The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Blood may not lie, but those who test it can.

Bran Stark knew he was no longer Bloodraven, but Jeyne Westerling's verification said he was.

"In the name of the gods, do you not regret this? Queen Jeyne?!" Bran said calmly.

"In the name of the gods, I speak what I see. Divine pronouncements are not to be profaned," Jeyne Westerling replied, equally calm, stern, aloof, and cold-hearted.

Jeyne was a medical apprentice who could saw off a patient's leg with a blade in her youth. Her hands would never tremble when sawing off a patient's limbs.

In the hall, Eddard's heart still skipped a beat. He had prepared himself mentally, thinking he could calmly face Bran's fate.

If Bran was not Bloodraven, then naturally nothing would happen; if Bran was Bloodraven, then publicly and privately, there was nothing to say.

But when Jeyne said that Bran was Bloodraven Brynden, Eddard's heart was still shaken.

Catelyn Tully's eyes instantly filled with tears, the accumulation of tears completely beyond her control.

Arya Stark's face was as stern as a narrow sword!

Sansa couldn't believe it and covered her mouth with her hand.

Her husband, Raynald, pulled her into his arms and embraced her.

Edmure let out a low cry of disbelief.

The Mountain remained as still as a mountain.

Several of the Mountain's bandit generals placed their hands on their sword hilts, waiting for the king's order. Although there was a Master of Laws and Kingsguard present, the Mountain's bandit generals were watching anyone who threatened the king with murderous intent.

Bran's gaze turned to Sansa: "Sansa, I saw you sitting in Highgarden, you and your brother-in-law—" His gaze turned to Raynald, "—will have three children, two boys and a girl. Congratulations, you will soon become the Duchess of the Reach, possessing the granary of the Seven Kingdoms, enjoying wealth and glory for life."

"Bran, didn't you see your own end today?" Arya questioned sharply.

"Arya, the Mountain traveled thousands of miles to save you, he is a king and a friend worth cherishing. No matter what, I don't want any more grudges between the Starks and the Cleganes. The Mountain has done our family a great kindness, and I am willing to face death calmly. Since Queen Jeyne has judged in the name of the gods that I am Bloodraven Brynden, I have nothing to say. Your Majesty, issue the order for execution."

Bran understood the reason for Jeyne's lie: his death could bring about true peaceful coexistence between the Stark and Clegane families. It turned out that a seer was the reason Jeyne couldn't tolerate him, not whether the seer was a Stark or Brynden. However, Jeyne's lie, he didn't know if it was due to the Mountain's secret instructions or Jeyne's own intentions.

Jeyne was the queen, and she didn't hesitate to lie to protect the Mountain's throne and consolidate the dynasty's stability, and a seer knew too much—it seemed! No one could guarantee that he wouldn't have any actions similar to the 'Dragonstone Massacre Plan' in the future, and he couldn't guarantee it himself. His mind had been deeply eroded and influenced by Bloodraven.

"Bran, do you have any unfulfilled wishes?" the Mountain said in a deep voice.

Catelyn Tully looked at Bran with teary eyes, the Mountain's words reminding her. She looked at Bran, hoping to know her son's last wish.

"Unfulfilled wishes, I only owe one person an 'I'm sorry'," Bran said in a heavy tone, as if he had suddenly put on an invisible shackle.

"Who?"

"The current Lord of Moat Cailin: Countess Meera Reed."

Meera Reed, the eldest daughter of Eddard's best friend, Howland Reed. She and her younger brother, Jojen Reed, escorted Bran from Winterfell to the Wall, to the Haunted Forest, enduring many hardships, bringing Bran to the weirwood tree where the Three-Eyed Raven Brynden Rivers lived. Jojen Reed sacrificed his life to protect Bran, while Meera Reed, who guarded Bran until the end, fell in love with Bran, but Bran had no feelings at that time, only treating Meera Reed as a servant.

"Do you have anything or any words you want me to convey to Meera Reed?"

Bran looked towards the gate, towards the high sky outside, he was silent for a long while: "No need, Mountain, what I owe her cannot be compensated by a simple apology. If there is an afterlife, I think I will definitely marry her."

"Your Majesty, the North is willing to submit to you, never betray, for the sake of the Stark family's submission, can you imprison Bran in the black cells under the Red Keep? Imprison him for life, but spare his life," Catelyn Tully knelt on one knee, tears streaming down her face.

"Madam, you put me in a difficult position," the Mountain said heavily.

"Lady Catelyn, Lord Eddard, His Majesty has just ascended the Iron Throne, royal power cannot be despised, laws cannot be trampled, prestige cannot be destroyed," Petyr Baelish stepped forward and said with fervor, "Bran has repeatedly tried to kill the king and seize the Iron Throne, his death penalty is unforgivable!"

