The Mountain of Ice and Fire

A few days later.

The main hall of the Mountain's palace.

A small page, Peerte Clegane, hurried in and knelt on one knee: "Your Majesty, Queen Hoanne has arrived and is waiting at the gate for your summons."

"Invite her in."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

A moment later, the page Peerte led Queen Hoanne in. The Mountain sat on a rough wooden stool, not moving.

Queen Hoanne was somewhat surprised to find that the luxurious tapestries and exquisite carpets in the palace hall were gone, revealing the white marble floor. The tables and chairs inlaid with jade were also gone, replaced with ordinary ones.

This made her feel strange, and she was puzzled.

"Greetings, Your Majesty the King, Your Majesty the Queen," Queen Hoanne knelt on one knee, her right palm lightly pressed against her chest.

Queen Jeyne Westerling sat with the King, a night lion's pelt draped over her chair. Queen Hoanne noticed that this was probably the most valuable and eye-catching thing in the hall.

"Lady Hoanne, please rise," the Mountain said faintly.

Even his softest words were filled with power in Queen Hoanne's ears.

Queen Hoanne stood up, dignified and graceful, with skin as white as milk, radiating a jade-like luster.

"Peerte, bring Lady Hoanne a soft chair," the Mountain said.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Soon, a soft chair inlaid with jade and covered with brocade was carried out by two servants and placed beside Queen Hoanne.

"Please sit, madam," the Mountain said.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Queen Hoanne bowed her head slightly in respect, then sat sideways, not daring to sit fully, only half of her body on the chair.

Queen Hoanne noticed that King Gregor Clegane did not address her as Queen Hoanne, but as Lady Hoanne.

This was a small detail, but it stirred up a storm in Queen Hoanne's heart.

"Madam, you are so beautiful," Queen Jeyne Westerling said with a smile.

"Thank you for your Majesty the Queen's compliment." Queen Hoanne's heart was in turmoil, but her face remained intellectual and elegant, maintaining her noblewoman's demeanor and dignity.

"Madam, I have invited you here today because there is a matter I would like to ask for your help with," the Mountain said politely.

*

The King's excessive politeness made Queen Hoanne even more uneasy—

Seven nights ago, King Gregor Clegane suddenly used dragonfire to destroy the Scorpion Gate and the Temple of the Undying, completely shattering the two inviolable sacred sites in the hearts of the Qartheen people. Three days later, in the royal square, the King publicly tried and executed Grand Maester Pyat Pree, the leader of the Undying, and Haggo Mo, the leader of the Thirteen. These two events caused the nobles and commoners of Qarth to feel awe towards him. The nobles and wealthy merchants in the city collectively defected, without exception. Even the most steadfast local hardliners in the original Tourmaline Brotherhood came to the palace the next day, offering valuable and priceless gifts to the new King and kneeling to swear their allegiance—

Today, Queen Hoanne received a message from the herald ordering her to come to King Gregor Clegane's palace hall. She came, but the King no longer addressed her as Queen, which made the King's superficial politeness seem hypocritical and dangerous—this deepened Queen Hoanne's unease.

*

"Your Majesty, if you have any matters, please command me. I will do my best to complete them," Queen Hoanne said earnestly, her eyes full of anticipation, her charming demeanor just right.

"Madam, I would like to invite you and your three children to visit King's Landing, the capital of Westeros. I wonder if you would be willing?"

Queen Hoanne's heart shattered like glass falling to the ground.

Her back went cold, and extremely tiny beads of sweat appeared on the tip of her nose. Her hands and feet turned icy, but her body felt hot, as if she had a fever.

"Your Majesty, I have never traveled far..." Queen Hoanne tried her best to keep her voice from trembling. She subconsciously gripped the armrests of the chair, the backs of her hands bulging with veins, but she herself was unaware. In Queen Hoanne's ears, the Mountain's words boomed like thunder rolling through her mind. "My three children have also never left this land. In fact, we have never traveled far since we were young. Courtiers and servants take care of everything."

"Lady Hoanne, you are afraid," Queen Jeyne Westerling said with a smile.

"...afraid...no no no..." Queen Hoanne felt her heart pounding wildly, as if it was about to jump out of her chest. She breathed rapidly, her chest rising and falling, her body hot, but her hands and feet even colder.

