The Mountain of Ice and Fire

The Red Keep was built atop Aegon's High Hill.

Its south and east sides were sheer cliffs, impossible to climb, with the castle walls rising directly from them.

Beneath the cliffs, a road skirted the river.

Beyond the River Road lay the famous Blackwater Rush, with its hundreds of docks and vast harbor.

The Red Keep's walls, built of massive red stones, were impregnable from the east, south, and west.

The east and south were protected by steep, sheer cliffs, while the west side was surrounded by a dense network of urban dwellings, making any advance or siege equipment impossible without demolishing the tiered residences.

Only a massive bronze gate opened to the north.

Besides the underground passages, the bronze gate was the Red Keep's sole entrance and exit.

Outside the bronze gate lay the Red Keep's plaza, connected to several streets: the King's Road, Flea Bottom, and Hook Street.

Garlan Tyrell arrived from Flea Bottom, his two thousand Reachmen occupying the street.

Royal Navy soldiers entered the city through Flea Bottom, detoured onto the King's Road, and headed straight for the Red Keep's plaza.

Dragonstone fleet soldiers entered the city through Flea Bottom, passed Flea Bottom Plaza, turned into Hook Street, and advanced towards the Red Keep's plaza.

Standing on the Red Keep's walls, one could see that the three streets leading to the plaza were packed with soldiers, banners waving, a sea of people.

The Red Keep's plaza already held over thirteen hundred cavalry, and now an additional eleven thousand mixed cavalry and infantry blocked all the streets and alleys leading in and out.

As more and more soldiers arrived, they dispersed into the smaller alleys branching off the three main streets.

Within the city, the Mountain's forces had become an overwhelming power.

The royal courtiers on the walls all paled!

The two thousand Reachmen were equally uneasy: the example of Randyll Tarly's cavalry being slaughtered by the Mountain dampened their fighting spirit.

The news of Ser Loras Tyrell's death after falling from his warhorse also made it difficult for them to believe in victory, severely impacting the Reachmen's morale and leaving them disheartened.

Under these circumstances, Garlan Tyrell decided to meet the Mountain alone, concerned for his father, Lord Mace.

The Red Keep's plaza was large, with the Red Keep's bronze gate at its southernmost end, while Garlan Tyrell was at the Flea Bottom end of the plaza, blocked by Captain Errin at the intersection of the plaza and Flea Bottom.

Captain Errin's scout quickly returned, and the Mountain agreed to let Garlan Tyrell pass.

Errin spurred his horse aside, clearing the road, and the hundred cavalrymen behind him split to either side, creating a passage.

Garlan Tyrell, alone on horseback, strode proudly into the passage.

The Clegane cavalrymen, each like a wild beast, stared at Garlan Tyrell.

These soldiers were unrestrained, hands on sword hilts, or holding axes, or touching hammer handles, their arrogance undisguised, as if they were the absolute masters of the battlefield!

These fellows only dare to show off like this because of the Mountain's invincibility! Garlan Tyrell thought scornfully.

He feared the Mountain, but not the Mountain's barbaric warriors.

Garlan possessed the bearing of a great noble and a deeply ingrained sense of superiority.

Mace, seeing Garlan ride alone through the Mountain's cavalry lines, felt a mix of emotions.

He was a father who loved to take credit but lacked real substance, yet was filled with affection for his children.

Mace rode out to meet him.

"What are you doing here?" Mace whispered.

"I came to see you, Father," Garlan said as he approached.

Father and son met, a complex moment!

"…What should we do now…" One sentence revealed Mace's indecisiveness.

When Lady Olenna was alive, she made all the important decisions.

"Side with the victor…" Garlan said softly, "Or, remain neutral and let the Mountain and Kevan fight to the death."

Mace was immediately convinced!

"Alright, we'll do that."

"Side with the victor, or remain neutral?"

"Side with the victor," Mace said decisively.

"The Mountain's forces are already in the city, he has the absolute upper hand."

"We shouldn't have chosen Kevan from the start, we should have been more flexible, able to ally with either side, able to fight either side," Garlan said softly.

Mace was silent!

He felt guilty towards the fallen Randyll Tarly, and even more so towards his own son, Loras Tyrell.

The Mountain was currently invincible and could not be outwitted, so they could only hope to stab him in the back in the future, to avenge their grudges.

Randyll Tarly had sacrificed his life, but it had little to do with Lord Mace's decisions.

He himself desperately wanted to use the Mountain's pressuring of Kevan to teach the Mountain a lesson, believing his military skills far surpassed the Mountain's.

He hated the Mountain and wanted to take the opportunity to kill him and vent his anger.

The Mountain, in his capacity as Master of War, had pressured Randyll at Harrenhal to hand over the prisoners from Maidenpool, and had slammed Randyll Tarly onto a long table, causing him to lose all honor.

Randyll Tarly led his cavalry to King's Landing not to serve Kevan Lannister, but because he wanted to settle his personal grudge with the Mountain.