"Your Majesty, Bran's death is certain, please order his immediate beheading!" Grand Maester Qyburn stood up tremblingly to advise. Qyburn's body was actually very good, and he didn't tremble when speaking or walking at all. In the nights of King's Landing, he could enter pleasure houses with brisk steps. After being a Grand Maester for a long time, Qyburn also had the hypocrisy of Grand Maester Pycelle.

The Master of Laws was a Dornishman, Arianne Martell's man, he stood up: "Your Majesty, please hand Bran over to me for beheading and public display!"

The Mountain looked at Eddard, he originally intended to have Eddard take Bran back, to ridicule him with words, to let Eddard kill Bran himself, to ensure that his hands did not get stained with the Stark family's blood—but letting the old man kill his son seemed a bit too cruel.

"Lord Eddard, I am in a difficult position," the Mountain sighed, looking at the ceiling.

Eddard Stark slowly knelt on one knee, he understood that the Mountain wanted a clear answer from him, the Mountain wanted to kill Bran, the general trend was unstoppable, who could stop it: "Your Majesty, the Stark family will lead the Northern vassals to King's Landing to submit to the Iron Throne, swearing allegiance to His Majesty in the Great Sept of Baelor and the Godswood, never to betray."

The Mountain quickly bent down, helping Eddard and Lady Catelyn up: "Madam, Lord, let's go for a walk."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Eddard replied calmly, while Catelyn's tears fell silently.

Going for a walk naturally meant not wanting Eddard and Catelyn to witness Bran's head falling to the ground with their own eyes.

Arya and Sansa stepped forward, one on each side, helping Catelyn Tully out of the hall.

The Mountain and Eddard walked out together.

From beginning to end, Bran didn't look at his father and mother again.

Jon walked to Bran's side, bent down, hugged Bran tightly, and then strode out.

Edmure walked to Bran's side, reaching out to pat Bran's shoulder, but ultimately didn't pat it, he walked out with his wife Eleneia Westerling's hand in his. Brynden "Blackfish" Tully walked to Bran's side: "Bran, you knew you would be beheaded, yet you still requested a blood test? Why did you choose to do so?"

It was Bran himself who proposed the blood test to prove his innocence.

Brynden "Blackfish" Tully believed that Bran was a seer, there was no reason not to know his own end. But even gods have their moments of slumber, a seer is not omnipotent. Bran's repeated failures to foresee had already proven this point.

But Bran didn't seem to hear Blackfish's words, he stared fixedly at the sky, not saying a word.

Brynden "Blackfish" Tully patted Bran on the shoulder and walked out.

Finally, the hall was left with Jeyne, Melisandre, Arianne, Daenerys, Dorea Sand, four Kingsguard, the Master of Laws, and several of the Mountain's sworn generals.

The sworn generals had to see Bran's head fall to the ground with their own eyes. They were like the Mountain's eyes. One of the short sworn generals was the wildling general from the North, Sixskins Varamyr. He was the most famous skinchanger in the North, able to possess birds and beasts, controlling them for his use.

The Mountain specially arranged for Varamyr to monitor Bran, preventing Bran from skinchanging and escaping—his soul possessing an animal and fleeing far away. The Mountain had prepared all the details, but Bran had no intention of escaping. He was a Stark, he wanted to maintain the continued existence and glory of the Stark family's millennia-old foundation. If he didn't die, this would be a thorn in the King's heart, a hidden danger.

Jeyne said: "Bran, where do you hope to be buried?"

"After I die, my body belongs to the Stark family, please, Your Majesty, help me to be buried in the Stark family crypt."

"Okay, I will definitely do it for you."

Bran was beheaded as Bloodraven, whether he could enter the Stark family crypt after death, there was an extremely small variable.

Daenerys stepped forward: "Brynden Rivers, the Dragonstone Massacre Plan, Jon and I were almost killed by you. In Braavos, I already told you about the construction of the Mountain's Clegane's Villiage, he is the king chosen by the gods, Jon and I were able to change, why did you always stubbornly insist on putting him to death?"

Bran slowly withdrew his gaze and looked at Daenerys: "Daenerys, I am not Brynden Rivers, I am Bran Stark. I had no choice before, and I have no choice now." His gaze turned to the sky, "I am the boy who was pushed off the broken tower by Jaime Lannister, my body has been falling from a height, a body falling from a height is something I cannot control, I have no choice, only death."

