Lord Auren was straightforward: "Ser Gregor, whatever the matter, big or small, just tell me. If it's within my power, I will help." He chuckled, "Lady Jeyne is right, you're part of the Lannister family now. Yes, we're all Lannisters."
The connection to Lord Tywin was undeniably working in Gregor's favor, more than he had expected.
After all, he was soon to be Tywin's son-in-law.
The only regret was that Cersei, Jaime, and Tyrion Lannister wouldn't have the chance to attend his wedding with Jeyne.
But Gregor didn't mind at all.
He could sense just how politically astute Lord Tywin was. By adopting Jeyne as his ward, Tywin had effortlessly made Gregor one of his own family's children, securing Gregor's unwavering loyalty.
Gregor was the Mountain, brutal and terrifying, but his loyalty was a known fact to Tywin.
"My lord, I heard you have a death row prisoner in your jail named Chiswick." Gregor said.
"You want him?" Lord Auren's expression turned serious.
"Since he's already condemned, hand him over. You see, it's hard for me to recruit soldiers."
The four soldiers behind Auren shifted uneasily.
.....
Chiswick was the most notorious thug in Lannisport. He'd started his uprising in the northern part of the city with only three ruffians at his side. But soon, he killed the biggest gang leader in the north and took over, commanding fifty men.
Lannisport was the largest city in the Westerlands, with fifty thousand natives and nearly ten thousand transients. Every district had its own gang.
Within a year, Chiswick ruled the gangs in the north, south, and east districts, commanding three hundred men. He ran brothels, gambling dens, and loan shark operations. With his wealth, he equipped his men with armor and quality weapons, transforming them into a mercenary band called the Warblades, hired muscle and accomplices for the rich and noble.
Why the name Warblades?
Street thugs and hooligans were mostly poor kids or orphans struggling to survive. They shared one thing in common: besides being shameless and reckless, they were broke.
They couldn't afford swords, only knives: kitchen knives, cleavers, short blades, daggers, anything edged.
When Chiswick's crew grew stronger, they shifted into a more legitimate mercenary band. Their numbers grew from three hundred to five hundred as wandering warriors and mercenaries joined. Though clad in armor and wielding longswords now, Chiswick never forgot his roots, the name Warblades was a tribute to their beginnings.
Chiswick had a nickname: Big Ironhead.
When he conquered the eastern gang, their leader Tobert, a fierce man, challenged him. Tobert said if Chiswick dared to let him strike a blow on his big head, he'd acknowledge Chiswick as the boss.
It was clearly a tough-guy threat, not to be taken literally.
But Chiswick took it seriously.
He drew his knife and dared Tobert: "Cut me on the forehead, or I'll cut you."
Tobert swung hard and struck Chiswick's forehead.
Chiswick's head was unusually hard and larger than normal, perhaps a rare natural oddity.
Tobert's blade lodged deep into Chiswick's forehead and got stuck, biting into the flesh.
Tobert pulled hard, but couldn't free the knife.
Chiswick laughed heartily and said he'd keep the knife in his forehead until they finished drinking, then they could pull it out.
Tobert and his gang were shocked.
Tobert immediately dropped to one knee, pledging loyalty to Chiswick.
From that day on, the gangs in north, east, and south Lannisport obeyed Chiswick.
Because of that "head-cutting legend." Chiswick earned the name Big Ironhead.
After leading his men from petty criminals to mercenaries, they earned a reputation for never backing down from any dirty job. Even Lord Auren passed word for them to handle his more unsavory affairs. Chiswick never disappointed his employers.
The richest district in Lannisport wasn't north, south, or east, but the west, the hub for global trade, packed with docks, gangs, and mercenary bands.
One mercenary band controlled the west district long-term: the Seagulls.
Chiswick wanted a piece of that lucrative pie.
Though he took mercenary jobs, he never gave up his brothel, gambling, and loan shark businesses.
To be honest, his reputation and humble origins kept him from landing high-profile contracts. His pay was low.
The Seagulls had a thousand men and two warships, escorting major merchant ships across the Sunset Sea. While the Iron Islands no longer dared raid Lannisport's harbor, they still terrorized the Sunset Sea.
Chiswick admired the Seagulls' strength and sent a message to their captain, Aegon, asking him to join the Warblades. If not, Chiswick said, as long as Aegon was braver and more fearless, he'd acknowledge Aegon as boss, and the Warblades would merge under the Seagulls.
Aegon replied that even if Chiswick's head was harder than steel, he wouldn't submit. The only way to merge was for Chiswick to accept Aegon as leader.
Chiswick liked Aegon's guts and agreed.
He and his fiercest brothers went to the west district, met Aegon, and accepted him as their boss.
Aegon threw a grand feast. The two gangs celebrated as brothers, drinking and eating heartily.
But in the middle of the night, Chiswick and his closest men drew their daggers and beheaded Aegon and his top generals.
Chiswick hoisted Aegon's head on the table, dipped his dagger in the blood, and ate meat stained with it.
The Seagulls were no more, they were absorbed into the Warblades.
However, a minor Seagull guard named Stinky secretly reported the massacre.
Chiswick and his leaders were arrested, thrown into the black cells, and sentenced to death.
The Warblades fell apart.
When Gregor heard about this, he had been scheming to recruit Big Ironhead for his own. After all, Chiswick was a death row prisoner, if the Lord Auren needed to make an example, killing a notorious villain would be fitting.
...
Gregor didn't know if the Lord Auren would agree to hand over the murder convict, but he was determined to try.
Men with such audacity were rare, and Gregor didn't want to miss out.
"Agreed!" Lord Auren didn't hesitate. Auren was no stranger to the harsh realities of the world. "Ser Gregor, but you must swear by the Seven and your family honor that Chiswick will no longer cause trouble in Lannisport."
"Once he becomes one of the Clegane's Keep men, I guarantee he won't kill recklessly or set fires in Lannisport." Gregor said, then publicly swore the oath by the Seven and his family honor.
Thugs and hooligans were everywhere, but a true bold gang leader was hard to find.
Chiswick was one of them.
—----------
Note: Chiswick is an OG character and is not similar to "Chiswick" who is one of Gregor men in the canon.
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