Randyll wanted to kill the Mountain but was killed by the Mountain instead, it was that simple.

The Mountain had given Randyll enough time to calm down and reflect, sending several warnings and military orders, but Randyll had gone his own way, ignoring them all, and as a result, he had successfully sacrificed himself and his son Dickon, along with three thousand Reach cavalrymen.

After discussing it with Garlan in a low voice, the two men rode to the Mountain's side.

On the city walls, Margaery Tyrell watched her father and second brother below, her heart filled with unspoken words.

Kevan was clever, his political maneuvering far exceeding Mace's.

He believed that Mace would defect under the Mountain's coercion, so he did not give the Reachmen a chance to enter the Red Keep, and kept Margaery Tyrell by his side to warn Mace against a desperate last stand.

Once the situation turned dire, kicking someone when they were down, defecting before the battle, and seizing the opportunity to step on them were all primal human instincts.

But Kevan still didn't understand the Mountain.

The Mountain hadn't forced Mace to defect.

It was Garlan and Mace who had figured it out themselves, deciding to side with the victor, and then slowly plot against the Mountain.

If he couldn't be defeated by force, they would outwit him.

If they couldn't outwit him, they would slowly plot against him.

"Lord Gregor, I support you in arresting the treacherous Hand, Kevan, but my daughter Margaery is on the walls, please forgive us for not joining your attack on the city," Mace said, his mind made up, his words much calmer.

The Mountain stared at Mace, like a leopard eyeing a rabbit.

Mace's attitude had changed after Garlan's arrival.

Clearly, it was Garlan's idea.

The Tyrell family's late realization and soft support for the victor was laughable.

The situation he had orchestrated had left this family without any real talent for leadership.

After Littlefinger's people poisoned Lady Olenna at Joffrey and Margaery's wedding, the Tyrell family was left large but useless.

Yes, the shocking poisoning at King's Landing actually had two poisoners: Lady Olenna, who poisoned Joffrey I, and her poisoning partner, Littlefinger, who poisoned Lady Olenna.

One wonders if Lady Olenna regretted allying with Littlefinger after her death.

The red wedding of Joffrey and Margaery in King's Landing was the work of two factions: the first was Lady Olenna, whose target was Joffrey; and the second was the Mountain, whose target was Olenna.

As Olenna targeted Joffrey, the Mountain was secretly targeting Olenna.

The Queen of Thorns was the soul of the Tyrell family!

The Mountain instructed Littlefinger to arrange for Lady Olenna's poisoning, and his subsequent iron-blooded plan to frame Oberyn and kill him in a duel made the case a solid fact recorded in the royal history.

No one in the world knew that Olenna's death was due to the Mountain, except for Littlefinger.

The Mountain was the mastermind, and Littlefinger, who was not in King's Landing, was the executor of the plan.

After the Mountain ordered Littlefinger to poison Lady Olenna, the Tyrell family became large and useless, and he no longer needed to worry about an opponent who, although the most powerful, had lost their soul.

The Mountain was very satisfied with Mace and Garlan's performance today.

The Mountain was not afraid of the Tyrell family, because Lady Olenna had been eliminated by him.

Randyll Tarly had strong military skills, but his political acumen was shallow.

Like Loras, they were both heroes who lacked political staying power.

Therefore, they were both victims of the ever-changing political situation!

The Mountain only spoke of supporting the Mountain's arrest of the treacherous Hand after arriving at the Red Keep's walls.

This level of political ability was far from the realm of thick-skinned cunning.

"Lord Mace, if you support me in arresting the treacherous Hand, I will support you as Hand," the Mountain said magnanimously.

With the Tyrells' defection, the Mountain no longer feared the twenty thousand Westerlands and Reach allied forces rushing to King's Landing.

Although they were called allied forces, they were mainly composed of Tyrell family troops, with the Westerlands forces under Addam Marbrand consisting of only a few thousand remnants.

Mace and Garlan were both stunned!

The Mountain, in a position of absolute advantage, did not covet the position of Hand himself?

He supported Mace as Hand?

"Lords, there is no need to be surprised, I act impartially.

Once I capture Kevan, looking at the royal courtiers, only Lord Mace is the only candidate for Hand," the Mountain said sincerely.

"I swear by the Seven Gods and the Clegane family honor that as long as the Tyrell family supports me in capturing the treacherous Hand, I will fully support Lord Mace as Hand of the King of the Seven Kingdoms.

The King's Hand should be a truly capable person."

Mace was both surprised and delighted!

Garlan was also very surprised, staring at the Mountain in disbelief.

But the Mountain had sworn by the Seven Gods and his family honor, so it was true, absolutely not a deception.

What did the Mountain want to gain?

Was he really just here to avenge 'Kevan's collusion with Euron Crow's Eye'?

Garlan asked himself, but he couldn't see what trick the Mountain was playing.

"I am for the country and the people, loyal, just, upright, and selfless, Heaven and Earth can attest to it.