Jeyne raised her hand and waved gently, the Master of Laws stepped forward, pushing Bran's wheelchair outside. Jeyne gestured, two Kingsguard and several of the Mountain's sworn generals stepped forward together, guarding Bran on the left and right, supervising his execution.

Bran turned his head: "Queen Jeyne, Your Majesty, you have desecrated the Blood God, I saw your future death, very tragic. Like me, you seem to have no choice in this matter."

Jeyne smiled slightly: "Bran, you have been making mistakes, and this time is no exception. The Others and the Night's Watch, the Night King and the Mountain, the Iron Throne and Essos, everything has a destiny, but there are also many uncertainties, only strength and wisdom can determine everything. The Stark family and the Clegane family are now one family. Sansa is a Stark, and also a Westerling; I am a Westerling, and also a Clegane. Dragons are the highest magical creatures, and dragons have been successfully bred in the Mountain's plan. My future, what you saw, may not be accurate."

A faint smile climbed onto Bran's face: "Maybe you are right, but death for you cannot be changed. The lies that desecrate the Blood God will eventually backfire. Everything for the family." His last sentence was almost inaudible, turning into a self-murmur.

"For the family, for the kingdom," Jeyne said in her heart with a heavy heart. Bran's words planted a seed of shadow in her heart.

Finally, she nodded to Bran, and Bran also nodded to Jeyne. The two tacitly understood that Jeyne must have Bran die, all of this was for the family, all of this was because of the kingdom.

A kingdom cannot tolerate two kings. A kingdom also cannot leave behind anyone who can threaten the kingdom's rule and the king's life. The Stark family must not have a seer who had repeatedly tried to kill the Mountain continue to exist.

Bran may be innocent, but he is a seer, so he must die!

Soon, the Master of Laws returned to the Maegor's Holdfast hall with a tray in his hands, on the tray, Bran's head was dripping with blood, his eyes as calm as in life, he was beheaded with his eyes open.

This beheading had no ceremony, no one watching, no public pronouncement of Bran's sins by the king, no historian recording, no external publicity, all for the sake of the Stark family's dignity.

Jeyne glanced at Bran, expressionless. Her gaze turned to Sixskins Varamyr, Varamyr nodded to Her Majesty, Jeyne understood that Bran may have chosen not to skinchange and escape in order to repay the family and his parents' kindness. Of course, as long as he chose to skinchange and escape, he would be immediately noticed by Varamyr. And in the sky, the Mountain's dragon had already been waiting, no matter what bird or beast Bran skinchanged into, once Varamyr sent a signal, blowing the Dragonhorn, pointing out the direction, it would be difficult to escape the dragonflame of the sheep stealer.

"Do not publicize it, use the best coffin, wash Bran well, dress him up, and collect his body. We will send someone to escort him back to Winterfell," Jeyne said.

"Yes, Your Majesty," the Master of Laws said.

Several of the Mountain's sworn generals stepped forward to pay their respects to Her Majesty, and took their leave together. Sixskins Varamyr was responsible for reporting Bran's death to His Majesty.

*

On the first day of May in the 301st year of Aegon's Conquest, winter swept across the continent of Westeros. Even Dorne in the far south had a little snow and rain. The continent was getting colder, and the North was already freezing.

Lannisport in the Westerlands was still bustling in the cold wind, Lord Rosamund Lannister and Ser Commer Warner, the Mountain's adopted son, were married, nobles from all over the Westerlands and the Iron Islands came to this marriage.

Although very few heavy-weight courtiers and other dukes, marquises, and bigwigs of the kingdom came, the number of people was no less than Sansa and Raynald's wedding, almost all of the Mountain's main generals came, except for Sweetmouth Ralph, the Headsman Dunsen, and the artist Polliver who were guarding the Iron Bank in Braavos.

The newly married Sansa Stark and Raynald sat on the wedding's VIP seats with the Mountain.

On the third day after the wedding, Sansa Stark and Raynald led 3,000 Westerlands troops from Casterly Rock and 1,000 Northern cavalry supported by Lord Eddard of the North, and 1,000 of the most elite horse archers and the god archer Anguy supported by the Mountain. This force departed from Lannisport, heading south, taking the coastal road directly to Highgarden, attacking Highgarden in the Reach, and eradicating the traitor Willas Tyrell.

Sansa and Leonard pledged a military order to the Mountain, promising to conquer the Reach within three months and present the head of Willas to the Mountain.

Capturing the granary of the Seven Kingdoms and supporting Leonard to become the Lord of the Reach is the final step for the Mountain to unify the continent of Westeros.

Thanks to [Dao Fa Qingfeng] and [Yu 灬 Xi] for the rewards, thank you, handshake!