The Mountain of Ice and Fire

“Edmure, come to my room in Casterly Rock. I need to speak with you,” the Mountain said from his high vantage point in the air. His might was as awe-inspiring as his dragon.

“Yes, Your Grace,” Edmure replied respectfully.

The dragon soared past, the shadow moved away, and everyone returned to the light.

The wind from the dragon's wings had not yet subsided, but the dragon had already flown into Casterly Rock. A deafening cheer echoed throughout the entire castle.

Coo, coo, coo!

Three dragon roars came from the far distance. The Sheepstealer's roar was an order to them.

Men have their king, and dragons have their leader.

The Sheepstealer was the king of the black, white, and bronze dragons.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

The three dragons swept over everyone's heads, drawing graceful arcs before landing in Casterly Rock. The high walls blocked the view, and they disappeared from sight.

The generals of the Riverlands were all shocked.

With the Mountain having such dragons, who would dare disobey?

Edmure was equally shocked!

When he learned that Daenerys Targaryen had also submitted to the Mountain as her king, he did not believe it in his heart.

The Mountain was indeed brave and valiant in battle, but how could Daenerys submit to him with his infamous reputation for brutality and cruelty?!

However, more and more information and rumors forced him to believe it.

Now, on the territory of Casterly Rock, Daenerys's three dragons appeared here. Whether he admitted it in his heart or not, the Mountain had indeed conquered Daenerys Targaryen.

The Mountain's dragon was already invincible, and with Daenerys's three dragons assisting him, who in this world could stop the Mountain's advance?

Edmure looked at his wife in the carriage, who also had a shocked expression. He knew that the Riverlands had not been destroyed by the Mountain because he had married Aelinor.

Back then, the Mountain tried everything to marry Aelinor to him. He initially refused, but in the end, under the Mountain's coercion and enticement, he married Aelinor Westerling and became the Mountain's brother-in-law.

Although the Riverlands had not sent a large number of troops to fight alongside the Mountain in his various battles, he had not declared war on the Mountain either. This gave the Mountain the time and space to strengthen himself at the beginning of his rise.

“My lady, would you accompany me to see His Grace later after we enter the city?”

“I would be happy to, but wouldn't that offend His Grace?”

“No, he is your brother. He dotes on you.” Edmure did not know what the Mountain wanted to talk to him about, but he really had something to ask the Mountain. The first was the issue of the territory of Harrenhal, and the second was the matter of Lord Mooton of Maidenpool wanting to submit to the royal territory.

These two matters were absolutely major events in Edmure's life.

Regaining jurisdiction over Harrenhal and Maidenpool was just a matter of a word from His Grace.

Edmure had been pampered since childhood and was the only son of Lord Hoster Tully. From the moment he was born, he was destined to become the Duke of Riverrun. He had always associated with the young nobles of the Seven Kingdoms, and he had an extremely deep contempt for a crude fellow with such a notorious reputation as the Mountain.

What he did not expect was that in just a few years, the history of Westeros had changed dramatically, and the Mountain, the most heinous villain of the Seven Kingdoms, had become the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms.

During the Mountain's rise, Edmure's Riverlands had close commercial cooperation with the Mountain. From salt to milk, wine, freshwater fish, iron ore, Clegane Bank, wheat, spices, and cloth, both sides made a lot of money. Edmure did not have any subjective ill feelings towards the Mountain, but Lord Mooton of Maidenpool's defection to the Mountain suddenly turned Edmure's impression of the Mountain into malice.

Of course, it has not yet been decided whether Lord Mooton will belong to the royal territory or continue to be loyal to the Tully family of the Riverlands.

*

The Riverlands team arrived at the foot of Casterly Rock. The city gates had already been opened wide, and Raynald Westerling was personally there to greet them at the city gate.

Among the Seven Kingdoms, Duke Edmure Tully of the Riverlands was a well-deserved great noble, and also Raynald's brother-in-law. After Sansa and Raynald got married, from Sansa's side, Raynald became Edmure's junior again.

The two dismounted and exchanged polite greetings at the city gate. After the ceremony, Raynald said, “Duke Edmure, please follow me. His Grace is waiting for you in the Shell Hall.”

“His Grace sent you?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Okay, let's go to the Shell Hall.”

This was not Edmure's first time in Casterly Rock, but it was his first time hearing about the Shell Hall. When he came to Casterly Rock, there was no place called the Shell Hall in Casterly Rock.