Jeyne smiled gently, stood up, and walked to Queen Hoanne. Queen Hoanne quickly stood up, and Jeyne grasped her cold, jade-like hands: "Madam, I swear on the honor of House Clegane and in the name of the gods that your visit to Westeros with your three children is a sincere invitation. We will not harm a hair on your heads. We are inviting you to visit King's Landing in Westeros for a true journey, not a pretext to take you out and kill you."

Take you out and kill you—these words made Queen Hoanne's body tremble, an instinctive tremor, beyond her control. This tremor was transmitted to Jeyne through their clasped hands, which made Queen Hoanne, realizing this, even more ashamed. Her composure and elegance were gone, her face turned pale, and shame, fear, and worry seized her heart together.

The King and Queen wanted to take her and her three children away from Qarth to King's Landing. No matter how charming Queen Jeyne's smile was, how kind her attitude, or how assuring her vows, Queen Hoanne felt that she and her children were standing on the edge of a cliff, and below, was a bottomless black abyss.

She felt her calves weaken, her lips bitter, and her cheeks burning.

"Your Majesty the Queen, what should I do? Please teach me."

Queen Hoanne meant that she wanted Jeyne to tell her how she should cooperate with the King's various decrees so that His Majesty would be assured and spare her and her children's lives. In Qarth, the new King announced that the local royal family of Qarth would still be in charge of Qarth, but in fact, after the King destroyed the Scorpion Gate and the Temple of the Undying, he naturally took control of everything in Qarth. From top to bottom, no one felt it was abrupt. The local nobles and wealthy merchants, when they had requests, would directly line up in the corridor in front of the new King's administrative office, instead of going to the Hoanne Palace in the west to see the royal heir and Queen.

No one felt that this was wrong, except for Queen Hoanne and the King's heir apparent.

And after King Hoanne was confirmed to have been killed by Grand Maester Pyat Pree, His Majesty King Gregor Clegane did not announce that he would let the heir inherit the throne of King Hoanne.

"Lady Hoanne," Jeyne said, grasping her cold hands, "It's just a visit to Westeros. I think the two princes and the princess will like it."

Queen Hoanne's legs softened, and she was about to kneel, but Jeyne held her up. She realized that her body was terribly weak, a fear of death.

"Queen Hoanne, there are still some of your courtiers in the western palace. Please dismiss them after you return today. For the time being, the western palace does not need them to discuss matters and handle government affairs. You and your children are going to Westeros. If you can get used to living there, maybe the children will not want to come back. The continent of Westeros, the Seven Kingdoms, has beautiful scenery and valiant knights, and many wonders of the world: the Wall, Harrenhal, the Hightower, the Citadel, the Iron Islands, Riverrun surrounded by water on three sides—every place will make you linger."

The Mountain's request for Queen Hoanne to dismiss her courtiers made clear what he wanted. There would only be one king in the city of Qarth, and that was His Majesty Gregor Clegane before her.

The history of House Hoanne in Qarth had come to an end.

"Your Majesty, I and my children are going to Westeros, only begging Your Majesty to preserve our lives," Queen Hoanne knelt down.

Jeyne reached out to help Queen Hoanne up, but the Mountain said: "Your Majesty the Queen, please take your seat." Jeyne stopped her hand. She understood that the Mountain wanted Queen Hoanne to kneel, and he would not allow her to help Queen Hoanne up.

The Mountain wanted Queen Hoanne to fully understand her position, and the position of her three children.

House Hoanne no longer existed.

Jeyne turned back and sat on the night lion's pelt chair.

"Lady Hoanne, Queen Jeyne Westerling has a maternal uncle named Ryman Frey, who is a fierce general wielding a heavy axe, a knight. Ser Ryman is the commander of the City Watch of King's Landing, responsible for the safety of King's Landing and the royal family. Ser Ryman is not very old, in his thirties, unmarried. If Lady Hoanne does not dislike him, I would be willing to arrange this marriage for you."

Queen Hoanne's mouth opened and could not close.

She did not expect the King to suddenly say such a thing.

