The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Cersei crushed the wax seal, unfolded the letter, read it, and a strange and peculiar expression appeared on her face.

"Mother, what is it?" Tommen's innocent eyes and simple voice asked.

Cersei handed the letter to the Prime Minister, Mace Tyrell, which made the child king feel uncomfortable. His mother basically didn't pay attention to his feelings. As his wife, Margaery, said, he was already ten years old this year and already married. He was the master of the palace, the king of this country, and he had the right to know about some political affairs in the first place.

Jaime Lannister looked at Tommen with encouraging eyes. Cersei's disregard for the king's words disgusted him. And under the table, Margaery Tyrell's gentle and smooth little hand held Tommen's little hand, which gave him warmth and comfort. Tommen knew that his wife, Margaery, was the most beautiful and best woman in the world, and he felt very comfortable in every way with her.

Deep down, Jaime was not optimistic about the marriage between King Tommen and the Mountain. One of the biggest reasons was King Tommen's age.

Although Margaery Tyrell was sixteen years old this year and already had all the conditions for having children, Tommen was born in 291 AC. The child king was only ten years old this year. Jaime believed that it would be difficult for His Majesty Tommen to make Queen Margaery Tyrell pregnant as soon as possible. Even if Cersei successfully signed a marriage contract with the Mountain, it would probably just be a piece of paper.

What worried Jaime was that the Mountain was no longer easy to fool!

Mace Tyrell read the Mountain's letter, and his face showed doubt, bewilderment, relief, and exploration... In short, all kinds of complex expressions were present, which made him look preoccupied and unable to find a direction.

Cersei looked at these useless courtiers in the kingdom and said, "The Mountain said in his letter that the North is in urgent need, the Others are marching south, and he suggests that we abandon the disputes with the North, summon vassals, gather the power of the country, and go north to support the Stark family in fighting the Others."

Tommen, Margaery, Jaime, Commander Bronn, Rosby, Burney, Grand Master Qyburn and others all had strange expressions on their faces. They were all quite surprised.

The Mountain suddenly cared about the safety of the North?! Rumors of Others and wights had been circulating for a long time, but the courtiers' lives remained the same, without any change, as if those rumors were just ethereal stories.

If the North was attacked by Others, then let the Others destroy the North first. This was a big wish hidden deep in Cersei's heart.

Commander Bronn, Rosby, Burney, and Qyburn didn't feel anything special about the North fighting against the Others. They had never been to the North and were skeptical about the Others.

Mace Tyrell said, "The Mountain said in his letter that if the North is slaughtered, the Others' army will march south unstoppable and turn us all into wights in the winter. The Mountain also asserted that if we don't raise troops and fight against the Others together with the North, and the forces are still scattered, the King of Others will sit on the Iron Throne in the winter."

"I came back from the North. I swear in the name of the Lannister family's honor and the Seven Gods that the Mountain's statement about a large-scale Other attack in the North is true..." Jaime stood up. His stubble made him look vicissitudes and masculine, but it was a pity that Cersei didn't like Jaime's decadent temperament. She liked Jaime to be fair-skinned, clean-shaven, wearing golden armor, a golden sword hanging from his waist, suave and handsome.

In Cersei's eyes, the former Jaime was exquisite jade, and the current Jaime was rough rubble!

Jaime's voice continued: "...The Others can resurrect dead shadowcats, mountain eagles, snow bears, direwolves, lions, anyone—whether they are warriors or generals, priests or farmers—into wights and drive them to fight. The wights don't move very nimbly or strongly, but they don't know pain, they don't get tired, they don't need to rest, they don't need to eat, and they don't fear death. They can keep moving forward, they can keep fighting, and swords can't kill them. Even if their heads are cut off, their bodies will still move, their hands and feet will still move. Only fire can completely burn them. If the North is defeated and everyone is killed by the Others, then those Northern warriors and people will become Other warriors: wights."

The meeting hall once again fell into a silent suffocation.

"I swear to you, every word I said is true." Jaime's right fist was placed on his left chest to swear.

"Uncle Jaime, I believe what you said. What do you think we should do?" Tommen's childish voice sounded abruptly, which surprised Cersei. She looked at Margaery. Margaery looked natural and couldn't tell that Tommen was instructed by her to dare to speak suddenly. Cersei didn't understand the pure power in King Tommen's heart. He was still a child, but he had his own basic standards of right and wrong.

"Your Majesty, we should listen to Lord Mountain's advice, put aside all the internal contradictions and disputes in the kingdom first, gather our strength, and go north to fight together. If we stand by and watch, once the Others win in the North, the Others' strength will become too strong, then in the cold winter, I'm afraid a blue-eyed, frost-clad Other King will sit on the Iron Throne," Jaime said in a deep voice.

