The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Casterly Rock, the temple square was bustling with activity.

Long tables filled the vast square, laden with freshly baked bread, glistening roasted meats, sparkling clean fruits, steaming bacon soup, seasoned golden honey, various tender green lettuces, pork ham, wild game jerky…

“Hi, Ser Fool,” Gregor clapped Addam Marbrand on the shoulder affectionately, “What are your eyes doing glued to Jeyne Westerling?”

The family knights beside Addam Marbrand stood up with a whoosh, two knights separating Addam and Gregor, glaring at Gregor. Another five knights guarded Addam from the left and right.

Addam Marbrand glanced at Lord Tywin, who was seated high above, and said calmly, “The Mountain, I have already proposed to Lord Gawen and received a return gift.”

Mountain was the infamous nickname people privately used for Gregor. No ser or knight would address Gregor like that in person, because it was rude, a provocative humiliation that would provoke Gregor's rage.

But on this occasion, Addam sized up the situation and showed no fear of the Mountain.

Since the Mountain had come up to provoke him with alcohol on his breath, calling him Ser Fool, he naturally returned the favor by calling Gregor Mountain.

Addam directly called him Mountain, without the prefix of Ser, which was even more impolite.

Because Addam triumphantly flaunted that he had already proposed to Lord Gawen, Gregor then noticed that Addam had a chest decoration pinned to his left breast. Chest decorations were common; nobles who paid attention to detail had hat ornaments, chest ornaments, belt ornaments, and boot ornaments, but this chest ornament was different. It had the Westerling family crest embroidered on it: six white seashells.

“Lord Gawen agreed?” Gregor laughed.

“Lord Gawen agreed, and Miss Jeyne knows it too. She didn’t object.” Addam looked at Jeyne Westerling, who radiated light like the moon. She sat upright beside Lord Tywin, her eyes also happened to look over here, and she turned her head away after their eyes met.

Gregor could see the affection in their eyes. A talented man and a beautiful woman; Addam's handsome appearance was worthy of Jeyne.

“Ser Fool, I remember Lord Gawen once proposed to your father, Lord Tytos, but was rejected by your father and mother. Her family is too poor, her mother is the daughter of a merchant, not a noble. Did your parents agree to your unauthorized proposal this time?”

“Mountain, the former Jeyne was not Lord Tywin's daughter, but she is now. When I marry Lord Tywin's daughter, hehe, I will be Lord Tywin's son-in-law. Mountain, you are just a dog of Lord Tywin's family. Do you think the Marbrand family will let you off?” Addam Marbrand smiled. He was happy to see emotion flicker in Gregor's eyes.

“Oh, since you speak with such certainty, let’s make a bet.” Gregor finished his drink in one gulp, appearing unsteady.

Addam knew his words had pierced Gregor's heart like knives.

“Bet with you? You are not worthy!” Addam said lightly. He hoped to see Gregor provoked by him and then take action at this banquet. He had already seen clearly that Gregor only had one dog here, and that was the guy called Raff the Sweetling. That dog was only qualified to sit at the outermost table and eat and drink because Gregor had granted him knighthood.

Addam had seven family knights around him, all of whom were strong, and they carried daggers. Their purpose was to prevent Gregor's provocations after they had formed a feud.

But the Mountain at the banquet had no armor protection and was also staggering from drinking.

As long as Gregor made the first move, it would be done.

Starting a fight at Miss Jeyne's celebration banquet, as long as Gregor dared to make the first move, the responsibility for the win or loss would be Gregor's.

No matter how fierce a person was, flesh and blood could not withstand the sharpness of swords.

Of course, this was also very dangerous. An enraged Gregor might kill him with one punch. So as soon as Gregor came over, Addam's knights protected Addam, with two strong knights separating the two.

The Marbrand family knights had all sworn to repay the Marbrand family with their lives!

In this world, knights were the best warriors not to provoke. They were highly skilled in martial arts, and the key was that they were not afraid of death. Many people feared the Mountain, but for real knights, there were quite a few who did not fear him.

