The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Cersei's face was cold and hard: "Where is Deputy Commander Yarral Dym being held by Jacelyn Bywater?"

"They were taken away by the Commander-in-Chief in the barracks."

"Where did they go?"

"Towards the Iron Gate."

"How long ago was that?"

"Half an hour ago. I asked my brother to cover my shift so I could sneak out."

"On what charge did Jacelyn arrest Yarral Dym?"

"For murdering innocent children and their mothers."

Cersei gasped, tilting her head back to look out the window at the night sky over King's Landing.

Those children were all King Robert's bastards, and their mothers were all Robert's whores.

Killing Robert's bastards and whores was Cersei's order.

Robert was Cersei's husband, but the person Cersei hated the most was Robert. She wished she could eat his flesh, peel his skin, drink his blood, and pull out his tendons.

While Robert was alive, Cersei didn't dare do anything. But after Robert died, all of Robert's bastards and whores deserved to die.

But this was indiscriminate killing, not in accordance with the laws of the land.

Cersei had given the order, and if it were investigated, she would be breaking the law. If someone were to testify that the Queen Mother had given the order, Cersei would have to accept a trial by the Small Council.

Of course, all of this could be erased: if Tyrion Lannister didn't care.

But what if Yarral Dym confessed to her? Under the Little Imp's torture! Would the Little Imp launch an investigation and put her on trial?

Cersei didn't know!

"Alright, Sergeant, you've worked hard. You may leave," Cersei said faintly, staring at the night sky.

"Yes, Your Grace," the soldier bowed, took two steps back, and turned to leave.

"Hound!" Cersei called out.

Sandor Clegane entered, wearing a white robe: "Your Grace."

"Lead fifty Red Cloaks to the Tower of the Hand and invite our Hand to come here. If he refuses, you know what to do. Anyone who dares to obstruct you will die!"

"Yes, Your Grace!"

The Hound left, taking fifty guards with him towards the Tower of the Hand.

"Send word to Ser Meryn Trant and Ser Mandon Moore to come see me," Cersei called out.

Two Kingsguard quickly arrived.

"Ser Meryn Trant, Ser Mandon Moore, take a hundred men from Maegor's Holdfast and bring Commander-in-Chief Jacelyn Bywater, Deputy Commander Yarral Dym, and six captains to the hall of Maegor's Holdfast."

"As you command, Your Grace."

"Anyone who dares to disobey or resist will be killed, no matter who they are."

"Yes, Your Grace."

The two Kingsguard turned and left.

*

The Little Imp, Tyrion Lannister, came out of the secret passage into a dark alley. Bronn was standing in the alley with two steeds.

Tyrion refused Bronn's help, pulling himself onto the horse with great effort. Hooves clattered as the two men, hooded and hidden in black cloaks, headed towards the Lion Gate. The Iron Gate was to the south, and the Lion Gate to the east.

Near the Lion Gate was a three-story compound where Tyrion's mountain clansmen lived. On the third floor lived Tyrion's woman: the former camp follower, Shae.

Women were a man's curse; Shae was the Little Imp's curse.

*

The Mountain's residence was a two-story stone house, previously inhabited by Lord Chalyot of the Westerlands and his wife.

The building wasn't far from Varys's demolished house, directly facing the Bronze Gate of the Red Keep.

This was a residence specially chosen by the Mountain. He had entered the city by royal decree to defend against enemies. After easily obtaining military power from King Joffrey in the throne room, his status became very important, and he had the right to choose his favorite residence in the courtiers' residential complex.

Of course, even if the best located residence was occupied by other courtiers, the Mountain would make that unlucky fellow move out.

Lord Tywin's plan to have the Mountain occupy Harrenhal was partly so that the Mountain could enter King's Landing at any time to support the Red Keep against enemies.

The Mountain's use of Littlefinger to stir up trouble, allowing him to enter King's Landing ahead of schedule, did not conflict with Lord Tywin's grand strategy. Everything he did was seamless, in line with the interests of the royal family, while invisibly and legitimately strengthening his own strength: militarily, in political influence, and in public opinion—the Mountain's influence was rising invisibly.

*

"My lord, the Hound led fifty Red Cloaks to the Tower of the Hand," Elin said.

The Mountain also saw this from the window.

The Hound suddenly leading fifty Red Cloaks to the Tower of the Hand was unusual. If Her Grace and His Majesty had anything to discuss with the Hand, they could send a court steward to notify him.

The Hound plus fifty Red Cloaks was a signal of force.

However, the Tower of the Hand wasn't so easy to break into. The Little Imp wasn't Eddard Stark. Besides the mountain clansmen, his Tower of the Hand also hired a mercenary company of three hundred men at a high price.

