The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Chapter 410: Four Weddings (5,000-Character Chapter, Seeking Subscriptions)

(Written and revised for 5 hours, seeking all kinds of support!)

*

"Red Smoke has acknowledged Mountain as its master." The young leader, Jory Cassel, wore a grave expression.

"We'll snatch it back!" Leader Aster Cassel's grim gaze fixed on the wizard, Daolty.

The wizard paused. "Jory, are you sure?"

"I'm certain."

"Where are your soldiers?" Aster Cassel said coldly. "I want to see them."

A moment later, four sturdy soldiers walked in.

"Tell me everything you know." Aster's tone was cold, his expression unfriendly.

The four soldiers recounted everything they knew.

"Red Smoke blocking the road? Mountain with a saddle?" Aster emphasized. "So, Mountain might be the future king of Claw Isle?"

The atmosphere in the large tent was oppressive, with more than ten of Aster's scimitar warriors standing guard.

Aster's gaze swept over Jory and Daolty. "Lady Jane is a blood witch. She said she knew about the appearance of the Red Smoke beast on Claw Isle because of a prophecy from the Blood God. Duke Mountain also stated he wouldn't participate in the struggle for the Red Smoke beast, yet he took it away… This is a well-designed conspiracy!"

"The Red Smoke beast appeared on Claw Isle. Lady Jane was outside. If not for the Blood God's prophecy, how could she have known in advance?" Wizard Daolty said.

"She did indeed know in advance about the appearance of the Red Smoke beast on Claw Isle, but what exactly was her purpose in coming here? Wasn't it to ultimately let Mountain take away the Red Smoke beast? Don't forget, my father, Raglun, died under the hooves of the Red Smoke beast. Mountain isn't from Claw Isle. Red Smoke can only belong to Claw Isle."

"What do you plan to do? Great Leader!" Wizard Daolty's tone changed, and a glint of light flashed from his black teeth.

"Summon the peninsula's tribal warriors and reclaim Red Smoke," Aster said calmly. "Jane saw Red Smoke in the prophecy, and then she formulated a plan, allowing Mountain to obtain Red Smoke step by step. That's my view of the whole matter."

"Brother, the night Mountain subdued Red Smoke with his bare hands was a sudden incident. We were all there. Red Smoke blocked the road, and Lady Jane also ordered us to take a detour on a small path to avoid Red Smoke."

"What do you know? Those are all just the cunning Jane's little tricks to deceive people," Aster stared at Daolty. "If Mountain and Jane really had no intention of taking away our Red Smoke beast, she would have sent someone to inform us as soon as she discovered Red Smoke, but she didn't. If Mountain is truly a 'Family Forever', he should have returned Red Smoke to us after saddling it, and definitely not taken it away."

"Brother, could it be that Mountain is our future king of Claw Isle?" Jory Cassel said.

"What did you say?" Aster glared at his brother. "He's not from Claw Isle at all."

"We Cassels aren't natives either. We migrated from the Skagos islands a thousand years ago. The Warner tribe came from the Vale, and the Gall tribe came from Dorne. We all fled here from other places because of war," Wizard Daolty said calmly.

Aster was stumped!

He stood up, his hand on the hilt of his scimitar. "The Red Smoke beast was brought by our ancestors from the Skagos islands. I will summon the peninsula's warriors, expose Jane and Mountain's conspiracy, and reclaim the Red Smoke beast. Are you with me, or against me?"

Daolty and Jory exchanged glances. Daolty said calmly, "Issue the summons, Great Leader!"

"Lady Daolty…" the young Jory said.

Daolty interrupted Jory. "Great Leader, let's issue the peninsula summons together, summoning all the tribes of the peninsula."

Only when the wizard also issued the summons could all the tribes of the peninsula be summoned faster and more forcefully.

"Thank you, Lady Daolty." Aster's hand left the scimitar hilt and he slowly sat down. "Men, issue the peninsula summons."

"Brother, by the time we gather our army, Mountain will already be in King's Landing."

"Then we'll go to King's Landing and ask him for Red Smoke," Aster said decisively. "We must take back Red Smoke. It's our Claw Isle's divine beast. It doesn't belong to anyone from the outside world. Not even Mountain."

*

Mountain's army entered Stokeworth's territory. After traveling for a day, they lit torches after dark and arrived at Stokeworth Castle. The acting castellan of the castle was Maester Franken. Ever since he wholeheartedly "cured" Lady Tanda Stokeworth, the original lord of Stokeworth Castle, to death, he had been highly valued by Bronn, who was terrible at math, and was put in charge of all the castle's affairs, as well as managing the Stokeworth family's many money-losing businesses in King's Landing.

