The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Chapter 212: Three Hundred Thousand Gold Dragons (Seeking Subscriptions, Begging for Recommendations)

Sharp Rock Castle, main keep, the Earl's study.

Edmure, Earl Gavin, Lady Sybell, Jeyne, Elenya, the Mountain, and Raynald were the eight present.

Besides Edmure, there wasn't an outsider in the room.

Father Gavin, Mother Sybell, Eldest Brother Raynald, Second Daughter Jeyne, Youngest Daughter Elenya, and Son-in-Law the Mountain.

Edmure's hundred guards had all been left behind; upon learning of their master's absurd behavior, almost none of them drew their swords in resistance.

Given the Mountain's infamous reputation and combat prowess, resistance meant a miserable death. Everyone agreed on this point.

"Lord Edmure!" Earl Gavin's expression was grim. "The Westerlings are an ancient house that values honor above all else. You are protected by guest right, and we have treated you with respect, but your despicable behavior is beyond my comprehension."

"I also cannot believe it, my lord. I truly had too much to drink," Edmure said, his face filled with shame.

"How did you get to the third floor of the main keep?"

"I don't know. I only know that I was walking with many people, all together."

"Father, delving into the details is meaningless," the Mountain said blandly. "Ser Edmure must marry Elenya."

"...No... This is too absurd..." Edmure had no confidence facing the Mountain; he stuttered nervously as soon as he opened his mouth.

"First an engagement, then a wedding when Elenya is well," the Mountain declared, brooking no argument.

"...I think... we should listen to... Elenya's opinion," nineteen-year-old Raynald said. "Ser Gregor... we should first hear Elenya's voice."

Elenya kept her head lowered, staring at her toes, looking like a child who had done something wrong. In truth, she was just a child!

"Don't force Elenya to state her position here; you're humiliating her," Jeyne said bluntly to Raynald.

"Jeyne, Elenya will have her own ideas. She'll be of age soon, in at most a year," Raynald said. "She's the one involved; she can choose not to answer or speak, but we need to give her the opportunity to speak."

"I... will not... marry anyone else!" Elenya's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz.

Edmure felt as if he'd been struck a heavy blow to the chest; he shuddered, his face instantly paling.

"Alright, say no more. Lord Edmure, you either stay and leave after the engagement, or you won't be leaving at all," the Mountain said calmly.

"Not leave? Mountain, are you planning to kill me?"

"No, your life is yours to decide. You are protected by the sacred guest right, and the Westerlings are an ancient house that adheres to the laws of hospitality. Lord Edmure, you have taken Elenya's maidenhood; your freedom will be temporarily decided by us."

"Do you intend to imprison me forever, Lord Mountain!" Edmure's anger surged.

"Not forever. I will confine you until Elenya comes of age, you marry, and then you will be free," the Mountain said. "This is the best way to preserve the honor of both the Tully and Westerling families. My sister is young and beautiful; when she is thirty and in her prime, you will already be a wretched old man. Think about it, Edmure, you're getting a damn good deal."

"No, I must leave here today. I need to return to Riverrun to see my father; his condition has suddenly worsened," Edmure said, pulling out a letter and throwing it onto the table.

The Mountain snatched up the letter, set it alight with a candle, and Edmure watched in stunned disbelief as his father's letter turned to ashes.

"My wife, Jeyne, can heal. If you become engaged, then we'll be family. We'll not only escort you back but also help your father with his illness," the Mountain said. "If you don't agree, I'll have you locked up right now."

"I will not agree to this marriage. I can compensate for my mistake, Earl Gavin, Lady Sybell, how much money?"

The Mountain grabbed Edmure by the chest, lightly lifting him off the ground. "Don't you dare use gold dragons to insult the sacred honor of House Westerling, boy. This matter is not a transaction; it has nothing to do with money." He threw Edmure to the ground. "Guards, lock Edmure in the dungeon."

*

The road from Golden Tooth to the Mark is a mountain path through towering peaks, rife with bandits.