Cersei stared at Jaime coldly, her face as cold as frost. Her thin red lips were pursed, like a sharp blade.

Jaime actually stood up at this time to say such things. What was he thinking? Why didn't she see his stupidity and clumsiness before? After he was captured, was he ruined?! He would actually say 'I'm afraid a blue-eyed, frost-clad Other King will sit on the Iron Throne'.

"I support the Mountain leading his Clegane army and dragons to fight in the North," Mace Tyrell said. He supported the Mountain to fight, but Mace didn't mention a word about his army.

"Humph!" Cersei snorted coldly, "Burney Clegane, tell everyone in advance what you know about Daenerys across the Narrow Sea."

Burney Clegane was stunned. Cersei's change was too fast. Weren't they discussing the Others in the North now: "Yes, Your Majesty, I received news that Daenerys Targaryen across the Narrow Sea has unified the Dothraki Sea, obtaining more than 100,000 elite cavalry, and is advancing from land towards Pentos."

"In addition, there is a navy of more than 10,000 people led by the Iron Fleet of the Iron Islands, with hundreds of warships carrying tens of thousands of infantry, including 8,000 of the most battle-hardened Unsullied of Astapor. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Tyrion Lannister, Intelligence Minister Varys, and Iron Guard Captain Barristan Selmy, they are traveling by water towards Pentos. The land and sea armies will converge in Pentos, and then the army will cross the sea to attack King's Landing and seize the Iron Throne."

Everyone looked at each other again, and Jaime was also stunned.

"Is the news certain?" Mace Tyrell's lips suddenly felt dry, and his mouth tasted bitter.

"It's still being finalized. At most, we'll have to wait two more days, and all the news will be confirmed."

Mace, Queen Margaery, Commander Bronn, Earl Gyles and others all changed their expressions: Was the Targaryen dynasty making a comeback?! However, one person's focus was different from everyone else's. This different person was King Tommen.

"Lord Burney, is Uncle Tyrion still alive?" Tommen was surprised and delighted. His childish voice revealed that his feelings for Tyrion's family had never disappeared. Tyrion was the wisest, most humorous, kindest and most friendly person Tommen had ever met. The dwarf uncle always made Tommen giggle with a few words. Tommen liked Tyrion uncle more than he liked Jaime uncle.

Burney said respectfully: "Reporting to Your Majesty, Lord Tyrion Lannister is still alive. He is clever and resourceful, and found a substitute to deceive Lord Mountain and us, while he himself had already escaped to the other side of the Narrow Sea. He is now the Prime Minister by Daenerys Targaryen's side, the Hand of the King."

"Burney!" Cersei shouted sharply.

Burney Clegane was startled, his face stiffened, and he immediately shut up.

Cersei's voice became cold: "The Mountain just sent a letter saying that the North is in urgent need. He hopes that we can gather all our strength to go north. At this moment, the remnants of the Targaryen family on the opposite side are also gathering a large army to attack King's Landing and seize the Iron Throne... Jaime, do you think we should still go north now?"

"Tyrion is leading the army here. I can go to see him and Daenerys. I will persuade Daenerys to also go north to fight against the Others. If the Others win, no one can sit on the Iron Throne. This is about the life and death of the entire human race. Tyrion has been smarter than me since he was a child. I can see the problem, he must be able to see it too. The Others and the human race cannot coexist in this kingdom."

Cersei sneered: "Jaime, you think too highly of your dwarf brother. Unfortunately, he is not Daenerys Targaryen. He is just a dog by Daenerys' side and has no right to mobilize any of Daenerys' legions. And there is another piece of news that I'm afraid you don't know. Daenerys also has three dragons."

Jaime said resolutely: "Your Majesty, if Daenerys doesn't care about the overall situation and takes the opportunity to seize the Iron Throne and launch a bloody war in the battle between the Others and the human race for survival, then every noble and citizen on the continent of Westeros will rise up against her. No force will support her landing on the continent of Westeros."

"If we lose the war with the Others in the end, then the Others will become even stronger, and we will all become wights or ashes. Who sits on the Iron Throne will become meaningless, but if we win, the people of the continent will be united and twisted into a rope to first drive out the foreign enemy Daenerys."

"I dare to guarantee that if Daenerys is a selfish person who disregards the safety of the human race, a person who takes the opportunity to burn, kill, plunder, and occupy land behind us, then the people who oppose her will include the courtiers around her, Tyrion, Barristan the Bold, Jorah Mormont, and Varys. They are all upright people with honor and principles, and they will definitely rise up against her. She will lose the assistance of her courtiers."

