The Mountain of Ice and Fire

“Myrcella, there's something I need to tell you.” Jaime's gaze flickered.

He was a hardened knight, but when facing his daughter, he lost his edge.

“Uncle, I'm listening.” Myrcella's golden hair and blue eyes inherited the best of Jaime and Cersei. She was beautiful, without any of the arrogance of the nobility. Her tone was gentle, and her smile was sweet.

“Well, there's… something I need to confess to you… and hope to be forgiven for.”

“Uncle, you brought me back from Dorne, and you are the most remarkable hero who fought against the White Walkers. You are my hero.” Myrcella looked at Jaime with adoration, and she reached out her small hand, gently touching Jaime's empty left sleeve.

Jaime suddenly felt a lump in his throat: “…Myrcella… I… the rumors in King's Landing…”

“Are the rumors true?!” Myrcella was both surprised and delighted. “Uncle Jaime, are you really my father!” Myrcella's eyes were full of anticipation.

Jaime was stunned!

“Uncle… I'm so happy… you're my father… instead of that drunken Robert Baratheon.” Myrcella took Jaime's hand. “I'm really happy, Father.”

In that instant, Jaime was willing to die for Myrcella!

The thing he found so difficult to say was spoken by Myrcella with such joy. She had heard the rumors, and she must have wondered about their truth countless times.

Jaime's throat tightened, and tears welled up in his eyes. His heart was filled with frustration and shame: “Myrcella… I'm so glad to have you as my daughter, I don't deserve…”

“No, Father, you are a true hero.” Myrcella said emotionally, “You are completely different from him. He was a cruel bastard to Mother, bringing prostitutes home every day, getting drunk, and whenever Mother questioned him, he would curse her, saying the most awful things…”

The 'he' Myrcella was referring to was naturally Robert Baratheon. When Cersei and Robert first married, she had hopes for their marriage, but Robert quickly showed her what debauchery and vulgarity meant. Cersei hadn't shed a tear in over ten years. She and Robert were husband and wife in name only, but in reality, they were enemies.

“I…” Jaime's throat choked up, his heart surging.

He had thought Myrcella would despise him as a Kingslayer and an incestuous man, but the thing he feared most didn't happen at all. Myrcella was proud of him.

Myrcella Lannister was proud of Jaime! Her eyes were filled with the little stars of a daughter admiring her father.

Jaime embraced Myrcella, it was the first time he had embraced his daughter as a father. He wrapped his single arm around Myrcella, pulling her tightly into his embrace.

Myrcella Lannister was born in the Red Keep of King's Landing in the 290th year after Aegon's Conquest. This year, at eleven years old, she was innocent, clever, and intelligent. In the eyes of adults, she was still a child. In her own eyes, she was already an adult. She had heard many things, and she had her own unique judgments about some things, unaffected by others.

Myrcella also embraced her father, and she realized that her father was in tears. Jaime was crying silently. She reached out her small hand to wipe away her father's tears. After a while, Jaime calmed down. He took Myrcella's hand and slowly walked on the small lawn in the yard: “Myrcella, I have something very important to discuss with you. We may have to leave the Red Keep and go to another safe place.”

“Father, is it because Uncle Tyrion is going to attack King's Landing?”

“Yes. Tyrion Lannister and Daenerys will soon attack King's Landing. They have more than two thousand warships, hundreds of thousands of troops, and three dragons. Once they launch an attack, King's Landing cannot be defended. It will become very unsafe here. Before the war begins, we need to evacuate to a safe place.”

“If we don't leave, will Uncle Tyrion kill us?”

“Uncle Tyrion won't kill you, and he won't kill me, but his queen, Daenerys, will. I killed Daenerys's father, Aerys Targaryen. Because he ordered me to kill my father, and he ordered his Hand to ignite wildfire and blow up all of King's Landing.”

Jaime needed to make Myrcella understand the origin of his Kingslayer infamy. There was a compelling reason for him to commit kingslaying. His daughter was sensible and proud of him. She had grown up, and although she was still young, she needed to know the truth.

Jaime wouldn't leave a big stain in Myrcella's heart.

It didn't matter what others called him, hated him, humiliated him, or misunderstood him, but having a daughter who was proud of him was completely different. It was necessary for Myrcella to understand the real reason why her father committed kingslaying. This was important for both Jaime and Myrcella.