It looks like it was newly built!

It was reasonable to renovate the castle when the Westerling family produced a queen.

*

Casterly Rock, Shell Hall.

This hall was not big, and from the outside, it really looked like a shell.

The gate of the Shell Hall was guarded by twelve soldiers from the Mountain's personal guard, led by the one-eyed Tyram. His one eye stared at Edmure like a knife, which made Edmure quite uncomfortable.

The decorations on both sides of the gate, including the gate and the door frame, were all the Clegane family's coat of arms.

There was no one else in the room, just the Mountain and Eddard Stark. It seemed that they were waiting for him specifically.

Raynald left after sending Edmure there. He had a lot of things to do. There were also several important figures from other places arriving today, and Raynald was responsible for greeting the VIPs at the gate.

“Sit,” the Mountain raised his hand, signaling Edmure to sit down.

Edmure then sat down. With Eddard Stark present, he felt much calmer.

Eddard Stark's face had the frozen, dry red color characteristic of the Northmen. He looked at Edmure with a cold expression, like the frozen soil under the snow in the North.

Eddard Stark had always been unsmiling, rigid, and serious.

“Brother-in-law, where is my sister!” Edmure asked in a low voice. Talking to Eddard could effectively relieve the tension in his heart. He was brought to the Mountain's Shell Hall as soon as he entered Casterly Rock. What exactly did the Mountain want to ask him?

“Catelyn took a boat and arrived in the Westerlands before me.”

“By boat?”

“Yes, she boarded the boat at the fishing village of Norun's Ford in the North, passed through the Iron Islands Bay, and will soon arrive at the seaside pier of Casterly Rock.”

“His Grace specially rode a dragon to the North to pick you up?”

“Yes, I never thought I would be able to ride a dragon in my lifetime.” Eddard's frozen face softened a lot. His heart was always a ball of fire, and his expression was always a ball of ice.

The Mountain stared at Edmure. He could see Edmure's nervousness and unease, as if this kid owed the Mountain a lot of money. The Mountain did not interrupt Edmure's low voice. He let Edmure and Eddard catch up first.

The Mountain was no longer the superficially fierce and mighty Mountain. In his heart lived the soul of a very friendly college student. However, this was not known to outsiders.

After a few simple greetings, Eddard raised his hand to stop Edmure from continuing to ask questions. He said, “Your Grace, Edmure is here. What important matter do you want to talk to him about? Do you need me to leave?!”

“No, Your Grace. You don't need to leave.”

Eddard was the independent King of the North, but the Mountain did not call him king. He called Eddard by his title, which was not disrespectful, but expressed the Mountain's implication that he did not want Eddard to be the King of the North.

Eddard nodded and sat upright!

The Mountain looked at Edmure: “Duke Edmure, I heard that you are very dissatisfied with me. I would like to hear what you are dissatisfied with.”

*

Edmure was stunned!

Eddard was also stunned. He did not expect the Mountain to call Edmure to his Shell Hall in the first place because of this reason.

Society was complex, and there were many rumors. His Grace could not just ask Edmure to question him face to face because he heard some words! Such a trivial matter should have been mentioned casually during drinking after the wedding or during the wedding gap. The Mountain solemnly asked Edmure such a question in person, which showed that the Mountain was still somewhat uncomfortable with being king.

A king of a country should have a lot and not care about everything and everyone.

Edmure was not an outsider!

*

“Your Grace, I am not dissatisfied with Your Grace. If Your Grace heard any rumors, they must be rumors,” Edmure said solemnly.

“Oh! In that case, you also agree that Lord Mooton wants to submit Maidenpool to the royal territory and no longer be your vassal?”

Edmure was speechless and could not speak for a while.

Eddard Stark also heard about this for the first time, and his expression obviously became serious: “Your Grace, Maidenpool originally belonged to the territory of the Tully family. Your Grace cannot arbitrarily seize the territory of his great vassals. This is a very bad precedent. Even if Maidenpool belongs to the Tully family, it is still the territory of the king. Which piece of land in the Seven Kingdoms does not belong to Your Grace?”

This time it was the Mountain's turn to be stunned.

Eddard said that which piece of land in the Seven Kingdoms does not belong to His Grace?!

The North was clearly independent of the Seven Kingdoms.

“Your Grace Eddard, I didn't understand what you said,” the Mountain said hesitantly.