Cersei laughed angrily: "Jaime, Tyrion is a cunning and insidious dwarf, Barristan is a despicable traitor, Jorah is a fugitive who trafficked slaves and is wanted by the Starks, and Varys is a smiling eunuch. You actually believe that these people will rise up against Daenerys Targaryen? That little bitch's army is made up of Dothraki and Unsullied, as well as pirates from the Iron Islands. Don't say any more, I won't send troops north."

Jaime's head tilted back slightly, a provocative gesture, his chin pointing at Cersei's face: "Your Majesty, if the Mountain is determined to fight against the Others, I will leave King's Landing to follow him. I promised Eddard Stark, and now is the time to fulfill my promise." After saying that, Jaime pulled open the stool with a crash and strode towards the hall door. His footsteps echoed in the hall.

Cersei's face twisted as if she had been slapped hard, her face turning ashen: "Jaime, please be mature and rational. King Tommen and this country need you now. Daenerys is coming across the sea with hundreds of thousands of troops. She is not coming to King's Landing for tourism."

Jaime stopped at the door: "Your Majesty, if we can't defeat the Others before winter comes, when winter officially arrives and King's Landing and the South are a world of ice and snow, I think our situation is over, and it will be too late to resist. The winter season will slow down the reaction and actions of our human race, and it will be difficult to mobilize supplies, but for the ice-composed Others, the fighting power is the strongest in the winter season. Cersei, the Others are coming to attack in a big way, why did the Mountain suddenly issue a proposal? I think he must have understood the real situation in the North. If he doesn't want to escape from this continent, then he has no choice."

Bang!

Jaime opened the door, then slammed it shut, the door hitting the frame, making a loud noise.

The echo of the loud noise reverberated in the meeting hall for a long time!

*

"Grand Master, what do you think of the Mountain's proposal?" Cersei's ears were still ringing with the echo of Jaime closing the door.

"Your Majesty, I don't know much about the Others in the North. But Ser Jaime swore by the Seven Gods and his family's honor that it was true, and I believe Ser Jaime's words. The Mountain suddenly wrote an urgent military letter and proposed that the kingdom summon vassals to go north. I think we should arrange troops to defend King's Landing while supporting the Mountain. We should promote the Other invasion nationwide and give the Mountain the power to gather troops, but at the same time, we must also let the Mountain and Jaime come up with a win-win military plan: We must fight the Others, which is related to the life and death of the human race. If Daenerys dares to offend us by taking the opportunity, we must also fight."

"The entire Reach can mobilize at least 70,000 troops to defend the city. The Redwyne family's navy is no less inferior to the Iron Fleet of the Iron Islands. Coupled with the Royal Navy fleet, the Mountain's Dragonstone fleet, and Governor Gubberle's fleet of the Iron Islands, our naval power far exceeds Daenerys' navy," Mace Tyrell immediately stated. He only wanted to keep his people and legions in King's Landing and would never go north.

Prime Minister Mace's words made Cersei feel a lot more at ease. Confidence and complexion miraculously returned to her beautiful face.

Qyburn said: "Your Majesty, the dragon-hunting ballista secretly built by the Mountain in the Westerlands, you can ask him to dedicate it to us for our use, or lend us Master Tobho Mott, who made the dragon-hunting ballista. Daenerys' three little dragons are only three years old. I estimate that one arrow from the dragon-hunting ballista can kill one if it hits the target."

Earl Rosby also said: "Your Majesty, the Crownlands and the Stormlands are now mobilizing, and all the people are soldiers. I estimate that we can gather 20,000 troops to assist the Prime Minister in defending the city."

"No, Jaime Lannister and Ser Bronn of the Blackwater should be used as the generals defending the city. Lord Mace needs to handle more political affairs and military supplies." Cersei believed that Jaime was a political idiot, but when it came to fighting, Jaime was brave and fearless.

"In that case, Your Majesty, please issue an order summoning the Mountain to King's Landing," Grand Maester Qyburn suggested.

"Will the Mountain ride a dragon?" Tommen asked, excitement rising in his voice.

"Yes, Your Majesty. The Mountain has just tamed a dragon; naturally, he will ride it to King's Landing."

"Good, Grand Maester, write to the Mountain now and tell him to ride a dragon to King's Landing." Tommen's little face was flushed with excitement, and his voice trembled slightly.

Dragons, these terrifying magical creatures, were merciless killers. Their dragonfire incinerated everything, and no human force could withstand them. The fact that such a dragon was in the hands of the increasingly powerful Mountain disrupted the kingdom's already fragile military balance, which in itself was a great threat to the royal family and nobles. But in the eyes of the child king, there was only curiosity, anticipation, and surprise, without a trace of fear.

A short while later, a well-trained raven was released from the rookery in the Red Keep!

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