Within the territory of the Riverlands, beside the King's Road, in the town of Earl Harlowe.
Snap!
King Robert threw the parchment in his hand forcefully in front of Cersei.
Cersei didn't even blink.
A maid is carefully manicuring the Queen's fingernails.
The queen grew tired of red and decided to paint her nails black.
"This is the tenth letter I've received today!" Robert shouted at Cersei. "This is all the work of your vicious dogs. I will send troops to Riverrun immediately, capture the Mountain, and tear him to pieces! The Martell family of Dorne has always wanted his head, and I'll just deliver it to Dorne as a favor."
Cersei blew on her newly manicured right nails, not quite satisfied with the black color. She felt the shine wasn't enough and the gloss didn't meet her expectations.
The maid was still nervously doing her left hand's nails.
The angry king glared at her!
The king's anger was not without reason. The Mountain, an ordinary knight in the Westerlands, of average status, had somehow managed to open the gates of Riverrun while passing through, capturing Lord Horst and holding Earl Edmure hostage. Now, the nobles of the entire Riverlands were in uproar. They sent ravens to the king and surrounded Riverrun with their troops, forming a three-sided encirclement with layers upon layers of soldiers.
However, it is said that the Mountain is living a carefree life, spending his days drinking tea and wine with Lord Horst, while the army of the Westerlands has arrived at the west side of the Red Fork. Although the number of troops is small, there are rumors that Lord Tywin is also mobilizing the legions of other nobles to come to the west crossing of the Red Fork.
This incident did indeed cause quite a stir, eventually alarming His Majesty the King, who was indulging in pleasure at a brothel in the town.
The sommelier Lancel Lannister handed the golden cup to the king, who angrily took it, splashed the wine in Lancel's face, and cursed, "You damn Lannister!"
He stormed out angrily.
The sommelier Lancel hurried to keep up with the king, and the four Kingsguard guards standing at the door with their hands on their sword hilts followed closely behind. The king suddenly stopped and glared at Jaime Lannister: "Don't follow me!"
Jaime Lannister's expression froze, and he stopped in his tracks.
The king left with his wine server and three other royal guards.
Cersei chuckled softly from inside the room and said, "Jaime, aren't you a Lannister?"
Jaime returned to the doorway, stood with his hand on his sword, and said, "Your Majesty, I am the Lannister!"
"Why were you so calm when the King berated the Lannisters?"
"Your Majesty, I've gotten used to it!"
Cersei smiled gently: "Jaime, what do you think about the Mountain breaking into Riverrun and taking Lord Hoster hostage?"
This matter has stirred up the entire Riverlands. The Riverlands nobles are indignant, and nobles are constantly sending messengers or ravens to deliver messages to the king. Every letter and every person who arrives adds pressure to the king.
The king was not afraid of war, but he hated these petty squabbles and nonsense.
He deeply regretted letting Eddard Stark leave the town before he was allowed to.
"Since Father has deployed troops and set up a battle formation at the west ferry of the Red Fork River, I suspect that the Demon Mountain may not be entirely wrong in this matter."
"You think the Mountain is a reasonable person?" Cersei asked, sounding very surprised.
"The Mountain has lost its ferocity and gained calm; it has lost its anger and gained reason," Jaime said calmly.
"Oh, how come I never felt that way!" Cersei looked at Jaime with the same look she'd given an idiot.
"If you think about his duel with the hound carefully, you'll realize I'm not just guessing!"
"Oh!" Cersei waved her hand, and the maid doing her nails and the other servants left. "Jaime, come in and talk to me!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Jaime entered the room. "If the Mountain wanted to kill the Hound, given his personality, would he simply kill him with a single sword stroke, or would he ask for both torches and oil? When did the Mountain become so verbose and patient in killing people?"
"Hounds are afraid of fire!" Cersei said. "Burning hounds to death is in keeping with the Mountain's cruelty!"
"Yes, but when Lord Eddard and His Majesty the King stood up to stop the Mountain from burning the Hound, shouldn't he have been more furious and beheaded the Hound? Instead, he just threw the torch on the ground and walked away?"
He didn't have a sword in his hand at the time!
Jaime smiled. "Given the Mountain's ferocity and rage, having a sword or not wouldn't have stopped him from killing the Hound. Without a sword, he could have picked the Hound up and crushed his head. But he didn't; he actually let the Hound go. Do you still think this is the Mountain you know?"
Cersei's eyes darted around: "Jaime, you're not saying the Mountain deliberately tried to burn the Hound alive, but knew Eddard Stark would stop him..." Cersei covered her mouth, her beautiful eyes widening, "I absolutely refuse to believe the Mountain is such a cunning person, I absolutely refuse to believe it!"
