The Mountain of Ice and Fire

The Mountain stood before the main gate of the Earl's castle, awaiting the arrival of the Earl and his entourage.

To the Mountain's right stood Miss Ysilla Royce, and to his left, Ser Landon Gower.

Behind Miss Ysilla Royce stood Ser Fielder, the former sword instructor of Runestone.

Behind the Mountain stood his generals and centurions.

Two captains: Ser Alyn and Jothos Fucker.

More than a dozen generals from Dragonstone. – With the exception of his father-in-law, Gavin Westerling, who remained to guard Dragonstone, the rest of the generals had come, led by Rolfe Spicer, the strongman with the great axe.

Squire Colemon Warner and the four strongest warriors of the Warner clans.

Light cavalry generals Anguy Strongboar and Julli Strongboar.

A total of nine clan chiefs from the Claw Peninsula and their centurions.

Grand Admiral Wagstaff Gower and dozens of captains from his scores of warships.

The generals and centurions behind the Mountain numbered over a hundred.

Each one of them was full of energy and vigor, brimming with spirit.

The Mountain wore chainmail, not the strongest plate armor, nor did he wear his flat-topped greathelm, but standing there at the gate, he was far taller than everyone else; Ysilla Royce standing beside him looked like a small girl.

The hilt of the Mountain’s greatsword was unusually large, further accentuating his imposing presence, filling the Fifty of the Mountain with dread. Some soldiers had already turned pale.

Ysilla Royce did not see the three family vassals she had sent off in her father's party: Ser Damon Shett of Gull Tower, Baron Uthor Tollett of Grey Glen, and Baron Royce Corbray of Coldwater Burn.

Ysilla wondered if her father had not encountered the three of them, or perhaps, the three had been arranged by her father to borrow troops from various parts of the Vale.

"Earl Royce," the Mountain spoke as if striking a giant bell, his voice echoing through the city streets, making the Vale warriors brought by Jon even more fearful. Lyn Corbray, though brave, was equally awed by the Mountain's imposing presence. However, he concealed it well, his expression unchanged.

The Mountain's fearsome and tyrannical reputation was indeed well-deserved.

Jon Royce dismounted, his movements neither fast nor slow, and the generals and soldiers dismounted one after another. Immediately, grooms came forward and led all fifty-odd warhorses away to the stables to feed them.

"Lord Gregor!" Jon Royce pressed his right palm to his left chest and bowed slightly. He had an air of authority about him, but in the Mountain's presence, any such aura was diminished.

The Mountain saw Jon Royce for the first time, recognizing Earl Jon Royce by the runic bronze armor he wore. Jon Royce's armor was said to be ancestral, thousands of years old, with magical runes on it to protect the wearer from harm. But in fact, too many members of House Royce had died in battle wearing runic armor; Andar Royce had his runic armor split open by the Mountain's sword.

Although Jon Royce looked like a small boy standing before the Mountain, he was actually very tall. Although there were many wrinkles on his face and his hair was graying, his large hands proved that he was very strong. He had gray eyes and very thick eyebrows.

Bronze Jon's gaze swept over his beloved daughter's small face, passing in an instant, as if he hadn't seen Ysilla Royce. His gaze paused slightly on Fielder's face, conveying a tacit signal between master and servant.

Fielder's swordsmanship was no worse than Lyn Corbray's. Lyn was younger than Fielder and had the Valyrian steel sword 'Lady Forlorn'; in actual combat, Lyn's agility and famed sword would help him defeat Fielder.

If Fielder and Lyn joined forces with himself, Bronze Jon believed that the Mountain was doomed.

The only thing that worried the Earl was that the Mountain's legion did not seem weak; now it could be determined that the Mountain's legion was not the rabble that everyone thought it was.

But a legion could not be without a commander, and an army could not be without generals. As long as the Mountain was killed, his legion from different places would inevitably fall apart. Without an authoritative figure to stand up and lead, no matter how many elite soldiers and brave generals there were, they would not be able to form a combined force.

"Where is Petyr Baelish?" the Mountain asked.

"Lord Gregor, I have the Vale's Lord Arryn's document of sworn fealty with me, but Lord Petyr Baelish does not. Lord Petyr is the Lord of Harrenhal, not a Vale man, and I am better able to represent the Eyrie's Arryn family and all the people of the Vale."

The Mountain inwardly admitted that Bronze Jon's words were well-reasoned and well-founded; he was indeed an eloquent man. Clear thinking, rigorous logic.

"Very well, Lord Jon, this is my daughter Ysilla Royce, and this is your son-in-law, Ser Landon Gower."

