kevan said indifferently. "The Royal Navy fleet is also full of the Mountain's men, and the Dragonstone fleet isn't far from here either. This will be a brutal civil war, which is detrimental to the stability of the royal family. The North, allied with Shireen I, has also issued a declaration of war, and the Starks are summoning their vassals to march south to seize the Iron Throne."

Euron Crow's Eye's single eye shone brightly, staring at Kevan, revealing a wicked, full smile.

"Heh heh, you're afraid of the Mountain. Are you planning to hand me over to the Mountain to seek reconciliation?"

Kevan didn't answer, tilting his head slightly. A knight took out a rope, ordering Crow's Eye to turn around. Crow's Eye didn't turn around, glaring at Kevan: "Lord, when did the Lannisters become so weak? You're the Regent, Protector of the Realm, Hand of the King, and you're actually crippling yourself under the pressure of a dog under your command. Haha, laughable, laughable!"

Kevan looked at Crow's Eye, expressionless, not saying a word.

Crow's Eye stretched out his hands, letting the guards bind him, his eyes showing no fear: "Lannister, a Lannister always pays his debts! Hahaha, hahaha! The Lannister of the West, the lion everyone feared, has long ceased to exist. Pity, my Crow's Eye is only now seeing this clearly!"

*

The sun set over the hills. In the last light of dusk, on Dragonpit Hill, directly opposite the Red Keep, thousands of Ironborn remnants were eating when suddenly, shouts rang out from all sides. From the southeast, northwest, all the soldiers were waving their swords and launching a charge.

A general on horseback in the north, Commander Bronn himself, surrounded by ten centurions, led the guard cavalry into the Ironborn's rear camp like a whirlwind.

In the south, the Knight of Flowers wielded a long spear, riding a warhorse draped in flower-embroidered brocade, whistling up the mountain, his long spear unstoppable. He killed several Ironborn at the mountain pass, destroying the sentry line. The soldiers who came to block him were all killed by the Knight of Flowers with a single shot. Behind him was a Reach knight legion of a thousand men. These thousand men deeply hated the Ironborn, their resentment soaring to the sky. Swords and spears were as dense as a forest, and the dark mass of a thousand cavalrymen whistled up the hill. Many people lit torches and set fire to tents as they charged into the Ironborn camp, and the front of the Ironborn camp was a mess.

The top of Dragonpit Hill became the burial ground for the Ironborn!

*

On the walls of the Red Keep, Grand Maester Qyburn, Hand Kevan, Duke Mace, King Tommen, Queen Margaery, and others were all watching the battle on the top of the hill from afar.

Margaery held Tommen's hand, like an older sister caring for a younger brother, or a mother caring for a child: "Your Grace, the Ironborn are fickle and cruel commoners, and the Iron Islands are even more a gathering place for pirates, murderers, and robbers. Lord Hand's luring of Euron Crow's Eye to surrender and then annihilating him in one fell swoop is admirable!"

King Tommen still had childishness on his face, but he was clearly very attached to Margaery. The little king straightened his chest: "Lord Hand, I want to see the executioner chop off Euron Crow's Eye's head with my own eyes. How dare his fleet plunder the Reach? Such villains deserve to die."

"Yes, Your Grace!" Kevan said expressionlessly, as if he were a robot.

"Your Grace, Her Grace the Queen Mother will return to King's Landing in twenty days. I miss Her Grace the Queen Mother very much," Margaery said with a look of affection.

"I miss my mother too," King Tommen said with emotion. The child was sincere, but Margaery was feigning.

"Your Grace, let us prepare a little surprise for Her Grace the Queen Mother, shall we?"

"What surprise?"

"Let us depart quietly and go to the Roseroad to welcome Her Grace the Queen Mother. Her Grace the Queen Mother would never expect to suddenly see us. She will surely be very happy."

"Good idea!" King Tommen was overjoyed, clapping his hands, almost jumping for joy. He was indeed still a naive child.

Margaery had accurately grasped Tommen's personality, and she made Tommen laugh every day, obeying her every word.

Kevan's face was cold and expressionless!

Maester Qyburn bowed: "Your Grace, I, Qyburn, request to secretly travel with Your Grace to welcome Her Grace the Queen Mother back to the palace."

"Granted!" Tommen raised his head, straightened his posture, and said majestically.

"I am deeply grateful, thank you for Your Grace's permission!"

Kevan glanced at Qyburn, who was bowing and scraping, his face full of flattery, his eyes on the king's small face. He was a smart man, seeing all this, not knowing what he was feeling in his heart.

Qyburn and Margaery were planning for King Tommen, carefully designing to make Her Grace the Queen Mother suddenly see King Tommen in the most unprepared situation, so that Her Grace the Queen Mother would be greatly surprised. The two were eloquent, making King Tommen giggle with laughter.

Kevan suddenly spoke, saying faintly: "Your Grace, the Mountain is leading his troops to attack King's Landing. Please stay, Your Grace. In case the Mountain doesn't listen, only Your Grace can suppress him."

"Lord Hand, the Mountain is a loyal subject. As long as Euron Crow's Eye is beheaded, his anger will naturally dissipate," King Tommen said without thinking.

Kevan's heart skipped a beat. Who taught the king to say these words?

His eyes looked at Qyburn, who was hunching over, his face full of flattery, his eyes on the king's little face.

"It was Qyburn who proposed killing Crow's Eye and appeasing the Mountain. King Tommen's words sounded exactly like Qyburn's words," Kevan felt a chill in his heart. He was only focusing on Boros Blount and Vagner Gall. Could it be that among the Mountain's men, there was also Grand Maester Qyburn?

Qyburn had always been Cersei's man, but what if he was actually the Mountain's man?!

Kevan suddenly felt a little cold.

P.S. I'm getting a push on the website this week, so there will be an extra chapter this afternoon.

Thanks to [不疯魔就不成活] for the support! Thank you, and handshake!