The Mountain of Ice and Fire

“Jorah Mormont,” the Mountain said blandly.

Jorah Mormont looked at the Mountain, saying nothing. He knew that after Daenerys was placed under house arrest, the Mountain would definitely kill him, because Jorah himself had said that unless the Mountain killed him, he would not leave Daenerys.

But Daenerys had been confined to the Maidenvault, and he had to leave even if he didn't want to. If he insisted on staying, the Mountain would of course kill him without hesitation.

To the Mountain, killing someone was no different than crushing an ant.

The Mountain sat on the Iron Throne, like a beast in human skin wearing a crown. This beast looked calm, but Jorah Mormont knew very well the terror and brutality hidden within him.

The Mountain's gaze was indifferent, as if he saw through Jorah Mormont's thoughts: “Jorah, I have a way to keep a loyal knight like you in the Red Keep and by Daenerys's side.”

This was exactly what Jorah Mormont hoped for! But he knew it was impossible!

Jorah Mormont continued to look at the Mountain without saying a word.

“Cut off your head and hang it on the door of the Maidenvault,” the Mountain said slowly and calmly, “or get out of King's Landing immediately, without stopping for even a heartbeat.”

“Your Grace, I have another proposal,” Jorah Mormont had already resigned himself to death and was not afraid of the terrible beast hidden in the Mountain's massive body. He slowly knelt on one knee, “Please allow me to swear allegiance to Your Grace.”

The brutal and terrifying Mountain actually gave him a chance to live, which surprised Jorah. It was unexpected.

According to Jorah's understanding of the Mountain, after capturing Daenerys, the Mountain's style would be to issue an order to cut off his head.

But the Mountain actually gave him another choice: get out of King's Landing!

If this had happened to someone else and was told to Jorah Mormont, Jorah would not have believed it.

Regarding the Mountain, Jorah, Barristan, Tyrion, Varys, and others had a consensus: he was brutal, terrifying, and bloodthirsty. The Mountain would not let go of any enemy he perceived, and anyone who went against his will was in extreme danger, facing death at any moment.

But the Mountain actually gave Jorah a chance to leave King's Landing!

His tolerance surprised Jorah Mormont.

The Mountain, the worst in the Seven Kingdoms! Feared and dreaded for his cruelty, rage, and bloodlust.

The Mountain looked at Jorah: “Jorah, you want me to keep you in King's Landing so you can have a chance to get close to Daenerys, at least to be a little closer to her. You are not swearing allegiance to me, you are despising me.” The Mountain glanced at the officer of the guard, Ser Alyn, knowing that with just a look, Alyn would draw his longsword and cut off Jorah Mormont's head. “Alright, I don't accept your allegiance, but I'll give you a chance to stay in King's Landing, Commander Rolph Spicer.”

Rolph Spicer, Commander of the City Watch of King's Landing, stepped out of the ranks.

“Enroll Jorah Mormont in your guard, feeding warhorses, repairing armor, sharpening arrows, Jorah Mormont should be able to handle it. He has a good physique and should have some strength in his hands.”

“As you command, Your Grace.”

Rolph Spicer was as tall as Jorah, but more robust and burly. He looked at Jorah and shouted loudly: “Captain Mandle, I've found you a male servant to feed warhorses, repair armor, and sharpen swords and arrows, take him away.”

Captain Mandle ran over from the guards, his face as hard as steel. He looked at Jorah with disdain, not even bothering to speak to him, nodding his head slightly outwards. Jorah Mormont took a deep look at the Mountain and turned to walk towards the gate. Captain Mandle immediately followed.

From then on, Jorah Mormont became a handyman in the City Watch. Handymen had no armor, no weapons, wore cloth clothes, and were servants who could be bullied by everyone in the City Watch.

The Mountain's gaze turned to Daenerys's absolute fierce general, Daario. Before he could speak, Daario had already knelt on one knee: “Your Grace, I sincerely surrender to you, in the name of the old and new gods, I swear allegiance to Your Grace, and if necessary, I will dedicate my life to you.”

The Mountain looked at Daario. This mercenary from the Tyroshi pirate family, like Jorah Mormont, was an absolutely loyal subject of Daenerys. Jorah deeply loved Daenerys, and so did Daario. Daenerys's unparalleled beauty made these two passionate men infatuated and unable to extricate themselves. Jorah had no chance to get close to Daenerys, Daenerys treated him like a father, while Daario was young, handsome, exceptionally skilled in martial arts, and full of charm.

