The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Suddenly, Arya Stark became the only elder of the House of Black and White.

Arya stood there, adjusting her mindset in a very short time, but a sense of unease still lingered in her heart.

She preferred freedom and spontaneity to being an elder in the House of Black and White, managing various affairs and making decisions.

She liked the lifestyle of Syrio Forel, the dancing master, with a narrow sword at her waist, going wherever she had never been, going and leaving as she pleased.

But there were more important things that needed to be dealt with immediately.

The identity of the elder was the most suitable and convenient for her to do things.

*

Roose Bolton pushed the wheelchair with Bran in it, walking down the street at a slow pace.

This group attracted the attention of almost everyone on the street.

Whether it was mercenaries, fishermen, or women standing on the eaves and stone arch bridges, they were all drawn to this group.

The Sea Lord's twelve swordsmen had become a symbol of this group's 'wealth and status'.

Braavos was a free trade city-state composed of hundreds of islands, connected by stone arch bridges of various colors, and the brightly colored stone arch bridges had become a major feature of Braavos.

At the head of the stone arch bridge ahead stood a faceless monk.

The monk's face was hidden in his hood.

Whether it was because of the appearance of a monk, the front and back of the stone arch bridge were quickly emptied of pedestrians.

"Bran the Seer, that monk is a bit strange!" Roose Bolton, pushing the wheelchair, said softly. Speaking softly was Roose Bolton's consistent style.

"That is a Faceless Man," said Priscilla, the leader of the Sea Lord's twelve swordsmen.

"Who will go forward and ask the monk to clear the way?" Bran said indifferently. Although he was a Green Seer, he could not foresee anything. He could see the past, but he needed to concentrate and spend time to find the right direction, and predicting the future was the same.

"I'll go," Priscilla said.

Priscilla was the captain of this swordsman squad, but not the Sea Lord's chief swordsman. The Sea Lord's chief swordsman needed to protect the Sea Lord.

The group slowly stopped.

Captain Priscilla stepped forward, placed her right hand on her heart, bowed, and lowered her head: "Teacher, could you please clear the way?"

"Sir, please tell Bran the Seer that an elder of the House of Black and White invites him to the Hall of Faces in the House of Black and White."

"Yes, teacher, I will report to the Seer." Priscilla did not have the slightest arrogance or authority of a Sea Lord's swordsman, and maintained absolute politeness in front of the Faceless Men monk.

Bran Stark sat in the wheelchair, a glimmer of surprise flashing in his indifferent eyes as he looked at somewhere in the sky.

He knew that none of the seven elders of the House of Black and White could stand and talk to him, but the other party said that an elder of the House of Black and White invited him to speak.

Captain Priscilla turned around and relayed the monk's words.

Bran said indifferently: "Captain Priscilla, please tell the teacher that we just came out of the House of Black and White and did not see any of the elders."

Without Priscilla relaying the message, the monk said: "Bran the Seer, when you went to the House of Black and White just now, it happened that the elders of the House of Black and White were all away on business. After you left, an elder of the House of Black and White returned."

"Oh?!" Bran withdrew his indifferent gaze towards the sky and landed on the monk on the bridgehead. The monk's face was hidden in the dark hood, but Bran could see that it was an old monk's face full of wrinkles. But this may be an illusion. Faceless Men can change into anyone's appearance, this is their most basic skill.

This monk may originally look like this, but maybe, it has nothing to do with his original appearance at all.

Bran waved his hand, Roose Bolton pushed the wheelchair forward, and stopped in front of the stone arch bridge, only a few meters away from the monk.

"Teacher, I am going to the Sea Lord's Palace now, and there are some important matters that need to be dealt with. When I am done, I will definitely visit the elders of the House of Black and White again."

The monk on the opposite side did not answer after hearing Bran's words. He just stood on the bridgehead, silent and still as a mountain.

The scene suddenly became quiet. The sound of the river flowing under the stone arch bridge was gurgling, like the uneasiness in people's hearts.

The atmosphere became very unfriendly.

The monk obviously would never clear the way.

Bran said: "Teacher, are you going to force us to go to the House of Black and White to see the elders?"