Edmure looked shocked.

He never expected that Eddard would say such an inappropriate thing for his Maidenpool. The North was clearly independent and no longer belonged to the vassals of the Iron Throne, but Eddard's words clearly meant to submit again?

How was this possible?! Did brother-in-law speak too quickly and blurt out the wrong words?

However, with Eddard's character, he would never say the wrong thing because he was in a hurry.

Eddard said: “The North will officially return to the Iron Throne after the wedding. I hope Your Grace will not deprive me of my position as Warden of the North.”

The Mountain stared at Eddard Stark. It was said that Eddard was a rare upright and loyal man. This was proof!

The Mountain had done a great kindness to the North and the Stark family. He killed the Night King and saved the entire North. This was a great kindness that the North could not repay no matter how hard they tried, unless they submitted.

And Eddard Stark chose to submit!

The Mountain stood up and walked to Eddard. He was very tall, so he lowered his body and grabbed Eddard's hands with both hands. The Mountain's palms were hot: “Lord Eddard, I am very grateful that you can submit.”

“Your Grace, the North and the Stark family will always remember Your Grace's great kindness. The North submits and will never betray.” Eddard Stark knelt down on one knee, lowered his head, put his right fist on his left chest, and swore.

The Mountain quickly helped Eddard up, his face feeling slightly hot.

The Mountain never dreamed that Eddard Stark would submit to him like this. He had prepared a lot of rhetoric to give Eddard Stark a good “ideological and moral education class” after the wedding. Now it seemed that none of those preparations would be used.

Dealing with the older generation of loyal and upright men like Eddard Stark and Jon Connington was indeed worry-free and reassuring. Eddard Stark could naturally see that the Mountain did not want the North to be independent. This honest man did not need the Mountain to say anything, and he directly submitted and returned.

Earl Jon Connington, who was as 'stupid' as Duke Eddard Stark, agreed to be the Mountain's prime minister for two months to help the Mountain sort out the dynasty's political affairs – there were many political affairs in the newly established dynasty, involving all levels, which did require someone with experience in every aspect to be the prime minister, and such a person was indeed not easy to find.

Jon sorted out the royal affairs for the Mountain in two months, and then the Mountain found another reason to ask Jon to be the prime minister for a while longer. The Mountain promised Jon that as long as Sansa's wedding was over and he returned to King's Landing, he would allow Jon Connington to return to the Eyrie to retire.

What Jon Connington did not know was that when Sansa's wedding ended, his Grace would encounter more and more troublesome events to deal with, and he would have to be the prime minister for a while longer until His Grace could free up time to select a prime minister. And His Grace probably would not have time to select a real prime minister in his lifetime.

Eddard Stark's active submission made the Mountain ecstatic. He thought that his Kingsguard was still missing one person, and he naturally had a candidate in mind, who was the fearless Ser Barristan Selmy. Barristan, the true great knight recognized by the Seven Kingdoms, a true steel, returned to his hometown after leaving Daenerys.

Eddard Stark, Jon Connington, and Barristan Selmy were all the same kind of people of the older generation. These people had a common weakness, which was to adhere to the knightly spirit and pay attention to honor. They would only be gentlemen and never villains.

The Mountain decided to send someone to Barristan's hometown to bring Barristan back to be a member of the Kingsguard. Barristan would not sell the Mountain's account, but he would listen to Daenerys's words, so he could ask him to come back in Daenerys's name.

The royal family needed more true steel to join.

*

Eddard Stark said: “Your Grace, about the Mooton family of Maidenpool……”

“Your Grace, I guarantee to persuade Lord Mooton to stay in the Riverlands. The Mooton family used to be a vassal of the Tully family, and it will be in the future.”

Edmure was overjoyed, and a smile bloomed on his face, like a blooming flower.

The heavy boulder that was pressing on his heart was removed, and the Mountain agreed before Duke Eddard had even finished speaking.

“Your Grace, Harrenhal also belongs to our territory in the Riverlands……”

"Duke Edmure, the Stark, Clegane, Tully, and Westerling families are now all one family. Regarding Harrenhal, I will persuade Littlefinger to withdraw and return Harrenhal and the God's Eye to House Tully. Harrenhal and the God's Eye have always belonged to the Riverlands."

Edmure was so激动 that he stood up abruptly. "Your Majesty, I, I, I am very grateful, eternally grateful..."