He saw the banners of Joffrey's crowned stag and golden lion, as well as the golden lion banner of the Hand of the King, on the flags of the soldiers outside the main gate from the roof of the main keep. When he heard the shouts of Mountain's arrival, he ordered the castle gates to be opened.

The Clegane army entered Stokeworth Castle without any ceremony.

Mountain and Jane were given the largest bedroom in the castle, said to have been Lady Tanda's former bedroom. The bedroom was luxurious and spacious, with four fireplaces. Two more fireplaces than the king's bedroom in Maegor's Holdfast.

It was already late at night when the Clegane army had eaten their fill and gone to rest in the barracks.

In the luxurious master bedroom, Mountain and Jane were speaking softly.

Huge red candles filled the candlesticks, illuminating the room as if it were daytime.

Abruptly, a shadow emerged from one of the fireplaces. The shadow wasn't tall, more like a child.

Amidst Jane's low exclamation of surprise, Mountain calmly watched the appearance of the strange child. "Who are you? Child!"

The child had a head of beautiful hair, a sharp chin, bright eyes, and a wide forehead. The clothes on his body were ordinary, made of linen.

The child reached up and grabbed at his head, removing the head of beautiful hair, revealing short hair. He vigorously rubbed his face, narrowing his wide forehead and rounding his sharp chin. His high, straight nose also collapsed, becoming flat.

"Bernie!" Jane said in surprise.

"Madam, milord," Bernie said respectfully. "How's my disguise?"

"Not very good," Mountain said. "Boy, want a drink?"

"Can I have two?"

"No!" Mountain poured a glass of wine for Bernie and Jane each.

Bernie turned back to the fireplace and took out a bag. The bag was very clean, just like Bernie's own clothes and face.

Bernie loved cleanliness! This might not be considered an advantage. As an important figure in charge of Varys's little birds, disguise was a required course for him. When Varys went out to do unspeakable deeds, he often used a sour smell and dirty appearance to conceal his usual sweet fragrance and fair complexion.

"Madam, you might not like seeing what's in the bag. You might need to avoid it… I'm very sorry…"

"Take it out!" Jane said calmly.

Bernie glanced at Mountain. Mountain nodded. Bernie opened the bag and took out four things: two withered hands and two—very unsightly—feet.

The hands and feet were all without bloodstains, washed very clean, looking as if they were fake.

Bernie glanced at Jane. Jane's gaze was calm, without a ripple.

Bernie didn't understand Jane, who could hold down a patient's leg and saw it off bit by bit with a saw.

"Whose?" Mountain asked.

"Ser Boros Blount of the Kingsguard—Lord Hayfoot."

Jane took a light sip of red wine, glanced at Mountain, then at Bernie. "Cut off with a knife."

The marks of a knife cut and a sword cut are different.

Bernie's face showed surprise.

Jane could tell they were cut off with a knife with just a glance?!

"Ser Boros Blount was among the first people reinstated after the Hand of the King came to King's Landing. The Hand of the King is my father," Jane said.

"I only told you to have someone break his hands and feet, not cut them off," Mountain said heavily.

"That guy resisted violently."

"Did Commander of the City Watch, Addam Marbrand, find out who did it?"

"No. The casino where it happened has been closed ever since. The owner and thugs have disappeared without a trace. Even our little birds can't find them."

"A underground casino that killed a member of the Kingsguard. The owner and his cronies had to leave King's Landing," Jane raised her glass, signaling Bernie to come over and have a drink.

Bernie walked over, picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and his eyes lit up. He gave a look of appreciation. "Littlefinger immediately recommended someone to take his place in the Kingsguard after Ser Boros Blount died."

Littlefinger always arranges his own people at every opportunity!

"Who?"

"Milord and madam, take a guess," Bernie said smugly.

Jane and Mountain looked at Bernie, not guessing at all. Neither of them spoke.

Bernie was immediately embarrassed. "Her Grace the Queen Mother once favored two brothers very much. One was thrown off the city walls and killed by milord. The other became the new commander of Her Grace the Queen Mother's guard."

"Hmm!" Mountain made a sound from his nostrils, glanced at Bernie, turned around, walked to the window, and looked out at the huge courtyard.