The monk still did not answer, nor did he clear the way. The wind blew, causing the monk's sleeves to flutter, making a slight crackling sound, but it could not blow the hood on his head.

"Captain Priscilla, let's change the road," Bran said indifferently.

"Yes, Seer," Captain Priscilla said.

He was ordered by the Sea Lord to protect the Seer, and it was his duty to obey the Seer's orders.

So the team turned and changed to another road.

There were many roads to the Sea Lord's Palace. On any island in Braavos, there were roads to the Sea Lord's Palace, one was by land, which required crossing many stone arch bridges, and the other was by water, which only required hiring a boat in the river. The road traffic in Braavos was originally linked by land and water.

Captain Priscilla led the group to decide to take the water route.

They passed through the street, turned into a small alley, and came to a street. At the end of the street, there was a brightly colored stone arch bridge, which was taller and longer than the stone arch bridge blocked by the monk. Anywhere there is a stone arch bridge, there are steps for people to get on and off the boat, and it is also very convenient to find boats. Small rivers run through the entire Braavos, just like roads.

In fact, in Braavos, taking a boat is more convenient than walking.

Priscilla came to the river under the stone arch bridge, and there were several boats in the small river. Among them, there were three colored boats. These colored boats, regardless of size, were specially used to carry guests to any island as rental boats.

"Hey, boatman, row the boat over here, I want all three boats," Captain Priscilla shouted.

The three colored boats, which were not far from the riverbank, rowed over together. Their speed was very fast because of the business, and the rowing sailors were very professional. The boatmen on the colored boats in Braavos were familiar with every river and every pier, and also familiar with every docking point on every island.

On the steps by the river, there had been a boy squatting and washing his hands. When the boat docked, the boy looked up, stretched out his hand, and held an iron coin in his hand: "All men must die."

The faces of the boatmen on the three boats changed together, and everyone stood on the bow of the boat respectfully: "All men must serve."

"You go, please tell the other colored boats not to carry the wheelchair boy and the Sea Lord's twelve swordsmen on the shore."

"Yes, teacher." The boatmen on the three colored boats bowed and replied together. Then, no matter how Captain Priscilla shouted, they rowed away like flying.

Captain Priscilla had an annoyed look on her face: "Teacher, you are..."

The boy stood up, turned around, and the colorful clothes on his body turned into a monk's robe, and his face was also an old man's face full of wrinkles and weathered. The old man reached out and pulled on his hood, and Captain Priscilla was dumbfounded. The image of this monk was exactly the Faceless Men monk who had blocked their way at the head of the stone arch bridge just now.

When they retreated and detoured, they had gone a long way. At the corner of the street, Captain Priscilla looked back and clearly saw that the monk had been standing on the bridgehead without leaving.

"Captain Priscilla, please tell the Seer that our elder is waiting for him in the Hall of Faces in the House of Black and White."

"...Yes, teacher..." Captain Priscilla heard her own voice say.

The monk walked up the steps, passed by Bran and his group, his face hidden in his hood. Bran paid attention and found that he could not see through the darkness of the hood. Just now, he could see through the darkness under the monk's hood who was blocking the road on the stone arch bridge and see the monk's face.

This monk was transformed from the colorful boy on the river steps. When the monk did not put on his hood, Bran saw his face, and that face was clearly the face of the monk who had blocked the road at the bridgehead earlier.

The two monks had the same face, but Bran could see through the darkness under the hood of one monk, but not the other. This can only mean one thing, this is not the same person. The old monk transformed by this boy has more powerful magical power than the monk on the bridgehead.

Bran said to the monk's back: "Teacher, if I don't go to the House of Black and White today, can't I go to the Sea Lord's Palace either?"

The monk ignored him. He walked slowly on his own, but soon, he walked across the long street and disappeared.

The Faceless Men did not bother to answer Bran's words. They had actually answered, using actions.

Jaime, Ramsay Bolton, two Sand Snakes, twelve swordsmen, and Roose Bolton all looked at Bran together. The Faceless Men were going to wear them down. In Braavos, the Sea Lord's power was supreme, the Iron Bank was richer than a king, but what about the Faceless Men? They seemed to be just an assassin organization. The Faceless Men had no army or royal power, nor did they have the wealth of a super kingdom, but looking at their way of doing things and their unquestioning domineering, it was as if they had both royal power and wealth.