It seemed that the King had already considered how to keep her and her children in Westeros. Queen Hoanne was the daughter of a great noble and had been pampered since childhood, and the Qartheen people were known for their white skin. Queen Hoanne could not accept people of other skin colors very well.

However, the King himself was acting as matchmaker, and it was the Queen's maternal uncle. If she could agree to this marriage, then her three children would become Ser Ryman's children. In this sense, the safety of her three children seemed to have a relatively secure guarantee.

"Your Majesty, I trust your judgment and arrangements. If Ser Ryman Frey does not dislike me being a widow, I am willing to become a family with him."

Jeyne smiled and said: "Lady Hoanne, you and my maternal uncle Ser Ryman have become a family, so that is also my family."

"Also my family, and even my elder," the Mountain said with a smile.

These words were like a spell, magically dispelling most of the revulsion, discomfort, fear, and worry in Queen Hoanne's heart.

She was now family with His Majesty the King?!

Yes, marriage had such a magical effect!

As long as she married Commander Ryman Frey, she would be family with His Majesty the King, and the lives of her children and herself seemed to no longer need to be worried about.

And the eldest prince was going to Westeros and was also of marriageable age; the princess was the same. As long as they married into local noble families, this line of House Hoanne would be preserved and would not be exterminated.

The King, who dared to burn the lairs of the Warlocks and the Temple of the Undying into a pile of black liquid, what else would he not dare to kill!

She should not even think about the throne of Qarth. Being able to preserve the bloodline of House Hoanne was already a precious glimmer of life sought on the edge of a knife.

"Madam, after you return, you must dismiss the courtiers in your palace with a very reasonable reason. If any of the courtiers have good abilities, you are welcome to recommend them to us in writing."

"Yes, Your Majesty the Queen."

The Mountain said: "Madam, I hope that your three children will not know that they are boarding a ship to the continent of Westeros until the ship leaves the port of Qarth. Before boarding, do not bring any of your soldiers, servants, courtiers, priests, or nuns. I will give you a batch of well-behaved and professionally trained maids to serve you. They will take good care of you and your children, from the time the ship leaves the port until you reach Blackwater Bay in Westeros, until you settle down on the continent of Westeros. I hope they can all be your best and most understanding servants."

Queen Hoanne had her favorite maids, and her family also had the most loyal soldiers and courtiers. She could not bear to part with them, but His Majesty the King wanted her and her children not to use any of her own people.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will only bring my children on board," Queen Hoanne said.

"Madam, how much time do you need to handle these matters?"

"A month, Your Majesty."

"Oh? Why such a long time?"

"Your Majesty, it is easy to let the courtiers leave, but packing up some clothes and furniture at home will take a lot of time. We may need ten large ships to hold our things."

Ten large ships?

It should be said that ten ships would not be able to hold all the wealth of House Hoanne.

"Madam, I will only give you four days. On the morning of the fifth day, I hope you can take your children aboard the largest merchant ship and set sail," the Mountain said.

"Four days?" Queen Hoanne said in disbelief.

"Yes, madam, four days," the Mountain said faintly. "I know that you cannot bear to part with the large amount of money and goods in the palace, but in King's Landing in Westeros, you and your children will have everything you need. Madam, look at my hall. The expensive tapestries and carpets have been taken away, and the chairs and tables inlaid with jade have been exchanged for gold coins as military pay for the troops. Once a luxurious life has been lived for too long, the courtiers will become lazy, and the generals will grow fat on their bodies. In the eastern palace, I have already replaced all the rich and glorious things. I don't want my courtiers and generals to degenerate in wine and wealth, otherwise the country will be in danger."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Queen Hoanne's heart was pierced with pain that she could not breathe.

In the western palace, there were too many things that she loved, many treasures were priceless, enough for their dozen generations to spend.

The Mountain saw the pain in Queen Hoanne's heart from the expression on her face, and he said: "Madam, you and your children can only bring ten carriages of things on board, really no more than that."

"Yes, thank you, Your Majesty."

"Loss and recovery" filled her heart with surprise, and her gratitude to the Mountain gushed out like a spring.

The things that ten carriages could hold were certainly not comparable to the capacity of ten large ships, equivalent to a drop in the ocean, but this drop gave Queen Hoanne a greater sense of security to live in a strange country and filled her with gratitude to the Mountain.