Bernie was even more embarrassed. Small beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead and the tip of his nose. The duke and madam hated his selling of information. "Uh… I'm very sorry… Duke, madam. There are three Kettleblack brothers. Osmund has already been executed by milord. His brother, Osney, is the current commander of the Queen Mother's red cloak guards. The eldest of the three brothers, Osmynd, has taken Boros Blount's place. That guy is a true warrior. He's even bigger than the Hound."

"Who are the current members of the Kingsguard?" Jane's tone softened, which relieved Bernie's nervousness and unease. But Mountain, with his back to him, still hadn't turned around. This was a bad sign, putting even more pressure on Bernie.

Bernie said respectfully, "Milord, madam, the first member of the Kingsguard in the royal palace now is Ser Loras Tyrell, the Knight of Flowers. He's the temporary captain of the Kingsguard appointed by the king and the Queen Mother."

"Not the Hound?" Jane responded politely, making Bernie feel a little more at ease.

"The Hound's loyalty and martial arts are the best, but he's impatient with any kind of management and hates participating in meetings of important officials. And, it would indeed be difficult to have the Hound record the deeds of the Kingsguard in *The White Book*. I understand that the Hound doesn't know many words."

"Hmm!" Jane nodded.

"The acting captain of the Kingsguard is Ser Loras Tyrell. The members are the Hound, Barristan Selmy, Arys Oakheart, Meryn Trant, and Osmynd Kettleblack. Six people in total."

"Her Grace the Queen Mother has left one position open: Jaime Lannister," Mountain turned around. This made Bernie secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

The Kingsguard consists of seven members and only takes orders from the royal family. The Hand of the King has no right to govern them.

"It seems the Queen Mother is always thinking that Jaime Lannister can return. She's left a vacant position in the Kingsguard for Jaime," Jane said.

"Yes, deep affection between siblings," Bernie said.

Mountain looked at Bernie. "You came all the way from King's Landing to Stokeworth Castle just to bring me two hands, two feet, and news about the Kingsguard?"

Bernie didn't dare to be glib anymore. "Duke, Littlefinger also recommended the Kettleblack brothers' father to Her Grace the Queen Mother to be the supervisor of the Queen Mother's chambers."

"Oswell Kettleblack?"

"Yes, milord."

Jane and Mountain exchanged glances. In this way, everyone around Queen Mother Cersei was someone else's person: Osney Kettleblack, the commander of the red cloak guards, who was taking double the money from Tyrion Lannister; Oswell Kettleblack, the supervisor of the Queen Mother's chambers who was loyal to Littlefinger; and Osmynd Kettleblack, the new member of the Kingsguard recommended by Littlefinger.

Another important figure around Queen Mother Cersei: Maester Qyburn—Mountain's man.

Littlefinger and Qyburn were both Mountain's men, taking orders from Mountain, carrying out Mountain's orders, while secretly pursuing their own little plans.

"Milord, madam, I came here in a hurry this time because I have even more important information: 'Stark has declared himself king in Riverrun.'"

Jane and Mountain were stunned.

Both of them knew that Eddard Stark was by Robb Stark's side. Eddard Stark was a rigid fellow who would absolutely not declare himself king.

And the reason Eddard Stark hadn't shown his face was to make the outside world underestimate Robb Stark, a sixteen-year-old boy. This was very effective. Tywin Lannister, the most difficult person to deal with in the Seven Kingdoms, underestimated Robb and was caught off guard by the Northmen, who routed his army.

Jaime's main force was destroyed, Jaime himself was captured alive, and the Westerlands were swept. Many heads of great noble houses were captured, and even more knights were killed. Many members of the Lannister bloodline were also killed.

The heads of the two most powerful great noble houses in the Westerlands were killed by the Stark army, one was Lord Crakehall of Crakehall and the other was Lord Marbrand of Ashemark. Tywin himself also had his cousins and several nephews killed. The number of Westerlands noble knights captured alive by the Northmen was even more countless.

"Stark has declared himself king in Riverrun?" Mountain said.

"Yes, milord, the news is absolutely true."

Jane looked at Mountain. Mountain looked at the ceiling. Could it be that after he had slaughtered Stannis Baratheon, the trajectory of the world had taken a detour on the original basis and returned to the starting point? He had thought that Stark wouldn't declare himself king, because Eddard Stark was a rare, truly honest knight.

"After Stannis Baratheon was killed, eight or nine out of ten of the nobles attached to him surrendered to Joffrey Baratheon," Mountain said softly.