Even with the Sea Lord's twelve swordsmen personally accompanying the Seer, it seemed to be of no avail.

All the colored boats on the waterway, with just one iron coin and one sentence, cut off any possibility of Bran taking a boat.

Ramsay Bolton chuckled: "The old monk just said that the colored boats are not allowed to carry us, then we will hire fishing boats and merchant ships."

Under the stone arch bridge, in the river, there were also many fishing boats and merchant ships coming and going.

Captain Priscilla said: "Lord Ramsay, you don't understand the Faceless Men. The monk said that the colored boats are not allowed to carry Bran the Seer, then the other boats will not dare to carry us either."

"Do the Faceless Men have such power?" Jaime refused to believe it.

Captain Priscilla shrugged her shoulders: "Lord Jaime, the colored boats in Braavos are also the most well-informed rental boats. They know almost all the fishermen and sailors and captains on the merchant ships in the river. If the Faceless Men want them to spread the word, they are telling all the ships not to carry us anywhere."

"Not even with the Sea Lord's order?" Ramsay Bolton was incredulous.

"It's not impossible, but people are more willing to obey the Faceless Men's orders. The Faceless Men rarely give orders, unless it is a very important matter. The Sea Lord and the House of Black and White have always only had good relations, not bad relations. Many of the servants, grooms, mercenaries, soldiers, and generals in the palace are believers of the Many-Faced God in the House of Black and White."

Roose Bolton, Jaime Lannister, and others could not help but fall silent. They all looked at Bran again. Bran went to the House of Black and White to ask the elders about the progress of the assassination of the Mountain, but the elders were unwilling to see Bran earlier, probably because the progress was not smooth, and there may be embarrassment and inconvenience in their words. But not long after, the situation actually reversed, and the House of Black and White used its power to ask Bran to return to the House of Black and White again, and an elder must see him. But looking at this, Bran seemed unwilling to return.

This is really fucking strange!

"Well, since the elder of the House of Black and White is so sincere, let's go to the House of Black and White again," Bran said indifferently. His gaze withdrew from the place where the monk disappeared and looked at somewhere in the sky again.

*

House of Black and White, Hall of Faces.

Elder's Conference Hall.

Roose Bolton pushed the wheelchair into the conference hall. Only one person was sitting in front of the long table in the conference hall: Arya Stark.

Roose Bolton did not see an elder, nor did he see any Faceless Men, or a monk.

In addition to Roose Bolton, Jaime Lannister, two Sand Snakes, twelve swordsmen, Ramsay Bolton and others were also left in the outer hall of the Hall of Faces.

"Roose Bolton, you can go out," Arya Stark said. She did not use honorifics to Roose Bolton, and called him by his name directly.

"Arya, where are your elders?" Roose Bolton said softly. He was very unhappy with Arya's rudeness in his heart, but he would not show a bit of unhappiness. No matter how rude he faced, Roose Bolton was calm and light, speaking quietly and without raising his voice.

"Lord Roose Bolton, the elder is already here." Bran's gaze looked at Arya, still calm.

Roose Bolton's elegant slowness gradually turned into surprise: "Miss Arya has become an elder of the House of Black and White?"

"Still not going out," Arya frowned slightly and said indifferently.

The Faceless Men have undergone special training, and their emotions are not revealed, but Arya is not like that. She frowned, clearly expressing her contempt and disgust for Roose Bolton.

"Okay, I'll leave immediately." Roose Bolton politely bowed to Arya, his right fist ironed on his left chest.

Roose Bolton walked out of the elder's hall and closed the door.

Arya looked at Bran: "Bran Stark, we will unilaterally tear up the agreement you entrusted to the House of Black and White to assassinate the Mountain."

"This is a desecration of the faith of the House of Black and White, and also a humiliation to your gods."

"Whether it is desecration or humiliation, it has nothing to do with you. I am the destined elder of the House of Black and White, and I am in charge now. Bran, do you want us to return the gold to you now, or do you want to change your name?"