Usually, the mercenaries guarded the Tower of the Hand most of the time. The mountain clansmen didn't understand court etiquette and didn't respect the court ministers, in order to reduce some unnecessary troubles. The Little Imp generally liked to keep Shagga and Conn by his side, while most of the mountain warriors were on standby in Shae's compound at the Lion Gate.

"My lord, do you need me to go and see what's happening?"

"No," the Mountain said.

Even in an armed conflict, the Hound wouldn't harm the Little Imp. That guy was a Lannister and one of the Hound's masters.

Hooves clattered, and two white robes were conspicuous on the Red Keep Avenue.

Meryn Trant and Mandon Moore led a hundred Red Cloaks from Maegor's Holdfast, marching through the Red Keep, passing by the avenue next to the courtiers' residences. The sound of hooves alarmed the Mountain. The Mountain watched Meryn Trant and Mandon Moore head towards the Bronze Gate of the Red Keep.

This was the second military force of Queen Cersei.

Meryn Trant and Mandon Moore had been Queen Cersei's men since King Robert was still alive. Others might not know, but the Mountain knew it well.

The dispatch of these two Kingsguard, along with the Hound's earlier departure, made the Mountain's heart clench. Cersei's reaction was so fast.

He and the Little Imp had underestimated the Queen Mother's ears and eyes and also underestimated her power. Cersei still had the Red Cloaks and the Kingsguard. Three Kingsguard were dispatched at the same time, one to the Tower of the Hand, two out of the Red Keep. So what was the reason?

Naturally, it was about the arrest of Yarral Dym and six others by Commander-in-Chief Jacelyn Bywater today. Queen Cersei knew about this.

Yarral Dym and the others were to be sent out to sea tomorrow morning, then north, to the Wall to become members of the Night's Watch. Tonight, they would be imprisoned on the 'Summer Dream' merchant ship in the Blackwater harbor.

Cersei's move now was to rescue her claws.

If the Little Imp was controlled by the Hound, Commander-in-Chief Jacelyn Bywater might not be able to withstand the pressure from Meryn Trant and Mandon Moore.

The Kingsguard obeyed Her Grace's orders, outranking officials. Although Jacelyn Bywater was strong in military strategy and had good command ability, the Mountain couldn't be sure of his toughness.

So, would Jacelyn Bywater be a match for Meryn Trant and Mandon Moore?!

Would the two sides cause an uncontrollable armed conflict?

With a great enemy at the door, and a great battle imminent, if the Queen Mother and the Hand fought to the death, many excellent generals would choose sides and fight each other within the city… and the soldiers under their command would also be drawn in, with swords facing each other… and the Mountain was the Supreme Military Commander appointed by His Majesty the King—and Lord Tywin arranged for the Mountain to be in Harrenhal, ready to support King's Landing at any time, precisely so that he could stabilize the situation in King's Landing before Lord Tywin could arrive…

But if the King's Landing began to bleed tonight… and then tomorrow the bleeding started to spread…

The Mountain made a decisive decision, without any hesitation.

"Elin, prepare the horses, go to the Tower of the Hand."

"Yes, my lord."

Elin hurriedly ran to the stables.

"Ser Gladden, quickly order the Clegane barracks to order Polliver, Anguy, Dunsen, Sweetmouth Rafford, Big Head Chiswyck, and Fat Zollo to patrol Blackwater Bay and the harbor docks immediately. Anyone who fights will be arrested, and those who refuse to obey will be beheaded!"

"Yes, my lord!"

Ser Gladden hurried downstairs, rushed to the stables, jumped on his horse, and galloped away.

The Mountain came out, and Elin was already waiting at the door with the horses. The two jumped on their horses, and the Mountain took the greatsword from the guard's hand.

"You don't need to come. Captain Elin and I will be enough," the Mountain said faintly.

"As you command, my lord!"

There were twenty Clegane guard captains in total, all absolute killing gods and elites. The Mountain wasn't going to compare fists, his purpose was to stop it.

If he didn't take action and allowed Cersei to launch a bloodbath, he would have more fault than merit, and Lord Tywin wouldn't make his life easy. That was an old fox, and it wasn't time to deal with the old fox yet.

On the way, the Mountain and Elin saw the Hound returning with fifty guards. The Mountain didn't see the Little Imp, nor did he see any of the Little Imp's attendants.

"Hound, what's going on?" the Mountain asked, standing in the road.

"By order of Her Grace, inviting the Hand to Maegor's Holdfast."

"Where is the Hand?"

"Not at the Tower of the Hand."

"Did something happen?"

"I'm just following orders. As for what state affairs Her Grace and the Hand will discuss, I don't know, nor should I know. If Lord Mountain wants to know, please ask Her Grace yourself," the Hound said, sitting on his horse, neither humble nor arrogant, his tone indifferent.

The Mountain and Elin stood in the road, blocking the way for their party of fifty.

The Hound was riding a horse alone, and the rest of the soldiers were infantry, with long swords and shields.

