The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Instructor Field fell into the roadside bushes, dizzy and almost fainting. By the time he got up, his head and face were covered in blood, his arm was bruised, and the bones in his right knee were almost shattered.

There were many rocks along the road!

A long spear and two spiked clubs, like poisonous snakes, held Instructor Field at bay. In the shadows of the bushes, there were vague figures, and it was unknown how many enemies were lying in ambush.

Several guards who had fallen with him were injured and broken, and before they could get up, they were taken prisoner.

Suddenly, torches lit up, and enemies emerged from the bushes, trees, shrubs, and behind the roadside rocks, crowding around a young general. When this young general spoke, he had a somewhat accented Common Tongue of Westeros, as if he came from a foreign land.

Instructor Field saw the Mountain's 'Red Smoke Beast · Ice Sword' banner, and also Tommen I's 'Stag Lion' flag!

The leading young general had a wild look on his face, and it was clear that he was not a noble son. He looked tall, but there was still a hint of discernible childishness on his face, proving that he was not actually very old.

The young general's soldiers used a variety of weapons, mainly various axes, spears, clubs, and iron hammers. Very few used longswords.

"Miss Ysilla Royce, I am Landon Garner, from the Claw Isle, and I am here to guard the West Gate under the orders of my father, the Mountain. Surrender, and as long as you order your soldiers to surrender, I will not kill your soldiers, nor this general." Landon Garner, the Mountain's adopted son, pointed the long spear in his hand at Ser Field, whose hands were tied.

"Uncle!" Ysilla Royce shouted, her voice full of anxiety and worry. She now knew why she had been restless and unable to sleep peacefully tonight. She was sensitive to the ominousness of tonight, but she could not know the specific details like a prophet.

Ser Field had lived in Runestone for more than thirty years and had long become a member of the Royce family. Ysilla Royce had called him uncle since she was a child, rather than instructor or by his name.

"Miss Ysilla, I am very sorry." Instructor Field endured the pain. He had already been injured before fighting the enemy. The injury on his right knee was burning with pain, and half of his face was blurred with blood, a bloody badge caused by violent friction with the ground when he landed.

Swish!

Landon's spear tapped against Field's chest armor, making a crisp sound. The spear moved up and tapped Field's throat: "Miss, order your soldiers to lay down their weapons."

The Clawmen’s reputation for barbarism was widespread, and formal court books and folk histories had dedicated sections to record it. Ysilla Royce had read many stories and rumors about the Clawmen’s barbarity and bloodlust.

"Lay down… your weapons!" Ysilla Royce made a choice.

There were many enemies, and the horses were even more fierce and tall. It was the first time Ysilla had seen such powerful warhorses. The weapons used by the enemies were also varied, mostly heavy weapons, rather than the longswords favored by nobles. Once in a melee, Ysilla knew that her hundred soldiers would not be a match for the barbarians.

The enemies formed a crescent shape, half-surrounding the team. They had one way out, which was to retreat into the city that was being slaughtered.

Uncle Field was in the hands of these barbarians, and Ysilla did not want to see Instructor Field killed by the young man's spear. The city was falling, and they were ambushed and surrounded. She had no other choice.

The family guards were silent, their eyes gloomy, and they slowly lowered their weapons. The centurion also lowered his weapon, and the soldiers of the hundred-man team lowered their weapons one after another.

"Longswords, short knives, shields, throw them all on the ground!" Landon Garner said coldly.

The soldiers and the centurion looked at Ysilla. Ysilla nodded to them, and with a clang, the centurion's longsword was thrown on the ground.

The sound of hooves rang out, and a general rushed out from the West Gate, a bloody head on the tip of his spear. Many heads were also hanging on the saddle. Behind him was a large group of soldiers with blood-stained armor: "Landon brother, why didn't you kill them!" The general was wild and high-spirited, and it was Wagner Garner, Landon Garner's cousin, the young chieftain of the Garner clan on Claw Isle, and the commander of the Mountain's navy.

Wagner actually preferred land warfare. This time, he led the core soldiers of the navy into the city from the East Gate, slashing and burning all the way, and killing his way to the West Gate. The warriors of the Royce family legion who met them in a hurry were not cowards. They fought to the death in absolutely unfavorable circumstances, resisting stubbornly all the way, which was exactly what the Clawmen liked. Wagner Garner charged all the way, heading straight for the places with the most people. This battle was so enjoyable, far better than being the commander of the Royal Navy!

*

The next day, morning.

On the mountain road to the Eyrie, hundreds of miles away, Mia Stone led Ser Michael Redfort, Earl Horton Redfort, Earl Yohn Royce, Ser Lyn Corbray, Earl Lyonel Corbray and others for most of the day. They passed Snow Mountain Castle in the middle of the mountain, had lunch at Ironoaks further down, rested for a while, and continued on their way. As the sun set, they descended the mountain and arrived at the Gates of the Moon at the foot of the mountain.