“Was Aerys really a Mad King?”

“Facing the overthrow of his dynasty, he had gone mad.”

“You did the right thing, Father.” Myrcella said with a face full of righteousness.

Jaime's heart immediately warmed!

Myrcella was the only one who had told him that he did the right thing!

Suddenly, for Myrcella's sake, Jaime felt that he could give up everything. The revenge against the Mountain also became less important at this moment. As long as his family was safe and his daughter was happy, revenge wasn't the most important thing.

Jaime squatted down, as tall as Myrcella: “Myrcella, the situation is complicated, we have to prepare to leave. Mother has agreed to leave with us. She is also talking to Tommen now. We will leave together as a family, don't ask where we are going for now. I will protect your safety.”

“Yes, Father. Together, as a family.”

*

Arya, disguised as Cersei, was speaking softly with Tommen in the King's room. Unlike Jaime's conversation with Myrcella, Arya told Tommen that they needed to leave for a while and return safely after the war ended. This was a strategic retreat, not a real departure. The fake Cersei assured the child king that they would achieve final victory.

“The Mountain, who defeated the White Walkers, is invincible.” The fake Cersei told Tommen, “Daenerys's dragons will be shot down by the dragon-killing crossbows even if they attack in the night. The dragon-killing crossbows not only hunt dragons, but the crossbow bolts also attack enemies. They are giant crossbows that can pierce enemy shields and warships.”

“Mother, I want to leave with Margaery.”

“Tommen, Margaery will be with her father. Lord Mace is the Hand, he is our regent after we leave. For the sake of secrecy and safety, we cannot take Margaery with us.”

“No, Mother, Margaery is the queen, she needs to be with her king.”

Tommen Baratheon was born in the 292th year after Aegon's Conquest, and he was just ten years old this year. The ten-year-old boy was already married and in love with his queen.

Margaery Tyrell was born in Highgarden in the Reach in the 283rd year after Aegon's Conquest. This year, at eighteen years old, she was the rose of Highgarden, beautiful and charming. Since marrying Tommen, she had successfully won the trust of the little boy. The little boy Tommen was deeply rooted in Margaery and believed that Margaery was the only one in the world who was truly good to him.

Margaery had replaced Cersei in the child's affections. Tommen was more willing to believe Margaery than Cersei for the same words. He was also more willing to stay with Margaery and enjoy Margaery's obedience rather than his mother's scolding.

“Alright.” The fake Cersei said, “Tommen, you must not tell Margaery about our plans to leave temporarily until I have spoken to Margaery.”

“Yes, Mother!” Tommen said.

“You need to swear in the name of the King and the Faith of the Seven.”

So, the ten-year-old innocent boy solemnly swore in the name of the King and the Seven Gods.

The fake Cersei looked at this ten-year-old Lannister, a little boy with golden curly hair and green eyes. He liked to read and was gentle and shy. His favorite foods were apple cake and cream cake. Cersei beckoned, and the maid standing on the other side quickly walked over, holding a carefully crafted apple cake in her hand.

*

While Arya Stark was in King's Landing arranging for Jaime's family to leave King's Landing with Jeyne Westerling, in the North, the Stark family ushered in a great event after the war.

In the second month of this short transitional autumn, snow had begun to cover the entire North. Heavy snow was also falling in the areas bordering the South. The cold was like a knife, wantonly traversing the space and time of the North.

A team of people from the Westerlands landed on the rocky coast of the North by boat. One carriage and oxcart after another came down from the big ship, eventually forming a convoy of hundreds of people, followed by hundreds of knights and soldiers. The banner of this team was six white seashells on yellow sand - the banner of House Westerling of the Crag.

Under the protection of knights and soldiers, the convoy crossed the Streamlands and entered the First Men's barrows. They paid the price of dozens of lives in the wind and snow, and finally struggled out of the desolate hills and snow of the First Men's barrows, appearing on the Kingsroad to Winterfell.

The first to discover this team was the patrolling scout sent by Jon Snow.

After the devastating battle with the White Walkers, the Night's Watch, which had suffered heavy losses, did not return to the Wall. There was nothing left at the Wall. Food, blacksmith shops, wildfire storage, and cloaks had all been cleared out during the war. Several military fortresses of the Wall that had been washed by the White Walkers had been completely destroyed. All that could remain there was ice and snow a foot thick.