Lord Mace need not doubt!" The Mountain saw the Tyrells' doubts, and he praised himself as if it were true.

"Lord Mountain, what do you want me to do?" Mace heard himself say.

"Restrain the Reachmen, maintain the stability of King's Landing, and watch me attack the city together with Lord Bronn.

Once I break into the Red Keep and capture Kevan, please enforce the law impartially, I hope to personally behead Kevan in the plaza of the Great Sept of Baelor."

"As you wish, Lord Gregor, I will approve your request, allowing you to behead Kevan," Mace heard himself say magnanimously.

Was that himself speaking?

Mace doubted, he was somewhat dazed.

The Mountain still supported him as Hand?

Was this real?

How was this possible?

Mace's true political goal was to become Hand of the King of the Seven Kingdoms!

One below the King, above the Seven Kingdoms.

*

After settling the Tyrell family with the position of Hand, the Mountain made a small request.

"Lord Hand, I am very sorry for the death of Ser Loras."

The Mountain directly addressed Mace as Lord Hand, which stunned Mace.

He looked at Bronn, who was deliberately distancing himself, and Bronn clearly couldn't hear the Mountain calling him Hand, which reassured Mace.

Unlike the Mountain, although his combat power was trash and his talent shallow, he still had a face!

"…Uh… that was because he couldn't think straight for a moment… fell off his horse… accidentally died…" Mace said, his heart aching, stuttering as he spoke nonsense.

He was still far from the Mountain's level of being thick-skinned and fearless.

If it had been Lady Olenna, she would never have stuttered.

Speaking lies, nonsense, and ghost stories fluently was a basic quality of a great politician in the Seven Kingdoms.

"Lord Hand, there is a vacancy for a captain and two members of the Kingsguard, I have the best candidate for the Kingsguard captain to recommend to you."

"Who?"

"Jaime Lannister!"

"…Can… consider…"

"There is also a Kingsguard member to recommend to you."

"…Uh, who…"

"Ser Garlan Tyrell, Queen Margaery is in the palace and needs the protection of a truly loyal guard."

"…Yes… Lord is right…" Mace realized that he simply couldn't refuse the Mountain's requests.

The questions the Mountain gave Lord Mace all had standard answers.

"I will also recommend two warriors to fill the vacant Kingsguard positions."

Two more?!

Mace knew that the Mountain's main point was coming, but the previous two, well, were actually also important.

Jaime and Garlan were indeed the two best candidates to balance the power of the Lannister and Tyrell families after Kevan was eliminated.

"Two warriors from the War Hammer Cape on Great Wyk in the Iron Islands: Gormond Goodbrother and Glendon Goodbrother."

Mace petrified, completely stunned!

"…Uh, Lord Gregor… the Ironborn have a terrible reputation… how can they be the highest level of royal knights?

The Kingsguard is the most honorable knight in the Seven Kingdoms."

"You need to eliminate prejudice, Lord Hand," the Mountain sternly criticized Lord Mace, and Mace's face stiffened.

The Mountain then said: "Lord Hand, I also have a great gift to give, my Clegane main infantry force of ten thousand is conquering the Iron Islands for King Tommen.

As soon as you become Hand, you can announce to the Seven Kingdoms that the rebellious Iron Islands have submitted to King Tommen."

"…Okay, I don't object to warriors from the Iron Islands becoming Kingsguard, they were originally remarkable ironborn, true warriors of the sea…"

"Thank you, Lord Hand!"

Graydon Goodbrother, Gormond Goodbrother, Glendon Goodbrother, triplet brothers, the Mountain's newly recruited three deathsworn guards.

Graydon was the heir to the Goodbrother family and was not suitable for the Kingsguard, but his two brothers were.

The three brothers' father, Lord Geord Goodbrother of Hammerhorn on the Iron Islands, was an Ironborn landed knight who had sworn allegiance to the Mountain. Lord Geord had already been pre-selected by the Mountain to be the new Governor of the Iron Islands. This required the approval of the new Hand and the issuance of an official appointment order.

First, arrange for Germund Goodbrother and Goran Goodbrother to become Kingsguard, placing them close to the King. This is a very important step.

The second step is to have Mace issue a decree as Hand, appointing Lord Geord Goodbrother as the new Governor of the Iron Islands.

Of course, the prerequisite for all of this is to take the Red Keep and behead Kevan.

*

After the Mountain finished discussing the new Kingsguard lineup with Mace, he signaled for Lord Mace to step back and join Bronn, to observe from the sidelines.

The Mountain shouted towards the soldiers on the city walls, "Soldiers defending the city, I give you half a day and one night to consider. For the sake of the country and the people, I order you to open the city gates and seize the traitorous Hand. Once the time is up, if the gates are not opened, you will be considered accomplices of the traitor. I will lead my troops to attack the city at dawn tomorrow. Any resistance will be met with merciless slaughter!"

If they don't open the gates, then a bloodbath in the Red Keep!

A complete change of the guard!