The Mountain of Ice and Fire

The name of the Faceless Men flashed through everyone's mind in the hall like a bolt of lightning, as dazzling and brilliant as the one that lit up the sky in the dark night.

Amidst the fear and trepidation, the young King Aegon suddenly felt a surge of shame and anger.

If Cersei were to hire a Faceless Man to assassinate him, it would come at an unimaginable price.

The Red Keep had been embroiled in internal warfare for years, with expenditures exceeding income. Could she really afford to pay so much to hire a Faceless Man? If she were truly planning to pay a huge price to hire a Faceless Man to assassinate him, she would never have sent an envoy to deliver the message, and she would never have revealed this secret.

Faceless Men never issue threats before killing!

Nor would they allow their employers to do so.

Everything is secret!

The employer is a secret, the Faceless Man is a secret, the assassination is a secret.

Everything must be a secret!

Aegon Targaryen was knowledgeable and proficient in the languages of many countries and regions. He even knew some simple conversational phrases in High Valyrian. He was very clever and quick-witted. He stared at Roland Clynton, watching this messenger who dared not raise his head, and he immediately understood the true intention of Roland Clynton's message: deterrence, bluffing!

If Cersei really wanted to hire a Faceless Man, she would never reveal it! It was even more impossible for her to let a messenger know this secret!

But since she had said it, since she had sent a messenger to deliver the message, then she definitely wouldn't hire a Faceless Man to carry out the assassination.

There was no doubt about it!

The fear in Aegon's eyes completely dissipated, and a playful light gleamed in his violet eyes.

"Ser Rory Duckfield," Aegon said, his tone calm and full of strength.

"Yes, Your Grace."

"I now appoint you as my Hand, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, responsible for forming the Kingsguard for me."

"As you command, Your Grace," Rory Duckfield said, somewhat surprised. He glanced at Jon Clynton, then knelt on one knee and accepted the King's appointment.

The Golden Company had crowned Aegon Targaryen VI as King and sworn allegiance, but Aegon's courtiers and generals had not yet been formally appointed in the King's name. The Kingsguard, Hand of the King, and other important officials such as the Master of War, Master of Laws, Master of Ships, Master of Coin, and Master of Whisperers were all vacant. This was an ambitious legion that did not yet have the rudiments of a kingdom. In the army, besides the King, there were only the original generals and soldiers from the Golden Company.

"Jon Clynton," Aegon called out majestically. He had always been afraid of Jon, who had been very strict with him during the seventeen years he had raised him. Whenever he made a mistake, the punishment was severe. The excessive strictness had cast a shadow in Aegon's heart since he was a child, making him fearful of Jon.

Jon Clynton's eyes were like swords, his face resolute. He had a natural air of sternness and carried a fierce look.

He did not kneel on one knee, but looked directly at Aegon: "Your Grace, we have only just taken Storm's End, and it is not yet appropriate to appoint courtiers and generals."

"Father, now is precisely the most appropriate time," Aegon said in a very firm and emphatic tone. His implied meaning was that if he said it was appropriate, then it was appropriate.

He was no longer Jon's 'Young Griff'; he had grown up, and he was the 'King' to whom Jon knelt and swore allegiance.

Aegon also stared directly at Jon, telling himself that he was the King, he was the Dragon, he was a Targaryen. But Jon's gaze was calm, experienced, and deeply penetrating, causing the fear hidden deep within him to seep out little by little. Just as Aegon decided to back down, he did not expect that his foster father, who had always been as strict as steel, would slowly lower his eyes and then slowly kneel on one knee.

Jon Clynton clearly felt that 'Young Griff' was no longer the sensible and well-behaved 'Young Griff' of the past. Originally, the appointment of courtiers and generals had been agreed upon beforehand to be held in a grand ceremony in the Great Sept of Baelor, witnessed by the High Septon, after the capture of the Red Keep.

But the King had suddenly changed his mind, insisting on making the appointments now.

Perhaps the child should be given the authority he deserved. All the important generals of the Golden Company were here, watching Aegon Targaryen VI. If the King was not imposing, it would be difficult to convince this group of desperate men.

But this might be a mistake.

As the child transformed from Young Griff to Aegon Targaryen VI, and then from Aegon to King, the change in his identity inevitably brought about a series of changes in rules. When the monarch and his subjects had different opinions, the subject's opinion could no longer be the dominant one. This was the concession Jon made after weighing the considerations. Appointing officials first, and then taking the Iron Throne, was probably not a serious mistake.