“Addam, do you want to avenge your brother Alvar?”

“We will!”

“Then let’s make a bet. I will also propose to Lord Gawen. Let’s see who Jeyne Westerling chooses in the end?”

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Addam’s eyebrows furrowed together, his eyes sharp and provocative.

“I will also propose to Lord Gawen, betting that Jeyne will marry me and not you. Do you dare to bet?”

Addam looked at the Mountain, his mouth gradually turning into a big O shape, and laughter burst out from his mouth. His seven family knights had already burst into laughter.

With hundreds of people at the banquet, there was laughter everywhere, and the laughter here was not surprising, but it still attracted the attention of Lord Tywin, who was seated high above.

Among the great lords of the Westerlands, apart from the heir Addam Marbrand, who had not received the honor of sitting with Lord Tywin, the others, including Lord Marbrand of Ashemark, Lord Lefford of the Golden Tooth, Lord Farman of Fair Isle, Lord Crakehall of Crakehall, Lord Lannister of Lannisport, and Lord Swyft of Cornfield, all sat with Lord Tywin and received gifts of chopsticks, snow salt, and military whistles. These items would be promoted by administrative order tomorrow after the banquet. Chopsticks were exclusively for nobles, military whistles were military secrets, and snow salt would be the representative commodity of the Westerlands to be promoted throughout the continent. The mineral salt business delegated to the various families would be taken back by Lord Tywin.

The status of the Marbrand family of Silverhill was enough to receive the honor of sitting with Lord Tywin, but not this time. There were two reasons. First, Addam Marbrand was not the Lord of Silverhill, but only the heir, lacking the rank of nobility; second, the last time the Marbrand family clashed with Gregor, the Marbrand family's behavior of beating the dog without looking at the owner displeased Tywin.

Tywin's sharp, knife-like gaze looked over here, then turned away. He remembered what Gregor had said when he borrowed money from him. Gregor said he would find a way to make money. Lord Tywin took this to heart. He knew very well that Gregor could not afford the salaries of sixty-three cavalrymen. Among all the troop types, cavalry was the most expensive, and in peacetime, the salaries Gregor gave were three times that of ordinary cavalry in other families.

With Gregor spending money like this, even a mountain of gold would be spent.

Lord Tywin was sensitive to the fact that Gregor would not stand together with Addam Marbrand and laugh for no reason.

“What are the stakes? Mountain?” Addam laughed, almost choking.

“Does he have any stakes?” One of the knights couldn’t stop laughing.

“You name the stakes.” Gregor was also laughing, laughing like a big fool. His drunkenness, emotional fluctuations, and provocative words were all a routine. A routine, from the influence of Earth's civilization.

Both sides felt extremely happy.

“If I win, I want your cavalry, Clegane lands and castle, and your little adopted daughter Jory Clegane. Most importantly, the Clegane family can never use the motto 'Unmatched' again.” Addam laughed, “Mountain, do you dare to bet?”

In fact, losing these things would not force the Mountain into a dead end, but he would have to return to Tywin's cavalry camp and be a real family dog.

“Okay. I bet.”

“Swear it!”

“In whose name do you want me to swear?”

“The Father!”

The Father governs judgment and balance.

“Okay, I, Gregor Clegane, swear in the name of the Father and the honor of the Clegane family, I bet with Addam Marbrand, we will both propose to Lord Gawen, if Jeyne does not marry me, Gregor, my cavalry, Clegane lands and castle, and little adopted daughter Jory Clegane, the family motto Unmatched, will all be lost to Addam Marbrand.”

Addam Marbrand laughed and poured Gregor wine from Arbor: “Mountain, drink, I salute you as a fool.”

Gregor ignored the humiliation and drank the wine in one gulp: “Ser Fool, it's your turn to swear. If I win, I don't want anything, just a small marginal piece of land on the westernmost side of the Silver Hills, Goldleaf Bay.”