A Riverlands guard, holding high the silver trout banner of House Tully, advanced along this mountain road. The rapid sound of approaching hooves rang out ahead, and the newly promoted captain of Riverrun, Chris, barked, "Form ranks!"

The Riverlands guards drew their longswords, a chilling aura suddenly permeating the air.

A group of riders burst from around the bend, a large banner fluttering in the wind, bearing the sigil of three black dogs. The banner of House Clegane.

The soldiers' armor gleamed brightly, fierce as tigers and wolves, surrounding a towering armored behemoth: Gregor Clegane, the Mountain.

Clang!

Chris sheathed his longsword and spurred his horse forward.

"General, where is Lord Edmure?"

"He is at Sharp Rock, and will be engaged to Elenya of House Westerling. You only need to give me the carriages," the Mountain said.

Two carriages, each containing three hundred thousand gold dragons.

Chris and his brothers exchanged glances.

This news was too sudden, completely unexpected.

Edmure, the prodigal son, was to be engaged to a daughter of House Westerling?

How old was the second daughter of House Westerling? What did she look like? Was she peerless in beauty or captivating in demeanor? Had she captured the heart of Lord Edmure, who had a discerning eye, at first sight?

The event was sudden, the situation unclear, and Chris dared not speculate about the young lord's marriage.

When they departed, Duke Hoster had said that three hundred thousand gold dragons were of little importance compared to Lord Edmure. But they had met the Mountain and did not see Lord Edmure!

The suddenness of the change was astonishing and bewildering.

"My lord, these three hundred thousand gold dragons are under the order of Duke Hoster and must be delivered to Lord Edmure's hands."

"Nonsense!" The Mountain grunted, then suddenly reached out, lifted Chris from his horse, and laid him across the saddle, face down in the dirt. "Seize the carriages!"

Behind the Mountain were Sharp Rock's fierce general, Rolph Spicer, Jeyne's uncle, his face scarred by a missing nose; and another tall, fierce general, Polliver Clegane, bald, his right cheek twitching whenever he became excited, his right eye slightly blinking, clearly an abnormal man.

The two immediately drew their longswords, and the hundred cavalry behind them echoed with a chorus of clanging longswords!

Swords flashed, a cold light gleaming, a forest of swords!

Each of the fifty Riverrun guards gripped their sword hilts, eyes wide, but none dared to draw their swords.

Everyone vividly remembered the Mountain breaking through Riverrun, threatening Duke Hoster, killing Captain Arryk, defeating three renowned generals of the Seven Kingdoms single-handedly at the Red Fork, and shattering Ilyn Payne's horse's head with a single punch.

They dared to be angry, but dared not act!

The two carriages, carrying three hundred thousand gold dragons, rumbled away. The Mountain, holding Chris, stood guard at the rear, his divine might awe-inspiring. "Brothers, return and tell Duke Hoster that Lord Edmure is at Sharp Rock, accompanied by fine wine, delicious food, and beautiful women. He is now my brother-in-law and will return home with his beautiful wife after the wedding. Please, Duke, ease your mind and train your troops. Oh, and Sharp Rock has received the King's decree: to celebrate the new Hand's appointment, a national tournament will be held on the training grounds outside King's Landing on September 1st. The winner will receive forty thousand gold dragons, the second place twenty thousand gold dragons. The winner of the team melee will receive twenty thousand gold dragons, and the archery winner will receive ten thousand gold dragons. At that time, I and my brother-in-law, Lord Edmure, will head south to King's Landing to participate in the tournament. If you want to bring Lord Edmure back, then we'll meet in King's Landing."

Whoosh!

The Mountain threw Chris into a drainage ditch below the official road, laughed loudly, his voice shaking the valley, turned his horse, and strode away! His terrifying back disappeared around the bend. Chris, scrambling out of the ditch in a sorry state, and the fifty Riverrun guards were still frozen in place, unmoving.