The Gates of the Moon was surrounded by a moat, and the water came from the year-round snowmelt waterfalls of the Giant's Lance. Behind the Gates of the Moon was the Giant's Lance mountain range. The castle was huge, with barracks, blacksmith shops, maester towers, main castle towers, lord towers, etc. The towers were all built in a square shape.

The Gates of the Moon guarded the road to the Eyrie. To get to the Eyrie, you had to enter through the drawbridge at the front gate of the Gates of the Moon and exit through the drawbridge at the back gate. The Gates of the Moon was twice the size of the Eyrie. During the snowy winter, the Arryn family would come down from the Eyrie and live in the Gates of the Moon until the summer came and they returned to the Eyrie.

In winter, no one could stay in the Eyrie. The Eyrie was on the summit of the Giant's Lance, close to the moon. Even eagles flew below it. The air was cold as a knife, and the cold wind howled day and night. Ice and snow piled up in the courtyard and on the top of the tower and would not melt. People living above the Eyrie would freeze to death in the winter.

Mia Stone took the lead, leading a group of nobles to the front of the city gate. The heavy iron gate had been opened, and the castellan, old knight Nestor Royce, was standing at the gate to greet them.

The family stationed at the Gates of the Moon was a branch of the Royce family. Castellan Nestor Royce had a family crest embroidered on his chest: a black portcullis in front of a white crescent moon, with a bronze border on a purple background, and runes inlaid on the border.

Runes were an ancient tradition that was preserved by both the main line and the branches of the Royce family!

Old man Nestor Royce did not have a high status. He was a knight. A knight's status could not be inherited and had to be earned through bravery and character. This was the honor that distinguished it from other titles. But at the same time, a knight was also the lowest rank of nobility.

The young man standing next to Nestor was his son and heir, Elbert Royce. Elbert was not yet a knight, and like his father, Elbert had not obtained any other titles.

Nestor also had an eldest daughter who lived in the Gates of the Moon, but she was a lonely widow without children and rarely went out or spoke to people.

This branch of the Royce family had a very low status and had no status in the eyes of the great nobles of the Vale.

Nestor Royce was originally a steward of the Eyrie who was liked by Lord Jon Arryn. When Lady Lysa Tully returned to the Vale after Lord Jon Arryn's death, she dismissed Nestor and replaced him with another jester who could sing and tell jokes as the steward of the Eyrie.

Knight Nestor welcomed the group into the Gates of the Moon. The sun was setting, and it would soon be dark. At the foot of the mountain, it was truly hot summer, and everyone was wearing short shirts to avoid the heat. The evening breeze was blowing in the castle, cool and pleasant.

When Nestor Royce was exchanging greetings with Yohn Royce, his eyes flickered and his expression was strange.

Bronze Yohn was very shrewd: "Knight Nestor, do you have anything you want to say to me?"

"…Uh…yes…Lord Earl…" Nestor took out a letter that had been opened from his arms and handed it to Earl Yohn. "Lord, you need…to know…very bad news."

Yohn's face became solemn, and the nobles who were traveling with him became quiet. They also felt an ominous aura.

Bronze Yohn Royce unfolded the letter. After reading it, his face was already ashen. The letter was not written to him, nor was it written to Knight Nestor. It was written to Duke Robert Arryn, Lady Lysa Tully, and Littlefinger Petyr Baelish of the Eyrie. The letter was written by Bronze Yohn's youngest daughter, Ysilla Royce. The letter requested that Lysa Tully truly submit to the Iron Throne. The Mountain needed a document of sworn fealty from the Lords of the Vale, and each of the eight great families of the Vale had to send a direct descendant to King's Landing's Red Keep to be a member of the Royal Guard or a royal courtier.

This was a hostage in the traditional sense. Monarchs of all ages had done this, and their vassals had tacitly agreed to it.

The letter said that to warn the Vale, the Mountain had already captured Runestone last night, and the three vassal families under the Royce family had also been captured by the Mountain this morning. Runestone Island had completely fallen into the hands of the Mountain. Ander Royce, the heir to Runestone, refused to submit and was beheaded by the Mountain. If the Lords of the Vale did not sign the letter of submission, the Mountain would lead his troops around the Blood Gate in the west and invade the Vale's basin plain from the sea in the east.

The Blood Gate could not be breached, everyone knew that, unless there was a dragon.

But there were many places on the east sea where one could land on the Vale's plain. One could choose any location along the entire long coastline to land and fight. Littlefinger's territory, the Fingers Peninsula, was by the sea, and fishing boats, ferries, and warships could reach it. There were at least dozens of such landing points.

Bronze Yohn Royce stood motionless like a stone carving. His eyeballs moved up and down, and he read the letter back and forth countless times. Seeing that his lips were turning purple and his hand holding the letter was trembling slightly, everyone dared not ask him what had happened.

