Night had fallen.
The bright moon hung high in the sky.
Bernie led the villagers to the border of Lord Banklow's territory.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Bernie looked back at the long line of villagers, men, women, old and young, moving together in a great procession. Many were herding cattle, sheep, and carts.
Just ahead lay Lord Banklow's land. They were finally safe.
"Let's rest here for a bit before moving on," Bernie announced.
The villagers eagerly settled down to rest. Some children fell asleep in their mothers' arms, while their fathers tended to the carts.
"Bernie, the tax official who came this afternoon didn't mention any forced conscription or taxes," one villager said as he sat down.
"Yeah, he said everyone must gather in The Crag in three days. There's an important decree to be announced publicly. There's a wooden post set up at the city gate. Whoever carries that post all the way to the Lord's main gate will receive a gold dragon coin as a reward," another man added. "Bernie, you're well connected with the nobles, what do you make of Lord Gawen's intentions?"
"That's nonsense!" Bernie said flatly.
"But why would Lord Gawen's decree be fake?"
"The Westerling family's reputation is already in the gutter, and they're poorer by the day. How could they possibly reward anyone with a gold dragon coin?" Bernie said bitterly. "Listen, the terrible demon known as 'The Mountain' has taken over The Crag. The Westerling family is finished. Miss Jeyne, such a beauty, has even been married off to that monster. Pitiful, really."
"I heard it was a marriage arranged by Lord Tywin. Even Lord Gawen had no say."
"The Mountain isn't even human, he's a beast in human form," Bernie said, taking a swig of wine. "Come on, let's keep moving. If we get over this hill, we'll be in Lord Banklow's territory. I know him well. I'll make sure you get land to farm and mines to work."
The villagers burst into laughter while the women cursed Bernie, wishing him a childless life.
Under the bright moonlight, the group crossed the hill and entered Lord Banklow's territory, only to be suddenly confronted by countless torches and a sharply armored general who rode out from the trees.
Bernie and the villagers were startled. The timid ones took off running.
Bernie squinted to see the flag behind the general, a bull's head.
He brightened instantly and shouted, "Don't be afraid! That's Lord Banklow's banner!"
The general wore a helmet and lowered his visor, hiding his face. Behind him were twenty cavalrymen.
"This road is closed. Turn back," the general ordered.
Bernie eagerly approached him. "General, I'm Bernie. I'm well acquainted with Lord Banklow. You must've seen me perform at the Lord's house, imitating bird and beast calls."
"Get lost!" the general barked, hand on his sword. "If you don't want to die, turn back now. This road is off limits."
"General, " Bernie tried to speak again.
With a swift motion, the general drew his sword and shouted, "No subjects of the Westerling family may pass this way! Even if you enter Lord Banklow's lands, he will not welcome you. I advise you to return to your village and cause no trouble here."
Bernie and the villagers exchanged uneasy glances.
Faced with drawn swords, no one dared to advance.
That night, Bernie and the villagers were forced to return to their village. Bernie and two younger villagers tried a longer route, but all the other Lords had soldiers guarding the roads, so no one could cross into their territories. Those who tried would be turned back.
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Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Though the villagers remained anxious and unsettled, something strange happened. When they returned to their homes, their attachment to the village suddenly deepened. Surprisingly, no household attempted to flee.
The rumors began to lose momentum. Some villagers started doubting that these terrifying stories even came from the Westerling family. Upon closer investigation, no one could trace the source of the rumors.
Meanwhile, the villagers did receive an official decree personally issued by Count Westerling himself. It was posted on the village bulletin board, bearing the Westerling family crest, not the "The Mountain" emblem with three dogs.
The decree stated that a new order would be announced to all subjects. Every villager must gather at The Crag's Plaza by noon three days from now. Before the new decree was announced, a wooden post was set up at the gate of the Lord's fortress. Anyone brave enough to carry the post to the main gate would be rewarded with a gold dragon coin.
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On the day The Mountain married Jeyne, The Crag was packed with subjects from across the land. Everyone had received the Lord's order and gathered at the Plaza.
At midday, Reynald Westerling, the heir of The Crag, rode out of the fortress on a fine horse, surrounded by several guards. Riding slowly, he called out, "Whoever has the strength to carry the post at the gate to the fortress entrance will be rewarded with a gold dragon coin!"
He called out all the way to the city gate, where the wooden post had stood since morning, guarded by two soldiers.
A crowd gathered, shoulder to shoulder, blocking every inch of space. People whispered, pointed, and debated, yet no one dared approach the post.
"Are there no brave souls among the Westerling's thousands of subjects?" Reynald shouted at the crowd.
"I will!" a voice suddenly declared.
Out stepped a broad-shouldered woman with thick lips and a wide face, Bernie's wife, The Bull.
Bernie shrank into the crowd but whispered encouragement to her, and she stepped forward.
Bernie promised The Bull that if she earned him the gold dragon coin, he would never leave her side again.
The Bull's sudden appearance stunned the entire crowd. No one expected the brave Westerling subject to be a strong, fierce woman.
Reynald Westerling was embarrassed beyond words.
The Westerling domain had at least 1,300 households, but after careful accounting by Reynald's sister Jeyne and mother Sibyl, the number had grown to over 1,500, thanks to nobles returning lands.
With so many subjects, thousands of people, not a single brave man had come forward, only a burly woman!
The crowd erupted with cheers and laughter, while Bernie's encouraging gaze helped Bull step forward.
Reynald had no choice but to gesture to the guards to clear the way.
The once-mighty Westerling family, now fallen from grace, had summoned their subjects to The Crag to announce a new decree. The Mountain's experiment to win the people's trust was underway, and apparently the only brave soul willing to carry the post was this stout, clumsy woman.
Lord Damon and Lord Leo, watching from the fortress corridor, were sure to laugh their heads off at this. The news would spread fast, and the Westerling family's honor would be utterly shattered.
The Westerlings had no brave men!
The thought filled Reynald with shame, making it hard to breathe.
Bull, unaware of Bernie's motives, simply wanted to prove herself. Bernie planned to watch the spectacle for a while, then leave this place to wander the Seven Kingdoms. He had already contacted a theater troupe to perform at Lannisport, then planned to sail south, making stops at High Court in the Riverlands and the great port town of Oldtown.
Bull lifted the wooden post, heavy but manageable for her strength.
In front of her, Reynald and two guards cleared a path. Behind her, a sea of spectators followed.
When Lord Damon saw that the only one brave enough to carry the post in Lord Gawen's territory was this burly woman, he burst out laughing.
Lord Leo couldn't help but grin as well.
Lord Gawen's face flushed deep red with shame.
Lady Sibyl retreated to her chamber, unable to bear the sight.
Jeyne and The Mountain stood quietly in the corridor. Jeyne's expression was unusual, but The Mountain remained impassive, even whistling softly.
What he was about to announce next would stun Lords Leo and Damon, leave Lord Gawen in disbelief, and yet win the hearts of all the subjects.
Though The Bull had yet to finish carrying the timber, The Mountain's plan to conscript troops, enrich the landowners, and gain the people's trust had already begun, unstoppable.
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