"Hound, please convey to Her Grace that with a great enemy at the door, enemies who want to cut off our heads may appear outside the city at any time. No matter what conflicts Her Grace and the Hand have, what King's Landing needs most now is stability and unity."

"Her Grace ordered you to bring so many soldiers to invite the Hand at night, which makes me uneasy. I won't report tonight's events to Lord Tywin, but if someone bleeds tonight, that's a different story. I hope Her Grace can calm down," the Mountain said coldly. He pushed the horse aside, making way.

The Hound passed by the Mountain: "Lord Mountain, you can go and tell Her Grace yourself."

"Hound, as a member of the Kingsguard, I am the Supreme Military Commander of King's Landing, responsible for the safety of King's Landing and the major affairs of defending against the enemy. You have the responsibility to convey my message to Her Grace," the Mountain snorted coldly. "If Her Grace doesn't receive my message, I will definitely come to Maegor's Holdfast to find you tomorrow."

At the end, the Mountain's tone was as sharp as a knife.

The Hound turned back and saw the Mountain's wide eyes and mighty aura. He didn't speak any more, and his soldiers didn't even dare to breathe. None of these Red Cloaks from the Westerlands didn't fear the Mountain.

"Elin, let's go!" the Mountain shouted.

The two turned their horses around and headed towards the Bronze Gate of the Red Keep.

Their target: the River Gate.

The River Gate was the closest gate to the Blackwater Bay docks, known by the common people as the Mud Gate.

*

"Justice! Mountain, I believe that no matter how chaotic the world is, there still needs to be a little bit of justice."--This sentence was said by the Little Imp to the Mountain. This was also the fundamental reason why the Little Imp designed to capture Yarral Dym and the others within his ability.

What Yarral Dym went to do, the Queen Mother and the King initially ordered the Hound to do, but the Hound refused to do it. He could kill knights, kill very powerful warriors, charge into battle, kill any adult or even teenager, but he refused to kill some infants who hadn't even been weaned.

The Hound felt that this was an insult to a warrior.

Then, this matter was handed over to Yarral Dym. This guy led his scum brothers, not only killed the children, but also killed the children's mothers and many innocent people.

If it was excusable to kill bastards on orders, but indiscriminately killing those who couldn't stand it and said a few idle words, or even some people who incurred death just because of a dissatisfied look, this was not simply following orders, it was purely doing evil!

The Mountain himself also had a sentence, but it was different from the Little Imp's 'a little bit of justice', but the meaning was similar: people living still need a little bit of spirit! Having transmigrated, you must also live with a little bit of principle, you can be confused when it's hard to be clear, but you can't be completely confused.

Cersei's decision to launch a bloodbath was in line with her stupid, arrogant, short-sighted but self-righteous and decisive character. In this matter, it was not time for the Mountain to pretend to be confused.

Jacelyn Bywater was a rare general, brave and resourceful. With a great battle imminent, such people must not die. We can't leave behind a bunch of bastards who bully the weak before fighting.

The Hound returned from the Tower of the Hand without success, and the Tower of the Hand was also silent. With your toes, the Mountain also knew that the Little Imp had gone to Shae again through the secret passage. Even if he hadn't drunk or been frustrated, the Little Imp often went to Shae's place. Sneaking around, going at night and returning before dawn, enjoying it.

The Little Imp was really a poor worm. It wasn't that Shae needed him, it was that he needed Shae.

*

Meryn Trant and Mandon Moore went to the Iron Gate. The news they received was that Jacelyn Bywater was escorting Yarral Dym and others through the Iron Gate.

The two white-robed knights arrived at the Iron Gate, and Meryn Trant shouted: "Soldier, where did Commander Jacelyn Bywater go?"

The city guard did not dare to neglect and told the Kingsguard that the Commander-in-Chief had gone to the docks.

The city gate opened, and Marin Tran, along with Manden Moore, who had remained silent from beginning to end, led their troops out of the city and headed straight for the docks.

Ahead, a group of people was by the Blackwater River, laughter and the neighing of horses could be heard.

"Is that Lord Jesslyn?" Marin Tran shouted.

The other party did not answer, continuing to talk and laugh amongst themselves.

Marin Tran was furious. He was a member of the Royal Iron Guard, and Jesslyn's arrogance was unacceptable to him. The Empress Dowager had ordered that anyone who disobeyed would be put to death!

Marin Tran led his troops forward, swooping down upon them. *Clang*, his longsword was drawn!

This was the signal for battle!

*Clang!*

Manden Moore's longsword was drawn!

*Clang, clang, clang!*

The longswords of the hundred-man squad were all drawn, raised high, their cold light gleaming, the sound of hooves echoing.

Marin Tran said in a deep voice, "Lord Jesslyn, I am under the orders of Her Majesty the Empress Dowager to invite you and Lord Yarra Deem to Meggor's House."

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