His family heir, Ander Royce, had been beheaded by the Mountain. Two other sons were dead, and one was missing. His only youngest daughter was now in the hands of the Mountain. The Mountain was cruel and bloodthirsty. If he was not careful, his youngest daughter, Ysilla Royce, would also be in great danger.

Bronze Yohn folded the letter, his fingers trembling slightly. He put the letter of appeal that his youngest daughter wrote to the Eyrie into his pocket.

Runestone had fallen, and the three families under it each had their own castles and territories, which had also been conquered by the Mountain one by one. The letter written by his youngest daughter did not mention Bronze Yohn at all, which meant that the letter was written according to the Mountain's wishes.

The letter was sent down by the maester of the Eyrie via raven, and its purpose was to let Yohn Royce know that his Runestone had been occupied by the Mountain. However, the lord of the Eyrie did not give any instructions or suggestions on this matter, as if the occupation of Runestone had nothing to do with the duke of the Eyrie.

"Knight Nestor, do you have black beer from the Riverlands?" Yohn sat down, his voice calm and composed, which relieved the nobles who were watching him.

"Yes! Lord!"

"Add ice and bring me a large glass."

"Yes, Lord."

Soon, the wine and dishes were brought up and filled a table.

Bronze Yohn Royce only drank the black beer with ice. There were many delicious dishes on the table, but Bronze Yohn did not taste even a bite.

"Lord, what happened?" Earl Horton Redfort was very concerned. They were engaged and were family, so they should share the same hatred.

"The Mountain captured Runestone last night, and this morning, while we were traveling on the mountain road, he captured the other three castles on the island, which were the three castles of my vassals," Bronze Yohn said, as if he were talking about someone else's affairs.

For a time, everyone was stunned and unable to speak!

This was too unbelievable!

A very激烈的voice rang out: "I said long ago that the Mountain should never be trusted. Littlefinger's verbal false promises to trick the Mountain into withdrawing his troops did not deceive the Mountain." Lyn Corbray slammed the table and shouted.

"Lord, we need to immediately summon the Vale warriors to take back Runestone," Earl Horton said.

"Unless the Eyrie orders it, but the Eyrie only showed me the letter of appeal written by my youngest daughter to the Eyrie and did not attach the letter of the lord of the Eyrie and the order to assemble the Vale legion," Bronze Yohn said calmly. "I can only order the warriors of Runestone Island to be summoned, but my Runestone Island has been occupied by the Mountain."

"Lord!" Lyn Corbray said sternly, "The warriors of the Corbray family can be assembled in one day and can reach Runestone Island in four days."

"The Redfort family's soldiers need two days to assemble, but it will take us eight days to get to Runestone Island, Lord."

"Earl Royce, the soldiers of the Gates of the Moon cannot be mobilized. We need the order of the Lord," Nestor Royce said apologetically. His mission was to guard the Arryn family's Gates of the Moon, which was the only road up and down the Eyrie.

The Gates of the Moon at the foot of the Giant's Lance, Snow Mountain Castle on the mountainside, Ironoaks, Longbow Hall at the snow line, and the Eyrie at the top of the mountain were all private castles belonging to the Arryn family.

"We can send an order to the 'League of the Righteous' nobles to raise troops together, take back Runestone, and drive away the Mountain," Lyn said excitedly.

"Thank you, Lord Lyn, for your great help, but my youngest daughter, Ysilla Royce, is in the hands of the Mountain. The lives of the Runestone Island soldiers and tens of thousands of people are in the hands of the Mountain. We cannot use force now. I need the Eyrie to come forward to negotiate. The Mountain has made a request. He needs the Duke of the Eyrie to sign a letter of submission before he will withdraw his troops and release my youngest daughter."

"Yes, we must not harm Miss Ysilla's life. We cannot be impulsive now. We must first negotiate, then raid the Mountain, and then submit to the King in the North Stark," Earl Redfort said.

"Who will negotiate with the Mountain?" Earl Corbray, who had been silent all along, said slowly.

"This requires an order from the Eyrie," Bronze Yohn said, his mouth full of bitterness.

The Eyrie was now in Littlefinger's hands, and Littlefinger held a grudge against him. He was doing everything he could to build a 'League of Justice' to deal with Littlefinger, and now, he had to return to the Eyrie to see Littlefinger.

The Duke of the Eyrie was only eight years old, and his physical and mental development was slow. Lysa Tully was too obese to move, and her negotiating skills could not compare to her appetite. If the Vale had to negotiate with the Mountain, who would Lysa Tully send as the principal? Of course, only Littlefinger Petyr Baelish!

But Bronze Yohn was not willing to bow his head, and he decided to unite the power of the eight major families of the Vale to persuade Lysa Tully to send him as the principal negotiator.

"We have to go back. Lord Lynn, Lord Redwyne, Earl Corbray, we have to go back, back to the Eyrie, and together with Knight Templeton, Lady Anya Waynwood, and others, we will advise Lysa Tully. I hope everyone will support me as the principal negotiator, not Littlefinger Petyr."

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