The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Ten miles north of Casterly Rock, along the main road.

Julie Clegane helped the travel-worn Jeyne Westerling wash up, and together with Rafford Clegane, took the driver's seat of Jeyne's carriage. Gregor Clegane rode alongside on horseback, with the Clegane cavalry following behind. At Gregor's command, the carriage slowly moved forward.

The setting sun cast long shadows across the road from the Sunset Sea.

Lord Gawen and his eight guards watched helplessly as the Mountain forcibly 'hijacked' the carriage.

Gawen swallowed his anger and had no choice but to follow behind the Mountain's cavalry, maintaining a distance.

You can't reason with a madman!

And the Mountain was that madman.

Lord Gawen knew very well that even with his eight guards, they were no match for the Mountain alone. The most important thing now was not to protect the carriage, but to avoid angering the Mountain while Jeyne was still safe.

Once he met with Lord Tywin, Lord Gawen would demand justice and make the Mountain apologize.

For the safety and honor of his daughter, Lord Gawen decided to endure.

Once Jeyne became Lord Tywin's daughter, the Mountain would be nothing more than a dog forced to serve her; and the Westerling family would rise in prominence, preventing other Westerlands nobles from looking down on them.

Lord Gawen gradually smoothed out his inner turmoil, making himself feel less embarrassed and uncomfortable.

On the road north of the city, the sound of hooves echoed.

Travelers coming and going, seeing the Mountain from afar, quickly moved off the road to avoid him.

In the Westerlands, don't mess with the Mountain!

*

"Lady Jeyne, I am Gregor Clegane," Gregor said from behind the curtain.

Jeyne was already too frightened to speak inside the carriage.

But, if she didn't answer the Mountain, would he get angry, would he become enraged? If he couldn't help but lift the curtain and see her beauty, would he do something to disgrace her honor, even some... teasing... dirty words...

Behind the carriage, the Clegane family cavalry's foul language constantly forced its way into Jeyne's ears, causing her to feel ashamed, blush, and feel embarrassed. Some words were truly... unbearable.

"...Mountain... Lord..." Jeyne knew she had made a mistake as soon as she spoke. 'Mountain' was not Gregor Clegane's name, nor was it a title, but a malicious nickname given to Gregor out of fear. It was like you could privately call someone a dog, a pig, a beast, and you could discuss their dog-like or pig-like attributes and bad reputation among a group of people, but you couldn't say it to their face, as that would be an insult.

Jeyne was too nervous, flustered, and for her, who valued etiquette and manners, she could not allow herself to commit such a rude and despicable act.

But as soon as she opened her mouth, she stammered it out.

In fact, many people, including Miss Julie, the deceased Ser Alan Sherriot, and Gregor's loyal subordinates, had addressed Gregor by his nickname 'Mountain Lord' to his face. Gregor didn't care; he himself didn't care at all. The current Gregor didn't feel it was an insult when anyone called him Mountain to his face. This was perhaps one of the true colors of an evil person.

As soon as Jeyne realized she had said Mountain Lord instead of Ser Gregor, she was scared half to death.

Jeyne was, after all, only a fifteen-year-old girl who had learned literature, needlework, etiquette, music, painting, medicine, poetry, and the history of the Seven Kingdoms... but had never developed the courage to practice martial arts. In the face of a notorious villain like Gregor, she had completely lost her courage.

"Uh, Miss, I'm listening!" Gregor rarely spoke again in response, and wasn't angry about being called Mountain to his face. His tone was calm and his voice gentle.

Jeyne took a deep breath, trying to calm her terrified mood.

"...Ser... Gregor... hello, thank you and your soldiers for coming to welcome me. The Westerling family is very grateful, and I myself am very grateful for your... care, Ser," Jeyne felt her heart pounding wildly. She finally finished speaking, and small beads of sweat appeared on her forehead and the tip of her nose, and her two snow-white hands felt hot.

"Lady Jeyne, Lord Tywin ordered me to come and welcome you."

"Oh! Thank you for Lord Tywin's generosity. Jeyne and the Westerling family feel ashamed."

"Lady Jeyne, I am deeply honored. I should thank you."

"...Ser Gregor... it is I and the Westerling family who should thank you first... Thank you for coming to welcome and escort me. Jeyne is terrified and unworthy of such kindness."

"Lady Jeyne, the copper basin, spring water, and towel were prepared privately for you by Gregor. The silver mirror, rouge, powder, and eyebrow pencil were the best quality items I bought in Casterly Rock specifically as gifts for you. I am deeply honored that you accepted all the small gifts I carefully prepared. Thank you, Miss."

Jeyne felt a chill in her heart as she listened, and by the end, she was covered in cold sweat. What did the Mountain mean by saying this?

If she had known they were from him, Jeyne would not have accepted them. No matter what they were or how high-end they were, she would have refused them all.

But now she had accepted them. She had used the Mountain's copper basin, spring water, and towel, and she had also used the silver mirror, rouge, powder, and eyebrow pencil. When Julie had happily packed everything up and said that they were gifts carefully selected by the lord, she had politely accepted them all.

She had thought these things were from Lord Tywin!

She never would have imagined that these things that only noble ladies would be familiar with were actually gifts bought by the Mountain for her.

Thinking of the rumors of the Mountain defiling women, Jeyne felt a chill all over her body.

She wanted to shout for her father, but she knew it was useless.

Moreover, the Mountain had not violated any etiquette.

She had accepted them because she had mistakenly thought they were from Lord Tywin!

If she refused now, it would be her rudeness, not the Mountain's.

And, she was afraid of angering the Mountain.

Even if the Mountain didn't dare to do anything to her because of Lord Tywin, even if he lifted the curtain and verbally humiliated her, that would be unacceptable.

"What's wrong, Lady Jeyne? Are you feeling unwell? Do you need my help?" The Mountain's voice sounded again. Through the curtain, Jeyne felt the Mountain's large hand stroking the curtain, as if he was about to lift it open. This made Jeyne's soul fly away, and she felt as if the Mountain was about to get into the carriage.

"...No, no... no, I'm fine... Mountain... Ser Gregor, I'm fine, thank you for your... gifts!"

"Are you happy to accept my gifts?" the Mountain said again.

Jeyne felt for the first time in her life that speaking was so easy to collapse!

She was helpless.

She needed her father by her side.

But her father couldn't afford to offend the Mountain either, and her father was far behind the carriage.

"...Yes, I am very happy to accept your gifts..." Jeyne said something that would make her feel sick for a long time.

"Oh, that's good. In that case, I can report back to Lord Tywin." The Mountain said casually.

This was a very inexplicable sentence.

The things the Mountain sent to Jeyne privately were not Lord Tywin's orders, so why did the Mountain have to report back to Lord Tywin? Only things that Lord Tywin had instructed the Mountain to do did the Mountain need to report back to Lord Tywin!

Vaguely, Jeyne felt that there might be something between the Mountain and Lord Tywin... but what exactly it was, she didn't know, and she couldn't figure it out!

Thanks to my fellow readers I called All Things Life, South Pole White Rabbit, and Bird Who Likes to Get Up Early for your support and rewards, thank you!