“Daario, I already gave you a chance to pledge allegiance to me. You were once my guard, but in the naval battle, you chose to stand on Daenerys's side. I will no longer accept anyone who has betrayed me.” The Mountain looked at Ser Alyn, “Alyn, have you sharpened your sword this morning?”

“Yes, Your Grace, I sharpen my sword very carefully every morning.”

“Cut off Daario's head, then soak it in pitch. Make sure the pitch completely covers the head, so it can be preserved longer and won't rot so quickly.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Hang Daario's pitch-soaked head on the door of the Maidenvault, so Daenerys can see it every time she goes out.” The Mountain stared at Daario, whose face had changed, “Daario, I've given you the opportunity to be with Daenerys even after death, you don't need to be grateful to me, this is my reward for your past allegiance to me.”

“Your Grace, when I was your guard, you promised that I could leave you at any time and return to Her Grace the Queen's side.”

“Yes, I promised.”

“So in the naval battle, I chose to stand on Her Grace the Queen's side, which is not betrayal.”

“Alright, that's not betrayal, but it's clearly a mistake, and I'm going to correct that mistake now.” The Mountain waved his hand, and several gold cloaks rushed out, grabbed Daario, tied his hands behind his back, and Ser Alyn escorted Daario out.

The hall was very quiet. The Mountain did not speak, sitting on the Iron Throne and waiting. None of the courtiers and generals dared to speak, and none of the noble ladies dared to whisper to each other. Everyone was like well-behaved elementary school students listening to the lesson.

After a while, a copper plate with a bloody head was presented below the Iron Throne. The Mountain glanced at it and said, “Soak it in pitch and hang it on the Maidenvault door.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Bloodrider Rakharo!” The Mountain looked down at this Dothraki hero with arrogance, “Do you choose to submit, like your people, or do you choose to be beheaded and fulfill your honor?”

“Your Grace, I beg you, do not behead me.” Rakharo knelt on one knee.

What the Dothraki fear most is being beheaded, the head and body separated. This violates their faith. The god of the grasslands tells them that those who are beheaded cannot return to the Land of Night, nor can they return to their brothers and sisters, nor can they ride horses with their former family, brothers, and comrades in the Land of Night. They can only fall into hell, with no afterlife, and be tortured forever.

The Mountain looked at Rakharo: “I pardon your death sentence, warrior Rakharo. Daenerys is no longer your khaleesi, nor is she the khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea. She is my prisoner, you are free. Commander Wagner Gal, find Rakharo a ship and send him away.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Wagner Gal, Lord Admiral and Commander of the Royal Fleet, stepped out of the ranks of the important officials of the court. Rakharo, who had already prepared for death, knelt on one knee, clenched his right fist, placed it on his left chest, and bowed to the Mountain.

Immediately, Wagner Gal took Rakharo out.

“Missandei,” the Mountain said.

Missandei stood with Grey Worm, she raised her head, her chest heaving, not knowing whether her fate was death or life.

The Mountain had dealt with four people, and the endings of the four people were different: Barristan Selmy was given freedom and left; Jorah Mormont became a handyman in the King's Landing City Watch; General Daario was beheaded by the Mountain and his head was soaked in pitch and hung on the Maidenvault door; Rakharo was pardoned and immediately sent on a ship to leave this continent… Now it was her turn…

Missandei's heart was filled with fear of the Mountain!

This was a king whose actions were difficult to predict, but fortunately, only one of the four people died.

“Missandei, Daenerys in the Maidenvault needs a trustworthy companion, you are her personal maid, right?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Are you willing to go to the Maidenvault to accompany Daenerys?”

“Yes, Your Grace, I am very grateful.”

“Bronn, have your soldiers take Missandei to the Maidenvault.”

“As you command, Your Grace.”

Bronn stepped out of the ranks and smiled: “Missandei, come with me.”

“Yes, thank you, General.”

“Irri, Doreah, and that… who, the three of you, are Daenerys's maids, you have been with Daenerys since the time of Drogo, but now Daenerys doesn't need you anymore, you are free, go quickly.”

The three maids were surprised and delighted, they were free?!

“Your Grace, can we stay in King's Landing? Or must we leave immediately by ship?” Irri asked cautiously.