Jon's concession made Aegon's face light up, his eyes shining. His confidence was unprecedentedly strengthened. He stood up, his voice loud and full of youthful passion: "In the name of the Old Gods and the New, I—Aegon VI Targaryen, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm—hereby declare Jon Clynton to be the Hand of the King, to manage all affairs of the kingdom, including military, political, legal, maritime, and trade matters. When I am not present, the Hand is the King, exercising all the King's powers, commanding the army on horseback and governing the people on foot."

"As you command, Your Grace," Jon Clynton said, receiving the title of Hand of the King from King Aegon, with supreme power, but he was not happy in his heart. He suddenly regretted his concession. He stared at Aegon, worried that he would no longer be able to discipline this 'Young Griff'. He feared that 'Young Griff' would act recklessly and make big mistakes.

The obedient and submissive 'Young Griff' was gone. This was what he had been hoping for in his heart, but the King's sudden change made Jon feel uneasy. He worried that 'Young Griff' had completely changed! What if 'Young Griff' was completely different from the past? He was a true dragon, a King!

Next, Aegon bestowed titles on Captain-General Harry Strickland, Septa Lemore, and Maester Haldon, who were 'homeless'. But in reality, there were only official positions, without the bestowal of territories, wealth, or titles. Harry was made Master of War, in charge of the kingdom's armies; Septa Lemore was made Royal Steward, in charge of all internal affairs of the royal family; and Haldon was made Grand Maester, in charge of the medical care of the King and the Hand and the kingdom's foreign affairs.

After the appointments were completed, the atmosphere in the hall also changed. Roland Clynton, who had been kneeling on the ground, felt bitter in his heart but dared not move. He subjectively believed that Aegon VI was a cruel and ruthless young King, with the temperament of the Mad King Aerys Targaryen. It was best not to provoke such a person, who was bloodthirsty and prone to killing.

"Ser Roland, you have been kneeling for a long time. Get up," Aegon said, revealing a triumphant and brilliant smile. He was experiencing the taste of being a King for the first time, and the feeling of controlling everything was indeed a good thing, making him feel great. He realized that as long as he was tough in the name of the King, even Jon Clynton, who was as majestic as steel, would still have to submit and kneel.

Perhaps Young Griff's hard life and strict schooling had been too oppressive. Once he had the opportunity to rebel, Young Griff revealed his true colors. Perhaps his well-behaved and sensible demeanor was a survival skill he had been forced to use to please his four teachers.

Roland's legs were numb, and the knee of his right leg, which had been kneeling on the ground, was aching piercingly. The ground was marble, without any carpets.

Roland stood up, trying his best to keep his body from staggering. His face was twisted.

"Ser Roland, I also have a message for you to take to Cersei."

"Your Grace, please command."

"Tell Cersei that if she hires a Faceless Man to assassinate me, as soon as something happens to me, all the families of the Stormlands nobles, more than a thousand of them, will be buried with me."

"Your Grace, saying so will damage the honor of the Targaryen family. A true warrior does not slaughter the innocent," Roland Clynton replied.

Aegon smiled silently, his demeanor elegant, his face handsome. He ignored Roland's words: "Roland, I have another message for you to tell the Stormlands lords in King's Landing. As long as they lead their troops to surrender, their families will be safe and sound. I pardon their crimes and promise to let them keep their lands. But once they refuse to surrender and King's Landing is breached, they and their families will all be hanged."

"Kindness and benevolence will win the support of the people, Your Grace," Septa Lemore, who was beside the young King, advised in a low voice.

Aegon had no fear of this nun-teacher in his heart. The smile on his face disappeared: "Steward, those who submit to me are my people, and I will cherish them well. Those who refuse to submit are my enemies. For enemies, dragonfire is always merciless."

Septa Lemore was speechless for a moment. Young Griff's words surprised her too much. She looked at Jon Clynton. Jon said: "Your Grace, from today onwards, we will have a Small Council. According to the laws of the Targaryen dynasty, future military and political affairs must first be discussed in the Small Council, and then the Hand will report the results to Your Grace, and then ask Your Grace to issue orders."

"Since it is stipulated by Targaryen law, Hand, then let's follow the law," Aegon said readily. He was wary of Jon and refused to 'entangle' with him. His eyes fell on Roland's face: "Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Rory Duckfield."

"I am here, Your Grace."