"Yes, my lord. But the Dragonstone garrison and Davos Seaworth, along with Hand of the King Alester Florent, have declared for Shireen Baratheon as queen. However, there are whispers that the true ruler isn't Shireen Baratheon, but Queen Selyse Florent, who follows the Lord of Light and listens to the red priestess Melisandre. Soon after, the power struggle on Dragonstone intensified, and Melisandre and Queen Selyse Florent burned Hand Alester Florent, with the loyalists calling him a traitor and sacrificing him to the Red God."

"A traitor?"

"Yes, after Alester and Seaworth Davos led the remnants of their forces back to Dragonstone, Alester advocated for negotiations and peace with King's Landing, sending envoys to treat with Lord Tywin. Before the envoys returned to Dragonstone, news arrived that Hand Alester had been burned to death by Melisandre and Queen Selyse Florent for treason."

The Mountain and Jeyne exchanged glances. The Mountain couldn't help but admire the fearless spirit of the Dragonstone people in their continued self-destructive behavior!

Melisandre had once again made a great contribution to weakening Dragonstone's strength.

"What actions have the Starks taken since declaring themselves King in the Riverlands?" The Mountain asked.

"They've retreated to the North, aiming to reclaim Winterfell, Torren's Square, and Deepwood Motte."

"Have they crossed the Twins yet?"

Would the Freys choose to be King of the Riverlands or remain King of the Twins? Choosing to be King of the Riverlands would inevitably lead to a Red Wedding; choosing to remain King of the Twins would mean the Red Wedding would never happen.

"Not yet."

"Oh? Why not?"

Judging by the timeline, Stark should have already passed the Twins. Since there was no news of a Red Wedding, did that mean it hadn't happened!?

"After declaring himself King, Stark didn't immediately head north. Instead, he led his army east, sweeping through over a dozen Riverland castles and strongholds on the south bank of the Red Fork occupied by the Westermen, all the way to Harrenhal, which he reclaimed. The main Westerlands force was away, trying to save King's Landing, and wasn't in the Riverlands."

"Harrenhal has fallen?" The Mountain's expression shifted slightly.

Harrenhal still held some of the Clegane forces' supplies, a large number of Northern prisoners in the dungeons, and Ellinor Mooton, the heir to Maidenpool, Anguy's betrothed. Ellinor Mooton, a foster daughter forcibly taken by the Mountain, with the aim of seizing Maidenpool.

Who was the Westerlands commander stationed at Harrenhal? That guy must be a wine-loving fool.

"What's the current situation?"

"King Robb Stark took Harrenhal and only then led his army north."

No wonder he hadn't reached the Twins yet!

"They no longer need to cross the bridge at the Twins?"

"Yes. However, Robb Stark is going to consummate a marriage with the Frey family. Walder Frey's eldest son, Stevron Frey, died fighting for Robb in the Westerlands."

"King Robb will marry into the Frey family?" The Mountain repeated, his eyes gleaming.

"Yes, my lord. There will be three grand weddings held in quick succession: Robb Stark's wedding to a Frey, Joffrey's wedding to Margaery Tyrell, and Tyrion Lannister's wedding to Sansa Stark."

"Oh, truly a great event for the Seven Kingdoms. But I have another wedding in mind: Anguy's wedding to my daughter, Ellinor Mooton."

Anguy and Ellinor Mooton were betrothed, but Earl Mooton was leading his army alongside Robb Stark in the Westerlands at the time.

"My lord, Ellinor Mooton has returned to Maidenpool. Earl Mooton has publicly declared that his daughter will not marry Anguy Clegane. He would rather strangle her with his own hands than allow her to marry Anguy, and he despises you, my lord. He says you are not his daughter's foster father."

"He declared this publicly?"

"Yes, my lord."

The Mountain looked at Jeyne: "Very well, we will conquer Maidenpool once more. This time, I want Earl Mooton to witness Anguy marrying my daughter Ellinor."

"What are you going to do?"

"First, we'll complete the task assigned by the Hand of the King: wipe out the pirates in the Blackwater Rush and near the mouth of the sea. Then, we'll attack Dragonstone, and after that, we'll sail to Maidenpool and have Anguy and Ellinor wed, with Earl Mooton as a witness," the Mountain said calmly, draining his wine glass in one gulp.

Thanks to [Qin Ying] [Book Friend 20190425233430020] [When the Sun Meets Our Time] [Book Friend 160806180750725] for the reward support, thank you, handshake.