“You are free, you can go anywhere you want. If you don't have a good place to go, you can find Lord Bronn Clegane.”

Short Bernie Clegane smiled. He ran more than 90% of the brothels in King's Landing.

The Mountain didn't want to force good women into prostitution, but if the three women had no money and wanted to find a job in a brothel, then it was still possible to do good deeds.

“Thank you, Your Grace.” The three women bowed to King Mountain together.

Bernie Clegane said: “Irri, if you want to stay in King's Landing, if you encounter any trouble in King's Landing, mention my name, and someone will bring you to see me.” The street thugs, beggars, thieves, vagrants, the little birds that were everywhere, the underground casinos, the high, middle, and low-end brothels in King's Landing, their indirect boss was Bernie Clegane.

“Thank you, Lord.” The three women bowed to Bernie Clegane again, then the three women quickly left the throne hall. Bernie nodded somewhere, and a knight followed out, tailing behind the three women.

In Bernie's high-end brothel, if the news that three maids from the Mother of Dragons Daenerys had arrived, the business would definitely explode, and the doors of the brothel would be squeezed open. It's just that such business no longer matched the identity of King Mountain. He was most suitable when he was still a gang leader. It was also acceptable when he was still the Master of War. But sitting on the Iron Throne, it didn't seem elegant anymore. However, Bernie Clegane was a talented ventriloquist who had never learned anything, he came from the streets.

“Grey Worm!” the Mountain said.

Grey Worm was the commander of Daenerys's Unsullied legion. He was loyal to Daenerys.

Grey Worm stared coldly at the Mountain.

“Are you still loyal to Daenerys?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Not afraid of being beheaded?”

“Absolutely not afraid, Your Grace.”

“Good, very good. Then you must immediately take a ship back to Slaver's Bay. Perhaps your Queen will return soon and retake Slaver's Bay. Today's Slaver's Bay has become a cruel and bloody place. The butcher king appointed by Daenerys is slaughtering her people, slaughtering anyone who disagrees. The fighting pits that Daenerys closed have been reopened by the butcher king. The abolished slavery has also been revived. Hundreds of slaves are bought and sold in the market every day. Ships coming and going to Slaver's Bay to sell slaves are doing booming business. Perhaps Daenerys will ride a dragon back. When she arrives in Slaver's Bay, she may hope to see you.”

Grey Worm opened his mouth wide and couldn't close it.

He couldn't believe that the Mountain would release Daenerys? Give her freedom? Allow her to take back her dragons and return to Slaver's Bay? He hoped that someone would help the Queen when Daenerys returned to Slaver's Bay, but why did the Mountain first release Barristan Selmy and Rakharo? And behead Daario?

Grey Worm couldn't figure it out!

But he knew he was free, and Daenerys would most likely ride a dragon back to Slaver's Bay. And he was from Slaver's Bay. His home and roots were in Slaver's Bay.

“Lord Petyr, please give Grey Worm some coins,” the Mountain said blandly.

Petyr Baelish stepped out of the ranks, with his signature sly smile on his face. He threw a small money bag to Grey Worm, which contained several gold dragons, several silver stags, and some copper coins.

Grey Worm caught the money bag, he stared blankly at the Mountain for a long time, he did not salute or thank him, but turned nimbly and then quickly walked out of the throne hall.

Less than ten generals remained. The Mountain looked at this group of people and said blandly: “Kneel down and submit, or be beheaded, soaked in pitch and hung on the door of the Maidenvault, choose for yourselves.”

The generals looked at each other, they really didn't understand the rules and thoughts of the big man sitting on the Iron Throne, but soon one person knelt down, then the second, the third, and finally, a total of seven people knelt down together and swore allegiance to the Mountain.

Jon Targaryen, standing in the ranks of the nobles, looked at the Mountain on the Iron Throne, his eyes stern and in awe—the Mountain handled Daenerys's generals with ease, without any hindrance, obviously everything had been carefully considered. In such a large hall, so many courtiers and generals, and all the important officials of the court, the Mountain did not consult anyone's opinion and handled Daenerys's group cleanly and clearly.

What Jon was most worried about was Daenerys's life, and the Mountain also gave a clear hope.

Jon couldn't help but recall what Gendry had said during the Oracle's Guidance Ceremony: Farmers till the land, fishermen fish, blacksmiths forge iron, soldiers fight, generals lead armies, and the Chosen One sits on the Iron Throne.