"Bring out all of Roland Clynton's family members, return them all to Ser Roland, to express our goodwill to the Stormlands lords. As long as they surrender and swear allegiance to me, their families and lands will be returned to them."

"As you command, Your Grace," Rory Duckfield was the King's first Kingsguard, and for the time being, also the only one.

This order was unbelievable to Roland Clynton, both surprised and delighted.

Soon, Kingsguard Rory brought all of Roland Clynton's family members to the hall: his mother, wife, son, and daughter, a total of four people, and twenty-one family servants. When Roland saw his family, his heart was filled with excitement, and he hurriedly knelt down to thank Aegon. More than twenty people knelt down together, thanking His Grace Aegon for his pardon.

Aegon smiled slightly and said, "Commander Harry, bring Roland Clynton a large bag. He will need it later."

Harry Strickland didn't understand, but he didn't ask, and obediently brought a large bag.

"Ser Roland Clynton, open the bag," Aegon said with a smile.

Roland Clynton began to feel uneasy, and he hesitantly opened the mouth of the bag.

"Ser Rory, behead Roland's mother," Aegon stood up, the smile on his face disappeared, and he issued the order coldly. His silver-gold hair fluttered, and his violet eyes revealed madness.

Roland Clynton was shocked. Aegon gave him a big bag to hold his family's heads.

Jon Clynton was also shocked. Roland's mother was his aunt. Jon's face was majestic and carried a fierce look, making people afraid, but like Eddard Stark, he attached great importance to his honor, and in his heart, he always had an extremely soft side towards innocent people, especially when facing family members.

When his aunt's eyes looked at Jon for help, he stood up and stood in front of his aunt: "Your Grace, Aerys slaughtered the innocent and earned the title of Mad King, and was killed by his own Kingsguard in the throne room; Joffrey I did whatever he wanted and died at his own wedding."

Aegon had originally been afraid of Jon in his heart, but Jon's words were too extreme, comparing him to the Mad King and Joffrey, clearly cursing that he would die a tragic death, which completely angered the young King who had been suppressed for many years.

He was no longer Young Griff. The young King had been doing such psychological construction ever since he was crowned King. His psychological construction was very successful. He was no longer that Young Griff. From the appointment of officials, he had completely transformed into a King psychologically.

"Jon, I am the King. I do not kill envoys, I kill enemies to establish my authority, what is wrong with that? This is war, I do not have your womanly benevolence. In the Battle of the Bells, if you had been decisive in killing, burning those commoners and Robert Baratheon to death, the Targaryen dynasty would not have been overthrown."

These words pierced Jon Clynton's heart like a sharp blade. His face turned pale instantly, and he staggered, almost falling. The things in front of him also turned into shadows, one becoming two, the shadows overlapping and shaking.

"Lord Commander Rory, you knelt down and swore allegiance to me, are you now going to violate your oath?"

Rory Duckfield was originally a person who had committed a lot of killings. Under the young King's coercion, and with Jon Clynton shaking and his face painful and distorted, he no longer hesitated. He raised his sword and slashed, and with a puff, he beheaded Roland's mother. Jon Clynton screamed: "No!" but was grabbed by the arms by two Golden Company generals and could not move.

The soldiers and generals in the Golden Company were all exiles who had lost their lands, countries, and homes. Their mercenary careers were all desperate lives. Killing was a pleasing and gratifying thing for them. Killing children, women, and soldiers was no different to them. They had not only lost their homes and countries, but also lost the honor of knights.

"Kill all of Roland's family and servants, put their heads in the bag," Aegon shouted sharply.

As the first head fell, blood splattered, and a long-lost pleasure surged throughout Aegon's body. He trembled slightly with excitement.

The killing began!

In just a short while, Roland Clynton's entire family and servants were beheaded and put into two large bags.

The hall was filled with blood, and the young King Aegon's violet eyes were full of smiles.

*

Several days later, Roland Clynton returned to the Red Keep in King's Landing alone with two large bags of heads. The two soldiers and one knight who accompanied him were also ordered to be beheaded by Aegon. When the heads rolled out of the blood bags and jumped and tumbled in the throne room, the entire hall was silent.

Queen Mother Cersei sat on the Iron Throne, looking at Roland Clynton, and said, "Roland, tell me who killed them. I promised you that the name will be spoken, and death will come."

"Aegon Targaryen the Sixth, Jon Connington, Rolly Duckfield, Sister Lemore, Harry Strickland, Septon Haldon."

"Names spoken are followed by death, without exception!" Queen Cersei said coldly.