The remaining Night's Watch corps, together with the Northern corps, began the work of rebuilding Winterfell. It wasn't a complete reconstruction of Winterfell, but a rough repair of the main fort and barracks on the previous foundations.

In winter, the Northerners were accustomed to living underground. During the battle with the White Walkers, the Mountain and Robb ordered the entire underground of Winterfell to be hollowed out, and these underground spaces were perfect for living in winter and were the best houses for keeping out the cold.

Usually, the Night's Watch, unafraid of the severe cold, and the Northerners each sent half of their manpower to take on the task of patrolling in all directions.

This scout discovered this slow-moving convoy in the wind and snow. The captain led his brothers forward on horseback. They first saw the seashell banner in the wind and snow.

The leader of this team was the Lord of the Crag, the Mountain's father-in-law - Gawen Westerling. On the snowy Kingsroad, the speed of the carriages was not fast, because the things inside the carriages were very heavy - all of them were gold.

The Night's Watch scouts lined up to block the road. They had bows and arrows in their hands, while the Westerlanders were frozen like a pack of miserable dogs.

Gawen Westerling rode forward: “Are you rangers under the command of Commander-in-Chief Jon Snow? I am Earl Gawen Westerling, I come from the Westerlands, and I am going to Winterfell to see Duke Eddard Stark.”

The scout captain stepped forward, and after they met, half of the brothers returned to report to Eddard Stark, and the other half accompanied Earl Gawen, leading the convoy forward.

Half an hour later, the sound of hooves rumbled, and Eddard Stark personally led the Northern Guards to greet Gawen Westerling. The two were already old friends.

At the beginning of the war against the White Walkers, Gawen Westerling, under the orders of the Mountain, transported dragon crystal weapons and dragon crystal ore from Dragonstone to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. Eddard Stark was the leader of the people who received Earl Gawen at that time.

The team arrived and also brought some carriages and oxcarts.

Following the scouts' report, Eddard already knew that the convoy from the Westerlands could not withstand the cold. Many people in the team had frostbite, and the horses and cattle were exhausted.

In the great battle of Winterfell, the Mountain used fire horses as weapons, which made the horses and cattle in the North extremely scarce, so there were not many carriages and oxcarts to pick them up, only less than a hundred vehicles.

“Earl, in such severe cold, you have brought supplies to the North. The Northerners and Starks are grateful!” Eddard said, shaking Gawen's hand. The faces of the two burly men were purplish-red from the frost.

“Your Grace, I have only transported a small amount of supplies. More of it is…” Gawen lowered his voice, “Gold! Gold from the Lannister family.”

Eddard Stark was stunned!

Gold?

Earl Gawen brought him gold?!

How was this possible? What was going on?!

No matter how rich the Mountain was, he would not think that his gold was too much!!

With gold, he could purchase a large amount of supplies from across the Narrow Sea: grain and cloth, ironware and wine. Also, rebuild Winterfell.

“Did the Mountain send me gold to rebuild Winterfell?”

Did the Mountain design to burn all the wight army by blowing up Winterfell, and now he sent gold to help the Starks rebuild Winterfell?

“Your Grace, this gold was sent to me by the Mountain and someone you think of day and night under a secret order. In addition to the gold, there is also a letter from the Mountain to Your Grace.”

Eddard Stark stared at Earl Gawen, who had a mysterious smile on his face.

Eddard suddenly pulled Earl Gawen's hand and walked to the side of the road, letting the convoy and soldiers continue to move forward. The huge ruins of Winterfell were not far ahead.

“Earl, there are two people I think of day and night, one is Sansa Stark, and the other is Arya Stark. Which one are you talking about?”

“Arya Stark.” Earl Gawen whispered in his ear, with a smile on his face.

Eddard Stark's body shook.

After the start of the War of the Five Kings in the 298th year after Aegon's Conquest, he was soon imprisoned, and it was at that time that he lost any news of Arya Stark. Deep in his heart, he had already assumed that Arya was unfortunate.

“Where is Arya Stark?” Eddard grabbed Gawen's hand tightly.

“Your Grace, Arya is in the Red Keep in King's Landing, with my daughter Jeyne.”