"Oh, is that so? I will not acknowledge this marriage, Lord Gregor. I think we should first discuss the important matter of the Vale submitting to the Iron Throne. This is what you care about, and it is the purpose of my coming here."

"Please!" The Mountain did not make way. He turned and went inside, Ysilla Royce and the generals followed, and Bronze Jon Royce and others then entered the hall as guests.

*

Upon entering the hall, Bronze Jon and Lyn Corbray were all stunned.

The hall had been arranged as a dining room.

There were two long tables, each capable of seating two hundred people at the same time.

On the tables, knives, forks, chopsticks, dipping dishes, beer, red wine, wheat wine, all kinds of fruits, steaming soup, and various roasts were laid out.

This was not a place to discuss submission and oaths; this was a drinking party for friends.

The Mountain went straight to the head seat at the right-hand long table. The seat facing the entrance was the head seat.

His generals, led by Ysilla Royce, sat next to him in order on the left side of the table, indicating that the positions of these generals had been arranged in advance. The centurions sat on one side of the other table, leaving dozens of seats vacant on the other side for the guests.

"Lord Jon Royce, please be seated," the Mountain said, pointing to the first seat on his right. This position was opposite Ysilla's position; Ysilla was the first on the left, and the Mountain wanted Bronze Jon to sit in the first seat on the right.

Right was the seat of honor.

"Lord Gregor..." Bronze Jon's speech was a little disjointed; the Mountain hosting a banquet in the living room was too unexpected. His restaurant could also seat hundreds of people, so why did the Mountain set up a banquet in the place where he was supposed to discuss matters of state? "I represent my lord, the Arryn family, and the Vale nobles and people to submit to you and swear allegiance to the Iron Throne..."

"I know, Lord Earl, but today we only eat and drink, we don't talk about official business. Tomorrow after breakfast, we will formally discuss official business," the Mountain said in a bland tone. He said it lightly, but it was absolutely unquestionable.

Bronze Jon and Lyn Corbray exchanged glances, and he saw the same confusion in Ser Corbray's eyes. He glanced at Ser Fielder, whose expression was calm, his eyes were calm, and there were no other hints.

This meant that there was nothing wrong with the food and drink.

But the Mountain's move was unexpected by anyone, and it was the first time anyone had encountered it in their lives. It was very strange and unsettling.

Why would the Mountain do this? Why would he host the envoy in the living room?

"Lord Gregor, may I have some salt and bread first?" Ser Lyn Corbray suddenly said.

The hearts of all fifty-odd warriors, including Bronze Jon Royce, stirred at the same time: guest right.

Ser Lyn was requesting guest right, so the Mountain could not kill them here.

As long as they ate the host's salt and bread, guest right would take effect immediately. They would all be protected by guest right; the Mountain could not only not tamper with the food and drink, but also could not turn against them with swords, and had to actively protect the safety of the guests from the infringement of others.

With Lyn Corbray's reminder, the Vale warriors once again noticed that the Mountain's hundred-odd generals and centurions were all in armor and with swords. There were only fifty of them, and it was impossible for them to act in such a situation.

Why didn't these people take off their swords and hang them on the wall? Did they already know about the Vale warriors' assassination plan?

Lyn's request for guest right was a double-edged sword, because once the Mountain accepted his request, neither side could harm the other.

But they had come prepared to assassinate the Mountain!

If Lyn and Bronze Jon sent out the assassination signal at that time, it would be a violation of guest right, but taking the initiative to propose guest right had a benefit, which was that it would relax the Mountain and his generals, making it easier for them to assassinate.

Violating guest right would violate sacred law, which was said to be intolerable to the Old and New Gods. Correspondingly, there were also corresponding conventions to indicate denial or termination of guest right. When the guest left, the host gave the other party a "guest gift", which meant that the sacred guest right had come to an end.

Jon and the Vale warriors did not know why Lyn would suddenly ask for bread and salt. There was no such step in the prior plan.

Because while restricting the Mountain, it also restricted themselves.

What was Lyn thinking?

Did he lose his nerve?

No one doubted Lyn's courage, they were just contradictory and confused.

Both sides stared at the Mountain, watching the Mountain's reaction.

The Mountain stared at Lyn Corbray. It had been eighteen years since he had seen this thin but agile fellow. He noticed that Lyn's sword was a narrow sword. This kind of sword was the favorite of Braavos' top swordsmen and the assassins of the House of Black and White.

The Mountain gripped his greatsword with his backhand, and everyone's breathing became rapid. As long as the Mountain drew his sword and laid it across his knees, it would mean that he denied guest right. Then, their envoy would be in dire straits.

The Mountain intended to kill them.

The Mountain finally released the hilt of his sword, he unbuckled his sword belt, stood up, and hung the sword belt on the sword wall in the living room.

