Banklow Castle.
The closest fortress to The Crag.
The lands of Lord Banklow and those of The Crag were interwoven like jagged teeth. Banklow Castle was also the last stronghold among the twenty castles that The Mountain's forces swept through during the night.
By dawn, when The Mountain arrived at Banklow Castle's gates with over twenty knights led by Lord Damon Marbrand and Addam Marbrand, Lord Banklow willingly gave up any resistance and sincerely raised his hands in surrender.
From atop the high battlements, Lord Banklow openly admitted, this was not the city wall, but the castle's, that he had no intention of antagonizing the noble Westerling family. He was fully prepared to return all the lands belonging to the Westerlings. It was only out of respect for Lord Damon that he reluctantly agreed to delay the land's return to the honorable Lord Gawen.
In truth, Lord Banklow harbored a secret hope: if Damon could hold out against The Mountain, he wanted to keep the Westerlings' lands for himself. But if Damon and The Mountain lost their battle, Banklow would turn with the wind and return all the Westerling lands without hesitation.
The Mountain granted Banklow this chance to save face. Wisely, Banklow seized the opportunity and, in front of all the knights, solemnly declared he would immediately return all the Westerling lands.
After The Mountain gave a similarly insincere expression of sincere thanks for Banklow's reasonableness, he and Damon entered the castle. The lords who were captured in the dead of night were free to walk on their legs but bore multiple wounds across their bodies and faces. Those who had resisted fiercely were bound tightly from head to toe; those more compliant were simply bound at the wrists.
The chief culprit, Damon Marbrand, was laid across a horse's back, face down toward the dirt. His prized son, Ser Addam Marbrand, best friends with Jaime Lannister, was tied up in tight bonds. His lips were split, several teeth broken, lips swollen high, and his shirt stained with blood.
Lord Damon's face was badly bruised on one side, swollen like a loaf of bread from two slaps delivered by the Mountain the previous night. One eye was reduced to a slit. All the bluster, the usual haughtiness, the arrogance of being a cousin to Lord Tywin, the disdain that never regarded others as equals, was gone.
After eating and drinking their fill at Banklow's home, and after the horses that had traveled all night were watered and fed without needing orders, Banklow sent ravens without delay to report good news to the Westerling family about Ser Gregor's recent status. To celebrate the Mountain's internal family wedding, Lord Banklow presented a gift of one hundred gold dragons, placed on a silver tray alongside the deeds to the Westerling family's lands.
The Mountain accepted only the deeds with remarkable restraint. Though he wanted the hundred gold dragons, he firmly refused the gift.
The goal was clear, the rallying cry well known: reclaim the ancestral lands passed down through generations, not extort money from anyone.
There was a just cause for reclaiming the lands, lands with people, taxes, and soldiers. That was enough. This was a matter both right and wrong depending on perspective. Once the land was secured, there was no need to take anyone's money. Greed was taboo.
Taking both land and wealth might please oneself, but it would forever plant a grudge in others' hearts, this was a true disaster.
Seeing the Mountain resolutely refuse the hundred gold dragons, Lord Banklow was very pleased. The Mountain was cruel but measured, thoughtful and considerate. He arranged for ten wagons to carry the more than twenty captured knights, while he and his twenty-two Clegane "assassins" rode their warhorses, escorting the wagons slowly back toward Westerling's The Crag.
Banklow Castle was several dozen miles from The Crag.
As the wagons entered Westerling territory, Lord Angus called for a halt. He dismounted, invited the Mountain to the rear of the column, and asked to be released, promising to immediately send the Westerling land deeds to Casterly Rock.
Angus had thought it through and refused to endure further humiliation on Westerling land. He was a man of chivalry who prized his honor above all. His strength was no match for the Mountain's fist; Damon's fate was even worse. His family might have many troops, but with Damon in the Mountain's hands, no one dared act rashly. Angus had joined Damon's side only on Damon's assurance and persuasion. Now that things had come to this, and Damon was in the Mountain's hands, no amount of scheming mattered.
If the lands were to be returned cleanly, so be it. Why prolong the shame?
Moreover, the Mountain was Lord Tywin's favored warrior and the strongest fighter in the western lands. He had recently invented a series of devices and had earned Tywin's deep favor. Tywin had adopted Jeyne Westerling as his foster daughter and married her to the Mountain. With Tywin's backing, who dared kill the Mountain? Without Tywin's consent, no one had the guts.
Angus made up his mind quickly, if the Mountain was going to get what he wanted eventually, why wait and suffer further humiliation?
The Mountain stared at Angus for a long moment without speaking, then drew a small knife to cut the ropes binding Angus's hands. He nodded once and pursed his lips, signaling Angus to mount and leave immediately.
Along the way, the Mountain and his men casually took a few good horses, increasing their mounts since they had some spare horses in the convoy.
After thanking the Mountain, Angus rode off.
The column pressed forward until they spotted a large banner ahead: three snarling black hounds on a golden field, the Clegane cavalry led by Raff was there to greet the Mountain.
Soon after, another group arrived, twenty riders led by the young hero Reynald Westerling and the axe-wielding brute Rolph Spicer came to welcome the Mountain.
Further on, another banner appeared, depicting six white shells on a golden beach, Lady Jeyne and Lord Gawen Westerling led thirty family soldiers to meet the Mountain.
The atmosphere grew lively.
After some polite greetings, Lord Gawen Westerling was about to approach the wagon with Damon Marbrand to show goodwill when the Mountain said, "Ser Reynald."
Reynald blushed deeply. "Ser Gregor, I'm not a knight yet."
"Oh!" Gregor replied, "If you perform well, I'll gladly knight you."
"Thank you, Ser Gregor!" Reynald was overjoyed.
The Mountain had defeated over twenty northern noble families with just his twenty-two men overnight, capturing more than twenty knights. To the young Reynald, the Mountain was already an awe-inspiring figure.
"Reynald, I'm assigning you a task!" he said, not 'requesting', but 'assigning.'
"At your command, Ser Gregor. You are family by blood, and I am honored to serve under your banner."
The Mountain had been waiting for those words. He knew Reynald's character well, a reliable youth, loyal beyond doubt. Given time and proper guidance, this boy would grow into a great man. Although Lord Gawen was useless, his greatest achievement was fathering Jeyne and Reynald Westerling.
"Reynald, I order you to lead the family scouts and patrol the Westerling border. Scouts will alternate day and night. If anyone suspicious crosses into our lands, report immediately."
"Yes, Ser Gregor!" Reynald was thrilled; the thrill of impending battle filled the boy with excitement. He immediately rallied the scouts, saluted the Mountain, and rode off swiftly.
Quiet and unseen, the Mountain had naturally inserted himself and taken control of the Westerling family's military power. The only person who immediately realized this was Lady Jeyne Westerling.
⚔────────
Visit my Patreon for more: patreon.com/vynthor
Extra Content Already Available:
The Mountain of Ice and Fire (GOT) – 56 advanced chapters!
Naruto: I Am Nara Shikamaru – 30 advanced chapters!
One Piece: Summoner of the 3D Zone – 38 advanced chapters!
That's a total of 194 chapters ahead of public updates!
With your support, I release 10 chapters per fanfics every week, keeping the stories alive and growing.
Thank you so much for being part of this journey!