"I don't know, but if the Mountain were to burn the Hound alive, I know Duke Eddard would definitely stand up for him. He has always been a self-proclaimed just, upright, honorable, and honorable knight. Although I look down on him, he is more trustworthy than many of the knights in the royal court. Also, the Mountain in his rage couldn't have taken Riverrun. He must have used some trick to open the city gates and the military fortresses inside. The rumors that the Mountain led thirty men to forcibly break into Riverrun are absolutely unbelievable."
"Why?"
"A direct assault on Benliu City? Let alone the fact that Demon Mountain only has thirty people, even if there were three hundred, three thousand, or thirty thousand, it would be difficult to break through Benliu City, which is surrounded by raging rivers on three sides, from the front! And to break into the inner city of Benliu City would be even more difficult!"
Cersei shrugged. "Jaime, why do you think the Mountain would suddenly attack Riverrun and take control of Lord Hoster? This is a major event that will shake the Seven Kingdoms! No one will choose to side with the Mountain!"
"I have no idea!"
"What do you think Father will do about the trouble the Mountain has caused? Duke Horst's eldest son-in-law is Prime Minister Ed."
"Father has not yet sent a raven to the King to explain the reason, and I do not know why. But Father will not let things get out of control."
"With my father around, I haven't worried about this mess at all. In fact, I'm more concerned about something else, something important!"
"What's up?"
The latest novels are first published on 69shuba!
"With your calm mind and insightful understanding, you are the one who should be the King's Hand! Eddard Stark should go back to his homeland."
"Me, Prime Minister?" James chuckled. "Forget it, I'm not interested in being Prime Minister."
"So what are you interested in?"
"My interest lies between your legs," Jaime chuckled, reaching out to embrace Cersei's slender waist.
*
Earl's Hall.
The enraged king commanded: "Ser Ilyn Payne, Lord Enforcer! Ser Thoros, Lord Courtier from Myr, you shall take thirty King's Landing garrison soldiers to Riverrun to mediate the conflict between the Mountain and Lord Hoster. Determine that the Mountain releases his captors from Riverrun immediately. If the Mountain refuses, agree to all his demands and ensure Lord Hoster's safety. Then I will let the Mountain know my wrath."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" the red-robed monk Soros replied respectfully.
The Red Monk Thoros was born in Myr, a free trading city across the Narrow Sea. He was the youngest of eight children in his family. His parents were too poor to raise him, so at the age of three, he was given to the Red Monks who served the Lord of Light as a young attendant. As he grew up, he naturally came to believe in the Lord of Light and became a Red Monk himself.
Driven by his desire for battle, alcoholism, and women, he never truly became a devout believer, even though he donned a red robe.
To convert the fire-obsessed mad king Aerys II to the Lord of Light, the high priest of the Red Temple in Myr sent Thoros to King's Landing to preach to King Aerys Targaryen. However, Thoros, preferring alcoholism and frequenting brothels, failed to complete the mission.
After the War of the Usurper, he gained Robert's favor for his love of wine, women, and fierce fighting in King's Landing, and the two became good friends. Attracted by women, wine, and battle, Thoros abandoned his missionary work and willingly became a courtier of King Robert.
In the year 289 of Aegon's calendar, Lord Balon Greyjoy of the Iron Islands declared himself king and openly rebelled. King Robert and Eddard led their armies to suppress the rebellion, and the Red Priest Thoros was the first to storm the walls of Pyke, his bravery becoming known throughout the Seven Kingdoms.
Soros often relied on his flaming sword to scare his opponents and win battles. In many martial arts tournaments, he always won the team championship.
Soros won the team tournament by defeating Sandor Clegane, the Hound, three times with the Flaming Sword.
Soros was Robert's closest personal friend and one of Robert's most trusted courtiers and generals!
Although the Royal Enforcer, Ilyn Payne, was mute and had mediocre swordsmanship, he represented the supreme royal authority!
*
Scholar Lucius climbed out of Amy's bed. Amy was no longer there, and the air was filled with a woman's delicate fragrance. He took several greedy breaths, then reluctantly got up, barefoot, and stretched his aching muscles around the room.
Before daybreak, he had to return to his residence. It was forbidden for maesters to visit brothels in the Citadel; it violated the maester's code. But if His Majesty the King could visit brothels, Maester Lucius felt he could too.
Footsteps sounded. Was it lovely Amy returning?
The curtain was lifted, and a terrifyingly ugly face appeared in the doorway—Sandor Clegane, the Hound!
The Hound's expression remained calm. He realized he was unconsciously mimicking the Mountain's detached demeanor, a fact that irritated, troubled, and annoyed him. He shook his head, banishing the Mountain's shadow, and quickly regained his usual coldness.
"Sir, I have a question for you!" said the Hound, and closed the door.
Scholar Lucius's face was already pale, and his forehead was covered in cold sweat!