The Clegane generals and centurions stood up one after another, unbuckled their sword belts, and hung their longswords and short knives on the sword wall.

Bronze Jon's back was already soaked with sweat. He was ready to assassinate the Mountain, but looking at the situation just now, it seemed that the Mountain was also ready to kill them at the banquet.

"Come, bring salt and bread to every guest," the Mountain shouted after taking his seat.

From the kitchen, more than a dozen people came out immediately, including cooks, handymen, and maids. Bronze Jon did not recognize any of them. All the people in the kitchen were the Mountain's own people. All of Bronze Jon's people had been replaced, given money and food, and sent home.

The Vale warriors took the bread and salt, feeling awkward and contradictory in their hearts. They ate the salt and bread, and guest right took effect immediately on both sides.

Lyn Corbray was the first to unbuckle his 'Lady Forlorn' sword and hang it on the sword wall. Lady Forlorn was a Valyrian steel sword, and Lyn Corbray never left his sword.

Bronze Jon and the Vale warriors all understood in their hearts that Lyn still had two short swords on him that he had not handed over. Each of them had sharp weapons such as short knives, daggers, and short swords hidden on their bodies. The longswords on their waists and the short knives hanging on their sword belts were visible weapons, and they had hidden weapons prepared.

Bronze Jon Royce also unbuckled his longsword, but did not take out the dagger hidden on his body.

In this way, the situation immediately reversed in secret.

The Mountain and others had all their longswords, short knives, daggers, etc. hung on the sword wall, and they were unarmed, but on this side, they only handed over the visible longswords, short knives, daggers, and other weapons, and they all still had sharp weapons hidden on their bodies privately.

Were Lyn Corbray and Bronze Jon Royce prepared to lead everyone to trample on guest right?

Guest right restrained both parties, not just one party.

*

Jon's personal guard, Ser Reynolds Royce, hung his longsword and short knife on the sword wall. He was too familiar with this wall, this hall, and this stone fort, which originally belonged to the Royce family. Now, they themselves had become guests. He looked at Ysilla Royce while hanging his sword, but Ysilla Royce gave no special indication. He then looked at Ser Fielder, who shook his head slightly at him, his eyes closing slightly, in a fleeting moment.

Reynolds understood that Fielder had received the message from Earl Royce, and he did not agree with them coming to assassinate the Mountain.

Ser Fielder was a knight with a sense of honor and principles, and he was rigid and serious.

He must have refused to trample on guest right, and he was also worried about the safety of Miss Ysilla Royce. The Mountain had a legion here, and after assassinating the Mountain, Runestone would be in chaos. Was he worried that they would all die?

Reynolds shook his head slightly imperceptibly, indicating that Ser Fielder did not understand their determination at all.

The Mountain gestured, and so, Bronze Jon sat in the first seat on the right, Lyn Corbray sat in the second seat, and a total of nineteen nobles and knights shared a table with the Mountain, while the remaining thirty-odd soldiers sat at the table with the centurions.

There was a distinction between superior and inferior!

Maids and servants stood behind the generals, pouring them fine wine and slicing boiled meat or roast meat into thin slices with table knives, and dipping them in sauce.

This was a new way of eating.

The Mountain was in high spirits, drinking heavily while teaching the Vale nobles such as Bronze Jon how to use chopsticks. Watching Earl Jon and others learn to use chopsticks in a surprised and clumsy manner, he laughed heartily while dipping the sliced boiled meat in the dipping dish and eating it.

Bronze Jon had indeed never eaten such delicious food.

The Mountain also took out snow salt to open the eyes of Earl Jon and Ser Lyn, and let them taste the unique deliciousness of snow salt.

This meal lasted from day to night, and the Mountain and his generals were almost all drunk. Everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, and the Mountain, with a thick tongue, ordered the chefs to bring out the unique noodles – Westerling noodles made with refined flour, which opened the eyes of this group of nobles and soldiers from the Vale and gave them a great feast.

They had mostly only heard of such refined food; this was the first time they had seen and tasted it. They had never encountered anything like it before.

Yashina Royce had been led away from the table early by Ser Field, and the generals of Krigann, supported by their attendants, bid farewell to Demon Mountain one by one. In the end, only a few remained: Demon Mountain's six attendants and two captains. Their eyes, like Demon Mountain's, were glazed with intoxication.

The time had come!

Guest rights were sacred, but that didn't mean they couldn't be trampled.

Bronze Jon signaled for the attack. Runestone was his home, this hall his living room.

Lynn Corbray moved like a cat towards the sword wall to retrieve 'Lady Forlorn'.

To kill Demon Mountain, he needed a Valyrian steel sword—Lady Forlorn.